NEW PICS: GABRIELLE UNION AT THE LOS ANGELES PREMIERE OF 'MEET DAVE.'

Speaking of funky Eddie, dude left Gabrielle Union hanging at the Los Angeles premiere of soon-to-flop Meet Dave on Tuesday night. According People.com, Murphy went ghost at the event because he 'was busy' on the set of his next film, A Thousand Words which is filming...in Santa Monica, California. "He's not here because he's doing a movie and shooting – he goes back-to-back-to-back," producer David T. Friendly told People on the premiere's red carpet. "Eddie, he'll never admit it, but he loves to work. And I think work keeps him happy." Murphy's co-star Union said the actor is "at peace" after recent activity that included a sudden split from his fiancée Tracey Edmonds last winter. "He's a really cool guy," says Union. "His kids were always on set. He's just really cool and at peace with himself."

And for those of you who were wondering if the short-do Gabrielle sported on the cover of the July 2008 issue of Essence magazine was a wig or the star's own hair, the answer is the latter. A couple of hours ago, I caught an entertainment news update on TV One that showed behind the scenes footage of Gabrielle as she sat in a salon chair while her hairstylist hacked her mid-length locks into an eccentric bob. Why she doesn't sport the do now still remains a mystery to me.

BELOW ARE PICS GABRIELLE AT THE 'MEET DAVE' PREMIERE. THEY'RE HIGH QUALITY PICS, SO MAKE SURE YOU CLICK ON THEM TO SEE THEIR FULL IMAGE.

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NEW CANDID PICS: MEL B. LUNCHING WITH HER FAMILY AT THE GROVE IN LOS ANGELES.

Spice Girl Melanie 'Mel B.' Brown was spotted enjoying a family day while lunching at The Grove in Los Angeles with her husband Stephen Belafonte and her two daughters, Phoenix Chi, nine (with ex-husband Jimmy Gulzar), and Angel Iris Murphy Brown (with Eddie Murphy). Speaking of kids, the singer says she wants more children with Belafonte. Belafonte says if he had it his way, they'd have a least 11 more. The singer, who celebrated her first wedding anniversary last month (Jun 2008), also revealed that her husband spoils her rotten on a daily basis. She says, "He does something special for me every day. He still fills my room with flowers. And he's a very hands-on dad. He already has a child, Giselle, from a previous relationship, whom he still sees. We plan to have some more kids, in a few years' time. He says he wants 12 or 13. There are twins in his family, so who knows?"

Anybody care tell Eddie just what he's missing out on? That little girl is beyond adorable. The sad part is that if he ever came to his senses and decided to be a part of her life, she'd probably run away from him kicking and screaming in sheer fear. Hell, I know I would...and I'm a grown ass woman.

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CANDID PICS: MONICA SHOPPIN ON RODEO DRIVE + SINGER GEARS UP TO PREMIERE NEW REALITY SHOW 'THE SINGLE: MONICA.'

Monica will follow in the footsteps of her close friend Keyshia Cole when she launches her new reality show, The Single: Monica, which is also distributed through Dubose Entertainment, the same production company that brought Cole's The Way It Is to the small screen. The Single: Monica is set to premiere on Peachtree TV in August. On the series, which is about musical comebacks, viewers will get a peek-a-boo peek in the life of Monica as she prepares to release her new album, Lessons Learned. According to executive producer James DuBose, "The music industry is brutal. It's a fickle space, and the fans' tastes are constantly changing, especially with new artists coming to steal the spotlight. So it's extremely difficult for even the biggest established stars to have any type of staying power in the music business. Every new song or album is do-or-die because so many reputations and careers are on the line. It's a highly emotional and competitive process that requires a creative, dynamic partnership and interaction among the artists, producer and the record label in order to have a remote chance in success. Organically capturing this high-stakes process is what we're looking to do with The Single: Monica."

Naturally, the special broadcast will include glimpses of Monica's home life with her significant other, Rodney 'Rocko' Hill and their two sons.

Below are images of Monica shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills last week.

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LIL WAYNE BIOPIC TO BE RELEASED IN 2009.

