Charlie, Kobe & Tiger!

Charlie Sheen was arrested Wednesday after going into a racial and profanity laced rage in a New York hotel according to the New York Daily News. Charlie went into a rage after 22 year-old Capri Anderson requested $12,000 before the 2 had sexual relations. Prior to this, the couple had smoked cocaine in the room. Charlie Sheen is the highest paid actor on television and has had numerous brushes with the law. America tried to tear down both Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods for their indiscretions. We know that Kobe has fully recovered and headed towards Top 5 All-Time in the NBA, while Tiger had a rough year but could be seen smiling last night while attending the Orlando Magic basketball game. Neither man was broken down by the media deluge which is a testament to their will.

Charlie Sheen is not completely getting a pass in this situation, admittedly because he's a "bad boy." However, if he truly was spewing the N-word continuously because he didn't want to give Ms. Anderson $12,000, he should be held accountable by the media, fans and his employer.

Real Housewives Of The Scripted!

Bravo is stretching the Real Housewives franchise to it's limit at this point. "Real Housewives of Atlanta" debuted season 3 last night with the usual drama as NeNe and Dwight got into what seemed like a totally scripted argument over money that Dwight supposedly lent to NeNe's husband Greg. The funny part of the argument was Dwight tearing up the check, but nothing in the altercation seemed real. When the show initially premiered the cast seemed much more natural and spontaneous, but now almost everything in the show seems very scripted and planned.

I was really looking forward to watching the new season of Atlanta last night, but it left me wondering if anything on the show is the truth.

Will Fame Derail Bruno Mars?

Singer/songwriter Bruno Mars is one of the hottest artists at the moment. He currently has the #1 song in the country with "Just The Way You Are" but is facing felony cocaine charges after being arrested in Las Vegas last month. Mars, 24, releases his debut album "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" tomorrow, but it appears that he may be allowing the trappings of his new found fame to derail him his promising career.

Dr. Laura Can Settle Into Oblivion!

I hadn't heard from Dr. Laura Schlellinger for years until last week when she felt comfortable enough to say the N-word 11 times while giving advice to a caller on her syndicated radio show. Now Schlellinger has announced that she's not renewing her contract because she wants to regain her First Amendment Rights.

Dr. Laura is one of the few people who can come under fire for making crazy statements or giving senseless advice and walk away from her job. She has the right to say what she wants, but sponsors have the right to pull ads from her show in opposition. Dr. Laura now can take her advice and give it to anyone who really cares, and settle back into oblivion.

Pulling For Fantasia!

The Fantasia Barrino lawsuit story had been around for months, but raised it's ugly head with a crescendo on Monday after Barrino was rushed to the hospital with an apparent aspirin overdose. America always loves a train wreck, and the Barrino story almost had a tragic ending. I'm hoping that Fantasia can gain strength during her moment of turmoil. Whatever she's feeling right now, it's not worth her daughter no longer having her loving mother with her.

Welcome Back El DeBarge!

As usual the quality of the BET Awards held last night in Los Angeles was in the eye of the beholder. There were some very good performances and bewildering ones all in the span of over 3 hours. I won't comment on the Michael Jackson tribute since everyone thinks that Chris Brown did M.J. proud. I was glad to see El DeBarge resurface in a national television performance with a medley of his hits.

El had had a well chronicled drug and legal issues, but Rick Ross stated on the after party that he was ready to record with falsetto voiced singer. I'm not sure how relevant DeBarge's music can be in today's music climate, but the old music still sounds so so good.

Michael Jackson's Brother Randy Hospitalized!

Randy Jackson, Michael's younger brother was hospitalized yesterday after experiencing mild chest pains. Speculation is that it may have been a mild heart attack, but that hasn't been confirmed. Randy Jackson is only 48, but the family continues to deal with the drama that has become Michael Jackson's death almost 1 year to the day of his passing. With his father Joe Jackson making crazy accusations blaming his mother Katherine for Michael's death, to dealing with the ongoing Dr. Conrad Murray hearings, the stress has to be constant for Randy Jackson.

"The Karate Kid" No. 1!

The Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan movie "The Karate Kid" beat weekend estimates as it debuted with a weekend box office take of $56 million. The movie, which cost an estimated $40 million to make is well on it's way to being a box office smash and setting the young Smith up to be a future star at the age of 11 years-old. Seeing Will and Jada's son doing the media blitz for the movie, he seems like a seasoned veteran and not blinded by the lure of the big stage.

"The Karate Kid!"

Young Jaden Smith, the 11 year-old son of Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith stars along with Jackie Chan in "The Karate Kid" which premieres tomorrow at movie theatres. The movie is produced by Smith's parents as an Overbrook Entertainment vehicle and is tracking to have a decent opening weekend projected to be in the $30 million plus range according to the Hollywood Reporter. The young Smith and his sister Willow have been thrust into the family business at young ages, and it will be interesting to see how their careers progress over time. When your father is the biggest box office in the world, that's a heavy burden to carry for anyone.

