One of the body guards, Bill, also said in the interview, "Being a man, men know men, and we [were] around him long enough to know he was a man." The other bodyguard, Mike, seconded that by saying Michael has normal desire for women just like anybody else. There have been countless times that they chaperoned him and his lovers.

When asked what Michael was like as a father, the bodyguards said that he was an "awesome" one. And they seemed like a very affectionate family since the children are always saying "I love you" to their Dad. His upbringing of the kids can't be faulted because they are very polite and well mannered. Ahh how cute, and sad.

And based on the interview, Michael has always been protective of his kids. He makes sure that they don't see their images on the magazines or papers on the racks. This duty also fell on Bill Whitfield's shoulders. That is really hurtful to hear because I know the media was harsh to Michael and they would always let him down. I wish they would have less harsh on him.

However, it wasn't always good and fun living with Michael. Sometimes the star would rage due to financial problems. The bodyguards are usually the ones that Michael vents his anger and frustrations on. And Michael did have financial problems because the bodyguards claim that sometimes they were asked to leave the hotel because Michael's credit card gets denied and there's no other way to pay the bill.

I really hope Michael is in a better place now, watching over his children. He lived a stressful life and I guess his only source of happiness was his children. He didn't want the world to hurt them like they hurt him, so as much as he could he tried to keep his kids out of the limelight. But, they are the kids of a Music Legend, they can't escape that. Still, I hope they handle it the right, healthy way.

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Michael Jackson's former bodyguards have spoken out about their late boss, revealing the King of Pop romanced a string of women with dates in the back of his limousine.

The "Thriller" hitmaker's long-term security guards, Mike Garcia, Bill Whitfield and Javon 'BJ' Beard, agreed to be interviewed on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday.

And the trio divulged personal details of the late singer's life behind closed doors, insisting Jackson had at least two steady girlfriends whose identities have remained a secret - and he took them on dates driving up and down the Las Vegas strip when he lived in Sin City.

When asked about the child molestation charges which were levied at Jackson despite his acquittal at a 2005 trial, all three insisted the star was not guilty of the accusations.

Whitfield says, "Being a man... men know men, and we (were) around him long enough to know he was a man."

While Garcia adds, "(He had) desires of women like we do. He had lovers."

And Whitfield goes on to describe Jackson's various romantic encounters in the back of his limousine: "In the cars that we had, we had a curtain that covered the back seat. You couldn't see in the back seat. They talked back there, they didn't do nothing out of bounds... you can hear the kissing."

Fresh off his superb role in The Hangover, Mike Tyson may be making a return to the ring, but those interested in seeing Tyson-Holyfield III may be out of luck.

On Thursday, ringsidereport.com's Geno McGahee reported that promoter Don King had a tentative deal to get Tyson back in the ring to fight Evander Holyfield in what would be a highly anticipated comeback bout. On Friday, however, King told ESPN.com that such a rematch isn't in the works.

"It is not true. It is not true about no Tyson-Holyfield fight." King told ESPN.com when asked about a third Holyfield-Tyson fight. "Maybe it's something I would do for old time's sake if they were interested in the fight, but I ain't doing that at this time. I have not even spoken to Evander Holyfield."

While King denies that fight, he didn't refute the idea of Tyson's return.

"I ain't ready to comment on that," King added. "Read between the lines. It really is something isn't it, all the interest there is in Mike Tyson?"

King even hinted back in November of a possible return.

"I think Mike's one of the greatest fighters that ever lived," King said. "I think he can still be a fighter if he wants to be a fighter. Listen, whatever it is between me and Mike, it ain't about the bankroll. We gonna do what has to be done. He needs a lot of vitamins. He needs a lot of TLC, tender loving care, dedication and discipline. So whatever we have to do, we'll do. If you can't hear me, I'll say it a little louder."

If Tyson does seek a comeback and Holyfield (42-10-2, 27 KOs) declines, McGahee lists Connecticut heavyweight Tony Grano, among others, as a potential backup plan for Tyson's first bout.

