Fantasia Barrino’s management and publicity team is sketchy as hell. After her affair with the married Antwaun Cook had been reported widely in the tabloid press and urban blogs for more than a year, Antwaun’s wife Paula filed for divorce and began telling all of Antwaun and Fantasia’s secrets. Stuff involving their sex tapes, how Fantastia called Paula and demanded that Paula stop seeing her husband, and how basically, Fantasia is all kinds of wrong. After that, Fantasia overdosed on some aspirin and sleeping pills, and she was hospitalized. Her manager released a very Jesus-y statement that was basically like, “Jesus saved Fantasia and he has forgiven her for bangin’ a married dude, Praise Him!” Since then, it does seem like maybe Fantasia has gotten her act together a little bit – her team released another statement when she got out of the hospital that made it sound like the Antwaun stuff was all a big mistake and now she was re-focused on being a mom. She also met publicly with Antwaun, and invited the paparazzi. Anyway, now Antwaun’s lawyer is now defending his mistress:

Don’t blame Fantasia Barrino! That is the message from Antwaun Cook, who allegedly had an affair with the singer and is now splitting from his wife Paula Cook.

“Antwaun would be remiss not to address the criticism and judgment he has received,” Cook’s lawyer, Nicole Sodoma, said Wednesday in a statement. “He knew Fantasia Barrino but the failure of his marriage can in no way be blamed on anyone except the two people that were a part of the union – Paula and Antwaun.”

The American Idol season 3 winner, 26, acknowledged she dated Cook “off and on for about 11 months” but said she believed he had separated from his wife.

“[Paula and Antwaun] expected their marriage to stand the test of time,” adds Sodoma. “Unfortunately, like many marriages, it did not turn out as planned. In late summer 2009, after years of discussion, the parties separated with the intention of no longer being married.”

Cook’s wife, however, stated in court documents that the couple split on June 16, 2010.

A lawyer for Barrino had no comment when asked if the singer and Cook were still a couple. The two were recently spotted meeting up at a park near her North Carolina home – with camera crews in tow for her reality show, Fantasia for Real, according to a source.

[From People]

F-ck, this was all for a reality show? How trashy. I guess Fantasia’s suicide attempt was for the reality show too. Regarding Antwaun’s statement, I guess he “knew” Fantasia in the biblical sense, that’s what Sodoma (bad name) is trying to say. And I’ll buy that Paula and Antwaun were having problems, but if he wanted to start seeing Fantasia (or whoever else), maybe he should have formally split from his wife? I’m just saying, it sucks when a dude leaves his wife for another broad, but it’s worse when the marriage is in some strange limbo and everybody’s like “That chick’s a homewrecker!” and “The wife should cut it off!”

On Tuesday, we heard about Fantasia Barrino’s overdose. Apparently, she was so overcome by stress at being publicly called out for homewrecking, so she took an overdose of aspirin and sleeping pills. She ended up going to a North Carolina hospital where she detoxed for two nights, and in that time Fantasia – through her manager – released a statement admitting her affair with the married Antwaun Cook. Her manager’s statement was very Jesus-y and it basically boiled down to: I believed Antwaun when he said his marriage was already falling apart, so that’s on him, and I’ve asked God’s forgivness for f-cking a married dude, and I know that he forgives me, so if you love Jesus, you should too.

Anyway, Fantasia has been released from the hospital, and of course, her batsh-t crazy manager spoke again:

After a harrowing couple of days, Fantasia Barrino is on the mend – and out of the hospital.

The American Idol season 3 champ was hospitalized in Charlotte, N.C., Monday for an overdose of aspirin and a sleep aid, but she was released from the hospital late Wednesday, says her manager Brian Dickens.

“She has been lifted up by the outpouring of love and support from her fans,” Dickens said. “She is more committed than ever to her daughter and her work because they are her heart, her soul and inspiration.”

The medical scare came just after Barrino, 26, was named in a court filing alleging that she was having an affair with a married man. The singer denied she was responsible for breaking up the marriage of Paula and Cook. However, on Tuesday admitted having dated Cook “off and on for 11 months.”

Barrino says she believed Cook and his wife were separated, and is now “heartbroken and is sorry for any pain she may have caused.”

