| Making your day Sonny |
It has been my honor and pleasure to be your co-worker on the J.O.B, but the Lord have given me an unbelievable opportunity in ??? I'll make the announcement at 1:30 today. Please tune-in.
Update... Your truly, Sonny Andre', is the new Co-Host for the Nationally Syndicated "The Mo' Nique Show" with Queen-of-comedy Mo'Nique! Thank you Lord for this Blessing. And GOD Bless the Cox Greenville radio family and listeners!
Good Bye, for now....
Remember the baby-mama drama with 50 Cent? Get ready for this...
Who Fired 50 Cent's Baby Mama?
A raging inferno broke out at a house owned by 50 Cent early this morning, and the local fire department tells us the fire is "highly suspicious."
The fire broke out at the six bedroom, five bath house in Dix Hills, NY around 5:00 AM. Six people, including the rapper's ex Shaniqua Tompkins and their 10-year-old son Marquise, were in the house. They were all transported to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
The Chief of the Dix Hills Fire Department tells TMZ that dogs are currently searching the burned out rubble, as the intensity of the fire made it highly suspect. The Chief says they're searching for what substance could have possibly been used as an igniter.
The house has been the subject of a bitter dispute between Fiddy, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, and Tompkins. The rapper reportedly bought the home -- one of the biggest cribs in the area -- for a cool $1.4 mil in January 2007. Last month he tried to evict Tompkins and Marquise from the house, demanding she pay him $4,500 a month in rent.
Story developing ...
UPDATE 10:25 AM ET: Suffolk Police tell us they received a call at 5 AM. An off-duty police officer was driving by and stopped to help rescue the victims inside the house. We're told injuries to all six victims -- including Tompkins -- are non-life threatening and they have been treated and released from the hospital. While they are currently investigating the fire's cause, we're told 50 Cent not a suspect at this point.
R. KELLY TRIAL UPDATE: AN EXPERT TESTIFIED THAT THE SEX TAPE WASN'T TAMPERED WITH:
The matter of that "surprise witness" that R. KELLY'S attorneys want to call to the witness stand has been set aside for now.
--Prosecutors said they need more time to interview the man . . . so both his testimony and the testimony of the prosecution witness he will allegedly try to discredit have been put on hold.
--But the trial got back underway yesterday, with FBI forensic expert George Skaluba taking the witness stand. He told the court that the sex tape in question was not altered in any way.
--One of Kelly's 5,000 potential defenses is that his image may have been DIGITALLY superimposed over that of the man on the tape . . . to make it LOOK like Kelly was having sex with an underage girl.
--But Skaluba said the male and female in the tape were NOT computer-generated or altered.
--Under cross-examination by Kelly's attorneys, Skaluba admitted that he couldn't say whether the man in the tape was R. Kelly, or a look-alike. (--Another of Kelly's 5,000 potential defenses is that he's not the man in the tape.)
Toni Braxton's Heart Breaks Vegas Gig for Good
Toni Braxton's chest pains have put a permanent kibosh on her Vegas show.
The singer, who went to the hospital in early April, has decided not to continue with her Vegas show, so she can solely focus on her health.
Harrah's Entertainment would not comment on Braxton's condition. She has been treated in the past for pericarditis, a viral inflammation of the heart.
Harvey's Dead
Legendary comedic actor Harvey Korman died today. He was 81.
The actor, possibly best known for his stint on the "The Carol Burnett Show" and in the film "Blazing Saddles," died at UCLA Medical Center after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago.
Carol Burnett's assistant told the AP the actress was devastated by the news, but she has not yet released a statement.
He is survived by his wife and four children.
Ray J: Drug Story Doesn't Float My Boat!
R&B bad boy Ray J has opened his big mouth and issued a statement to TMZ about his alleged drug drama at a hotel in D.C. last weekend.
