Olivia Pope is a "Side Chick"...In Name ONLY

I recently came across a funny picture on Instagram about my favorite TV show, Scandal:

Chicks be like "I can't stand infidelity" but on Thursdays be like "Awwwww"

I am 100% guilty of this!!!!! There's NO denying that President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III is married and that his affair with Olivia Pope technically makes her the "side chick". However, if you watch the show faithfully (like me) then you KNOW that's just a technicality.

Fitz does not love his wife, Mellie, and is only with her because he didn't meet Olivia first. He is the President which means that he has been in the middle of a successful political career for some time so he knows what political moves play...and having a black girlfriend does not (let's be frank).

A lot of people say that Olivia Pope does nothing but give side chicks everywhere some hope. However, TRUE "Gladiators" like myself know that there is WAY more to the story than Olivia just being a "side chick". Fitz does not confide in the First Lady the way that he does with Olivia, he doesn't talk to her, have fun with her...NOTHING!

I came up with 5 reasons and included 5 scenes that show Olivia is more than just "the other woman" and I purposefully didn't include any of their steamy love scenes because it's more to it than that. You can't hear my argument by just watching one episode and jumping to conclusions...I need you to see BEYOND the obvious & look deeper.

5) Olivia was pursued by Fitz
Olivia hit Fitz and he NEVER saw it coming. In this scene, you see his immediate and undeniable attraction to her, and it's not just on the surface. She basically told him about himself in front of his entire staff, which prompted him to fire her, only to try to get close to her.



4) They can't deny it, no matter how hard they try...OR move on 
They know it's wrong for them to be together (for now) but it's UNDENIABLE. She tried to move on with Edison but he still calls her late at night from the Oval Office. He even used his Presidential power to spy on her and had the Secret Service kidnap her to bring her to him in the middle of nowhere for goodness sake! He wouldn't have gone through all that trouble for a side chick.




3) Fitz does NOT love his wife
If you've been watching the show since day 1, you know that Fitz and Mellie don't like each other...they don't get along...they rarely speak or talk to each other. Everything between them is a political move. Mellie is so caught up in her own agenda that she doesn't really care that Fitz is having an affair. She is playing her own game and is more worried about being First Lady that being Fitz's wife. He even ponders this in front of Olivia (what man NOT in love would put himself down or insult himself for a "side piece):

"Why didn't I meet you sooner? What kind of a coward was I to marry her and not wait for you to show up?" 

2) They really know each other
Fitz knows that Olivia paces in circles when something is wrong...Olivia knows that Fitz loves the outdoors...These little details in the relationship are how I know that it's more than a fling. In this scene, Fitz asks for "one minute" because he knows that's all they have but it's just what they both need. They can't be together right now so they take what they can get.



1) They belong to each other!!!!! 
They have REAL LOVE and PASSION for each other...If you don't believe me then just watch the clip below:

Chad & Evelyn: A Marriage Made In Infamy

I'm BAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!! (Did you miss me?) I've been busy working on other projects but I will be having weekly posts again so stay tuned...

~Elle Shanice~ NOTE: I do not condone domestic violence against a woman or man, alleged or proven. 

It's no secret that celebrities link up and date for publicity purposes, and the latest example of this is the crash and burn relationship of reality star Evelyn Lozada and former NFL wide receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson.

The now-divorced couple met on Twitter, had several dates broadcast on Lozada's show Basketball Wives, dated for less than a year, got married and had a domestic violence incident where Johnson "allegedly" head-butted her after she confronted him about a receipt that she found for condoms. That caused Lozada to file for divorce, Johnson was subsequently released from the Miami Dolphins, their upcoming reality show was CANCELLED. The divorce was finalized last week, ending their marriage after only 41 days and breaking the seemingly-unbreakable record of 72 days by Kim Kardashian and ex-husband Kris Humphries.

