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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TAMEKA FOSTER JOINS 'REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA' CAST?

Word around the web is that Usher's wife, Tameka Foster, is in 'the last bit of talks' of joining the cast of Bravo's Real Housewives of Atlanta for its second season. If this news is true, Tameka will replace last season's most true-to-life housewife on RHOA, Deshawn Snow, who has allegedly been given the boot from the show because of the viewers' disinterest in her life as an NBA wife. But I think we all know that with Deshawn's 'guaranteed' NBA money, she'll be just fine. And I can openly admit that if Tameka does join the cast, yes, I will make sure my DirectTV DVR is set and ready to record because I'd love to hear the pure madness that I am sure she will spew from her mouth! But really though, can you all see (or be able to stomach watching) Tameka every week basically doing what Deshawn did during her stay on the show? Watching her raise her four sons (Tameka's oldest son is a grown man) while Usher is out on the road doing whatever it is that he does? But wait a minute, 95% of the time, Tameka is up under her hubby whenever he's out on the road. So, I guess the question should be, 'could we be able to stomach whoever it is that raises Tameka's kids when--her head is so far up Usher's ass, if he turned the corner, he'd break her neck--whenever he's out on the road? How can she be a cast member of this show if she's never home in Atlanta?

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Therefore and thus and such, I'll believe this story when the upper-ups from Bravo confirm it. Until then, like my cousin Nakesha says, 'I'm finished 'bout it.' Besides, there were whispers and whatnot of her joining the cast for its first season and because Usher has rehired his mom, Jonetta, as his manager, I highly doubt she'd suggest that Tameka put their family business out there like that for everyone to see...especially since some of you *smile* *snicker* have been dogging ol girl for the past couple of years. Yall know Jonetta don't play! LOL! Also, Usher is working on releasing another album this year. Having his wife look and sound like a damn fool on national television is publicity he does not need. He found out how that type of negative press affected his mega-flop of an album last year. Am I right? Celebrity couples + Reality shows=Divorce! Examples: Nick and Jessica, Hulk Hogan and Lisa, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler, Carmen and David, Bobby and Whitney! LOL!

As for the other ladies of RHOA: Nene Leakes, her BFF-turned-frienemy Kim 'can't sing, or spell, or purchase a better looking weave/half-wig' Zolciak and Lisa Wu Hartell are all set to return for the second season. And Sheree? Well, she dropped her divorce appeal against her ex-husband and former NFL player, Bob Whitfield and ol girl is thisclose to being broke and homeless. According to recent reports, Bob is also broke. All I have to say is, 'Sheree, good luck to you and to your Shit by Sheree...(*sigh* LSA can be such a negative influence on me sometimes), what I meant to say was, She by Sheree clothing line. Cause, girl, you gon need all the luck you can get. And I know, because I'm broke my damn self! LOL!

The Real Housewives of Atlanta will begin taping episodes for its second season in February.

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SWV MEMBER TAJ JOHNSON-GEORGE CAST ON NEW SEASON OF 'SURVIVOR.'

Taj Johnson-George, 37, former member of the Grammy-nominated R&B group SWV from Nashville- "There's a stigma that comes with being married to an NFL player," says the wife of former Tennessee Titan Eddie George. "People think we're pampered. But I'm not. I'm a 5'9", 190-pound tomboy. I'm gon' tear 'em up when I get out there."

This should be interesting. First, TLC's Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins joins the cast of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice (which is slated to air Sunday, March 1 at 9 p.m. on NBC), and then there were rumors that T-Boz's group mate Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas had inked a reality show deal with VH1. What is up with these former girl group members branching off into reality shows?

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*UPDATE* NO REALITY SHOW FOR CHILLI. SINGER SAYS REPORTS ARE 'ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.'

I have never been as happy to report a story rebuttal on this blog as I am right about now. On Monday, I posted a press release from VH1 announcing that Chilli of TLC would star in her own dating reality show. (see post here). Some of yall's comments were mean and vicious as hell! To each his own though. You all can breathe a sigh of relief. As it turns out, Chilli isn't looking for love after all. At least not on reality television. Chilli's camp released a statement on Wednesday to Entertainment Weekly denouncing the report. "Unfortunately, we weren't involved with the casting company that started this rumor. Chilli is currently in talks with several networks on developing a series of lifestyle-oriented shows. We have not discussed her actually starring in a particular show. The casting company has misrepresented the theme." A VH1 insider adds: "Sounds like they're still shopping the show." Translation: Sounds like wishful thinking. Chilli also vehemently denied this rumor on Ryan Cameron's Afternoon radio show on Atlanta's V103 radio station, claiming it was 'absolutely not true.' Her PR person also mentioned that if Chilli were ever to do a reality show, it would be based on 'all aspects of life including her role as a Mom, businesswoman and celebrity."

