As previously reported, Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes landed a recurring role on new sitcom ‘The New Normal’ – the brand-child of Glee creator Ryan Murphy.

And with the show having been recently picked up by NBC, all systems are go. Peep the hilarious trailer, which was unveiled today, above.

More power to Ms. Leakes!

Your thoughts?

Just as one diva enters, another maybe looking to exit.  Despite spending last summer teasing the possibilities of not returning, ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing’ hitmaker Jennifer Lopez still signed onto her second season aboard the judging panel of ‘American Idol’.

Now, as the May 23rd season finale approaches, the actress/singer is singing a different tune about a third season.  Taking to ‘Ellen’ with ‘What To Expect When You’re Expecting’ co-star Cameron Diaz, Lopez dishes on the possibility of her return to ‘Idol’…or lack thereof.

Guess not even $20 million is enough to keep the songstress seated…

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With a mere 30 minutes to go before the latest episode of The Game airs on BET, it has been confirmed that two of the show’s most loved stars will not return for season 6.

Click here to find out who on That Grape Juice TV

 

‘Beez In the Trap’ beauty Nicki Minaj was met by a swarm of frenzied Australian fans when she made her landing on their shores today.  The hip popstress is making waves down under, with news of her sold out shows there crossing many-a-pond.

Greeted by delighted Barbs and Ken Barbs, Miss Minaj made way through a stop of autographs and poses as she prepares for shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.  See the fanfare below:

Your thoughts?

 

Some say she was pushed, she says she jumped but whichever way you look at it- Sheree Whitfield is no longer a ‘Real Housewife Of Atlanta‘.

So, in a bid to push her name beyond the realms of the show, she has teamed up with Zuma to create what she calls a ‘5 million pound fitness challenge‘. A deal, she took to Essence Magazine to dish on, also taking the time to answer the questions many still want answers to.

Interview below:

ESSENCE.com: What’s been going on in your life since you officially left Real Housewives of Atlanta?
SHEREE WHITFIELD: I’ve been spending more time with my kids and my family and planning my next move. I’ve got a couple projects that I’m working on that I’m really excited about. I’ve partnered with a company called Zuma to create a 5 million-pound fitness challenge. We’re trying to help a generation get healthy. I’m really excited about it because this is my realm and what I love.

ESSENCE.com: RHOA is so successful. Was it daunting to make the decision to leave?
SHEREE: Well, you know what, I had been thinking about it for a while. We don’t see the show until it airs, or a couple days before it airs. Even when we were taping, there were a few things I wasn’t happy with as far as how I was portrayed. I was going through some really tough things in my life and watching back and seeing how it affected not only my life, but also my kids’ lives, I made a decision that I didn’t want to be selfish. My kids come first.

ESSENCE.com: How do you respond to people who say that you were actually fired instead of quitting? 
SHEREE: I don’t have a response to that. I could really care less because I know what happened. It was an amicable split. I was ready to move and I don’t need to explain myself to anybody. I am super happy and I’m moving in a different direction. This is what I know. I’m not about just being on a show bickering and fighting with women. There are big parts of my life that weren’t shown that I’m ready for everybody to see.

ESSENCE.com: Speaking of behavior on the show, is there somewhere you can take responsibility? The producers do put you in that situation, yes, but it’s still you doing it.
SHEREE: Definitely. You’re being put in situations with people you normally won’t be around. You’re doing the show, but at the same time, you can’t control the editing. It’s crazy, the negative stereotype that Black women get about this when it’s not a racial issue; it’s a gender issue. We’re very emotional beings — women period, not just Black women or White women or Italian women or Asian women. We’re all the same way. But unfortunately, [in] the Black community there’s always a microscope on what we do and that’s not fair because you have other shows like Jersey Shore — they’re getting drunk and fist fighting. Then you have Mob Wives and Housewives of New Jersey — they’re flipping tables. Everybody handles things differently. When you have women of other races doing it, they’re not boycotting them. I don’t think it’s fair the stereotype that they put on African-American women, or females period.

ESSENCE.com: So why do you think people react like that to Black women on these shows?
SHEREE: I don’t know. We’re not here to represent the entire Black community.

