CORONER: DR. DONDA WEST DIED OF HEART DISEASE WHILE SUFFERING 'MULTIPLE POST-OPERATIVE FACTORS.'

Donda West, the mother of rapper Kanye West, died of heart disease while suffering "multiple post-operative factors" after plastic surgery, the L.A. coroner said Thursday. But an autopsy failed to determine the exact role these factors played in her death following liposuction and breast-reduction surgery, officials said. West, 58, died on Nov. 10 at Centinela Freeman hospital after friends and family made a frantic 911 call for help from her home in Playa Del Ray. "The final manner of death could not be determined," the coroner said in a statement. "Multiple post-operative factors could have played a role in the death. The exact contribution of each factor could not be determined. There was no evidence of a surgical or anesthetic misadventure."

Just a day before her death, West had undergone cosmetic surgery with Dr. Jan Adams, who has faced tremendous scrutiny since West died. At the time her death, a family spokesperson said West had passed away "as the result of complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure."

West had been on the faculty of the English Department of Chicago State University for over two decades before retiring from academia to manage her son's career. She recently published Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star. Her only son, in turn, dedicated his song Hey Mama to her.

...

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

'THE THINGS CELEBS SAY': JENNIFER LOPEZ ON REVEALING HER PREGNANCY: 'I WAS ON TOUR WITH A BUBBLE GUT!'

"I kind of feel like everybody knew anyway. I was on tour with a bubble gut!"
--Singer/actress Jennifer Lopez on when she knew she could no longer disguise her pregnancy.
Harper's Bazaar (Feb.'08 issue)

After months of speculation, J-Lo finally put the rumors to rest in November by announcing at one of her concerts that she was expecting a baby with husband Marc Anthony. Speaking out about why she kept the baby news quiet, the 38-year-old says: "I do realize people want to know because they're interested, but this is the first time I'm going through this. This is my experience and my husband's experience, and we get to hold that for a little while. We're just getting used to the fact that we've told everybody. I'm just feeling too protective to open that door right now. It's a Pandora's box. It's a destructive lifestyle to be out there. I know because I've lived it. Being on the cover of the tabloids every day for two years - it's hard. You start forgetting who you really are inside."

And the Latina star credits her husband for teaching her the value of keeping her personal life to herself, adding, "Marc is a really private person, and he's been singing onstage since he was really young. "He made me realize you can be an artist, and have credibility and success, without your life being on public display 24 hours a day."

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP!

Jennifer is also looking forward to taking a break once the baby arrives. "I don't know - and I like that, because my life has been so planned for so many years," she reveals. Once I did the tour, I really just wanted to shut it down, and since then, I've had to do three things including a video. It may not sound like a lot, but as this point, any woman can sympathize. It is a lot. I was ready just to sit."

And Lopez is delighted she's with child because she was under pressure from her mother to conceive. The star had been trying for a baby with husband Marc Anthony for three years before she finally discovered she was expecting. And Lopez admits she's thrilled to be giving her mother a grandchild. She says, "When Marc and I first got married, my mother rang me every day asking if there was any news. I come from a Latino family where it's all about children. I'm really happy."

Lopez is due to give birth in the spring (08).

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

MICHAEL JORDAN & NIKE TO LAUNCH 23rd EDITION OF THE AIR JORDAN SNEAKER.

High-ass shoes!! It's gotta be the shoes, right? No other basketball shoe has changed the face of business, athletics and marketing like the Air Jordan. This month, Nike releases the 23rd edition, and it is expected to be just as venerated as its predecessors. The Air Jordan XX3 will be released in three hyped-up rounds from January to February, starting with a limited edition to be sent to only 23 retailers to be sold for $230 and concluding with the national launch at $185. There had been talk at Nike about retiring the shoe at No. 23, because of his iconic jersey number. But company officials won't say whether this will be the last of the line. Neither will Jordan. "You'll just have to wait and see," Jordan said in an e-mail to The Associated Press, responding to questions about the upcoming release.