As for Chilli's much-anticipated solo project? Well, it isn't happening anytime this year as expected. Nor has another release date been set."Her solo album project has been moved back. We should have a second single out before the first of the year."
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CHILLI LOOKS FOR LOVE ON NEW REALITY SHOW; GUYS, R U THE MAN FOR CHILLI?

'FLAVOR OF CHILLI', 'R U THE MAN 4 CHILLI?' Which one sounds better?

About a year ago, I reported that there could possibly be a reality show in the works for Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas of TLC. (Read the last two paragraphs of that post HERE). Looks like I hit the nail on the head, huh? Needless to say, Chilli has been bitten by the reality show bug once again. While her fellow band mate T-Boz will be seen on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice 2 in an effort to raise money for her favorite charities, Chilli will be starring in her own reality show in an effort to find a new love. So, fellas, if you live in the Atlanta area and you think you have what it takes to woo Chilli, here's your chance: The producers of American Idol and executive producer Chilli (The Grammy Award winning member of TLC) are currently searching for Atlanta’s hottest men to compete for a chance at sweeping the sexy artist off her feet.

'READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP' AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST AND FIND OUT WHAT IT IS.
If you’re 21+ and live in the general Atlanta area, submit the following to tvcontestants@gmail.com:

1. Name, Age and Location
2. Phone #
3. Current Pictures
4. Explain why you think you’re man enough to impress Chilli

* Location: Atlanta
* Compensation: TBD
* Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
* Please, no phone calls about this job!
* Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

Good luck, guys. Good luck to her too! I choose to believe Chilli is doing this reality show to promote her upcoming solo project which is why I'd rather see her star in her own reality show along the lines of Salt-n-Pepa's show. Given VH1's notorious reputation with those Flavor/Rock of Love-type celeb-reality shows, I truly refuse to believe that she would agree to put herself out there to find her true love which is why I nearly fell out of my chair when I received the press release in my inbox! We've read and heard in a countless number of interviews--especially after her break-up with Usher over four years ago--the obstacles Chilli has endured in hoping to find what she considers to be the man with the 'complete package' for her. Since her much-publicized split with Usher, who's rumored to be separated from his pregnant wife, she's been allegedly romantically linked to NFL'er Ray Lewis, model Tyson Beckford, actor Hill Harper, CNN anchorman TJ Holmes and most recently big-mouth boxing champion Floyd Mayweather. Even today, the singer is constantly asked about her relationship status and yet she's made no qualms in letting it be known that she is indeed single and definitely on the market.

Last Spring she received praise and criticism when she revealed in an interview with my fellow sister-in-blogging Necole Bitchie she still loves Usher. "I love him very much and I will always love him. I don’t know how you love someone that deeply and just stop loving them. I’m not in love with him anymore but I can’t say that I don’t love him anymore. And of course I do want him to be happy and all but me and him had what I never had in any of my other relationships, and that was chemistry," she said. In that same interview, she also revealed for the first time ever details on her relationship with Marlon Wayans and how she regrets letting him slip away. Many folks thought she was just being thirsty and couldn't let go of the fact that Usher is now married with children while she seemingly jumps in and out of relationships. Others, like myself, commended her for 'keeping it real' and thought there was nothing wrong about her have those types of feelings for her ex.

The following video is courtesy of Fly Guy of FLYGUYCHRONICLES.COM. Another shout out to my reader Tia for sending me the video!

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TAMERA MOWRY ON IF SHE'LL EVER APPEAR ON IF SHE'LL EVER TAKE 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' UP ON THEIR OFFER.

"I've been asked to do Dancing With the Stars, and I've thought about the possibility, but I'm so afraid. It's so terrifying to go out there and learn all those dances. My boyfriend, my boyfriend's dad and my sister all tell me to go after it, but there's no way you're going to see me on there anytime soon, because it just scares me. I've heard it's really hard on the body, and I think I would just cry all the time. Maybe in two or three years I would be willing to give it a try."

--Actress Tamera Mowry on her chances of ever doing a reality show. 'I would just cry all the time?' I can't believe she said that...then again maybe I (yes,I continue to watch its reruns) still look at her as her 'Tamera Campbell'; the role she played on Sister, Sister. 'Tamera Campbell' would never say anything like that!
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ANGELA & VANESSA SIMMONS RUN AWAY FROM 'RUN'S HOUSE.'