ESSENCE.com: When you say you were going through tough times during the last season, are you talking specifically about your child support issues with your ex-husband Bob Whitfield or your life in general?
SHEREE: In general. Bob and I have been going through a lot since day one, and then the child support thing happened. All the drama on the show didn’t help. I don’t want my daughter thinking it’s okay when you have women constantly — we didn’t fight — but we bickered and we had arguments all the time. You’re put in situations where you’re with people that you wouldn’t normally be hanging out with.

ESSENCE.com: How are you and Bob now? Have you worked out the child support issues?
SHEREE: No, we haven’t. One day I hope Bob and I can sit down and become good friends and even better parents to our kids.

ESSENCE.com: Are you keeping in touch with any of your co-stars?
SHEREE: Actually I just saw Kandi last night. I wish all the girls the best. The ones that I like and the ones that I don’t like, I wish everybody the best.

ESSENCE.com: Was anyone on that show a genuine friend to you?
SHEREE: I would say there’s a couple, yes. I won’t name them but they know. But I would definitely say there are two people.

ESSENCE.com: You and NeNe [Leakes] showed how much you didn’t like each other on that reunion show. Has anything been resolved between you two?
SHEREE: Resolved how? I don’t think we’ve had a friendship for some years. I’m surrounding myself with confident people so I’m just living life and having a good time and doing me.

ESSENCE.com: Have you heard about former Miss USA Kenya Moore possibly replacing you?
SHEREE: Honestly, I haven’t followed the show since I left. I know they’ve thrown a lot of names out. I wish whoever gets the spot the best of luck.

ESSENCE.com: How is construction on your new home, a.k.a. Chateau Sheree, going?
SHEREE: It’s going really great. You know, that takes time, and I want it done right. I don’t want nobody to come over, blow on it and it falls down.

Peep one of Sheree’s more iconic moments on the show above…

Your thoughts?

On Sunday, Rita Ora celebrated her second UK #1 single with the alleged Rihanna demo, ‘RIP‘.

Now, days before she joins Coldplay on the summer leg of their 2012 tour, peep her celebrating the feat with the Official Charts Company at the single’s launch below…

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With the Summer months approaching, R. Kelly aims to heat up the charts with his 11th studio album ‘Write Me Back’ – the release date and covers for which were unwrapped today.

Find out what date the R&B crooner has set for the LP below, along with its deluxe cover…

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She’s the mastermind behind your favorite act and now, Laurieann Gibson is stepping out on her own.

Yes, following her interview with That Grape Juice three weeks ago, the dance star has released her debut single ‘Last Chance‘.

Get into it below…

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Say hell to ‘Shake Ya Body‘, the forgotten chart bid by television mogul Tyra Banks.

Released in 2004 in aid of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ cycle 2, the ‘Darkchild‘ produced cut saw the model switch the catwalk for choreography, showcasing her skills as an entertainer as well as the show’s final 6 contestants.

While billed as one of Banks’ more ’embarrassing’ moments by many a critic, it’s actually quite enjoyable when watching with the benefit of hindsight.

See what we mean above…

Your thoughts?

Pop force Alexandra Burke is gearing up to release her sophomore set ‘Heartbreak On Hold’ and as the set’s June 4th release date draws nearer, snippets of the whole album have surfaced.

Take a listen below!

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Short notice, we know. However, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to give YOU – the That Grape Juice faithful – the chance to win a pair of tickets to the London premiere of Men In Black 3 tomorrow!

Easily one of the year’s most anticipated movies, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones reunite for is sure to be the Summer blockbuster.

To enter be in with a chance of attending the event (which will see appearances from Smith and the rest of the cast), answer the following question correctly:

Which of the following is NOT a Will Smith single? ….

a) Summertime

b) Party Like It’s 1999

c) Will 2K

Submit your answer, along with your full name, age, address, and telephone number to the address below. Please be sure to title entry ‘Men In Black / TGJ’ :

competitions@thatgrapejuice.net

All entries must be received by 7am GMT Wednesday 16th May 2012!


Much like nemesis Christina Aguilera, diva Mariah Carey is a renown shade-dispenser. Hence, it was little surprise when the 42 year old offered up an “interesting” response when probed on Britney Spears signing up as an X Factor USA judge.

Fling open those curtains because Mimi throwing that dark stuff far and wide. Her interview with Extra after the jump…

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