Shaq and Hoopz are the Happy Couple

By Mr. Hollywood
JR Staff Writer

There have been rumors surrounding the relationship between NBA superstar, Shaquille O'Neal and Nicole "Hoopz" Alexander ever since they hooked up. O'Neal was in the middle of a nasty divorce from his wife, Shaunie, and Hoopz had nearly been forgotten, years past her VH1 days.

While Shaquille O'Neal has been with various women, he and Hoopz seemed to be a mismatch to most. Last year, there were rumors of O'Neal popping the question to Hoopz. Before the end of the year, stories said the two had broken up. The rumors suggested Shaq had demanded all his high-price gifts back.

Despite all of the rumors, Shaq and Hoopz have done well with each other. Perhaps their love of basketball is what has kept them together. Hoopz was still a child, playing basketball in her back yard when Shaquille O'Neal was breaking goals with the Orlando Magic. Things have definitely changed since then.

Even with the tough season, Shaq has been able to count on Hoopz being there for him. She has adjusted well to his lifestyle in front of the sports media. Often, Hoopz is mentioned by the sports announcers of ESPN and other sports outlets. For Hoopz, it is not too much of an adjustment being in front of the camera, as she starred in "Flavor of Love" and the original "I Love Money."

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Flavor Flav considers Reality Television comeback

By TV Insider
JR Staff Writer

As a member of Public Enemy, Flavor Flav stuck out for his eccentric personality and his clock necklace. But, once Chuck D and Public Enemy fell from the mainstream, Flavor Flav was forgotten. VH1, at the time trying to find a niche, had begun broadcasting "The Surreal Life," a show featuring past celebrities.

VH1 was forever changed when Flavor Flav was cast as a member of "The Surreal Life." Flav eventually began a relationship with Bridgitte Neilson, a former model. The two hit it off and landed their own spin-off show in 2004. However, in the end, Flav was left heartbroken and VH1 gave him another show.

Flavor Flav was in complete control with "Flavor of Love," a show similar to "The Bachelor." Several women competed for Flav's affections. The show quickly became one of the most popular programs on television and Flavor Flav was suddenly one of the biggest names in pop culture. The show ran for three seasons, solidifying VH1 in the process.

By 2008, Flavor Flav said he was done with "Flavor of Love" and he was soon cast for a sitcom on new network, MyNetworkTV. The sitcom failed and Flav was soon forgotten, again, after five years back in the spotlight. During his downtime, Flavor Flav opened a fried chicken restaurant and he is determined to put together another comeback. However, this time, his television show will revolve around his business. Flav said the show will be similar to "Happy Days."

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Nicole "Hoopz" Alexander returning to Reality Television

By TV Insider
JR Staff Writer

In 2006 and 2008, Nicole "Hoopz" Alexander, proved to be too much for VH1. She won Flavor Flav's heart during the first season of "Flavor of Love." Behind the scenes, the couple did not make it. She returned to VH1 and won "I Love Money" and the heart of Real.

Ever since her stint on "I Love Money," Hoopz has been out of the public eye. She has been romantically linked to several athletes. In 2009, Hoopz was rumored to be dating NFL superstar, Chad Ochocinco. Last spring, she confirmed her relationship with Shaquille O'Neal.

No longer a dominant force in the game, O'Neal is now a reserve for the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are his third team in as many years. Currently, he is signed to a two-year contract with the team and Hoopz lives with him in Boston. The new reality show will focus on Hoopz as she lives the life of the girlfriend of an NBA star and works as a sports trainer.

Hoopz and Shaq met in 2006, right after her stint on "Flavor of Love." At the time, Shaq was happily married to Shaunie O'Neal and Hoopz was involved with Flavor Flav. Soon, all of this changed, but the two did not find each other immediately. Since 2009, the couple has been on and off dating, but they became more serious last year. The two are rumored to be engaged and Shaq was said to have purchased her a $500,000 engagement ring.

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Shaunie O'Neal and VH1 re-up for more "Basketball Wives"

By TV Maverick
JR Staff Writer

VH1 has had a stranglehold on the black audience ever since the days of "Flavor of Love." Following the success of that show, the cable network has given the green light to many other black oriented shows. Other struggling cable networks have copied VH1's formula in an effort to gain ratings.

Bravo, another cable network struggling for viewership, began broadcasting "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" in 2008. While the advantage still belongs to VH1, a major dent was created with this show. As she was divorcing NBA star, Shaquille O'Neal, Shaunie O'Neal needed something of her own to live from.

She had been watching "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and decided to create a similar show with some of her friends. VH1, ironically, was looking for a similar show to compete with Bravo's hit. Early in 2010, a match made in heaven was found when Shaunie O'Neal pitched her new project to the network and they quickly agreed to do a deal with the network.

The first season of "Basketball Wives" was more successful than "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." Through that series, VH1 was able to gain a lot of viewership from Bravo. But, "Basketball Wives" has been on hiatus since the summer. Meanwhile, "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" has returned from hiatus and is back making headlines. Realizing this, VH1 recently called for a meeting with Shaunie O'Neal and they decided to come back with more episodes of "Basketball Wives."

The new season of "Basketball Wives" will premiere on December 12 at 9:00 pm.

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NBA star Shaquille O'Neal engaged to Reality Star Hoopz?

By Mr. Hollywood
JR Staff Writer

Recently, the rumor mill has been overflowing with news. More recent news has the newly-single Shaquille O'Neal getting back into the dating game. For the past three years, Shaq has been divorcing Shaunie O'Neal, his wife since 2002. But, a short reunion, followed by a reality show has left the two apart again.

Ever since "Basketball Wives" went on hiatus, there have been rumors about Shaunie O'Neal finding a young boy toy. But, things have not been so smooth for Shaq. He was hoping to play sidekick to LeBron James in Cleveland for a few more years, but James bolted to Shaq's former home of Miami.

Two years ago, Shaquille O'Neal left Miami kicking and screaming, but he was pleading for them to take him back. In an effort to keep the Miami Heat drama free, the organization decided less is more and left Shaq to fend for himself. Soon after landing with the Boston Celtics, O'Neal sought to put himself in the middle of entertainment news.

Ever since her affair with Real on VH1's "I Love Money," things have been rather silent from Hoopz, too. There have been a few rumors of her beinga lesbian, but not much was proven. During her time on the mega hit, "Flavor of Love," New York tried to insist Hoopz was gay. But, in the end, she broke Flavor Flav's heart, along with VH1's heart when she turned down a reality show spin-off. While 2006 was a great year for both Shaquille O'Neal and Hoopz, 2008 was not and it ended up proving to be their last year in the spotlight.

In the time since, the NBA has moved on to their love affair with Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James, while VH1 has found more success with Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco. Putting themselves back in the news, one more time, rumor has it Shaquille O'Neal and Hoopz are engaged and will wed sometime before the end of this year.

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