Rev. Run's darling daughter's Angela and Vanessa Simmons have moved out of their daddy's home, Run's House and on to their own reality series. Revealed on AOL's Blackvoices, the Simmons sisters are slated to appear on Daddy's Girls, a spin-off reality series that will follow the sisters as they adjust to life in Los Angeles. Slated to air on MTV, Daddy's Girls will also showcase Angela and Vanessa Simmons' 'Pastry' shoe and clothing line as the girls transform the line into a more grown-up brand. "I appreciate my process because that's going to make me stronger in the end and the best talent that I can possibly give the world" says Vanessa Simmons.

Listen to them sounding all independent and whatnot. Moving out on their own isn't the only thing the two sisters intend on doing. They're also joining in with other celebrities in a campaign to urge young adults (and even the old ones) to vote on November 4th.

In the meantime, check out Angela and Vanessa attending the Lauren Conrad fashion show during Fashion Week.

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NEW PICS: 'THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA' PREMIERE VIEWING PARTY.

Last night, the cast mates of The Real Housewives of Atlanta gathered together to attend a viewing party of the series first episode. Sheree's antics towards the way she treated Nene during that episode has thrown the blogosphere into a whirlwind. The so-called socialite invited her former nemesis to her birthday party in an effort to let bygones be bygones. However, once Nene arrived at the party she was told that her name wasn't on the guest list. Now, depending on who you ask, this could have either been a simple oversight by Sheree's personal assistant OR a slick-ass way of attempting to make Nene look like a fool (even if sh does have a big ass mouth...but that's neither here nor there; however, you have to give Nene kudos for wanting to patch things up with Sheree) ....especially since Sheree didn't seem too concerned about clearing up the situation. Sheree blogged about the series' first episode on her Bravo blog. Peep what she had to say below.

I enjoyed watching the first episode, especially the day at the spa with my kids. My children are my life. Now the HOTNESS... I had a blast putting together my birthday party and commanding the attention of all the guests. My birthday party a.k.a. "The Fashion Extravaganza" was, by far, one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences for me this year. At the party, lot of things didn't go as planned or as smoothly as they should have. I like order and structure. I'm a perfectionist and I expect nothing less from my staff. The unfortunate incident with the guest list was a big no no. The publicist made a huge error, but tried to rectify the situation immediately. Apparently NeNe wasn't having it and made a huge scene outside my house! (Can you imagine how many texts and calls I got the next morning about the girl screaming and cursing in my driveway?) I hate that things happened the way that they did. However, after watching the premiere, NeNe didn't appear to have the best intentions or a genuine reason for coming to my party. Her only focus and goal was to try to outdo, upstage, or outshine me - the birthday girl! Who does that?

As the show goes on, don't be surprised if and/or when Sheree becomes the most hated housewife on the series. Oh, and as for ol dude in the fourth pic....I can't even call it. A dress, hat, Chanel purse and pumps?!! Is he going to a Pastor Appreciation service at church or a Tyler Perry play? Bottom line: somebody done told him wrong.

PICS COURTESY OF FREDDY O AT FREDDYO.COM; MORE PICS AFTER THE JUMP!

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SEASON PREMIERE OF 'THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA' PREMIERES TONIGHT AT 9 PM ON BRAVO.

(from left to right: Sheree Whitfield, Kim Zolciak, DeShawn Snow, Lisa Hartwell, Ne Ne Leakes.)

The day we have been waiting on is finally here. Finally. Get your TiVo's and DVRs read because tonight, the season premiere of The Real Housewives of Atlanta will debut on the Bravo network at 9 pm eastern standard time with an encore at 11 pm. Expanding on the success of the original hit series The Real Housewives of Orange County and the watercooler sensation The Real Housewives of New York City, Bravo is heading South for its newest installment, The Real Housewives of Atlanta. An up-close and personal look at life in Hotlanta, The Real Housewives of Atlanta follows five glamorous Southern belles -- DeShawn Snow, Kim Zolciak, Lisa Hartwell, NeNe Leakes, and Sheree Whitfield-- as they balance motherhood, demanding careers and a fast-paced social calendar, and shows what life is like in the most exclusive areas of Atlanta. These driven and ambitious women prove that they're not just "housewives," but entrepreneurs, doting mothers and classy Southern women.

