Last Update on May 09, 2008 03:07 EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- Some couples get matching rings. Then, there's Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. The pop star says she and her new hubby decided to get tatted up to commemorate their love before their wedding last week. The newlyweds talk about their getting hitched in People magazine. Cannon says while rings are "special and exciting," tattoos "mean more than anything" because they're "forever and ever." Guess it's a good thing Cannon didn't get tatted when he got engaged to that Victoria's Secret model a year ago. So what caused Cannon, who's 27, to be drawn to Carey, who's eleven years older? He says there's no age difference between them when it comes to their approach to their life. As he put it: "We are both eternally 12 years old." He also says when they met he was so comfortable with Carey that he "didn't have to put on my Mack Daddy suave mode." And yes, they say they have thought about having kids. As Carey put it: "it's part of the whole purpose of getting married."

CHICAGO (AP) -- Will this be the day that R. Kelly's child pornography trial begins? That is what is supposed to happen. But before the case officially is heard, the judge will handle a motion by the defense to delay the proceedings. It was six years ago that the singer was formally accused of videotaping himself having sex with an underage girl. Prosecutors in Chicago believe the child in question was as young as 13. The victim is now 23 and now says it wasn't her on the tape. Prosecutors believe they have supporting evidence that can back up their claim. R. Kelly is 41. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lots of people have been raised by mothers. But Victoria Rowell says she feels fortunate that she was raised by many. The actress is a product of the foster care system. And she feels the system often gets a bad rap from the negative cases that tend to get the headlines more than the success stories. She says statistics indicate there are far more good stories than bad ones. Rowell wrote a book called "The Women Who Raised Me," the story of the women who cared for her when her birth mother couldn't. She says the one thread that binds all foster parents is that they had "the real estate of a heart" -- in other words they made room for others' children, regardless of the amount of physical space they had in their homes.

"The Women Who Raised Me" is now available in paperback.

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< 00:11 "in 1903"

Victoria Rowell

Actress Victoria Rowell says her life story shows why she's so passionate about foster case.

< 00:00 "about them"

Victoria Rowell

Actress Victoria Rowell says foster care often gets a bad rap.

< 00:09 "to do"

Victoria Rowell

Actress Victoria Rowell says there's a common thread that connects those who decide to offer themselves as foster parents.

< 00:06 "a heart"

Victoria Rowell

Actress Victoria Rowell says she caught a break by being in foster care.

ATLANTA (AP) -- Ne-Yo says growing up without his father around created "a lot of aggravation" within him. But he says it was his mom who helped get him through the tough times. And now that he has a measure of success, he wants to thank single women like her for their hard work. On Sunday, Mother's Day, he will host a brunch for 50 single and foster mothers in the Atlanta area. The event is aimed at raising awareness of the need for reforms in the foster care system. While it's a safe bet the moms who are invited will think it's a big deal, Ne-Yo says it's the least he can do. He tells The Associated Press: "My efforts are minor for what should be done."

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- They are mothers. They have spent a lot of time in our homes. But they aren't OUR moms. They are the women who play mothers on TV. And there was an event honoring those who have taken on the role. From Diahann Carroll of "Julia" fame to Tichina Arnold of the current TV hit "Everybody Hates Chris" they took part in a salute to TV moms as part of an event hosted by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. During the affair, some of the TV moms were asked about Britney Spears. Arnold said people who criticize Spears should consider what the pop star has to go through. She says: "if the camera followed you all of your life, we would think differently about you, as well." Arnold says she hopes that the singer will be a productive mother.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) -- Gary Dourdan is facing a mess of drug charges from his bust last month. The "CSI" star has been charged with felony possession of heroin, cocaine and ecstasy. He was arrested after police found him asleep in his car in Palm Springs, California on April 28th. Authorities say he was parked on the wrong side of the street with the car's interior light on. He's due in court to answer on the charges later this month. Dourdan is 41 years old. He has played the role of crime scene investigator Warrick Brown on the CBS show since 2000.

DETROIT (AP) -- Looks like former Motown star Martha Reeves may be getting her stuff back. Operators of a Detroit pawn shop believe they have come across some of the recording equipment that belonged to Reeves, who now serves on the city council. An employee says someone sold microphones and other electronic equipment to the shop. The worker says the seller's driver's license information and thumbprint have been turned over to authorities. Reeves said earlier this week that about $100,000 worth of equipment she has collected was stolen over the weekend from a home she owns.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Whoopi Goldberg will be hosting this year's Tony Awards. The show is set for June 15th at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Sounds like she's up for it, too. She says not only does she love Broadway, she's "thrilled to be doing anything for the first time." Nominations for the Tonys will be announced on Tuesday.

On the Net:

Tony Awards site: http://www.TonyAwards.com

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Civil rights activist Al Sharpton says the beating of three shooting suspects by Philadelphia police officers is "worse than Rodney King." Sharpton told his syndicated radio show it's "nonsense" that it appears "you got to be a certain level black to be treated within the law." Video of a traffic stop shows about 15 officers beating the three suspects, who police say took part in a shooting. Thirteen of the estimated 15 officers on the scene during the Monday incident have been taken off the streets. All three suspects in the case are black. But police commissioner Charles Ramsey is downlplaying the racial aspect of the case, pointing out that at least one officer involved, a sergeant, is black.

<CHUCK BERRY: LOOKING BACK

UNDATED (AP) -- On this date in 1964, Chuck Berry started his first British tour in London. The rock and roll pioneer was backed up by the Animals, Carl Perkins and the Nashville Teens.

UNDATED (AP) -- On this date in 1947, Dave Prater of Sam and Dave was born in Ocilla, Georgia. The group's biggest hit is the 1967 song "Soul Man" which went to number-two on the pop music charts. Prater died in a car accident on April ninth, 1988.

UNDATED (AP) -- A birthday today for a member of the Wu Tang Clan. Ghostface Killah -- who has also had some success as a solo act -- is now 38.

UNDATED (AP) -- A birthday today for singer Tamia . She's 33. She got her start after being discovered by Quincy Jones, who featured her single "You Put A Move On My Heart" on his album "Q's Jook Joint."