Brandy's bro tells us "The defamatory statements made by the staff at the Washington D.C. Hyatt accusing me of using the drug 'boat' or PCP are totally false and are an attempt by them to gain publicity for their hotel. These drugs are illegal and since the police were called, I would have been arrested if I had these drugs in my possession. The statements made by the hotel staff are extremely damaging, and I'm contemplating legal action. "
As TMZ first reported, cops were called to the Hyatt Regency last Friday at 3:00 AM after hotel staff asked a belligerent Ray J to leave the premises after he was allegedly found with a stash of the club drug "boat" and marijuana.
THE SKANKS ON "SEX AND THE CITY" HAVE ABOUT AS MUCH SEX AS THE SKANKS IN THE *REAL* NEW YORK CITY:
If "Sex and the City" has taught us anything, it's that the chicks in New York are SLUTS. And apparently, that part of the show WASN'T FICTION.
--Check this out: By the time the original HBO series had come to an end, the four main skanks on "Sex and the City" had made congress with 94 guys . . . and ONE WOMAN.
--Not surprisingly, KIM CATTRALL'S character, Samantha, had the most partners. She nailed 41 guys . . . and that one woman.
--SARAH JESSICA PARKER'S character, Carrie, made sweet love to 18 guys . . . as did KRISTIN DAVIS' Charlotte. Miranda . . . played by real-life lesbian CYNTHIA NIXON . . . had 17 partners.
--Now, according to the fine, fine people at Durex Condoms, the average American woman has NINE sex partners in a lifetime.
--But author Karyn Bosnak (--of SaveKaryn.com fame) says that in New York, it's DOUBLE that. She discovered this while researching a novel called "20 Times a Lady" . . . which is about a woman in New York who vows to have sex with a maximum of 20 men.
--Bosnak says that's not a big deal in a place like New York City, because, quote, "You can date men from different social circles here. If you have 20 sex partners and you live in a small, rural town, that's not good." (--"Sex and the City: The Movie" opens TODAY.)
NEXT YEAR, THERE COULD BE A CABLE NEWS CHANNEL SPECIFICALLY FOR BLACK PEOPLE:
There are countless sub-par news networks on cable . . . but there's one kind of sub-par news network that ISN'T out there: A sub-par news network specifically targeted to a BLACK AUDIENCE. Well, next year there may be one of those, too.
--The proposed network . . . which will be called the Black Television News Channel . . . will broadcast, quote, "original news programming with a distinctly African-American perspective."
--The man behind the network is a former congressman named J.C. WATTS. (--He served in the House from 1995 to 2003, as a Republican from Oklahoma.)
--Watts tells the "New York Post", quote, "I'm not so sure that you see anything on CNN or Fox News that specifically targets the African American community.
--"Our community features millions of people with all kinds of backgrounds. There's a much broader segment of the population than what we see in mainstream news."
--Watts already has an agreement with Comcast cable to carry the network in several cities with large black populations . . . including Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Washington D.C., Atlanta and Baltimore.
--The network is currently in development . . . and could launch as soon as early 2009.
Dwayne's Ex Doesn't Want a Piece of the Rock
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's divorce proceedings are officially done, according to court docs filed last week. 
Johnson and his now-ex-wife, Dany Garcia, have a 7-year-old daughter, Simone. According to their divorce agreement, both sides will pay $5,000 a month into a trust fund to be used towards a private school, college education and other living expenses.
Garcia and Johnson will share custody -- splitting up holidays and whatnot -- and both agreed to waive their right to alimony, though The Rock will fork over $22,454/month in child support. Don't worry about Garcia -- she made $700k last year as a financial adviser.
Forget Suge, You Can Own Death Row Records!
First Suge gets knocked out cold out at an L.A. club, now he's being forced to sell off his once-mighty Death Row empire.
After filing for bankruptcy in 2006, a judge has ordered that all assets for Death Row be auctioned off to the highest bidder on June 24. That's some serious stuff, as it includes the rights to all the recordings of Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre. The minimum starting bid is a measly $24 mil.
Get your bid in by June 10 if you're looking for your own original copy of "The Chronic."
Clay Aiken Impregnates Someone!
TMZ has learned Clay Aiken is going to be a daddy. In case you didn't process that, Clay Aiken is going to be a daddy.