It's about damn time, Bravo added more color to their network. Anyhoo, expect the first episode to start off with a bang. A bang so big it will surely have you anticipating next week's episode. In the opening episode there's one course of drama after another. In the series premiere, Whitfield throws a birthday party for herself so she can stay on the social radar for when her upcoming clothing line launches. And while she hires a party director, publicist and numerous other coordinators to make sure everything goes smoothly, her guests have also hired the services of stylists and makeup artists to make sure they look their best. Tension runs high during the preparation phase, which includes a cake designed to look like her favorite bag. Then it runs higher when a misunderstanding occurs. Or is it a misunderstanding? Unfortunately, an oversight creates an incident at the party that does not improve the pre-existing friction between Whitfield and Leakes, who claims they're on good terms now. "I think Sheree is a lot of fun. She has a strong personality, and I have a strong personality as well," admits Leakes. "Sheree and I sometimes bump heads but when we first met -- which was about seven years ago -- we would talk on the phone, you know, five and six times a day. We hung out. Our children played together. Just as time went on, things just didn’t work out for us so we are cordial." Caught between the two is Leakes' friend Kim Zolciak, the only white Atlanta housewife featured. She owns up to being materialistic, which is good since her lifestyle is funded by her celebrity boyfriend, whom she keeps anonymous by only talking to him on the phone and referring to him as Big Papa.

Special thanks to Bravo's Orli Sharaby for reminding me of the show's premiere. To read brief bios of the castmates and watch clips from the show, go over to Bravo's official website at Bravotv.com.

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T-BOZ AND BRIAN McKNIGHT JOIN ALL-STAR CAST OF THE SECOND SEASON OF 'CELEBRITY APPRENTICE.'

Looks like the new season of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice will have more color in it than last season. TLC's Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins, R&B singer Brian Knight, former NBA baller/ugly man Dennis Rodman, Herschel Walker and Deal or No Deal's 'Briefcase #1' girl a.k.a. Claudia Jordan will all star in the all-star cast of the hit reality show's second season, according to tmz.com. They'll join celebrities such as funnyman Tom Green, mom and daughter team Joan & Melissa Rivers, Kim Kardashian's big ol' little sister Khloe, Andrew Dice Clay (get ready to hear nothing but a bunch of bleeps!) and country singer Clint Black as they all compete to win the title and grand prize of $250,000 which will be donated to a charity of each candidate’s choice. The new season is expected to begin airing in January 2009 on Thursday nights at 10:00 pm.

Chances are T-Boz's charity of choice will most likely be the Sickle Cell Disease Association. T-Boz has been their national spokeswoman for over a decade. Just when you thought you knew what to expect from T-Boz....Truth be told, I thought she would be announcing more news and tidbits regarding her new solo album. Now that I think about it, I now understand why she chose to sign on to appear on this reality show. Being the savvy businesswoman that she is, she knows the exposure will not only let folks know that she's cooking up something new in terms of an album, but it will also shed light on just how important the Sickle Cell Association is to her. And that's a good look. Even if she doesn't win, something good will come out of this. I'll be tuning in.

But doesn't this sound like something Lisa would do if she was still here? Bless her soul.

Shout out to TLittle for the custom-made T-Boz Celebrity Apprentice 2 signature pictured above.
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REAL & CHANCE OF 'F.O.L. 2' TO STAR IN THEIR OWN NEW REALITY SHOW 'REAL CHANCE OF LOVE' THIS FALL; IRV GOTTI'S 'GOTTI'S WAY' RETURNS FOR 2nd SEASON.

The baby-hair Stallionaires are set to return to reality television via VH1, of course in their very own 11-episode reality show aptly titled Real Chance of Love where the two brothers hope to find the woman of his dreams since both were turned down by Tiffany 'New York' Pollard in I Love New York 2. So, I guess it's also safe to say that Hoopz turned down Real's proposal during their brief time on I Love Money? Ha, ha! I swear people play too much! According to VH1.com, Real and Chance will get their much deserved, and much anticipated chance to find real love as 15 young ladies move into their Stallionaire ranch house and try to capture their hearts. In the final episode, Chance and Real will make the most difficult decision of their lives. With two women vying for each of their hearts, they must decide who they would like to take a real chance of love with, and who’s going home alone.

Real Chance of Love debuts on VH1 on November 3rd.

And in more VH1 reality show news, stay tuned for the second season of Irv Gotti's, Gotti's Way: Season Two which will also debut on November 3rd. It’s the second season for VH1’s Gotti’s Way and life goes on for Irv, Deb and the kids. This new season is about “breaking the cycle” - for Deb, that means taking the first steps towards independence and showing her kids that this is not the way a marriage is supposed to be. For Irv, the record industry, and in particular hip-hop, are in dire straits and there are no signs of change. Irv’s kids, Sonny, JJ, and Angie, continue their trials and tribulations of “growing up.” Even though non-traditional, they are still a family: Angie is dating and beginning to look at colleges, Sonny is becoming a talented basketball player, and JJ is still the baby in the family. This is definitely not the Cosbys’ or Run’s House…but it is clear that whatever way things turn out, they are going to be Gotti’s Way.
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TONI BRAXTON SAYS HER HEART PROBLEMS WON'T HINDER HER COMPETING IN THIS SEASON OF 'DANCING WITH THE STARS.'

