FORMER ONE-HIT-WONDER BLU CANTRELL SNAGS NEW BOY TOY & A PLAYBOY MAGAZINE SPREAD.

According to E!Online singer Blu Cantrell (a.k.a. Blu Can'tSell) has snagged herself a new man and possibly a future cover of Playboy magazine. Sources claim Cantrell and former Calvin Klein underwear model and soap opera stud Antonio Sabato Jr. are more than just clowning around on NBC’s newest competition show Celebrity Circus. “They’ve been getting close and hanging out after rehearsals,” said the insider. “Antonio seems smitten with her.” Celebrity Circus, which premiered Wednesday night, pits a group of celebs against one another as they try to perform crazy-ass stunts, including high-wire walking, fire dancing and doing acrobatics in the wheel of death.

And we may soon get a look at what Sabato Jr., 36, may be seeing these days. Cantrell, 31, recently shot a spread for Playboy after dropping upwards of 25 pounds since she began training for Circus. Sabato Jr.’s rep didn’t comment on the possible romance, but said, “We do know that all of those competitors have become such a tight-knit and close family.” However, a rep for Cantrell said of the two, “They are having fun right now.”

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Other Celebrity Circus contestants include Brady Bunch star Christopher Knight, Olympian Janet Evans, Jason "Wee Man" Acuña, Rachel Hunter and Clueless actress Stacey Dash who recently broke three of her ribs climbing "The Silks," a length of fabric suspended 30 feet in the air.

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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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MC LYTE LAUNCHES PERSONAL CAMPAIGN TO REINSTALL FEMALE RAP CATEGORY AT GRAMMYS.

Earlier this year we saw Rihanna share the stage with world-renowned mid-80s R&B group Morris Day and the Time at the 50th annual Grammy Awards. That unforgettable performance was due to super-producer Jimmy Jam (who along with his partner in crime Terry Lewis have produced hits for Janet, New Edition, Bobby Brown and others) who joined the Grammy committee a couple of years ago. Now, rap veteran MC Lyte, who's also a committee member, is spearheading a new campaign to help her peers pick up more Grammy Awards. The rapper-turned-actress (real name Lana Moorer), who became the first female rapper to score a gold single, is using her position on the Grammy committee to reinstall a category for the ladies of hip-hop at the annual music Oscars.

She says, "We have not had a female rap category at the Grammys since 2003, and I'm trying to get this thing reinstated for 2009. I'm getting all of these sisters ready, whether they're signed or unsigned."
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CELEB CANDIDS: SHAGGY IN COLOGNE, GERMANY; SAMUEL L. JACKSON IN LOS ANGELES.

Actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed head to toe in orange sportswear, just like a Doritos crisp, heads back to his Mercedes car after shopping for groceries in Los Angeles last week. I swear I hate seeing people wearing orange and brown together! Ugh!

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And here's someone we haven't seen in a long time. 'Mr. Boombastic' a.k.a. Shaggy was recently spotted arriving at his hotel in Cologne, Germany last week.

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MELANIE 'MEL B.' BROWN TO STAR IN BLACK VERSION OF DISNEY'S 'HANNAH MONTANA' ON NICKELODEON.

Melanie Brown, formerly of the Spice Girls, has written a new half-hour TV show which she describes as the "black version" of the Disney Channel's popular children's series, Hannah Montana. "I've written my own sitcom that's just been picked up by Nickelodeon that I start at Christmas," she said, according to Contact Music. "I'm the star of it. It's a bit like Hannah Montana, but the black version." The project is reportedly scheduled to go into production later this year. No other details were given.

Hannah Montana, meanwhile, focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cyrus) by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night, concealing her real identity from the public, other than her close friends and family.
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TRICK DADDY $$ TO PEN NEW AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

Miami rapper Trick Daddy will soon add author to his list of achievements with the release of an autobiography. The 33-year-old hip-hop star and Dunk Ryder Record label CEO - real name Maurice Young - is in the midst of collating all his life experiences into the tome, which he is currently trying to secure a distributing deal for. The as-yet-untitled book will detail his transition from his upbringing in the ghettos of Miami, Florida through to his successful recording career. And Trick Daddy promises fans it will be something to look forward to when it is released later this year (2008). He tells AllHipHop.com, "The book is amazing already. I have a writer, I have a agent already shopping the book, and actually, I think we'll have a book deal by next week."