[From People]

She is “committed more than ever to her daughter”? Her daughter didn’t enter into her mind when she “overdosed” like a drama queen on some aspirin? You know… generally speaking, I don’t really care about the “homewrecking” issue. Those stories are fun to cover for me, and I like doing it because I think people like to read about it. But usually, on a personal level, I think most of the “she’s a homewrecker” stories aren’t so black and white, and you know, sh-t happens. But my feelings always change when there are innocent children involved in the drama of the homewrecking situation, and this Fantasia drama kind of makes me sick. I think Fantasia deserves a lot of sh-t for these self-indulgent, pity-poor-me drama queen moves, especially because she’s a mom, and she was screwing around with a married man who had children too. It just sucks. She sucks as a person.

By the way, People Magazine released their story on “Just who is Antwaun Cook?” This is the celebrity-sanctified version of events… and it’s surprisingly not stuck up Fanatasia’s ass. They seem to be on the side of Antwaun’s estranged wife, Paula. Good for them:

Two weeks ago, Antwaun Cook lived a low-profile life. A father of two sons, he managed a Charlotte, N.C., T-Mobile store and recently joined a local real estate office as an agent. But one court document and a bitter separation later, he finds himself immersed in headlines as the man who began dating Fantasia Barrino – while he was still married.

The American Idol season 3 champ, 26, initially denied she had broken up Cook’s marriage to his wife Paula but later confirmed she had been in an on-again, off-again relationship with him for 11 months.

Barrino, her manager said, believed Cook when he told her that he and his wife had “separated in the late summer of 2009.” Even back in January, the singer spoke to PEOPLE about her relationship with Cook (whom she said was “separated”) and dismissed claims he was cheating on his wife with her.

A complaint filed by Cook’s wife, however, tells a different story. According to the legal papers, the couple, who married in October 2005 and have two boys together, Christian, 6, and Jackson, 2, only started living separately on June 16, 2010.

Wife’s Allegations
Among some of the wife’s allegations: Cook and Barrino carried on an affair before she split with her husband, even making a sex tape, the two frequented “bars, restaurants, nightclubs and the like” together, and that they had matching tattoos.

An East Carolina University business alum who played football at the school and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Cook obtained his real estate license in 2006 so he could “share the knowledge from my own ‘good’ and ‘interesting’ experiences in the homebuying and selling process,” he says on a Web site for Keller Williams Realty, the firm he joined in August.

Describing himself as “extremely motivated” on his LinkedIn profile, Cook has also had an 8-year-long career in the telecommunications industry, including his other current job as a retail sales manager for a local T-Mobile store – where he apparently first met Barrino.

In the complaint, Cook’s wife seeks custody of their two kids, along with child support and alimony. But there’s a chance even more legal action may take place. Barrino, who was hospitalized Monday for an overdose, could potentially face a lawsuit, because North Carolina is one of seven states that allows a party to sue a “homewrecker.”

So what attracted Barrino to Cook in the first place? She previously told PEOPLE she wasn’t interested in being with a guy who worked in the music industry. “He doesn’t rap or produce,” she said. “He’s from my hometown. He’s just a regular dude.”

[From People]

I’m kind of hoping Paula sues, don’t you? I doubt she will, but here’s hoping.

Header: Fantasia on June 8, 2008. Credit: WENN.

Damn, should we feel guilty for calling Fantasia Barrino out for homewrecking a marriage? I feel a little twinge at this, honestly. According to reports coming out of North Carolina (via TMZ), Fantasia overdosed last night and was treated at a NC hospital, where her condition has stabilized and non-life-threatening. It was just a few days ago that the wife of Fantasia’s (not-so-alleged) married lover Antwaun Cook filed for divorce, and Paula Cook named Fantasia as the other woman. Paula also claimed that Fantasia and Antwaun made multiple sex tapes, and that Fantasia had called Paula to tell her to stay away from her own husband! Then, yesterday, Fantasia’s lawyer and manager came out and claimed that Fantasia was “not responsible” for “the deterioration” in the Cooks’ marriage. Then it was a bunch of God talk. I guess the God talk didn’t help when Fantasia was downing a bottle of something…

Fantasia Barrino was rushed to a North Carolina hospital last night where she was treated for a “medication overdose,” this according to WCNC.com.