Here's what we know. Multiple sources tell us the mother is Jaymes Foster, a record producer and Clay's best friend. He lives at her home when he's in L.A.
We're told 50-year-old Foster, who produced several Aiken CDs, is due in August. She's the sister of record mogul David Foster. She divorced a few years back and has no kids. Aiken is 29.
We're told Foster was artificially inseminated. But Clay is a lot more than sperm -- we're told he will have an active role in raising the child.
No immediate word from Aiken's rep.
That's right gang, your co-worker on the J.O.B has landed a "Dream Job" somewhere else in the good ol' USA. More details to come...
Levert's Death in Jail Ruled Natural Causes
An Ohio coroner has ruled that the death of R&B singer Sean Levert in a Cleveland jail was due to natural causes.
Levert suffered from a litany of different aliments, including heart disease and high blood sugar. He was only 39.
Levert was taken to the hospital after he collapsed while in restraints at the Cuyahoga County Jail. The coroner's report indicates no foul play or trauma was involved in his death.
R. Kelly Tries to Pee on Witness Parade
The big bombshell witness in the R. Kelly trial was supposed to take the stand yesterday, but the defense threw a last-minute curveball to derail her.
Just before the woman was supposed to testify, reports the Chicago Tribune, the Happy Urinator's lawyers said they had an 11th-hour witness who might undermine the prosecution's big gun. It wasn't clear how the mystery witness might change the case.
And now, at long last, the woman who will claim to have had a threesome with Kelly and the alleged victim will take the stand.
--And she'll supposedly say that one of Kelly's attorneys actually tried to have her ARRESTED at one point. (--The defense is expected to argue that the woman was trying to EXTORT Kelly.)
--Defense attorneys had not mentioned this surprise witness before because they DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT HIM. They told the judge that he just called them, out of the blue, at 9:00 A.M. that morning . . .
--. . . and he was expected to get on a plane and arrive in Chicago by 6:00 P.M. last night.
--The judge decided to put everything on hold until both sides had a chance to depose the new witness.
--It's not clear whether testimony will resume today . . . but both sides are expected to take care of this as soon as possible.
(--The whole "surprise witness" thing happens a lot more on TV and in the movies than it does in real life. In an actual court, you can't just throw a witness on the stand without letting the other side know, in advance, what he or she plans to say.)
(--That's why the judge decided not to let the prosecution put their witness on the stand. Knowing what this surprise witness will say could very well change how they question their key witness on the stand.)
You think that's wild???
CaddySmacked? Murray's Wife Claims Abuse
Bill Murray's wife says he's no joke -- she's filed for divorce, alleging he's a sex and drug addict, he abandoned her, cheated and physically abused her.
Jennifer Butler Murray, Bill's wife of ten years, filed court documents on May 12 in a Charleston, S.C. family court. The couple has a home in the area.
In documents obtained by the Charleston Post & Courier, Jennifer is asking a judge to issue a restraining order that will keep Bill away from her home. She's also asked the court to determine if the couple's $7 million pre-nup is valid -- according to the agreement, Jennifer gets the big pay day if they divorce.
According to court docs, Jennifer and the couple's four children moved out of the family home in 2006 because of what she says was her husband's "adultery, addiction to marijuana and alcohol, abusive behavior, physical abuse, sexual addictions and frequent abandonment." The docs also say the star "hit his wife in the face and then told her she was 'lucky he didn't kill her' " and that this happened more than once during their marriage. Holy Groundhog's Day!
Griffin Accuser Says Eddie's "Drunk All the Time"
The man who claims Eddie Griffin assaulted him spoke out to TMZ about the messy ordeal. 
Vince Beane says the day Eddie hit him, the actor had already consumed half a case of champagne. He also says that even though he was completely humiliated, producers for the show he was working on told him to shake the assault off.
Keith Davidson, Vince's attorney, says that Beane just wants to bring the situation to justice and get compensation for medical bills.
USHER'S NEW ALBUM WAS DOWNLOADED MORE THAN HALF A MILLION TIMES BEFORE IT EVEN CAME OUT:
USHER just dropped his new album, "Here I Stand", on Tuesday . . . and it's already on track to be the #1 album in the country when "Billboard" releases next week's numbers.