This marriage was doomed from the start: I knew from the beginning that this was a publicity stunt because both of them are media hungry and thirsty for fame. Evelyn (who I call "EVILyn") has become famous for being the ex-fiance of Antoine Walker, but made more of an impact on the show by being a "THUG among women" (as Iyanla Vanzant so eloquently put it). She has been seen throwing drinks, bottles, and expletives at many of her fellow cast mates. Many of the buzz worthy moments from the show involve her in an altercation with either Tami, Jennifer, Meka, etc.

Not to mention the fact that Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson is one of the most outspoken & media hungry players to EVER play in the NFL. Whether at press conferences, on Dancing With the Stars, during elaborate touchdown celebrations, or even appearing on Basketball Wives or The Game, he has always been starving for attention. Why do you think he legally changed his name to "Ochocinco"? He also had a dating show that was on the SAME network as Evelyn's show (Vh1) where he took 64 girls & put them in a bracket like the NCAA tournament (he also had a sports show w/ Terrell Owens).

After the altercation, Evelyn was seen on several media outlets getting her side of the story out. She even appeared on OWN's new show, Iyanla: Fix My Life, which brought ratings records to the network. If you watch Basketball Wives, you know that she has "daddy issue" that she discussed on the show and that Iyanla brought up as well. She discussed her past relationships and how she was willing to put up with anything to feel loved.

My question is: Was this KARMA for Evelyn? It's like she's getting a taste of her own medicine after treating people like that on her show. Even her 10+-year relationship with cast mate Jennifer Williams became strained after Williams gave her opinion on her relationship with Johnson.

She said that when she found the receipt for the condoms and confronted him, he head butted her and that was the last straw. However, it's hard to make the argument that you're upset that he bought condoms when you told him to in lieu of cheating on you and not telling you (see video below).

~Elle Shanice~ APPROVED ✔: Celebrity Engagements

The new year has brought new engagements to the public eye...and ALL of them are well-deserved in my opinion. I look forward to some BIG weddings in 2012.

First, NBA superstar Lebron James proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Savannah Brinson and the first thing that I thought was IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!!

I'm a BIG fan of Lebron's since he got to the NBA and I even had a crush on him for years. When I saw his beautiful girlfriend Savannah for the first time on Oprah a few years ago, I thought that they made a cute couple. I like Savannah & even follow her on Twitter.

I'm glad that he FINALLY proposed to her because I know he has been getting a lot of criticism outside of basketball. With his friends Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony getting married, I'm sure he was feeling a little pressure.

They have two children together and it was just time to take that next step. I'm happy that Savannah got her ring and I hope that Lebron can get a ring of his own. I wish them the best.

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin announced that she was engaged to her longtime partner William Wilkerson.  I'm happy for Aretha, who has always been shy about talking about her love life, which is REFRESHING in entertainment.

In the BIGGEST plot twist aka engagement of all, "Love and Hip Hop" star Jim Jones FINALLY proposed to girlfriend of seven years, Chrissy Lampkin. Even though the engagement was on-camera, I'm still happy for these two.

Chrissy is by far my favorite on the show, and I feel that she deserves it the most. She has been with Jim for seven years and they do not have any children, which is RARE because a baby = a paycheck (sad but true), and she puts up with his mess like nothing I have ever seen.

It was obvious on the show that she loves him (she proposed to HIM) but it was clearly taking it's toll on her emotionally. She had to go to Miami to try and take her mind off of it, and that's when Jim surprised her with the proposal. It seems like the trip was just what was needed to get Jim to act right and make the move. He obviously looked up and didn't see Chrissy there and it made him realize that it was time to propose.

Congratulations to all three couples from ~Elle Shanice~...I wish them nothing but the BEST!!!!! 

Here is the video from Jim's proposal to Chrissy on "Love and Hip Hop":

Get More: Love And Hip Hop

Chris Brown & Rihanna Should Get Back Together...If They Want To

First of all, I want to say Happy New Year to all of my new & returning readers!!!!! This will be my 3rd year of blogging & I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you in 2012. 