Tyson is 50-6 with 44 KOs. He has been out of the ring since a sixth-round TKO loss to Kevin McBride in 2005.

Only in America.

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Legendary R&B singer Ron Banks suffered a heart attack this morning, ultimately leading the soulful voice to death in his Detroit home Friday.

Founding member of the singing group 'The Dramatics', Banks' career hit its highest in 1972, when the six-person group knocked out 1 million copies of their hit single "In the Rain." The Dramatics were also featured on Snoop Dogg's 1993 single "Doggy Dogg World".

Banks, the third member in the original group to die of a heart attack, was 58. President of Motown Alumni Association Billy Wilson said Ron Banks died around noon today at his home. While Banks was said to be in "good health" he passed out in the company of family and was promptly transferred to Detroit's Sinai Hospital.

Fellow group member L.J. Reynolds, added to the group to replace one of the originals, had spoken with Banks just minutes before he collapsed. Reynolds told The Free Press Reporter, Banks "seemed just like himself" and "very upbeat".

The Dramatics, still performing, were said by Wilson to be one of the few remaining groups to "pull a crowd of 5,000 people" with traditional R&B music. "They have a very, very loyal following, particularly here [in Detroit]. We're just devastated by this news."

The group is said to have current and future gigs lined up and band member L.J. Reynolds told the media the show will go on. Much like celebrity star Marie Osmond, who is hitting the stage just one day after her son's funeral on Monday, The Dramatics have said they will keep Ron Banks on stage in spirit.

Reynolds added, "We'll take Ron's mike and put it up onstage, and let it stand there."

Open marriage? Maybe partly.

Despite her constant claims of an open union with hubby Sidney Hicks, Mo'Nique reveals that she doesn't stray - but she may not be able to say the same about her better half.

"Let me say this: I have not had sex outside my marriage with Sidney," the Academy Award nominee says in this year's 29th - and final - Barbara Walters Oscar special.

"Could Sid have sex outside of his marriage with me? Yes. That's not a deal-breaker. That's not something that would make us say, 'Pack your things and let's end the marriage.'"

And what if the "Precious" star discovered that Hicks had, well, stepped out more than once? No sweat.

"What if it's 20 times?" asks the openminded actress. "So what? We've been best friends for over 25 years, and we truly know who we are. Oftentimes, people get into marriages and they don't know who they're laying next to. I'm very comfortable and secure with my husband."

Of course, Miss M has a few tricks to keep her hubby from straying - fingers crossed - and that includes her infamously unshaven gams.

"He loves the hairy legs," Mo says, "and if Sid likes the hairy legs, there you go."

She even explains to Walters why she chooses to go au naturel: "I tried shaving one time, and it was so uncomfortable and painful. I said never again would I do that to myself." Besides, says Mo'Nique, "I'm 42 and I'm very hairy."

Umm, okay.

At least there's one subject she won't broach with Walters during the special, which airs Sunday night on ABC: her possible Oscar speech.

"I don't like thinking about that, because I'm big on the universe," says the star, who's a hands-down favorite to take home the Best Supporting Actress prize. "I don't want  to start making this speech or [think about what] I'm going to say because I don't want the universe to say, 'Really? You so sure about that?' Let's not jinx it."

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According to Media Takeout, the comedian and TV star was commenting on the black community and whether things have improved since President Barack Obama took office.

During the interview, Cosby approached a female publicist and told her to "shut up" for interjecting during questioning for The AP.

After his brief rant towards the woman, Cosby, who was promoting the Play Jazz Festival, resumed the interview.

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Comedian/Actor Marlon Wayans has been tapped to star in the lead role as the legendary comedian Richard Pryor in the biopic "Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?"

Eddie Murphy, who was originally asked to play the role, gave the green light for Marlon to take the lead.

