Is it wrong that my first thought on hearing that Scary Spice Melanie B was splitting with her husband of a whopping three years, Stephen Belafonte, was “what took them so long?” Several British rags are reporting that the couple is divorcing, although Melanie B has yet to officially comment Stephen has maybe-confirmed that they’re heading in that direction. He’s quoted as supposedly saying “Dude, it’s over. Mel’s coming back to the U.K. soon – but I won’t be coming with her. There’s been problems lately. I don’t know what’s happening.” Only according to The Sun, which is as about as reliable as all the other sources for this story, they’re still together but they have “rows, often fuelled by drink.” I love how Brits phrase things. They make even drunken fights sound fancy. Here’s The Sun’s report, which seems to be true in light of the fact that these two were just papped at dinner. We’ll have more on that in a moment.

FRIENDS of pop star MEL B last night denied her husband’s claims that their marriage had collapsed.
Film producer STEPHEN BELAFONTE, 35, insisted: “It’s over.”

He said she was moving back alone to Britain from the US, adding: “There’s problems. I don’t know what’s happening.”

But a close pal of the 35-year-old ex-Spice Girl said both had been put under stress by fly-on-the-wall TV show The Mel B Project.

The friend added: “Stephen can be a drama queen. There have been lots of rows, often fuelled by drink. But they’ll try and work things out.”

[From The Sun]

Melanie and Stephen have no biological children together but have been coparenting Melanie’s two daughters from previous relationships, Angel Iris Brown, three and a half, from Mel’s drama-filled relationship with Eddie Murphy, and Phoenix Chi, 11, from Mel’s marriage to Dutch dancer Jimmy Gulzar, which ended in 2000.

Melanie has been tweeting a lot but she hasn’t said anything about these rumors, as Contact Music points out. She’s mostly tweeting about her performances. She also has a new reality show on the Style Network coming up called “Mel B: It’s a Scary World.” It premieres this Sunday and I guess the question is whether Melanie and Stephen have fallen victim to the reality show curse before their show has even aired. It looks like Melanie and Stephen are hanging in there, though, as they were just photographed out to dinner at celebrity hangout Katsuya in LA last night. So was this whole breakup story just some publicity for their show? I wouldn’t put it past them.

Photo credit: WENN.com. They’re also shown at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards last weekend.

Two years ago Spice Girl Melanie Brown married Stephen Belafonte shortly after Eddie Murphy dumped her on TV. And we’ve all been waiting since then for news they’re getting divorced, but it seems like things are actually going very smoothly for them. Apparently Stephen has reached that critical “comfortable” stage in a marriage. No, not when you’re so comfortable you let yourself go. So comfortable he’s borrowing makeup – or at least lipstick – from his wife. Another important relationship milestone.

WHILE DAVID BECKHAM makes fashion statements with weird beards and tattoos another Spice spouse goes one step further.

MEL B’S hubby STEPHEN BELAFONTE borrowed her bright red lippy before leaving their London hotel yesterday.

And he put on his best pout as he linked arms with the guest relations manager from the Mayfair.

Mel, looking fantastic in ripped jeans and boots, seemed to find her bloke’s use of make up hilarious.

The couple, who married in 2007, have been staying at the swanky hotel for a couple of weeks while they attend various evening events and party with pals.

And they have been spending time with JORDAN’S ex PETER ANDRE, who once dated Mel, while they are in town. Could the red lippy be a dig at Pete’s cross-dressing love rival ALEX REID?

[From the Sun]

If Stephen is wearing bright red lipstick to mock Alex Reid, he’s definitely several degrees removed from the situation. He and Mel are friends with Peter Andre (who Mel dated back in 1996), who’s divorcing Katie Price, who’s now dating cage fighter Alex Reid. It’d be a pretty immature and stupid reason to be wearing lipstick. Katie got a lot of attention for recently admitting that Alex is a cross dresser, and once “accidentally” kissed a Thai “ladyboy” which is essentially a very convincing transsexual.

My guess? One of Mel’s daughters put it on Stephen, and he left it. When my mom was a little girl she used to paint her dad’s toenails bright red. He’s the most old-fashioned, proud man I’ve ever known – but he’d still go to the grocery store in sandals to make her laugh. To me, the particular shade of lipstick screams “a 10-year-old did this” more than anything else.

Images thanks to Fame Pictures .

Here are some reasons not to like Stephen “Belafonte,” Melanie Brown’s new hidden husband. 1. He killed a duck. Not while hunting, or eating in a restaurant. The guy just went out a killed a duck with a brick. Now there’s probably more to this story – or maybe not. Sociopaths kill for no reason and without conscious, and target animals. I’m not saying Stephen “I changed my name to make you think I’m the famous singer’s son” Belafonte is a sociopath, I’m just saying they share some traits. That’s also Celebitchy’s new nickname for him, and I think it’s a winner.

