The Daily Roundup for Jan 20

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BREAKING: Singing legend Etta James dies at 73

Etta James, whose assertive, earthy voice lit up such hits as "The Wallflower," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and the wedding favorite "At Last," has died, according to her longtime friend and manager, Lupe De Leon. She was 73.
She died from complications from leukemia with her husband, Artis Mills, and her sons by her side, De Leon said.
She was diagnosed with leukemia in 2010, and also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C. James died at a hospital in Riverside, California. She would have turned 74 Wednesday.
" This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world," De Leon said. "She was a true original who could sing it all -- her music defied category.
"I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always."
2003: Etta James reflects on her career.

The powerhouse singer, known as "Miss Peaches," lived an eventful life. She first hit the charts as a teenager, taking "The Wallflower (Roll With Me, Henry)" -- an "answer record" to Hank Ballard's "Work With Me, Annie" -- to No. 1 on the R&B charts in 1955. She joined Chess Records in 1960 and had a string of R&B and pop hits, many with lush string arrangements. After a mid-decade fade, she re-emerged in 1967 with a more hard-edged, soulful sound.

Throughout her career, James overcame a heroin addiction, opened for the Rolling Stones, won six Grammys and was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Despite her ups and downs -- including a number of health problems -- she maintained an optimistic attitude.

"Most of the songs I sing, they have that blue feeling to it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don't know what I'm sorry about," she said in 2002. "I don't!"
Through it all, she was a spitfire beloved by contemporaries and young up-and-comers.
"Etta James is unmanageable, and I'm the closest thing she's ever had to a manager," Lupe DeLeon, her manager of 30-plus years, said in admiration.
British songstress Adele named James as one of her favorite singers, along with Aretha Franklin.
"If you were to look up the word singer in the dictionary, you'd see their names," Adele said in an interview.

Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles to a teen mother and unknown father. (She suspected her father was the pool player Minnesota Fats.)

Her birth mother initially took little responsibility and James was raised by a series of people, notably a pair of boardinghouse owners. But she was recognized from a young age for her booming voice, showcased in a South Central Los Angeles church.
In 1950, her mother took her to San Francisco, where James formed a group called the Peaches. Singer Johnny Otis, best known for "Willie and the Hand Jive," discovered her and had her sing a song he wrote using Ballard's tune as a model. "The Wallflower," with responses from "Louie Louie" songwriter Richard Berry, made James an R&B star.

Her signing to Chess introduced her to a broader audience, as the record label's co-owner, Leonard Chess, believed she should do pop hits. Among her recordings were "Stormy Weather," the Lena Horne classic originally from 1933; "A Sunday Kind of Love," which dates from 1946; and most notably, "At Last," a 1941 number that was originally a hit for Glenn Miller.
James' version of "At Last" starts out with swooning strings and the singer enters with confident gusto, dazzlingly maintaining a mood of joy and romance. Though the song failed to make the Top 40 upon its 1961 release -- though it did hit the R&B Top 10 -- its emotional punch has long made it a favorite at weddings.
James' career suffered in the mid-'60s when the British Invasion took over the pop charts and as she fought some personal demons. But she got a boost when she started recording at Rick Hall's FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Her hits included the brassy "Tell Mama" and the raw "I'd Rather Go Blind," the latter later notably covered by Rod Stewart.
She entered rehab in the 1970s for her drug problem but re-established herself with live performances and an album produced by noted R&B mastermind Jerry Wexler. After another stint in rehab -- this time at the Betty Ford Clinic -- she made a comeback album, "Seven Year Itch," in 1988.

James mastered a range of styles -- from R&B and soul to jazz and blues -- but she was always one step behind the popular genre of the day, said Michael Coyle, a Colgate University professor who has written about jazz and R&B and reviews records for Cadence Magazine.
"She never really got her moment in the sun," Coyle said.
But James soldiered on, and by the end of her life she had made so much meaningful music that she was considered a living legend. "By the mid-'90s, she's survived so long that people start to look up to her," Coyle said.

