(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Is LeBron James‘ game turning soft when it comes to the ladies?

The recently-engaged athlete, who is in London to play basketball for the Team U.S.A. in the 2012 Summer Olympics, got a big-fat-no when he asked Lauren Perdue, a member of the U.S. swim team, to dinner. Bet you a gold medal that doesn’t happen very often.

Before the cheating rumors start, let’s clarify that King James was only inviting 21-year-old Perdue out for a friendly meal, and the Miami Heat baller’s fiance Savannah Brinson has been by his side in London.

Perdue had to turn down the chance of a lifetime (we’re talking about watching ‘Bron demolish a Big Mac in one bite) because her curfew wouldn’t allow it.

“He was kind of joking but he was basically like, ‘Would you like to come eat with me at the dining hall?’ And I said, ‘Um, I’m sorry, I have a curfew,’” Perdue later said. “So I turned that one down, yeah.”

Here’s hoping LeBron feels sorry enough for the hard-working athlete, who deserves to milk every perk from her moment of fame, to offer her a rain check court-side at a Miami Heat game. Go ahead, ‘Bron, make her day!

(Photo: Kelly Kline/Getty Images)

The new year is already prompting new beginnings with stars who are kicking things off full speed ahead on the romance front.

When the ball dropped December 31, LeBron James popped the question to the mother of his two sons Savannah Brinson at a private dinner in Miami.  The couple are high school sweethearts, and have been together for over eight years along with their sons 7-year-old LeBron Jr. and 4-year-old Bryce — making it official has been a long time coming!  The engagement party was hosted by Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and 50 guests, including Nas, Queen Latifah, Chris & Adrienne Bosh, LeBron’s mother Gloria James, supermodel Jessica White, and more, came to celebrate the happy couple and also toasted to LeBron’s 27th birthday (December 30, 1984).

Aretha Franklin is getting her groove back and was recently engaged to her longtime friend William “Willie” Wilkerson, a former Detroit firefighter. The 69-year-old singer has been married twice before, but is looking to make third time a charm in a ceremony that may come this summer. “We’re looking at June or July for our date, and no, I’m not pregnant, LOL!” she said. Franklin and Wilkerson are considering a ceremony in Miami Beach, followed by a reception on a private yacht.

And although last year’s rumors had Jennifer Hudson calling off her wedding to her WWE beau David Otunga the singer and actress says the nuptials are still on. “Oh, we’ve set the date. We’re just not telling. … no, not telling. Some things you keep to yourself,” Hudson said during an exclusive NBC Dateline interview that airs this Sunday. Maybe this year  will find J-Hid with a ring on it? The couple’s 2 year old son, David Jr. would make a cute ring bearer and Jennifer’s already got her dress figured out. “It’s a show,” she said. “It has three pieces to it. I designed it myself. It has a coat for the entrance and then when I get ready to walk, you take that part off. And then it’s another dress. And then by the time I get to the alter, it’s a whole new dress.

There’s about to be a whole lot of broom jumping this year! Congrats to all the couples!

Love is in the air! I swear every other day I have a friend getting engaged or married and the bug seems to have bitten celebs these days too. Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh popped the question to his ladylove Adrienne Williams last Friday, August 27, the New York Post reports. The couple has been dating for about a year–girlfriend snagged Bosh while he was still playing for the Toronto Raptors. In July, the NBA star inked a $100 million deal to join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on the Heat, which seemed to up his star power too: after the deal he had a cameo on HBO’s Entourage and shot a Got Milk? campaign. I wonder if he’ll be signing that good prenup and more importantly, how long before Shaunie and ‘nem try to recruit her for Basketball Wives?

Meanwhile actor Brian J. White (remember him from Stomp the Yard and Tyler Perry projects?) married his girlfriend Paula DaSilva over the weekend. She’s cute. Now can we put those rumors about him to bed once and for all?

Congrats to the couples.  Wishing them drama-free relationships that last longer than a Hollywood minute!