According to the report, Barrino was taken to Carolinas Medical Center-Pineville around 8:55 PM … the report says her condition was not life-threatening.

According to the report, it’s unclear whether the OD was intentional or accidental.

As we previously reported — Barrino was recently accused of making a sex tape with a married man and destroying his marriage.

Barrino has claimed she is “not responsible” for the deterioration of the marriage.

[From TMZ]

Do you think this was a cry for help? Do you think she was just being a drama queen? Or do you think she’s a messed up woman doing the best she can do and maybe she just got overwhelmed and everybody should back off? I don’t know, honestly. I feel like we can still can talk about the homewrecker drama because Fantasia seems to be fine, you know? We’ll see. I wonder if Antwaun came to visit her in the hospital? By the way, Radar pulled some photos of Fantasia and Antwaun frolicking in the ocean, and the photos are from last year. Ugh.

UPDATE: TMZ has a statement from Fantasia’s rep, and they have also confirmed that Fantasia’s overdose was a combination of aspirin and sleeping pills, and that Fantasia took the pills because she was “overwhelmed by the lawsuit and the media attention” that her homewrecking had caused. Did I say “homewrecking”? I mean “she’s a victim, praise Jesus!” Don’t believe me? Here’s the full statement from Fantasia’s rep:

Fantasia has always been an open book. Honesty, self-respect, and personal responsibility are values she wears proudly.

Fantasia believed Mr. Cook when he told her he was not happy in his marriage and his heart was not in it. She believed him when he told her he and Mrs. Cook separated in the late summer of 2009. She believed Mr. Cook when he told her he lived elsewhere.

He even took her there. One of Mr. Cook’s most redeeming qualities was his complete devotion to his children. Fantasia fell in love with Mr. Cook and believed that he loved her.

Fantasia and Mr. Cook dated on and off for about eleven months. The pressure of the constant media attention was hard on their relationship. Fantasia gave inconsistent interviews about the status of her relationship with Mr. Cook because sometimes they were on and sometimes they were off.

When they were on, they spent most of their time together when she was not traveling with work.

Fantasia read Mrs. Cook’s Complaint against Mr. Cook for the first time yesterday. She knows some of the allegations in Mrs. Cook’s complaint are totally false. There are others she strongly doubts. There is plenty she does not know.

Fantasia is heartbroken and is sorry for any pain she may have caused.

Yesterday, she was totally overwhelmed by the lawsuit and the media attention. Last night, Fantasia was hospitalized. She took an overdose of aspirin and a sleep aid.

Her injuries are not life threatening. She was dehydrated and exhausted at the time. Fantasia is stable now. She will be released from the hospital soon. Fantasia is a fighter and a survivor. This is not the hardest thing Fantasia has endured.

Fantasia will be stronger, smarter, and better for it. Her work has always inspired her and served as a source of strength. Her new album, “Back To Me,” will be released on August 24th.

The lyrics to “I’m Here” say it best:
“I Believe I Have Inside Of Me
Everything That I Need To Live A Bountiful Life
With All The Love Inside Of Me
I’ll Stand As Tall As The Tallest Tree
And I’m Thankful For Each Day That I’m Given
Both The Easy And The Hard Ones I’m Livin’
But Most Of All
Yes, I’m Thankful For Lovin’ Who I Really Am”

Fantasia sends her praise to God and her eternal gratitude to her fans, friends, and family.

God is good.

[From TMZ]

Oh for the love of…

I know most people didn’t read my article yesterday about Fantasia Barrino’s homewrecker drama, but honestly, I’m finding all of it very interesting. Fantasia’s situation is making Alicia Keys look discreet, and Alicia got publicly called out for being Swizz’s jump-off months into their relationship. So, to recap Fantasia’s situation: She’s been boning a married man named Antwaun Cook for the part two years, allegedly. Antwaun’s wife Paula just filed for divorce, and named Fantasia as the other woman. Paula also alleges that Antwaun and Fantasia made sex tapes, and that Fantasia called Paula to tell her to back off – back off of Paula’s husband!

