MARIAH & NICK: THEIR FIRST HOME TOGETHER May 31, 2009 A year after they wed, they're ready to move into a $7 million LA love nest. Is a baby next? Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon may have seemed impulsive when they tied the knot after dating for a few weeks in 2008, but they remain as devoted as ever. "We're proving people wrong," says Nick. "They said we wouldn't make it – we're making it!" To celebrate, the couple recently treated themselves to a $7 million anniversary present: an 11,750-square-foot home in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles. While Mariah already owns a triplex apartment in NYC's Tribeca and a compound in the Bahamas, this will be their first new home together. And it's a perfect "starter" house for an A-list couple. "Bel-Air has a very prestigious zip code," says celebrity real estate agent Chad Rogers. "This property is very appealing because it gives them land. It is on about three acres with the most incredible 360-degree views of the city lights, the canyons, the reservoirs and the ocean. It's total seclusion on a quiet street, and they're minutes from anywhere they want to be in LA." A place to start a family Mariah and her siblings lived in 13 different houses after their parents divorced, so making a permanent home is important to her. "I remember saying to myself, 'I want to have a good life and feel secure,'" says the singer. And though she once admitted that she didn't know how many bathrooms were in her NYC apartment, this enormous home features eight, plus seven fireplaces and five bedrooms – plenty of space for kids. "I don't think Mariah ever loved someone like she loves Nick. They are well-matched in every way," says a friend of Mariah's. "She very much wants to have a child with him." That's definitely part of Nick's plan, but he seems content to settle into domesticity with his wife. "Right now, we're trying to enjoy the newlywed aspect," he says. "The first year of marriage was amazing. I can't for the second." (In Style | Images courtesy of Mariah Daily Journal)

'TENNESSEE' CLUNKS, SURPRISES AT TIMES May 30, 2009 Knoxville-grown screenwriter Russell Schaumburg's "Tennessee" certainly is not the first road movie to treat "home" as both idealized haven and personal hell, but it is among the few to do it without gnashing the story into pathetic mush. Sure, the film is burdened with familiar melodrama, conventional situations and stock roles – alcoholism born of childhood abuse, a dying angelic figure, a wounded martyr deserving redemption, stifled talent, you name it – but the refreshing difference is that Schaumburg and director Aaron Woodley don't pummel the cliches or chew on them endlessly. Following two brothers along a journey of reclamation and catharsis across several states toward their former home near Knoxville, "Tennessee" saunters along mildly, covering that familiar ground with enough creative ideas and unexpected turns thrown in to make it a worthwhile view, even if it's not a wholly satisfying experience thanks to some glaring shortcuts, haphazard moments, inconsistencies and an overly painted atmosphere. Having fluttered about the festival circuit a bit, the 2008 film enters wider but still limited release Friday, including premieres in several cities right here in the state that gives it its name. Along with cinemas in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville, Johnson City's Real to Reel Theaters will open "Tennessee" in a special engagement as part of the managers' commitment to bringing more art-house and independent projects to the region. Nationally, the film could garner some attention thanks to its chief supporting player, pop superstar Mariah Carey, but local viewers rightfully should key on the state's significance in the screenplay, as well as the handful of scenes shot on location in the Nashville, McMinnville and Dunlap areas. It's fitting that Schaumburg's film would land here, not just due to East Tennessee's prominence in the film but because his maternal grandfather was highly successful baseball executive Bing Devine, who went on to develop three St. Louis Cardinals teams into World Series champions after cutting his teeth with the Cardinals' farm club here in Johnson City. Devine met his future wife, who would become Schaumburg's grandmother, while working with the Cardinals here, so the screenwriter owes his very existence in part to Johnson City. Schaumburg penned "Tennessee," just his second script, in 2000 as he was trying to break into the film business in Los Angeles. Looking to write something with personal familiarity, he drew on his own personal longing for the comforts of home, as well as the many times he traversed the highways between L.A. and Knoxville, for the script's foundation. In a telephone interview, he said he saw Tennessee not necessarily as an actual place but rather as an ideal of home with all the pleasantries and painful connotations that come with it. Though Schaumburg initially considered the script a lark project intended as a learning experience, he came to see it as something special that might have some legs. Still, the screenplay sat on the shelf for five years without interest from producers until Lee Daniels, who produced one of this decade's finest films in "Monsters Ball," picked it up and gave it the green light. "Tennessee" debuted at the esteemed Tribeca Film Festival with festival cofounder Robert De Niro in the audience. With the film opening in New York, Dallas, Philadelphia and some other major markets on Friday, Schaumburg says he is excited by the prospects of shining a different light on the South and Tennessee in particular, since he believes the film does justice to the state's residents as capable of being "bright and authentic" rather than the stereotypical representations seen in many movies. Schaumburg's protagonists are Carter (Adam Rothenberg) and his younger brother Ellis (Ethan Peck), who set out for Tennessee from New Mexico in hopes of recovering identity lost when they were forced to leave the Knoxville area as kids. Abandoning football stardom and the love of his life, teenage Carter (Ryan Lynn) had pulled Ellis and their mother away from the embattled life dominated by their pathologically violent father in the mid-'90s. More than a decade later, Carter is still caring for Ellis, now a college student preparing for a career in photography. Their mother has passed on, so Carter is the sole breadwinner, driving a cab to keep the pair afloat. But when Ellis is diagnosed with leukemia and Carter does not match for a bone marrow transplant, Ellis convinces his brother to load him up in the cab and make the trek toward Tennessee to search for their often-barbarous father in hopes he is a transplant match and will agree to donate. Cue road movie conventions. Camp under stars. Run out of cash. Car breaks down for good. Encounter pretty waitress (Carey) with golden voice. Meet her nasty husband (Lance Reddick of TV's "Lost," "The Wire" and "Fringe"). Go on the lam in the husband's car. Lie low in sleazy motels. Get drunk and fight. Hop on freight train that just happens to be headed toward a destination. Some of those hackneyed moments are so rough, they're cringe-worthy, and many of the key transitions amount to bad shortcuts, especially the obligatory chase scene that forces the rail portion of the journey. Schaumburg acknowledged the flaws, chalking them up to a breakneck production. Only about 70 percent of his script made it into the 21-day shooting schedule, and much of what was trimmed was in backstory components that fleshed out relationships and characters. And as pretty as the scenes are at times, "Tennessee" is one of those films where all the important moments magically take place at dusk or dawn when the light is just right to bathe everyone in beautiful orange glow. It's a technique that used sparingly might have strengthened the emotional impact of "Tennessee," but in overkill, it has the opposite effect. When it counts, though, "Tennessee" surprises with some nice bits, especially when it defies its roots, sends a character into an unforeseen direction or spills out a creative exchange of dialogue. Given all the familiar territory, you'd expect the guys' search for dear old dad to conclude in equally typical fashion. It doesn't. Some of the surprises even come from singer-turned-actress Carey, whose work here easily surpasses her much-maligned starring role in 2001's "Glitter," even if she's saddled with some rather clunky scenes, particularly the heart-of-gold waitress' singing debut in a Nashville bar, and doesn't always convince. But Peck and Rothenberg carry the ball quite well for everyone involved, finding the right tone for the siblings and making them seem like real brothers. Given the dramatics at hand, they might have gone for chewy stuff, but they almost always stay in check. So there's rarely a false moment in their relationship, and that may be the most fitting representation of what amounts to home in "Tennessee." (Johnson City Press)

MARIAH CAREY: "I'M NO DIVA" May 29, 2009 Mariah Carey thinks her reputation as a diva is undeserved. The Touch My Body singer - who goes frumpy for her role in new movie Precious - says her past has just made her a strong person who knows what she wants from life - and people misinterpret that as being difficult. "I have been through a lot that's made me stronger," says Mariah. "They say: whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. So I've been through that kind of stuff a few times. A lot of people have very different opinions about me and it's difficult to face them and to deal with them and to go on and to say: no, actually you're wrong. I am this, I am not that." (Showiz Spy)

DANCERS WANTED FOR MARIAH'S '09 EUROPEAN PROMO TOUR May 29, 2009 Choreographer/dancer Eddie Morales is holding auditions for European dancers for a possibility to perform with Mariah on her upcoming European promo tour later this year. The auditions will be held in The Netherlands at Sintmeerten College (Valkenburgerweg 219, Heerlen) on Sunday, June 14, 2009. The 20 best dancers will be presented at Club Mondial (Middelweg 12, Beek) later the same evening during the celebration of Eddie's birthday. To apply and for further information, log on to Moves! Dance Warehouse. (Moves! Amsterdam | Mariah Daily Journal)

MARIAH CAREY AND NICK CANNON COMING TO AXE LOUNGE May 28, 2009 Looks like the AXE Lounge at DUNE in Southampton is keeping true to its promise of a star-studded summer as actor Nick Cannon will be performing DJ duties Friday. Of course, that begs the question: Will his wife come down to cheer him on? Yes, say AXE officials — Long Island’s own diva and superstar Mariah Carey is confirmed to be expected in the house to watch her hubby spin for the crowd. (News Days)

LIPPMAN TALKS ABOUT MARIAH'S FRAGRANCE SHOOT May 28, 2009 In an entry made in her Lippman Collection blog on May 28th at 2:51am, manicurist to the stars Deborah Lippman talked about working with Mariah in a photo shoot for her new Elizabeth Arden fragrance. "So who said working in fashion and with celebrities isnt glamorous? It is nearly 3 am and I am on a shoot with the great Mariah Carey whom I love and adore. She is a night owl and is so creative! We have been on a shoot since 1 pm and being the nail diva that she is we are doing lots of nail color changes. We started the day with her wearing her personal favorite lippmann shade-- FASHION. The second shot we went with Believe (a soft silvered gold combo). We did a retro look and she wore Stop and Stare and it has been a long time since I have put a red on MC. We are doing the last shot now and she is wearing a color that wont be out until Fall 09.... Wicked Game a sort of mood ring thing that I am bringing back from my VINYL line. Look for it soon. All the other shades are available NOW!!" (Lippmann Collection)

MARIAH CAREY IS VIBRANT ON SCREEN May 27, 2009 Mariah Carey is more than just the big star in this small story. She's the warm, charismatic, and deliciously down home presence that spontaneously fills the screen with charm to spare, in this comparatively weak and maudlin story. Though it's unfortunate and rather lopsided, that the details of her own character lack the attention and depth lavished upon the male protagonists. In addition, what we have here is once again the black mammy syndrome, as Carey seems to be around mostly to tend to the physical and emotional needs of those perpetually moping males. She's even repeatedly fetching them food, long after Krystal has called it quits with waitressing. And in the brief interlude when she does get to grab some spotlight and show her far too professional musical skills as a supposed amateur on a stage in an unusually receptive redneck bar, Mariah through no fault of her own, feels as fish out of water forced as you can get. Tennessee has its moments of tenderly spun brotherly love. But all the secondary characters lack a sense of being fully realized, particularly the many abusive one-note males, seemingly on hand more to make a vague point about domestic violence not being cool, than dramatically resolving or explaining anything about that terrible trauma. (News Blaze)