Jordan said he never expected that the shoe would become an icon. "Like every kid growing up, I dreamed of making winning shots at the buzzer and I was fortunate to live out that dream, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever entertain the idea of the success of the Air Jordan franchise," he said. And the Air Jordan remains the pinnacle piece for shoe collectors. The original Air Jordan 1 can sell for thousands of dollars, depending on various factors. "It blows my mind that even after five years removed from the game the shoe would be stronger than ever and I would still be greeted by fans as if I had just won a championship all over again," Jordan stated.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP!

Before launching the first shoe in 1985, Nike had just signed Jordan for $2.5 million over five years. Nike won't say what Jordan's current contract with the company is worth. Jordan's deal with Nike opened the door for sneaker manufacturers to chase after athletes, signing them up --sometimes just out of high school-- for multimillion-dollar contracts in hopes of being able to cash in on the next superstar. It sent sneaker prices to new heights, which has since generated a backlash against selling pricey shoes to basketball-loving kids. "Nobody expected the mass hysteria created by its release," Jordan said in his e-mail to The AP. A new edition was launched each year, and release dates had to be moved to the weekends to keep kids from skipping school to get a pair. The frenzy got dangerous. People were mugged and even killed for the shoes.

Like any bet, athletic companies take their risks -- some pay off, like Tiger Woods or LeBron James. But some don't, a la Michael Vick. Nike terminated its contract with Vick last August after his plea agreement on dogfighting charges. Jordan was spun off into its own division in 1997, a move that some high up in Nike questioned when Jordan retired. But the business is a key component, with new players signing on under the brand. Nike has spun that Jordan swagger into performance and luxury apparel for men and woman.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

YOUTUBE CLIP: SUSPENDED SPORTS LADY APOLOGIZES FOR RACIAL SLUR AIMED @ TIGER WOODS; WOODS ISN'T FAZED BY IT.

Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman, the sport's first female play-by-play announcer, is apologizing for joking that young players should "lynch [Tiger Woods] in a back alley" as a way to deal with his supremacy. "On Friday during our golf broadcast, Nick Faldo and I were discussing Tiger's dominance in the golf world and I used some poorly chosen words," Tilghman said in a statement. "I have known Tiger for 12 years and I have apologized directly to him. I also apologize to our viewers who may have been offended by my comments."

The Golf Channel also released a statement addressing Tilghman's remark: "We regret the unfortunate choice of words that Kelly used during the broadcast and apologize to anyone who was offended by her remarks," the network said in its statement. "We take this matter very seriously. She has apologized privately to Tiger and publicly on the air."

Responding to the apologies, Tiger's agent Mark Steinberg brushed off the entire incident, stating: "This story is a non-issue. Tiger and Kelly are friends and Tiger has a great deal of respect for Kelly. Regardless of the choice of words used we know unequivocally that there was no ill-intent in her comments. This story is a non-issue in our eyes. Case closed."

WATCH VIDEOCLIP

...

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

CELEB BIRTHDAY PICS: CELEBS AT TYRESE'S 29th BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE GARDEN OF EDEN IN HOLLYWOOD.

R&B singer/actor Tyrese celebrated his 29th birthday over the holiday weekend by throwing a big bash at the Garden of Eden nightclub in Hollywood, California. Celebrities--there wasn't many--in attendance included: Tyrese's fellow TGT group member Tank, Bobby Brown, The Game and actresses Farelle and Kiya Roberts from B.E.T. reality show Hell Date.

Pics courtesy of: THERUNDOWN.TV

....

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

ALICIA KEYS & TYRA BANKS TO BE HONORED AT B.E.T.'S 1st B.E.T. HONORS GALA.

R&B singer Alicia Keys and former model-turned-media mogul and Tyra Banks, will be recognized among the top achievers in entertainment, business and politics awarded at the first ever BET Honors gala. Keys will receive the Entertainment Award and Banks will be honored for her overall media work, including her talk show as well as America's Next Top Model. In addition to Keys and Banks, other honorees include: Dr. Cornel West, University Professor in the Center for African American Studies (Award for Education); Richard Parsons (Corporate Citizen Award); The Honorable Maxine Waters (Public Service Award) and CEO Janice Bryant Howroyd (Entrepreneur Award).