Is it safe to say that Lil Wayne has reached rap icon status since news of a new biopic (produced by QD3) surrounding his personal life and career is now the works? The embryonic project aims to chronicle Wayne’s family background and what drives his famous work ethic. “We at Young Money are thrilled to be working with QD3 on production of The Carter,” explained Wayne’s manager Cortez Bryant to AllHipHop.com. “As Weezy’s manager and lifelong friend, I am excited to see Wayne’s story documented with truth and sincerity.” Directed by Independent Spirit Award winner Adam Lough, the film also features exclusive interviews with Wayne and his close personal friends. “Not only is Wayne the hottest musician in the business, but his life story reads something like a Hollywood script enabling this film to break boundaries,” Cortez continued. “And there’s no doubt this film will exceed any and all expectations. He’s a f**king rock star!”

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QD3, born Quincy Jones III is also the creator of the highly successful Beef series. Jones agrees that Wayne has achieved the status of an elite artist. “In my career as a music/film producer I’ve been blessed to have worked with some of the best artists of our time including Tupac, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, Ice Cube, and others,” QD3 elaborated. “Lil Wayne is definitely on that same level in that he is a true artist and he’s not afraid to push the envelope on any level which makes him original.” With only one previous bio to his credit, Tupac Shakur’s Thug Angel, QD3 stressed that Wayne’s importance as an artist inspired him to make another biographical release. “Our only bio to date is Tupac Shakur-Thug Angel,” he stated. “I think that speaks for the regard we have for Wayne’s position in music history as a classic artist. The goal is to go beyond a standard doc and create a theatrical product that will serve as the definitive documentation of Wayne’s life and career.”

The Carter film is scheduled for release in 2009.

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VENUS & SERENA WILLIAMS ON WHY THEY WON'T 'BARACK THE VOTE' IN UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

They may have had to take sides on the court during the recent 2008 Wimbledon Championships, but tennis stars and Jehovah's Witnesses Venus and Serena Williams must remain neutral when it comes to politics. "I'm a Jehovah's Witness, so I don't get involved in politics. We stay neutral. We don't vote," Serena says. However, she did admit she is happy about Senator Barack Obama's success thus far and she says she should vote for him "if it wasn't for my religion." Sister Venus says what she does in tennis and when she helps people through UNESCO and other agencies "isn't really political." Jehovah’s Witnesses do not swear allegiance to an organization or nation, cannot join the armed forces, run for political office or vote. Hmph, you learn something new everyday.

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In related news, the Williams sisters put Wimbledon in a headlock over the weekend (7.5.2008), with Venus winning the women's singles title over her sister Serena 7-5, 6-4, and both siblings teaming about 3 1/2 hours later to win the doubles championship. "We've both worked really hard this year, and I think the results showed here, both in the singles and the doubles," Venus said after winning the Wimbledon singles title for the fifth time. This is Venus' fifth title at Wimbledon's All England Club, while Serena was looking for her third after wins in 2002 and 2003. "I can't believe it is five because when you are in the final against Serena Williams five seems so far away," Venus said during her post-match interview. "It's unbelievable especially with some of the injuries I have gone through. I love this place." Including the prize money awarded to the singles champion and runner-up, along with what they earned for the doubles championship, the Williams family netted more than $2.5 million Saturday, according to the Associated Press.

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RECENT CHILLI PHOTOSHOOT + SINGER SNAGS ENDORSEMENT DEAL WITH SKIN CARE COMPANY; SHARES HER PERSONAL BEAUTY TIPS.