This new chapter: Fantasia’s manager went to TMZ to cry foul. He claims that Fantasia is “not responsible” for the breakup of the Cook’s marriage, and that “Fantasia will weather this storm with the dignity and grace that she has exemplified throughout a life in which she has repeatedly overcome obstacles and challenges. Fantasia’s faith in God, herself and family remain as strong as ever.” Oh, noes. You know it’s bad when a homewrecker starts talking about God right away. You know she was nailing that dude every chance she got.

Fantasia Barrino says she is “not responsible” for breaking up a marriage … despite allegations from a North Carolina woman named Paula Cook who claims Fantasia made sex tapes with her husband.

Fantasia’s manager, Brian Dickens, just released a statement saying the former “American Idol” champ is “certain that she is not responsible for the deterioration of the Cook’s marriage.”

The statement goes on to say, “Fantasia will weather this storm with the dignity and grace that she has exemplified throughout a life in which she has repeatedly overcome obstacles and challenges. Fantasia’s faith in God, herself and family remain as strong as ever.”

As we previously reported, Paula Cook just filed for divorce from her husband Antwaun. In the court docs, Paula accused the guy of having a “covert adulterous affair” with Barrino … and believes they “recorded their illicit activity.”

UPDATE: Fantasia’s lawyer, Gena Morris, is officially on the attack — telling TMZ, “Mrs. Cook gratuitously included claims about Fantasia to sensationalize that litigation and to insure that her tale would be picked up by tabloids.”

Morris added, “The fact that she would seek such publicity in a case involving her children is particularly disgraceful.”

[From TMZ]

Eh, okay, I’ll play devil’s advocate, because that’s the way I roll: let’s say that Paula’s accusations are 100% true, or pretty close to the truth. Fantasia and her people are making a really, really horrible mistake making this about “disgraceful” this and “sensationalize” that. Because if it’s true, do you think Paula is just going to sit there and take it? No, she’s going to the press again, and this time it will be an even bigger mess. Now, let’s take it from the other side: let’s say that Paula Cook is exaggerating or flat-out lying (which I don’t think she is, honestly, but let’s go with it). Now, if you were just sitting there, minding your own business and some crazed wife came over and started accusing you of this stuff, would your response be like Fantasia’s? Mine wouldn’t. I wouldn’t mess around with the God talk (that makes you look guilty), and I wouldn’t try to “shame” a woman by saying “Not in front of your children!” I would just say, “Bitch, you crazy.” And walk away. That’s it.

One more thing: the lawyer’s wording is interesting, right? “She is not responsible for the deterioration of the Cook’s marriage.” She’s responsible for the end of the marriage, but not everything that led up to the end? Hm?

Header: Fantasia on March 9, 2009. Credit: WENN.

Her story was inspiring: a barely literate single mother auditions for American Idol and becomes a national sensation. Fantasia Barrino, winner of season three of “American Idol,” hasn’t had much career success on the pop charts since her win, but she did write a memoir, star in a movie of her life and in the Broadway production of “The Color Purple.” But these days, the singer is raising some eyebrows by taking up with a married father of two. Oh, Fanty – say it ain’t so!

American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino is dating a married father of two who left his wife and young children to move in with her, Star has learned.

Fantasia, 25, first met 30-year-old Antwaun Cook, a hunky former college football player from Charlotte, N.C., while he was working at his T-Mobile store in August — and the attraction was instant.

By mid-September, the insider says, Antwaun, who also works as a real estate agent, dumped his teacher wife and their sons, ages 4 and 1, and moved into Fantasia’s $1.3 million mansion in Charlotte’s ritzy suburb of Piper Glen.

“I’m not going to deny that the word ‘homewrecker’ is floating around,” a friend of the singer tells Star.

And adding fuel to the fire: Fantasia has tattooed Antwaun’s last name on her left shoulder to match one he has, says the friend. “She got it to honor her man!”

[From Star]

The most surprising part of this story: Fantasia still has her $1.3M mansion. Last I heard, she was broke and her home was in foreclosure. Maybe she paid off her debt with money she received from her new VH1 reality show. Either way, it sounds like she’s not making the best choices these days. I do wonder though – did this Antwuan character look at Fantasia and see a meal ticket? Could he be another K-Fed? Will he take care of his children? Only time will tell.

Keshia Knight-Pulliam, otherwise known as Rudy Huxtable, is all grown up and starring in her own reality show. Photo: WENN.

