Update: Melanie Brown to go on Larry King Live

Update: Melanie has canceled the appearance as she and Angel are both ill. She hopes to appear on Thursday instead.

In other news, Melanie and producer Stephen Belafonte have been married since June 6th. The couple eloped in Vegas and have kept the news secret. Her rep confirms, saying,

Regarding the marriage, Mel and Stephen have know each other for manyyears and were great friends first. Now they are deeply in love. Thetwo are very happy together.

Melanie remarked,

He was a really goodfriend and good support to me during my pregnancy. He’s a really sweet guy.

The news was first reported by Perez Hilton earlier today. He also reveals that Stephen’s real last name was Standsbury, but he changed it to Belafonte and is apparently no relation to Harry (we previously thought he was his grandson).

Originally posted August 7th: Melanie Brown is set to appear on Larry King Live Wednesday night totalk about her ongoing paternity battle with Eddie Murphy. LastWednesday, Mel held a press conference to announce her filing of alawsuit to legally establish paternity for their 4-month-old daughter,Angel Iris Murphy Brown.

Days later, Eddie released a statement claiming to have paid childsupport, along with Mel’s medical expenses, and dismissing the singer’sdeclaration of Angel being "completely" planned.

Gloria Allred, Mel’s attorney, is expected to appear on the telecast aswell. The interview will air live during the first half of the program.

Larry King Live airs at 9 p.m. EST on CNN.

Source: OK!

Comments

Someone ought to tell her she’s climbing a slippery slope. I was all for her defending herself publicly since Eddie saw fit to deny Angel in such a nasty and public way, but once that DNA came out she said all she needed to say outside of court.

I’m all for her and Nicole being….I hesitate to say friends since I don’t know the nature of their alliance, so I’ll stick with allies….but they should back each other in court with lawyers nailing his behind to the wall. All this publicity is NOT what she or her children need right now.

Personally I don’t understand her trying to force Eddie into the child’s life, once he signs that check then for me it’d be whatever. If he doesn’t know by now (8 frickin’ kids later for goodness sakes) what a blessing children are then that’s on him.

The guy she’s dating now seems to be very into her and into her kids. That should suffice IMO. Heidi Klum didn’t chase her deadbeat down and she and Leni have Seal, Elizabeth Hurley didn’t chase her deadbeat either and she and Damien seem quiet content with her new husband (save for the boy’s unfortunate luck of being the spitting image of his biological father).

Even if she doesn’t have a father figure for Angel, what’s important is making sure she’s happy secure and that Eddie is legally forced to put SOMETHING towards her upbringing or towards her future.

It’s time to get this out of the news now. I support her cause and admire her tenacity but enough is really enough.

- Grayson's Girl on August 7th, 2007

I think is too much, she had already talk about it in many interviews….too much publicity for something that should be more private, imo

- sil on August 8th, 2007

I was on her side when all this started and I thought she was handling it all well and with dignity but I don’t agree with seeking so much publicity and I don’t see in what way this will help her daughter.

- Sarita on August 8th, 2007

Okay, this is a bit much. Does it really matter if the public knows all their personal dirt? What matters is that Eddie steps up and pays child support and hopefully becomes a parent to this darling baby.

- Lorus on August 8th, 2007

graysons girl, I totally agree with everything you said. you hit the nail on the head!

When I divorced, my ex was very hard to pin down when it came to child support and visitation. He only wanted to see the kids when it was convenient for him and hardly paid a cent in support. So, when I got engaged and my ex offered to give consent for my new fiance to adopt the kids, we jumped at it. It was actually so much easier for all of us when the adoption was final. My ex had no claim at all anymore since he had to sign his rights away. It was all about money anyway. My kids lives have been so much better and so much less confusing. A deadbeat is a deadbeat. If Eddie doesn’t want to have anything to do with his beautiful baby girl except to throw a check her way then so be it. You can’t force love. You would think a baby would make a difference, but with some cold hearted people it just doesn’t.