James was portrayed by pop star Beyonce in the 2008 film "Cadillac Records," about Chess. After Beyonce sang "At Last" at one of President Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural balls, James lashed out: "I can't stand Beyonce. She had no business up there singing my song that I've been singing forever." She later told the New York Daily News she was joking.
Earlier this year, news reports revealed that the singer's estate was being contested in a legal struggle between her husband, Artis Mills, and son Donto James. (Donto and her other son, Sametto, both played in her band.)

Over the years, James had her share of health problems. In the late 1990s she reportedly weighed more than 400 pounds and required a scooter to get around. In 2003 she had gastric bypass surgery and dropped more than half the weight, according to People magazine.
However, until her latest issues, James maintained a steady touring schedule and appeared full of energy even when sitting down -- as she sometimes did on stage, due to bad knees and her weight battles.
Even while sitting down, James gave it her all on stage, singing as though possessed, caressing every note like a long-lost love. If that seemed a little much to critics, well, the legendary singer had a show to put on, she told Quan.
"They said that Etta James is still vulgar," she said in the 2002 interview. "I said, 'Oh, how dare 'em say I'm still real vulgar! I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair?' What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that?
"I gotta do something."

R.I.P Etta and Thanks for your Contributions to Music!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY DWAYNE WADE!

Dwyane Wade celebrated his 30th birthday--hosted by his boo Gabby and sister Arlesha--in Miami with a celebrity-studded event and over 400 invited guests. And if that wasn't enough, he also had performances from his homies T.I., Common and Rick Ross.

Gabby Union, fresh off her BET Honors hosting duties, rocked a gorgeous purple gown with a high slit and deep gold pumps.

"X Factor: UK" host Kelly Rowland wore a bow-covered white blouse and jeans. All set off with tangerine suede pumps.

Rapper Ricky Rozay came out to show love to D-Wade.

And teammate LeBron James also made a toast.

Later on, T.I. hit the stage.

Rick Ross represented for Miami on the mic.

Usher also saluted the birthday boy.

Common performed as well.

Hey Usher!

Kelly Rowland also did a birthday tribute.

This is one cake we can actually describe as dapper.

Loves it. He tweeted before the festivities:

Tired & ankle isn't feeling so gd- I wnt b able 2 2 step 2nite haha but U only get 1 BIG 30th. Let's get it 2nite Miami..

and look at his birthday gift:a brand new 2012 McLaren MP4-12C

Must be nice!

Happy birthday Dwyane!

Marianne Gingrich, Newt Gingrich's Ex-Wife, Says He Wanted An 'Open Marriage'

So, it seems that one part of that juicy ABC News "bombshell" interview with Marianne Gingrich concerns one of the "big ideas" that Newt Gingrich, hive of constant innovation, had during the period of time the former House Speaker was out of office: he wanted Marianne, his second wife, to enter into an "open marriage" arrangement, so that he could continue to consort with Callista Bisek. (You know, the third wife that introduced him to Catholicism.)

ABC's Brian Ross interviewed Gingrich about the matter:

GINGRICH: I said to him, we've been married a long time. And he said, yes, but you want me all to yourself. Callista doesn't care what I do.
ROSS: What was he saying to you, do you think?
GINGRICH: He was asking to have an open marriage, and I refused.
ROSS: He wanted an open marriage.GINGRICH: Yeah, that I accept the fact that he has somebody else in his life.
ROSS: And you said?
GINGRICH: No. No. That is not a marriage.

WATCH:

Of course, to a certain extent, this is something we've already basically known. Let's recall that in the August 2010 Esquire profile of Gingrich, Marianne offered this account of their marriage's last days:

Early in May, she went out to Ohio for her mother's birthday. A day and a half went by and Newt didn't return her calls, which was strange. They always talked every day, often ten times a day, so she was frantic by the time he called to say he needed to talk to her.
"About what?"
He wanted to talk in person, he said.
"I said, 'No, we need to talk now.'"
He went quiet.
"There's somebody else, isn't there?"