ISLAND DEF JAM HOSTS EVENT SHOWCASING SPRING LINEUP May 27, 2009 L.A. Reid and Island Def Jam Recordings have made it very clear: Spring 2009 belongs to them. During an exclusive event, Island Def Jam's Spring Collection, L.A. Reid and company showcased not only new and exclusive material coming from their flock of established artists, but also shined a massive light on several new acts falling under the pop, R&B and even alternative rock realms. Island Def Jam debuts Kanye West video starring Rihanna at Spring Collection event. The event, which was held at the Stephen Weiss Studio in downtown NYC, housed some of the industry's most elite personalities and executives, all of whom were personally invited by Mr. L.A. Reid himself. Leading things off, Reid began the evening's festivities with a vivid two-minute montage of the entire IDJ roster. Shortly after, L.A. presented new visuals from Fabolous ("My Time", "Throw It In The Bag") The-Dream ("Walking On The Moon" ft. Kanye West) and existing clips from Rick Ross and Method Man and Redman's current projects. Reid then switched gears and introduced several new young acts who will soon be a priority in the IDJ building this spring. Jeremiah, a 21-year-old R&B crooner from Chicago whose single, "Birthday Sex", is rapidly climbing the Billboard charts; and 14-year-old Justin Bieber, who was brought to L.A. Reid by Usher, both received an extremely warm welcome directly after their material was showcased. With Rihanna in attendance, it was only right that Reid premiere the new, black and white visual for Kanye's next single, "Paranoid", which features the international starlet as the leading lady. Following the clip, Reid brought Rihanna onstage to present her with a plaque celebrating the success of her latest effort, "Good Girl Gone Bad". The set, which featured the hit singles "Umbrella", "Hate That I Love You" and "Unfaithful", is noted as selling 16 million copies worldwide. Toward the latter part of the evening, Reid also played new material from Amerie, who was also in attendance; The Noisettes, a new alternative rock group; and the lead-off single, "H-A-T-E U", from Mariah Carey's newest project, "Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel". Other personalities in attendance last night were Chrisette Michele, ?uest Love, Pete Wentz from Fallout Boy, DJ Khaled and Ace Hood. (BET.com)

MARIAH CAREY'S NOSE DISASTER May 27, 2009 Mariah Carey was left red-faced while filming her new movie Push - because of a false nose. The singer plays a dowdy social worker in the hard-hitting drama - but attempts to play down her glamorous image with a fake hooter went disastrously wrong. "We tried to do a prosthetic nose but it started to make me break out and so we had to rip it off," says Mariah. "After that I was just all red and swollen. I have such sensitive skin that it started to eat away all my face. It was like: 'I won't be doing this.' But it did have an effect on my look in the film - unglamorous, not pretty at all." Carey recently revealed how she tried to sneak her make-up on to the set of the movie. "It was tough," she said. "I am so used to the music world which is so different with the cameras, the lighting, the angles and this and that. At one point the director caught me trying to put blusher on and he said: 'What are you doing? What are you doing?' He was not going for it." (Showbiz Spy | The Mariah Carey Archives)

NICK CANNON COOLS OFF ABOUT EMINEM May 27, 2009 Seems the verbal battle between rapper Eminem and Mariah Carey's-husband, Nick Cannon, is all but over. "I never even considered it as beef. It's not beef. It's just, 'Hey, I heard the record.' I said what I had to say," Cannon told Entertainment Weekly. He was referring to his lengthy Internet diatribe -- and the subsequent removal of the post -- in response to Em's "Bagpipes from Baghdad," in which shots were directed at Carey, whom Em allegedly hooked up with years ago. The reasoning behind the removal of the post? "I didn't take (the post) down, like, 'Oh, somebody instructed me to do it' or anything like that. It was just one of those things." Then he said it had to do with the traffic to his Web site, which "pretty much crashed my site." (Freep.com)

TENNESSEE: LIMITED THEATRICAL RELEASE May 25, 2009 Tennessee, which premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, will open in select theaters starting June 5, 2009. A moving and gripping drama of sacrifice and self-discovery, Tennessee is the story of three people who strive to realize their dreams. Brothers Carter (Adam Rothenberg) and Ellis (Ethan Peck) set out on a road trip to their childhood home in a desperate search for their estranged father, who may hold the key to their future. Along the way, they are joined by Krystal (Mariah Carey), who is trying to escape a troubled life. These unlikely traveling companions are guided in their mutual journey by the conviction that the only way to a new life is by overcoming their past. Tennessee's theme song, "Right To Dream" (available on iTunes now) was written by Mariah and is also performed during the film by Mariah's character Krystal. (MariahCarey.com)

MARIAH CAREY HAS 15 STAFF INCLUDING A CLEAVAGE ASSISTANT May 25, 2009 Today's modern celebrity is known for overdoing it but none over do it like pop diva Mariah Carey. The arrival of Carey, for this year's Cannes film festival, revealed that Carey's world is really scary to be part of. She refused to speak at check-in at the Martinez Hotel, on the Croisette at Cannes (she often spends days in silence to save her voice), the Mail on Sunday newspaper in the UK reports. But "her people" let it be known that her suite needed to be at a specific temperature, far warmer than the 18C which the rest of the hotel is maintained at, because she feels the heat is better for her vocal cords. Half-a-dozen humidifiers had been placed by her bed. They whirr through the night and the noise aggravates her insomnia, but she will not travel unless she is sure of her air quality. She also had "her people" check the décor of the suite before her arrival. Much to everyone's relief, it was pronounced white enough to fit her tastes and a re-vamp was avoided. Assistants were dispatched to decorate Mariah's room with Hello Kitty tat - the cutesy Japanese cartoon brand beloved of eight-year-old girls - which the singer insists upon to help her feel at home. Quite what Nick Cannon, her 29-year-old husband, makes of waking up surrounded by twee images of a little white cat, one can only imagine, the paper reports. But then he also has to put up with Mariah wearing her favourite Bambi pyjamas, and Mariah being told "You are looking beautiful today" by her assistant, each and every day within a few minutes of her waking up. The hotel refrigerator was stocked with white wine, green olives and almonds and absolutely nothing else - on pain of death - as Mariah is yet again on her "morsel" diet. This means that she permits herself only handfuls of nibbles from time to time, instead of actual meals. Mariah finds she can't lose weight and still drink alcohol any other way, and she will moan camply about how cruel it is that wine has so many calories in it. Woe betide anyone who puts temptation in her way, as Miss Carey has set herself the goal of regaining the 22in waist she had in the 11th grade - that is, when she was 16 years old. She has just moved her personal trainer back in with her in her New York apartment to help achieve this. Miss Carey is surely the planet's most preposterous pop star. The entourage, the diet, the clothes, the demands and the décor are all wildly extravagant. Even her dog has its own chauffeur-driven Mercedes. The 5ft 9in diva requisitioned pretty much an entire floor of the Cannes hotel. Her suite was the grandest on offer, with an enormous Jacuzzi on the balcony. It cost more than $9000 a night. Then, for an extra $22,000 a night, she hired another set of rooms, including a room to house her wardrobe - Alaia, Cavalli and Ralph Lauren dresses - and her collection of size four shoes. Over three nights, accommodation costs alone were nearly $100,000. The bill for her staff was around $140,000. And Mariah, who is estimated to be worth around $285 million and can earn up to $2 million for an hour-long performance, has a lot of minions. When she wafted into the white marbled halls of the Martinez Hotel, she brought with her a 15-strong entourage, including three personal assistants, a hairdresser, a stylist, a make-up artist, a masseuse, a chauffeur and a dietician. She has an assistant whose job it is to follow her with wet wipes to clean her hands after she has touched anything, and also to clean anything which she might potentially touch. Another prances in her wake with a glass of warm water and a straw. The water has to be kept at just a little above room temperature to help her voice - which is, indeed, astonishing. Her vocal range is so accomplished that many say she can produce sounds high enough to startle a bat. In the evening, this assistant also has the task of monitoring her cleavage and reapplying modesty tape, if required. Working for Mariah requires you to be on duty 24 hours a day. Also in attendance, at all times, are five bodyguards. The bodyguards form a ring around her when she ventures out - as if she were the jam in the middle of a muscular doughnut - shouting "Miss Carey coming through!" and: "'Make way for Mariah!" One who has spent time with Miss Carey says that her world is exactly the one a 12-year-old girl would order if she had unlimited funds at her disposal. Everywhere you turn there is a lot of pink, a lot of glitter, and a lot of gold. Indeed, one of her bathrooms back home has a Marilyn Monroe theme and a gold ceiling, and she has a chaise longue in her kitchen because she likes to lie down when she eats. Another concept Miss Carey does seem to struggle with is time. When she attended a party thrown by a movie company in her honour last Saturday night - and costing around $1.6 million - she was three hours late and stayed for just 20 minutes before setting off again for a private bash on the luxurious purple leopardskin-covered yacht owned by her dear friend Roberto Cavalli. Mariah is, actually, nearly always late. Quite often she will miss appointments by as much as five hours. 'Time is such a problem to me,' she once sighed to an interviewer. This is partly because none of her employees - who she pays well and who all genuinely like her - is able to hurry her up. It is also partly because she suffers badly from insomnia and will often not sleep until dawn, and then does not rise until the afternoon. It's all a shade Mariah Antoinette, especially as the movie which she hit Cannes to promote, Precious, is a gritty and emotionally wrenching tale of urban poverty. Mariah plays, of all things, a dowdy social worker who tries to help an overweight teenager. Her previous forays into acting have been disastrous: the film Glitter is widely regarded as one of the worst movies ever made. But word is that Precious is terrific, an Oscar contender, and that Mariah is not bad in it at all. (News.com.au)

CELEBRITIES IN ANTALYA May 24, 2009 Worldwide famous artists such as Richard Gere, Mariah Carey, Tom Jones, Sharon Stone, Seal and Monica Bellucci came to the southern Turkish province of Antalya to attend the inauguration of the five-star Mardan Palace Hotel constructed by Russian businessman Telman Ismailov of Azerbaijani descent. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Culture & Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay will also be in attendance at the inauguration of the hotel which cost about 1.4 billion USD. (Turk.net | Photos Courtesy of Mariah Daily Journal)

TURKISH FANS MEET MARIAH May 24, 2009 Turkish fans Can, Cihan and Arif Can had the time of their lives meeting their idol Mariah Carey for the first time! Below, Can gives us a recount of their unforgettable moment with Mariah at the Antalya airport on Thursday, May 21, 2009. "Mariah has never been to Turkey before so it was definitely a huge occasion for us all Turkish lambs that she was coming here. But there was this huge problem of not knowing anything about her arrival and schedule so it was all a matter of uncertainty which kinda freaked us all out as the 23rd got closer. After contacting one of our sources at the last minute we learnt that she was indeed arriving on Thursday night despite the general knowledge that she was to be arriving with others on Friday. After some arrangements and quick flights, we made our way there together with Cihan and Arif Can. Since no one except us, two people from the press and the airport staff knew she was coming, we had our chance of making our voices heard. After speaking with the head security staff and him leading us to one of Mariah's bodyguards, we were promised that we will be given the opportunity to meet Mariah and maybe get a picture together. Two guys from a media agency were really interested in us, they took some pictures of us (that they still have not shared yet), and asked us questions about how we became fans etc. Then to get Mariah's attention, we quickly designed some signs as we did not have enough time before thinking she'd arrive the day after. It was past midnight when a guy from the security called us 'you three!' Together with our hands full of signs, albums & singles and cameras, we started running over there until we were told to stop at a line. We waited there for a while while having bits of anxiety attacks as I realized there was no battery left in my camera, then Cihan dropped his camera which did not work until Mariah left (thank God Arif Can brought his). Then we realized a rush at the gate which meant that Mariah was getting out. And then that moment came, there she was, with flowers in her hand smiling and waving at us. It was a magical moment that we still cannot believe was happening. Then we were called yet again 'you three!' and we made our way near her when we all felt time probably had stopped that moment. We took some photos, showed our signs on behalf of all Turkish lambs telling her that we would like to watch her in a concert in Turkey soon, we had a quick chat, Mariah absolutely loved Cihan's MC tattoo below his knee and told Raychel that they 'should take pictures of this incredible tattoo.' Mariah was so friendly and happy to see us there, she signed my favorite Fantasy vinyl LP, Cihan's EMC² Adventure box and his concert ticket, and Arif's The Ballads CD. As she was heading to her car we told her that we loved the new album title, she thanked us and then left. Then as you guys all know, she tweeted about us which was another highlight of the evening for us. Overall it was a short but a totally amazing experience that we think we may not come across for a long time." (Mariah Turkyie | Mariah Daily Journal)

