Ashley Dupre, the professional high-priced call girl who rose to fame after servicing kinky former NY governor Elliot Spitzer, told Page Six that she’s in a much better place now because she’s doing yoga all the time. Then she name dropped her yoga classmate, media mogul Russell Simmons, and said he’s also been a great help to her. She even went so far as to call him her “mentor”:

ASHLEY Dupre is using her body again – but this time for a wholesome purpose.

Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s infamous $4,000-an-hour escort credits the yoga classes she’s been taking for the better part of the past year with “saving her life.”

“The past year has obviously been very difficult for me,” Dupre tells Page Six’s Neel Shah. “Yoga has really helped me turn it into a huge learning experience. I’m working hard to take what I went through and turn it into something positive. Yoga helps me focus.”

The 5-foot-1 brunette has even made a new friend. “Russell Simmons and I have been going to the same class, and he’s just an amazing and wonderful person and spirit,” Dupre says of the rap impresario and Def Jam co-founder. “He’s become a mentor, and has helped me work through my issues. I feel liberated and honored that people like him support me. I’m starting to feel respected for who I am.”

[From The NY Post]

Russell wanted to set the record straight on his relationship with Ashley Dupre so he blogged about it in an account on his site, Global Grind. He basically said that the first time he noticed the girl was at a class this weekend and that all he did was show her how to do a pose she was messing up. She then approached him for help telling her story truthfully. He was impressed and seems to have bought her yoga act hook, line and sinker:

So, over the weekend, I went to my normal practice in the city and while bent over in uttanasana, I noticed a cute, little, short girl whose hands were not placed properly. When you do a complete forward bend, your fingers and your toes should go ten across on the floor, not the hands in front of the feet. I offered my help, which she thanked me for and she then moved on. Later, while doing a twisting triangle, I noticed again that she needed a little direction. So about an hour later when the class was over, she thanked me for the guidance and introduced herself as Ashley Dupré. I said to myself, “Oh my god, this 5 foot, 1 inch god-seeker was the $4000 “escort” of Governor Elliot Spitzer.” Before I could speak, she said “I’ve seen you here many times. This is my favorite place and I’ve been coming here regularly since I’ve moved back into the city, and have been practicing yoga for about a year. Yoga saved my life.” I had seen her in class before, but never said anything to her. We spoke for a few more minutes and I was curious to find out about how her “business” was going and was she benefiting from all of the exposure. She told me that she hadn’t taken a nickel since the scandal broke and the reason was because every deal that had come in front of her involved further destroying her spirit. It is almost impossible for a 23-year-old girl, like her, or anyone for that matter, to be able to resist the temptation of further exploiting yourself when they are throwing money in your face – like Penthouse and Hustler, who offered a video component as well for millions of dollars. She said these things are not her. They are her experiences, but not her. I said that it is amazing to see that you’re in yoga and trying so hard to lift yourself up. She wants to write a book, but the dilemma is that most publishers are too blind to see that people are more interested in her personal, honest evolution, rather than the exploitive tell-all. She told me that she wants to tell her real story, a story that she feels could inspire a thirteen year old girl and make her proud of her own path. A story of personal transformation.

[From Global Grind]

How much do you want to bet Dupre picked that class so that she could approach Russell Simmons and get his help? I saw this girl’s 20/20 interview – she’s not stupid and she’s certainly not contrite. She wants to get a career in music but before she can do that she needs to revamp her image. She knows that Simmons can help her with that, and he seems more than willing to. Going to a few yoga classes doesn’t make her a changed person. It took her like 3 days before she was able to get press by dropping Simmons’ name.

The divorce between Kimora Lee Simmons and Russell Simmons has finally come to a close. The two separated in early 2006, filing for divorce in 2008. Now it seems like Kimora Lee got exactly what she wanted out of the proceedings. She will get $20,000 a month in child support for each of her daughters, Ming and Akoi until they turn 19; and every three years until they turn 16 he will have to buy them a new car costing at least $60,000. Russell also gets no custody, with very rigid visitation rights. He will only get to see them every eight weeks, and even then a nanny as well as a bodyguard must be present at all times.

Simmons has agreed to pay child support for daughters, Ming, 9, and Aoki, 6, of $20,000 each per month until the girls turn 19, according to court papers filed Thursday in Los Angeles.

Lee Simmons also won sole legal and physical custody of the girls, with monitored visitation for Simmons.

“When the children are in [Simmons's] custody, they shall be accompanied at all times by a nanny and security person,” the filing reads.

Simmons also agreed to provide a new car, worth at least $60,000, for the children’s use, until they turn 16. The car will be replaced every three years, documents show.

The papers also outline a meticulous, seven-page agreement on Simmons’s visitation rights, giving him access to the girls every eighth week during their school year and on various holidays.

[from People]

This divorce hasn’t been exactly bitter, at least in the public eye, and the two have long been seen canoodling with their respective significant others. Kimora, for one, has been dating Djimon Hounsou, and has hinted at their engagement. She is also pregnant with his baby. Russell has been seen out with various young women.

