SHAUNIE O'NEAL'S 'BASKETBALL WIVES' TO DEBUT ON VH1 IN APRIL!

In December 2009, Shaquille O'Neal's soon-to-be ex-wife Shaunie (read about their break-up on BlackCelebrityMen.blogspot.com!) inked a deal with VH1 to executive produce and star in a new reality series aptly titled, Basketball Wives. This series is about the insider life of the wives, girlfriends and a few ex-wives of some of the biggest ballers in the game. These ladies live the life. They drive the best cars, live in the biggest mansions, wear designer clothes and jewelry and only travel first class. But living the high life is not all glamour. In order to protect it, they have to deal with the jealousies and dramas of living in — and staying in — the inner circle. They must also keep the groupies at bay while their husbands and boyfriends are traveling on the road for over six months of the year playing ball all-the-while wondering if their spouses are being faithful to them.

The program promises a glimpse into the lives of women involved with or married to prominent NBA players, including Royce Reed, a former dancer for the Orlando Magic who has a son with one of the team's centers, Dwight Howard, Mesha O'Neal, wife of Miami Heat center Jermaine O'Neal, Evelyn Lozada (ex-fiancé of Antoine Walker) and Faith Rain (Udonis Haslem’s girlfriend). Royce says, 'There's a stereotype that we are all sitting on our behinds drinking margaritas. Shaunie wants to break that. I wouldn't be doing the show if it weren't for Shaunie.'

“Having been around these remarkable women for several years, I have always recognized that behind every NBA star is a strong, exceptional woman, one who must deal with the unique challenges of being married to the game as well as the player. I am happy to be teaming with Shed Media and VH1 in bringing this entertaining and enlightening world to television,” stated Shaunie.

The eight-episode 30-minute series is set to premiere on Sunday, April 11, 2010!

Check out pics from Shaunie's Essence magazine photo shoot below.


CLICK HERE TO READ SHAUNIE'S RESPONSE TO RUMORS OF HER CHEATING ON SHAQ, FIND OUT WHEN SHE KNEW HER MARRIAGE WAS OVER AND WHY SHE'S THE HAPPIEST SHE'S BEEN IN A LONG TIME!

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ATLANTA WOMAN FILES RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST NBA PLAYER SHAQUILLE O'NEAL.

Last week Shaquille O'Neal's wife Shaunie publicly announced that she and her husband, who were on the verge of divorce, had decided to nix their divorce proceedings and continue their marriage. I wonder what was Shaunie's reaction when she learned that a Alexis Miller, an Atlanta-based rapper who goes by the stage name MaryJane, filed a restraining order against Shaq for allegedly stalking her after she ended their romantic relationship last month. According to court documents Alexis claimed that Shaq 'threatened to hurt her' and 'harassed' her over the phone with his heavy-ass breathing. For some reason, I can believe it. Dude looks like he snores even when he's wide awake. Anyhoo, court papers also claim that Shaq 'threatened to blackball her from the recording industry by paying established artists....$50,000 each for their agreement to refuse to perform or record with her in the future..." and that Shaq sent her "an unsolicited vulgar and offensive illustration of a man physically restraining a woman while forcing her to engage in sexual intercourse with him."

Now, for me, what really puts the hole in the boat is an email including in the court documents. If I'm not mistaken, Shaq did receive a formal education, right? If so, then why did an email he sent to her read like this: "I dnt no who the fuk u think u dealin wit u will neva be heard from one phone call is all I gotta make no try me. Sho me." That's a damn shame.

In the meantime, under terms of the restraining order, O'Neal, who has known Miller for the last 18 months, is prohibited from having any contact or even coming within 200 yards of Miller or her 19-month-old son. He's also scheduled to appear before a judge on Sept. 4.

Photo courtesy of TMZ.com
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SHAQUILLE O'NEAL & WIFE SHAUNIE KISS AND MAKE UP; COUPLE TO NIX DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS.

It's good to know that there are still some couples who still believe in the institution of marriage. In an interview with the Associated Press, Shaquille O'Neal's wife, Shaunie revealed that her marriage to the NBA star in back on track and that the the couple plans to stop divorce proceedings soon. "Neither one of us could probably answer why we were getting one in the first place," Shaunie O'Neal said. "Things have been going so great, that someone actually had to remind us that 'Hey, you do remember those papers are still there.' Literally, it was days ago," Shaunie O'Neal said. "So, we've agreed that before we leave Florida in a few days we'll make sure that that's gone away."

Shaquille O'Neal filed for divorce in Miami-Dade Circuit Court in September 2007, after nearly five years of marriage. The couple has six children: four together, and each had one of their own before the Dec. 26, 2002, wedding. "The kids and I kind of learned about the divorce at the same time," Shaunie O'Neal said. "So that was hard. That was probably the worst part of the whole thing, was being able to deal with how hurt the whole kids were."

