Oct. 9, 2006

Buzzworthy

Back to Page 1 of the BV Buzz

Singer Michelle Williams, 26, of Destiny's Child is dating Cleveland Browns cornerback Gary Baxter, 27. The two have been dating for several months and Williams is often spotted in the game box cheering on her beau and his team. Baxter has been sidelined this season after straining his pectoral muscle. Williams, fresh off an appearance on 'Celebrity Duets,' is currently in the studio readying her third solo album. This time, in lieu of singing gospel, Williams is recording an R&B album.

Speaking of Williams, she is one of the many celebrities who have managed to get tickets to the sold-out Broadway show 'Chicago' to see Usher. Among the others spotted at the show over the last several days were R&B veteran Stephanie Mills and brothers Bowlegged Lou and Paul Anthony of the singing-production group Full Force. Usher has extended his contract in 'Chicago' until Oct. 14. Roz Ryan ('Amen') and Broadway star Brenda Braxton are also in the cast.

Congratulations to former 'One on One' star Sicily Sewell, 23. The 4' 11" actress, who also recently starred in the Lifetime film 'Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story,' got married on Sept. 9, to gospel musician Christopher Johnson, 25. Sewell and Johnson, a drummer for the quartet The Gospel Wonders, dated for several months before deciding to get married. The two had an intimate ceremony for just family and friends at the Los Angeles home of casting director Robi Reed.

Expect to see Tina Knowles-mother of Beyonce-become a regular contributor to 'The Tyra Banks Show.' Knowles will oversee a show feature called "Tina's Takeover Makeovers," where she'll perform head to toe makeovers on Banks' guests that would likely incorporate Knowles' own line, House of Dereon.

Is Prince readying a headlining show in Las Vegas? According to the Las Vegas Review Journal columnist Norm Clarke, that may very well be the case. Word has it that Prince is preparing to take up residence at the Rio on the Las Vegas Strip. Since last week, Prince's website, www.3121.com, has had a red-and-blue graphic in the shape of the Rio marquee. There have also been numerous sightings of Prince in Las Vegas with executives of Harrah's Casino, which owns the Rio.

Can't Say Names…

I hear a certain pretty-boy rapper had an international altercation with a promoter and almost ended up in a Dallas Austin-like predicament. The incident occurred with said hip hopper and a promoter, who happens to also be a former associate of the rapper's old label president. When the promoter failed to pay the production crew who worked on the rapper's music video, which was being shot in the African nation of Tanzania, the lyricist took matters into his own hands…literally. After "beating up the promoter," as one source put it, the country's president and his son had to hide the rapper because the promoter paid off several cops to have him arrested. In addition, when the hip hop artist contacted the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania about the matter, they were told: "The only thing we can do is make sure you're eating good if they lock you up." After nearly three days of playing duck-and-dodge with the promoter and Tanzanian authorities, said rapper was finally able to board a plane back to the States without doing prison time.

Only in LaLa Land!

True story! So I'm in Hollywood recently and go to have dinner with two of my closest friends at the swank Chinese eatery Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills. (See my Mr. Chow sightings below.) I walk in the door and walk up to the hostess to let her know we'd arrived. Her eyes got big, her face lit up and she said, "Oh my God, are you Ice Cube?" I laughed-and believe it or not, I get that quite often-and assured the beautiful Asian woman that I wasn't the rapper/actor. Nonetheless, that didn't stop her from sharing with me that growing up she had the biggest crush on Ice Cube. So much so, she lost her virginity to an Ice Cube look-alike in her local neighborhood, because as she put it, "He was the next best thing." So I asked: "So when you saw me come in, you thought you'd actually get to sleep with the real thing, huh?" She laughed and replied: "Well, yeah!"

Despite my likeness to Ice Cube, and the hostess' (I promised I wouldn't write her name) first-love nostalgia, the experience must not have been that great! Despite my 8:30 p.m. reservation, we still didn't actually get our table until nearly 9:15 p.m. I guess she figured since she's still waiting on the real Ice Cube, I could wait on my table.

BV Scene

Gospel executive Neily Dickerson dining with clients Lucinda Moore and VaShawn Mitchell at Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. Also dining separately at Roscoe's were comedian G-Thang, and Blackstreet members Mark Middleton and Eric Williams… Speaking of Mitchell, the gospel singer was also spotted dining with reality show vixen Omarosa at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills, Calif. Actresses Tracee Ellis Ross ('Girlfriends') and Kelita Smith ('Bernie Mac Show') also dined, separately, with their respective entourages… Vanessa Bell Calloway was driving down Melrose Blvd. in Los Angeles in a silver Porsche Boxster S Convertible while her curly, brown hair blew in the wind... Actor Keith Robinson ('Fat Albert'/'Dreamgirls') walked past the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills with a friend… Justin Chambers ('Grey's Anatomy') spotted walking through The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles with his wife Keshia and their five children. Shopping the same day were choreographer Fatima Robinson and actress Jennia Fredrique ('Noah's Arc')… Actor/director Vondie Curtis Hall dining at the papparrazi-poluted restaurant The Ivy with wife Kasi Lemmons and their son… New Jersey Nets forward Vince Carter shopped in a CVS Pharmacy in Teaneck, New Jersey with former '106 & Park' host Free.