--The disc recorded first-day sales of around 146,000 copies. Back in April, MARIAH CAREY'S new disc, "E=MC2", sold 154,000 copies in its first day . . . and went on to move a total of 463,000 copies in its debut week.
--But whatever Usher sells this week, the number is probably A LOT less than he could have sold if it weren't for illegal downloading.
--The album was actually available online a full week before it hit stores . . . and in that time, it was downloaded more than HALF A MILLION TIMES.
--It's impossible to know how many people actually stole the album, but by some accounts, it was downloaded 554,000 times via BitTorrent ALONE.
"BEVERLY HILLS COP 4" IS IN THE WORKS:
EDDIE MURPHY is pulling Axel Foley out of mothballs for "Beverly Hills Cop 4". BRETT RATNER . . . the guy who does the "Rush Hour" movies . . . is in negotiations to direct.
--The last installment in the franchise, the cleverly-titled "Beverly Hills Cop 3", came out in 1994.
(--So in just the last few years, we've had a fourth "Indiana Jones", a fourth "Rambo", a fourth "Die Hard" and a SIXTH "Rocky". Is Hollywood really that hard up for inspiration???)
(--And since when did the nostalgia business become so HUGE??? Seriously. We can blame the movie studios all we want, but the truth is, audiences don't seem to respond to anything new anymore.)
Purple haze all in my brain...
"JOHNNY B. GOODE" TOPS "ROLLING STONE'S" NEW LIST OF THE GREATEST GUITAR SONGS OF ALL TIME:
The new issue of "Rolling Stone" features a comprehensive list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time . . . and they gave their top honor to the CHUCK BERRY jam, "Johnny B. Goode", which was released back in 1958.
--The JIMI HENDRIX classic "Purple Rain" and the CREAM track "Crossroads" came in second and third, respectively. The most recent song in the Top 10 was "Smells Like Teen Spirit", which NIRVANA released in 1991.
--Here are "Rolling Stone's" Top 10 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time:
#1.) "Johnny B. Goode", CHUCK BERRY (1958)
#2.) "Purple Haze", JIMI HENDRIX (1967)
#3.) "Crossroads", CREAM (1968)
#4.) "You Really Got Me", THE KINKS (1964)
#5.) "Brown Sugar", THE ROLLING STONES (1971)
50 CENT IS DOING A SHOW THAT'S BEING DESCRIBED AS A HIP-HOP VERSION OF "THE APPRENTICE":
50 CENT is doing a show with MTV that's being described as a hip-hop version of "The Apprentice". Sixteen contestants will live together and compete in challenges that, quote, "relate to street savvy and business smarts".
--By the end of the show, 50 will select one contestant as the next "street-smart business mogul".
(--One difference between this show and "The Apprentice" is that when 50 wants a contestant gone, he doesn't "fire" them . . . he fires AT them. HI-YO!!! I'll be here all week. Lucky for you, the week's almost over. Hi-Yo again!!! I even got it when I'm giving it to myself!!!)
Naomi Charged with Being a Bag Hag
The superthrottler will face five charges -- three counts of assaulting a constable, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of using threatening words -- stemming from the incident. The assault charges could mean up to six months in the slammer.
Her UK lawyer says she's "bitterly disappointed" at being charged -- quick, hide the Blackberries -- but respects the court's decision. She'll be back on June 20 to appear in west London magistrates' court.
Hello! I hope you're having a "Sonny" Day! I'm just getting back in town after spending the Memorial Day Weekend in Va Beach (Virginia Beach), and I'm ready to give away $ome free Gas & Groceries.
Here's the latest "News You Can (Ab) Use..."
Big One About to Drop in R. Kelly Trial
The bombshell witness in the R. Kelly trial -- a woman who claims she had a three-way with R. and the alleged victim - is due to testify today.
The defense is clearly rattled - they tried to force her removal from the witness list completely, but the judge nixed that. The woman, who lives in Georgia, is expected to ID the girl on the pee-pee tape and to verify that she was a minor at the time.
