A still from Mariah’s “Bye Bye” video, which is below
I mentioned this briefly yesterday when People promised that their upcoming Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey wedding issue would have details of their “plans for kids.” That statement is kind of vague and I thought that maybe they weren’t planning on kids right away, since Mariah said around two weeks ago that “It’s hard to have kids in this world… I don’t think I could properly educate a child right now. Maybe in the future, but I actually haven’t thought about it.” It also sounded like she said having kids would make her feel violated, because she added “I never wanted to feel violated and I know that’s a kind of weird thing to say, but that’s how I am.” (Those quotes were printed in OK! Magazine and reported online around April 22, so maybe Mariah said that up to a month ago, but the quotes are not more than a month old.)

Now there are actual excerpts out from People’s interview with Mariah and Nick, and she did indeed say she wants kids, and she seems kind of resolved to it. Mariah also claims that their tattoos for each other are “forever and ever” and Nick says it was love at first site and they haven’t left each other’s company since they met:

Nick on their whirlwind affair: “It was a love-at-first-sight thing. Since we’ve been together, we’ve been inseparable.”

Mariah on how friends knew they were getting serious: “One thing (few people) knew was we got tattoos a few weeks earlier. So anyone who saw my (”Mrs. Cannon”) tattoo wasn’t surprised. To me rings are special and exciting, but tattoos mean more than anything. They’re forever and ever.”

Nick on their connection: “From the first time we sat down to discuss the video at the Beverly Hills Hotel, we connected. … I was able to be myself with her. We are both eternally 12 years old.”

Mariah on plans to have kids: “It’s part of the whole purpose of getting married. I’d just want our children to have the best childhood and upbringing they possibly could.”

[Quotes from People Magazine, print edition, May 17, 2008 thanks to Faded Youth]

The way Mariah phrases it, she makes it sound like it’s inevitable and that she just will make sure her children are well taken care of and that’s all she can do. It’s a complete turnaround from her statement just two weeks ago that she hadn’t even thought of it and seemed kind of daunted at the thought of children.

Mariah got married without much consideration, and is now the wife of a guy she started dating just six weeks ago who probably hasn’t even gotten on her nerves once yet. She seems to have changed her mind about children about as quickly as she decided to get married. These two are in for a surprise once they wake up from their endorphin haze and start having to assert their own opinions in the relationship. I have a feeling Mariah isn’t going to be having children anytime soon, and is just saying what she thinks her new husband wants to hear.

Here’s Mariah Carey’s Bye Bye video featuring Nick Cannon:

See people.com for the cover image of the magazine
The upcoming issue of People Magazine has details of Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon’s “six-week romance and surprise wedding” with photos of their wedding and honeymoon including a shirtless Cannon cavorting on the beach with Mariah in a bikini. I wonder how much People paid for those exclusive rights, because it’s probably enough for my entire extended family to retire on.

People has some quotes from Mariah and Nick, and Mariah calls Nick her soulmate even though she’s had less than two months to make that decision. Nick’s statement that Mariah is beautiful inside and out sounds sweet and a lot more realistic than Mariah’s. He married her though, so it’s not like his judgment skills aren’t impaired too. Sex endorphins can be a powerful and stupefying force:

“We really do feel we are soulmates,” Carey tells PEOPLE, following their sunset ceremony at the pop star’s Bahamian estate. “I never felt a love like this was in the cards for me.”

Cannon adds: “She is beautiful on the outside and 10 times as beautiful on the inside.”

[From People.com]

People also promises to have details and photos of “their new tattoos… Nick’s candy-themed proposal” and “their plans for kids” despite the fact that Mariah said about two weeks ago that having kids would make her feel violated. Maybe they plan to adopt and pass of their kids to other people to raise. That way Mariah can make sure that the level of pampering and attention she’s getting is maintained at pre-child levels.

Everyone assumed that music superstar Mariah Carey didn’t have the wherewithal to protect her assets before she married 9 years’ younger rapper/actor Nick Cannon in a super secret ceremony in the Bahamas last week. Carey and Cannon knew each other as acquaintances in the music business for years, but only started dating after Cannon worked with Mariah on a music video less than three months ago.