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Girlfriend, high school sweetheart, even “sidekick;” but whatever you do don’t call Savannah Brinson “LeBron James’ baby mama.”

“I’m the mother of his children,” Brinson said proudly in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “I’m not a baby mama. There’s a lot more to me than that.”

In her first big public interview, Savannah opened up to the magazine about her relationship with “King James,” the couple’s two boys and how she feels about moving to Miami.

On the move from Cleveland to Miami
“Personally, Miami was not my favorite place. Vacationing there is great. You go for three days and get some sun and it’s time to go home.”
“It will definitely be an adjustment, but we’ll make it,” she adds. “We’re not complaining. Whatever LeBron felt was comfortable, I’m with him. I just love him so much.”

According to the article, the couple’s two sons will go to school in Cleveland and they will divide their time between Miami and Ohio.

On the groupies in Miami:
“I’m not worried,” she declares, sounding assured. “We’re good. Our relationship is good.”

On whether they are planning to get married:
“I’ve definitely not put a fire under his a–,” she says. “I would never rush him to do something like that. We’re really comfortable with the way things are now. And it’s not up to me. When it happens, it happens. We talk about it. If we do it, I want it to be forever.”

LeBron James on Savannah:
“A person like myself always needs a great sidekick and a person you can rely on no matter the circumstances. And she’s that,” he says. “She’s got my back, and I love her for that.”

I don’t know about LeBron calling her a “sidekick” (*side eye*), but it seems like these two have a solid relationship going. And hey, if Tiny and Lala could finally get a ring after all those years, there’s always hope for Savannah!  I’d still have my eye out for those groupies though….

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We all raised our eyebrows at the rumor that LeBron James’ mother Gloria James was having an affair with his Cleveland Cavilers teammate Delonte West and even LeBron’s lawyers denied it, but according to an insider it’s true! NBA Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy went on the record and confirmed the crazy tale:

“It ain’t no rumor. It’s absolutely true and absolutely…horrifying,” Murphy told a Huston ESPN station. “Unfortunately, my sources in the NBA tell me that it’s absolutely true. My sources, and they’re legit, tell me that the only people that didn’t know it was happening was LeBron and me.”

Murphy went on to say that LeBron “may take time off” after the incident and he also claims “there was another party… that West wasn’t the only” man involved in the alleged affair.

Shots fired!

Do you believe Murphy? Furthermore, if this is all true, do you think it really messed with LeBron’s head enough to throw him off his game during the semifinals?

Still wondering where the heck LeBron James’ head was at when he let the Boston Celtics kick his Cleveland Cavilers’ butt during the Eastern Conference Semifinals? Well Terezowens.com is reporting that sources tell them Bron’s lackluster performance could’ve been because he was distracted after finding out that his mother, Gloria James (pictured above), was, or is, having an affair with his teammate Delonte West!

Dang mama!

Their story goes: LeBron found out the affair shortly before Game 4 and was so disturbed by the news that he couldn’t focus the same as he did all year. Pause…so you mean to tell me other players can block out their affair, court case, baby mama, etc drama and focus on the game but LeBron, who some argue is one of the greatest to ever do it, couldn’t get over the fact that his mom was getting her swerve on? I don’t believe that. In fact this entire rumor sounds fake, and if it did come from LeBron’s camp it reads like one big fat excuse!

People who buy into the rumor wonder if this alleged affair could be the ultimate reason LeBron decides to leave Cleveland for another team.

What do you think about it all?

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Just when you thought the Tiger Woods saga was starting to die down a little Vanity Fair revived it again sparking controversy with their February 2010 cover featuring the mega golfer with an accompanying story titled “Tiger in the Rough.”

My how things change! Normally we see images of this man, the richest athlete in the world, smiling mid swing in his Nike shirt on a golf course, but now that his skeletons have stumbled out of the closet (literally) Vanity Fair decided to show a more menacing image of Tiger all scowling and pumping iron, naked save for a skull cap. He almost looks like he wants to scream “Thug Life” which makes me laugh because come on….it’s Tiger Woods.

