Mar. 5, 2007

Read Page 1 of the BV Buzz

Queen Latifah and Vibe magazine hosted a party in conjunction with Mercedes, TV One, CoverGirl and Baby Phat. It was the place to be the night before the Oscars. At the Hollywood hotspot Republic there was Tia and Tamera Mowry, Jai Rodriguez ('Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'), Malik Yoba, Elise Neal, Gabrielle Union, chef G. Garvin, Three 6 Mafia, Tyson Beckford, Pooch Hall, Tamala Jones, Christina Milian, designer Ozwald Boateng, Dennis Rodman, Ne-Yo, Chris Tucker, Kenya Moore, Gary Sturgis, on-the-rise fashion maven Jayneoni Moore and all of the 'Girlfriends'-Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia Whiteand Keisha Sharpe. Ironically, Sean "Diddy" Combs arrived with Kim Kardashian in tow and Lil' Kim got escorted around the party by Ray J. (I'll reserve my comments on both!) It was funny seeing Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell spend nearly 10 minutes explaining to Miss J. Alexander ('America's Next Top Model') why they dressed up like him and Tyra Banks last Halloween.

Oscar night, I attended Fearless Collective and Into The Mystic Productions' "Salute to the Black Screen Actors Guild" viewing party at CineSpace on Hollywood Blvd. The shindig was hosted by Jerome Benton of Morris Day & The Time and was the perfect place to watch Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker take home their Oscar gold. Following the viewing party, I met syndicated radio personality Tanya Hart at the Children Uniting Nations soiree at The Music Box at Henry Fonda Theater on Oscar night. The benefit was hosted by Lil Kim and Tommy Davidson and featured performances by Blu Cantrell and Fonzworth Bentley (they both performed with a rock band), Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Diana Degarmo and DMX. While Spinderella spun records, guests like Ruben Studdard, Joe Torry, Eric Benet, Sticky Fingaz and rapper Pras partied.

Buzzworthy

Hollywood funnygirl Kym Whitley has joined ABC's untitled Sachs/Judah comedy pilot; it centers around the lives of co-workers at a top law firm. Whitley will play the team's paralegal. In other Whitley news, she has joined the not-yet-titled Kanye West reality project for HBO.

The original "Aunt Viv" on the Will Smith sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," Janet Hubert in venturing into new territory. Hubert is launching a new line of children's merchandise called J.G. and the B.C. Kids. The line consists of colorful bed furnishings, sheets, towels and bath items; in addition to backpacks, sunglasses and t-shirts with positive slogans such as "Hope Is Dope Dream Big" and "Brain Power Equals Dream Power." "I created JG and the BC Kids for that child who refuses to become like everyone else. BC Kids walk to their own beat. BC Kids are smart, sometimes shy and sometimes misunderstood but that's ok. I want children to love and accept themselves for who they are," said Hubert. For details visit www.jgandthebckids.com.

Rockmond Dunbar is trading in his prison garb for some surgical scrubs. The former 'Soul Food' hunk will leave the hit Fox drama 'Prison Break' to star in a forthcoming TNT medical drama called 'Heartland.' Dunbar will play the Tom Jonas, a well-educated top transplant physician at the St. Jude Hospital. 'Heartland,' which also stars Treat Williams ('Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous'), debuts this fall.

According to People magazine, Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks says she and actor/rapper Nick Cannon did not elope in Las Vegas. The magazine does confirm that the two are dating and that theyre in love. Cannon most recently dated socialite Kim Kardashian, but ended the relationship after learning about her sex tape with R&B singer turned porn star Ray J.

Can't Say Names...

The legend of "Papa" is alive and well. At the Ebony magazine pre-Oscar bash, a high-profile Hollywood actor approached Karrine Steffans and said: "You know I know Papa is (add rapper's name here)." A shocked Steffans shot back: "How did you know that?" The actor went on to explain that he and the infamous rapper, who Steffans would not name in her bestselling tome 'Confessions of a Video Vixen,' were real good friends and he's known all along.

BV Scene

Actor Dondre Whitfield ('Mr. 3000') picking up food to go at Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles, while actor Gregory Keith ('Noah's Arc') and BRE magazine's Sidney Miller dined separately at their respective tables ... Duane Martin ('All of Us') driving his gold Range Rover down Sunset Blvd while chatting on his cell phone& Comic Charlie Murphy and video director Hype Williams boarding a Delta Airlines flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles ... 'American Idol' finalist Brandon Rogers shopping with an 'A.I.' stylist at The Beverly Center mall in Beverly Hills, Calif ... Talk about feeling safe while traveling! Stephen L. Johnson, President George W. Bush's Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, flew just across the aisle from yours truly on the United Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Washington, DC.