If you’re a “Scandal” fanatic like we are, we know you’ve been sitting on pins and needles every week trying to figure out who the heck the mole is on the TV show. It’s hard enough trying to figure out whether Jake is a good guy or not and whether we really want Olivia and Fitz to be together — not to mention keeping up with Cyrus’s antics  – but this mole thing has just about everybody racking their brains, including the “Scandal” cast, according to Shonda Rhimes.

The creator of the ABC drama recently talked to The Hollywood Reporter about the biggest plot of season 2 and she said this about the big reveal:

“When we revealed who the mole was to the cast, cast members literally got up from the table and ran around the table screaming, which was hilarious. Then when we revealed the twist on the twist of who the mole was, I thought I’d have to sedate cast members because people were freaking out, which was awesome. It’s not just who the mole is, it’s who the mole is working with and what’s going on there that’s even bigger than just who the mole is. We’re really proud of who the mole is, that’s a pretty surprising twist but it’s even bigger than that.”

Considering there are only two weeks left in the season, we’re all wondering if we’ll get to find out who the mole is by May 16. All Shonda let on is how the season finale sets up the third season, telling THR:

“It leads into it quite well. We’re going to leave everybody over the summer, I hope, with their mouths hanging open a little bit asking how the hell they’re going to get out of this, which is our goal. We know how we’re ending the season and now we’re trying to figure out how we’re getting out of it (laughs). We end the season in a way that explodes the premise of the show in a way that’s good and strong and hopefully sticks with bold story telling.”

Well, at least that bids well for a third season of our favorite prime time drama. Any guesses on who the mole may be?

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!

Source: valdefierro.com

If there’s anything I learned from watching Good Times, it’s that even when you think you’ve got it bad, you could have it worse–like the Evans family. I’m just saying, these people went through every bad thing you could think of in their housing project in Chicago (allegedly Cabrini-Green). From JJ getting shot, to James Evans dying and Penny getting abused and burned with an iron by her mother, “Good Times” gave it to you REAL. Realer than reality TV, and that’s probably why so many people adored the show, and almost 40 years after its first airing, still do. The show ran from 1974-1979, but if you were wondering what the cast is up to now (and not the 8 million people who guest starred), we’ve got you covered. As usual, be prepared to click.

Source: urbanbushbabes.com

Ja’net DuBois

Talk about being the coolest neighbor ever! The character of Willona Woods was sassy, smart, beautiful and had a joke for anybody who thought they were going to play her (that goes for you Bookman!). But aside from being funny and cool, she clearly had a big heart, taking in Janet Jackson’s character of Penny after finding out she was abused, and always being there for her girl Florida. After the show ended, DuBois (who sang and co-wrote the theme song for “The Jeffersons”) went on to do films like I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, and have recurring roles on shows like “The Wayans Bros.,” did voice work for the show “The PJ’s,” (she won two Emmy’s for her work) and most recently did work for the TV series, “G.I. Joe: Renegades.”

Source: johnnybmoore.wordpress.com

Today we’d like to introduce you to our next Ask A Black Man cast member, Skoob. Skoob is definitely a character, always inciting either a laugh or an eye roll from the MN team. Get to know Skoob below and look for him on “Episode 1: The Life of a Single Man!”

Meet Skoob

Age: 29

Relationship Status: Single

Twitter handle: @TheKidSkoob

Links: http://www.youtube.com/user/Skoob1911

In 3 words, how would your friends describe you? Hilarious, Ambitious, Loyal

What are the main characteristics/qualities that you look for in a woman? Sense of Humor, Ambition, Spontaneity

What are your favorite hobbies? Playing/Watching Sports, Writing, Goal Setting

What are your top 3 favorite books to read? Steve Stoute’s The Tanning of America, GOD’s Promises for Every Day, The Top 200 Secrets of Success by Robin S. Sharma

Who is your favorite artist? Jay-Z

Favorite movie of all time. Hmm…It’s between Friday, Anchorman or Wedding Crashers (Comedy), Man On Fire, Bad Boys 2 or Juice (Action/Drama)

When you think of black women, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Strength

What’s your favorite quote and why? “Ambition is the first step towards success.” It’s a quote I came up with one day, as I was carving my path. I feel like everyone that’s “made it,” had to envision their goal coming to fruition, then taking that vision and put maximum effort into attaining it.

Who do you look up to the most? My Father. He raised me on his own for the most part.

Today’s featured cast member is Dozie. When we first met Dozie at our casting session, we thought he seemed very smart and sophisticated. Well-spoken and focused, we think you will love his perspective about love and more. Read his bio below and see what he had to say on “Episode  1: The Life of a Single Man.” 