Don't sit and wait on it folks. Four years ago Trick Daddy was set to launch and host his own cooking show. And it almost happened. Almost. He had filmed a pilot episode showcasing several of his Dirty South recipes for MTV. At the time, he said, "They wanted me to cook all my dishes. I'm like, 'How am I gonna cook all my dishes?' Then if I have a show I'm a run out of s**t to do. I'll cook you two dishes and then you lay around for next time up. So if they like it, we gonna go from there."

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However, for unknown reasons, at least to me, the deal fell through. I, for one, was particularly looking forward to watching the series. Trick had even said he'd invite a few of his rapping allies to his show to show them how to get things done in the kitchen. "I'll probably have a lot of rap cats come on up. You know a lot of n**gers think they know how to cook. I'm a show you how n**gers f**k up and burn eggs. And have the shells in them."

But Trick also insisted there's was one dish he wouldn't ever think about cooking on his show: "I cook anything but chitlins. Because chitlins smell like a dirty a*s."

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow.

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LUDACRIS TO BE FEATURED IN TV ONE'S 'ONE ON ONE' PROGRAM.

For all you Ludacris fans, the rapper-turned-mogul will be on the next airing of TV One on One, premiering Saturday (June 15) at 10 p.m. on TV One. The rapper sits down with host Cathy Hughes to discuss his transition from rap into acting, his upcoming movie projects, what he looks for in a woman, how he’s raising his daughter, and more. In the final segment of the interview, actor Larenz Tate joins in for a discussion about the two actors’ projects and the Tate Brothers Foundation’s efforts to spotlight sickle cell anemia. The interview repeats at 1 a.m., Thursday, June 19 at 10 a.m. and Sunday, June 21 at 6 a.m. (all times ET).

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LL COOL J. ON PEOPLE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HIM: 'I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNOW HOW DOWN TO EARTH I AM.'

"Misconception is that I am unapproachable. I don't think people know how down to earth I am and how much I really recognize and see people. My feet are firmly planted on the ground....[and]I would say the craziest had to be rumors about me getting plastic surgery and using steroids. I didn't do either. I heard I had a nose job, chin implants, ribs removed—all kind of craziness. That's just not something I'm going to do. I owe it all to my Platinum workout and we also have a diamond workout for women as well. Also my other weapon is that I don't do drugs. I never have been the get-high man although I might have an occasional drink but that's it. What do I look like having someone cut me open to put in or remove muscles? C'mon now!"

--LL COOL J to Essence magazine on the biggest misconception folks have about him and the craziest rumor he's ever heard about himself.

AFTER THE JUMP, FIND OUT HOW HIS FAMILY PLAYED A PART IN HIS DECISION TO PARTNER WITH SEARS TO LAUNCH A NEW CLOTHING LINE.

"I did the Sears deal because I was able to work with my family. My wife, kids and some additional models market the whole brand. Most people asked why I chose to partner with Sears because they felt I'm at a certain level in my career and I should go to a higher-end retailer. But what people should know about me is that I don't live my life trying to be an elitist. I'm part of the community not above it so I'm going to embrace the real community not my rich friends. When I was growing up we bought clothes from Sears. I know a zillion people who can't afford $700 jeans but they still want to look and feel good so why wouldn't I embrace a Sears?

[The collection] should be in stores for July to prepare for back-to-school season in September and should be in about 450 stores. We will launch again in about November and eventually be in about 2500 stores. It's the biggest deal and the first time in hip-hop culture that an artist of my magnitude has done anything like this. It's a great statement. My family and I really are pleased with the designs which will only get better. With the female collection we were more concerned with getting the fit right than the designs because with women it's all about the right fit."