Yesterday, a woman who worked for Kelly reluctantly ID'd the singer as the guy in the tape.
R. KELLY TRIAL UPDATE: PROSECUTORS CONTINUED YESTERDAY TO ESTABLISH THE IDENTITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE SEX TAPE:
Here's a quick update from the R. KELLY child pornography trial: Yesterday, prosecutors produced more witnesses to back up their claim that the alleged R. Kelly sex tape does indeed show Kelly having sex with an underage girl.
--They brought one of Kelly's former employees, one Lindsey Perryman, to the witness stand. She said she was 110% sure the man in the tape was her former boss . . . and that the girl in the tape is who the prosecution says she is . . . which would have made her around 13 when the tape was made some 10 years ago.
--Perryman claims Kelly introduced the girl to her as his goddaughter . . . and she even used to drive her to school. She said, quote, "She has distinct cheekbones, the way she moves her mouth and talks and smiles. It's very distinctive to her."
--The alleged victim was also identified by two more of her former friends.
--Meanwhile, Kelly's attorneys brought up the fact that the woman prosecutors have identified as the victim had BRACES between 1997 and 1999 . . . while the girl in the tape does NOT appear to have braces.
--Prosecutors claim the tape was recorded between early 1998 and late 2000.
If you think THAT'S CrAzY, check this Ish' out...
Griffin: You Treated Momma Like a "Slave *igga"
A guy is suing comedian Eddie Griffin for allegedly beating the crap out him after he was "wrongfully accused of disrespecting [Eddie Griffin's] Momma and treating her like a slave *igga."
In a lawsuit filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, Vince Beane claims he was a production manager on the set of one of Griffin's pilots. Beane claims on March 10, 2008, defendant The Leslie Greif Company (yes, we love the name, too -- it's a production company) plied Griffin "with more than six bottles of Veuve Clicquot Chapaign (sic)", failing to inform Beane of "the violent propensity of the inebriated Eddie Griffin..."
Beane claims he was then "maliciously assaulted and battered by Eddie Griffin." On top of that, Beane says, Griffin's bodyguard, a professional heavyweight boxer "and menacing figure" named John "J.C." Clark, intimidated and threatened him.
Oh yeah, the Momma thing that allegedly caused the attack - Beane says The Leslie Greif Company asked him to make lodging arrangements "at any cheap 3 star hotel" for Griffin and his mom. Griffin felt it was an insult, according to the suit, telling Beane, "You are that mutha fu**a who got my momma that f**ked-up ass hotel room" -- then Griffin allegedly knocked the daylights out of Beane.
After the alleged assault, Griffin said, "that was for my Momma...she ain't no nappy headed ho....boy."
Beane is seeking unspecified damages.
Eddie Griffin: I Didn't Bean Beane!
Eddie Griffin's rep has just fired back at the guy who is suing the comedian for an alleged racially-charged ass-whoopin'.
The rep says, "We cannot comment on the details of on-going litigation, except to say that this claim is completely absurd and that it will be shown in time to be without merit."
In the suit, Vince Beane claims he was a production manager on a Griffin pilot when Eddie allegedly flipped out after Beane booked a cheap hotel for the star and his mom. Eddie allegedly said his mom was treated "like a slave *igga" and then allegedly beat him up.
XZIBIT'S NEWBORN SON HAS PASSED AWAY:
On May 15th, XZIBIT'S son, Xavier Kingston Joiner, was born prematurely . . . and tragically, he didn't make it. Xavier passed away early Monday morning.
--On his MySpace page, Xzibit writes, quote, "This week was extremely difficult for him because his lungs were not strong enough to handle regular oxygen on his own.
--"It is unnatural for a parent to bury a child. I am telling you this because of the same reason I tell you when I'm having great times, life is too short to be fake. Hold on to your kids if you have them, protect them and show them you love them everyday."
(--You can read the entire post on his MySpace page, here . . .)