Remember in the infancy of the TV abomination known as the reality show, when any schmoe could become an overnight sensation? These days, you can’t be a nobody, but you can be a has-been or a person of questionable refute to get a show of your very own. Earlier this week we told you about Octomom and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s attempts at being reality stars, and now former American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino and “Rudy Huxtable” herself, Keshia Knight-Pulliam will be getting theirs.

Fantasia Barrino must have loved being on reality TV. The former American Idol star will be back in the game come early 2010 – starring in a new unscripted series on VH1.

“Fantasia has one of the most fascinating stories in show business, from her tough upbringing to her meteoric rise on the national scene thanks to American Idol,’” Jeff Olde, executive vp original programming at VH1, tells the Hollywood Reporter.

“Her challenges from fame and her unwillingness to fail have combined to create a larger-than-life talent who appeals to music lovers around the world. So many people wanted to work with her on this, but Fantasia is now part of the VH1 family, and we’re so happy to have her.”

The nine-time Grammy nominee, who has also been on Broadway and played herself in the Lifetime movie version of her autobiography Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, will chronicle her life as a recording artist and young single mother on the series.

“Fantasia’s life has been an open book, but at 24 years old, her story has just begun,” executive producer Randy Barbato said, according to the Reporter. “We look forward to smashing expectations and revealing the fresh, funny and unexpected side of this one-of-a-kind country girl and superstar.”

[From People]

Rudy from “The Cosby Show” has grown up, and she’s about to show off her life on cable TV.

Oxygen said Wednesday that it’s developing a reality show about actress Keshia Knight Pulliam and her live-in boyfriend, Atlanta area entrepreneur Kaseem Penn. It will explore what it’s like being young, rich, single and co-habitating. No air date is set for the show, titled “Keshia and Kaseem.”

Come summer, Oxygen will premiere a series called “Dance Your Ass Off.” It’ll be hosted by Marissa Jaret Winokur, who won a Tony for her performance in “Hairspray” as Tracy Turnblad, the full-figure teen who yearns to dance on a TV show in 1960s Baltimore; she’s also appeared on “Dancing With the Stars.” In the Oxygen show, competitors try to show off their dancing skills and lose weight _ sort of like “The Biggest Loser” with rhythm.

Since being bought by NBC Universal, Oxygen has been seeking an audience of trendsetting women, generally aged 18 to 34. Its theme is “live out loud.”

Oxygen’s most visible stars are Tori Spelling and husband Dean McDermott, who are filming the fourth season of their own reality series based on their lives. The network announced a broad development deal with the pair to make a TV movie, a makeover show that features the couple, and Web content based on Spelling’s book “Mommywood.”

[From Huffington Post]

I always knew Keshia was going to be a beautiful girl. I wonder what made her want to get back into the spotlight after all these years? I have to ask – would you watch either of these shows? I say, no way. My TiVo is already chock full of stuff I barely have time to watch now. I suppose if you’re a hardcore fan of “The Cosby Show” or “American Idol,” there could be some interest there. But I’m wondering where this trend will end. Who’s next? How much worse is it going to get?

Photos of Fantasia Barrino landing at LAX: Fame. Photos of Keshia Knight-Pulliam at the premiere of Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail: WENN.

It was kind of a mystery how American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino was able to keep one of her massive homes in Charlotte, North Carolina, after she failed to pay the mortgage. The $1.3 million home was about to be put up for auction in early January, but somehow Fantasia struck a deal and was able to keep it. This was after she almost lost another home in Charlotte after failing to pay fees to the neighborhood association and after she was sued by a car dealership for failing to make payments on her $240,000 Mercedes.

Now we know how Fantasia was able to keep her home after all her money problems. American Idol judge Simon Cowell stepped in and secretly made payments on the house. He is said to have not wanted to let anyone know or to draw attention to himself, but the National Enquirer found out about it and is running this story in their latest issue:

Court papers show that her 6,500 square-foot house, which Fantasia bought in 2007 for $1.3 million, was to be sold off Jan. 12 to satisfy an unpaid load.

But then at the eleventh hour [Cowell] galloped to the rescue – enabling Fantasia to reach an agreement with her mortgage holders and stop her home from being auctioned.

