(Photo: Robert Mora/Getty Images)

Hollywood Exes sounds like the worst thing that’s happened to divorced celebrities since community property.

The VH1 series, which already stars the ex-wives of Will Smith, Prince, Jose Canseco, Eddie Murphy and R. Kelly, just added Daphne Wayans to it’s cast. Daphne is the ex-wife of In Living Color creator Keenan Ivory Wayans, who famously dumped her in 2004 by removing all of her belongings from their house and cutting off the electricity.

Well, surprise surprise, Keenan. Daphne’s ready to get hers and spill all the ugly details on national television. TMZ reports the former Mrs. KIW has already been seen out and about with her new co-stars and the ladies are getting along famously. The timing of this is interesting, considering Keenan’s reboot of In Living Color is also set to premiere this fall. Surely Daphne has some juicy stories to tell about the Fly Girls?

There are also rumors that Babyface’s ex Tracey Edmonds and Sandra “Pepa” Denton will also be joining Hollywood Exes, though it’s hard to understand why. Those ladies have their own fortunes, not just alimony, to live off of, so why expose your personal life on TV?

Wait, we think we just answered our own question.

(Photo: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

They say no one knows what goes on behind bedroom doors…until now. VH1 has enlisted the ex-wives of Eddie Murphy, Jose Canseco, Will Smith, Prince and R. Kelly (!) to star in a new reality show, Hollywood Exes.

The hour-long series will premiere this summer, meaning the PR machines of the aforementioned stars are probably in overdrive running damage control.

“These extraordinarily strong women adjusted to and endured a lot while their ex-spouses won fame and fortune defining pop culture,” said Jeff Olde, Executive VP of original programming and production at VH1.

“Now these women must reinvent themselves again, stepping out of the long shadows cast by their famous husbands and supporting each other as they define the next stage of their lives – this time on their own terms,” he added.

In other words, they’ll be milking the last few drops of fame they can get from their famous exes. Not that we’re complaining–we haven’t been this excited for a new show since TLC announced Preacher Wives.

Just another reason to stay on the couch this summer.

Wife swap!

Halle Berry’s second husband, Eric Benet, is planning to wed Prince’s ex-wife,  Manuela Testolini.

The singer told People magazine he popped the question back in November:

“During a romantic dinner I decided to finally let Manuela hear ‘Never Want to Live Without You,’ a song off my new album that I had written for her,” Benet says. “I sang it to her, then got down on one knee and proposed.” He popped the question with an antique diamond ring that he designed.

The couple has been dating for three years.  I wonder if Eric ever worked through those sex addict problems that plagued him and Halle (or maybe that’s why Manuela is with him in the first place…hmmm).

The wedding is set for the summer. Hopefully it works out this time around.

Source

Say what you want about Whitney Houston’s singing voice and whether or not it’s back but when it comes to voicing her opinion, the diva is still telling it like it is. Whitney was interviewed about her upcoming “Nothing But Love” world tour, and  had a mouthful to say about the current state of the music industry and its power players.

“Music doesn’t change, people change the music; they become characters instead of really displaying their gifts,” she said. “If you look behind a lot of the people that are out there that are wearing these, you know, weird clothing–I’m not talking about anyone in particular, I’ve just seen for myself–there are some extremely gifted and talented young women and young men out there who don’t have to put on Halloween costumes, just be themselves. A little extravagance, a little flair, a little sexiness or a sultriness is cool, but some of them are very dark….” Shots fired Lady Gaga and Rihanna!

Interestingly enough Whitney is asked how she feels when she looks back on her outfits from the ’80s (you know, the decade that pretty much inspired the fashion of today’s artists) and she replies: “But that was the ‘80, I look at myself, I look at Madonna, I look at Prince, I look at Michael I look at all of us and I go, we had costumes. They weren’t scary, it was that we were performers, performing. Having artistry is one thing, but being dark and just you know, different weird stuff it’s not becoming. To me it’s not becoming at all.”

Interesting… she does make a good point about some people in the music industry relying on gimmicks rather than talent though. Thoughts?

Oh Chrihanna, please give us a break!