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=53393361&blogID=399288060
A website that posted a story claiming Kobe Bryant had an affair with a Laker Girl has refused to back down.
As we first reported, Bryant's lawyer fired off a letter to TheDirty.com, demanding that the post be taken down. Dirty claimed Kobe had an affair with 18-year-old Vanessa Curry, who has resigned her position as a Laker Girl. Now Dirty's lawyer has fired back, claiming the story is true. But get this -- the lawyer says even if it isn't true, "because Mr. Bryant has previously publicly admitted to similar acts of infidelity ... it seems unlikely that any jury would find 'actual malice.'"
And here's the best part: Dirty's lawyer says the fact that Kobe's lawyer sent a demand letter "only increases the likelihood that this story will receive more attention than it already has." Dirty's lawyer then makes reference to "The Streisand effect" -- that's when Babs made a stink over photos of her beach pad taken from a helicopter and it just made everyone aware of where she lived.
P.S. Kobe's lawyer is Barbra Streisand's cousin.
But wait, There's more Drama...
RAY-J . . . Brandy's Lil' Brotha/Sings "Sexy Can I"/KIM KARDASHIAN sex tape . . . was reportedly kicked out of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Washington, D.C., because he had pot and LIQUID PCP in his room. Police were called, but nobody was busted.
--Hotel security was called on a noise complaint, and found the stash.
--Not surprisingly, Ray's rep says it wasn't his fault. He says, quote, "The altercation did not directly affect Ray-J. It was people in his entourage. But he did the gentlemanly thing and left the hotel anyway."
(--Liquid PCP . . . also known as "Boat" . . . gives joints an extra kick when they're dipped in it. Not that I have any firsthand knowledge of such things.)
MTV WILL DO A REALITY SHOW ON RAPPER T.I. AS HE FULFILLS HIS COMMUNITY SERVICE:
MTV is turning the community service of rapper T.I. into a reality show. They'll follow T.I. as he completes his 1,000 hours speaking to at-risk groups about his various legal troubles.
--T.I. is currently up on gun charges. After he completes his community service, he'll begin serving a one-year jail term. The show will begin airing sometime after T.I. goes back to prison early next year.
THE MAN WHO WHISTLED THE "ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW" THEME SONG HAS DIED:
EARLE HAGEN, the man who wrote . . . and WHISTLED . . . the "Andy Griffith Show" theme song, died Monday at the age of 88.
--Hagen also wrote the theme songs for "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "That Girl", "Gomer Pyle", "The Mod Squad" and "I Spy".
"Get-up, stand-up..."
On September 5th, ABC, NBC, and CBS will simultaneously air a one-hour, commercial-free special to raise money for cancer research. It'll be called "Stand Up to Cancer" . . . and it'll include celebrity appearances and musical performances.
--The American Association for Cancer Research will take the proceeds and distribute them to various cancer research organizations. All three networks are formally announcing the special on their morning shows today.
--No further details were available. (--Did they forget to invite Fox and the CW network to participate . . . or do those two networks not care about CURING CANCER??? I'm just saying . . .)
"SEX AND THE CITY" TAUGHT WOMEN TO BE PROMISCUOUS, UNFAITHFUL AND UNCOMMITTED:
A new survey by an online dating community called Engage asked people if they thought "Sex And The City" influenced the dating approach of women. Here's what they found:
--80% said "Sex And The City" made it okay for women to go out and have fun without looking for commitment.
--12% said the show influenced their dating life in a negative way . . . while 40% said it influenced their dating life in a positive way.
--55% of women said it made them date more like men.
--43% said "Sex And The City" allowed women to be unfaithful . . . but men were more likely than women to believe this.
--50% said the show made women more likely to have sex on the first date . . . but, again, men were more likely to believe this.
--Let's recap . . . "Sex And The City" taught women to be promiscuous, uncommitted and unfaithful . . . yet 40% of the people who took the survey felt the show was a positive influence on their dating life. (???)
(PR Newswire)
Memorial Day Weekend is here! Blessings and Prayers to those that gave the Ultimate Sacrifice serving our country, and family members and friends that are no longer with us. May they Rest In Peace.