“Simon didn’t want to take any credit for it, he just wanted to help her out of a jam,” disclosed the insider. “He was hoping to keep his good deed a secret. He didn’t want to cause Fantasia any further public embarrassment.”

The singer’s problems were caused by overspending, divulged a close source.

“Fantasia was particularly naive. People around her told her she was a star, so she spent like a star. Fantasia has learned her lesson the hard way.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, February 16, 2009]

It sounds like Fantasia wouldn’t have been out of a place to live if she lost that home as she supposedly has another house in the area, which she may have purchased for family. That was kind of Simon to pay the mortgage for her anyway. He’s worth at least $200 million, according to Wikipedia, but he didn’t have to help her and it sounds like he did it out of the kindness of his heart. Simon is a pain in the ass but he seems to have a soft spot. Usually it involves attractive women who sing well.

Fantasia recently told E! News that she was hoping to get a reality show and that she would return to school to complete her GED, as we reported last week.

Update: Thanks to commenter Kimble who noted that Fantasia said on the red carpet at the Grammys that she didn’t have Simon Cowell’s number and that he didn’t help her with her mortgage payments.

Simon Cowell and Fantasia Barrino are shown on 3/10/04 at an American Idol party. Credit: Splash News

2004 American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino, 24, revealed in her memoir, Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, that she was illiterate and could not read words she wasn’t familiar with. She said at the time that she was learning to read to her daughter Zion, now seven. Barrino dropped out of school in the 9th grade and now told E! News that she has plans to go back to high school and get her degree. It sounds like she’s going to get her GED, although the article doesn’t specify that.

Barrino recently made headlines when it was revealed that her second home, a lavish mansion near Charlotte, North Carolina, was in foreclosure and would be auctioned off. She eventually reached a deal with the bank and was able to keep it, although she has a history of failing to pay off car and home loans.

Like a lot of other celebrities who have come on tough times, Barrino hopes to get a reality show in which she can earn some cash and prolong her chance at fame:

The American Idol star, 24, says she’s ready to hit the books and earn her high school degree after giving up the chance to do so when she dropped out of school about a decade ago in the ninth grade.
“I’ve been talking about it for so long,” Fantasia told me earlier today. “I have a lot of young people who look up to me, like my 15-year-old brother and 7-year-old daughter. It’s something that I really need to do and that I want to do.”

The singer, who rose to fame and fortune as the winner of Idol’s third season, says she’s back on solid ground after dealing with the possibility of one of her homes being foreclosed and put up for auction.
“I had to sit back for awhile and had to get some things settled,” she said. “I had been with a lot of people not doing what they said they were going to do. I didn’t have time to sit back and cry. I didn’t have time to go to a mental health counselor. I had to keep my s–t on straight—excuse my language!—and handle my business, because it’s not just about me. It’s about me and my whole family.”

Fantasia announced last month that an agreement had been reached so she could keep the home.
With that out of the way, Fantasia can focus on other things, like her award-winning career as well as keeping off the 20 pounds she recently lost. She’s hoping to release her third album later this year. And, as is the norm these days, she’s also shopping around a reality show about her life with production company World of Wonder.

On Sunday, she’s up for a Grammy for “I’m His Only Woman,” a duet with her “best friend in the world” Jennifer Hudson.

“I’m going vintage on the red carpet,” Fantasia said. “I have lost 20 pounds, so now I can get into vintage, because the women back then were petite. They were very small.”

She added, “2008 was a crazy year for Fantasia. ’09 is totally different. ’09 is my year.”

[From E! News]

It bothers me for some reason when people talk about themselves in the third person. It’s like the height of narcissism. I watched that season of American Idol and thought Fantasia was full of herself, but she worked hard for her success and she has an incredibly strong, unique vocal ability. She has to learn to manage her money and assets and maybe she’ll come away with more skills to improve in that area when she goes back to school. It’s got to be so hard to try and cope with only minimal reading skills and good for her for going back for her GED.

Fantasia Barrino is shown on 12/7/08. Credit: WENN

Apparently “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino has quite the long history of not paying her bills. Last month we told you that Fantasia’s $1.3 million home was in foreclosure and would be auctioned off if she didn’t do anything. Though she’s had an entire month, Fantasia has failed to respond to any of the sheriff’s office’s dozen attempts to get in touch with her. The sheriff’s rep claims that they try to help people and give them the opportunity to pay before auctioning off someone’s home. Yet Fantasia doesn’t seem to be interested. And this isn’t the first time she’s failed to pay up on significant debts.

