Listen up: If you’re currently having intimate correspondence with an NBA player, current or former, you might want to send an application in to VH1.

According to TMZ, the producers of Basketball Wives: LA will be giving walking papers to FOUR cast members. That’s right, Gloria Govan, Laura Govan, Malaysia Pargo and Brooke Bailey will be told, “Thanks but your services are no longer needed” as it pertains to their roles on the show.  Wait, do you see the “will be” in the previous sentences? Yes, that’s because the producers apparently haven’t even told the women that they no longer have a job. Ohhhh, the “scandalocity” (yes, I made it up) of it all!

Sources told TMZ that the primary catalyst behind this – the straw that broke the camel’s back, if you will – was when Gloria skipped out of town to have a quickie Vegas wedding to now husband, Matt Barnes.  She didn’t let producers know that it would be happening so, of course, they weren’t able to film anything.  They felt very disrespected by it and because they felt like she, along with the other ladies weren’t allowing “all of their reality to be filmed,” they had to go.

So, that only leaves Jackie and Draya while producers look to find replacements “wives” for next season.  They probably should go ahead and make the decision to cancel the show altogether since the ratings were so terrible.

But for the sake of entertaining ourselves, do you have any replacements in mind? Please note, that if you nominate yourself, we’ll all be up in the comments asking for “the tea” on who you’re creeping with. Let’s hear it!

Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

Magic Johnson is one we all admire for his business prowess but he can never seem to get too far away from trouble with the ladies.

Lanita Tomas, Johnson’s personal flight attendant since 2004, is suing Magic Johnson Entertainment and Clay Lacy Aviation after being terminated in September after for being seven minutes late for a flight.  Thomas says she was late because she was at a deli attempting to get two types of turkey that Johnson requires for his turkey sandwiches.  She says that she was actually terminated because at age 45, she believes she’d gotten too old and her release was more about ageism.  She’s suing for age discrimination, wrongful termination and other labor laws.

While neither Johnson nor anyone else from his camp had any comment, Ms. Thomas is fully explaining her side of the story. She stated that two years ago, she went out on medical leave because of a wrist injury and while she was out, Johnson hired a considerably younger flight attendant to fill in. Upon her return to work, Thomas says Johnson’s attitude had changed towards her and he’d become less cordial.  They used, according to her, her late arrival to the flight in September as a reason to let her go and hire the younger flight attendant.

In her lawsuit, Thomas mentions that she wasn’t able to take enough rest or meal breaks because she was too busy doing things like making sure his Red Vine licorice was soft enough and ready to eat.

Thomas left her job with United Airlines to work for Johnson as the only flight attendant on duty where she made $75,000 per year as well as a $25,000 bonus.  Her lawyer says that because of this termination, it will be hard for her to continue her career in a profession she loves. Further, her lawyer stated that this entire ordeal has left Thomas emotionally and financially devastated.

So do you think there’s more to this story? While Ms. Thomas’ story is totally plausible, the argument could be made that she knew his food requirements and should have placed the order earlier so she wouldn’t have been late. On the other hand, even if she didn’t do that, she was on the clock doing something for her employer and maybe they could have cut her some slack.

What’s your opinion? And do you think one should expect that a high profile person will have high expectations for their employees?

Source

FayesVision/WENN.com

In the world of entertainment, you don’t often get to be the best actor/performer you once were after you reach a certain age. However, these men are 50 years old and older…and FINE.  If you’ve never been “into” older men, I get it, but you’ve to look beyond the age and see what I see!

WENN.com

It’s not easy being business, man.

Ever since Jay-Z purchased a share in the Brooklyn Nets, it seems everyone’s got a problem with Hov. Whether it be people wondering why he talks about it so much or exactly how much of the team he actually owns, there is always something hovering over this purchase.

Well, leave it to Dr. Cornel West to come out and tell it like he thinks it is.  At a recent event, Dr. West was filmed addressing a crowd and he got on the subject of Jay-Z and the Brooklyn Nets.  On one hand, it sounded like he was praising Jay for how far he’s come but on the other hand, it seems there was definitely some shade. He said:

  “Jay-Z came from Marcy Projects. Look at him now, he owns the whole [arena]‘ No! He owns one-fifteenth of one percent of the stadium, let’s get it right.”

We all know shade when we see it, right? We also know that Dr. West is pretty known for calling people out as he does it on a regular basis to President Barack Obama and several others.  But he goes on to talk about how a “Russian gangster” actually owns 80 percent of the Nets and he wants Jay to just keep it real:

“Now I love Jay-Z, I’ve spent much time with the brother.  He’s a lyrical genius. But we’ve got to tell the truth. Tell the truth, Jay-Z.  You told the truth on Reasonable Doubt in 1996. That’s what he started out with. We love you but we’re going to make sure you’re accountable too.  All of us in this together and I’m saying it out of love.”

If that’s out of love, I don’t want to see Dr. West angry. But seriously, should Jay-Z be more clear about his actual ownership in the team?  As a rapper, he’s done like most other rappers when they do something big and has boasted about “his team.” He also said during one of his concerts at the Barclays Center last weekend that he doesn’t know where people are getting that percentage from (actually, most people got it from the New York Times)  but he doesn’t take it personal.  Many knew that he wasn’t a majority owner in the team but is he selling “hoop dreams” to fans who might think otherwise?

Or, should people just let him live?  Jay might not be the majority owner of the Nets but he has been the face of not only the team but of the Barclays Center ever since his involvement in the team was announced. In fact, he has a 40/40 Club in the Barclays. So regardless of his actual ownership, has his influence already eclipsed it?

You can read the rest and check out the video at Hip Hop Wired.