She kind of guessed it, of course. Women usually do. But did she know the woman was in her apartment, eating off her plates, sleeping in her bed?
She called a minister they both trusted. He came over to the house the next day and worked with them the whole weekend, but Gingrich just kept saying she was a Jaguar and all he wanted was a Chevrolet. "'I can't handle a Jaguar right now.' He said that many times. 'All I want is a Chevrolet.'"
He asked her to just tolerate the affair, an offer she refused.

So, the new wrinkle here is that Marianne Gingrich is characterizing this as a desire on Newt's part to have an open marriage, rather than just have his wife tolerate his affair on the side. In many ways, this is a distinction without a difference, though I suppose it now makes a lot of his new demonstrations of Catholic conversion to be ... well, I suppose the phrase we're using these days is, "pious bologna."

Newt Gingrich has yet to weigh in on these new allegations from his ex-wife. In the past, he's written off his infidelities as events that occurred while he was too busy loving America.

UPDATE: There's been a mad dash to break these Marianne Gingrich scooplets, and the Washington Post has their own interview with Marianne Gingrich on the matter of this "open marriage." (This is the "exclusive print interview" with Marianne Gingrich, by the way.)

The fun part is that we learn that the day after Newt Gingrich asked Marianne for a divorce, he gave a lecture to the Republican Women Leaders Forum titled, "The Demise of American Culture" in which he decried the way liberals "talk about values," suggesting that they would not prefer that "young people" to "learn that George Washington was...A man of standards, a man who earned the right to be father of this country?"

As Marianne Gingrich told the Post:
“How could he ask me for a divorce on Monday and within 48 hours give a speech on  family values and talk about how people treat people?” she said.

I mean...has she met Newt Gingrich?

Kelly Rowland and X-Factor Part Ways?

It doesn't look like Kelly Rowland is headed back to UK's X Factor after all...

From New Magazine
She had a bit of a rollercoaster first series and now it looks like Kelly Rowland won't be back for more X Factor this year.
Kelly Rowland reportedly couldn't cope with all the surrounding emotional stress of starring on The X Factor - and Simon Cowell was said to be less than impressed with her overall performance.
A source said: "She enjoyed her time on the programme but was taken aback by the circus surrounding it.

"From his side, Simon felt that Kelly had got off to a really strong start but slightly faded towards the latter half of the series."
The source added to The Daily Mirror: "He is already on the look-out for fresh talent."
So it's looking like yet another new line-up for The X Factor this year.

No real surprise that Kelly might not be back - it looked like it was all getting to her by the end.

Kobe Bryant Pays Vanessa $75 Million & Two Mansions In Divorce Settlement

Kobe Bryant has reportedly given up two of the mansions he and his soon-to-be ex-wife Vanessa bought, after receiving settlement in there divorce and word is she may also receive $75 million…. Talk about getting paid!!!!

The LA Lakers baller has transferred two of his properties to his wife including the house they used to share in Newport Coast. The second home Vanessa now owns is said to be the mansion nearby where she has allowed her mother to live. According to TMZ, the home where Kobe will now be living is under construction, but he is living it up in a plush bachelors pad in the meantime.
Vanessa filed for divorce from Kobe in November citing irreconcilable differences in the papers, but it was later claimed that she had found out he had cheated on her yet again. 

The estranged couple have two daughters together and have been married for almost 11 years. Sources say the only reason Vanessa stayed was, “she knew if you stayed in a marriage for more than 10 years in LA you get more money…. Sources also said Vanessa wanted to leave 3 years ago…

Vanessa Bryant gets several advantages under California divorce law. After passing the 10-year mark, attorney Dmitry Gorin said, a marriage is defined as a lengthy one, which means the spouse is allowed to maintain her standard of living after the split.