That being said, I'm gonna start off the new year of posts with a (still) touchy subject, with everybody from Oprah to Jay-Z putting their two cents into this Chris Brown/Rihanna conversation. 


However, I think that enough time has passed for these two grown people (Rihanna is 23 & Chris is 22) to decide if they want to get back together. Yes, Chris has a "girlfriend" now (I use the term loosely) and Rihanna has been linked to Matt Kemp & Drake among others. However, it is obvious to me that these two do not have each other out of their system. 


I have always said that I do not care much about the personal lives of celebrities and I usually only comment on what they do in the public eye. Which is why I say that if they want to get back together, they should be able to no matter what other people think. Although I know that people would not leave it alone if they did (and they may lose fans because of it), I do think that you can't help who you fall in love with. If Chris Brown convinces Rihanna that he has changed and she's willing to move on with him, then they should be able to. 

Rumors of a reunion started when they started following each other again on Twitter (which even I know that you should watch what you say on there). They also gave us subtweets that led most people to believe that they were for each other (see right). 


They both released albums in 2011 that had songs which point to possible feelings still being there. I actually have both cd's, have listened to them all the way through several times, and my conclusion is that they OBVIOUSLY still have feelings for each other despite the situation. 


I wish Chris Brown & Rihanna the best in whatever they decide to do with their relationship. It's their personal business but I hope that they both continue to be at the top of their games musically, because F.A.M.E. and Talk That Talk were two of the best albums of 2011. 


Here are just two examples of some lyrics from both Chris Brown & Rihanna's latest albums:

• Chris Brown "She Ain't You"

I never wanted us to break upNo not this wayBut you don't understand it girlWhen she touches me, I'm wishing that they were your handsAnd when I'm with her its only 'bout the sexWith you I had a bad romance

• Rihanna "Fool In Love"

You’ll see a monster, I see a smile

You say it’s danger and I’m in denial

But somehow I feel so safe right now 

So I guess I’m a fool, I’m a fool in love

But I’m willing to stay here and bask in the glory of his heart

I guess I’m a fool in love but I’m willing to look so stupid

Till I’ve had enough

Here is Rihanna's video for her Talk That Talk first single, "We Found Love", which includes a Chris Brown look-a-like and displays a couple's volatile relationship (sound familiar?). It also features a chilling monologue:

It's like you're screaming, and no one can hear. You almost feel ashamed, that someone could be that important - that without them, you feel like nothing. No one will ever understand how much it hurts. You feel hopeless; like nothing can save you. And when it's over, and it's gone, you almost wish that you could have all that bad stuff back - so that you could have the good.

Mariah & Nick FINALLY Reveal "Dem Babies"

After 6 months of hiding them, Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey FINALLY let us see their beautiful twins Monroe and Moroccan.

In typical celebrity style, Nick & Mariah unveiled them in a primetime 20/20 interview with Barbara Walters, where they discussed their marriage (which I think will last) and Mariah's difficult pregnancy at 40.

"Roc & Roe" as they are affectionately called by their parents. made their debut dressed up. Monroe is so pretty and will probably be a DIVA, just like her mother Mariah and Moroccan is adorable as well and I'm happy that they are both healthy and well.

Monroe and Moroccan are SO cute at bathtime!

I'm happy to finally see "dem babies" because I was so happy for Mariah to finally be happy with her husband and pregnancy. Mariah is known for being a DIVA and the nursery for the twins is a PERFECT examples, with all white furniture and $3,000 cribs.

I was pleasantly surprised that Nick was so adamant about wanting his children to go to college and get an education. You just DON'T hear that from many celebrities nowadays and many of them take their kids out of regular schools to try & make their kids STARS (*cough* Will & Jada *cough*).

I wish the best for Nick, Mariah and their 2 gorgeous children!!!!!

"Single Ladies" Ends With a BANG & a "Hang"

Last night's season finale of "Single Ladies" was a GREAT setup and left several cliffhangers for next season...since it was picked up by VH1 for season 2.