Meet Dozie

Age: 28
Relationship Status: Single
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Occupation: Marketer
Twitter handle: @YoungDoz
In 3 words, how would your friends describe you? Funny, Opinionated, Sharp
What are the main characteristics/qualities that you look for in a woman? Intelligence, Beauty, Humor
What are your favorite hobbies? Traveling, Working Out, Cooking
What are your top 3 favorite books to read? Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida
Who is your favorite artist? Nas
Favorite movie of all time: Boomerang
When you think of black women, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Strong
What’s your favorite quote and why? “I use my arrogance as the steam to power my dreams” If you don’t believe in yourself who else will? Sometimes you have to be so arrogant and self-absorbed about what you believe in to truly create transformative change personally, professionally, socially, or politically.

Source: prutledge.wordpress.com

*Clears throat* “We are liviiiing, single…oooooh in a ’90s kind of world, I’m glad I got my girls! Keep ya head up WHAT! Keep ya head–”

Okay, you get it. I’m sure you know the intro song to one of the best black TV comedies of the ’90s, “Living Single.” It had all the right qualities to stay stuck in your mind, from the glimpse of Brooklyn, to the dancing lady working it in the background and all the colors. I loved it. And that’s just one of many things that I loved about the show, but the biggest thing that stuck with me were the characters. They were successful, silly AND single folks doing it big in NYC and every Thursday on FOX, you could find me and thousands of other people watching. But the show has been kaput for almost 15 years, so where is the cast now?

*Just know, I’m not covering Bumper Robinson (Ivan the messenger who was infatuated with Khadijah; we talked about him in the A Different World piece. He’s doing fine.)

Source: dawnnlewis.com

TV of the ’90s was undeniably dope, especially the black comedies. There was a little bit of everything available for everyone, no matter your age or status in life, and they definitely showed our people in a more positive light. A Different World was one of those shows. And if you’re nosey like me, you probably want to know what the people who were on the show are up to, and what they’re looking like. We’ve got you covered…

Kadeem Hardison

Source: feelny.net

Can I first say that I love that some of the characters had middle names. For instance: Dwayne Cleophus Wayne. Kadeem Hardison’s character was clearly a fan favorite with his flip-up sunglasses/glasses that everyone was wearing back in the day and his kind heart. He was the nice guy everyone was rooting for (remember the wedding episode?). After doing a lot of movies like A Vampire in Brooklyn with Eddie Murphy and shows like Between Brothers, nowadays, you can catch him doing a lot of TV guest work. He was a recurring guest on Everybody Hates Chris for a while as sadity and crazy Judge Watkins (I miss that show!), was Lynn’s pastor boyfriend on Girlfriends, played Fantasia’s dad in the TV movie, Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story, and was most recently on the NBC show Parenthood. At 46, he’s still looking pretty good.

Source: lastagetimes.com

While viewers are getting ready for the season finale of “Love and Hip Hop,” which airs tonight on VH1, the network is ready to capitalize on the success of the franchise with an Atlanta spinoff. That’s right, side pieces, girlfriends, and baby mamas of down south rappers and music men are about to get their own show.

According to a VH1 spokeswoman, casting hasn’t been finalized yet, and it’s hard to think of a “relevant” Atlanta woman who doesn’t already have a reality show. We’ve got the “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Toni Braxton’s with “Braxton Family Values,” Tiny’s got the Family Hustle, Keyshia Cole already did her thing on BET, and Monica and Chilli have had reality TV runs as well. Plus “Preacher Wives” is about to hit the city. To say the ATL is saturated with “reality” TV would be an understatement.

In season 2 of the original series, it looked like Teairra Mari was being set up to appear on a spinoff, and in interviews she said she couldn’t talk about the possibility, so she might be cast member no. 1, but as far as who the other ladies could be, I’m at a loss.

Who do you think VH1 will scout to appear on their “Love and Hip Hop” Atlanta series?

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

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News that the VH1′s “Basketball Wives” series is gunning for Vanessa Bryant shouldn’t be surprising. But what is surprising, and a little ridiculous, is that they never asked Kobe’s soon-to-be ex-wife to be on the show when she was an actual wife.

According to TMZ, producers are putting together “an extremely lucrative pitch for Vanessa” to get her to appear on the show as a recurring character. One source says:

“Vanessa has more than enough storyline and would bring the show to another level.”

But why now when she’s almost a basketball ex-wife? Producers say they never dreamed of approaching Vanessa while she was married to Kobe, and according to TMZ’s source, Vanessa wouldn’t have been receptive to the idea. There were also budget constraints that wouldn’t have allowed the show to pay the hefty cost Vanessa no doubt would have demanded when the show was just launching last year. But now that the series is one of the highest rated shows on the network, producers have more to spend recruiting women viewers would actually care to see.

If, by some chance, Vanessa accepts, producers say they would instantly make her a lead on the LA edition of the show, which makes perfect sense. People care about her more than any of the other unknowns from the cast, but I’m sure Gloria wouldn’t be happy to hear that. Either way, it’s clear the producers wants to continue the trend of not having actual wives on the show at all.

Do you think Vanessa should sign on with the “Basketball Wives LA” cast?

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

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