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DID AN ON-STAGE KISS DO THEM IN?

Toni Braxton

Did the infamous kiss between Toni Braxton and Atlantan Trey Songz break up her marriage?

We all know how celebrity rumor mills churn, especially when they’re trying to tear people down. But after reviewing said kiss a few times … well, we don’t like to judge. We’ll just let you decide for yourself.

Just to catch you up, the singers performed the song “Yesterday” during the opening of the 2009 Soul Train Awards, which were taped Nov. 3 in Atlanta (the show will air on BET at 9 p.m. on Nov. 29). With Braxton’s husband, Keri Lewis formerly of the band Mint Condition, sitting in the audience, the two singers topped the performance off with what looks like a pretty intimate kiss.

Since then, radio DJS, TV hosts and blogs including Essence.com, have speculated that Braxton, in her 40s, and hubby are now separated. Many wonder if it’s linked to the intimate tongue wrestling seen on stage with the 25-year-old.

Hmmm…

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SYKES SHOW SCORES RESPECTABLE NUMBERS

Wanda Sykes

Fox’s “The Wanda Sykes Show” debuted opposite “Saturday Night Live’s” highest rated broadcast of the season, yet still managed to hold its own in the timeslot.

Sykes is replacing “MadTV” in the slot as Fox’s alternative to NBC’s veteran sketch show, which hit a season high 5.0 rating with Taylor Swift as host and musical guest.

By comparison, “Wanda Sykes” averaged 2.2 household rating in Nielsen’s metered-markets from 11 p.m. to midnight, up 16% from “MadTV” winter average in the time period and 100% higher than the average of Spike Feresten in the slot during January and February, according to the Hollywood Reporter. (Note that these are averages and not premieres.)

Sykes also favorably compares to the first Monday episodes of the broadcast season for Conan, Kimmel and Fallon, yet these weren’t premieres either since the shows had already been in originals when the season started.

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ROBIN ROBERTS’ ANCHOR GETS HEAVIER AT ABC

Robin Roberts

“Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts is moonlighting in prime time this month as the host of two specials: an interview with Janet Jackson airing on Nov. 18, and tonight’s hour-long feature on country music stars.

According to the Associated Press, the specials “could be read as both internal and external signs of Roberts’ importance to the news division” in the absence of “GMA” co-anchor Diane Sawyer, who will replace Charlie Gibson at “World News” at the end of the year.

Roberts will remain at “GMA,” with a new permanent co-host to be announced by ABC News President David Westin in December.

In the meantime, Roberts has spent much of the past week preparing for her Jackson interview, which will be filmed at the singer’s home in Malibu, Calif. The journalist has a difficult balancing act. Jackson is still mourning the death of her brother Michael, a story that continues to fascinate the public. But she’s also a major star in her own right, with something to sell: Jackson has a greatest hits CD coming out in time for the holidays.

Roberts said she hasn’t determined in advance how much of the interview would be related to Michael Jackson.

“I don’t go in with a stack of questions and say three-quarters are going to be about this and one-quarter will be about that,” she said. “I like to have a conversation. I like to walk away and have the person say, `I thought we were going to do an interview and we just talked.’”

JANET AND DUPRI BACK TOGETHER

Not only are Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri reportedly back together, but they were never really apart, according to People magazine.

The couple appeared to be a done deal around the time of Michael Jackson’s death, a rumor that gained traction when Dupri did not attend the funeral services. Jackson herself told Harper’s Bazaar that she was single.

But People.com quotes an unnamed source who says, “They never really broke up. Jermaine wanted to give her some space when Michael died.”

There are even reports on the blogosphere that the two are planning a wedding.

“They’ve been saying that for years and you don’t see a ring on my finger,” Dupri told People on Friday at a Prive Las Vegas party to launch his Nu Pop Movement watch line. “I guess it just sounds good to have that rumor this time of the year or something.”

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IS THE DIVORCE REALLY MOVING FORWARD

The is-they-is or is-they-ain’t Shaq & Shaunie show is in full effect again. So for now it looks like Mr. and Mrs Shaquille O’Neal is calling it quits again.

That’s right. They’ve been down this path before back in Sept of 2007. At the time, the Miami Herald broke the story that the then (Miami) Heat center had filed to divorce Shaunie, his wife of nearly five years. Interestingly, they also quoted from the petition that: “The marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken.”

However, the couple voided the divorce and resumed their marriage.

Fast forward to today, and according to TMZ:

“Shaunie filed legal papers yesterday in L.A., even though the couple lives in Florida. The petition says although Shaunie is filing for legal separation, she intends to file for divorce. She lists ‘irreconciliable differences’ as the reason for separation.”

The gossip site says Shaunie pulled her kids out of school in Florida several days ago and they are with her now in L.A. They say the date of separation is listed as 11-9-09.

They also answered the question you’re probably asking. Why would Shaunie cross the county to file in LA?

Their answer: A spouse generally does a lot better in the spousal support department here in California.

The site says her lawyer told them:

“Shaunie is living in California now, but she won’t say how long she’s been here. She claims in her papers to be a resident of L.A. Sources tell us Shaunie moved here in the last few days.”

Mrs. O’Neal is asking for both spousal and child support — though she did not specify an amount for either.

The O’Neals have four children together: Shareef, 9, Amirah, 7, Shaqir, 6, and Me’Arah, 3. From previous relationships, Shaq has a daughter, Taahirah, and Shaunie has a son, Myles.

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MOTOWN TURNS 50!