Singer Toni Braxton, who has just been cast to compete in ABC's seventh season of Dancing with the Stars, says she is determined to overcome the fears and anxiety that go along with her illness. “To be honest, I am a little nervous. Just because when I perform, the adrenaline gets pumping. I am a little nervous how my heart is going to feel,” Braxton said on Access Hollywood . And second, am I going to remember my steps because I am so worried about my heart?” Braxton was diagnosed with the heart disease pericarditis five years ago, and had a health scare last April that forced her Las Vegas show "Revealed" to close early. Participating in Dancing with the Stars, she believes, will help her to conquer the apprehension of performing everyday activities – such as climbing stairs – without worrying that she'll experience tightness in her chest. Still, she intends to remain cautious.

“I am not thinking about my blood pressure although my doctor has been on me to check it during rehearsals, so I have to stop and check it,” she added. As far as the competition goes, Toni said she’s not looking for any sympathy votes. “I’m competing with myself because I don’t want to be the victim because people will be like, ‘Toni has heart disease, oh she is a victim,’” she added.

The seventh-season opener will air on Monday, September 22 at 8:00 p.m. when each of the 13 celebrities will perform one of two routines they've prepared.
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RAY J. LANDS HIS OWN REALITY DATING SHOW ON VH1.

According to VH1.com, actor/singer/soft-core porn star and Brandy's baby brother Ray J. has scored his very own reality show on the VH1 network! I have to say, I did not see this one coming. But then again, it is VH1...and what celeb, semi-celeb or semi-semi-celeb doesn't have a reality show on VH1? Anyhoo, apparently all the love and adoration he receives from Whitney Houston, Lil Kim and any other groupie isn't enough and has left the singer, who some--and maybe even Ray J. himself--consider one of the most infamous playboys in hip-hop in need for more. He's finally ready--or so he says--to find that special sweetheart to settle down with. In 2009, be on the look out for the Sexy Can I star's as of yet untitled dating show to hit the airwaves. In the meantime and in between time, the show's producers are currently casting for 'smart, attractive women over 21 who think they can handle the drama of celebrity life' in the following locations:

Miami (Miami@realtalentcasting.com)

Chicago (Chicago@realtalentcasting.com)

Las Vegas (Vegas@realtalentcasting.com)

New York (NY@realtalentcasting.com)

Dallas (Dallas@realtalentcasting.com)

Houston (Houston@realtalentcasting.com)

Oklahoma City (OK@realtalentcasting.com)

Los Angeles (LA@realtalentcasting.com)

If you live near one of the aforementioned locations, e-mail for an audition! And maybe--just maybe you'd get your chance to stroll down the red carpet arm-in-arm with Ray J. Norwood.
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KANYE WEST TO STAR IN HIS OWN REALITY SHOW ON HBO?

According to Entertainment Weekly, the folks over at HBO remain hell-bent on finding a way to showcase the talents of Kanye West. Long before the writers’ strike began last November, the network began discussing whether to team the rapper with executive producer Larry Charles (Curb Your Enthusiasm) for a yet-to-be-named, single-camera series that would follow the busy life of the Grammy-winning artist and his relationship with family and friends. One key insider says HBO is now looking for a writer — and some creative inspiration — before moving forward with the project: “We need to figure out how to capture Kanye in the right way.” Anything that allows him to gas on about his many talents should do the trick.

Hold up though. What they need writers for if this concept is basically a reality show peering into his personal and professional life as an artist? Looks like this is going to be another case of an unreal reality series.
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VID CLIP: CATCH A SNEAK PEEK AT BRAVO'S 'HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA' THIS WEEK + CANDID SHOTS OF 1 HOUSEWIFE LUNCHING AT THE IVY WITH BISHOP NOEL JONES.

Bravo's Housewives series has made its way to peachy-keen ATL. Finally a series with some color in it! LOL! I refused to post anything on this earlier because an official premiere air date will not be set in stone until sometime in August. But at least the folks over at Bravo have saw fit to give us a 3-minute sneak peek of the Real Housewives of Atlanta this Wednesday (July 30, 2008) at midnight. The show follows Bravo's original The Real Housewives of Orange County, and its offshoot, The Real Housewives of New York and will be the first to feature African American women in the cast...although to the ATL cast will feature one 'Becky' whereas the previous two never featured any housewife of color, but I digress.

And believe it or not but it was the lady tea-spillers over at popular gossip site LipstickAlley.com who were the first to report that Bravo cameras had followed five well-to-do socialites in the Atlanta area for the new series. Bravo executive VP and general manager Frances Berwick says, "Bravo's Real Housewives franchise has resonated with our viewers across the country, and we think they will be equally fascinated by the lavish lifestyles and personalities of these Atlanta wives. They let us peek inside their exclusive, affluent community and see how they live their often-dramatic lives and manage families and careers. There is truly never a dull day for them."