Gorin said Vanessa Bryant may be entitled to permanent spousal support and may even be part of Kobe Bryant’s retirement plans. She’ll probably get “more than enough for many lifetimes,” Gorin said.
Some estimates put Kobe Bryant’s net worth at $150 million. Legal experts say Vanessa Bryant will probably receive at least $75 million in addition to ongoing spousal and child support. Don’t worry Kobe is having a new home built check out the photos blow…

Last season, Kobe Bryant was the NBA’s highest-paid player earning $24.8 million in salary, and his contract extension signed last year is worth $83.5 million. Forbes magazine estimates that with endorsement deals, Bryant last year earned $53 million before taxes and agent fees. In recent years, he has added Turkish Airlines and Mercedes-Benz to his portfolio of endorsements.

Paula Deen announces she has diabetes, lands pharmaceutical endorsement

In May of last year*, the National Enquirer reported that down home celebrity chef Paula Deen had Type 2 diabetes for “years” and that she’d kept it a secret. Paula is renowned for cooking outrageously unhealthy food seeped in butter, fat and grease. Some of her recipes are worse than the fattiest burger you can get at a fast food restaurant and include a bacon, egg and glazed donut burger (with an actual burger patty in there), deep fried butter balls and bacon-wrapped fried macaroni and cheese, the recipe for which calls for a pound of bacon and five eggs. Type 2 diabetes is of course adult onset diabetes, one of the risk factors for which is excess weight. So Paula has been cooking and sampling food that is incredibly unhealthy and has been contributing to, and probably caused, her disorder. She may have known about it for years, if the Enquirer is to be believed, and has just been popularizing food which is just as bad for the rest of the world as it has been for her. A lot of you will point out that Paula reminds her audience that her food is a treat that’s not to be eaten everyday at least. 

Anyway here’s her announcement:
Even as she reveals that she is living with Type 2 Diabetes, [Paula Deen] says it won’t stop her from eating the way she wants.
“I was determined to share my positive approach and not let diabetes stand in the way of enjoying my life,” Deen said Tuesday in a release announcing her launch of Diabetes in a New Light™, geared toward finding “simple ways” to manage challenges of the disease.

“I’m excited to team up with Novo Nordisk on this initiative to show others that managing diabetes does not have to stop you from enjoying the things you love.”

The National Enquirer first reported Deen’s diabetes in April 2010*, but she never confirmed or denied the diagnosis until now. She turns 65 Thursday.

The Food Network chef with the folksy Southern drawl – and a tendency to address her fans as “Hey, y’all” – has been famously criticized for her cooking techniques. Just last summer, fellow celeb chef Anthony Bourdain called her the “most dangerous person to America” who’s “proud of the fact that her food is f—— bad for you.” 

And as news leaked she was making the announcement regarding her health, Bourdain was inundated with people “looking for quotes.” And he says he “takes no pleasure” in her news, telling Eater.com, he suspects she’s known for a long time and been looking for a way “to position herself.”

“When your signature dish is hamburger in between a doughnut, and you’ve been cheerfully selling this stuff knowing all along that you’ve got Type 2 Diabetes … It’s in bad taste if nothing else,” he said. “How long has she known? I suspect a very long time.”
Deen, it was also revealed in the release, takes Victoza – a once-daily, non-insulin injection – and continues to “make lifestyle adjustments, including lightened-up versions of her favorite recipes.”

[From People.com]

Update: I forgot to check her new website where she’s shilling for products that manage diabetes, which are put out by the pharmaceutical company Novartis. The Enquirer says Deen’s endorsement deal with Novartis is in the millions.

Pilar Sanders SLAMS Deion He's a No-Good CHEATER ... and a MEGA-Narcissist

Pilar Sanders just filed EXPLOSIVE new court documents in her divorce from Deion Sanders -- claiming the NFL star is a narcissistic "bully" who cheated on her with multiple people.
In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Pilar states her husband of 12 years "has been guilty of unkind, uncaring, insensitive, cruel and unusual treatment of [Pilar] ... as well as physical, mental and emotional abuse of [Pilar] and the parties' children."