NICK CANNON TALKS TO EW ABOUT EMINEM BLOG RANT May 24, 2009 Nearly two weeks ago, Nick Cannon posted a rant about Eminem on his personal blog in response to the rapper's new song, "Bagpipes from Baghdad", which targeted him and his wife, Mariah Carey (the feud generated a big reaction from EW.com readers). He quickly deleted the rather long post that accused Eminem of being both racially insensitive and "still obsessed with my wife, the same female that wouldn't let him get to second base from 8 years ago". The controversy continues, however, as Nick Cannon talked to EW yesterday about the fracas. "I felt like I said what I had to say," Cannon says. "I didn't take [the post] down, like, Oh, somebody instructed me to do it or anything like that. It was just one of those things, like, I said it." But why? Cannon claims all the traffic to the post "pretty much crashed my site. There'd be thousands and thousands of comments and people couldn't leave comments on other posts or any of that stuff. So that was the only reason why I took it down." Cannon says he doesn't have any regrets about what he said. "I feel exactly the same way by it and stick by everything, but I think it's one of those things where it becomes that it's not really that big of a deal, you know?" Continuing on about his wife, Cannon added, "I feel that my relationship with my wife is one of the best things - or the best thing - that's ever happened to me, and it has nothing to do with celebrity or this industry. It's all about, you know, just love and finding love and being happy and respecting the union that it is." The big question: Is Nick Cannon's beef with Eminem over, then? "I never even considered it as beef. It's not beef. It's just, Hey, I heard the record. I said what I had to say." (Entertainment Weekly)

MARIAH CAREY REVEALS NAME OF NEXT ALBUM ON TWITTER May 21, 2009 Mariah Carey's rep told us to be poised for a big announcement from her on Twitter Wednesday afternoon (May 20), and sure enough, it came: "Bcuz I Love U, I want u to be the first to know the title of my new album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. It's very personal & dedicated to u." While Mariah's rep confirmed that the Tweet was legit, further details were not disclosed beyond the fact that the album is "coming soon". However, back in January, songwriter/ producer/ artist The-Dream told KIIS-FM about some tracks he'd begun working on with the singer the week before. The-Dream and his frequent collaborator Tricky Stewart produced the hit "Touch My Body" from Mariah's last album, E=MC2. "I'm trying to do the whole [album]," The-Dream told the station's DJ Skee. "I love her, she's everything," he said of Carey. "She's down, she's cool, she gets it. You think she's this big, but she gets it. She's all the way in there. I told her we need to get back in there. It's not like it used to be where you can wait to come out with an album. I'm like, 'Let's go, let's do it!' And she's up for it." The-Dream said he wouldn't want to take Mariah too far from the style that's brought her so much success in the past. "It's like we're trying to make a greatest hits without using the greatest hits," he said. He added that he thought the album would be called MC3, but apparently that plan has changed. Carey has said in the past how much she enjoys collaborating with other songwriters like The-Dream. "Sometimes it's perhaps a co-writer, which you can definitely feed off that other person's energy or where they're coming from, and go back and forth with different ideas," Carey said in a statement. "That's a process that really inspires me and that I really love." (MTV News)

EMINEM SAYS NICK CANNON MISINTERPRETED MARIAH CAREY DIS May 21, 2009 'What I actually meant to say is, I wish them the best,' Em says of 'Bagpipes From Baghdad' lyrics. Is Eminem taking the high road? As odd as it seems, that's what the rapper did in answer to Nick Cannon's furious blog post responding to Em's apparent dis of Mariah Carey in a new track. Well, he's sort of taking the high road. He still is Slim Shady after all. During an interview with BBC Radio 1 host Tim Westwood on Saturday, Eminem explained the song that sparked the ire of Carey's husband. "With the song 'Bagpipes From Baghdad,' I kinda spazzed out on that record, but I guess I spazzed out on every record," Em told Westwood of the Relapse track. "There's a line on there that was a little harsh. It's a harsh line. ... But it's like this, the way I look at it: I had no idea he was gonna take it like he took it. I had no idea Nick Cannon was gonna start wildin' out on me. No pun intended." Possibly in jest, Em said his lyrics — which include the lines, "Nick Cannon better back the f--- up. I'm not playing, I want her back, you punk," and, "Nick Cannon, you pr---, I wish you luck with that f---in' whore" — were misinterpreted. The rapper downplayed the situation, and his level tone seemed to be an attempt to diffuse any tension between himself and Cannon. After hearing the leaked song, Cannon wrote a long, scathing post, calling the song "an act of racist bigotry" and threatening Eminem, "I'm going to make you wish you never spoke my name and regret the ungodly things you said about my wife." Eminem admitted that he hadn't read Cannon's blog post but got wind of the message. "I heard about some of the things he was saying," Em said. "I didn't read his blog or anything. But it is what it is. He's supposed to defend his wife, and I expected him to do that. But at the end of the day, it's a line I said; it's a song. What I actually meant to say is, I wish them the best. That's what I meant to say. That's the whole message of the record. Asked how he'd feel about facing Cannon in a rap battle, Eminem didn't take the bait. "I didn't plan on taking it to that level," Em said. "Hopefully, it doesn't. But it is what it is." (MTV News)

CAREY'S HAIR PANIC AT CANNES May 21, 2009 Mariah Carey's Cannes Film Festival experience was almost ruined when she was abandoned by her hair stylist. The singer jetted to France to attend the premiere of her new movie Precious last week, and she almost had to trick her tresses herself when her hired help failed to show. In a post on her Twitter.com page on Saturday morning, Carey wrote, "I'm still in Cannes (with) a whole day and night of press events ahead of me and the hairdresser has abandoned me!" She was saved from disaster when a replacement stylist was sent to help her out - but she faced a nervous wait to see the results of her makeover when she discovered there was a language barrier. The star added, "OK, so he got me someone else but he doesn't speak English at all, so I'm hoping for the best." The mix up prompted the pop diva to pull out of the start of a party to toast her new movie - she and husband Nick Cannon arrived over three hours late. It wasn't the greatest Cannes for Carey - the start of her premiere screening was delayed when Martin Scorsese's presentation of restored film classic The Red Shoes overran. (Contactmusic)

MARIAH CAREY WOW "PRECIOUS" PREMIERE AT CANNES May 21, 2009 Mariah Carey may have bombed in the past with questionable style choices, but she surely made up for it when she attended the Cannes Film Festival in France last weekend in a stunning black Dolce & Gabbana gown that was quite eye-pleasing and befitting for the classy atmosphere. Carey, with much younger stud-hubby Nick Cannon in tow, of course, was there to promote the Lee Daniels-directed film 'Precious' alongside co-stars Paula Patton, lead star Gabourey Sidibe and rocker Lenny Kravitz. Markedly absent was comedian M'onique, who is also in the film. Patton wowed in a red Andrew Gn gown and Kravitz brought major rock-star attitude swagged out in all black with a sharkskin suit and skinny tie. Kravitz was also quite the gentleman--in a Fonzworth-Bentley move he held the umbrella for Carey to protect her from the rain and ensure that she was paparazzi ready (And we thought that's what Cannon was there for!). Carey stunned again later that night in a gold-flecked gown by Roberto Cavalli at a party the Italian designer held on his yacht. 'Precious' is slated to hit theaters in November and has garnered major buzz in the film industry. Executive-produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, it has already won three awards at the Sundance Film Festival and two at the Independent Spirit Awards. Carey shed the glitz and glam ('a la Halle Berry for Daniels'-produced 'Monster's Ball,' for which she won an Academy Award), gained weight and even donned a slight mustache to play a social worker to Sidibe's character, Precious. We toast Carey for stepping in the right direction style and career-wise. (Black Voices Blogs)

MARIAH CAREY UNVEILS NEW ALBUM TITLE VIA TWITTER May 21, 2009 Mariah Carey has unveiled the name of her next studio album via Twitter. The singer told fans she was using the micro-blogging website to launch the release because she loved them. "I want you to be the first to know the title of my new album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel," Carey wrote. She added: "It's very personal and dedicated to you." Carey, 39, didn't reveal any more details about Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, although it's been reported she is working with producer and solo The-Dream. The songwriter collaborated with the singer on her last studio album, E=MC2, in 2008. The record debuted at number three on the UK album chart and number one in America. Carey's total of six number one albums in the US means she is now tied with Janet Jackson for the third most Number Ones by a female artist ever. (Mirror)

MARIAH TO EMINEM: ‘I DON'T EAT CANDY’ May 20, 2009 Mariah Carey has four sugar-coated words for Eminem. A TMZ paparazzo caught up with Mariah in London and questioned her, “Sorry to ask, but what do you think about all this stuff Eminem’s saying?” Mariah’s bodyguard tried to preempt his client from answering, but she did so anyway, simply replying, “I don’t eat candy.” Slim Shady called Nick Cannon’s wife a “c*nt” and a “f***in’ whore” on “Bagpipes from Baghdad,” a song off his latest release Relapse. Nick threatened repercussions against Eminem after the nasty remarks. Even Busta Rhymes rushed to Mariah’s defense, telling Em, “Leave Mariah Carey alone.” Eminem responded to Nick’s blog rant in an interview with BBC Radio. “There’s a line on there that was a little harsh. It’s a harsh line… But it’s like this, the way I look at it. I had no idea he was going to take it like he took it. I had no idea Nick Cannon was going to start wildin’ out on me,” he explained. The sarcastic rapper said he only meant to wish the couple the best. “He’s supposed to defend his wife, and I expected him to do that. But at the end of the day, it’s a line I said. It’s a song. What I actually meant to say is, I wish them the best. That’s what I meant to say. That’s the whole message of the record.” Editor's note: Download the video of Mariah from TMZ in which she responds to a reporter who asked her about Eminem's comments -Courtesy of Moonstar. (Rap-Up.com)

MARIAH CAREY RADICALLY TRANSFORMS APPEARANCE FOR MOVIE May 20, 2009 Mariah Carey has ditched her beauty products and gone au naturel for her role in the Sundance -- and now Cannes -- hit 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire', and it may be the best move she's ever made. The usually glam singer-actress -- who is said to travel with her own personal brigade of beauticians and sleep with no less than 20 humidifiers surrounding her bed -- is earning critical raves for her turn as a homely (to be nice) social worker in the film, which had its red-carpet premiere at the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend. Of Carey's metamorphosis, The Washington Times says: "Carey undergoes a startling transformation that transcends the physical into the virtually existential. Gone are the trappings of fame and fashion ..." This could be the beginning of a more serious chapter in Carey's acting career. 'Precious' -- about an overweight girl battling rape, abuse and teenage pregnancy in 1987 Harlem -- has already won both the Sundance Audience and Special Jury prizes, and has earned Oprah's stamp of approval. And the fact that director Lee Daniels chose Carey to replace Helen Mirren, who was originally on tap for the part, is pretty telling of her acting chops -- don't you think? For our part, we've already forgotten 'Glitter' ever existed. Well, almost. -- By Tom DiChiara (MovieFone.com)

MARIAH REVEALS HER FAN-DESIGNED FROCK May 21, 2009 PEOPLE.com is giving an exclusive first look at Mariah stepping out in the winning dress of the Luscious Pink Dress Design Contest. Created by 20-year-old Julian Contreras from San Jose, the pink concoction balances the star's love of body-conscious silhouettes with luxe red carpet glamour. And while Mimi had originally planned to wear the look as part of an upcoming tour, she loved the chic style so much that she skipped the stage and wore it for a romantic dinner with husband Nick Cannon. Starting today, Mariah is auctioning off one of three copies of the dress in existence on eBay, with all proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Bids start at $500, with the winner being determined May 30th. Click here to make it yours! (People)

MARIAH ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM TITLE May 21, 2009 At 3:27pm today Mariah announced via her official twitter page the title of her upcoming album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel." Mariah stated in her tweet that the title is a very personal one to her and she wanted the fans to be the first she shared it with and also dedicated the new album title to her fans. Visit Mariah's Official Twitter Page to read the announcement and be sure to follow Mariah via twitter.com/MariahCarey to be the first to get more exciting updates from Mariah! (Mariah Carey.com)

