TGIF, ya'll, TGIF! Okay in English , TGIF is Thank Goodness It's Friday!

Back to some business...

The cast of "Freedom Writers" had their red carpet movie premiere last night. Mario, April Lee Hernandez, Giovannie Samuels, Common, Will.i.am, Hilary Swank and Patrick Dempsey were all there at Westwood's Village Mann.

so serious Will.i.am

working the satin April
And yes J'Marie that Nicole Ricca is Mario's girl. I remember her from the "Chicago" premiere.

:(


And aww hell naw to Billy Corgan and Courtney Love---new couple alert?!?! (Run Billy run!)

Jaclyn Ngan, Kristin Herrera and Vanetta Smith

Giovannie working it...


All yours J'Marie all yours...


Sexy behind Common was there.

Stacey Sher, producer and Common


On an newsstand by you, LeToya Luckett speaks with Elle magazine.[spotted at LETOYAONLINE.COM] Pictures are from a December 2005 photoshoot.[pics c/o Urban-Lyfe.com]
ON DESTINY'S CHILD:
Childhood friends Beyonce, Kelly, LeToya and LaTavia had been wondering their way to stardom since they were kids and known as Girl's Tyme. "We built a very strong relationship over the years," says Toya, who has since gone solo. The girls struck gold in 1998 with the single, "No, No, No" featuring Wyclef and by opening for acts like TLC and a fresh-faced Christina Aguilera. The Writing's on the Wall blew up with songs like "Say my Name", "Jumpin' Jumpin'" and "Bills, Bills, Bills" and earned the DC ladies one of the best-selling albums by a female group, going eight-times platinum.
We knew what our role was from the beginning, says LeToya. "It was always about Beyonce singing lead, but we were happy to have the opporunity we had and we had so much fun together [so] there was never any resentment." LeToya and LaTavia were replaced by two members in the "Say My Name" video and sued manager (and Beyonce's dad) Matthew Knowles. "I don't have her number or anything but we're cool," says LeToya of former bandmate Beyonce. "Anytime I see her back home we are very friendly." As for the followers of LeToya's solo career (her self-titled album debuted at #1 this fall), she says it's a mix of the old DC followers and new fans as well. "I appreciate my fans and everyone who stuck by me with everything I went through," says LeToya.

ON FASHION:
"I'm more into fashion than I was before, and I have grown into it." says LeToya.

ON LIFE AFTER A GIRL GROUP:
"Hell yeah! If you're talented and have that certain something, you're gonna make it on your own just as much as you did in a group, maybe even more," says LeToya. "I love being solo because I get to experience different things by myself and express myself."

Here is LeToya with her good friend Keisha Knight Pullman at Club 60 on December 17th. [alltheparties.com]

Tyra Banks poses for the upcoming issue of "Vanity Fair" magazine. Look out this issue hitting a newsstand by you!
{ONTD}

Newsstand snapshots:
On a newsstand by you Drew Barrymoore "Harper's Bazaar."

On how to live life:
“You know, it’s all just humor. Don’t take life too seriously. Don’t take fashion too seriously. Don’t take the movie industry too seriously…Life is high school and it’s small and everybody talks about everybody, so just laugh your ass off.”

On working with Hugh Grant in Music and Lyrics:
“Hugh makes me laugh so hard. He’s such an odd bird, and I love him so much for it.”

On wanting to work with Sacha Baron Cohen of Borat:
“I like smart, weird, funny and sharp. The guys I had crushes on growing up were Ted Koppel and David Letterman.”

On her relationship with Moretti:
“You need to reinvent your relationship if you want to continue being together. Right now I’m in a phase of ‘I’m not even your girlfriend. I’m your best friend who is madly in love with you.’ I’m really interested in watching him right now. The longest I’ve ever been with someone was like two to three years, so I’m in uncharted waters. Right now I’m more into championing him as a human being than gushing love for him.”

On starring in fashion designer Giles Deacon’s ad campaign:
“I honestly can’t believe anyone would ever hire me. I am like the girl on the couch who eats the Chinese food. I don’t have the body type. I don’t have the daily stylishness. I can’t believe they’re letting a funny jester like me get involved in fashion.”

On her style:
“What I’m nuts for is sensible real clothes. Whenever you know, John Galliano [a close friend] gives me a dress to wear, I feel like Cinderella.”

On her body:
“I am constantly battling my weight. I want to eat whatever I want and get away with it, but I can’t. I want to wear whatever I want, but I can’t.”

On advice for Lindsay Lohan:
“I know Lindsay, and I like her very much…You just have to try to be as graceful as you can. You know, you flub, you flub. And that's life…I think, do what you want, but just be professional."

On a newsstand by you, Angelina Jolie appears on the cover of "Elle." Is it me or does she look top heavy in that picture?

James Brown's "companion/widow," Tomi Ray, recently blasted her her ex in a European newspaper, claiming, 'He used Viagra, he had to. Sometimes he couldn't do it, which was difficult for him. But even if he couldn't, he would still try to do it.' She added, that Brown was far from being a sex machine, he was a sick old man struggling to come to terms with his fading libido. He was tortured by bouts of paranoia and was deeply insecure according to Ray. And he subjected those closest to him to violence and cruel threats of emotional blackmail. 'He insisted on being called Mr. Brown. If someone did not call him Mr. Brown he would never talk to them again. The house was always spotless and I had to be in by sundown every night because he was so jealous and possessive. 'Only his own music was played at home. The last time he did the splits on stage, he couldn't get out of bed for 24 hours. He was also crippled with arthritis. Everyone had to bow down to him, including me.' Source: Mail On Sunday (London).