Cast members for The Real Housewives of Atlanta are:

• DeShawn Snow, a mother of three and the wife of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Eric Snow. Runs a non-profit foundation and sits on the boards of three other local charities.

• Kim Zolciak, a single mother of two who's trying to jump-start a career in country music.

• Lisa Wu Hartwell, wife of Oakland Raider Ed Hartwell, real-estate firm owner and jewelry designer, among other things. She and her husband have three kids.

• NeNe Leakes, a mother of two with her husband, a real-estate investor, and founder of an organization to raise awareness of domestic violence. Bravo says she's also aiming to open a boutique hotel "in the very near future."

• Sheree Whitfield, a single mom and former boutique owner who's now concentrating on launching a clothing line.

And it looks like Mrs. Leakes (second from the right in the photo above) is already getting her first taste of paparazzi shine. Below are photos of Leakes and Bishop Noel Jones, who is unmarried and living the 'Christian-single life', as they were spotted having lunch at the infamous Ivy restaurant in Los Angeles about a week ago. Bishop Jones (the younger sister of singer/actress Grace 'Strangé' Jones) heads the City of Refuge Church out in Gardena, California which has about 17,000 members. You can catch Jones ministering his congregation on the Church Channel.

And I'mma gon 'head and say it: Oooh, Mrs. Leakes, you know you wrong. I could care less about you lunching with the Bishop man, that's your business...but to don a wig from Diamond's (former Crime Mobb member) personal collection is just wrong, Mrs. Leakes. It's all kinds of wrong. You don't go to the Ivy--the one restaurant where A, B and C-list celebrities dine at just too be seen--looking like that...especially when you're an Atlanta socialite with a reality show soon to hit the airwaves. Tsk, tsk, tsk. CLICK HERE and HERE to view a more up close and personal image of Mrs. Leakes.

FOR A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EACH ATLANTA HOUSEWIFE & TO WATCH THE LADIES PROMOTE THEIR SHOW, CLICK 'READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!'

DeShawn Snow — Snow and her husband Eric, captain of the Cleveland Cavaliers, recently moved to their dream home in Alpharetta, GA. Mother to three boys: nine-year-old EJ, six-year-old Darius and five-year-old Jarren, Snow is an active member of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. She exercises her faith by running The DeShawn Snow Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on improving self-esteem in teenage girls. She is a regular on the Atlanta social circuit and extremely active in local philanthropy, sitting on the board of three different charities, all while expertly juggling her busy social calendar with being an NBA wife and keeping up with her boys.

Kim Zolciak — Zolciak lives in an exclusive gated townhouse community in Duluth, GA with her two children, 11-year-old Brielle and six-year-old Ariana. Zolciak is single, but happily dating with hopes to marry again in the near future. She also has her sights set on fame in the music business as a country singer, and is currently working with Grammy award-winning mega-producer Dallas Austin and will begin recording an album later this year. A staple on the Atlanta scene, Zolciak balances life as a single mom with a vivacious social life.

Lisa Wu Hartwell — Hartwell, a resident of a luxurious country club community in Duluth, GA, is a busy career woman who wears many hats - she owns her own real estate firm, Hartwell & Associates, a jewelry line called Wu Girls, a baby clothing line, Hart 2 Hart Baby, and juggles a budding acting, modeling and writing career. She’s a devoted wife to her husband, NFL player Ed Hartwell, and their three children 13-year-old Jordan, ten-year-old Justin and one-year-old EJ. When she’s not running one of her many businesses or running after the kids, Hartwell is very active in Atlanta’s social scene.

NeNe Leakes — Leakes is an active member of Atlanta society. She resides in the upscale Sugarloaf area of Atlanta with her husband Gregg, a successful real estate investor and business consultant, and their two sons, 18-year-old Brice and nine-year-old Brentt. Leakes donates her time to various foundations and is the founder of The Twisted Hearts Foundation, which brings awareness to domestic violence against women. Never one to sit still, the outspoken social butterfly also hopes to open a luxury boutique hotel in the very near future.

Sheree Whitfield — Single socialite Whitfield, a resident of the exclusive Sandy Springs area of Atlanta, juggles her busy home life with a packed social calendar. She is a busy working mother to three children -Tierra, Kairo and Kaleigh. Whitfield prides herself on her fashion sense, and owned her own upscale clothing boutique - Bella Azul - for years before closing up shop to focus on her next business venture, a clothing line called “She by Sheree.” Whitfield is opening a new chapter in her life as a single mom while balancing her entrepreneurial spirit and active social life.