Pilar says the divorce should be granted on grounds of "mental, emotional and physical abandonment."

Pilar adds, "[Deion] committed numerous acts of adultery ... on numerous occasions throughout the marriage." Just to be clear, she adds, "[Deion] voluntarily had sexual intercourse with others who were not his spouse."
It gets nastier ... she adds, "[Deion] is a bully" ... who "suffers from a narcissistic personality disorder, needs a full psychological evaluation."
In the docs, filed today in Texas, Pilar claims Deion also needs a parenting coach to teach him how to be a better father.

Now, on to the money -- Pilar claims the judge should throw out their prenup ... and award Pilar a lion's share of the estate ... because she feels she was duped into signing the deal while under duress. 

In the docs, Pilar requests sole legal custody of the couple's three mutual children ... claiming Deion is a bad, absentee father.
Pilar is also asking for exclusive access to the couple's mega-mansion in Texas ... meaning she wants Deion to finally pack his stuff and get out.
Deion filed for divorce first back in December ... and later said he was on good terms with Pilar.

Apparently, he was wrong.

Nia Long's Baby Bundle

Kez is a cutie!

We got our first glimpse of actress Nia Long's beautiful boy Kez Sunday as the pair stepped out yesterday to do a bit of shopping at LA's trendy baby boutique Petit Tresor (January 12). Dressed down in rolled jeans and a loose black top, the happy mom-of-two was positively beaming as she cuddled her 2-month-old son.

Nia, 41, took to Twitter recently to share a couple of mommy moments, writing, "My sweet baby just discovered his tongue. Pure comedy right now." And then later: "I took my oldest to school this morning and there was no school today #over prepared mommy :) LOL"
Nia also has 10-year-old son Massai from a previous relationship.

Rocawear Lays Off 28 Employees Day Prior To Blue Ivy's Birth

While Jay-Z was busy basking in the "glory" of his newborn daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, former employees who one occupied his Rocawear offices in New York City had to find new jobs. The lifestyle clothing brand Hova co-founded laid off half of its staff in the Manhattan office, the day before Beyoncé gave birth to their daughter.

According to the New York State Department of Labor website, the massive firing took place on Jan. 6. A total of 28 workers lost their jobs with Rocawear due to "economic" problems. The company most recently caused a stir for attempting to cash in on the long-running Occupy Wall St. protest, by selling "Occupy All Streets" t-shirts for $22 a pop. "The 'Occupy All Streets' T shirt was created in support of the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement," a rep for the company told Gawker.com. "Rocawear strongly encourages all forms of constructive expression, whether it be artistic, political or social. 'Occupy All Streets' is our way of reminding people that there is change to be made everywhere, not just on Wall Street. At this time we have not made an official commitment to monetarily support the movement."

Amid the controversy, the shirts temporarily disappeared from the company website because they were on back order, but returned once the stock was replenished. While his company may be going through tough economic times, the brand that is Jay-Z continues to get bigger. Hova recently signed on as the spokesperson for Duracell Powermat, and has plans to re-open the flagship location of his newly renovated 40/40 Club at an "invite-only" soiree, Wednesday (Jan. 18).

Khloe K Offered $250G to Determine if OJ is Her Dad

*A radio station is offering to solve once and for all a recurring rumor that the biological father of Khloe Kardashian is O.J. Simpson.

RadarOnline.com is reporting that Sirius XM Satellite personality Gregg “Opie” Hughes of The Opie & Anthony Show announced today that he is offering quarter of a million dollars if Khloe, 27, takes a DNA test to prove that the late Robert Kardashian, O.J.’s one-time lawyer, is her father.
If Khloe accepts, the $250,000 will be donated to a charity of her choice.

As Star magazine revealed in an exclusive, two of Robert’s previous wives — both after his marriage to Kris Jenner ended — have come forward claiming the late attorney told them Khloe is not his biological daughter and she is in fact the result of an affair on Kris’ behalf.
“Robert did question the fact that Khloe was his. Any normal man would if they knew their wife had cheated on him,” Robert’s widow, Ellen Kardashian, told Star. “He never would have considered a DNA test. He loved her very much.”