Mel should just take care of the support issue in court and be done with it. Get on with raising her daughter and cultivating that new relationship. The new guy may turn out to be the father Angle Iris needs.

- tink1217 on August 8th, 2007

Not to be negative but I do thinks its a bit much too much now. Some things should be kept private and this is one of them. Little Angel shouldn’t have to grow up one day and read all that went on surrounding her birth. Take this issue and handle behind close doors.

- Giovanna on August 8th, 2007

Ladies…I agree with all of you. Melanie needs to maintain the dignity she had in the beginning and end it there. No more of this publicity poor me, own up to it arguments. She had and is having her day in court. She should leave it there.

- brass on August 8th, 2007

I think she needs to stop now, enough with the publicity. Eddie is a jerk, but she is milking this now. He has to pay child support but she can’t make him see the child if he doesn’t want too. And in the long run, it’s his loss and he will have to answer to angel in the future.

- gabriella on August 8th, 2007

First and foremost, my heart lies with the baby. If Eddie is providing financial support, that is all Mel can “make” him do. No amount of publicity nor press conferences nor live interviews is going to convince him to see his child. I think Allred and Mel’s strategy is to “shame” him into seeing his daughter and that will only backfire. You can’t force love or devotion. If Mel is sincere that all she wants is for him to take an active role in Angel’s life, then she needs to do it in a more private way. In that way, something positive may occur. But Mel needs to steel herself for the possibility that this may never happen, and Eddie will be all the poorer for it. I still give Mel the benefit of the doubt, but am starting to wonder if she’s trying to use her child to keep in touch with him or to score a bigger payday. If he’s meeting his obligations and all that he’s legally required to do, that’s all she can make him do. If that’s how he is, then Angel doesn’t need him in her life. I know it has to hurt Mel a great deal, but she’s got Angel and that’s the real gift.

- Shay on August 8th, 2007

Mel B obviously needs the publicity more than she needs to maintain any dignity! Getting pregnant and being ditched by Eddie Murphy has given her all that she could never re-recreate in her post Spice girls days.

- Car on August 8th, 2007

From day one, I questioned Melanie’s publicity approach to dealing with the child support issues. It’s a disgrace how this child’s life is being strewn about the public for all to see. If it was Gloria’s idea to launch a full media campaign against Eddie, Melanie needs to tell Gloria to stop. Angel should be able to grow up in peace without the media in her face.

Melanie is doing everything in her power to get Eddie back into her life. From news reports, their break up was so abrupt that she had not realized that he had moved on. I heard that he hired a private investigator who found her in the company of another man. Who knows whether that is true or not. But Eddie most likely stopped taking her phone calls last year. So she’s trying to communicate to him in magazine articles and press conferences. She’ll have to face it that their romantic relationship is over. The only relationship they will share from now on is that of parents. I just hope both of them will figure out how to provide the best life for Angel in a more private manner.

- Leila on August 8th, 2007

I think it’s just a publicity stunt to keep herself in the headlines. Because before this nobody really looked twice at this Spice Girl!

I don’t think this all needs to become such a publicity event. But hey to each their own.

- J.M. on August 8th, 2007

God I think this is tacky. I was totally behind her when Eddie jilted her. I thought she got a raw deal…but now…the way she’s “working” this whole thing makes me think she either got pregnant without his knowledge (said she was on the pill) or at the very least, is using this whole experience to get more money and fame. She should have stopped while she was ahead. I felt bad for her before and now I kind of see why Eddie dumped her. Yuck! Poor Angel.

- PSB on August 8th, 2007

All dignity ceased when Gloria Allred came into the picture!!!

And Mel had better watch out with that new guy. He’s not what he appears to be. First hint: he is not using is real name!!!