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VID CLIPS: MONICA CLEARS UP BEYONCE BEEF RUMORS + PROMO PICS OF THE SINGER & HER 2 SONS, LIL' ROCKO & ROMELO FROM 'THE SINGLE: MONICA' REALITY SHOW.

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 on August 5, 2008. 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. (Click here to listen to Monica) talk about her show. Naturally, the reality show will include glimpses of Monica's personal life as a mommy and future wifey to her fiance rapper, Rodney 'Rocko' Hill, who announced at a recent performance that he and Monica are indeed engaged to get married real soon. Apparently there was/is a rumor about a possible beef between Monica and Beyonce that revolved around Monica taking 'slickshots' at Beyonce and Jay-Z and their decision to keep their marriage a big secret. That rumor most likely stemmed from (this video) where Monica makes the following comment: 'Ain't nothing a secret over here. We're to real for that. So we'll let you know.' Somehow Monica feels that her words were misconstrued and decided to call up blogger BlogXilla to clear up any misunderstandings. Click here to listen. If you're a true Monica fan then you know that if she has something to say about anything or anybody, she ain't gonna send out subliminal messages and sugarcoat anything...she's gonna keep it real and say what she has to say! LOL!

In the meantime and in between time, check out a couple of promo pics (peeped at SandraRose.com and courtesy of Peachtree TV) of Monica with her Lil’ Rocko, 3, and Romelo, 18 weeks.

(CLICK PICS TO SEE FULL IMAGE.)

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RADIO PERSONALITY MISS JONES TO DEBUT NEW REALITY SHOW ON B.E.T. THIS FALL.

I may be a bit late with this, but what's up with all of these djs/radio personalities jumping from behind the mic to either sitting on a sofa in front of a live studio audience or nabbing a reality show? Michael Baisden did it. Then Wendy 'I Insist on Wearing My Lion-King Wig 3 Inches Behind My Forehead' Williams was granted a six week trial run for her new self-titled talk show and now former Hot 97 radio host Miss Jones has made a bee-line toward reality television. According to online reports, this September, Miss Jones will debut her untitled reality series which will chronicle her on-air interviews, elements of her personal life and even her departure from Hot 97. The show was originally set to air on Viacom’s VH1, but it has been acquired by co-owned BET. Earlier this month (July 3), Jones and her cohorts DJ Envy and Michael Shawn kept it live and upbeat as they bid their final radio airwave goodbyes to the tri-state listeners of Miss Jones in the Morning on Emmis rhythmic WQHT (Hot 97)/New York.

In the meantime and in between time, Miss Jones will continue to be heard weekdays on the radio -- this month Radio One urban WPHI (100.3 the Beat)/Philadelphia will relaunch Miss Jones in the Morning. Her show has been airing on WPHI since 2007. As for her two compadres, well, I hope they either saved up for a rainy day...or had something else lined up.

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PICS: KEYSHIA COLE'S MOTHER, FRANKIE CELEBRATES HER BIRTHDAY; REALITY SHOW IN THE WORKS?

'HOLLA!!', 'TYRA MAIL!!', 'HOW YOOOOU DOING?!!' 'HOLLERATIONS!!' are just some of the ramblings you'll hear spewing from Keyshia Cole's mother Frankie's mouth whenever her reality show appropriately titled Holla: I'm Just Frankie hits the air. Word around the web is that Cole's mother obnoxiously loud, gold-cap-over-denture-wearing, west-coast geechy-talking self has allegedly snagged her own reality show. According to Straight From the A, camera crews were on hand last week to film footage for Frankie's show during her birthday bash in Atlanta. I'll go ahead and make an ass out of myself by assuming Frankie's show will mostly likely be a spin-off to Keyshia's reality show The Way It Is, which is currently filming for its third season and will premiere this fall on B.E.T. (a.k.a. B.arelyE.ntertainment.Television).

Hot Mess Madness + Ghetto-Etiquette = True fuckery at its very finest. HOLLAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

IMAGES COURTESY OF CALVIN EVANS....

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T.I.'S FIANCEE ON REALITY SHOWS, BECOMING AN ACTRESS & HOW SHE & THE RAPPER MET.