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Rob Rich/WENN.com

In case you’ve not been paying attention, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn officially opened last Friday with Jay-Z as the main act for eight shows. For his final show Saturday night, Jay created some buzz before he even made it to the stadium.

At around 6pm, surrounded by plain clothes police officers and his private security guards, Jay surprised passengers by hopping on the R train headed to Brooklyn, letting him off right across the street from the stadium.  By the time he exited the station, his “crew” had grown to fans doing their best to get a picture of Hov as he made his way to the Barclays for his final curtain call.

But that wasn’t Jay’s only surprise. While only one of the previous shows had a special guest (Big Daddy Kane made an appearance during the first show), his final show produced one major surprise: Beyonce.  Those who were able to get tickets to that final show were privy to a super short concert from “King Bey” as she donned all black, including a Nets cap (the now Brooklyn Nets will play in the Barclays Center).  As it has become their “new norm,” Bey gave her hubby a kiss and hug as she made her final exit.

While reflecting on how amazing the last week had been for him, Jay told the crowd (which also included viewers from the live stream via his Life + Times website) that it took 9 years to make the Barclays a reality – both getting a stadium like this in Brooklyn and having become a part owner of a professional team.  To sell out eight shows in a short amount of time is amazing and should be commended. He’s been holding us down for how many summers now?

We salute you and ask, what’s next???

Source

PNP/Tamia

We all know that celebrity relationships and marriages just don’t seem to go the distance. I mean, we have another one “biting the dust” on an almost weekly basis. But there are a few – just a chosen few – relationships that we’d be really upset to hear about if they called it quits. A couple of these may surprise you but trust me, there’s a reason behind everything! Check it out!

Read the rest of this entry »

necolebitchie.com

When the 2012-2013 NBA season begins, you might notice something different about the uniforms.  according to EURweb, the NBA is considering adding two- by-two inch patches to the jerseys in order to make an extra $100 million a year.  If it works out as planned, the jerseys will look similar to the racing industry wear advertisers are slapped on any open space on the jackets.

The NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver sounded very optimistic saying:

“I think it’s likely that we’ll do something, implement something, some sort of plan for the fall.  I think it’s fair to say that our teams were excited about the opportunity and think there is potentially a big opportunity in the marketplace to put a two-by-two patch on the shoulder of our jerseys.”

Just placing them on the shoulders won’t be too bad but it’ll be interesting to see what happens if an advertiser buys space on a team’s jersey and one of its superstar players has a deal with a direct competitor.  If the owners are as excited as the deputy commissioner says, that will definitely be something they have to consider. Also, the jerseys sold in stores are exact replicas so those same patches will be on the jerseys for sale.  That could possibly result in higher prices for the jerseys.

Do you think this is a good idea? Will it eventually raise prices for everything else associated with games and paraphernalia if this passes?

askmen.com

As the old saying goes, some people are in your life for a reason, season or lifetime. That has never been more true than in the cases of some of our favorite celebrities. You know, you’ll see them as “buddy buddy” as can be for months and then…POOF, they’re no longer friends.

We came up with a list of some besties turned “used to be besties” or “barely besties.” Did you even know some of them were close? Check it out…

Read the rest of this entry »

latimes.com

Hey loves! There’s lots going on this weekend and I’m trying to keep my “ear to the street” so you all can stay informed. Let’s check in on our the celebs, shall we?

Read the rest of this entry »

Source: thegrio.com

Alexis Welch is winning.

After ten years and three kids with New York Knicks power forward and center Amar’e Stoudemire, he proposed to her last week…in Paris…with an 8.5 carat stunner for all of his Twitter followers to see:

Source: https://twitter.com/Amareisreal

A couple of days later, he referred to his new fiance as his “lioness” on Twitter while they took in the Miami-Celtics game courtside. Well, anyone who can stay with an NBA player for ten years and three kids without a ring is certainly a lioness.

Outside of these reality shows, we rarely hear from NBA wives and girlfriends, especially while things are good, but Alexis talked to the New York Post today about how they met, the proposal and moving to NYC.

About the proposal she said:

“I’m usually on top of everything, but he got me. We were going to France to visit Cognac [area],” says Welch, who describes a whirlwind trip of cognac tasting, plus a jaunt to Paris, where they stayed in the royal suite at Le Meurice Hotel Belle Etoile, went to the Louvre and took in a Kanye West and Jay-Z concert.

On their last night in the French capital, she says, “We went back [to the room], and there were rose petals leading to a balcony with a 365-degree view of Paris. We walked out to the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower.

“He had an acoustic-guitar player. He had a saxophonist. This is another side of Amar’e that people don’t get to see. I’m just getting teary-eyed talking about it.”

Stoudemire hired a photographer to capture their trip, including the magical moment.

The duo flew home the next morning to tell their children, who are equally excited.

The pair met when they were just nineteen. Welch says the conversation clicked, and because she is 5-foot-10, she liked that he was 6-foot-11: “I’ve always liked guys who were taller than me when I wear heels.”

About moving to NYC from Miami, she told the NY Post that she isn’t expecting her life to change too much. “She does plan on working with the Amar’e Stoudemire Foundation, which focuses on outreach to at-risk youth, adding, ‘I’ll take my time and only do things that make sense for our family.’”

Welch says most of her friends are in Phoenix but she likes the Knicks players wives and girlfriends and she feels closest to Tyson Chandler’s wife.

She said: “It’s been a whirlwind. I’m so overjoyed. Everyone is calling, wanting to know all of the details. I’m marrying my best friend.”

A wedding date hasn’t been set, but the couple plans to marry in 2013.

Alissa Henry is a freelance writer living in Columbus, OH. Follow her on Twitter @AlissaInPink or check out her blog: This Cannot Be My Life

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