Source: EvelynLozada.com

Shocker, right?

If you caught Evelyn on the season opener of “Iyanla Fix My Life,” you may recall Iyanla asking Evelyn what would happen if she really decided to change her life and do better. The reality TV star responded that there probably would be no show, as in “Basketball Wives,” so news that she is in fact returning to the VH1 series suggests to me that she isn’t all that “changed.”

Today, the recently divorced reality participant tweeted that she was “Headed out to BBW5″! and included the above photo of her in a car with the caption, “It’s official…wish me luck and let us pray!”

A lot of our prayers probably haven’t been answered by her sheer return to the cast. Evelyn was the cause of most of the BBW backlash during season 4, as she was seen fighting, almost fighting, throwing a bottle, or jumping over a table almost every single episode. Now I’m sure no one really expected her to turn down cash money and not come back to the show, especially after her spin-off was cancelled, but I wonder just how “fixed” her life will seem when those cameras start rolling.

Iyanla read Evelyn up and down and called her out as a “thug among women” for her antics on the show. In turn, Evelyn sobbed on the life coach’s shoulder and proclaimed she wanted to do better. With Chad out of her life, she may very well be on the right path, but we know what happens when that group bullying mentality kicks in, and with Tami Roman confirmed to also be returning to the show, I don’t have much hope.

Interestingly, Royce Reed recently confirmed that she will not be coming back for season 5. A few days ago she said on Twitter:

Aside from earlier rumors that Jennifer and Keisha are also going bye-bye, there are no other confirmations for who’s in and who’s out next season. I’m sure it will be an interesting train wreck to watch no matter who’s around.

VH1.com

The “Basketball Wives” franchise is losing. Ratings appear to be plummeting and fans of the VH1 series are finding this season painful to watch with its sub-par storyline and uninteresting characters. A few weeks back we reported that viewers are literally begging Ms. O’Neal to put an axe to the Monday night train wreck. When one man took to Twitter to voice his concerns to the “Basketball Wives” visionary, she suggested that a possible solution is giving the show a complete makeover, which can be assumed to mean a new cast. Well, you know what Shaunie? That idea doesn’t sound half bad. Actually, it is probably one of the best things to come out of your mouth since…well, I don’t know when. But, you catch my drift. And she wasn’t kidding, she cut a majority of the cast this week leaving only Jackie Christie and Draya. So now that we’re back to the drawing board, here’s a lineup that might work next season. If you there will actually be a next season…

It’s a good thing I didn’t place a bet on who I thought Shaunie was cutting from “Basketball Wives” because I would have been wrong. My prediction was that she would leave the show (just as a cast member, I know she’s not walking away from the producer end), and cut Kesha and Kenya since they didn’t really add anything to the show this season, except being punching bags for Tami and Evelyn, but I was only right about one choice.

According to TMZ, Shaunie has cut Kesha Nichols, Royce Reed, and Jennifer Williams from returning next season and the girls will find out the news any day now—although if they read blogs they already know. The supposed reason is that they’re “dead weight,” but if that’s the case, Suzie should have been cut a long time ago because she didn’t even instigate any drama last season and it’s been painfully obvious from the beginning that that’s her only storyline.

It’s not hard to see why Jen is cut, considering her lawsuit and all, although how ironic that when she and Evelyn makeup she gets cut. Can’t have two people actually getting along on one season can we?

TMZ hears Royce was cut because she wasn’t legally allowed to talk about Dwight Howard due to a 2009 gag order, so basically she didn’t have enough drama either— Although that’s nothing new. The main reason is likely the fact that Shaunie and Evelyn refused to tape with her so unless she started dating another man before tapping began, her storyline would be pretty dead too.

I can’t even imagine who they’ll find to replace these three, although I’m sure it won’t be as hard as I imagine. Evelyn’s assistant Nia would fit in perfectly with her slap-happy ways. She better snag herself a baller within the next few months if she wants to actually get paid rather than sued for acting a fool.

Are you surprised at the three Shaunie cut?

