INVESTIGATION ON BRAD PITT’S 'ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR CLOSED'

A report from the BBC news a while ago has revealed that the investigation into whether actor Brad Pitt was abusive towards his son in September has ended with no finding of wrongdoing.

According to the US media report, social workers in Los Angeles had been examining claims that Brad hit his 15-year-old son Maddox on a private jet hence his wife Angelina Jolie filed for divorce a day after the incident, citing "irreconcilable differences" as reason for the filed divorce after just been married for two years even as Brad is seeking joint custody of their six children.

Having been together for more than a decade, Brad and Jolie grew close while shooting the 2005 film Mr & Mrs Smith, in which they played a couple in a stagnant relationship before they eventually got married privately at their French estate in Provence in 2014 making their union Brad’s second marriage, after a divorce from Friends star Jennifer Aniston and Jolie's third marriage after Billy Bob Thornton and Johnny Lee Miller.

Brad and Jolie who are known for their philanthropic lifestyles other than being just actors have six children together - Maddox, Pax, and Zahara, who were adopted including biological children Shiloh and a set of twins Knox and Vivienne.

Meanwhile on the allegation against Brad, a spokesman for the LA Department of Children and Family Services said the agency could not confirm it investigated Brad.

HAVE WE GOT 'SOMETHING IN COMMON'?

On my way to work this morning, I was listening to the song “something in common” by Bobby Brown featuring Whitney Houston and then I remembered that I recently read on the UK dailymail that BET’s upcoming ‘New Edition’ miniseries is in the making.

The miniseries will be based on the RnB band ‘New Edition’ and its origin. It is expected to be a hit series given the people involved in the production and also as the group was a band to reckon with in the 80s and given the fact that some of their songs can still compete with a lot of what is being played in our airwaves today.

Bobby Brown, a member of the group who is now about 47years old is seen in this picture as shown on the right with young actor Woody McClain who will be acting as ‘Bobby’ in the miniseries which will be directed by Chris Robinson. This picture was taken in Hollywood on Sunday outside the Madeo restaurant.

Prolific  Jesse Collins of  “Real Husbands of Hollywood’ sits in the position of the executive producer. Co-producers are members of the group in the real-life persons of Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, and of course Bobby Brown as well as Brooke Payne the manager who named the group ‘New Edition’ originally. 

The group is pictured here below (left) performing in 2014 while another picture (much lower on the right) shows Bobby and Woody on set the miniseries.

Now back to the song “something in common’ which occasioned the topic of this write-up.

‘Something in common’ as earlier stated is a duet by Bobby Brown and his ex as well as late wife Whitney Houston which was featured on Bobby’s 1992 album that was simply named ‘BOBBY’. The song was their first musical collaboration as a couple and as a matter of fact the only one released as a single.

Oh! That song!! Especially the way it starts with those beats at the beginning. I just loved and still love listening and dancing to it.

Watching the video and in some cases listening to both of them in that song made me feel like two different people entirely in their own world though with different habits and attitudes yet could actually live together as a couple. But alas! It was not meant to be as they eventually broke up. I guess they just couldn’t hold-up any longer. Phew! Speaking about elasticity here, right?

‘Something in common’ was released in the UK but it however only got some form of controlled rotation in the  US *still wondering why though* and since it was not released as a commercial single, it was as a result according to reports not eligible to chart on the ‘Billboard Hot 100 as well as the ‘Hot RnB Singles’ charts even though it peaked at number 16 in the UK, 32 and 30 on the ‘Hot 100 Airplay’ and ‘Hot RnB Airplay’ list in the US respectively.

As a teenager, one would play the cassette until it got twisted and even at that, you will find me pull out the twisted part, cut it off and seal back the ends of the cut parts and ‘yippee’  the tape was back in the radio again. Even though some parts of the lyrics would be lost as a result of the cut-out twisted parts, you bet, the cassette would still make a lot of sense to the listener.

Mehnnn! How I miss those days. Life was indeed beautiful. Now you understand why listening to that song gives me great memories of my youth.

Now when I look at Bobby, something in him still speaks volumes that indeed Whitney was his one true love even as he affirmed that in an interview some time ago. With Whitney, I think they both had a great career and an amazing lifestyle together.

Then again, even when he did “I’m your friend” on the same album ‘Bobby’ with Debra Winans, it was so obvious the song was an upshot from his love experience with Whitney. Gosh! The couple shared so much together.

The lyrics were top notched and, guess what! Those two songs mended a lot of troubled relationships back then. Don’t ask me for details *winks*. Yes, I was so young but I heard experiences of people whose relationships got healed just by listening to such songs.

Even though stories of their drug addiction was alleged to have precipitated their divorce, I think these two were great together regardless their age difference and all the negative stories ‘paparazzied’ about them. I wish the duo was able to work things out.

And if they did, maybe, just maybe Whitney would still be alive today giving us great songs and so would Bobbi Kristina, after all love they say conquers all. Guess love wasn’t enough in this regards.

Whitney and Bobbi Kristina, continue to rest in peace even as memories of you (Whitney) given the great songs you made will make you evergreen in our hearts.

And that’s it for now. You can join the millions of people who keep going back to listen to this ‘something in common’ song even as I dance away to it right now.

If you love the song as much as I do then it ultimately means "we've got something in common" as well. Smiles. 

KHLOE STILL HOT ON LAMAR

During last Sunday’s church service, which was mothers’ day as celebrated in some parts of the world, the Pastor of the church which I attend, before praying over the women and mothers, reiterated that there is nothing good about a broken home or marriage and never in history has it ever happened that a woman was applauded or given an award for making her home a hell of a place to live. 