"We are thrilled to pay tribute to the thinkers, trailblazers and trendsetters whose accomplishments serve as inspirations for current and future generations," Debra Lee, chairman and CEO of BET Networks said via statement. "Each of these remarkable individuals has made significant contributions to the Black community and American culture overall, and BET Networks is proud to recognize them through this very special, new tentpole event. We've done a number of significant shows in other cities, but what better place to honor these individuals than in our home city of Washington, D.C."

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP!

Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, the BET Honors will be taped on January 12 at Washington, D.C.'s Warner Theatre and will air on BET on Friday, February 22nd at 8 PM. Guests appearances include: Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Wyclef Jean, Danny Glover, Kerry Washington, Vivica A. Fox and Hill Harper.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

CANDIDS: RIHANNA SHOE SHOPPING IN LOS ANGELES; TIFFANY 'NEW YORK' POLLARD OUT & ABOUT IN NEW YORK CITY

R&B artist Rihanna with her little doggy and her friend shoe shopping at Barney's in Los Angeles.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That human-size version of a muppet a.k.a. Tiffany 'New York' Pollard was spotted arriving at Cipriani's in New York City with her new celeb publicist Lizzie Grubman.

CHECK OUT MORE PICS OF RIHANNA LEAVING BARNEY'S AFTER THE JUMP!

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

REAL GOSSIP 101'S BACK AFTER BEING HIJACKED FOR 3,5 DAYS!!

(click pic) After three and a half long days of tedious toiling and restless nights, I have been able to regain access to my site as well as some bits and pieces of my sanity! LOL!. Just in case a couple of you all were wondering, Real Gossip 101 had been idle since last Saturday (January 5th) after some unknown person decided to target me by hijacking my email and blog accounts in hopes of, I assume, to fatten their pockets. Whatever damage they have done will be handled by the appropriate authorities. I will like to take this time to apologize for any demeaning, threatening, explicit and uncouth emails and spam that any of my email contacts may have received during that four day period. I am not stranded in some foreign country and in need of $500,000 to make it back to the States.

I also want to thank the folks at BlogPatrol for their unending help and support. They went beyond their limits to help me and I truly appreciate it. I also would like to thank Blogger's Blog*Stars as well as Gmail's support team. And finally I have to give a shout out to Miss Chi Chi at URBAN-HOOPLA.COM for her words of encouragement AND her patience! LOL! Thanks, ma!

As far as posting, needless to say, I'll be playing catch-up for the next couple of days. I thought I'd loose visitors during my unscheduled hiatus, but much to my surprise--and with my Blog Patrol stats account--you all continued to visit the site. So, although I couldn't post, I still knew who was coming and going as well as what they were reading. Thank God for archives, huh? I knew they'd come in handy one day! LOL!

CONTINUE READING AFTER THE JUMP!

I want to thank you all so very kindly again for continuing to support Real Gossip 101. It's truly appreciated!

--SouthernBlackGurl

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

CELEB SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF NEW EDITION IN HONOR OF THEIR 25th ANNIV; NEW ALBUM, TOUR & MOVIE IN THE WORKS.

Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph and Johnny. Just typing that makes me giddy as hell! I don't think anyone except for Meek, my best friend of 20+ years, will ever, ever, ever, ever understand my undying love and devotion for New Edition. To me, those dudes--with the exception of Bobby...I'm sorry, that's just how I feel...--will always be true, history-making, original icons in my eyes. And that's real talk. What other successful male group has had each and every one of its members to musically branch out on their own and achieve superstardom in their own rights? What other male group endured the trials and tribulations that came along with bankruptcy, drug addiction, Diddy's sheisty-ass ways, pesky rumors, jheri curls, shags and tight-ass Levi jeans only to flip the script on the naysayers by reuniting as a group and claiming their celebrity status all over again? Think about. I'll wait.

And to this day, I still find myself reverting to my teenage years anytime I hear a New Edition song or see a New Edition video. These dudes are the truth. Hell, I don't even have a problem telling yall that when I listened to this particular part of their song, N.E. Heartbreak: ...Just to be on top/And to give the best that we can give you/And to never let you down/We'll keep strivin' for perfection/N.E. Heartbreak is coming to your town....