Since Mariah and Nick got married so fast, everyone was kind of chuckling and wondering how much of her fortune the lucky guy would walk away with when they inevitably split. It turns out that Mariah did get a prenup, according to sources quoted by Fox News.

The happy couple is also said to be planning a larger reception and perhaps another ceremony when they get back to NY from their honeymoon:

Mariah Carey — yes, she’s married, it’s confirmed, it really happened down there in the Bahamas. She is now Mrs. Nick Cannon. You always thought you’d marry Mariah? Well, you’re too late now!

More importantly: Miss Mariah and Mr. Cannon have a very nice prenuptial agreement.
Mariah apparently told a mutual pal of ours: “Anyone who thinks we didn’t have a prenup is smoking something!!!”

This is not the Mariah Carey of old. She is a smart, smart business woman. Just for example: post Tommy Mottola, Carey nabbed $50 million from her short lived deal with Virgin Records. After “Glitter,” they just paid her all that to walk away!

She’s had three hit albums since then: “Charmbracelet,” “Emancipation of Mimi,” and the current “E=MC2.” She has her own perfume line, as well. Mariah also has substantial real estate holdings. And let’s not forget the publishing royalties. Her name is on every song. This is not Whitney. She has a small fortune, and she’s not about to lose it, even in love.

As for the wedding, I know this much: Mariah’s cousin, Shawn McDonald, walked her down the aisle. And the Bahamas ceremony will not be the only one. When Mariah and Nick return from their honeymoon, expect a big party and maybe even a second ceremony, something not so secret, for all the singer’s New York pals.

[From FoxNews.com via Gossip Rocks]

I hope these two have several huge parties in NY to celebrate their wedding, because nothing says lasting love like having multiple parties as showy demonstrations of your newly-wedded bliss. Just ask Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock.

Whatever happens with Mariah and Nick, she’s not about to get fleeced and she’s not stupid. She is vain, though, so look for photos of Mariah wearing a gown and flanked by attendants in OK! or People Magazine in a month or two.

Nick Cannon is shown at the Tribeca Film Festival on 4/26/08. Nick Carey is also shown there on the same date, and they took pains not to be photographed together.

Well the union between Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon appears to definitely be legit – the pair filed for a marriage license on the Caribbean island of Eleuthera, where Carey has a home, according to People magazine. It also appears that they wed at her estate on the exclusive island.

“Touch My Body” singer Mariah Carey, 38, got secretly hitched yesterday to her 27-year-old boyfriend after a one-month relationship, shocking the chart-topping songbird’s family and friends. Carey married TV actor Nick Cannon at the home she just bought in Eleuthera in the Bahamas, a source close to the singer said.

“They have been smitten with each other for days, weeks,” the friend said. “And she’s always had a crush on him.”

Carey and her boy toy had tongues wagging when she was seen sporting Cannon on her arm and a shiny ring on her finger at the Tribeca Film Festival. Asked what he loved about Carey, Cannon reportedly cooed “everything.”

“Everyone is happy to see her happy,” Carey’s friend told The Post. “And it could work out - some people know each other for five years and get divorced. Maybe this is true, instant love

[From the New York Post]

Well who could stand that feeling of being smitten for WEEKS? I mean that is just an intolerable length of time. The Post also says that Carey isn’t as dumb as we feared – she did get a quickie pre-nup. I didn’t know that was possible, but good for her for being somewhat smart while being fairly stupid. Linda Cannon – who People says is a relative of Nick’s, but doesn’t elaborate – says that after they married, Nick “called and told us all about it.”

While there’s still no official announcement, it seems like the pair probably did wed. My only suspicion was that Mariah was perhaps following the Ashlee Simpson school of thought (NEVER a good idea, no matter what the thought) of getting a lot of free press around the time of your CD release by starting a bunch of rumors you refuse to address. While that’s probably not what happened, the possibility is still sticking in my head, and I can’t help but wonder why Mariah chose to get married so quickly, and why right now.