- essie on August 8th, 2007

I am not defending Eddie in no way, because no matter what no man should deny his child. However that being said, we really don’t know what took place privately. And Eddie seems to be keeping himself tight lipped while Mel just wants to talk talk talk. Makes me wonder whose telling the truth. Is it Mel just wanting Eddie to step up and be a daddy? Is it about money? Is it about being in the public eye? There are some things that have never added up and that’s why I have never jumped the gun to be on her side.

I wouldn’t think that you would “plan” a baby with someone you’ve only been with for a few months esp. when you have another child to think about.

Either way she needs to just lie low and just be a mom to her two kids and stop trying to run her mouth so much. Many moms go about raising thier kids as single parents. Mel surely isn’t poor. So I don’t see why money would be an issue. However if it’s just her wanting Eddie to spend time with Angel, you really can’t force him to do so and why would you want a man to spend time w/ your child if he doesn’t truly want to?? I’d rather have my babies dad WANT to spend time with her willingly rather then be forced to do so by the courts.

- J.M. on August 8th, 2007

Well once I found out her Attorney is Gloria Allred then I knew this was going to go downhill. I don’t think Eddie is a jerk, I just think he and Melanie weren’t thinking about the possibilites of “What if we have a child” out of this courtship, then again many people don’t think that far into their relationships. So now they have a kid and Melanie is going on Larry King ~ it’s more Gloria Allred’s doing. That’s my opinion the woman is a media whore, Gloria loves the limelight. It doesn’t matter who it involves..Gloria will make it all about herself..like she always does. What about “What’s in the best interest of the child?” Hey i’m all for women’s lib. and all that good stuff but once you bring Gloria Allred into the mix, it looses its luster. Again just my opinion.

- Natalie S. on August 8th, 2007

I think Natalie N. is right. It’s the lawyer who is the publicity hound. She only takes “high profile” cases. It’s what keeps her able to charge those outrageous fees.

- penny on August 8th, 2007

PSB – spot on

I think her behaviour is tacky. I also think that she’s a fast worker. She was with Eddie for what? A few months before she thought it was a brilliant idea to supposedly remove her IUD to conceive a child with someone she barely knew and has already had 5 kids?? Especially when she already has a daughter, what a selfish gold digging tacky chav.

Now she’s hooked up with a “long time friend” and married him?
Not to mention holds a press conference about her legal intentions AND then goes to the most public restaurant – The Ivy – with her ex’s ex wife?

TACKY TACKY TACKY.
She reaps what she sows. I feel very sorry for both of her kids.

- i agree with PSB on August 8th, 2007

married!!! *gasp*

Congrats to the happy couple

I hope for the same friend-to-husband sitch. I don’t think i can marry someone that i have not known for years. you just don’t know with men!! i don’t know how ppl get married after “knowing” someone for a year. pfft!

- sinclair on August 8th, 2007

There would be no publicity if people weren’t interested in it. It’s that simple. It seems to be more of lawyer doing it than her. Also she can’t control what the media asks you. If you say no comment or it’s a private matter, people will judge you for keeping secrets. Either way she can’t win

- Renee on August 8th, 2007

Congrats to her. Hope this marriage works out well for her, although I read her new hubby has had many issues in his past and a lot of people close to her don’t like him. She will be on larry king soon in the next few days I heard.

- gabriella on August 8th, 2007

So she might taking it a bit too far. I don’t mind. He deserves it, every bit of it. I would personally rub him in the face with it until he FULLY confessed. And I believe he doesn’t truly think he is the dad, or even care… I dont care what a DNA says. I believe he still thinks otherwise. And lets not forget that he completely outted her… when she was pregnant at that Dreamgirls premiere. So if anyone took it far, it was him.

- Melissa on August 9th, 2007

Airing dirty laundry in public is just tacky. Why does the general publiuc need to know what she is going through? She shouldn’t be subjecting her children to this.

- WOW on August 9th, 2007

i could be totally wrong about this…but sometimes when a parent gets married, don’t they relinquish their child support? or is that only if the couple was married to begin with, so it wouldn’t affect mel’s case?

- T.B on August 9th, 2007