Here's the latest in drama...
Diddy Makes Naomi Catwalk the Plank!
Glamazon Naomi Campbell celebrated her 38th b-day Wednesday by getting into some ridiculous drama!
So when Naomi -- who had been partying on her boat with convicted felon and known con man Christopher Rocancourt (who has admitted to bilking investors out of millions of dollars) -- showed to party on Diddy's yacht in Cannes, the s**t hit the fan! Sources say the poster child for anger management got into a mayjah confrontation with Diddy -- and he threw a sobbing Naomi off the boat. Happy birthday to you!
WESLEY SNIPES IS FREE UNTIL AN APPEALS COURT RULES ON HIS CASE:
WESLEY SNIPES doesn't have to start serving his time just yet. He was supposed to report to prison by June 3rd . . . but yesterday, the judge ruled that he can remain free until an appeals court rules on his case.
--Wesley's attorneys will argue that the trial judge made several errors both before and after Wesley was convicted on three counts of tax evasion and sentenced to three years behind bars.
--There's no timetable for the appeal, but it could take a long time. The judge said, quote, "The court recognizes that . . . the disposition of an appeal may well equal, or nearly equal, the length of the term of the commitment imposed."
THE AUNT OF R. KELLY'S ALLEGED VICTIM WAS IN COURT YESTERDAY:
Yesterday, the prosecution in the R. KELLY child pornography trial continued to offer witnesses who could back up the identity of the girl in the alleged R. Kelly sex tape.
--Yesterday, they put Stephanie Edwards on the stand. Stephanie is a former backup singer and protege to R. Kelly. She goes by the stage name "Sparkle". And the girl prosecutors claim is in the R. Kelly video is her NIECE.
--Edwards testified that she introduced her niece to R. Kelly when the girl was just 12 or 13. She said, quote, "He liked her spirit. She was a very jolly person . . . [She] took to him as a father figure."
--During cross examination, Kelly's attorney claimed that Edwards and Kelly had a falling out in 2000 . . . and that this was her way of getting back at him. He also suggested she was trying to shake Kelly down for cash. She denied both claims, obviously.
--Yesterday was an interesting day even before testimony began. As the jurors stepped off a fifth floor elevator and headed to the courthouse, a 48-year-old woman named Debra Triplet screamed, quote, "Free R. Kelly!" She was arrested.
--The judge asked the jurors if they'd heard what she said. They said no, so the proceedings continued.
(--If that sounds a little odd and fascist, here's the deal: You're allowed to yell whatever the heck you want to outside the courthouse. But this woman actually got inside the courthouse and up to the fifth floor, and confronted the jury. That's contempt of court.)
(--Although I have to admit I find it a little silly that the judge was worried about the jury hearing it. I mean, was a random "Free R. Kelly" shout really going to sway the jury??? Would he have called a mistrial if any of the jurors DID admit to hearing it???)
DAVID COOK AND DAVID ARCHULETA TALK ABOUT THEIR FUTURE PLANS . . . AND THEIR MUTUAL RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER:
After the somewhat "feel-good" conclusion to the seventh season of "American Idol" on Wednesday night . . . both (winner) DAVID COOK and (runner-up) DAVID ARCHULETA seem to have pretty grounded expectations for the future.
--David Cook told MTV News, quote, "I actually walked into this with no expectations and I'm walking out of it with no expectations . . . and I think this show is a springboard, but it's still a crapshoot.
--"I could easily walk out of this arena and just be a regular Joe tomorrow. I hope that's not the case. That's kind of up to everybody else."
--As for what kind of album he'll make, Cook said, quote, "A good one. That's the kind of record I want to make!"
--Meanwhile, David Archuleta is already making contingency plans in case his music career doesn't pan out.
--He says, quote, "I really want to make an album and see how that turns out, and if music doesn't go as far as I was hoping it would, I still want to complete an education. School's really important, especially after all this ends.
--"People can have a few years of touring, making money that way, but then they have to go back to something afterwards."