Ebony Magazine Has New Editor-In-Chief!

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Ebony Magazine has hired a new editor-in-chief, Amy DuBois Barnett. Barnett brings a wealth of experience in the print world having run Honey and Teen People magazines in the past. She will have the challenging job of making Ebony relevant again. Technology has rendered the print media an endangered species, and Ebony which was once a staple within the black community is on that list. It was rumored to that Ebony was going to be sold to Magic Johnson earlier this year, but that sale never materialized.

"My Mom Doesn't Have Her Papers"

First Lady Michelle Obama encountered a very different situation yesterday when she visited students at a Maryland elementary school. A second grade student at New Hampshire Estates Elementary School informed the First Lady that her mother, an immigrant, didn't have the necessary papers to be a legal resident of the United States. The First Lady responded that the issue is something that has to be worked on and solved.

The immigration issue is a hot topic without a real solution. Our First Lady found out yesterday how big of an issue it is with a first hand example of the problem.

Court Hearing Continued For Afeni Shakur!

The Fayetteville Observer reports that a hearing for Afeni Shakur-Davis, the mother of late rapper Tupac Shakur has been continued until August 24. Shakur-Davis was arrested last month in Lumberton, N.C. and charged on April 16 with felony possession of marijuana, maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance and single possession of a controlled substance. Shakur-Davis has become a successful philanthropist, but has had past struggles with drug abuse.

R.I.P. Lena Horne!

Famed actress Lena Horne passed away yesterday in New York. She was 92. I'll always remember Lena Horne in the classic movie "Stormy Weather." She had been out of the limelight for a long time, but she's left her fans with many many precious memories of her unrivaled talent.

Rihanna Hospitalized After Concert!

Superstar singer Rihanna was hospitalized on Monday after performing a concert in Zurich. Details of her illness haven't been released, but at only 22 and one of the top female performers in the world if she has to take a break just to rest, it should be strongly advised by her handlers.

Get Well Soon Whitney!

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Whitney Houston has postponed the beginning of her European Tour due to an upper respiratory infection. Here's hoping that all is OK in the world of Ms. Houston. When last seen in concert clips, she was struggling to get through a concert.

Is Will Causing Drama On Set of HawthoRNe?

New York Daily News' Gatecrasher reports that actor Will Smith, who is an executive producer on his wife's Jada Pinkett Smith's hit television show HawthoRNe has been hanging around the set lately and insisting on having input regarding scripts and scenes. Will is presently between movies so he apparently has a little free time on his hands. Will Smith is arguably the biggest box office star in the world with a proven track record so any input that he offers on a set should be welcome with open arms.

Is L.A. Reid In Trouble?

L.A. Reid, the CEO of Island Def Jam is one of the most powerful men in the music business, but the economic climate of the hasn't shielded him from rumors that his job may be in jeopardy. I'm sure Reid, who is known for his penchant to make hits would have to admit that his recent track record in that area leaves a lot to be desired. Recent releases by Rihanna and Mariah Carey have struggled, so he's obviously searching for that next big release.

Page Six reports that Reid asked out of a speech at a Billboard symposium last week because he didn't want to address questions about his job status. Reid's people say his absence was due to a family personal issue. Reid has an over 20 year history of creating hits, but clearly he has to adjust to the economic realities of the music business and probably reign in expenses while generating hits. He also probably needs to let the old guard go and bring in some new fresh talent.

Lil Wayne Begins His Time In Jail!

Rapper Lil Wayne finally began his time in jail yesterday when he was taken to Rikers Island where he'll serve a maximum of one year in jail for a conviction on gun charges. Lil Wayne is the most prolific rapper in the business, and while he'll be missed by his fans there won't be a shortage of music or videos for his fans to experience his genius.

A "Precious" Win!

Mo'Nique won the Oscar last night for Best Supporting Actress as expected for her role in the movie "Precious: Based On The Novel 'Push' By Sapphire". Geoffrey Fletcher also won an Oscar for "Precious" for adapting it into a screenplay. Two Oscar wins for "Precious" is a good night for a film that was originally slated to go straight to DVD, but has since made over $47 million at the box office.

El DeBarge Lookin' Good!

I found this clip of El DeBarge being interviewed by Brian McKnight. El comes clean about his battle with drugs, and according to him, he's kicked the habit. I surely hope so because El still has incredible talent, that he displays toward the end of the clip singing "Time Will Reveal" which he says that he wrote at 16. Watching El play piano and hitting all of the notes will give you chills. El, who will be 49 this year still looks good.