PHOTOSChris Brown, Julianne Hough, Ne-Yo Gum It Up
Aug. 7 2008, Published 12:00 p.m. ET
Rihanna and Jay-Z are hanging in the background during a Wrigley’s event held at Nokia Theater in NYC to celebrate new jingles for Doublemint, Big Red and Juicy Fruit gum. Models dressed in sparkly green hot shorts and tight tees are wearing boxes filled with gum around their shoulders. Hey, right here!
Rihanna is on hand to support rumored beau Chris Brown, which all makes sense in hindsight because questions about her are off-limits during our brief chat. Chris puts his spin on Doublemint gum’s tune.
Did he ever dream he’d be singing a jingle growing up in Tappahannock, Virginia?
“I always thought I could but being able to do it now is great,” he tells me. “It’s fun.”
The Forever singer hasn’t let his lavish lifestyle change him.
“I’ve been to different places so my best vacation is home. I love home – Virginia – because I get to relax there, no troubles, nobody bothering me, you can just sleep as long as you want to, whatever. You can just be home and chill.”
Here comes Ne-Yo, who lends his hitmaking hand to the Big Red tune. (Sing it: Kiss a little longer, hold tight a little longer, longer with Big Red…) Turns out, Ne-Yo gets a year’s supply of Big Red for lending his pipes.
“I have more gum than I will ever need ever in life,” he tells me. “I didn’t actually sit down and count, but there’s quite a few boxes.”
Next up is Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler’s good pal Julianne Hough. The Dancing With The Stars cutie-turned-country singer lends her pipes on behalf of Juicy Fruit.
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“Everybody chews gum, and I’ve been listening to the Juicy Fruit jingles and ate Juicy Fruit when I was a little girl,” she tells me. “For me, to be part of this, is awesome. It’s fun and energetic and it brings a whole new fresh outlook to Wrigley’s, and that’s why Chris Brown and Ne-Yo are here too. I feel great to be in the company of them, I think they’re really great, talented artists. I’m just excited. I think everybody who listens to the jingle will like it, and it will just be fun and fresh.”
Has she seen her best buds lately?
“Honestly, we’ve been so busy all of us…I’ve been on tour with Brad Paisley … so I haven’t really done too much with them, but they’re just sweet girls and all really focused on their careers. We all just support each other.”
On the way out, I pick up a Big Red shirt that says “Kiss A Little Longer” and a mint green shirt that says “Double Your Pleasure.” Sweet.