Shaquille O'Neal's divorce attorney, Ira Elegant, wasn't available to make a comment on this story.
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MALE CELEB CANDIDS: TOMMY LISTER A.K.A. 'DEEBO'; KANYE SPORTS NEW BEARD; LL COOL J CHILLS @ THE IVY; SHAQ SCARES LITTLE WHITE BOY.

Shaquille O'Neal was seen leaving his Manhattan, New York hotel yesterday. Shaq stopped to sign autographs and even became pals with a little white boy who, seconds later, obviously changed his mind and didn't hesitate to let the baller know that he didn't even want him to touch him! LOL!

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The dude we all know as 'Deebo' (real name Tommy 'Tiny' Lister) was looking his usual cock-eyed self (I could've swore to God that the cockeyed thing was strictly for film and television!) as he arrived at the Newsroom on Roberts Avenue in Los, Angeles yesterday.

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LL Cool J. was spotted leaving the Ivy in Los Angeles.

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And are we even surprised at Kanye's latest stunt? Dude was donning a full beard at the premiere of Pineapple Express held at Mann's Village Theater last week in Hollywood.

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SHAQ'S DISS RAP IS NOW A (FREE) RINGTONE; KOBE RESPONDS.

A mobile entertainment company is offering free ringtones of Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal rapping, "Kobe, tell me how my a** tastes?" from his recent freestyle rhyme that has since become a YouTube sensation. FunMobility says it's providing Shaq's original rap as a free download, as well as a premium ringtone mashup of the original rap and a JibJab-style animation with the mashup soundtrack. The infamous freestyle took place on June 22 at a nightclub in New York. Shaq, who won a championship with Miami in 2006, was poking fun at his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant, who has not gotten a ring since Shaq was traded in 2004. In the freestyle, Shaq raps, "You know how I be, last week Kobe couldn't do without me." He also attacks Kobe for "ratting" him out and causing his divorce. The NBA star goes on to repeatedly rap, "Kobe, tell me how my a** tastes," even getting the crowd to repeat the lyrics. (WATCH VIDEO HERE. The Shaq rap ringtones can be downloaded for free now at www.FunMo.com.

As for Kobe, well he's sort of refusing to comment on Shaq's obscenity-laced rhyme free-styled in his honor. "I didn't take it any kind of way whatsoever," Bryant told the Los Angeles Times

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SHAQUILLE O'NEAL OFFERS TO PAY MORTGAGES OF STRUGGLING HOME OWNERS IN ORLANDO.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, NBA baller Shaquille O'Neal has volunteered himself in offering to pay the mortgages of homeowners who are drowning in high interest rate loans. "I want to come in not to kick them out, but to work with them and save them so they can stay in their homes," O'Neal told the Orlando Sentinel during an impromptu stop Tuesday at Orlando City Hall. Shaq would sell the homes back to those troubled buyers with more affordable terms, hoping to make a small profit. "He's become a businessman with a conscience," said attorney Mark NeJame, who arranged the NBA star's visit along with longtime friend and Realtor Curtis Cooper.

NeJame said Shaq might also develop an affordable-housing project, stating: "He's looking to find out where he can make a significant investment in Orlando -- specifically downtown Orlando -- but also all over Central Florida."
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NEW PICS: WHITNEY HOUSTON, SHAQ & SHAUNIE + MORE CELEBS AT MUHAMMAD ALI'S 14th ANNUAL CELEBRITY FIGHT NIGHT CHARITY FUNDRAISER.

Former heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali's 14th Annual Celebrity Fight Night Saturday night (April 5, 2008) at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. The event raises money for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center. Ali has been fighting his entire life. Once the most sought-after professional boxer, Ali fought mainly with his fists. But now he finds himself fighting a different kind of fight: the fight against Parkinson's disease. In an effort to raise money for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, and in addition to many other charities, Celebrity Fight Night offered a night filled with live auctions and musical performances from today's stars. What began as an actual celebrity fight event, sparring celebrities against one another in a boxing ring, is now a more traditional fundraising event. In the 13 years that Celebrity Fight Night has been held, over more than $45 million has been raised for charity.

Celebs in attendance included: Dionne Warrick, Whitney Houston, Clive Davis, Terry Crews, Beverly Todd, Jordin Sparks, Tamia, Holly Robinson-Peete, Shaquille O'Neal and his wife Shaunie, Reba McEntire, Kevin Costner, Ray Lewis, Sinbad and more.

TO SEE MORE PICS FROM MUHAMMAD ALI'S CELEBRITY FUNDRAISER, CLICK 'READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

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