Josh and Anna Duggar dined out with their newborn daughter Meredith this week, looking to put the scandal of this spring behind them. “Picture of our sweetest new granddaughter Meredith Grace with her mommy and daddy,” the Duggar family’s official Facebook shared. In the pic, Josh holds his yawning daughter, nearly 1-month-old, on his lap, as the couple chowed down on pasta and chicken fingers. Meredith looked adorable in a floral top, pink pants, and a flower headband, while beautiful Anna basks in a post-pregnancy glow. The four-time parents, both 27, and married since 2008, were all smiles, 2-3 months after Josh’s recent molestation scandal leaked. Meredith was born July 19, weighing in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and joining older siblings Mackynzie, 5, Michael, 4, and Marcus, 2. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s son moved back to Arkansas after losing his lobbyist job in D.C. once the molestation scandal hit. Reports of Josh Duggar watching porn at work, or receiving in-house “treatment” did not help any family damage control measures. Jill and Jessa Duggar, Josh’s sisters and two of his molestation victims, went on Fox News to discuss what he did and forgiving him. That wasn’t enough to save 19 Kids and Counting, which TLC canceled this month after a stunning 15 seasons on the network. The family’s future is now up in the air, and for Josh, that is especially true, as he’s been exposed and turned into a pariah of sorts. He’s been staying out of the spotlight as much as possible, though he has gradually returned to social media in recent weeks.
Last month, we reported that Mariah Carey is dating James Packer , an Australian billionaire who was previously in a relationship with Miranda Kerr. According to some reports the couple is moving fast – very fast. In fact, it’s been rumored that Carey and Packer are talking marriage . That may seem foolish, considering the ink is barely dry on Mariah’s divorce from Nick Cannon , but if there’s any truth behind the list of relationship demands recently reported by Star and OK, Mariah better lock down any dude who’s crazy enough to go along with her insane diva tendencies. First of all, the tabloids claim that Mariah only has sex on Mondays. Seriously. “There’s a beauty routine she goes through beforehand,” says a source. “And she likes to make sure candles are lit and music is playing.” Wow. Sounds passionate. Of course, the weirdness doesn’t end with Carey’s carefully-scheduled sex life. Sources say Mariah requires that a bottle of her favorite champagne is kept on ice at all times. She demands that her music be played ’round-the-clock; no one is allowed to smoke in her presence, and she forced James to buy 24 humidifiers in order to keep her “skin supple and her nasal passages moist.” Even stranger, Mariah doesn’t allow anyone to mention her ex-husband by name. Apparently, she won’t even utter the words “Nick Cannon” herself: “She only calls Nick ‘my children’s father’ and expects everyone else to follow suit,” says the insider. Yeah, it’s definitely too soon for Mariah to get married for a third time, but if James is seriously willing to put up with all this crap, she may have found “the one.” View Slideshow: 44 Beautiful Photos of Mariah Carey
Dr. Walter Palmer was the Internet’s favorite topic of conversation this week – and he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it. On Tuesday, Palmer admitted to killing Cecil the lion – the beloved mascot of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. The backlash was immediate, and millions on social media began calling for the Minnesota dentist’s head. Within 24 hours of the news going public, Palmer went into hiding in response to the thousands of threats of physical violence that were posted on Twitter and Facebook. Yesterday, the US Fish and Wildlife Service issued a statement encouraging Palmer to contact them, so that he might work out a deal that would allow him to avoid prosecution. Today, Palmer took the bait (pun intended) but it remains to be seen if the organization will be able to save him from being extradited. Right now, it looks as though Palmer’s only real punishment will be a lifetime of dirty looks from strangers. Both the US and Zimbabwean governments are expected to offer him the chance to avoid prosecution under two conditions: Palmer will be forced to testify against the guides who illegally helped him track and kill Cecil, and He’ll be asked to provide free dental services for impoverished families in Zimbabwe. Yes, he’s getting off easy, but at least the second part of the deal ensures that something good will come out of this ugly situation. As for Palmer’s dental practice – it’s closed its doors indefinitely.