And no wait the drama continues...

"Family lawyer DEBRA OPRI insisted the soul great wanted his kin to know the truth about the parentage of the five-year-old child his wife TOMI RAE HYNIE always insisted was his - but refused to find out for himself while he was alive.
Opri says, "James Brown intentionally did not do any DNA testing of that child during his life. And there was a reason for it.
"He uttered comments to his attorneys before he died and he said, 'When I'm gone, get it done so my family knows...' It's an issue that's going to be resolved very shortly."
Meanwhile, Hynie, who welcomes the idea of a DNA test, reveals her late husband left a small fortune for her and her son and instructed her to get hold of it in the days following his death.
She reveals, "My husband was so smart. He told me that the day he died to go to the bank and get something that he had left for me and my son.
"It was a cheque for $80,000. And then he told me I would need it to take care of him (son) until things went over. And then I also receive his Social Security; my son receives his Social Security in my name.
"And then I also get my husband's Social Security that will help me to get by until I get a job."
Of the cheque and Social Security windfall, attorney Opri says, "If it does exist and she got it, enjoy it."

[source] Dammmmmmmmmmmn James Brown is STILL the hardest working man in showbiz thanks to his widow. She sure is pimping him out in the media. Let the baby daddy drama begin! Between her and Scary Spice they should just go on "Maury" and settle the paternity war, lol!

Celine Dion has announced she's bringing her Vegas show to end on December 15 2007 with new costumes and dance concepts.

Jay-Z's rent is up! (Word is "Hollywood" is Jay-Z's next single.)

JAY-Z's days at the Time Warner Center could be numbered now that the condo he's renting is about to be sold. The sky-high, four-bedroom, 51/2-bath pad on the 76th floor in the multicomplex's north tower has gone to contract for $27million.

Owner Michael Hirtenstein, a telecom big who lives in the nearby Park Imperial - a few floors above Sean "Diddy" Combs' crib - paid $15.7 million for the 4,800-square-foot Time Warner unit in December 2004. Hirtenstein is traveling in Europe and could not be reached for comment before press time.

"Beyonce has a fear of public toilets. She says, "I have a little social anxiety about using public restrooms. "People are like, 'Oh gosh, she's in the stall.' "You come out and there's all these people with camera phones and they take pictures of you while you're washing your hands. It's pretty weird." {Source}

Candids:

This past Thursday, Usher was spotted shopping up a storm at Kitson on Robertson Blvd. Earlier he dined at the Ivy. Hmmm...Usher wants some paparazzi loving??!

Nicole Richie checks out Momo, a Los Angeles boutique carrying Japanese fashions, on Thursday.

David Beckham still has all the right moves as he takes the field for a training session with Real Madrid in the Spanish capital on Thursday.


Rihanna had MTV photoshoot and these are my favorites. See more from this shoot [here]

Mario was spotted at Disney on Ice's "Yes to Health and Fitness" event with the Incredibles, Mickey & Minnie Mouse, yesterday. 2006 was a good year to Mario. He appeared on "Dancing with the Stars" which I thank because I no longer see him as AC Slater, lol!

Couples News:
Bradley Cooper of "Alias" fame and Jennifer Esposito of "Crash" fame are MARRIED! CONGRATS! Yes we have another Jen and Brad couple in Hollywood :)

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Esposito were married over the holidays in late December, their rep has confirmed to PEOPLE."

Paris Hilton, Ray J's ex Kim Kardashian and Justin Timberlake at the "Alpha Dog" after party. Uh oh!

Maria Menounos, Carmen Electra, Mario Lopez, Caridee of "America's Next Top Model" and Nick Cannon were all spotted at GM Style's Celebrity Fittings at GM Design Center.




Nick's facial expression with the shoe in his hand is priceless, lol!


Nick with Nicole Richie's ex-stylist Rachael Zoe.

A New song on Seven Aurelius's Myspace page was released, and it features Ashanti on it. The song is called "Channel Seven", it's a hot R&B song with a little old school flavor. Im not sure if it will be on Ashanti's upcoming "Incredible" which will be released later on this year. Click here to visit Seven's page, and to listen to the song. The song will most likely appear on one of Seven Aurelius's mixtapes.

Spot the hidden celebrity in this picture: Kelly Rowland is pictured at Diddy's party at NYC's Tao but can you figure out the hidden celebrity lurking around in this picture? Click on the image to see if your guess is correct.

Guess Who?
Can you guess who's behind the camera? I'll give you a guess Lois Lane meets Desperate Housewives. Click on the image to see if your guess is correct!

TV News:

CBS’ new series Armed and Famous stars Jack Osbourne, La Toya Jackson, Erik Estrada, Jason “Wee Man” Acuna (Jackass), and Trish Stratus (WWE wrestler).
Armed & Famous premieres Wednesday, Jan. 10 @ 8PM ET/PT on CBS. Simply press play to see them get tasered. I'm at a lost for words.


Song of the moment:
"Gots Ta Be" by B2K. Yeah blame it on me finally seeing Pretty Ricky's "On the Hotline" music video. Hate to be the one to say but I miss B2K! And yes congrats to Omarion on getting the #1 record in the country. Yes I'll also say I was mad when B2K broke up. I thought they had potential to be the younger generation of New Edition.