Considering how the divorce was finally settled, I imagine that Kimora acted like the self-important diva she is throughout the entire process. She’s not known for being easy to work with. Even E! wanted to pull her show from their network because she was being difficult. Her diva antics are probably what ultimately got her full custody of the girls with such rigid visitation rules. He’s always struck me as a zen, yoga-loving guy, and I wonder under what grounds she was able to so severely limit her children’s interaction with their father.

Also curious is the car agreement. The girls each get a car every three years until they turn 16 – which would be the age at which they would actually get to use the car. Wouldn’t it make more sense if he had to buy them a car for their 16th birthday? Well – that’s Hollywood divorce for you.

Update: Russell Simmons has blogged that it’s not true that a judge ordered him to pay $40k a month for his daughters and that he’s doing it willingly to provide a good education and future for them:

I am reading these stories today about how a judge ordered me to pay Kimora $40,000 a month in child support and I want to make something very clear. Nothing was ordered, it was given. My kids have a fabulous life; they are exposed to a broad range of artistic and scholastic educational programs and I’m very happy to contribute to that. As long as I have it, they can have it. If I ever don’t have it, I’m coming to live with them!

[From GlobalGrind]

Russell Simmons is shown with his daughters Ming Lee and Aoki Lee on 2/12/09 at the NAACP Image Awards. Credit: Bauergriffinonline

Yoga and peace-loving hip hop mogul Russell Simmons, 51, checked out a young woman’s boob on Miami beach yesterday. It’s unknown whether he met the woman and her friend on the beach or if they went there with him, but from the way they’re looking amused and taking photos it seems like it was just a casual encounter that led to the boob peek. Russell’s rep says she’ll get back to us with more information if it becomes available.

Simmons issued an inspiring statement after Barack Obama’s monumental election almost two weeks ago. He called Obama’s election “a beautiful testament to the American collective consciousness that is flowering.” It also looks like a more playful time in America, at least for super rich guys hanging out in warm climates with much younger women. He probably knew he was being photographed and was having fun with it. Hopefully the woman didn’t mind.

Photo credit: Bauergriffinonline

Def Jam founder Russell Simmons was seen out at the beach in Miami yesterday doing yoga. The 51 year-old mogul was photographed doing a triangle pose, headstand, and full spinal twist. He reportedly got into yoga a little over two years ago when he started dating model Denise Vasi, now 27. He then moved on to a younger model, Porschla Coleman, who became his yoga partner, but they’ve since split up. Simmons was last seen out with America’s Next Top Model winner Jaslene Gonzalez, 22, his youngest girlfriend yet.

Simmons was married to Baby Phat founder Kimora Lee Simmons for eight years until they separated in 2006. They have two daughters together, Ming Lee, 8, and Aoki Lee, 6, and maintain a friendly relationship.

Simmons is a supporter of animal rights and is a practicing vegan, which he explains by saying “I don’t eat anything that runs away from me.”

Simmons looks great for 51. His net worth is valued at $340 million.

[some details from Wikipedia]

Photo Credit: Bauergriffinonline.com

48 year-old Simmons, the founder of Def Jam records and owner of Phat Farm clothing, met his soon-to-be ex-wife Kimora when she was 17 and he was 35. They have two daughers, Ming Lee, 6, and and Aoki Lee Kyoko, 3 and a half.

Russell Simmons’ relationship with 23 year-old model Denise Vasi is said to have hastened the end of his marriage. Russell and Kimora remain on friendly terms for the sake of their businesses, and Russell has publically encouraged Kimora to have an affair too.

Simmons apparently wasn’t satisfied doing yoga with his lovely new girlfriend, because The NY Post reports that he was all over 20 22 year-old “America’s Top Model” winner Naima Mora:

Simmons may have a penchant for young models, but does shows a sense of personal responsibility in his dealings with the public. He ran a hip-hop summit yesterday to try to teach financial matters to young people:

The Summit also touted a new pre-paid Visa card while expousing the dangers of personal credit.

Here are some pictures of Mora, the winner on season 4. There are also pictures of Russell Simmons at the First Hip Hop Summit on Financial Empowerment yesterday. Other attendees include Jinx, Nas, and LL Cool J.

Kimora Lee and Russell Simmons attended a benefit together despite the fact that Kimora’s representative confirmed at the end of March that they’re splitting. Russell has admitted an ongoing affair with gorgeous model Denise Vasi, but stated that he’s still friendly with Kimora for the sake of their children and business empire.

They put on a happy face at their annual Art for Life Benefit in Palm Beach this weekend, and Russell’s new girlfriend was not seen at the event. Still things were a bit straned for the two:

Also at the party was Star Jones without her husband Al Reynolds. Star was said to be feeling her new boobs all night:

Here are photos from the benefit, with guests pictured including Gayle King, Star Jones, Sammy Sosa, Venus Williams and Antonio LA Reid.

Well Kimora Lee Simmons is too rich and fabulous now to spend the time needed to work on her marriage. Now that she has her own money thanks to her husbands support she can kiss him goodbye.

Kimora runs Baby Phat, put out that god-awful book Fabulosity, and has said things like “I represent luxury.” No, Kimora, you represent vanity and wastefulness and we hope that you get a lousy settlement in the divorce.