MARIAH AT PRECIOUS PRESS CONFERNCE May 20, 2009 Written by Déborah Laurent for the Belgian news site, 7 sur 7. Mariah was less stupid than we thought, we met her "Would you like an interview with Mariah?" an all-smiling US publicist asks us. Wait, let me translate that correctly: a meeting? with Mariah Carey? THE Diva? Meuriah Carey? For the amazing movie, Precious, in which she appears for 5 minutes? "YES, with pleasure!" The meeting is arranged, things look well. It seems almost too easy. And what if Mariah cancels? We don't have a very positive image of Mariah: apart from thinking she is vulgar and too affected, according to long-last rumors she's a capricious diva. It wouldn't be surprising then if she changes the promotional agenda and cancels all her interviews at the last minute (without notice). We think she's shy and scared by the press as she makes herself scarce and then we fear the interview won't be that exciting. On Cloud 5 But she didn't. At 1:50pm, a few specially-selected journalists (including me) who will have the chance to talk to Mariah are gathered in the 3.14 hotel hall, right next to the Carlton. We're heading to the 5th floor, named "Sky." Men among the journalists already think they are on cloud 9, excited at the idea of meeting the singer with a crazy cleavage. "Bonjour," in French Once we reach our destination, we are hurried, "Hurry, hurry, please!" A diva can't wait. Voice recorders are on the table. Next to me there's an opened picture window letting a warm and pleasant breeze in and looking out onto the sea. Two bodyguards as large as the doorway from their waists to their shoulders are waiting for Mariah's arrival, she arrives simply without putting on airs, saying a smiling "Bonsoir," in French to no one in particular. She recomposes, noticing the room is bathing in the sun, "Bonjour!" Mariah is beautiful Looking at her, as seconds go by I change my mind, Mariah Carey isn't vulgar. She's wearing a strict mauve dress, too short though and a simple colored cardigan with her sleeves pushed up above her elbow. She has sleek blonde hair. She wears small hoop earrings. She wears make-up of course, but slightly. Mariah Carey is beautiful when she isn't doing too much. Surprising: Mariah is humble You quickly realized she has more neurons we thought she had: she happens to be more intelligent as planned, and moreover, she is funny. Maybe that modesty, that surprising humility and generosity are due to the fact she's here to defend a project that means a lot to her and in which she completely involved herself, the movie Precious was greeted after the official screening by a standing ovation and got great reviews. "The Story left me speechless" "I was a big fan of the book," Mariah explains. "A friend of mine told me to read it. She told me that all colored women should read it. I thought that everyone should read it. That story is so intense that it leaves you speechless. It bowled me over. When Lee offered me a part in the movie, I was very excited." The star confides she is 'very sensitive.' "I cried at the end of the story. That book changed my life." "What a Mess" Playing a social worker brings back personal memories. "In my father's family, one of my uncles had problems and he was in a very precarious situation. So I personally know people who had a difficult past. I experienced it myself as well. Everyone who plays in the movie felt like they were outsiders one day, ignored just like Precious. People think I grew up carefree in a magical world and I've been reaching high notes forever. But no, it wasn't like that at all. Yes, I know people who live in a mess. She insists in French "What a mess!" Without make-up About her appearance without make-up, she confesses it wasn't easy. "I'm so used to wearing make-up. Well, they put on make-up: they added dark rings under my eyes (she laughs). It was a decisive choice. Had I refused, it would have been detrimental to the movie. To be honest, it wasn't easy for me. Music and movies are two different things as far as cameras and lightning are concerned. Here, we had a kind of office lighting reminiscent of the light of a dentist's surgery. It was so ugly!" "That's your wrong side" "Precious is also about the glittering side of the music industry. Whenever Precious is given a rough ride, she focuses on positive thoughts and pictures herself as a movie star, a singer or a model... And yet things aren't easy either." Mariah remembers her first days in the showbusiness. "When at 19 I set foot in the music industry and I signed my first contact, I've been told: 'That's your best side (she shows one side of her face), the other is the wrong one. Never do any photos showing that side. You look awful.' And obviously i got hang-ups like I didn't have enough already." She bursts out laughing. If Precious finds the strength to face her misfortunes, thanks to her teacher. Mariah thinks that "music" and "her faith in God" allowed her to move forward in life. "My mother always told me: 'You'll become a star.' She definitively gave me that faith in myself. I took refuge in music a lot too. With time, it came from friends, from people who helped me through my first difficult relationship." Mottola, "an abusive relationship" She hints at her seven-year-long mariage to Tommy Mottola who discovered her when she was 19. "I don't want to go any further with that question because it belongs to the past but honestly we can say it was an abusive relationship. Emotionally, but not only. Well, it's an old story." Today, Mariah is married to Nick Cannon who encourages her to blossom. She hopes in the future she'll get other roles in movies as interesting as Precious, "A necessary movie," according to her. "especially for the US audience. Everybody should see that movie so that they will never ignore those kinds of situations." The message got through, the meeting is coming to an end. Mariah leaves the room smiling making a small gesture with her hand, moving her fingers gracefully, a gesture reminding us she is a diva. We almost forgot it for half an hour. (7 sur 7 | Mariah Daily Journal)

MARIAH CAREY TAKES CANNES May 20, 2009 What's a film festival on the French Riviera without a little star-like behavior? Mariah Carey was the undeniable hit of a dinner party Saturday night to celebrate the Cannes film festival screening of her new movie Precious - even if she did arrive fashionably late. Guests at the party at Nikki Beach, where cocktails were served at 8 p.m. and dinner followed at 9, had given up hope after the star earlier canceled her scheduled appearance, then sashayed in with husband Nick Cannon at 11:30. According to one guest, the glamorous Carey, 40, lit up the crowd, with many fellow diners holding cellphones aloft to snap a shot. "She was shaking everyone's hands, having kisses, saying 'thank you' for everything. She said the premiere was fantastic," a fellow diner says. Carey greeted friends around the table, including Precious director Lee Daniels. "She looked a little tired from all the press junkets and so on," says the source, "but she had a happy face on seeing everyone." Cannon, 28, was by her side throughout a brief stay at the party, where, according to another source with a peculiarly French way with words, Carey "was perfect in a perfect pink world." The couple left after about 20 minutes, bound for a party on designer Roberto Cavalli's yacht. (People)

CANNES 2009: MARIAH CAREY IN PRECIOUS May 20, 2009 Raped by her father, abused by her mother, and pregnant for the second time, l6-year-old African-American Precious, played with intensity by debut actress Gabourey Sidibe, does not seem to have much of a shot at happiness. Her fantasy, as an obese introverted teenager, to hook up with the handsome stud Nurse John, played by glamour rocker Lenny Kravitz, strikes one as so far-fetched, it is humorous. Asked by her teacher what she is good at in life -- "everyone is good at something" -- Precious responds, "I am good at nothing." Any spectator of this new dramatic film by Lee Daniels, who has a tad of a self-esteem issue, will identify with the pains of this story. Indeed, the singer Mariah Carey -- who does an astonishingly good job as the compassionate social worker who deals with the dysfunctional family -- said at a press conference that what she liked about this film was that "Every one of us is Precious. And every one of us can make it like Precious does at the end of the film. So the film gives us hope." Of course, there is a marked contrast between the group of stars gathered around the table at the sea-side of Cannes, in sunglasses, decollete, and mod hairdos, speaking about their future projects (a new album, a new film, a new acting role) with the life of Precious in Harlem. Precious lives with her mother (Mo'Nique), who beats her regularly, out of jealousy that she stole her husband's attention. In self-nurturing resignation, she eats fried food alone on a couch, expressionless as she watches television. Or she fantasizes. One of the stellar highlights of the film is when the lonely girl fantasizes that she has been transplanted to an Anna Magnani movie, in the role of an Italian daughter, while a kind mother serves her food: "Muovati il culo" translates in subtitles as "Move your big ass." Many stellar moments mark this film. My favorite -- and it is worth watching the movie simply for this -- is the scene where the mother cries out to the social worker that she let the husband abuse her baby out of fear that he would leave her, because "who would love her then?" In a shockingly human performance, Mo'Nique pleads that others do not understand how terrible it is when a husband's attention strays to the offspring. "I want him to make love to ME," she says, bawling, tears running down her face. During the press conference, the team of stars referred to this mother as "a monster," the star going out of her way to insist that Mo'Nique herself, however, was warm and full of hugs off-screen. Yet what makes this performance so powerful is the fact that the mother does not seem like a monster, but merely a scared human being, very limited -- and hence all the more recognizable. The film weakens its pull ever so often with some predictable "after-school special" scenes (the classic student-guidance counselor tete-a-tetes; the too well-meaning teacher played by a too beautiful Paula Patton), but the acting by the lead character and by Mo'Nique -- and the funny idiosyncratic fantasy scenes -- make the film, based on Sapphire's novel Push, an emotionally rewarding experience. As does the fact that Precious, at the end, does know something she is good at. (Huffington Post)

MARIAH COLLABORATES WITH TIMBALAND ON NEW ALBUM May 20, 2009 Barely back from a very successful presentation of her film Precious at the Cannes Film Festival, we find Mariah already in the studio to continue work on her new, as-yet-untitled album! In a message on Twitter earlier today, she excitedly wrote: In the studio w/Timbaland.. S.G.S.H.W.!!! : ) (Stone Groove Smash Hit Wonder) This will be Mariah's first time ever to work with the Grammy Award-winning record producer, songwriter and rapper. Timbaland's illustrious career has seen him at the helm of the music business producing and writing songs for various artists like Justin Timberlake ("Cry Me a River," "SexyBack"), OneRepublic ("Apologize"), Madonna ("4 Minutes"), Nelly Furtado ("Promiscuous," "Maneater"), Rihanna ("Rehab"), just to name a few. Timbaland has received thirteen Grammy Award nominations, winning two awards: one for his collaboration with Timberlake on "Sexyback" in 2007, and for "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows," another collaboration with Timberlake, in 2008. Mariah's upcoming album is reportedly due out this Fall. Already confirmed collaborations include The-Dream, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, James "Big Jim" Wright, Tricky Stewart. Note: It is likely Timbaland has been involved with the song "Babydoll," but the official album credits cite that the song has been written by Mariah and Missy Elliott, and produced by Mariah and Cory Rooney. (Mariah Daily Journal)