Photos of Mariah showing off her 17-carat ring at the premiere of Tennessee at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

There’s a story that Mariah Carey, 38, impulsively married Nick Cannon, 27, yestday after dating him on the sly. They’ve been friends for years but only recently started dating from what people can tell. The first stories that they were dating came out around April, and they’re said to have struck up a romance when Nick did a cameo on Mariah’s “E=MC2″ video and was promoted to director of her “Bye Bye” video.

Nick most recently was engaged to model Selita Ebanks, and they broke up in October after an engagement that lasted less than a year. Mariah is wearing the same enormous ring once seen on Ebanks’ hand.

The details on this story are vague - there is no specific location, it’s based on an unnamed source, and there is no confirmation or denial yet from either side:

A source close to Nick Cannon has confirmed exclusively to Latina.com that Cannon and Mariah Carey are married! The couple wed yesterday in a small ceremony on an island and it was “very implusive,” according to our source. The wedding was attended by a few close friends of the couple, including Da Brat.

[From Latina.com via WeSmirch]

If this is true it means these two got married after less than two months of dating, and they probably didn’t get a prenup. Nick Cannon will be a much wealthier man by the end of the year.

US Weekly reports that the updates to Mariah Carey’s nephew’s facebook status (yes I know that’s ridiculous) have him half-confirming half-denying the rumors. He said he was in the Bahamas at the time of the alleged wedding, listed his status as “witness” at one point, but then updated it to say he “can officially say that what you may or may not have read or heard is not true.”

Update: People and E! Online report that although the engagement rings look similar, Selita and Mariah have different rings that were custom designed by Nick Cannon. Selita’s engagement ring from Nick was 12 carats and made of clear diamonds while Mariah’s is 17 carats and with colored diamonds. Mariah’s is worth $2.5 million and Selita’s was probably worth 7 figures too. How does Nick Cannon have that type of money to blow on two engagement rings in just over a year?

Access Hollywood is reporting that Mariah Carey and actor/rapper Nick Cannon are really engaged, according to a source. JayBird reported on Monday that Carey has been spotted out wearing a “gimme some attention” ring, because the diamond sparkler she’s flashing on her left hand doesn’t look like a typical engagement ring.

According to the NY Post, it’s an incredible $2.5 million rare pink and purple diamond 17 carat ring with a 10 carat center stone. Cannon is said to have bought it at Jacob & Co, and to have been spotted there several times.

Cannon, 27, skirted around the issue when asked if he and Mariah were engaged. He didn’t give a direct answer, saying “I can’t even know what to say. She’s probably the most festive, remarkable person I’ve ever met. Good friend… Rumors happen. They do.”

Now Access Hollywood claims that “a source close to Mariah” has confirmed the news that the self absorbed singer, 38, is engaged to the 11 years younger Cannon.

Cannon was engaged to Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Selita Ebanks last year, but called off their engagement. This will be his first marriage and Mariah’s second - if this news is true. They at least seem to be dating, and I bet Cannon is getting some benefits from all the high end lingerie Mariah keeps in a separate walk in closet.

You kind of assume Mariah’s too into herself to get married again, and she certainly doesn’t want children, but maybe she’s ready to settle down with someone who also enjoys outrageous extravagances.

Mariah Carey is shown oh-so-subtly smoothing back her hair to show off her enormous ring at the premiere of Tennessee on 4/26/08, thanks to PRPhotos. It’s hard to notice the ring though and I found myself staring at her cleavage.

Update: Perez Hilton reports that the ring Mariah Carey is wearing is the same one Cannon gave Selita Ebanks when they were engaged last year. Obviously he got it back. Guess The NY Post had the details wrong, or maybe one of Cannon’s camp leaked that story to make it seem like the ring was new.

I’m pretty sure Mariah Carey requires more attention than 99.99999% of the population. To be fair, I guess you could say that about a lot of celebrities. So let me rephrase: I’m pretty sure Mariah Carey requires more attention than 99.99999% of celebrities. Truly, the woman has made it clear that she must be worshiped and adored at all times. And it seems like if all the attention isn’t on her, she freaks out and goes all diva.