I'm well aware of the many questions I receive from some of you anytime I post pictures of TLC's Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas. Because of her flawless skin complexion and ageless face, 99% of you all ask what Chilli's skincare regimen consist of. Well, she has not only revealed her secrets as to what keeps her skin looking so healthy and glowing, she has also snagged an endorsement deal with exclusive skin care line Chamonix, respectively....and finally! In a recent interview, where she talked about things other than her new solo album Bi-Polar (scheduled to his stores in September), her new bag line, Bags by Chilli, her adoration for Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and the future of TLC, the singer, who will, of course, receive a lifetime supply of moisturizers, face creams, spa treatments and all the other goodies that come along with being a celebrity endorser, also shared her own personal beauty tips. "[Using] Vitamin C serum is really, really important. Also, the Matrixyl cream (by Chamonix), it also keeps the skin tight and it moisturizes and doesn’t dry the skin out. I use it in the morning and at night, and I love the way it makes my skin look and feel. Everything that this line makes is all natural. And the main thing to do is to exfoliate, " says the 37-year-old Atlanta native. And in a past issue of Sophisticate's Black Hair magazine, Chilli (whose mother is of African-American descent and whose father ancestry consist of East Indian/Arab descent) also advised folks to "drink a lot of water" and to make sure they "get plenty of sleep"...two other things she does to keep her 'good black don't crack' skin texture.

Now, as for her hair. For those of you out there who claim you're tired of her wearing it in the same ol' style and would like for her to chop it off, well it ain't gone happen (the chopping off part) anytime soon because when it comes to her signature long-length tresses, Chilli says she loves being a long-haired girl! "I think you have to figure out what's more becoming to you. Like with Halle Berry, I think she's most beautiful with short hair. I think longer hair is my thing. I'm gonna wear it long like this as long as I can."

And what blog post about Chilli would be complete without pictures? Check out a recent photoshoot the singer posed for at The Mansion in Atlanta for Rolling Out magazine.

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The petite singer says she gets a trim once every 8 weeks and a protein treatment once every 2 months because of her (dyed) hair auburn hair color which she has had for the past 5 years. And for those of you who have ever wondered if Chilli has ever worn a weave or extensions, the answer is no. "I have never, ever had extensions. I don't have a perm, nothing. The only thing I do have is color. So it's always been my hair."

There you go, Chilli's skin and hair regimens all in one blog post! Peep more pics from Chilli's photoshoot below.

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*UPDATED WITH NEW PICS* + VIDEO: USHER INTRODUCES HIS SON, USHER RAYMOND VI IN ESSENCE MAGAZINE'S AUGUST '08 ISSUE.

R&B artist Usher is showing off his baby son in a touching new photoshoot for Essence magazine. Father and son, Usher Raymond V, appear together on the cover of the new magazine with the adorable tot sporting a woollen onepiece and a country cap. Inside the August 2008 issue of the magazine, Usher dances for his staring child in one lovely shot, and the pair poses topless for two stunning family photos. The final portrait, taken by snapper Timothy White, features little Usher asleep in his father's arms. In the accompanying article, an article where Usher sounds as if he's finally speaking with the common sense God gave him before he lost his ever-loving mind, the singer tells actor/author Hill Harper his baby son has changed his life. He explains, "I thought I had felt love before. But the moment I heard my child's voice, I broke down and cried." And now, Usher Sr. insists his leading goal in life is to become a role model for the tot: "He's gonna admire me, he's gonna look up to me. He's gonna say...'I wanna be like my father. I wanna be a man of valor. I wanna possess what my father has as a man.'" To get married was a choice. To have a child is a responsibility." When Harper asked the singer what would he say to young men and women about what they should expect from a man who's a father, Usher replied, "That man would accept his responsibilities as a father, regardless of whether he was with the mother of the child. Men will leave a situation for several reasons. One, it's not comfortable. It may be violent. The two of you may grow apart. But you should never abandon that responsibility, which is to be there, reading with your child, being supportive of your child's growth. That is communicating. That is making the choice to put your child before your own vanity."

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WATCH BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE FROM USHER'S PHOTOSHOOT BY CLICKING HERE
SCANNED IMAGES COURTESY OF USHERFOREVER.COM

Usher also hits back at suggestions he named his baby son after himself to boost his own ego insisting it was his tot's uncanny resemblance to him which prompted the decision. The star says he's angered his son's name has provoked such a negative reaction. He says, "He's called Usher because he looks so much like me. He looks so much like me it would have been hard to call him anything else. It was the obvious choice. It's really changed me for the better, he's a great kid."

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