That warning made me recollect what I read online a few days before about Khloe Kardashian of the Kardashian dynasty who was reported to have said on the program Kocktails with Khloé  that she would never be unfaithful to her partner in any relationship she finds herself because of the negative impacts infidelity had on her parents, Kris Jenner and the late Robert Kardashian.

When I saw that report, it was with an ‘hmmm’ sigh and I thought “this sounds really good coming from a Kardashian” Before you take a ‘misunderstanding’ seat, let me straighten the statement just in case you got it all twisted.

Given the trend of broken relationships/marriages due to one form of infidelity or the other which is fast becoming or now even a norm in Hollywood and the other ‘woods’ in the world, celebrities now have the reputation of ‘who cares if this relationship ends as soon as it starts’ so it comes as a shock to hear some of these same celebs say they would never cheat on their partners especially from the ones who have had very controversial relationships in the past.

Khloe said during the program that the breakup with her former boyfriend James Harden  happened because James “wasn’t committed” and went on to talk about how her experience given her mother’s infidelity destroyed her father who died of cancer in 2003 after breaking up with the mother, Kris Jenner in 1990.

According to Khloe “I saw how it destroyed my dad... I saw what it did to my dad so I don't want to do that. I also saw the regret from my mom."

Who knows, maybe Robert would have made a few more years if he didn’t get divorced. Like they say “happiness has a way of suppressing illnesses and diseases”. But then, it’s too late now even though Kris who is now in her sixties has acknowledged that cheating on her husband at 30 with a producer was her “biggest regret”.

A lot of regrets come after every form of cheating. When it happens between just dating or married couples, regardless the type of relationship, as long as there is commitment to one person, once the other cheats, it breaks a heart gravely and most of the time such heartbreaks never get mended.

Interestingly, sometimes even after such breakups, some of these people still maintain relationship with their ‘Ex’ while some others just end up ‘sworn’ enemies.  

Back to Khloe Kardasian, let us take an example using her relationship with Lamar Odom. The duo still remain friends even after the collapse of their marriage. Khloe had also said on Kocktails that they both have a good relationship notwithstanding Lamar’s unfaithfulness and she proved their friendship when she took time out for Odom while he was hospitalized even though she was already in a new relationship at the time.  

On her relationship with Lamar, she said "People can say whatever they want about Lamar, but our relationship was so unbelievable. The good outweighed the bad … I still have only great things to say about him. I want Lamar to be happy with his life. I feel like that is my role” even as she concluded that Lamar has also set the bar very high for future relationships.

Hey ladies! Isn’t that sweet? There’s a thing or two to learn from KHLOE on this!!

Dear Israel Houghton, It's Time To Have A 'Re-think'

If after the next couple of days, there is no word from Israel Houghton on the recent message he sent out on facebook about him divorcing his wife of 20years then I would say that his entire hard work in singing gospel songs is a whole lot of CRAP.

I wonder the kind of Christianity a lot of people practice these days. I guess it’s now Christianity of ‘convenience.

I was angered the other day when I saw that of Chris and Anita Oyakhilome in the papers showing Anita’s name being removed as one of the trustees of the Christ embassy church thereby confirming all the rumours about their divorce which has been on and off for a while now. That’s another CRAP.

My colleague and I went to have a business meet with a potential client exactly four weeks ago and while talking, *can’t remember how we digressed* but the lady while speaking said “no matter the challenges in a marriage, the best thing for the couple is to look for every way to fix it and work things out”. I held those words in my head all through the rest of the meeting and even now, it’s something that keeps playing on a ‘repeat mode’ in my head.

This advice came from a woman who has everything at her ‘beck and call’ within and outside this country yet she’s as humble as that ‘pie’ that is always referred to whenever the word ‘HUMILITY’ pops up.

So when I read about Israel yesterday, I said to myself *this is all crap*.

According to Israel, he wrote "Several years ago I failed and sinned in my marriage. ... Although we tried, the challenges in our relationship have proven too much to overcome. We have always handled our family and ministry with grace and generosity toward others, discretion, and privacy".

Tell me, why couldn’t he find a way to work things out even after he became sober for cheating on his wife?  One would expect that given his status in the ministry and the society at large, he would have worked things out. Joel Osteen had better step into this issue as he’s the head of the Lakewood Church where Israel is one of the senior worship leaders.

Continuing on his post on facebook, Israel said "I am in the process of restoration and I have repented for my actions. Although I am sincerely sorry, and forgiven, I soberly realize that I will live with the consequences of my failings for the rest of my life".

So if he’s sincerely repented and forgiven by his wife, why is he still going ahead with the divorce or is there more to what he’s told us so far? I really don’t get it!

And what’s that with “As this has become a public matter I want to apologize to the many who have supported my ministry through the years. I'm sorry for the many who will be hurt to learn of my personal failure. I regret any pain or disappointment that this news may cause you. We thank you for your prayers and for allowing us to handle this privately with those who are set over us in this process".

  

Hmmm! Dear Israel, I don’t think many ardent followers who have been blessed over the years by your songs would accept these apologies. Of course many of them (us) are hurt. We are hurt not because you cheated on your wife with another gospel singer but because you are throwing everything away by divorcing your wife of over 20years which means you have not really forgiven yourself. What example are you then setting for your kids and all those in your New Breed Ministries? 

It’s time to have a re-think Israel Houghton. *really sad*