MINUS GLAM, MARIAH OFFERS AN ACTING GEM May 16, 2009 A genuine paparazzi star moment occurred here just after lunch on a clammy, drizzly afternoon as the Cannes Film Festival hit its peak yesterday. Mariah Carey, bedecked in a gold-flecked full-length gown, bangly hoop earrings and jewel-studded aviators, posed patiently under a white umbrella as the photographers and gawkers got their fill. Chances are, they won't recognize her in the movie she's come to promote, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire". In the film, a harrowing coming-of-age story about an overweight teenage girl battling abuse, incest, early pregnancy and other depredations in 1980s Harlem, Carey, the multi-platinum-selling singer with a penchant for glamorous, revealing clothes, plays a tough, no-nonsense New York City social worker named Ms. Weiss. In "Precious", which will open in theaters in November, Carey undergoes a startling transformation that transcends the physical into the virtually existential. Gone are the trappings of fame and fashion that she brought out with full force at a news conference on the beach. The highlighted tresses she carefully tends with beige-polished fingernails are a mousy brown in the movie; out goes the square-cut diamond right-hand ring; out comes the full Long Island accent. Even the perfectly blushed cheeks take on a bureaucratic pallor in the film, which is showing out of competition in the Un Certain Regard section of the festival. ("Precious" made its world premiere at Sundance, where it won the festival's three top awards and caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, who signed on as executive producers.) "Precious" director Lee Daniels, who appeared with Carey and co-stars Lenny Kravitz, Paula Patton and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe at the news conference, said he cast Carey in the role after Helen Mirren dropped out - surely making him the world's first director who, when Helen Mirren dropped out of his movie, thought, "That's okay, I'll get the pop singer who starred in 'Glitter'." In truth, the decision wasn't that spontaneous. Daniels admits that when Carey, a good friend and fan of "Push", the controversial 1996 novel by Sapphire, began dropping hints, "I never thought she'd be right" for the role. But he gradually came to realize "that if I was making such a bold movie, how bold would it be to cast Mariah? Why not go all the way there? And I asked her if she could dye her hair, put on a wig, take off the makeup and darken under her eyes. I thought she would begin to give me her soul. And she did." Carey's is a supporting role in the film, which is dominated by a mesmerizing breakout performance by now 26-year-old Sidibe in the title role of Claireece "Precious" Jones, and that of Mo'Nique, the comedian who plays Precious's mother, Mary, an almost psychotically abusive woman with a vicious violent streak. As Ms. Weiss, Carey is a linchpin in the story, bearing witness to unspeakable breaches of faith Precious has been forced to endure. Carey's frank, unblinking performance is so free of mannerism and vanity that it literally takes a few moments to realize that it's her on-screen. And it's all the more remarkable considering she joined the film's cast only three days before filming. "I said, just let me kind of peel layers away of who the world thinks I am and even I personally think I am as a performer, and really, truly become this woman, who has a large responsibility," Carey said yesterday. "In a way, she is the audience, she is that shocked person who hears about what goes on and has to bare her soul because she's hearing something so horrific that she's never heard before." Even with such a daunting role and on such short notice, Carey says, she was confident she could do it: "Because I know that there's a creative side of me that needs to do work like this, and I trust Lee so much that I felt that there was no way we couldn't pull something out we could both be proud of." Mo'Nique is already being touted as a probable Oscar nominee for her performance as Mary (she couldn't be in Cannes due to commitments to BET and her children, but she taped "Oprah" earlier this week). But with a well-timed release late in the year, "Precious" might bring Carey a nomination, too, which would represent a mighty leap from her decidedly wobbly performance in the universally panned "Glitter". It couldn't have escaped either woman's notice that Daniels shepherded Halle Berry to her Oscar win in 2002, for "Monster's Ball". Daniels recalled a particularly searing moment in "Precious", when Mary throws a baby on the floor. It was one of the few times Mo'Nique didn't bring a sense of humor to the otherwise unbearably sad story. "I told her something I told Halle Berry when she was in prison and she had that conversation with Puffy before he went to the electrocution chair," Daniels recalled. "I said to Halle: 'You're gonna win an Oscar for this. I think you can win something for this.' I told Mo'Nique, 'People are really going to be blown away by this moment.' She said to me, 'Lee, my Oscar is that I made you happy and that you had M&Ms on the set for me.'" For his part, Daniels was clearly giddy that his Cannes debut is a film that took 12 years to make "with a little bit of bubblegum, Popsicle sticks and grease". He quipped: "I'm waiting for somebody to yank the rug from under me and tell me, 'Negro, you are not in Cannes. You are in Kan-sas.'" Aside from a moment when Carey, a beauty-school alum, sneaked a little blush onto her cheeks, she was a surprisingly good sport for a bona-fide diva. "I honestly felt that [Ms. Weiss] would throw a little blush on," she said like a seasoned Method graduate. "But it doesn't matter. To me, it wouldn't be the same performance if I even remotely looked like the person that's onstage as a singer." For now, it's back to recording on her next album, a process she craves. "Being in the studio for me is the antithesis of these moments," she says, gesturing to the circuslike atmosphere around her. "I like to go downstairs in my pajamas and sing. There's no hairdo, none of that. Lee, you'd love it." (The Washington Post | Photos Courtesy of Mariah Daily Journal)

WHAT A WAY TO CAREY ON May 16, 2009 Before Mariah Carey comes to town her lackeys always hop to it, catering for her diva-ish demands. But the list of items to ease her entrance into Cannes for the Film Festival contained her most bizarre request yet - a Space Hopper. The demand for the retro children's toy was in there among all the usual frippery, including flowers, candles, massage oils and speciality teas (Earl Grey, Darjeeling and English Breakfast, in case you were wondering). Could 30-year-old Mariah be planning to bounce down the red carpet at tonight's premiere of her latest movie, Precious? Our insider says: "We're used to bizarre Hollywood starlets' demands here, but this one has really floored them. Her team have got people running all over Cannes to sort out the flowers, candles and oils for her rider, but the request for a Space Hopper totally threw them. Where do you get one of those in a glamorous French resort? "Everyone's wondering what on earth she wants it for." Us too... Our favourite diva is currently holed up in a trendy villa since arriving in Cannes on Thursday. The place has been decked out with 200 white lilies, Indian drapery in every room, and more than 200 candles. To ensure that Mariah is "rested" ahead of her red carpet appearance she even had her team create a chill-out zone - we presume that's one room she won't be bouncing around on her Space Hopper. It's hard to imagine her astride the thing in one of her long flowing gowns. Yesterday, she looked stunning in the floor-lengthsilver number she wore for a photo call for Precious. The glamorous outfit - one of many from her mountain of luggage - is a far cry from how Mariah appears in the movie. She scrubs down for the dark, indie flick to play a dowdy social worker. It means, mousy hair, clothes your nan wouldn't be seen dead in and - gasp - no make-up. Still, it's been worth it. Critics have been bowled over by her performance in the gritty drama. And hopefully it will lay to rest the ghost of her previous foray into movies, the cringeworthy Glitter. Nuff said... (Mirror)

A-LISTERS HIT CANNES RED CARPET May 16, 2009 A bevy of stars took to the red carpet at the 62nd International film festival in Cannes, southern France. Amongst the A-listers spotted were Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz and Quentin Tarentino. And all of the stars donned their best outfits for the red carpet. Mariah turned heads in a slinky black dress, her hair in tousled waves. She was there to promote her new film Precious along with director Lee Daniels, Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, and singer Lenny Kravitz. The film follows the story of a teenage girl living in Harlem. Mariah plays a social worker in the film, which won the Grand Jury and Audience awards at the Sundance festival. Other stars spotted on the red carpet include Abbie Cornish looking stunning and fresh faced in a pink tulle dress and Eva Parker Longoria in a rose-coloured silk gown. The festival is set to continue. (New! Magazine)

CANNES 2009: MARIAH CAREY GETS PRECIOUS May 15, 2009 Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire, is the story of a young black girl from Harlem abused by her parents, struggling to get through high school and break out of the welfare cycle she's been born into. Playing as part of Cannes' official sidebar, Un Certain Regard, the film is directed by Lee Daniels and he was joined in Cannes today by stars Gabourey Sadibe, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey to welcome the premiere. Of course, they invited RT to lunch at the exclusive La Plage Vitaminwater on a beach front on the Croisette. The film is a tale of tragic hardship but it's nevertheless full of hope and despite its starry lineup of supporting stars, it's as brutally real a portrayal of life in Harlem as we've ever seen on screen. Carey and Patton dispatch with glamour to play the film's integral supporting roles, as a social worker and teacher respectfully who work to rescue Sadibe's Precious from the world she's a part of, and we were impressed with just how good the performances were across the board. "I read the novel many years ago and it really stayed with me," Daniels told us of his decision to direct the film. "Very few stay books with me, and they're mainly classics. This was that urban, edgy thing that was a modern-day version of those books." Carey might seem an odd choice, but according to her director she wanted the role and was perfect for it. "Helen Mirren was going to play the role originally but Mariah and I are good friends and it was a very last minute thing, it sort of happened. I was surprised that she was as in love as I was. She never asked me to be in the movie but she hinted that she wanted to be a part of it and I felt if I was making a bold movie, how bold it would be to cast Mariah." Carey told RT that she'd been a fan of the material for years. "I read it years ago and it changed my life. It's intense and it is life changing." As a social worker in the film, it's her character's job to make Precious feel comfortable enough in her company to share the secrets of her traumatic past. "I said, 'Let me peel layers away of the world I live in and who I feel I am and really, truly become this woman,'" Carey told us. "I know there's a creative side of me that needs to do work like this and I trust Lee so much. I'm just grateful for being asked." For Kravitz, the challenge came in completely abandoning his persona as a performer and inhabiting the character. "The thing Lee wanted to do was make me disappear. He'd say, 'You can't walk like that, you can't move like that, your hand can't do that, you can't talk like that." In an hour he completely changed my whole vibe. People didn't even know it was me." The film's highlight in an already strong case is unquestionably Mo'Nique who plays Precious' abusive mother, Mary, and goes against type to deliver what may be the first truly Oscar-worthy performance of the year. She couldn't be in Cannes due to prior engagement, but her co-stars were strong in their praise. "Her truth as Mary was so intense," explains Carey of the one scene she shares with her, the film's emotional climax. "Honestly, that scene -- Lee just let us go. When Mo'Nique came in and it was the three of us, Lee was very protective of us. I knew my character wouldn't cry but it was so intense that I really wanted to." For Gabourey Sadibe, the titular character playing in her first acting role, the experience of bringing the film to Cannes was emotional. "I'm having the most fun ever in Cannes," she told RT. "This is completely glamorous, something I never thought my life would be heading towards. I wasn't an actress, I was a college student." The film releases in the US on November 6th with other territories to be announced. Keep an eye on it until then -- we suspect you're going to be hearing a lot of it as this year's awards season kicks into gear. (Rotten Tomatoes | Photos Courtesy of Mariah Daily Journal)

MARIAH CAREY CALLS FILM WORK "EXHAUSTING, EXHILARATING" May 15, 2009 She's better known as a pop singer and her work in the movie "Glitter" didn't earn her much respect as an actress, but her next film, "Precious," will likely do a lot to change perceptions of Mariah Carey. The pop diva appeared in front of reporters alongside her co-stars in the gritty, urban drama here at Cannes on Friday after a smashing debut at last January's Sundance Film Festival. In the film, she portrays a welfare case worker to a young, overweight teenager, Precious, whose life in the ghetto is hard. To perform in the part, the glamorous Carey stripped down to her basic self and was required to wear no makeup except that which gave her dark circles under her eyes and made her look weary and worn. Yet Carey said it was among the best work she could have imagined. "Doing it... was exhausting, exhilarating and it was just an honor," Mariah told reporters at Cannes. Her director, Lee Daniels, said she plays entirely against type, and watching her perform - along with those of another music star Lenny Kravitz, comedian Mo'Nique and newcomer Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe" - will be a unique experience for her fans. "Mariah has never played this type before," said Daniels. The movie came out of Sundance, at that time under a working title called "Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire") with an award and Oscar buzz. U.S. audiences can look for it on November 6, and international audiences will see it as it rolls out country by country. (Reuters)

PRECIOUS: IF THIS DOESN'T MAKE YOU CRY, FIND THE WIZARD May 15, 2009 Oscar Watch 2010 officially just started thanks to the debut of "Precious," a new film starring Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, who will clean up this award season if there is any justice in the world. The film -- which used to be called "Push" -- made a killing at Sundance earlier this year where it won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, all but guaranteeing it a major Oscar season push. Hell, even Mariah Carey looks pretty great in this. Here's the rub, this movie ain't a lively romp. In fact, the film is heartbreaking. Even the trailer will make you tear up. There's simply no avoiding the emotions. So find the nearest tissue or shirt sleeve and watch the brilliance unfold. (New York Post)

