Oct. 31, 2005

Despite being one of the stars of the movie 'G,' actor Laz Alonso said the perception that he's a 'G' is totally off-base. "People think that I'm a player or that I hang out a lot or that I got a lot of broads. I be chilling man. I be at the crib watching TV. Everyone thinks I'm always out ballin'," Alonso laughed.

During his stint as host of the BET news magazine series 'NYLA,' there were rumors that Alonso was romantically linked to soul singer Angie Stone, a story he denies. "To this day, even some of my boys, they'll be like, 'What's up with Angie?' I'll be like, 'Come on man, ya'll know what the deal was with that.' They'll be like, 'Yeah right, whatever n--a!' It's hilarious cause Angie; she's just a very, very good friend. Anyone who knows her will know that she is one of the nicest, motherly type of figures that exists in the entertainment industry. She really uses her experience, since she's been in the business forever, to help guide you," he explained.

Alonso, who also stars in the upcoming film 'Jarhead,' said that Stone's friendship was timely and instrumental in his overcoming some serious obstacles. "When I met Angie, I was going through some rough times in my life. It was almost like God sent her into my life to bring me closer to Him. I've never really been a churchgoing cat, and I've never really been into scripture or anything like that. he would spend hours on the phone talking to me about God and how God has a plan for you. She was like, 'You have to be strong, everything happens for a reason, read this scripture and read that scripture.' She got me to start going to church and she would put me on the phone with some of her friends, and they would pray with me," he recalled.

Though he believes speculation that the two were dating began after they attended several award shows and industry functions together, Alonso admits that the relationship was solely platonic and he and Stone -- who is now engaged to a rapper named THC -- are still close pals. "She was just such a role model when it came to spiritual strength, she's been nothing but a blessing in my life," he closed.

High Roller

Tyra Banks isn't the only supermodel showing entrepreneurial prowess outside of the world of fashion. Ford model Datari Turner, who has appeared in print campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Hugo Boss, Armani and Abercrombie & Fitch, is expanding his portfolio in the world of television and film.

Most don't know, but Turner is the creator and co-executive producer of the BET reality series, 'Ultimate Hustler,' which is hosted and also produced by rap mogul Damon Dash. "Other than 'The Apprentice,' we don't have a show on air that is teaching people how to build companies. Even 'The Apprentice' is teaching people how to work for somebody else," Turner shared about the show's concept.

The Oakland, Calif. native, who was been romantically linked to 'American Idol' Fantasia in the tabloids, conducted extensive research on African-American millionaires in this country while creating the series. "I started looking at the richest African Americans in the country, starting with Bob Johnson and Oprah Winfrey, and I realized that a lot of the other rich African Americans after that were hip-hop moguls. With Sean (Diddy) Combs, Damon Dash, Russell Simmons, Master P and other people like that, combined they have one year of college between them all. I'm not trying to condone not going to school, but I wanted to do a show where we took people who didn't go to school at all and mix them with people who are in school and those who do have degrees and teach them how to build companies from scratch," he explained.

The 'Ultimate Hustler' has had one of the highest-rated premieres for a new series debut on BET, second only to 'College Hill.' In addition to the reality series, Turner is also producing a made-for-television bio-picture on Dash. "I spoke to Terrence Howard about playing Damon and then got him on the phone with Damon. He gave me the verbal and said he would do it," Turner announced. "I even spoke to Anthony Mackie ('She Hate Me') about playing Jay-Z."

The model-turned-executive has big-screen ambitions as well. He wrote a screenplay called 'The Video Girl' that actress Meagan Good is attached to and both John Singleton and 50 Cent have expressed interest in the project. And though he's making strides behind the scenes in Hollywood, Turner continues to model and act as well. He recently starred alongside pop star Ciara in the MTV film 'Rumble,' and is also featured as the leading man in the singer's music video for the song 'And I.'

Sounds like Turner is really the 'Ultimate Hustler.'

True Confessions

The New York Times best-selling author Karrine Steffans' memoir 'Confessions of a Video Vixen' (Amistad/Harper Collins, $24.95) and her relationship with HBO political pundit and comedian Bill Maher have made her a mainstay in the news headlines.

Now Steffans is featured on the cover of Smooth magazine's sex issue and in a steamy interview with yours truly. Music's most notorious ex-video girl drops a few new names, addresses the ambush on New York's HOT 97 radio station and opens up about the porn clip of her and adult film star Mr. Marcus circulating on the Internet.