CLIFFHANGER #1-The "ish hit the fan" with Keisha, who found out that boyfriend Malcolm not only has been lying about the nature of his relationship with "ex-wife" Ashley but has run off with her as he is being investigated by the FBI. The agent asks her if she will help bring him down...we get NO answer.

CLIFFHANGER #2- April & her estranged husband have finally mended fences with their divorce, and he makes it seems like he still loves her and is not viciously after his money. However, the relationship with her artist she developed is heating up, after they kissed a few episodes ago & he helped her get the A&R job she wanted at his new label.

But the BIGGEST cliffhanger is of course with the show's main character Val. She was dumped by 5-year boyfriend Quinn because he felt pressured to marry him and then started dating his boss, handsome & wealthy older gentleman Jerry. However, right when Val thought he was the one, he says that he's been married 3 times before and doesn't want to do it again, which forces Val to break up with him.

THEN...

Val confides in Quinn who had FINALLY realized what he had. They have dinner...and eventually sex. When Val wakes up the next morning, she is shocked to find Quinn in her bed, who PROPOSES to her. Just then, she gets a knock on the door and THIS happens...

Get More: Single Ladies, Christina Carter, Keisha Greene, Valerie Stokes

GOOD JOB VH1...because I will DEFINITELY be watching the premiere of season 2.

Ciara and Kim K...Can't We Live Our OWN Lives???

Maybe it is just a coincidence that just a few months after her good friend LaLa Vasquez married Carmelo Anthony and moved home to NYC, Ciara landed a Knick of her own in Amare Stoudemire.

I saw this coming with her attending all of the Knick games with LaLa and taking pictures all around instead of rebuilding her career that she would want to get a piece of this lifestyle for herself, especially if her day job isn't working out anymore. I guess she wants to be a baller wife now, but is it just love or copycat?

Everyone watched as Lala and Carmelo got married and all of her girlfriends looked on with joy and a little bit of sadness because they were all still single. And now that she has moved back home and living in the BIG city of NYC, some of them seem to be flocking to get some of the attention, but why can't they just be who they are and not try to be just like their girlfriend? Yes, they are entitled to date whoever and move wherever they want, but I feel like they are just trying to get what Lala has instead of continuing to do their own thing.


The same can be said about LaLa's other friend and consistent baller boo Kim Kardashian, who just happened to find an NBA player in the NY/NJ area in the Nets' Kris Humphries. Sure she had a show of her own that was shot in the city, but is she sticking around just for the spotlight, as most of her business is done in LA? She is a mainstay in the tabloid with a story every other day about whether or not they are getting married, & I already feel that she is very calculated in every move that she makes, from business to pleasure.


I guess that Lala DOES have the life that everyone wants, because apparently they are breaking their necks to be a part of it. Just be happy for your girlfriend and embrace being single. I would hate to see more of these quickie celebrity romances end up ruined and they be even messed up than before (Do the names BOW WOW and REGGIE BUSH ring a bell?)

~Elle Shanice~ APPROVED ✔:Raheem DeVaughn "She's Single"

If you didn't know about Raheem DeVaughn, then now you know...& he is JUST getting started.

A lot of people were shocked when they saw this "She's Single" video and felt that he did such a sexual song & video to get attention and I'm sure that he has a lot more fans now because of it. However, if you go back to his first album to get a taste of  his "grown man"  sensuality.

Don't get me wrong: it is not ALL about sex with him. He makes AWESOME music that is thoughtful and compassionate and shows how much he appreciate the concept of love and passion. Songs like "Love Drug", "Believe", "You", and "Desire" are timeless and I will be STILL listening to them 50 years from now.


I have been a fan of Raheem Devaughn's since 2008, when I first heard his seductive song "Customer"  from his album Love Behind the Melody, & I became hooked on his sexy collaboration with Floetry on "Marathon". Most quality artists with REAL talent and who don't run on gimmicks usually take a few albums to get the attention that they deserve.