PRECIOUS RECEIVES MTV LOGO'S NEWNOWNEXT AWARD NOMINATION May 13, 2009 Precious: Based on the Novel Push By Sapphire has been nominated for one of MTV Logo's NewNowNext awards: "Best Future Feature." This award will be broadcast on the NewNowNext awards show on Logo on Saturday, June 13th at 9pm (and online also at http://www.logoonline.com) - for more details visit http://www.newnownextawards.com We want to get the word out about the nomination and need your help to encourage friends and fans to VOTE. There\'s only one week left to vote (closes 5/20) and the competition is very close! We have some web banners for the movie that are located here: http://webtools.logoonline.com/viewpromo.php?promo_id=1033 Just grab the HTML code beneath the banner and put it up wherever you want (MySpace, facebook, official blogs/websites, etc). Anyone can use these banners to promote voting. Here’s the direct link to Precious: Based on the Novel Push By Sapphire movie\'s voting page: Vote for Precious: Based on the Novel Push By Sapphire on Logo\'s NewNowNext Awards! (http://www.logoonline.com/shows/newnownext_awards/vote.jhtml?qn=nnn_poll_04) (Logo | Morgan)

MR AND MRS CANNON'S FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY- MTV BASE WERE THERE! May 13, 2009 A few days ago MTV BASE took a couple of days off work and flew to Vegas to attend Mariah Carey Cannon and her hubby Mr Nick Cannon's first wedding anniversary celebration which was being held at Palms in Vegas. As if it's not bad enough trying to figure what gift you buy the couple that has everything, what to say at the wedding dinner toast speech or which bikini to pack for hot tub frolics. We had a dilemma before we even exited U.S Customs in L.A en route to Sin City. When the immigration officer asked why we were there for just a few days and we mentioned a wedding celebration he asked who was getting married. In our confusion we stuttered "um a friend" or something and became flustered. We wondered what we'd have said if they'd have asked the name of who was getting wed. I mean do we tell the truth and say "Mariah Carey" and have them raise a cynical eyebrow and look at us as if we're nutters? Or tell a lie and their lil machine detects we're lying and a glove is inserted into a cavity before we can say "honey!"? Just as we were getting over our "what if...." Scare, U.S Immigration then went through our hand bags and found our acceptable nail varnish and lip gloss but then looked unhappy with our (over 100 mgs) spray tan can we had just picked up at Heathrow a few hours earlier. See readers, we used to love lying in the sun and burning up and aging our skin pre MC friendship. Post Mariah and us becoming mates she cussed us out for frying our skin years ago we've been very careful about not sun tanning and occasionally using a body lotion which contains self tanner for a lil golden colour. This time we were feeling silly and had snapped up a flash looking tanning spray just before boarding our flight - and it was expensive - and here were the feds jacking our tanning swagger! They confiscated our spray on sublime bronze fake tan that we was gonna have friend of MTV BASE Monique spray on us in Vegas. When told, Monique sighed relief and said it was probably best as she was no good at graffiti at school and that we'd probably end up looking like a burnt orange. We wasn't having the worst time at the gate though, sat across from us in our mid journey flight transit in LA (in mid Mexico swine flu drama) a Mexican family at gate were given a ridiculously wide berth and avoided like plague! That first night in Vegas, MTV BASE, Mrs Cannon and a couple of other girl friends stayed up until 7am catching up and splashing around in Mr and Mrs C's in suite pool. Did we tell you about the pool? It wasn't a regular hotel rooftop jacuzzi/pool. Oh no! We were on another level! Literally! The pool protruded from the side of the building in mid air overlooking the magically colourful Vegas strip and was made of plexi glass so you felt as if you were swimming in water in the middle of the airspace over Vegas - it was head buzzing piposity! That night MCC asked a couple of us to say a few words at the pre anniversary party dinner the next night. Normally MTV BASE are hard to shut up as peeps that know us will confirm. However the thought of speaking to a room of VVVIPs was at the very least daunting! The next night, 40 very privileged people including members of both Mariah and Nicks families, head of Def Jam L.A Reid, music legend Andre Harrel, Steve Bartells (you better ask somebody!), singer Tyrese, Head of BET Stephen Hill and MTV BASE arrived at a beautiful cocktail reception followed by an amazingly scrumptious 3 course dinner which included a starter of "mixed greens, farmers market tomatoes and English cucumbers." The main was a mouthwatering "surf and turf prime filet mignon, butter poached marine lobster, spring asparagus, red wine demi glace and macaroni and cheese." The dessert was a "trio of creme brulee, molten chocolate cake as well as "lovey dovey white wedding cake." MTV BASE were so caught up in the breath taking visuals of the evening and the classic conversations where Nick told us his story of how he and Mrs Cannon got together which was so romantic and funny, that when Mr C suddenly clinked his champagne glass and announced that there were only 10 mins left before we had to rush off to the party but before that he knew a couple of people had something to say we nearly passed out! Gulp! Our big moment! By this time however our table (Mr and Mrs C, LA, Stephen, MC's bro Shawn, Nick's mum, and a couple of others) was having such a great laugh that we'd totally forgotten to get nervous and worry. We warned them that our speech alone would take at least 10 minutes but to bear with us. So we threw caution to the wind and just went for it telling the room our favourite anecdotes about the couple and why they were soul mates. Every couple of lines LA Reid heckled us but by the end everyone was laughing and looking entertained so we guess it went ok! Others who made toasts included MCC's oldest friends Maryann Sheilds, Rachel McIntosh and Josefin Dean as well as of course MCC's bro Shawn McDonald and one of Nick's best friends Pastor Kase. Then we were shooed down to the Moon Club where a lot more people like Floyd Mayweather, Sanaa Lathan and Emil Willbikin, were waiting for us and the party was about to go down. Nick began with a surprise for his wife by projecting on a huge screen a personal version of a video of MCC's song "Love Story" which was a documentary on their lovey dovey moments. As we all gulped with emotion Mrs C actually cried. Really emotional big tears of joy! First time we've ever seen her so choked up - it was a beautiful moment. She told the crowd she had the best man in the world. Then to kick off the party Nick had the nightclub roof slide away (really!), and thousands of pink and lavender balloons were released into the tropical Vegas night and as they made a carpet across the skyline we realised that Nick had taken the roof off the party literally and that every male in the room was hastily taking notes. He is good! Then the Cannons cut their 2nd giant white wedding cake of the night before Nick took over the decks and played a classic hot party set with a rock moment, a grown n sexy set and all the classics you'd expect as well as Mrs C's favourite song "Ante up." At 4am after the party a few of us departed to the Cannons suite where MCC played her soon to be released new album (can't tell you title or we're dead!) to a few of her family. MTV BASE was formally introduced to the Cannons new puppy "Cha Cha," we twittered a bit and then we slipped into our bikinis to float in the once in a lifetime pool again until 7am when we called it a night! (or should that be day? Whatever.) The next day was filled with power naps, shopping, picture taking around the Strip and a bit of dalliance with the slot machines, blackjack and crap tables. As the whirring of machines and ringing of jackpots screamed all around us MC's choreographer Rachel schooled us in how to play blackjack and we lost our cash, then made it up again and then won more! A whole 35 cents lmao! The following evening Vegas was on fire as every flossy celeb flew in for the Ricky Hattan fight. On the American/Phillipino team were Diddy, Jay Z, Denzel, Jack Nicholson, Cedric the entertainer, Christian Bale and many others. On Ricky's side was MTV BASE and initially a load of hopeful, patriotic Brits which late became what the yanks described as a "sea of angry Brits." The next morning (day 4 of the Carey-Cannon adventure), we jumped on the Carey Cannon jet and it was wheels up outta Vegas until our next adventure! Happy Anniversary Mr and Mrs C - you are blessed! Both "eternally 12," both "work hard, play hard and acknowledge the Lord in equal measure," and both "love a colour cordinated matching outfit." Whether it's the ski slope, hot tub or church, these 2 are always gonna be sitting there together! Braaaap! (MTV Blogs)

PRECIOUS: OFFICIAL SITE LAUNCH & EXCLUSIVE MOVIE TRAILER May 13, 2009 Courtesy of Lionsgate, the official movie trailer for Precious is now exclusively available on Oprah.com and TylerPerry.com! In addition, an official site for the movie has been launched and can be accessed at weareallprecious.com. Starring Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz and introducing Gabourey Sidibe, this inspiring film will release in theaters on November 6, 2009. Lee Daniels's PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL "PUSH" BY SAPPHIRE is a vibrant, honest and resoundingly hopeful film about the human capacity to grow and overcome. Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother (Mo'Nique), a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write. Precious may sometimes be down, but she is never out. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an inchoate but unshakeable sense that other possibilities exist for her. Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, Each One/Teach One. Precious doesn't know the meaning of "alternative," but her instincts tell her this is the chance she has been waiting for. In the literacy workshop taught by the patient yet firm Ms. Rain (Paula Patton), Precious begins a journey that will lead her from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination. In Official Selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival - Un Certain Regard, and winner of three awards at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival including the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire stars Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz and introducing Gabourey Sidibe. Lionsgate in association with Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry present A Lee Daniels Entertainment / Smokewood Entertainment Group Production of Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, directed by Lee Daniels from a screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher based on the novel Push by Sapphire. (Mariah Daily Journal)

MARIAH CAREY MAKES TIME FOR HER MAN May 13, 2009 Mariah Carey always makes time for her man. Since marrying singer/actor Nick Cannon last year, the Touch My Body hitmaker has tamed her diva ways and is quite happy to treat her hubby to a bit of TLC. “The amazing thing about Mariah is that, as busy as she is, she still finds time to support the things that I do,” said Nick. “It always amazes me. It’s crazy. “I’ll be DJing in a nightclub, and she’ll come in and shut the whole place down. That’s just the type of person that she is. Nothing’s too big and nothing’s too small for us to share together.” (Showbiz Spy)

"PRECIOUS" TEASER POSTER DEBUTING AT CANNES May 13, 2009 Cinematical has just received this exclusive teaser poster for the film Precious (previously known as Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire), which will enjoy a premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this month after walking away with several awards (including the double whammy of Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award) at this year's Sundance Film Festival. It's a hard, tough, nasty film -- the kind that knocks the wind out of you with more than a few punches to the gut -- but, as our own Eric D. Snider pointed out in his Sundance review, it's also "compelling and artistic, punctuated with warm humor and masterful performances, and ultimately triumphant and hopeful." I could easily see an Oscar nod or two shelled out for this film -- which follows an overweight, pregnant, illiterate teen from Harlem who enrolls in an alternative school with plans to give herself and her child a better life. For one, Mo'Nique gives one of the coldest, harshest performances I've ever seen on screen, and now that both Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry (talk about another double whammy) have lent their names and support to Precious, that -- along with a slew of awesome buzz -- should help it do well when it finally hits theaters later this year on November 6th. (Cinematical | Shoshannah)

HALF OF LIONSGATE-WEINSTEIN SUIT OVER "PUSH" DISMISSED May 13, 2009 Half of the bicoastal lawsuit pitting Lionsgate Films against The Weinstein Co. over the distribution of a "Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire" was dismissed in a New York courtroom, court papers show today. Both companies filed lawsuits in Los Angeles and New York Feb. 4, claiming they had an agreement with producers to distribute the movie based on the story of a young, illiterate woman who is the victim of incest and trying to find her way in 1980s Harlem. The film stars Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz and Gabourey Sidibe, who portrays Precious Jones, the central character in the film. Lionsgate got to court first, suing Weinstein in Los Angeles just hours before TWC filed its suit against Lionsgate in New York. TWC also separately sued the agents for the producers, alleging fraud. On May 6, a New York judge dismissed the Weinstein suit against Lionsgate. In doing so, he rejected Weinstein's claim that New York is the more appropriate location for the litigation to take place because most of the witnesses live there. The judge said the parties "have a presence" in both New York and Los Angeles and frequently travel between both cities. In its Los Angeles suit, Lionsgate is seeking a judge's ruling that it owns the rights to distribute "Push" in the United States and Canada. Weinstein attorneys say the company had a firm agreement with the film's producers and that Lionsgate interfered. But Lionsgate counters that the producers signed a written agreement stating they had no written or verbal agreement with Weinstein. (Los Angeles Daily News)