--By the way . . . both Davids insisted that they didn't think they were going to win . . . mostly because of their SERIOUS respect for each other. (--Which, you have to admit, is kind of cute.)
--David Cook says, quote, "I didn't [think I was going to win]. The respect that I have for David Archuleta is very much past a competitor. He has more talent at his age than I know what to do with at 25. So being able to share a stage with him is an honor for me.
--"I kind of went into Tuesday just to have fun, so the fact that I walk out of here the next American Idol is not a testament to me so much as it's a testament to the other 23 contestants we had this season and to everybody behind the scenes."
--And David Archuleta says, quote, "Cook, he's like my big brother. I've learned so much.
--"I've looked up to him since the beginning of this, and he's just such a great guy, really humble and down-to-earth. I just feel like, 'I can't believe I'm standing next to him!'"
--Oh, and if you were concerned about how David's allegedly BRUTAL "stage dad" took his second place finish . . . David would like you to know he was pleased. He said, quote, "My dad just let me know he's so proud of me. He's really happy too."
HOST MARK WAHLBERG DEFENDS "THE MOMENT OF TRUTH":
If you've seen Fox's new lie detector show, "The Moment of Truth", you might be under the impression that it's all about wrecking families . . . because, if it IS real, that seems to be the implicit POINT of the show.
(--Seriously, they take a contestant . . . pack the audience with their friends and family . . . and then hook him or her up to a polygraph machine and ask them questions like: "Would you leave your husband for your ex-boyfriend?")
(--By now, everyone's probably heard about THIS episode, in particular . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzZWqYWhdQw
--Anyway, host MARK L. WAHLBERG . . . (--the "L" is in there to differentiate him from the REAL MARK WAHLBERG) . . . says the show gets an unfair rap.
--Although he admits that "The Moment of Truth" isn't, quote, "doing God's work" . . . he says it's the contestants' faults for wrecking their OWN lives.
--He says, quote, "Quite honestly, the 'wrecking-your-family,' evil-doing rap we get, I think it's crap. No family gets wrecked unless they're wrecking it anyway."
(--So far, "The Moment of Truth" has only succeeded in breaking up one couple . . . and they were on the rocks anyway. Season Two kicks off next Tuesday.)
URBAN RANDOMS:
#1.) Whether they're calling it "house arrest", a "home detention program", or simply a "curfew" . . . T.I. sure gets away with spending a lot of time NOT at home. In addition to his 1,500 hours of community service . . . Tip is now scheduling concert dates.
--For now, he only has a few on tap for next month . . . but there may be more closer to the release of his upcoming album, "Paper Trail". It drops on August 12th. (--You can check out T.I.'s dates so far, by scrolling down at this link . . .)
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/50650-ti-unveils-ipaper-traili-release-date-tour-dates
#2.) LL COOL J has announced a July 18th release date for his upcoming album, "Exit 13". LL's contract at Def Jam is up, so this is expected to be his last album on the label. (--LL has been with Def Jam since 1985, when he was 16 years old.)
#3.) In February, ERYKAH BADU dropped her first album in FIVE years, "New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)". And she's already done with its follow-up. In July, she'll release a disc called "New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)".
--And if you think that's prolific, check this out: She's also planning on dropping ANOTHER album this fall, under her alias LORETTA BROWN. For now, it's titled "Lowdown Loretta Brown". (--That would be her THIRD disc of the year.)
#4.) Remember that guy who got in a fight with SUGE KNIGHT a few weeks ago . . . and KNOCKED HIM OUT COLD??? Well, Suge isn't his only problem right now.
--According to TMZ, a bench warrant has been put out for his arrest, because he failed to show up for a court date over misdemeanor driving without a license charges. (--As far as we know, his name has yet to be released in the media. Lucky for him.)
(--Frankly, jail might be the safest place for him. Unless Suge's got peeps on the inside.) (???)
#5.) T-PAIN is planning on releasing his upcoming, third album . . . which will be called "Thr33 Ringz" . . . on September 30th. LIL WAYNE will appear on the first single, a track called "Snap You Fingers". (--It'll hit radio next month.)