This time, she’s sparked rumors that she’s engaged to boyfriend-of-a-few-months, Nick Cannon. Mariah wore a big tacky ring on her left hand to the after party of her new film Tennessee on Saturday night.

Wearing a humongous, gleaming ring on her left hand, Mariah Carey stayed close to Nick Cannon at the afterparty for her new film, Tennessee, on Saturday night. The pair held hands at the bash at Tenjune, which followed the movie’s premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. The two also looked cozy in Vegas on April 14. When asked about a possible engagement, Cannon’s rep had no comment; Carey’s was unable to be reached for comment.

Asked what he loved about Carey, Cannon, 27, told PEOPLE: “Everything.” He was at her side from 8 p.m. to about 10:45 p.m. in Tenjune’s VIP room, where they were joined by her BFF, Da Brat. Zoe Kravitz and Ben Kingsley also stopped by. Meanwhile, before the premiere, Carey played it coy, saying she only has eyes for one male: Jack, her Jack Russell terrier. “I’m in love with my dog,” said the singer, 39. “He is my special someone. I love spending time with him.”

[From People]

The dog probably bit her in an attempt to get that dumbass ring off her finger. I’d do the same damn thing. It sure doesn’t look like an engagement ring to me – and I don’t think there’s any reason to take her relationship with Nick Cannon seriously. It looks like a “Give me some attention” ring, a la Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

Mariah has been doing so much publicity for her new album this last month – it must have freaked her out to go to an event that wasn’t 100% about her. Whipping out the bling – and then refusing to talk about it - is the best way to get the attention back where it belongs. On Mariah.

Here’s Mariah (and her ring) with costar Lee Daniels at the 7th Annual Tribeca Film Festival - “Tennessee” After Party. Images thanks to PR Photos.

When I first read this story my jaw dropped and I didn’t believe it, but apparently it’s true. Mariah Carey has more number one hits than Elvis and she’s a New Yorker, so the city of NY wants to pay tribute to her by lighting up the Empire State building purple, pink and white from April 25 to 27 in honor of the release of her latest album E=MC2.

Tomorrow, the Empire State Building will be purple, pink and white in honor of Mariah Carey.

According to the ESB’s website, it’s “Honoring a Great New Yorker: Mariah Carey Breaks Records With E=MC2 Album Release.”

Yes, Carey’s latest album is number one on the charts. “E=MC2″ sold 463,000 copies and is her sixth number one album. And Carey’s not resting on her laurels, not only will the building be swathed in Mariah Carey-approved colors, she’ll be performing in Times Square tomorrow morning for Good Morning America (fans should arrive by 6 a.m.) and she’ll be at the ESB tomorrow at 1 p.m.!

[From Gothamist via Gossip Rocks]

The Empire State Building is regularly lit up with different colors to honor events and causes. It will be yellow for the group “Project Sunshine” on May 5, and was green in honor of Earth Day on April 22.

Mariah Carey’s E=MC2 has debuted at the top of the charts and has so far sold more copies in a week than any other album this year. It replaces Leona Lewis’ CD, Spirit, which was on the top of the charts for just one week.

Not only has Carey trumped Lewis on the charts, she’s also quick to point out that Lewis doesn’t sound like her, and she doesn’t mince words:

She said: “Honestly, there has been so many, ‘This is the new her,’ and I’m like, ‘OK, show me the new her. Can she come and work for me and be my double?’”

“And I’m not particular talking about this girl Leona, because I only heard her once and I didn’t really hear a true similarity, particularly in the style of music.

“It is what it is and critics have compared me to so many people who are not really singers, and they’re certainly not writers.”

[From NZ Herald]

Mariah talks about Leona Lewis but won’t even acknowledge talking about her, she’s so below her radar. Only Mariah gets the Empire State Building lit up for her.

Update: Here are the videos of Mariah’s performances on GMA this morning via ONTD

Touch My Body (Her backup track messes up)

Bye Bye Bye (Mariah gets pissy at the beginning.)

