With all the phonies out there (as Holden would say), how can you ever make sure if the person you're talking to on the 'net is really who they claim to be? Sure, sure, that's why we have awesome shows like To Catch a Predator, and now video gchat (holla!), but when it comes to celebrities, it's best just to assume the worst: that your I_Am_Paris superfan on MySpace is actually a 45-year old guy named Norbert from Wisconsin.

But once in awhile you get a legit celebrity, trying to take back their good name on the blogosphere, will actually come out and confirm their identity with a phone call to a reporter.

Which is how we now know that Shaquille O'Neal is now an avid Twitter-er.

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The childhood mugs of Denzel Washington, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Martin Sheen, Wesley Clark and Shaquille O'Neal are the new faces of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The stars, all of whom benefited from the organization in their youth, lent their child photos for a national advertising campaign.

"What's going on with children doesn't worry me. What's going on with adults worries me. If we are not more committed to these young people … they will go as far as we take them, so the onus is on us, not on the children," Washington told the AP. "We've created this world for them, we are the ones that fall and we are the ones that can rectify it."

Washington's also the national spokesman for the organization.

A judge has granted a 23-year-old Atlanta woman a restraining order against Shaquille O'Neal, after she accused the basketball star (who recently reunited with his estranged wife, Shani) of stalking her.

Judge Richard Hicks granted Alexis Miller’s request on Thursday after reviewing her claims that the NBA star threatened her with bodily harm and made harassing phone calls in which he would breathe heavily into the phone before hanging up.

Miller, a 23-year-old independent music artist professionally known as Maryjane, also alleged that O’Neal, 36, threatened to ruin her career by having her blackballed after Miller ended an intimate relationship between the two last month.

Shaq can't go within 200 yards of the woman, with whom he allegedly had a relationship, or her 19-month-old son. I would assume he's also prohibited from publicly asking the woman to "tell him how his ass tastes." [AJC]

• Shaquille O'Neal wants to buy your mortgage and save you from home foreclosure. Really. [EUR]

• Mark Wahlberg says he won't be reuniting with the Funky Bunch because he's too old to rap. It never stopped LL Cool J. [SP]

• A boxer/personal injury lawyer is suing Jay-Z for biting his style. [AHH]

• A new website from the brain behind What About Our Daughters, keeps a close eye Michelle Obama attacks from the media. [MOW]

• See some stills from Spike Lee's putting-his-money-where-his-mouth-is movie. [BV]

With just $27 million earned between June 2006 and June 2007, LeBron James was the last in Forbes' list of the ten top-earning black stars. Before you go feeling all bad for LeBron James for coming in last on a list of insanely rich people, consider this: he was just 22 in June 2007. Next on the list is Beyonce, who also earned $27 million, but is probably in the spot above James due to alphabetical order. Or maybe because she's prettier? Check the full list after the jump.

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Shaquille O'Neal's formidable financial records have been released to the public as part of his divorce from estranged wife, Shaunie. Although he makes a whopping $1.8 million a month, he spends $875,000 a month in expenses.

Among them: $156,116 in mortgages on three homes (including his $20 million mansion on Miami Beach's Star Island), plus $31,299 in homeowners insurance; $3,345 in phone bills; $1,610 in lawn and pool maintenance; $12,775 for food; $10,065 in electricity, $1,495 for cable TV; $5,000 in car payments (for three cars - he owns at least twice as many); $24,300 in gas; $6,730 in dry cleaning; $17,220 in clothing; $2,305 for pets and $110,505 for vacations.

Childcare also runs him $26,500 a month. Mo' money, mo' expenses. [PBP]

Shaquille O'Neal, who was most likely behaving in this exact same fashion before beginning his divorce proceedings, is now able date a variety of women out in the open. A female cabby* from South Beach uncovers the womanizing ways of a millionaire athlete! Hold onto your seats!

"Every time Shaq is in town, I get the call, and let me tell you: He's got more women leaving his hotel room then any celebrity I've ever seen. Every time he stayed at the Marriott in South Beach, he had a blonde or a brunette with him." Not all that surprising following Shaq's decision in September to split from his wife of five years and mother of four, Shaunie O'Neal.

The last time I was in South Beach, Shaquille O'Neal's SUV slowed to a crawl beside me and my girls and he leaned out and shouted some unintelligible invitation at us as we walked back to our hotel from the beach. I've heard similar stories. We glanced up and kept it moving, but I'm sure that in many cases that's about as much game as the guy needs. Sad.

*Shaq calls cabs?

• Here's Lisa from America's Next Top Model 5 proving that modeling isn't the only thing she sucks at. [EBG]

• If Al Sharpton's not your leader and you have been thinking for yourself your whole life, stand up! [WP]

• Biggies, Biggies everywhere! I bet the guy who pulled up in the Escalade gets the part. He's already got the swagger down. [NYT]

• Oh, if only I was the type of person to get up early and wait in line for Roberto Cavalli's H&M line. [BV]

• Shaunie wants Shaq back? Either she doesn't stand to get very much money in the divorce or this is bizarro world. [Bossip]

Its the end of an era for Shaquille O'Neal and his wife Shaunie. What could Shaunie have done for Shaq to be the one to instigate divorce proceedings, considering her status as a long-suffering (if infidelity rumors are true) NBA wife? Not to say that I am completely shocked to hear she could be involved in shadiness — of the financial variety, it seems — but they are probably both guilty.

The petition reveals that the couple has a prenuptial agreement, according to the Herald, which also reports that should the court agree, a copy of the agreement "will be filed … under seal."

The agreement "contains extensive provisions providing for confidentiality and non-disclosure."

O'Neal also says in the petition that Shaunie has been "secretive about her assets … particularly with respect to certain properties owned or titled in either [her] name alone or in other entities" and requests that the court require Shaunie to give a "correct accounting of all money, funds, stocks, bonds, and other securities (including bearer securities)" acquired during the marriage.

I don't get it. Unless Shaunie had some secret stake in the Vitamin Water deal, what the hell does he care about her assets? Anyway, although the marriage, according to his lawyer, is "irretrievably broken," he was nice enough to give her the kids.

[People]

A Parade reader posted this question in the most recent issue of the Sunday magazine:

Question: I haven't heard a peep from Michael Richards since his racist rant at a comedy club. Will he ever make a comeback?

Answer: We think so. Bernie Mac is planning to release a DVD roast of Richards and invited Eddie Murphy and Shaquille O'Neal to join in the wicked fun. If such prominent blacks are willing to give the comic a platform, maybe the country is ready for his comeback.

I see right through this ruse even if Michael Richards and Parade can't. If indeed Bernie Mac is planning a roast for Michael Richards, it will probably be in the most literal sense of the word. And if he's willing to participate, he's either got a lot of balls or he's totally insane. Considering his most recent turn in the spotlight, I'm sticking with the latter.

[ONTD]