This fall brings us great reads from first time author, rap extraordinaire Tip.’T.I.” Harris, Terrance Dean and Scott Paulson Bryant. Each one of their books tells stories that are suspenseful, page turning reads in “Power & Beauty, The V.I.P.’s” and “Mogul. Power & Beauty- Tip T.I. Harris Summary: Tip Harris, better known as Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum selling hip-hop artist and actor T.I., is at the top of his game. Now he displays yet another side of his remarkable talents with Power & Beauty, a love story of life on the streets. Set in the dangerous shadows of Atlanta, Georgia, Power & Beauty is a dark, gritty story of sex, violence, hustling, and redemption centered around Paul “Power” Clay and Tanya “Beauty” Long—two kids facing long odds and lethal temptations, yet whose miraculous, unbreakable bond ultimately becomes their salvation. A love story, a crime story, a survival story, Power & Beauty bristles with an electrifying authenticity born of Tip “T.I.” Harris’s hard life on the streets. This is exhilarating, brutally honest, page-turning urban African-American fiction at its very best. Review : The book is just good. It is fast read that is not the typical urban read, but a book that is clearly more on par with the Jackie Collin’s and Ricahrd Wright of the world. It is spiritual, yet grounded. It is heart wrenching, yet inspiring. The young travails of Power & beauty in the book are ones that are closely synonymous with the life discoveries of the two main characters. No fellas, there is no why mushy tales of romance here, but heart stopping deals, swindles, murders and life plans. Ladies, you will find the book races ahead a speed that will keep you gripped to the last page. The end is so shocking you will be talking about it for a long time after. Mogul- Terrance Dean Summary: After the sudden death of his father, a renowned jazz musician, Aaron “Big A.T.” Tremble clings to music as an escape. Making hip hop beats becomes his life. His love for music lands him at the estate of Larry “Pop” Singleton, a retired and respected Hip Hop music mogul who sees something special in Big A.T., and he also knows the truth about his sexuality. With Pop’s blessings and nurturing, Big A.T. is on the path to becoming the next great Hip Hop producer in New York. With the help of Pop and “the family,” a network of secretly gay men in the Hip Hop world, Big A.T. finds success and starts his own music label. He’s signed and worked with some of the biggest Hip Hop artists in the country. One of them is Brooklyn native lyricist, “Tickman.” Together they are making sweet music together. Tickman and Big A.T.’s relationship goes beyond producer and rapper – they become secret lovers. Nothing can stop Big A.T. All of the radio stations play his music. He has money, fame, and Jasmine, his girlfriend who doesn’t know about his secret love for men. However, at the pinnacle of his career, compromising photos of Big A.T. land on the desk of a national news program—and in the hands of his girlfriend. Big A.T., for the first time is at a crossroad in his career: come out publicly with his secret or watch his music empire crumble. Review : Mogul, breathes new life into the dreams of success and hip hop game. Terrance gives you a taste of the forbidden, expected and the unexpected. When the story opens up you are in the midst at the very pinnacle of “Big A.T”’s career. He can’t get much higher than what and where he is. The question arises when he must figure out what his truth is. Great read, that moves along at a quick pace. It harkened back to the Michael Baisden books of old. Watch the video below and see Terrance discuss the book. The VIPS- Scott Paulson Bryant Summary: On a steamy June day in New York City, mega-star rapper TNT gathers a group of four successful men together, childhood friends who called themselves “the VIPs,” signaling the big dreams they all once had. Leo Bradford is a gay publishing magnate who is learning to love again after a devastating tragedy. Barry Chambers is a playboy attorney with a working-class background who is starting to realize that the chip he’s carried on his shoulders all these years doesn’t go too well with the bespoke suits that have become his trademark. Joey Ramirez is a high-flying fashion designer who has managed to triumph over a life of abuse and neglect to become one of the most successful clothiers in the world. And Duke Maynard is a recently-retired NFL star facing the challenges of successfully transferring his competitive energies from his gridiron past to his entertainment world future. Having gone on to live their lives they are faced with a secret from a long time ago. These four men have a history and bond that could be torn apart by a night of passion one of them had long ago. The VIPs, who haven’t seen one another in years, are greeted at the Hotel Gansevoort by openly hostile TNT, who asks them the bombshell question: “Which one of you is my father?” Review : The story reminds you of a time when the “hot it books “came from Judith Krantz. The major themes of friendship, trust and betrayal are key throughout the novel. You will find yourself cheering and leering. I found myself recalling a scene from Scruples that is referenced early in the book that many 1980’s readers talked about for months when the book became a mini-series. It is a must read for commuters. Watch the commercial below for this page turner. Harrold Robbin’s finally has company with these three men.
Recently divorced rapper Nas was recently spotted out and about with actress Antonique Smith in West Hollywood. Antonique played Faith Evans in the movie Notorious and was recently shouted out by Nas on his single, “Nasty,” when he rhymed, “Maserati, pumpin’ Biggie, the great legend/Blastin’, I’m after the actress who played Faith Evans.” It looks like Antonique took the bait because last month, Antonique told XXL magazine that she wanted to actually meet him in person and maybe “do some music” together: He shouted me out on the song, which I thought was really sweet. I had never met him before and he called me sometime after that and said that he was initially afraid that I’d be upset about it because he wasn’t sure how I took it, but I thought it was sweet. He’s really nice. Word for word, he’s an incredible rapper. I’ve always been a fan and that line is a really dope line. We’re going to do some music together. And Antonique was spotted on the Queens set of his new “Nasty” video. Hmmmmm! Not a bad look for Nas! Click here to take a look at the couple having lunch courtesy of the ybf.com Kelis: “I Don’t Regret” Divorcing Nas