That Chick:

Thanks to Splash News for the photo of Mariah performing on Good Morning America this morning.

The Daily Mail has a segment from Mariah Carey’s OK! Magazine interview, and when asked whether she’s ready to have a child she said that she hasn’t really thought about it and that “she never wanted to feel violated.” The Mail interprets this as saying that she’s claiming that having a child would make her feel violated, but she also mentioned “childhood traumatic stuff,” and it’s possible she’s saying that she never wanted to feel violated as a child. I couldn’t make up my mind if she actually said children would make her feel that way:

“It’s hard to have kids in this world,” she told OK! magazine. “I don’t think I could properly educate a child right now. Maybe in the future, but I actually haven’t thought about it.
“For now, I enjoy my dog Jack’s company. It’s definitely because of childhood traumatic stuff. The whole not wanting to have a baby as a baby.
“I never wanted to feel violated and I know that’s a kind of weird thing to say, but that’s how I am.”

[From The Daily Mail via Gossip Rocks]

You have to give women credit for knowing themselves and realizing that they’re not emotionally prepared to be a mother. There is something violating about being puked and peed on. You also can’t go to the bathroom by yourself at many points in your child’s life. It’s an incredibly hard job and it’s something you shouldn’t just do on a whim. In Mariah’s case, she pretty much says she hasn’t even thought about it, so you can probably assume she thinks about things like perfume decanters, one of a kind lingerie, and high thread count sheets.

Mariah also revealed that she has to have the microphone sterilized if anyone else touches it, saying “My life is bizarrely healthy in some ways. I have to be overly aware of people holding the microphones. Singers who are tuned into that know that if someone touches your microphone you have to sterilise it.” That’s not healthy, that’s obsessive.

Mariah Carey is shown autographing copies of her new CD in Universal City, CA on 4/17/08, thanks to PRPhotos.

Mariah Carey was on Oprah yesterday and she talked about her diet and exercise plan and showed some of her moves with her trainer. She does isometric exercises and water aerobics and her workout looked surprisingly easy. Oprah clarified after the segment showing Mariah working out at an indoor pool that Mariah does do 60-90 minute workouts and that those were just additional moves. Mariah said that’s true but that it’s more about diet for her now. She has a cook prepare low-calorie meals planned by her trainer:

After a close friend made a comment about her weight, Mariah says she was inspired to make permanent life changes and get into shape once and for all. Mariah says she has a secret weight loss weapon—her nutrition and fitness coach, Patricia. “Finally I just said, ‘It has to be a life decision if you’re going to really lose the weight,’” she says. “So Patricia created a number of things for me…one is a workout regimen.”

Mariah says her workouts typically last for 60 to 90 minutes and combine cardio with resistance training. To tone her arms, Mariah uses her own body weight and stretches to sculpt long, lean lines. She likes to hop into a pool for the cardio portion of her workout. “What’s great about working out in the pool is the water acts as resistance,” she says. “You’re actually exercising twice as hard without feeling it.”

Mariah says the most important part of her new, healthier lifestyle is her diet. Patricia tries to cook Mariah’s food without using oil and butter. She’s also helped her stop snacking.

When Patricia told Mariah to cut mac ‘n’ cheese out of her diet, Mariah says the news broke her heart. “That’s the thing that I have difficulty letting go of because that’s comfort food,” she says.

[From Oprah.com]

Oprah said that Mariah’s main closet is an incredible 3,000 square feet, and that she has a secondary walk in closet just for her lingerie in her new apartment in NY. The sexy sleepwear is arranged by color and includes items from one of her favorite vacation spots, Capri, Italy. Mariah said she also collects perfume bottles. Here’s the clip:

And here’s Mariah’s exercise routine. It’s like Pilates but it does look rather dainty. Oprah said that this pool wasn’t in Mariah’s new NY apartment.

Mariah Carey is promoting her new album, E=MC2, which is out in the US today. She now has more number one hits than Elvis, and is second only to the Beatles.

Thanks to Oprah.com for the pictures.