Chris Brown and Rihanna both turned up at last night’s NBA Finals, Game 4 causing more of a stir than the Lakers and Magic overtime match-up!  Though “sources” told Us Weekly magazine the pair was “coming together” and People magazine that “they requested to sit together” (seriously!?  Somebody’s publicist is working overtime to keep these kids in the news) the duo took to separate sections of the court.  Eyewitnesses say that the stars retreated into private lounges during half-time, but do we really believe that they had a reunion?  For goodness sake, RiRi was just subpoenaed on Tuesday to testify against Chris in the  preliminary hearing in his assault case!  If they get back together after all this drama, I’m officially dropping the mic and walking off the stage.

In other news, First Lady Michelle Obama caused a stir of fashion commentary when her press secretary Semonti Mustaphi declared, “Mrs. Obama does not wear fur” one day after French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy told the PETA that she no longer wears real fur.  I still think it’s funny that, with all the world issues of the day, Lady O causes such reaction with what she does or doesn’t wear, but at least she can rest easy that the PETA isn’t coming at her with red paint! Those folks can jump crazy and they are not scared! They’ve started beef with Aretha Franklin, among other people, and even got Mary J. Blige ready to go to war but Lady O’s in their good book: “We’ve never written to Michelle Obama about this issue because we have always known her to be fur-free,” said Amanda Schinke, media campaigns coordinator for PETA.  That’s cool, but I think our First Lady should be able to make her fashion choices without someone always having something to say!

Meanwhile, Prince refuses to get hip surgery because of his faith. Due to his practice as a Jehovah’s Witness, the Purple One is allegedly refusing a blood transfusion that will make a much needed double hip replacement possible.  These hip problems were first reported in 2005, then again in 2007 and in 2008 reports came that he’d finally agreed to “secret surgery.” That might explain the diamond cane I saw him with at the Apollo Theater’s 75th Anniversary Gala, but I can’t fathom why he’d need to suffer like this for his religion. Next time the Jehovah’s Witnesses come knocking at my door, I’ll have to ask them what’s up with that.

Chat with you next week, until then, enjoy the weekend!

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?

Contributor: Runteldat

In a sit down interview with Tavis Smiley, Mr. Stiletto Pumps in the Club, talked about turning to music when no home training having kids teased him about his style.

Prince told Tavis:

“The first thing I did is I went into myself and I taught myself music. My father left his piano at the house when he left and I wasn’t allowed to play it when he was there because I wasn’t as good as him so when he left I was determined to get as good as him. I taught myself how to play music and I just stuck with it and I did it all the time.”

After a while folks wanted to get a track, not break his heel.

“Sooner or later people in the neighborhood heard about me and they started to talk about me and it wasn’t in the teasing fashion, it was more like, ‘Wow look what he can do…’ Once I got that support from people I believed I could do anything.”

It’s too bad that Prince didn’t grow up in this decade. His flipped hair, love of purple, silhouette and stilettos would fit right in with the trend of genital-squeezing skinny jeans.

But lucky for us, he did go through it otherwise we would have never heard his music. And where would that leave all of the people who copied him this decade?

Or where would Rihanna’s hair be if not for Prince?

Exactly. Thank you bullies. 

Who would believe that Prince practices abstinence these days? That’s what
life has come to for the twice-divorced, 50-year-old singer who lives alone in a
nine-bedroom, 30,000-square-foot Tuscan style villa in Beverly Hills.

“I’m single, celibate and sexy,” he says with a laugh, during
an at-home interview with USA Today.
“I feel free.”

After being introduced to Jehovah’s Witnesses by friend and bass player Larry
Graham, Prince converted in 2001. The onetime voracious womanizer who crooned Scandalous,
Do It All Night, Sexy MF and Dirty Mind has purged his lyrics of naughty lingo and
spends more time proselytizing than partying.

He’s as likely to show up on a neighbor’s doorstep with a Watchtower
Bible as he is to frequent a hot club.

“Sometimes fans freak out,” he says of his missionary encounters. “It
might be a shock to see me, but that’s no reason for people to act crazy,
and it doesn’t give them license to chase me down the street.”

He turned 50 on June 7, but “being a Jehovah’s Witness, I don’t
celebrate birthdays or holidays. I don’t vote.”

His first book, 21 Nights, comes out Sept. 30 and features 124 never-before-seen
images of Prince (shot by celebrated photographer Randee St. Nicholas) during his
21 sold-out concert performance in 21 nights at London’s 02 Arena last year.
A CD, “Indigo Night,” also comes with the 256-page, coffee table book.