Stevie Wonder

*Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations and others will appear at Motown’s 50th anniversary event, titled “Live It Again!,” scheduled for Nov. 20 and 21 in Detroit, reports Billboard.

The show will benefit the Motown Historical Museum, which is located in the company’s original Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters in Detroit’s midtown section.

The weekend starts off at the Roostertail, a nightclub that hosted many Motown performances and parties, with a program honoring Motown alumni followed by an autograph session with members of the Contours and Miracles, among others. A “Bop to the Ballroom” dance party will follow.

On Nov. 21, the Temptations and Franklin will headline a black-tie gala at Detroit’s GM Renaissance Center, while Stevie Wonder will offer “a special tribute performance” to Motown Founder Berry Gordy, Jr., and his sister, Esther Gordy Edwards, a Motown vice-president who founded the Motown museum.

Actor/comedian Sinbad will host, and the evening will also include memorial tributes to Michael Jackson, the Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs and producer/songwriter Norman Whitefield, and honors for Motown’s “First Five” — Smokey Robinson, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman, Janie Bradford and Raynoma Singleton.

Tickets for the Nov. 20 Roostertail party are $50, while the Nov. 21 gala runs $350. Tickets can be purchased by calling (313) 875-2264 or visiting www.motownmuseum.com.

Motown’s 50th anniversary will also be recognized during halftime of the Detroit Lions’ annual Thanksgiving day football game. “A Motown 50th Anniversary Tribute” will feature current Motown stars — including KEM, Melanie Fiona and Shontelle — performing some of the label’s biggest hits. The segment will be televised by Fox, and fans will be able to download a recording of the medley online at www.nfl.com/thanksgiving, with proceeds going to benefit the United Way.

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ABC SCORES BIG WITH SINGING STAR

Rihanna

Rihanna’s “20/20″ interview about the night she was beaten by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown has given the ABC news program a ratings win for Friday night and a record for the season.

Diane Sawyer’s exclusive interview with the singer drew 8.2 million viewers among adults 18-49. It also drew the show’s best 18-34 number in three years.

That was enough for ABC to tie usual Friday winner CBS in the adult demo, though CBS still won among total viewers.

During the interview, Rihanna described the horror she felt as her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was biting and punching her during a violent argument in February, saying she saw “no soul in his eyes.”

“There was no person when I looked at him,” said the 21-year-old artist. “He had no soul in his eyes. Just blank.”

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WINANS EX WIFE OKAY WITH BAN

Debra Winans

The ex-wife of gospel singer BeBe Winans says she’s pleased with the decision of Oprah Winfrey to remove him from her “Karaoke Challenge” until his domestic violence case is resolved.

Debra Winans made headlines last week when she questioned Winfrey’s stance against domestic violence in light of her ex-husband’s continued appearances on her talk show despite his domestic abuse case.

In February, BeBe was arrested for allegedly shoving Debra to the pavement outside of her home. He is due back in court on Jan. 20.

Earlier in the year, Winfrey devoted an entire hour to domestic violence after Rihanna was beaten by Chris Brown. In response to Winfrey’s decision late last week to drop BeBe, Debra gave the following statement to TMZ.com:

“It further demonstrates the fact that Oprah continues to be a strong voice against domestic violence and that she’s willing to take the steps necessary to defend the defenseless.”

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AS EXPECTED, MICHAEL IS TOPS

Michael Jackson

As fully expected, Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” album enters the Billboard 200 albums chart with an impressive 373,000 copies sold, the fifth-best sales week for an album in the U.S. this year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The companion album to the musical documentary film of the same name is Jackson’s sixth No. 1 on the tally and it arrives with his best sales frame for an album since 1995’s “HIStory” started atop the Billboard 200 with 391,000 copies.

Jackson’s first No. 1 album was 1983’s record-breaking “Thriller.” He later scored the pole position with “Bad,” “Dangerous,” “HIStory” and “Invincible.” Earlier this year, Jackson also notched a No. 1 on the Top Comprehensive Albums and Top Pop Catalog Albums charts with the 2003 greatest hits set “Number Ones.”

Meanwhile, the “This Is It” film is already the second-highest grossing musical concert film in the U.S. and Canada behind “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour” ($65.3 million).

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FINAL DOWN FOR MICHAEL IRVIN ON DWTS

Michael Irvin

There’s no time left on the clock for Michael Irvin on “Dancing with the Stars.”

The former Dallas Cowboys receiver failed to capture enough viewer votes to keep him in the competition, even though he finished his run on the hit ABC show with his highest score of the season: 23 points out of 30 for his Foxtrot with professional partner Anna Demidova on Monday’s episode.

Judges’ scores are combined with viewer votes to determine which contestants are eliminated each week.

“Last night was a great night, and to see the audience here standing up, it’s their way of saying they appreciate the hard work,” Irwin said after learning his fate.

Remaining contestants include singer Aaron Carter, model Joanna Krupa reality TV star Kelly Osbourne, singer Mya and entertainer Donny Osmond. Each will perform two dances on Monday’s episode.

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ROBERTS LANDS INTERVIEW WITH JANET

Janet

ABC is expected to announce today that “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts will interview Janet Jackson for a special to air on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 10 p.m.

The singer will likely spend much of the hour talking about her late brother, Michael, Variety reported Wednesday.

The network is also set to announce that its upcoming five-episode series “Let’s Dance,” which features celebs re-enacting well-known dance routines – will launch on Monday, Nov. 23 at 9:30 p.m.

The 90-minute premiere will follow the final performance show of “Dancing With the Stars.”

“Let’s Dance” will continue to air on Mondays at 9 p.m.

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