Philadelphia 76ers Baller Thaddeus Young & Shekinah Beckett

Philadelphia 76ers baller Thaddeus Young has announced his engagement to his college sweetheart Shekinah Beckett.

Memphis, Tennessee native and former Mitchell High School basketball star Thaddeus Young has become engaged to his college sweetheart Shekinah Beckett.

The pair dated for a while at Georgia Tech....but the relationship didn't last.

Then one day out of the blue, Thaddeus showed up at Shekinah's house and basically told her he couldn't live without her!

Now a few years later.....they are going down the ailse together and couldn't be happier!....How sweet!

Does Nicki Minaj Have Competition From Iggy Azalea?

TweetIggy Azalea is an Australian rapper based in California whose buzz is growing stronger by the day, and she’s coming into Nicki Minaj‘s lane. Iggy’s Ignorant Art has made a lot of noise, and she’s currently dating A$AP Rocky.

Some may draw comparisons between the two since they’re both females, but Iggy Azalea has stepped into Nicki Minaj’s arena by remaking Nicki’s “Roman In Moscow” as “Iggy in Moscow.”

Take a listen to Iggy’s remake: 

You like?

So J-Hud proposed to Punk?

Talk about a role reversal. Jennifer Hudson proposed to her fiance David Otunga and gave him an engagement ring to boot...

Jennifer revealed on a day time talk show that she bought David an engagement ring at his insistence.

 
Jenn tells The Talk,
"He proposed to me on my birthday and he would complain that he didn't have an engagement ring. He would say, 'You have a ring, but how are they going to know I'm taken?'"

"So I had a ring made and then I gave it to him as his birthday gift on his birthday and the way that I gave it to him was like, 'Now will you marry me!' So I kind of proposed to him too."
UMMMMM NOT!

Pittsburgh Steeler Antonio Brown ACCUSED By Baby Mama Of Holding 4-Year-Old Son HOSTAGE!

The baby mama of Pittsburgh Steeler Antonio Brown has filed court docs claiming the baller took their son without permission and now he won't give him back to her! Deets inside.....

According to Shameika Brailsford, NFLer Antonio Brown ran off with their four-year-old son Antonio Jr. months ago and won't even let her speak to him!
Shameika recently filed docs in Miami claiming Antonio may not be properly caring for their son in Pennsylvania and she's asking the court for an emergency child pick-up order. The order would require the cops to bring the child back to her in Florida.

But Antonio's lawyer Jason Marks says Shameika is lying. TMZ spoke to Mr. Marks who said:

"None of that is true. The mother consented to the child living with Mr. Brown back in February. The mother obviously knew where the child was the entire time and, in fact, Mr. Brown recently arranged for the mother to visit with the child in Pittsburgh. This is nothing more than a classic attempt to shake down a professional athlete for money."

The couple are due in court very soon to sort this out. Sounds messy!

But at least he is involved. *Kanye shrug*

Is There a Restaurant Beef Between Ludacris and Jay-Z?

*Ludacris allegedly beat out Jay-Z for a restaurant location in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, according to Hip-Hop Wired.*
The two rappers were vying for one spot — Ludacris had his “Chicken and Beer” restaurant — and Jay-Z had his 40/40 Club.
According to the site, Ludacris pulled some strings with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed to beat out Jay-Z for the spot. While nothing has been confirmed, Hip-Hop Wired reported that Jay-Z was furious with the rapper over this.
While Ludacris may have won this battle, we are sure there will be 40/40 Club’s popping up all over the country including Atlanta sometime soon.

AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
“I’m Sexy & I Know It”

Since people seem to like GirlsInYogaPants.com, this picture made us realize that there needs to be a site to showcase some of the sexy older ladies in our lives. So we bought GranniesInYogaPants.com and it is set to launch never.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!

EFREM