I hope that this video, as SEXY as it is, gets people to start realizing what an awesome artist he really is. All of his albums are classics and can't wait for his new album A Place Called Loveland that will be released in early 2011. They are watching you now boo...so keep making good music & you will continue to receive the success that you deserve.


Official Video: Raheem DeVaughn - "She's Single" from 368 Music Group on Vimeo.

Tiger Will Think TWICE Next Time

It is always sad to me when a person has to have such a downfall and lose SO much just to realize that they are making mistakes and should fix it.

I am not claiming to know what goes on in the personal life of Tiger Woods but I do know that whenever he gets his life back on track, he will be a little more wary of the consequences for his actions.

It is the same situation as Michael Jackson; you have all of this fame and fortune. With that comes people who will do whatever you want them to do for you. For Michael, it was doctors prescribing drugs and for Tiger, it was women who would have sex with him.

I don't know what happened to make him have all of these indiscretions, but I do think that the price that he is paying will help him get it together. Not just monetarily, but also in the relationship between him and his children.

I heard so many of my guy friends and men on Twitter say that $750 million is too much to pay an ex-wife in a divorce settlement. Although I think that it is a bit much, that is something that Tiger should have thought of before sleeping with 17 other women, or even before he got married. The sum of money seems more and more fair to me because she is entitled to half. She also deserves some compensation because they have children together & being a mother is an invaluable job.

Maybe getting a divorce and losing half of his BILLONS will give him a wake-up call personally and help him be a better man. Hopefully by doing this, his next relationship (if he ever has one again) will be stronger.

"Just Wright" Gives Lesson About Finding True Love

As I watched the movie, I noticed that there were a lot of similarities between me & the main character. When Leslie went on a great date with a cute guy, everything seemed good, until he said that she would be the "perfect homegirl". He told her that he just got out of a relationship & that he wasn't ready for another one. When I heard him say that, it sounded vaguely familiar to me. 





I have heard this many times before from guys who think that I am someone that is cool to hang out with but they wouldn't date. Being a bigger girl, I usually use my personality to get guys' attention. I saw some of the same situations that I have been in before, like dressing comfortably for a basketball game and someone else telling me how to dress to catch a man. I felt that this story had a little piece of me in it all the way through. 


Queen Latifah stars as Leslie Wright, a physical therapist tired of being a guy's girl. She lives with her friend, Morgan (Paula Patton) who hopes to be an NBA trophy wife. After a Nets basketball game, Leslie helps star player, Scott McKnight (Common) at the gas station. He invites her to his birthday party, where she shows up with Morgan. He meets Morgan and suddenly takes an interest in her. After a quick relationship, Scott and Morgan end up being engaged. After Scott gets injured in the All-Star game, Leslie moves in to help with rehab. When rumors circulate that Scott may not be resigned, Morgan leaves him and Leslie continues to help him get better. 


I was so excited to see this movie because it was a movie about basketball and I love a good love story too. The previews were just enough to have me waiting to see it, plus the fact that Queen Latifah was gonna be in it. The icing on the cake was Common, who not only pulled off the roll of NBA player Scott McKnight but also looked FINE doing it. His silky voice and beautiful smile made it hard to turn away from the screen, plus the fact that he had the body to pass for an NBA player. He obviously had to work out and train for this movie :-) 
The movie was a little predictable but most romantic comedies are: boy meets girl; boy falls for girl's friend; friend leaves him & girl has to pick up the pieces; boy falls in love with girl & they live happily ever after. You fall in love with the characters easily and become invested in their story. It was a good love story with a message that true love wins every time and was funny from beginning to end. It gives us BIG girls some hope that you can find love by just being yourself. 

Same Old So-Called "Reality" from VH1

Ever since the 1st episode of "Flavor of Love" all those years ago, VH1 has become the epicenter for the black reality show. From Fantasia to Tiffany "New York" Pollard, these celebs have been the main example of black life to some people who may not know what it is like. However, I think that some of the shows have a negative effect on that outlook because they might put all black people into categories that may not be fit for everyone. This round of shows may not be the worst, but they still may give off a negative connotation to those who do not know better. Sometimes it is not that they represent black people, but they do not always represent themselves and their business well.