NICK CANNON CALLS OUT EMINEM FOR INSULTING MARIAH CAREY: PICK A SIDE! May 11, 2009 It's been four whole days since the diabolically constructed controversy-generating machine that is Eminem's Relapse leaked to the Web, and finally someone's taken a bit of the abundant bait that Em is tossing at us all. Yes, America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon has heard "Bagpipes from Baghdad," the Relapse track about him and his wife Mariah Carey, and he likes it about as much as you'd guess. A sternly worded post this weekend on Cannon's blog, which seems to have since disappeared (hmm), dismissed Em as being "still obsessed with my wife, the same female that wouldn't let him get to second base from 8 years ago" and summed up Relapse as Eminem "rapping about when he used to be hot...Like when Al Bundy gloats about his High school football prime." Most explosively, Cannon accused Eminem of being racially insensitive: "I realized, that this so-called man has just disrespected and slanderized one of the world's most significantly influential artists, one of the most notable BLACK females of our time, the incredibly cherished, globally loved and world-embraced woman of color, Mariah Carey...You sold your little records and made a little bit of change but now you are stepping in the wrong territory. You may have been able to rape and pillage our artform like an old school Caucasian con man and nobody said anything because we respected your talent, but now you've made the ultimate mistake." Damn. I'm reluctant to side with Nick Cannon on anything, though I do give him points for admitting later in this blog post that he himself is "a corny, wack rapping, boy toy from Nickelodeon." But Cannon is right that "Bagpipes from Baghdad" is one of several Relapse tracks where Eminem crosses lines that don't really need to be crossed -- lines that he already crossed much more cleverly a decade ago. The funniest/saddest part is, this whole blow-up is probably more or less exactly what Eminem was hoping would happen when he dredged up his ancient alleged fling with Mariah on Relapse. So whose side are you on in this debate? Do you sympathize with Cannon's spousal loyalty, or do you think he should learn to laugh at Eminem's out-of-bounds jokes? And -- gulp -- what do you think of comparing Em to "an old school Caucasian con man"? (The Music Mix | EW.com)

NICK CANNON DEFENDS MARIAH AGAINST EMINEM May 09, 2009 Nick Cannon is firing back at Eminem after the rapper took shots at his wife, Mariah Carey on a new track. Eminem makes several crude remarks about Mr. and Mrs. Cannon on "Bagpipes from Baghdad", one of the songs off his new album Relapse. Slim Shady and Mariah were rumored to have dated in the past. She has denied the relationship. "I can't imagine what's going through your mind after such a nasty breakup with that Latin hunk Luis Miguel," Em raps in reference to the diva's ex-boyfriend. "Nick Cannon better back the fuck up, I'm not playin', I want her back you punk." He doesn't stop there. The controversial MC calls Mariah nasty names and expresses that he wants to get back together. "I mean I really want you bad you cunt, Nick, you had your fun, I've come to kick it when you sack that chump," he adds. "Nick Cannon, you prick, I wish you luck with the fucking whore." While trash-talking celebrities is nothing new for Eminem, Nick is not letting him get away with it this time. Upon returning from his second honeymoon in the Maldives, the 28-year-old entertainer wrote a scathing blog entry titled "How Cute" going at Em and calling the rapper "Slim Lamey," among other names. Nick: I had nothing but respect for this dude. But all of a sudden I hear my name in the verse! My first reaction was like, "This is his new shit??? Wow, that's too bad..." Then I felt sorry for him because he must really be stuck in the past. Not only has his music not evolved, but also homeboy is still obsessed with my wife, the same female that wouldn't let him get to second base from 8 years ago! He even describes his desperate lameness in this bad excuse for storytelling track. That's some real middle school shit right there! (What type of grown ass man lies about getting with a chick.) Only Slim Lamey! LOL! Nick debated whether he should turn the other cheek, but the devil on his shoulder won out. He threatens to kick Eminem's ass. Nick: Then I asked myself should I go find thisb itch and just whoop his little ass? But that might have just been the creatine and protein shakes talking! LOL. Even though most people don't know that I'm nice in the ring and have been training in boxing and Martial Arts for years that would just be childish and silly of me to bully this dude. He clearly has been picked on all his life and I would hate to add to his deep-rooted pain. As we all know he has had a hard life and has major insecurity issues and is very confused and unhappy with himself. So a guy like that doesn't really need another ass whoopin, he needs a hug. We should really pray for his troubled heart. He even goes as far as to call Eminem racist. Nick: Maybe I'm going too far, but I thought we got passed the days where white men could spew vulgar obscenities at our beautiful queens and get away with it. What's next? Are we going to let this trash say something horrible about our lovely first lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama? Or would Marshall have talked sideways out of his neck like this about Oprah Winfrey? This act of racist bigotry cannot go unnoticed. Calling my wife a "cunt" and a "whore" is way worse than anything Don Imus could have ever said. So trust, repercussions will be served. He warns "Miss Marshall" that there will be repercussions for dissing his wife and that he will start rapping again to defend her honor. Nick: I'm taking full action on you Eminem. I don't know why no one has stood up to your bitch ass yet. But I guess it's going to take a corny, wack rapping, boy toy from Nickelodeon to set you straight. And trust, I am going to be relentless. Even though I got a lot of other obligations and occupations, you are my new full time job "homey"! As a matter of fact I think you going to bring my wack rhymes out of retirement! That's right haters; you can thank Eminem because I'm going to start rapping again! LOL. Just for him! And don't forget about the jokes! We coming at you hard body!! Non-stop on your manic-depressive-insecure-maclovin-nazi-Liza Minelli haircut havin-lookin ass!! [pause] That's what I do all day bitch! So Miss Marshall, I'm going to make you wish you never spoke my name and regret the ungodly things you said about my wife. This is going to be fun! It's however you want it! Just remember, you did this to yourself! Your legacy has now been tainted from this day forth! You will now be known as the rapper who lost to corny-ass Nick Cannon!!!" (Rap-Up | The Mariah Carey Archives)

EMINEM'S VIVID "RELAPSE" LEAKS ON WEB May 08, 2009 Like the pile of prescription pills that forms his likeness on his new album cover, Eminem's new album, "Relapse", has spilled out across the Web. After a series of individual songs was posted on hip-hop blogs on Thursday, the full-length album - or at least what is purported by various file-sharing sites to be the full-length album - leaked on the Internet in its entirety in the wee hours of the morning today. The album is slated to hit stores May 19. The leaked version of "Relapse" - obtained early Friday by The Detroit News - is an often harrowing listening experience, vividly detailing the Detroit rapper's struggle with drug addiction over the last several years, as well as his blatant mistrust of drug treatment facilities. In many ways, it's Eminem's most personal album to date, and finds the Detroit rapper back in top lyrical form after his self-imposed hiatus from the music industry. A host of celebrities are skewered throughout the album, including popular targets such as Lindsay Lohan and Kim Kardashian. Mariah Carey is the subject of the entirety of the bizarre "Bagpipes from Baghdad", in which Em sounds conflicted over whether he wants to date or kill the pop superstar, with whom he's been romantically linked in the past. He raps, "I want another crack at 'cha," and tells Carey's husband Nick Cannon, "you had your fun", but is later laying out his plans for "Dracula acupuncture" on the singer. (excerpt from The Detroit News | The Mariah Carey Archives)

BACKGROUND VOCALIST MELONIE DANIELS TALKS ABOUT MARIAH May 08, 2009 Melonie Daniels who was a longtime background vocalist for Mariah was interviewed by EJ from Gospel Pundit. Melonie is now a solo artist and a background vocalist for Gospel artists. Below are excerpts from the interview in which she talks about working with Mariah for over a decade and why she chose to leave. EJ: Can you rattle off a quick list of people you've worked with? MD: Mariah Carey, Kim Burrell, Ricky Martin, Karen Clark-Sheard, Marc Anthony, Donald Lawrence. EJ: Talk to me more about your work with Mariah Carey. What was it like? MD: It was incredible. I filled up a passport, had to add pages, and then pay for another one. *laughing* EJ: Someone wanted me to ask you this and I told them I would: If Mariah was ever hoarse on stage, did you ever do her whistle tone notes for her? MD: Oh, heck no. Mmmmm... That ain't my ministry. *laughing* EJ: You can do that! MD: Not those whistle notes, I can't do that whistle stuff. Well, I can do it, but it's not controlled. It's like a happenstance. EJ: But you used to do her soundchecks for her, right? MD: Yeah, cuz she wouldn't come. *laughing* EJ: *laughs* MD: But, it's like... at a certain point in your career, you know what you're gonna do and you know what you're gonna sound like. And if you have people working with you who know your characteristics, and they're able to handle it, you let them do what they do. I don't think it was a "diva" thing. People who reach a certain status have so many people around them who overload their schedules. So, she would have interviews, photo shoots, TV tapings and all kinds of stuff, up 'til an hour before a performance. She wasn't able to even come to the soundcheck. So, I would end up checking for her and her sound guys– so on point. They knew what hertz, what megahertz, the treble... all that stuff. And I was able to mimic her voice enough that they could get exactly what they needed, so that when she hit the stage, it was ready to go. EJ: What was the road like with her? How did you fare, as a little Baptist girl, thrown into the mainstream industry like that? MD: I was scared outta my mind! *laughing* And I had a moment– I was like "God, I know you didn't give us the spirit of fear, but I've gotta be honest and say that I am scared witless that You'd allow me to go into this situation where I may be one of few, or maybe the ONLY one... I need You to shine through each and every thing I do– the way I work, carry myself, and sing." I didn't put singing first– I wanted my interactions before the singing because, at that point, singing was secondary. I had rehearsed and practiced enough. EJ: How many years were you with Mariah? MD: Eleven. From '92 to 2003. EJ: Do you miss working with her? MD: I do and don't. I did the road for eleven years and it was wearing. I walked away without it being a bad taste in my mouth. So, if an opportunity presented itself again, I would go. But I don't think it would be with that camp because I believe that, whatever my assignment was, it's done. EJ: But, how did you know that? Why did you stop? MD: Umm... God said it was time to move. I didn't have a plan, I didn't know where He was moving me, but it was a faith walk. And it was about taking the lessons that I learned in that professional surrounding and bringing that level of excellence to whatever was next, which happened to be Greater Allen Cathedral in Jamaica, New York. MD: I've never sung with him [Stevie Wonder]. But when BET did the Walk Of Fame thing a few years ago, Mariah had to sing. EJ: I remember that. She did "You And I." MD: Right. And I did the vocal arrangement for the backgrounds, because he didn't have background vocals on that song. EJ: I remember the performance AND the background vocals, and I could hear you loud and clear! MD: *laughs* And I did her soundcheck. I'm glad they told me afterward, but he was sitting in the back listening to me. And I was like "WHAT?!" EJ: I ask most of the background vocalists this when I interview them– can you assemble a dream team of background vocalists for me? MD: Working with people like Donald Lawrence and Richard Smallwood, even with Mariah... I've had the opportunity to sing, coast-to-coast, with some great voices. There's a girl named Sharlotte Gibson, she's on American Idol now singing background. She used to sing with Mariah and she's incredible, one of the L.A. crew. (Mariah Daily Journal | Gospel Pundit)

PRECIOUS AT CANNES May 08, 2009 Director Lee Daniels' film Precious starring Mariah Carey, Mo'Nique and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe will compete in the "Un Certain Regard" section of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival which runs from May 13-24, 2009. The film will debut at Cannes with two show times on Friday, May 15th - a Press screening at 2:00pm and a Film industry night at 10:30pm in which Mariah is expected to walk the red-carpeted stairs. Both screenings will take place at the Debussy Theatre in Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. Also on Friday, Precious is scheduled for a Photo Call, Interview of cast and crew, and a Press conference at about 4:00pm. (Mariah Daily Journal | Cannes Film Festival)

MARIAHHERO.COM UPDATES May 08, 2009 First of all, this month we are proud to present the new addition to the Hall of Fame: Will A. We induct outstanding members into the hall of fame by virtue of their charisma and contribution to the community. Click here to read his story. Also, make sure you visit the Message Board to see the shiny, new look! This makeup is part of the site's 8th anniversary celebration that will take place later this month! If you are not a member yet, visit mariahhero.com/mb and register! Finally, the website's Audio & Video section has been updated with lots of additions courtesy of some great MariahHero.com members. We especially want to thank Mimi My Angel and Dreamlover for their contribution. (MariahHero.com)