Tiger definitely got himself into some mess but last time I checked, cheating on your wife does not a thug make. So why is Tiger all of the sudden looking more like a convict during free time at Rikers rather than the “Carlton Banks” type of images that have been pushed until now?

“Tiger is an intensely competitive athlete – and quite serious about his sport,” photographer Annie Leibovitz said on the magazine’s website. “I wanted to reveal that in these photos. And to show his incredible focus and dedication.“  Riiiiight. So cashing in during the middle of the scandal had nothing to do with the choice? Get real! The pictures weren’t even shot this year, they’re outtakes from an old shoot done in 2006. Doesn’t seem like much of a coincidence that they’re seeing the light of day now.

This is the same photographer that shot Jennifer Hudson and LeBron James for separate covers of Vogue magazine which were also met with distaste and criticism on the portrayal of Black entertainers.

You can expect even more pictures of Tiger from the shoot that spawned this image when Vanity Fair hits news stands world wide on January 12th. In meantime, what do you think about this cover?

Last night the historic Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York had their 75th Anniversary Gala.  Your BET.com diva, Dior Noir, had the honor of attending.

Living and up and coming legends graced the red carpet like Jamie Foxx, who stepped out of his car that knocked over security and the barricades! Jamie looked dapper as usual, signed autographs.  Unlike Mariah Carey, (who arrived sans Nick) who snapped at an innocent bystander for stepping on her dress before sauntering in. Diva! Mimi looked great in her plunging black Roberto Cavalli gown though (the designer was also in attendance), so I can’t even hate.

Inside, comedian Paul Mooney stole my seat, but I’m never one for making a scene so I snagged a better placement (take that Paul!) just in time for former Showtime at the Apollo host Steve Harvey to start the show.

Jamie Foxx had the audience dying laughing with impersonations of Bill Cosby, Gayle King, Patti LaBelle (who were all in the audience), President Obama, Prince and of course Ray Charles, as he brought out Quincy Jones to be inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame. Also, Phylicia Rashad presented Bill and Camille Cosby with a “Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis Humanitarian Award” (Ruby was in the house!).

One of the craziest moments of the night came courtesy of Fantasia who acted a plum fool during her performance of Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady,” Chaka Khan’s “Tell me Something Good” and Prince’s “Purple Rain.” Girlfriend was running through the isles bare foot (get your girl!) in a slinky sequined dress, wailing from the soul while she patted her bobbed weave. I swear she caught the Holy Ghost while she had the audience singing Prince’s popular hit! She ran by me flailing her arms and making the scariest faces I’ve ever seen before her people had to grab her and drag her off the scene. Yikes!

I didn’t think the night could get any better, but all of the sudden Prince took the stage!  The audience fell out as the Symbol Man (who looked like music’s fairy godmother in a peach suit, bedazzled cane and those platforms!) brought out Mariah and the two presented Patti LaBelle, who was also inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame. Steve Harvey joked about being a grown man ready to cry at the sight of Prince and I felt him! I thought I was going to make the 11 o’clock news for jumping that man, but luckily for all parties involved he dipped shortly after he and Mariah (who was extra dramatic during her speech with tears and all, but she’s Patti’s god daughter thought so, again, I excuse her antics) left the stage.

The O-Jays ended the night rocking the crowd with a medley of their hit tracks while busting out the smooth moves that they’re known for in sparkly suits. I bet they never had to deal with Day 26-style bitchassness, but then again that was a different time.

After the party was the after party, which was a wonderful production of drinks, food, dancing and people for days in a chandler-lit mega tent. I spotted Doug E. Fresh looking like he was getting his mack on with a few PYTs and I’m pretty sure LeBron James was in the house, though I’ll have to admit my attention was focused on all the other giants in the room.

It was an amazing night and an honor to bear witness to the strengths and talents of my people. Congratulations on 75 years strong Apollo Theatre!

What does the iconic theatre mean to you?