May 28, 2007

Daddy Doolittle's Dilemma

It's funny how things are perceived in different countries. I was once told that if you really want to learn the real news about the United States, you should watch an international news channel. I experienced that firsthand on during my recent trip to London and apparently that philosophy even applies to entertainment news.

Now I already knew that most Americans perception of the baby mama drama that surrounds Eddie Murphy and Melanie Brown was off-base. I got confirmation of that when I traveled across the pond and listened to the Brits share their disdain for 'The Dreamgirls' star. One person I chatted with even referred to him as the "male version of Heather Mills." For those who don't know, Mills, who appeared on the latest installment of 'Dancing with the Stars,' is considered one of the most-hated women in London because of her marriage and divorce from original Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney.

Here in the states, people have made some disparaging remarks about Brown, best known as Scary Spice from The Spice Girls. The singer gave birth to a baby girl named Angel Iris Murphy Brown that she claims-and I believe-was fathered by Murphy. Hopefully their 'Maury' show-worthy situation will be fixed once Murphy agrees to take a paternity test. ("Wouldn't you love to hear some DNA administer say, Maury Povich style of course: 'Eddie Murphy, you are the baby's father!')

Despite the sentiment in the U.K., I've heard Americans accuse Brown of being "after his money" and saying "she wants his stardom," but in London, Brown is still has a huge fan base from her Spice Girls days. In addition, she had great success on television having hosted a news magazine show on the BBC2 channel and a talent show called 'This Is My Moment' for ITV1. There's also the acting work in a bunch of British films.

The 32-year-old Brown moved to the United States only to get away from the U.K. paparazzi. I recall my own interview with Brown and she shared with me that she moved to Los Angeles solely because the U.K. paparazzi are relentless.

"There the paparazzi and the intrusion is very hard core. So when I decided to move here, I decided to move just before [my daughter] Phoenix was to start proper school," Brown said during our chat at the trendy Chateau Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood, Calif. "It's all about having that mystery and having your own privacy. In England, there's no law that says that they can't hide in your bushes for twenty-four hours and take pictures of you in your kitchen window. There's no law that says they can't do that whereas here they have laws and they're a little bit more lenient and they certainly leave me alone here."

Brown joined the Broadway musical 'Rent' in April of 2004, and even shot the indie film 'The Seat Filler,' opposite Kelly Rowland and Duane Martin ('All of Us'). The singer shared she's opted not to release an album or focus on a film career in America, because she wanted to maintain an under-the-radar lifestyle for her daughter. "You know, that's why for the last five years, I really chose to step out of the limelight as well as for my daughter's sake, but for my sake as well for sanity wise. If you have a child, you don't necessarily want to be swamped every time you go and buy milk or do your grocery shopping. You just want to be left alone," she expressed.

Since then, Brown has been thrust into the spotlight in the U.S. because of her abruptly-ended relationship with Murphy, and the child in question. In a tantalizing cover story for both the U.S. and U.K. editions of OK! Magazine, Brown said she first learned that Murphy had dumped her and that he questioned paternity on a Dutch TV show after returning home from London to announce to her mom she was pregnant.

"I came to England to see my mum for a few days as I wanted to tell her I was pregnant in person. Eddie had called reassuring her that he loved me, which was good as mums worry. Then I got on a flight home, landed and there is a whole sea of photographers. I thought, there must have been somebody really famous on this flight. And they were all for me. There were people shouting about a DNA test," Brown told OK's associate editor Phil Gould in the interview.

What Brown didn't know was in the short time it took her to head home to London to share the baby news with her mother, Murphy had already began dating Kenny "Babyface" Edmond's ex-wife, Tracy Edmonds, and the two of them had begun a very public romance. In the May 1 issue of OK!, the once-married Brown even questions if Murphy's romance with Edmonds is the real deal. "Is that relationship real?" She asked.

The singer also revealed that she and Murphy got his-and-her tattoos during their seven-month courtship. "After three days we both got tattoos. I had his name in his handwriting on me and he had my name in my handwriting on him. It was that intense and felt that right," she admitted.

While Brown could opt to have Murphy's name removed from her body-though she hasn't decided whether she will-she just wants to get Murphy to take the paternity test. "He won't do a DNA test and he won't sign the birth certificate so now we're having to go through lawyers because he won't do either," she told 'Access Hollywood' at the recent opening of the British chain BOOTS in Los Angeles.

Though this story may sell newspapers, magazines and make a great lead-in on all the news magazine shows, Brown's final words really put it all in perspective. "I don't think it's a very good representation for a black father in 2007," she closed.

According to Britain's The Sun, Brown is now dating Hollywood producer Stephen Belafonte ('Thank You For Smoking').

Frankly Speaking

"Maybe I'll adopt some African kids. You never know. That's bug right now. 'Cause Asian kids are out! Two or three years ago everything was about the Asian kid. Now, people are like, 'That's so last year.'" - Comic Chris Rock making a joke when asked if he and wife Malaak would have more kids.

Buzzworthy

Fresh off of shooting the indie film 'A Good Man is Hard to Find,' actor Darrin Henson jumps into the action genre in his next film 'The Express.' The big budget feature, currently shooting in Chicago, also stars Dennis Quaid ('Any Given Sunday") and Rob Brown ('Finding Forrester').

Gospel superstar Vickie Winans has launched her own record company Destiny Joy Records with Central South Distribution. Winans, who released two highly-successful CDs on Verity Records, requested and was granted a release from her long-term recording contract from Zomba Gospel after former president Max Siegel left the company to work for Dale Earnhardt Inc. "I am sooo excited about my new distribution deal with Central South. It is a mega deal and I am ecstatic. Destiny Joy Records is on its way now," said the 53-year-old gospel veteran. In addition to releasing her forthcoming projects on her own label, the Detroit native will also release projects by Denise Tichenor (one of my favorite gospel vocalists) and newcomer Datisha Pickett.

Central South Gospel must have been offering a family plan, as Vickie Winans' second born son Marvin "Coconut" Winans Jr. has also inked a deal with the indie gospel distributor for his own M2 Entertainment Label. Winans, one-fourth of the urban contemporary quartet Winans Phase 2 and son of The Winans' frontman Marvin Winans Sr., will debut his solo offering 'Image of a Man' later this year.

New on DVD is Forest Whitaker's unforgettable performance in 'The Last King of Scotland.' His depiction of General Idi Amin is haunting and a must-see… If you're wondering why Helen Mirren earned an Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth, now you can see what all of the hype was about because 'The Queen' is also in stores… Though it was snubbed by the Academy for a Best Picture nomination, 'Dreamgirls' is also out on DVD. Just being able to rewind Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's performances of 'And I Am Telling You,' 'One Night Only' and 'I Am Changing' is worth the cost of the DVD alone.

Where Are They Now?

Though I didn't have too much luck tracking down former Montel Jordan protégé Shae Jones a few weeks ago, I thought I'd try to see what another blast from the past is up to. If anyone knows the whereabouts and current happenings of singer Gina Thompson, the Missy Elliott protégé best known for songs like "If You Only Knew" and "The Things You Do." If you got an update drop me a line at JawnMurray07@aol.com.

Can't Say Names…

A D-list Hollywood actor could be headed to jail if he continues to threaten his former girlfriend. Friends of the actor's ex staged an intervention after discovering said actor was beating her and had the police take them to his house to remove her belongings. Since then, the actor has been sending threatening messages to the aspiring dancer, who is in the process of getting a restraining order against him.