I believed every single word. That's why I wasn't surprised one bit after Meek and I called the Tallahassee Civic Center hotline and found out that N.E. Heartbreak was really coming to our town!! LOL! And before I knew it, me and Meek had secured front row seats! If I keep on with all this reminiscing I'll never get to the point of this post. In celebration of New Edition's 25 years in the music industry, several celebrities shared their memories of New Edition and how they influenced their lives.

“I fell in love with Ralph’s voice when I first heard Is This The End back in the 80s. Then I saw the video and was in awe. Their N.E. Heartbreak album talked about the different stages of love. Their songs are memorable and their subject matter is very relatable.”
—R&B singer, Deborah Cox

“New Edition influenced me to put Dax in my hair! Candy Girl reminds me of when I was on the playground chasing after all of the girls. New Edition's music is universal and has inspired many young R&B singers.”
- actor, Mike Epps

“I was on the fence about liking New Edition initially but then the video for Popcorn Love came out and I was in! So much was taking place when their music was being played ­- good memories -- and their music brings it all back to life.”
—music producer, Jermaine Dupri

CONTINUE READING MORE CELEB MEMORIES OF NEW EDITION & FIND OUT WHAT UPCOMING PROJECTS THE GUYS ARE WORKING ON AFTER THE JUMP!

“New Edition can still tour now because their music and unity has stood the test of time.”
- R&B singer, Omarion

“My first memory of New Edition is all the posters my aunt had on her bedroom wall. I actually remade Candy Girl on my second album, Doggy Bag. When a New Edition song comes on the radio [now] people still remember where they were and what they were doing at that time."
-rapper, Bow Wow

“My favorite memory of New Edition was dancing on Soul Train in high school when [they performed as] the featured artists. I loved their chemistry on stage. My Prerogative by Bobby Brown and My, My, My by Johnny Gill are in my iPod today.”
- actress, Wendy Raquel Robinson

“My first memory of New Edition was at a concert at Six Flags in Dallas when I was 15 years old. Can You Stand The Rain is my favorite N.E. song because of the chord changes and melodies. It sounds like a gospel song. They came from an era where there was true artistry.”
- gospel singer, Kirk Franklin.

Also, be on the lookout for several projects from the guys of New Edition. According to Michael Bivins, a 25th anniversary album and television special will be released later this year. And in 2009, a movie chronicling the life and times of New Edition will be released through BET Films and Paramount Pictures followed by the launch of their 25th anniversary tour.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED; 'GIRFRIENDS' SNAG 7 NODS; KANYE RECEIVES 3.

Actor Richard T. Jones, Entertainment Tonight host Kevin Frazier and Girlfriends creator Mara Brock Akil were on hand in Beverly Hills Tuesday to announce nominations for the 39th annual NAACP Image Awards, to be held next month. Awards will be handed out in 44 categories during a ceremony to be held Thursday, February, 14 and broadcast live on FOX from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. The NAACP Image Awards honors projects and individuals that promote diversity in the arts in television, recording, literature and motion pictures. The theme of this year’s show is “Stand Up and Be Counted.” During this crucial election year, the NAACP encourages everyone to be socially conscious and take a stand on critical human and civil rights issues. The NAACP also announced Tuesday that legendary musician Stevie Wonder will receive the group's prestigious Hall of Fame Award, which recognizes an individual who is a pioneer in his or her respective field and whose influence will shape the profession for generations to come.

The cast of The CW's Girlfriends earned an astounding 7 nominations in the television category this year: Reggie Hayes for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, Tracee Ellis Ross and Golden Brooks both received a nomination in the Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series category while Keesha Sharp earned a nomination in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category. Akil's husband, Salim Akil earned a nod in the Directing in a Comedy Series category and writer Karen Gist picked up a nomination in the Writing in a Comedy Series category. And the entire cast pulled a nod in the Outstanding Comedy Series category.

CONTINUE READING THIS POST AFTER THE JUMP!

Actresses Tia Mowry and Wendy Raquel Robinson from Girlfriends spin-off show, The Game were also nominated in the Outstanding Actress (Mowry) and Outstanding Supporting Actress (Robinson) in a Comedy Series categories.

TO READ THE COMPLETE LIST OF NOMINEES, CLICK HERE

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

EDDIE MURPHY'S 'NORBIT' IN CONTENTION FOR AN OSCAR AWARD NOMINATION.