"You need to be lucky in life, but it's also what you do with your luck," Wayans said, "This is like an invitation to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for me, and I've never been more excited in my life than when I got the role. I want to be in dramas, I want to produce, I want to write and I want to prove I can handle a role such as this one."

The film which is currently in production, chronicles the life of the late comedian and is slated for a 2011 release date.

Richard Pryor, who passed away in 2005 after complications for Multiple Sclerosis, is hailed as one of the most prolific comedians of our time. Although most known for his stand up comedy and feature films, Pryor was also a featured writer on the hit 70's sitcom "Sanford and Son" along side comedic genius Paul Mooney.

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*Playgirl wants Michael Vick to pose.

Would $1 million entice Michael Vick to pose for Playgirl?

The magazine, which highlights nude males, offered the Eagles QB $1 million -- that it claims would be donated to the animal-activists group PETA -- if he agrees to a pictorial.

Playgirl spokesman Daniel Nardicio told Life and Style magazine:

" I sent the request to Michael Vick on Wednesday. But we haven't heard back yet. I figured he paid back society for dog fighting, but what about the animals?

"This way he could donate a large sum to PETA and all he'd have to do is pose for the magazine! It's kind of a win-win situation!"

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UPDATE!

*It looks like the likelihood of Earvin Magic Johnson buying Johnson Publishing is no longer in the offing.

In a statement, Johnson admitted an affiliate of his company held "advanced discussions" to buy Johnson Publishing Co., the owner of Ebony and Jet, but was unable to reach an agreement.

Johnson says he remains interested in African-American media, but currently isn't disclosing whether he is looking at other properties:

"I would like to salute Linda Johnson Rice and the Johnson family for pioneering the iconic brand of the Johnson Publishing Company, which we have all come to love and respect. Ebony and Jet have been permanent fixtures on coffee tables in African-American homes for many years. Recently, an affiliate of Magic Johnson Enterprises and Johnson Publishing Company were in advanced discussions to do business together, but unfortunately we were unable to reach a definitive agreement. We will continue to look for opportunities to invest in African-American media."

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Retired NBA star Earvin Magic Johnson is in talks to purchase Johnson Publishing Co., home to Ebony and Jet magazines and an archive of iconic photographs documenting U.S. black life for more than half a century.

"There have been discussions," Eric Holoman, president of Los Angeles-based Magic Johnson Enterprises, said in an interview. "There's no definitive agreement." He declined to comment further.

Johnson, 50, would fold the publisher into Magic Johnson Enterprises, said a person with knowledge of the discussions. The company he founded while a player with the Los Angeles Lakers has partnerships with Starbucks Corp., 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide Inc. and T.G.I. Friday's Inc. Ad revenue at Ebony declined 38 percent to $35.5 million last year on a 39 percent drop in ad pages, according to Publishers Information Bureau.

Johnson Publishing's Chicago headquarters would be included in the sale, said the person, who declined to be identified because talks are private. A purchase may require satisfying liens placed on the building by a creditor, the person said.

Linda Johnson Rice, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson Publishing, declined a request for an interview, said Wendy Parks, a spokeswoman. Johnson Rice "has never talked to Magic Johnson with respect to his interest in buying" the company, Parks said.

Johnson Publishing was founded in 1942 by John H. Johnson, Linda Johnson Rice's father. Ebony, the monthly magazine of features, the newsweekly Jet and the long-defunct Negro Digest chronicled African-American life when mainstream media paid little attention.

Civil-Rights Era

Photographer Moneta Sleet Jr. was working for Ebony when he shot the Pulitzer Prize-winning image of Coretta Scott King and her young daughter at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral in 1968. Jet stirred controversy in 1964, when it ran photos of 14-year- old Emmett Till in his coffin, beaten beyond recognition in a racially-motivated attack.

Ebony's resonance was underscored when president-elect Barack Obama granted the magazine his first print interview following the 2008 campaign.