CAREY & JONES LAND MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR GIG May 07, 2009 Mariah Carey and Welsh singer Tom Jones will both be paid a staggering $1.45 million (£1 million) for a one-off performance in Turkey this month (May09). The legendary stars have both been hired to perform at the launch of Europe's most expensive luxury resort - the $1.45 billion (£1 billion) Mardan Palace in Antalya, Turkey on 23 May (09). The stars will play to a star-studded audience which will reportedly include Sharon Stone and Sir Paul MCCartney, according to British newspaper The Sun. (Contact Music)

NICK CANNON: HOW CAN I NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH MARIAH? May 07, 2009 Nick Cannon is replacing Jerry Springer as the host of NBC's "America's Got Talent," but what sets him apart from mere mortals is that he's married to Mariah Carey. Even though they just celebrated their one-year anniversary, Cannon still can't believe he got to walk down the aisle with the sexy chart-busting diva. And, he's ready to dish about his gorgeous wife and his new gig. Waking up with Mariah Carey: "Every single morning I turn over and look at the most beautiful woman in the world next to me and say, 'How in the hell did I get her?' I don't believe in luck, but I feel like I'm one of the luckiest men in the world. I think one of the things about our relationship is the way we instantly connected. We both have a youthful spirit. We both enjoy life. We're both extremely optimistic. Aside from that, there's the fact that she's Mariah Carey. How can I not fall in love with her? It was one of those things where I went, 'This is a woman I can give and will give 100% of myself to.'" Don't look for a duet: "I am not worthy of being on a Mariah Carey record. Maybe I'll help mix the tracks at the studio. I play a lot of instruments, so maybe you might see me in the background on one of her performances one day, but never like actually putting my voice and her voice together. The two of us on the same recording isn't going happen." Being her wake-up call: "I'm her alarm clock. I wake her up every morning by singing to her and she's like, 'I can't take it. Stop singing.' But my voice does wake her up and get her going. Actually, I'm the one around the house singing more than anyone." (Post-gazette)

CAREY AND CANNON BUY FIRST HOME TOGETHER May 06, 2009 Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are celebrating their first wedding anniversary with a new home - they've splashed out a reported $7 million (£4.8 million) on FARRAH FAWCETT's former mansion. The pop pair has been hunting for the perfect California estate for the last few months, and they reportedly put in an offer to buy one of Los Angeles' most prestigious homes, the Saperstein Estate in Holmby Hills, in March (09). But the couple, who celebrated one year of marriage on 30 April (09), has now settled on a smaller property - a five bedroom, eight bathroom home in Bel Air. According to RealEstalker.com, Carey and Cannon bought the house in early April (09) from music engineer/producer Allen Sides, who had previously purchased it from Charlie's Angels star Fawcett. And the lovebirds have scooped a bargain at $7 million - the website claims the mansion was initially put on the market with an asking price of $9.5 million (£6.5 million). The couple already has designs on what the new home will look like - Cannon and Carey spent almost $300,000 (GBP206,900) on furniture at trendy Los Angeles store Kreiss in February (09) and reports suggest the pair has hired designer to the stars Kenneth Bordewick to help them style the property. (Contact Music)

MARIAH CAREY TO GO TO CANNES! May 06, 2009 According to several sources in Cannes, it is now highly likely that Mariah Carey will be visiting Cannes (provided the legal dispute is resolved). Mariah is scheduled to be at The Cannes Film Festival to promote the forthcoming movie “Precious” from 14 May to 17 May, 2009. The premiere screening for the movie is still scheduled to take place on 15 May, 2009 at The Debussy Theatre. (Mariah Connection)

NICK CANNON MENTIONS MARIAH IN AN INTERVIEW May 06, 2009 Nick Cannon joins “America’s Got Talent” as the new host of the fourth season of NBC’s summer reality competition series. A film star, comedian, musician, writer and executive producer of his own hit TV shows, the 28-year-old San Diego, Calif. native is a successful multi-faceted entertainer and has tied the knot with superstar singer Mariah Carey! Cited by People magazine as one of the “Top Ten Most Successful Young People in Hollywood”, Nick will be bringing his own personal style to the popular show. Nick Cannon spoke to us about the changes in the new season of “America’s Got Talent,” as well as what the first year of his marriage to Mariah has been like. Here are abstracts relating to Mariah: TeenTelevision: Do you want your wife to come watch you host? Nick: The amazing thing about Mariah is that, as busy as she is — she has a movie coming out, she’s going to Cannes, she’s finishing up her album — she still finds time to support the things that I do and it always amazes me. It’s crazy. I’ll be DJing in a nightclub, and she’ll come in and shut the whole place down. So, I’m sure that she’ll definitely stop by. You might not see her on camera, but trust that she’ll be backstage in the dressing room, hanging out or something like that. That’s just the type of person that she is. Nothing’s too big and nothing’s too small for us to share together. TeenTelevision: How has the first year of marriage been? Nick: It’s amazing! It’s one of those things where it’s continuing to grow. As cliche and corny as that may sound, every day we find something else new to love about each other. TeenTelevision: Have you celebrated your anniversary this year? Nick: Yes. We told everybody that we were going to get married again, every single year, and we’re going to do that. We had actually planned on getting married in Vegas, and we were going to get Elvis or somebody to marry us, or do the whole drive-thru thing. But then, we started inviting everybody and it got really big because all these people wanted to come, and we can’t invite people to something tacky. Mariah doesn’t do anything tacky. She said, “Okay, we’re still going to get married, but we’re going to get married at a secret location, the next day.” So, we had this huge party and celebration dinner, but there was actually no ceremony because the ceremony was a secret. TeenTelevision: Any luck yet with the baby plans? Nick: I don’t believe in luck. It’s all about skill. Because this year is so hectic for the both of us, after this year calms down, that’s probably when we’ll focus more on that. Join Nick on the new season of “America’s Got Talent” on NBC June 23rd. (TeenTelevision | Mariah Connection)

MARIAH, NICK WATCH PACQUIAO-HATTON BOUT May 03, 2009 Mariah and Nick were ringside for the Junior Welterweight match between the Philippines' Manny Pacquiao and Britain's Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 2, 2009. Other celebrities spotted in the arena include P. Diddy, Jay-Z, Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson, Jeremy Piven, Cedric the Entertainer, Jennifer Lopez and Christian Bale. Pacquiao came out victorious, ending the fight with a hard left hook on Hatton's face at 2:59 into the second round. (Mariah Daily Journal)

MARIAH CAREY, NICK CANNON CELEBRATE ANNIVERSARY IN VEGAS May 01, 2009 As guests dine on mac and cheese, Cannon presents video of their first year of marriage. They married on the sly last April in the Bahamas, but Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon certainly weren't shy about ringing in their first anniversary Thursday night in Las Vegas at the Palms Casino Resort. Joined by 50 of their closest pals, including L.A. Reid, Tyrese Gibson and boxer Floyd Mayweather, according to USmagazine.com, the couple and their guests dined on surf 'n' turf, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, chocolate chip cookies and crème brûlée. After dinner, partygoers hung out at the Moon Nightclub, where Cannon presented the video he made for Carey of the best moments they've spent together since marrying last year. "It's a very special occasion; toast to everyone," he said before showing the video. "This is the most amazing person in the world. I dedicate my life to her daily, and together, this union is gonna last forever. She is my rock." According to People.com, the video brought Carey to tears, and she told the crowd, "I have the best man in the whole wide world." The couple also had a pink-and-white, five-tiered Duncan Hines yellow cake and had 1,000 balloons drop during the festivities, which Cannon DJ'ed. Back in March, Cannon laughed off rumors that he and Mariah were expecting their first child, but he did say that being married to her is "the most amazing thing ever. I couldn't wish for anything else." (MTV News)

MARIAH CAREY GETS EMOTIONAL AT ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY May 01, 2009 Who said it wouldn't last? On Thursday night Nick Cannon & Mariah Carey celebrated their One-year Anniversary at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The two started off their night by having dinner with 50 of their closest pals at Simon at Palms Place. After dinner the two headed to Moon nightclub and partied. At Moon, Nick surprised Mariah with a video he produced throughout the year of their happy moments together during their first year of marriage. Mariah did get emotional and the emotions were definitely real! She was seen crying while watching the tribute. "This is the most amazing person in the world," Cannon said iabout his wife. "I dedicate my life to her daily, and together this union is gonna last forever. She is my rock." Carey replied: "I have the best man in the whole wide world." That's actually very cute! Who thought these two would last this long after getting married so quickly? Good for them! (Hollyscoop)

MARIAH & NICK IN VEGAS FOR ANNIVERSARY May 01, 2009 Mariah and Nick celebrated their first wedding anniversary in Moon nightclub at Palms Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday night, April 30th. Gilbert gives us a recount of what went down at Mariah and Nick's Anniversary Party last night. "My friend Gary and I showed up at Moon around 11:30, once we entered the club we saw all the decked-out festiveness everywhere. Nice balloons, and tons of people dancing it up. After making a round at the club to see which of our friends were there, we noticed the entire north VIP booths on the south side of the building were being blocked by security. And that's when we saw the 6-foot tall cake, gorgeous, white frosting with pink bows - very Mimi. After staking out a good location and waiting for about an hour, we noticed Mariah was actually up in the VIP balcony of the club with Nick and a few of their invited guests. Once we saw Moon staff milling about the VIP booth with the cake, setting it up with napkins and champagne glasses, we knew the guests of honor would be down soon. I saw a few familiar faces; Jasmine D., Rachel, Michael Richardson, Tyrese, Floyd Mayweather were all in the 'invited guests' section of the room. Nick came down first, but once Mariah came through, that's when we all got excited! The music was turned off and Nick said a few lovely words about his wife. Mariah looked very touched. Then Nick turned to her and said, 'We've been giving each other presents all day but there's one more that you don't know about. We started this project a few months ago and I wanted to have it finished for tonight...' Mariah seemed to know what he was talking about and held her hands up to her face as if ready to cry. Then Nick asked us all to turn our attention to the screens near the ceiling of the club and check out what he was talking about. It was a video to 'Love Story,' containing clips of the couple in various locations - some clips were from the 'Bye Bye' video. After the video, a cavalcade of balloons were released into the sky through Moon's awesome retractable roof - Nick mentioned that the Palms had arranged for no air traffic in the area just for the occasion. Mariah kept asking over the P.A. system for some festive music to be played while the balloons were released, but the D.J. was taking his time which led Mariah to ask, 'Hello?! I need some festive music after that video made me cry!' Our girl looked radiant (as always), wearing a beautiful beaded gown - I wish I could describe it better for you, but the people who'd rented out the booths near where we were standing had decided to stand up on their chairs and block our view. Nick got the crowd moving with an energetic D.J. set, playing lots of old-school R&B, and at one point the B-52s... then Mariah got on the mic and sang to somebody named either 'Rasheem' or 'Rajeem' who presumably was still up in the VIP balcony: 'Rajeem, get your ass down here!' A cute moment. Then Nick told everybody to jump up and down and live it up on the dance floor as if they were in St. Tropez and the place blew up! They started shooting soap suds onto the dance floor and the crowd was hot! All in all, being a mere 10-15 feet away from the lovely couple (who seemed very much in love) was all we needed. Lots o' Lambs were in the building - which was very evident since many people stopped dancing once she walked in the room and just stood there taking pictures. Nick asked if our arms were getting tired since he knew some of the footage would 'end up on YouTube' then Mariah grabbed the mic and sang 'YouTube' from 'Touch My Body' and the crowd ate it up! Nick thanked all the fans and called us 'our extended family' and kept spinning his amazing set." (Mariah Daily Journal)