Everyday since Bobbi Kristina has been in the hospital, her father has been right by her side. But it looks like Bobby Brown will have to leave her behind in May as TMZ reports that he will be going on tour in Australia with Naughty By Nature. Sources say Brown is under contractual obligations to follow through with the shows and is unable to cancel. Bobbi Kristina Brown has been unconscious and unresponsive for nearly two months. [TMZ]
Oklahoma City Thunder MVP Russell Westbrook is spreading his wealth in charitable ways. He was awarded a brand new Kia for his All-Star performance and decided to donate the car to a local single mother. Nineteen-year-old Kerstin Gonzales is the lucky recipient of that brand new car. She has two children and plans to start college this year. Looks like she’ll be riding to class in style. [Hello Beautiful]
John Singleton has officially stepped back from the Tupac biopic.
“The reason I am not making this picture is because the people involved aren’t really respectful of the legacy of Tupac Amaru Shakur,” he wrote on Instagram. But fear not! A new director is stepping in to complete the film. Carl Franklin (Devil With The Blue Dress, Out Of Time) has signed on to lead the project and will begin casting next week. [The Hollywood Reporter]
Chris Tucker and Vin Diesel have been tapped to join an all-star cast in Ang Lee’s new film, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. The story is about a 19-year-old Iraq veteran named Billy Lynn whose knowledge of a pending war may disrupt the Thanksgiving Day football game. The film will be shot in 3D and production is already underway. [Deadline]
Courtney Barnes, former publicist to singers Brandy and Fantasia, is suing Sony Music for racial discrimination. Now both Brandy and Fantasia have been called to give a deposition and testify as to why they cut ties with Barnes.
Barnes alleges that Fantasia’s manager told him that the Sony VP accused him of “shady businesss” which ruined his reputation. He’s accusing Sony of racism and seeking $250,000 in damages but Sony Music wants to throw the case out. [Hello Beautiful]
In response to the tragic suicide of transgender teen Leelah Alcorn, the Obama administration announced a call to end “conversion” therapy for gay and transgender youth.
“When assessing the validity of conversion therapy, or other practices that seek to change an individual’s gender identity or sexual orientation, it is as imperative to seek guidance from certified medical experts,” Obama’s senior advisor Valerie Jarrett wrote. “The overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that conversion therapy, especially when it is practiced on young people, is neither medically nor ethically appropriate and can cause substantial harm.”
Leelah Alcorn was a transgender teen who published a suicide note on Tumblr asking that her death “would mean something.” Thanks to Obama, it will mean something for future LGBT teens. [E! Online]