During the interview, Steffans revealed that her nickname for Fox Sports Network's 'The Best Damn Sports Show Period' host and Los Angeles morning show host John Salley is Mr. Snuffleupagus. "And I've never been with John, we're only friends. But if I hear something like that about you and you're my guy friend, I am going to ask you to pull it out and let me see it. I have seen a lot of things in my life but nobody is going to beat John Salley on that one. He wears that crown."

The Smooth sex issue hits newsstands nationally Nov. 1., but in the meantime, you can check out Steffans as a recurring peer counselor on the NBC reality series 'Starting Over.'

Can't Say Names

Sources say it was an ugly scene at a birthday party in Los Angeles when a married music bad boy-turned-reality star had a physical altercation with an actress who knows how to appeal to 'the brothers.' Said singer was apparently excited about his once-bulging belly now being toned and wanted all of the females in attendance to touch his tummy. When the actress passed on poking the potbelly belter, the annoyed entertainer pushed her. After some shoving back and forth, and said actress punching him in his chest, onlookers ended the scuffle and the party resumed.

Buzzworthy

'Less Than Perfect' star Sherri Shepherd will be a weekly guest on the daytime talk show 'Ellen.' The clean comic, who also starred in 'Beauty Shop,' will appear each Friday in a segment called 'The Shepherd Report,' where she'll discuss current events & pop culture with host Ellen DeGeneres.

If being an author, nutritionist, health expert, lecturer and television personality wasn't enough for Dr. Ro (Rovenia Brock, Ph.D.), the sought-after personality has now added store owner to her many titles. Dr. Ro recently had the grand opening for her lifestyle boutique, Everything Ro (4550 Montgomery Ave.) in Bethesda, Md. While a jazz band played and footage of Dr. Ro's new TV One series played on a flat screen monitor, CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, motivational speaker Willie Jolley, former BET news anchor Cheryl Martin and Dr. Ro's husband Dr. Murray Riggins were among those who dined on recipes from Dr. Ro's first book, 'Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy' (Bantam-Dell Publishing, $22.95). Some of the items available at Everything Ro include Dr. Ro's active-wear line Dr. Ro Gear Hi-Tech; her bath and body collection; candles; sandals; and Dr. Ro's Nutrition Therapy -- a multivitamin supplement for men, women and children. For details on the shop, visit www.everythingRo.com.

Has severe sudden sensorineural hearing loss caused Foxy Brown to turn over a new leaf? In an effort to put her best (pedicured) foot forward, Brown recently attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for Banyan Citispa, a new luxury day spa in the Soho community of New York City. The irony is that the trouble-prone rapper was sued earlier this year by a Manhattan manicurist who claimed Brown assaulted her after refusing to pay the bill of $20.

Actress-comedienne Kim Coles will host a show for Fox's new cable network Fox Reality called 'Reality Remix.' The series -- Fox Reality's version of E! Entertainment's 'Talk Soup' -- offers humorous recaps of the various reality shows on television. Coles can also be seen on the 'Living Single Comedy Tour' with her 'Living Single' costar John Henton. The two recently wrapped shows in Charlotte, N.C., Sacramento, Calif., and Nashville, Tenn., and are scheduled to be in Jacksonville, Fla. in November.

BV Scene

Black Hollywood came out in force recently to pay tribute to Oscar-nominated film director-producer John Singleton, who was honored with the 2005 DaimlerChrysler Behind The Lens Award at The Beverly Hills Hotel. Singleton, whose body of work includes the films 'Rosewood,' '2 Fast 2 Furious,' 'Four Brothers' and 'Hustle & Flow,' launched the careers of several Hollywood stars including Ice Cube, Angela Bassett ,Cuba Gooding Jr., Nia Long and Morris Chestnut, who all appeared in 'Boyz N the Hood.' That film also made Singleton the youngest person -- he was 24 at the time -- and first-ever African American to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Director. Among those on hand to celebrate him were Long, Elise Neal ('The Hughleys'), director Forest Whitaker, Ja'net DuBois ('Good Times'), Taraji P. Henson ('Hustle & Flow'), singer-actor Tyrese, Kenya Moore ('Trois'), A.J. Johnson ('Baby Boy'), Marcus Paulk ('Moesha'), Sofia Vergara ('Four Brothers'), Marla Gibbs ('227'), Meagan Good ('You Got Served'), Nichelle Nichols ('Star Trek'), Shondrella Avery ('Cuts'), Rockmond Dunbar ('Soul Food'), Terri J. Vaughn ('Steve Harvey Show'), Vanessa Bell Calloway (Biker Boyz'), singer Tevin Campbell, media maven Tanya Hart, Alicia Davis ('E! News Daily'), casting director Robi Reed and Hollywood personality Norwood Young.