John H. Johnson died in 2005. His wife, Eunice Johnson, who ran the Ebony Fashion Fair Business, died last month. The traveling fashion show's spring edition was canceled, the Tampa Tribune reported last month.

Magic Johnson led the Lakers to five National Basketball Association championships in the 1980s and is a co-owner of the team. He won the league's Most Valuable Player award three times and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

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*Sade appeared in a skit during Saturday's episode of "The Wanda Sykes Show" in which the singer had to deal with Wanda's obsession with her.

In the bit, Sade drives up to the studio and pulls into a parking space that Wanda reserved for her in an attempt to woo her onto the show. But Sade only parks there so that she can visit "The Jimmy Kimmel Show," where she performed last week.

What ensues is Wanda literally begging her to come inside and perform...to no avail. At one point, Wanda tries to guilt the singer by saying that it's Black History Month, and it wouldn't look good for her to shun her for Kimmel.

Watch below.
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Later, Kultida Woods spoke to reporters, saying that just like the game of golf, her son, 34, "wants to get better ... He will start getting better ... it's just like that. Golf is just like life, when you make a mistake, you learn from your mistake and move on stronger. That's the way he is."

She said her son, 34, has been treated unfairly.

"I am upset the way media treated him like he's a criminal," she said. "He didn't kill anybody, he didn't do anything illegal. They've being carrying on from Thanksgiving until now, that's not right."

Explaining how he has helped countless children with his foundation, she added: "People don't understand that Tiger has a very good heart and soul. Sometimes I think there is a complete double standard ... He tried to improve himself."

Kultida said right now it's "not easy" to be her son.

"[People] go to work 8 to 5 and go home to have a life with the family," she said. "Tiger can't do that."

She said her son will survive the sex scandal, in part with help from Buddhism.

"Buddhism teaches you to go deep inside your soul and look through from himself, and correct the bad thing to be a good thing," she said. "When he realized, he said okay, and went back to practice Buddhism and that will make him a much better person."

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*There are multiple unconfirmed reports that "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" will add Bobby Brown's former attorney Phaedra Parks to the cast after talks with Victoria Rowell fell through.

Atlanta cast member Kim Zolciak's former publicist Jonathan Jaxson posted exclusive info on his blog claiming that the show begins filming season three early next month with Parks replacing either Lisa Wu-Hartwell or Sheree Whitfield.

"I would bet more on Lisa's departure after following her tweets and the fact she now lives 45-minutes outside of Atlanta in the middle of nowhere now," blogged Jaxon. "Regardless, negotiations are done and fan favorites Nene Leakes, Kim Zolciak and Kandi Burruss all remain."

Parks served as a producer for BET's "Tiny & Toya" and has represented Jermaine Dupri in addition to Brown.

Meanwhile, Atlanta Journal-Constitution blogger Rodney Ho says he got some inside scoop from FreddyO, a local photographer who knows Parks.

"He said he isn't sure she's going to do it [the show]," wrote Ho. "Based on recent conversations with her, he thinks there's a 70% chance she won't do it because the craziness surrounding the show could threaten her client base."

If reports are true that Parks has indeed signed on for season three, a likely storyline will be the fact that her new husband, Apollo Nida, is currently on parole for running an auto theft ring and spent almost six of the past 12 years in prison on two unrelated crimes, according to Media Take Out.

SOURCE - EURWweb

Tiger plans to talk Friday.

From TigerWoods.com

Tiger Woods will be speaking to a small group of friends, colleagues and close associates at 11:00 a.m. EST on Friday at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Tiger plans to discuss his past and his future, and he plans to apologize for his behavior.

While Tiger feels that what happened is fundamentally a matter between him and his wife, he also recognizes that he has hurt and let down a lot of other people who were close to him. He also let down his fans. He wants to begin the process of making amends, and that's what he's going to discuss.

His remarks will be open to a press pool for live coverage. It is NOT a news conference.

Jay Z interview video.

We Are the World video.