“Melanie Brown’s new husband Stephen Belafonte owes a New Jersey court a $600 fine after he was allegedly found guilty of killing a duck.

“The film producer, 32, was found guilty of an animal control charge after he admitted of throwing a brick at a mallard outside his home in Point Pleasant, according to British newspaper The Sun.

“An Ocean County court spokeswoman said: ‘A warrant has been issued over unpaid fines and costs relating to an animal control offence. He will be arrested if he returns to the area.’

“Belafonte, who wed the Spice Girl in secret in June (07), admitted attacking his ex-partner Nicole Contreras and was given a suspended jail sentence.”

[From Ireland Online]

None of this is cool. Bludgeoning a duck? Not okay. Beating up the mother of your child? Not okay. There is absolutely no excuse for domestic violence. An argument with another human being is something I vaguely understand – the person can talk, move, etc. An argument with a duck doesn’t compute. This guy isn’t such a winner.

Scary Spice’s mother, Andrea Brown, wasn’t told about the wedding, just like the rest of the world. One would think a mother could be privy to such private information, but apparently that’s not the case.

“Andrea Brown – who was kept in the dark over the wedding – described it as a ‘big mistake’, claiming that her daughter was on the rebound from her split with Eddie Murphy. But a friend of Mel’s said she went into the relationship ‘with her eyes open’ and is well aware that her new hubby is ‘no angel.’”

[From Digital Spy]

No angel is one thing. Psychopathic duck murderer is quite another. I may poke fun at Stephen “Belafonte” because I think he’s a poseur, but this story truly makes me so sad. I love animals more than I love some people. It seems like when a couple gets this much bad press so early on, they generally don’t make it. So let’s see, “Belafonte” has a rap sheet, he beat up the mother of his child, he’s been sued for unpaid child support ($254 a month), and he’s a brick-toting duck killer. Now I imagine him wandering around ponds, waiting for the some poor feathered victim to take his rage out on. You suck, Stephen Standsbury. Oops. I mean “Belafonte.”

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s a Central Park mallard. Header image is Mel B and Stephen “Belafonte” leaving the Baglioni Hotel on June 29th. Images thanks to Splash Photos.

Scary Spice Melanie Brown just canceled her scheduled interview with Larry King, which was supposed to air tonight. Access Hollywood is reporting that she and Angel Iris are both sick. Perez Hilton is reporting that Mel and boyfriend Stephen Belafonte (no relation to Harry Belafonte – he changed his last name) were secretly married in Las Vegas on June 6th, and that she was due to break the news on Larry King. I’m not reporting it as fact, just oh-so-innocently passing it on. Access Hollywood has some info, along with a slight dig at the singer.

“Spice Girl Mel B has cancelled her appearance on CNN’s ‘Larry King Live’ tonight, Access Hollywood has learned, because she and her new baby, Angel Iris Murphy Brown, are sick.

”Last Friday, Eddie Murphy admitted to being the father of Melanie Brown’s infant daughter, two days after Brown filed a Superior Court petition to legally establish him as the child’s parent.

”The interview with King was expected to be Mel B’s first time discussing the paternity situation in a televised interview.

”Yesterday, Mel B was photographed on holiday in Miami, supposedly, healthy and having a good time.”

[From Access Hollywood]

Fametastic reported that Mel called Stephen “the love of my life” and told friends she planned to marry him.

“The couple only began dating in May but the pair have been friends for over seven years.

“The Spice Girl has now reportedly told a friend: “He’s the love of my life and I’m going to marry him.”

“’Stephen’s been a godsend. [Eddie Murphy] hasn’t been in touch once since I had the baby [daughter Angel], it’s unbelievable. But Stephen has been a tower of strength.’

“’Stephen’s got a much bigger c**k as well!’

[From Fametastic]

That is one classy and reliable friend. I’m pretty sure that if you use asterisk-requiring language, you’re likely not the most reliable source. But who knows, maybe the British are known for throwing that word around – as we reported here, Victoria Beckham did publicly refer to Eddie Murphy as the Beverly Hills version of said appendage. Though she didn’t mean it in a flattering way. Well let’s hope Melanie reschedules quickly, and confirms or denies all these rumors.

Picture note by JayBird: Header image is Mel B at the Cineramadome at the Arclight Theatre in 2003. I thought you all might be tired of all the “Spice Press conference” images. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Update: It’s confirmed by Brown’s rep that Brown wed Stephen Belafonte in a quickie ceremony in Vegas on June 6.