T.I. (real name Clifford Harris) hasn't let his pending jail time keep him out of the spotlight. As a matter of fact, the rapper/actor has signed a deal with MTV to star in a reality show that will shadow him while he performs 1,000 hours of community service prior to beginning his one year sentence on several weapons convictions. As part of his guilty plea deal, the rapper has to address youth groups about the pitfalls of guns, gangs and drugs. In this new untitled series, we'll see T.I. addressing the youth. Shooting began this summer and will air during the time he reports to jail next spring. However, being featured on a reality show doesn't quite sit well with T.I.'s fiancee and mother of his children, Tameka 'Tiny' Cottle (ex-member of R&B girl group X-Scape), who just gave birth to the couple's second son last May. "Reality shows seems to degrade you. Not saying that all of them do, but I don't know if I wanna be portrayed as...everybody all in our personal life. It's enough of our life out there already. Not to say that it couldn't be done well." Whether or not Tiny still feels this way remains to be seen.

And while she's hesitant about displaying her personal business on front street, Cottle says she wouldn't mind becoming a real actress and she has a television show concept in mind to get her started. "Somebody needs to get at me! For real though, I want to act. If somebody wanted to do a show on some hot girls from Atlanta--I don't really wanna tell the whole idea, but I have an idea for a sitcom. More like a Sex in the City meets Entourage type thing."

AFTER THE JUMP, FIND OUT HOW THE COUPLE MET & WHAT TO EXPECT FROM T.I. IF YOU EVER HAVE THE GALL TO DISRESPECT HIS LADY IN HIS PRESENCE.

For those of you who have ever wondered how Tiny and T.I., who have dated on and off for several years, became one of Atlanta's hottest celebrity couples, here it is: The pair met while the singer was working with producer Jazze Pha in an Atlanta studio. They later bumped into each other again at an Atlanta mall. "When I first met him at the studio, nothing registered. I didn't pay him no attention," says Tiny. "But when I saw him at the mall, he looked really good. And I was like, 'That little young dude look good!'" Cottle says although she and T.I. plan on becoming husband and wife soon, they still haven't set a date. Oh, and for all of you T.I. fans/stans/groupies, don't even think about disrespecting Tiny in T.I.'s presence, because according to Cottle, lil dude will check you. Then again, I'm pretty sure most of you already know it doesn't take much for the rapper's TIP alter ego to emerge from T.I.! LOL! Yall know lil beige dude don't even much play that shit. LOL!

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DIDDY'S BABY MAMA KIM PORTER TO BE FEATURED IN NEW REALITY SHOW ON THE LIFETIME NETWORK.

This fall, the Lifetime network will add more color to their on-air program roster. Bout time, right? The first splash of color we'll see will be in the form of Kim Porter, the woman who will forever hold the status as Diddy's baby mama. But I digress. The network has greenlit an reality series which will follow Porter (who shares three children with Diddy) as she adjusts to a new life as a single mother in Los Angeles. 'Adjust to a new life as a single mother'? Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't she already have that position on lock? What the hell has occurred in her life as a single mother that warrants her nabbing a reality show doing the same shit she's been doing ever since she hooked up with Diddy? If anybody knows, please pass along the information to me via email or leave it as a comment in this post, because I'm really not understanding the madness. Anyhoo, the always so fine Blair Underwood will produce the series via his Intrepid prodco, alongside Eye Candy Productions. An although Lifetime hasn't revealed the official title of this new series, according to anonymous sources, the name of the show is called Me Time (slated to air in late 2008 or early 2009) and will zero in on the lives of former wives and girlfriends of high-profile celebrities, such as Diddy, as they face life's biggest challenges of fending for themselves without their former significant others.

Won't it be the bees knees to watch these women venture out onto their own after having received ridiculous amounts of income just by giving birth to illegitimate children with these rich-ass celebrity men? However since so many folks are so shamelessly opinionated (such as myself) when it comes to Kim and Diddy's relationship, this reason alone could make this show a big success even if she may or may not be the only semi-celeb featured on the show. Porter, an entrepreneur (she formed Three Brown Girls, an Atlanta-based event planning and marketing company dubbed "Ultra-Tainment" with two of her closest friends) and an aspiring actress (she co-stars in Mama, I Want to Sing which will be released in October) who has grown accustomed to people talking about her, says she's more than just the mother of Diddy's children. "I've been on my own working for a long time. I have a strong sense of self and who I am."

AFTER THE JUMP, READ WHAT KIM HAS TO SAY ABOUT HER CURRENT RELATIONSHIP WITH DIDDY.

As for her on-again/off-again relationship with Diddy, Kim says, "Puffy and I are like best friends. That's what people don't understand about our relationship. We have so much history. I knew Puffy when he was an intern. I've watched his success, supporting him and being there throughout everything. Nothing, no matter how good, bad or ugly, will diminish what we have because it's very solid and that is a friendship. I know that at the end of his shenanigans, at the beginning and end of the day, I know the love that man has in his heart for me and my family. But he is a man before he is my man. I try and hold my head up and be Kim and be the mother to my children and keep pushing. That's what KP means, keep pushing."

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