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Tami Roman is on a serious come up right now. I just don’t understand why. Her new look on the “Basketball Wives LA Overtime Special” was a huge improvement from her appearance on the first season of her own “Basketball Wives” series, and somehow being a reality TV star has made her qualified as an advice columnist.

Sister 2 Sister magazine will now feature a new section for readers to have Tami and her daughter Lyric answer their questions—about what? I’m not sure. Tami made the announcement on Twitter but I think even S2S assumes this idea may be a bust considering they didn’t even give the ladies an official email address. Got questions? Send them to AskTamiandLyric@yahoo.com.

What kind of advice do you think Tami can offer women?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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On Thursday, VH1 we will be broadcasting a livestream photo shoot featuring the entire cast of Season 4 of Basketball Wives Miami. Who exactly is included in entire? Suzie, Jennifer, Shaunie, Tami, Evelyn, Royce (guess the rumors about quitting were just talk), and the two new cast members, Kenya and Kesha.

The ladies will be on set shooting promotional pics for season 4 and chatting about their style, businesses, and what they’ve been up to since the end of last season. They’ll also be tweeting live and answering questions tweeted to them using the hashtag #BBW. Hopefully the ladies can manage to sit through hair and makeup without any problems.

The livestream will run from 11am-3pm EST Dec. 8. Will you check it out?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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VH1 still hasn’t managed to add any real basketball wives to the Miami cast of the self-titled show. If you’ve been wondering who the network and Shaunie O’neal would scout to fill Meeka Claxton’s permanently eliminated spot and the one Royce Reed left due to “artistic differences,”  the wait is over. Kenya Bell and Kesha Ni’Cole Nichols will now join Tami, Shaunie, Jennifer, Suzy, and Evelyn for season 4.

Kenya is hanging on to her basketball wife title by a thread, her and her husband Charlie are reportedly in the middle of a bitter divorce. Perhaps that attempt at stabbing him with a box cutter earlier this year has something to do with it.

Kesha, on the other hand, the ex-fiance of NBA player Richard Jefferson, who called off their $2 million wedding the night before the big day–via email—is playing nice. Six figures of “start over” money can do that to you though.

Shaunie told Hip Hollywood she’s still surprised at how many people want to join the show, but I’m not. We see how well it’s working out for Evelyn. According to TMZ, Kesha is fitting in fine with the group so far, but Kenya is already bumping heads with a few ladies.

How do you think these ladies will fit in with the cast?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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By: Victoria Audele

What are some common misconceptions people have about you and the show?

People think that I start all the drama and sit back and watch it unfold. So not true, the ladies on the show would say drama is the one thing I want to stay away from, on the and off the show.  If I can stop some drama or deal with issues by just talking about it, that’s more like me, lets just talk about it like two adults.

People look at you and assume that you’re not discussing your personal life, you want to sabotage theirs, is that true?

I can talk about Shaq all day long, I don’t have a gag order, and he can talk about me. I would never speak bad about him and he would never speak bad about me. But we’re parents first and it’s all about our children.  There’s really nothing to talk about.  You ask about him and I’ll answer it because I can and he can do the same.

So you’re not intentionally setting these women up?

These are intelligent women, they have enough sense to know if someone setting them up or not and those are my friends. For example Evelyn and I have been friends for 7-8 years, I would never set her up.  There are a lot of die hard fans that want the drama and want to believe that there is little ‘ol me in the middle, and I’m somehow making people fight. I don’t have that power. I might have power to do a lot of things but forcing some grown women to fight is not one of them and nor do I want it.  I’d love to see all my seasons without one fight, which would be great.

So we’ll never see you put your hands on anyone?

No, never, that is so not me.  I can’t remember the last time I got in a fight, maybe when I was a teenager.  There’s nothing worth me getting in a physical altercation for, that’s what security is for.  I’ve honestly never been put in that predicament.

What’s your relationship with Kimsha?

We’ve never met, so there is no relationship.  I’ve met Ron [Artest] before a couple times, but never Kimsha, ever.  I can’t say anything about her because I don’t know her.