--LL COOL J on why he made the decision to launch a new affordable clothing line with Sears.

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NEW PICS: ASHANTI VISITS THE REGIS & KELLY SHOW IN NEW YORK CITY.

Ashanti continued to pounding the pavement to promote her new album The Declaration by appearing on the Regis and Kelly Show in New York City on Tuesday morning (June 10). The Declaration debuted at #6 last Tuesday on the Billboard Charts selling a mediocre 89,246 copies. Damn! Keep pounding, Ashanti.

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NEW PICS: EVA MARCILLE AND LANCE GROSS AT DAYTIME EMMY NOMINEES RECEPTION.

Beautiful celeb-couple Eva Marcille and actor Lance Gross are still going strong. The couple have been dating for about a year or so. Gross was last seen in Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns film and don't forget you Young & the Restless fans can catch Eva when she makes her debut on the number one daytime soap starting on Wednesday, June 25, 2008. In the meantime, check out pics of Lance and Eva attending the Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences reception for the 2008 Daytime Emmy Nominees at the Savannah Restaurant in Burbank, California last Monday night (6.9.2008).

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MUSIC PRODUCER TIMBALAND TO WED GIRLFRIEND OF 2 YEARS IN ARUBA.

Wedding bells will soon ring for music mogul Timbaland. The producer is to wed his publicist girlfriend in Aruba on June 19, 2008, according to new reports. The acclaimed producer will exchange vows with Monique Idlett - his bride-to-be of two years - in the south Caribbean region. An insider tells Life & Style magazine, "Guests are being told to be prepared to fly to Aruba on that date."

Timbaland (real name Timothy Mosley) and Idlett have been engaged since last October (07) and have a seven month old daughter.

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TICHINA ARNOLD, LISA LESLIE & GARCELLE BEAUVAIS NILON WITH THEIR KIDS AT 'A TIME FOR HEROES CELEB CARNIVAL.'

It was celebrity mommy overload at the A Time For Heroes Celebrity Carnival to Benefit The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation held at Wadsworth Theater in Los Angeles last Sunday (June 8, 2008). Celebs in attendance included actresses Tichina Arnold with her daughter Alijah; Garcelle Beauvais Nilon her husband Mike Nilon and their seven-month old twin boys, Jax and Jaid. Former WNBA player--and the first woman who made history by becoming the first player to ever perform a dunk in the WNBA league--Lisa Leslie also attended the event with her family including her daughter Lauren.

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GABRIELLE UNION SHOWS OFF NEW HAIR-CUT IN ESSENCE MAGAZINE'S JULY 2008 ISSUE.

For the fourth time in her career, actress Gabrielle Union graces the cover of Essence magazine's July 2008 issue. In Union's 'Love Your Body' feature story, the 35-year-old beauty, who co-stars with Eddie Murphy in Meet Dave opening this summer, talked about her new work-out regimen with her personal trainer/counselor/friend and former actress AJ Johnson (House Party) as well as her brand new hair-do.

GABRIELLE ON HER RIGOROUS WORK-OUT REGIMEN THAT'S PART CARDIO/PART TALK THERAPY/PART BIBLE STUDY: "It's about getting on the path to being the person you want to be. It helps you work out your issues and find your answers, which are usually pretty logical. Half the battle is just talking it out. There's no point having amazing shoulders or ripped abs if you don't feel like getting out of bed everyday. I'm loving the new cuts that are coming in--up my thighs, my arms. I love my abs. I definitely have more confidence, energy and stamina."

GABRIELLE ON HER SPUNKY, SHORT NEW HAIRCUT: "I felt fierce, fierce as the devil. I can already tell that people take you a little bit more seriously when they're not distracted by long curly locks. I wanted something different and dramatic and this is it."

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AFTER THE JUMP, SEE IF GABRIELLE 'DIFFERENT & DRAMATIC' LOOK.

Gabrielle at The Race for the Cure in Washington, DC on June 7, 2008.

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