We Didn't Know the Name Was Literal
It seems like nearly every rapper on P.Diddy's Bad Boy label has had a run-in with the law, from the late Notorious B.I.G.'s gangsta dealings to rapper Shyne's 10-year prison sentence to Puff's own highly publicized trial for weapons possession and bribing a witness. Now Loon (real name Chauncey Hawkins) has followed in his mentors' footsteps with an attempted-murder charge. The ladies' man apparently lost his cool at a February 20 party for Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz at the House of Blues in West Hollywood. After a bouncer refused to let Loon and his posse into the Sunset Strip venue, the rapper and his crew allegedly stormed the club entrance and stabbed him. Talk about taking the term "bad boy" literally. Perhaps P.Diddy should change the name of his record label to something like Peace-Loving Boys instead.
Britney News of the Week
Months of incriminating tabloid photos later, Columbus Short, a backup dancer for Britney Spears, reveals that — big surprise — his relationship with Britney broke up his marriage. The 21-year-old father was linked with the pop princess during her European tour. The two were even photographed kissing during a rehearsal for the MTV Music Awards. "It's true I slept with Britney, [but] we never had sex because another person was in the room at the time. We shared a bed and were really close, kissing and hugging. The chemistry was magical...our feelings were so strong," Short told Star magazine. He is now in the midst of a divorce. "It would be fair to say Britney caused major problems in our marriage. Despite everything that happened, I'll always remember those special moments with Britney," he added. We're sure Short's wife will be thrilled to hear that.
Maybe After-School Specials Really Work
Fewer teenagers are having babies, according to recent data from the Alan Guttmacher Institute. Researchers found that the national pregnancy rate among women ages 15 to 19 dropped 28% from 1990 to 2000 in every U.S. state. Previous research suggests that 25% of the drop is due to teenagers not having as much sex in a social climate where AIDS remains a big threat. The remaining percentage is due to better contraceptive options. Of all the ethnic groups, teen pregnancy plummeted most among African-American (32%) women and white women (28%).
CU Needs More Than a New Coach
After a scandalous year, the University of Colorado placed its football coach, Gary Barnett, on administrative leave. Barnett reportedly made insensitive remarks criticizing Katie Hnida, a former CU kicker who claimed she was raped by a teammate. "It was obvious Katie was not very good. She was awful," Barnett told a Sports Illustrated reporter of her playing abilities.
Hnida is one of six women who have come forward against a football team that is embroiled in allegations of rape and sex parties that included alcohol and escort services. The athletics department has also been accused of using sex to recruit star athletes. University officials recently admitted that a former athletics employee made calls to an escort service and singles chat line on a CU-assigned cell phone.
Under Barnett's leadership, the CU football team won a BCS bowl game and Big 12 Conference title. "These allegations are hurting the entire university. We are vigorously investigating all of them," said President Elizabeth Hoffman in a university press release.
You Know What They Say About Curiosity
A California teen got a big shock when he Googled his name on the Internet and found it, along with a photo, on a Canadian missing children's list. According to the Web site, the 17-year-old's mother, Giselle-Marie Goudreault, kidnapped him 14 years ago after a court awarded his father, Rodney Steinmann, full custody.
Goudreault, 45, allegedly abducted her son during a weekend visit and fled to Mexico. The two moved to Los Angeles several years later and she took the last name Johnson. After the teenager, who has not been identified, learned of his kidnapping, he sought the advice of a teacher who helped him call the police. Much to the teen's dismay, his mother was arrested and he was immediately put in a foster home.
There's no word on whether the teenage sleuth will choose to live with his father in Canada, but Steinmann is waiting with open arms. "A conversation with him is a long time overdue. It would be a relief to ask him if he's okay," he said.