In 2007, comedian Eddie Murphy missed winning a best supporting actor Oscar for Dreamgirls by the slimmest of margins. Or was it the fattest? Rumor had it that his fat-suit role in the less-than-Oscar-worthy Norbit all but sank his chances of being recognized for his more worthy work. Well, that was last year. Could Murphy's critically-acclaimed comedy film earn him (and/or his Norbit makeup team) his very first Academy Award? Perhaps. The film, which featured Murphy playing multiple characters, made the shortlist of seven movies to be considered for the makeup category at the 80th annual Academy Awards. Norbit faces competition from The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, La Vie en Rose, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Sweeney Todd and 300.

The Academy's makeup branch will screen samples of the films Jan. 19 and pare the list down to three in time for the complete Academy Award nominations announcement Jan. 22.

...

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

RAPPER HAS A BONE TO PICK WITH DEF JAM RECORDS...AND JAY-Z TOO?

We've heard LL Cool J. loose his cool over and over again regarding the subpar business dealings and the lack of support Def Jam upper-ups (particularly former president Jay-Z) give their artists. But I'll digress on that for now. And although Jay-Z detractors such as LL Cool J and Method Man have been the most vocal, just recently their labelmate, Beanie Sigel co-signed their sentiments as well. During an interview with DJ Whoo Kid over the weekend, the Philadelphia lyricist revealed his — and labelmate Freeway's — frustration with the label. "It's some f*cked-up sh!t that needs to be addressed," Sigel said, according to MTV. "A lot of questions should be directed to the people in charge. They need to be put on the spot and asked questions. Because I want to know myself. I'm waiting to hear the same answers to questions that me and Freeway get asked."

Jay-Z stepped down as president of Def Jam a couple of weeks ago, but he still seemed to draw some of Beans' ire, though he wasn't directly named. "It's like everybody got their homie, that dude in their squad that's a rotten motherf--ker but that's your man, so you cover up his faults," Beans said. "I'm a loyal dude. And it's not me pointing a finger at certain individuals or anything, see I'm a loyal dude man, [but] not your boys, that sh!t's crazy."

CONTINUE READING STORY AFTER THE JUMP!

Beans said his last album, The Solution, which came out in December, has gotten no support from the label. About his marketing, promotion, touring, or radio play. The rapper says he's going to make a personal trip to Def Jam next week to see what the deal is. "Somebody gon' answer me something," he said. "I'm not confused about what's going on, I'm confused about why it's going on." Beans, however, announced he will release a mixtape soon titled True American Gangster, a play off Jay's most recent album, November's American Gangster

.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

NEW MUSIC VIDEO: JANET JACKSON'S 'FEEDBACK.'

Last week, I told you all that Janet Jackson's new music video Feedback (produced by Rodney Jerkins) would premiere sometime this week. Well, here it is. Feedback is the first single from Janet's 10th studio album, Discipline, which hits record stores next week. Very galactic in my opinion. There's been a lot of positive buzz regarding Janet's upcoming album. Hopefully, her signing to Def Jam and enlisting producers such as Jerkins, Ne-Yo, The Dream and of course, her boo, Jermaine Dupri, maybe--just maybe, this album will revitalize her music career and make others forget about her two previous consecutive album flops. Hey, it can happen.

...

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

CELEBS DAD & DAUGHTER: TIGER WOODS & HIS DAUGHTER , SAM ALEXIS

Here's several pics of Tiger Woods, his mom Kultida, his baby daughter Sam Alexis and Woods' wife Elin at the Target World Challenge golf tournament at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California back in December (2007). I probably don't need to tell yall that Tiger ended up wining the championship!

...

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

NEW CANDID PICS: HALLE BERRY & HER BOYFRIEND, GABRIEL IN LOS ANGELES 1.7.08

Halle Berry and her boyfriend & model Gabriel Aubry were spotted in Los Angeles doing some furniture shopping. Is it me or does it seem like they're running late for something?! Anywhoo, I guess, those mild rumors of their break-up was just that: mild rumors. No word yet on whether the actress will relocate to the East coast to be nearer to her beau or if she'll choose to become the bi-coastal. Peep the pics below.

...

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!