Fantasia Barrino – who faces the loss of her $1.3 million home here in a debtor’s auction set for noon Monday – is apparently ignoring the looming legal threat, officials told The Post yesterday. The inspirational “American Idol” winner owes a Florida credit company $65,000 – money she borrowed in 2006 to pay back taxes she owed the IRS.

Mecklenburg County sheriff’s deputies, who are responsible for enforcing civil court orders, have tried at least a dozen times to reach Barrino at the home and by phone, said Sgt. J.W. England, a supervisor of civil judgments. A deputy spoke a couple of times to Barrino’s mother, but never reached the star, who appears to be ignoring attempts to save her house, officials said. “We try very hard and give the defendant every opportunity to pay,” England said yesterday.

Over the course of about a year, Barrino has never responded to court documents, and no lawyer ever appeared in court to represent her, said Larry Goldman, a Charlotte attorney representing the credit company, Broward Energy Management. Barrino, 24, has made no payments and filed no documents since The Post reported a court-ordered lien on the property in Charlotte’s upscale Piper Glen neighborhood last month. “My client has continuously asked me why they won’t just pay it,” Goldman said. “I just don’t have an answer.”

[From the New York Post]

My goodness. It sounds like Fantasia has some money management problems. And like she’s living a lifestyle that’s more expensive than what she can afford. The Post goes into a few of her larger recent debt issues.

In 2005, Barrino nearly lost another home she owns in Charlotte as well as her red $240,000 Mercedes Benz. She apparently ignored a lien on that home, valued at $740,000, brought by the neighborhood association after she failed to pay fees and other costs. The case was eventually dismissed, according to court documents. Last year, Barrino failed to pay a promissory note on $187,809 she borrowed to buy her Mercedes. The dealership that sold her the car sued, but the matter was resolved.

[From the New York Post]

I wasn’t aware that semi-famous former “American Idol” winners could afford $240,000 cars. Actually, I guess I’m right: they can’t. Fantasia starred in “The Color Purple” on Broadway for a bit but left without an explanation. She was in a Lifetime movie and has put out some music. But she hasn’t been as wildly successful as other winners – nor has she completely faded into oblivion like some. She’s somewhere in the middle, but buying cars like she’s Carrie Underwood. Fantasia obviously needs to get her finances in order, and hopefully (miraculously) pull something together by Monday.

Here’s Fantasia at the Grammy’s in February. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.

These tough economic times are getting harder and harder. Though it generally doesn’t hit celebrities as badly as the regular folk, they aren’t totally immune to the effects of the recession. American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino is about to lose her home. It’s in foreclosure and is going to be auctioned off on January 12th, according to Boogaloo.

…It looks like third season American Idol winner and 8-time Grammy nominated R&B singer Fantasia Barrino is about to get booted from one of her Charlotte, NC homes. According to recent reports and county records, big voiced Miss Barrino’s 6,232 square foot house has been foreclosed on and unless she can make good with a pile of cash will be auctioned to the highest bidder on January 12, 2009.

Property records show Miz Barrino purchased the 6 bedroom and 5.5 bathroom pond-front mansion on Bevington Place in March of 2007 for $1,300,000.

However, the children can rest easier knowing that it does not appear that Miz Barrino will go homeless as records show that she also owns a second house on nearby Seton House Lane that she purchased in July of 2004 for $740,000.

[From the Real Estalker]

Boogaloo has an image of the bankruptcy papers, so the story is definitely legit. It’s sad, but few people have another house to fall back on, so it’s not like Fantasia’s going to be forced to move in with her family or anything. According to Wikipedia, Fantasia is going to be in the movie version of the musical version of “The Color Purple.” She starred in the Broadway play after Oprah picked her for the part. So she’s got a project on the horizon. Hopefully this will be the end of her financial troubles.

Here’s a photo of the house that’s being foreclosed, along with Fantasia at the 11th annual ‘Cracked Xmas’ fundraiser event in Los Angeles yesterday. Images thanks to WENN and PR Photos.