Bring That Week Back: Week of March 15
Tyra's giving NYC model hopefuls another chance. Get more of the week's top stories!
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No ‘Chrihanna’ Duet - The untitled Chris Brown and Rihanna duet, which was allegedly produced by Polow Da Don, is now being cited as a false claim from the producer's publicist. An unnamed source tells PEOPLE magazine that the pair hooked up last year to work on a demo that has since been recorded by someone else. Meanwhile, a story about the two writing a book about abusive relationships also proved to be false.
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'Top Model' Stampede - Six people were injured and three were arrested after a panicked stampede broke out while thousands waited in line to try out for cycle 13 of "America's Next Top Model" this past weekend. One contestant, who reportedly saw an overheated vehicle shouted, "There's a bomb." Other reports say someone yelled, "Fire." And some contestants suggest a fight broke out after two men grabbed at a contestant's purse. This week Banks announced she'd reschedule the auditions in the city.
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A-List Lineup - First lady Michelle Obama enlisted some serious star power to talk with girls from D.C. area schools Thursday about bringing their dreams to fruition through fruitful and meaningful careers. The A-list line-up of Mrs. O.’s mentors includes BET Networks CEO Debra Lee, singer Alicia Keys, astronaut Mae Jamison, actresses Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, Alfre Woodard and Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Dominique Dawes among others.
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Tragic Moments - Two NFL players may have died just a few hours after their fishing boat capsized in rough seas and possibly before rescuers were even alerted of their accident off the west coast of Florida. Nick Schuyler, the lone survivor, told the Coast Guard that one by one the other three men took off their life vests and disappeared during the ordeal. The bodies of the players have not been found.
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Curry Wants His Son - Eddy Curry is going back to court for custody of his son. Noah Henry, 3, was found bloodied but unharmed in the home in which he witnessed the murder of his mother and sister a few months back. In a hearing Tuesday, a judge told Curry to appear in court next Thursday for a hearing over whether he should be granted custody of his son. The boy is currently in the custody of his maternal grandmother.
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Deadly Crash - Police in Miami say Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth is cooperating with authorities investigating an incident in which he hit and killed a pedestrian with his Bentley. The incident took place on Saturday morning. Police say Mario Reyes was taken to a trauma center, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later. No charges have been filed.
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Bell Run Around? - Sean Bell's family wants the Queens street, where he died in a hail of 50 police bullets, renamed in his honor. Relatives say they met twice with the Community Board 12 about renaming the street and sent out flyers encouraging people to attend Tuesday's meeting. But days before the meeting, a board representative called to say the topic wasn't on the calendar.
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'Obama Fingers' - In an attempt to profit from Obamamania, a German company has created a new food: Obama-Fingers. The packaging describes the product as "tender, juicy pieces of chicken breast, coated and fried," with a curry dip included. The company says it was unaware of the possible racist overtones of the product, insisting “it was supposed to be a homage to the American lifestyle and the new U.S. president."
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Hammer Sued - A New York publisher says it paid MC Hammer for a book about fatherhood, but the former rap star hasn't delivered. And because of that, Simon & Schuster is suing Hammer for the return of the $61,000 advance he received. A spokesman for the publisher says the book was due in 2003, but the company never got the manuscript.
10 / 21
Deep in Debt - While Lil’ Kim was spitting rhymes on "All About The Benjamins" in the ‘90s, sources say the 'Dancing With The Stars' contestant is $900,000 deep in tax debt. In a statement released Monday, Lil’ Kim's publicist said, "Ms. Jones has been paying off her tax debt and will continue to do so."
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11 / 21
Back Home - Rev. Joseph Lowery is back home from the hospital one day after getting dizzy while greeting parishioners at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Lowery, who was the keynote speaker at a service to mark the church's 123rd anniversary, reportedly became “weak and lost his balance" after his sermon. Lowery says he "just got overheated." However, a doctor told him to "slow down."
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Super Heroine - First lady Michelle Obama is poised to become a superhero next month when a biographical comic book hits the stands. The comic, which is part of the "Female Force" series, portrays Obama's childhood in Chicago, her university days at Princeton and her work on the campaign trail helping her husband become the 44th U.S. President. The comic goes on sale April 25, for $3.99.
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Fashion Award - Meanwhile, the first lady will be honored for her style. The Council of Fashion Designers of America will give the first lady a tribute at their annual awards gala in June. A council executive says they want to acknowledge her "commitment to American fashion." He says they'll also set up a grant in her name to help an up-and-coming fashion company.
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Set to Music - In an exclusive deal with EMI Music Publishing, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s estate will allow his voice, likeness, image and name to be used in digital media. Dexter King, the CEO of the King Estate, made the deal. King's siblings Martin Luther King III and Bernice King knew nothing about it. Martin and Bernice are suing Dexter over the deals he is making with the estate.
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Sharpton Retraction - They say it takes a big man to admit that he’s made a mistake and the Rev. Al Sharpton has recently admitted to several missteps in his quest to bring decency to the music industry. In an interview with independent artist NY Oil, Sharpton clarified his position on hip-hop artists and the content of their lyrics, saying he did not intend to go after the artists after he took on Don Imus over the infamous “nappy headed hoes” comment.
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16 / 21
Free Haircuts - Method Man and Redman are planning to give out free haircuts to kids ages 12 and under the day before Easter. They'll be at Against Da' Grain barbershop in Staten Island, N.Y., for the event. It takes place Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Method Man and Redman are expecting to release "Blackout 2," sometime this year. It will be their third album as a duo.
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Retro Birthday - Motown will mark Marvin Gaye's 70th birthday with a special re-release. The re-issue of "United," his 1967 duets album with Tammi Terrell, will come out only on vinyl on April 14. Gaye's birthday was April 2. He died the day before his birthday, on April 1, 1984.
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Turning to Acting - R&B singer Case has his eye set on the big screen. He told singersroom.com, "I shot a pilot for a TV show called 'ATL Homicide’ down in Atlanta and it was fun." Case said he definitely wants to do some TV. But for now, he's focused on getting his new album, "The Rose Experience," out to fans. It hits stores on March 24.
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Pumping Up Akron - NBA All-Star LeBron James has mad love for his hometown of Akron, Ohio. So much so that he's wearing his pride on his feet. His latest shoe is a tribute to his home. It features the city's downtown skyline in the stitching of the shoe, a sign for Hickory Street, where James grew up and a milk crate, representing the first "basket" James used when he started playing basketball. The limited-edition shoe is white, navy and gold and costs $140 a pair
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The Fall Report - Another month of fashion weeks has come to a close. From New York to Paris, get the full runway rundown of all the major collections - Baby Phat, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and more! Plus, see Chanel Iman, Liya Kebede and others strut their stuff on the catwalk in next season’s hottest trends.