Let me get this out of the way at the start, as the title can sound misleading. This isn’t some nefarious plot by Ray-J to cash in on Whitney post-mortem. Apparently he’s genuinely heartbroken over her death and is unsure if he’ll continue to pursue plans for a reality show, which would include footage of the two of them together. (Remember he did issue a very sad statement after she passed.) Ray-J was pitching a reality show prior to Whitney’s death, and part of that included using his relationship with the famous singer to make his show seem more interesting. In light of this, some are questioning whether Ray J was using Whitney in the months leading up to her death. The Daily Beast has an article about Ray J and Whitney’s relationship and how it came about. They mention that Ray J was sweet and charming with Whitney, but that he wasn’t faithful to her by any stretch. Whitney was allegedly aware of this and didn’t seem to mind. Here’s the part at the end of story questioning whether Ray had ulterior motives for getting with Whitney in the months leading up to her death:

But others are less kind about his motives. One source points to how—just like Brown—Ray J was trying to pitch a reality TV series with him and Houston. “He was just using her like many people did, to get a deal,” the source says.

In an exclusive statement to The Daily Beast, Ray J’s publicist Courtney Barnes says: “It was his show, and they shot footage of the two of them together that appeared in the sizzle reel, which was being used to pitch the show.”

Those who know Ray J say he’s always been a hard worker when it comes to his career. He’s released five albums on independent music labels and promoted them heavily, even when it wasn’t easy. “He’s extremely dedicated to his craft,” says Paula Tuggey, a music executive who has worked on his recent albums. “I can book him from 7 a.m. until midnight. He’ll do anything that he can to get his music out there to be heard.”

On the night of Houston’s death, Ray J was in San Diego.

Steffans [one of Ray's former lovers] says she reached out to him out of concern. “I don’t think Ray is OK,” she says. “I don’t think any of us would be OK. I think Ray is going to be traumatized forever.”

“He hasn’t talked to anybody yet. He’s not ready yet,” his publicist says. Asked if he’s still shopping the reality show that includes footage of Houston, his publicist emailed back, “I don’t know.”

[From The Daily Beast]

Ray J had a dating reality show on VH1 called “For The Love of Ray J,” which aired for two seasons in 2009 and 2010. He also had a two season reality show with his sister, Brandy, called “Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business,” in 2010 and 2011. So it just seems expected that he would be pitching another reality show to try and keep the money flowing. I don’t think it means he was using Whitney. It’s not like he just met her. He first hooked up with her way back in early 2007 when she was divorcing Bobby Brown, according to a source quoted on The Daily Beast. The two were even seen out on a date together as early as January, 2007, I remember covering that. So I believe that Ray cared for Whitney in his way and that he’s probably devastated to lose her. I wouldn’t put it past him to make sure that his reality show makes it to air, and to use Whitney to continue to promote it, whether its disrespectful to Whitney’s memory or not. After all, he made sure that his sex tape with Kim Kardashian got released. He probably planned out the whole thing from start to uh, finish, and we know that Kim’s career was launched from it.

Ray J and Whitney are shown out together in July, 2008. Credit: PRJ/Fame Pictures

Even on the day that Kourtney Kardashian announces that she’s definitely having a girl, Kim Kardashian is still the bigger news with a series of fake tabloid stories. But sure, let’s spend a second on Kourtney – she’s expecting a girl. Another Kardashian girl into the mix, but this time the girl’s genetics are part Disick. Will this Kardashian-Disick female be the one in all of the end-time prophesies? Probably!

Now, on to Kim. Tabloids are running a series of dumb stories about her this week, so why don’t we just jump in? Last week, it was widely reported that Kim and Reggie Bush went on a brunch date in LA. They were spotted together, not hiding the “date” and there were many, many reports that they were now back together. Just a few days after that, TMZ caught up with Reggie and he denied that they were back together:

“No.” Head shake. DENIED! Or is this just a “whatever” denial because Reggie didn’t feel like confirming it to a TMZ paparazzo? In any case, In Touch Weekly claims Reggie and Kim are totes getting married now!

Kim has reportedly been hopping on private planes in the middle of the night to fly down to Miami to hook up with Reggie — but he won’t marry her until she gives in to his demands!

Kim Kardashian isn’t even officially single and she’s already planning her next wedding! The E! reality star is reportedly doing everything she can to win her ex-boyfriend Reggie Bush back and that includes giving up her reality TV career! Kim flew to see Reggie in early February but Reggie told her he didn’t want to be photographed in public, according to InTouch.

“She didn’t go out once,” says a source. “And they weren’t seen in public together per his request.”

Kim is in the midst of a bitter divorce battle with Kris Humphries, but Reggie has reportedly agreed to marry Kim when the divorce circus is over.

“She’s insisting that she wants to run off with him to marry,” a friend of Kim says. “It’ll be very private.”

Reggie is willing to give Kim another chance if she promises to agree to these three things: stop seeking publicity, give up her reality TV career, and finalize her divorce with Kris quietly.

“Reggie wants Kim to completely disappear from the public eye,” an insider says. “Kim thinks Reggie is the one so she’s going to try her best.”