The 1st show in their Sunday night lineup is "Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business", which follows the two R&B singers in their transition into the business aspect of their careers. While it is good to see a tight-knit black family on TV, there are some moments when I think that they should keep some things in-house. Every family has its problems, but I think that Brandy is a little over-emotional sometimes and Ray J is a bit immature for a grown man. The dynamic between them is the same as in a normal family, like dealing with parental favoritism, so it does have a higher level of "reality" than some of the others. It does not seem to be fixed or scripted, & I have been a fan of Brandy's since the beginning so I will continue to support her, which is probably why I watch the show.

The sweetest part of the show is the relationship between Willie Sr. and Sonya Norwood, the duo's parents. It is wonderful to see a husband try to ease his wife's mind and help her loosen the reigns on the children that she has raised. She has been struggling with letting go and enjoying her own life and Willie has been trying to help her think about herself for a change by pampering her, even though she is stubborn.

I was really excited about Shaunie O'Neal's project "Basketball Wives" because I thought that it would be a show about her. However, she just serves as narrator and pops in & out and the DRAMA level with the other women is through the roof on this one. The basic premise of the show is to follow the women linked to NBA players and how they deal with that life, but they only seem to deal with groupies and infidelity. IF YOU THINK THAT YOUR HUSBAND WILL CHEAT, THEN HE PROBABLY WILL. IF YOU EXPECT IT, THEN YOU WILL GET IT. First of all, only 2 of the women are actual WIVES & the rest are either girlfriends or ex-girlfriends (or fiances) & one girl is just a baby mama. & now that she & Shaq have gotten a divorce then she does not even fit anymore. Out of all of the ladies, I like Jennifer the best, the only one that is an actual basketball wife. I hope that she works it out with her husband who she is having a rough patch with.

The final show in the lineup is "What Chilli Wants" starring Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas of TLC. It follows her in her quest to find love with the help of a matchmaker, Tionna Smalls. It is a more classy type of dating show in the sense that she does not have a bunch of guys in a BIG house in Atlanta somewhere. Instead, she has her outspoken matchmaker set her up on dates after screening for guys that match Chilli's "list", which is a little over the top and leaning towards picky. I do like how Chilli is beginning to lower her guard and expectations, which has led her to getting close to the two white guys that Tionna brought. We will have to see if settles down with someone by the end of it. I think that Tionna is a real star of the show, with her outrageous outfits and ever-changing hair, not to mention her "outgoing" personality.

Tiny Needs to Get From Under T.I. While She Has The Chance

I found myself watching an episode of Tiny & Toya where Tiny was dealing with the effects of T.I.'s imprisonment & I have to admit, I shed a little tear when I saw her emotions when talking about it.

She spoke about wanting to work on her music again, but was worried about T.I. getting upset. Apparently, she is well taken care of & he has "insisted" (more like demanded) her to not work. I guess he said that he didn't want her to work b/c "she is his woman".

First of all, an engagement ring is NOT a wedding ring. He is not her husband & has no right to make demand of her like that. She said it herself; she was well off before she met him & she obviously has some songwriting and singing talent left.

Secondly, he is in JAIL...not on tour or in the studio. He should have thought about her & the family before he went & bought illegal machine guns & silencers (for whatever reason).

My friend Namon gave some interesting insight into the Tiny situation on his FB status:
I wish people would quit hatting on Tiny. Especially females...Cuz she does things alot of females, especially black females fail to do nowadays: That's Hold Her Man TiP down.

That made me think about my feelings of Tiny for a minute. She does stand by her man no matter what, but at what cost??? I don't think that it is fair to her to keep from doing something that she loves to do & has a passion for on account of her man (not HUSBAND). If he really cared about her, he would allow her to pursue whatever she wanted, even if she didn't need to. If she says that she wants to get from under the stereotype of being a "hip-hop" girlfriend, then she has to make her own name.