[From Hollywood Life]

Eh. Could be true. But like a famewhore moth to the publicity flame, so too will Kim Kardashian be back to publicizing the crap out of whatever relationship she’s in. So… Reggie should prepare himself, either way. Speaking of reasons why Reggie should watch his ass…

Kim’s former on-screen boning partner, Ray J, is releasing a memoir called Death of the Cheating Man (?). In the book, Ray J discusses a person named “KK” who “heavily pursued him and took him to bed while still married to Damon Thomas in 2004.” He writes, “She let me know she wanted to get with me. She left her husband for me as soon as we started having sex…We were like animals — sexually free to try anything, and we did.” Ray J also claims that for two years, “she’d greet him in the morning with hot towels and toothpaste on his toothbrush and then give him lingerie shows at night.” He also says she was paranoid that he was cheating on her, and she even tapped his phone - “She started going to extremes to monitor my behavior.” Ray J does admit he eventually cheated on her, but he excuses it by saying she was screwing around too – “I had no respect for her. I wanted more for my life…[to] find a woman that I could actually trust.” Sounds about right.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.

The blog Young Black and Fabulous is reporting that Tila Tequila wrote on her official Twitter that she’s pregnant. The father (they think) is her current boyfriend, rapper Ray J. Apparently Courtenay Semel now has the illustrious title of being the ex of both Lindsay Lohan and Tila Tequila. The tweet, posted late at night, announced that her on-and-off sickness has been due to the fact that she’s knocked up.

“Before I bounce, and since it’s late… I’m gonna tell y’all something REAL FAST, and then delete it, ok?

“Since nobody is awake… reason why I’ve been feeling sick on and off lately is because yes, I am pregnant!

“*GASPS******Ok, bye.”

[from YBF]

There have also been some posts about a certain rapper who needs to “step up to the plate.” Some of her tweets on the subject:

“You should at least step up to the plate or I’m gonna have to put you on blast in the media….and IM SURE thats not what you want do you?”

“All I know is if this m*therf*$ker doesnt step up soon Im gonna have to go to the media and put him on blast. imma give him 1 chance step up”

“I make my own m*thaf*&kin money, Im my own boss b*tch, so dont think I need you for anything. I will take care of it myself then.”

[from Slacker Chic]

While Ray J and Tila have been gallavanting about, he’s supposed to be dating the For the Love of Ray J winner, Cocktail. But we all know how long-lasting those reality TV relationships are. Look at Tila – after the first season of A Shot at Love: she was accused by the winner of the show of having a long-term boyfriend all through filming. He claimed that he tried contacting her and was shut down; her official statement was that they didn’t have enough time for each other.

Whatever, Tila. All I know is that having a mother who curses like that in a public forum is priceless, and that Tila’s baby is going to need some serious counseling when he/she grows up.

Here’s Tila at Maxim’s Hot 100 Party on May 14th. Images thanks to WENN.com .

Kim Kardashian has never really done anything that’s made me say, “Wow, that girl’s good with money.” She’s done a lot of things that have made me say, “Wow, that girl’s got an ass that should be on her chest,” but that’s about it. And apparently Kim’s ass cleavage is the biggest thing she’s got going for her, because not only is the girl bad with money, but she’s criminally bad. And when you combine bad fiduciary judgment with a ridiculous love of shopping and access to someone else’s credit card, things can get out of hand. Not for a regular person, but apparently for a Kardashian. In 2004, Kim was singer Brandy’s stylist. Brandy’s mother Sonja Norwood, who is also her daughter’s manager, gave Kim her American Express card to make one purchase for Brandy. Although it remains unclear, somehow Kim kept the card and continued to make personal purchases on it – totaling over $120,000. Not only that, but she lent the card to her two sisters and brothers. They even wracked up purchases at the Kardashian family’s own stores!

R&B singer Brandy Norwood’s mother filed a lawsuit Monday against Kim Kardashian accusing her of running up more than $120,000 in credit card charges without permission.

The suit, which also names Kardashian’s siblings Khloe, Kourtney and Robert Jr., alleges they ran up the charges on the mother’s card in 2006 and 2007. It seeks the return of the money plus 10 percent interest.

Kim Kardashian denied the allegations, telling PEOPLE she and her siblings had Norwood’s permission to make the purchases.

“We have her signature on all items,” Kardashian says.

[From People]

I’m sure she does have signatures for all items. Pretty much all credit card companies require you to sign a receipt. But I’m also pretty sure those signatures aren’t really Sonja Norwood’s, or she wouldn’t be suing the Kardashians I’m assuming that Sonja Norwood didn’t keep close tabs on her credit card statements – and if the debt accrued slowly enough, I suppose it’s possible a wealthy enough person might not notice. Considering Kim hasn’t worked as Brandy’s stylist in several years, I can’t imagine any excuse she could give for using the Norwood’s credit card. It’s a little surprising that no one noticed, but I would imagine they probably figured it out a while ago and made other attempts to get their money back before going for a lawsuit.

Kim wasn’t just Brandy’s stylist – she was also Brandy’s brother Ray-J’s girlfriend. You’ll remember that the two had a very infamous sex tape that Ray-J sold (some say Kim was in on the deal too, though she denies it). Maybe Kim thought she was due an extended shopping spree on the Norwood’s dime. The Kardashians are famous due to their deceased father, O.J. Simpson lawyer Robert Kardashian. Considering their legal linerage, I’m surprised they haven’t paid up. I doubt they have a leg to stand on – and if nothing else, it makes an already tacky family look that much worse.

Picture Note by JayBird: Here are the lovely Kardashian sisters (left to right) Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe – at New Years Eve at Mansion. Images thanks to PR Photos.