April 29, 2008

Nick Cannon Squirms When Asked About Mariah Carey Engagement Rumors, Says She's A 'Good Friend'

By Chris Harris, with reporting by Josh Horowitz (MTV.com)

Is Mariah Carey wearing actor Nick Cannon's engagement ring?

Well, based on sightings of the two holding hands - and photos of Carey wearing a big ring Saturday night during a New York afterparty for her new film, Tennessee - various media reports, including one that appeared on People.com Monday (April 28), suggest that she may be.

So, when Cannon stopped by the MTV News offices Monday to promote his film Ball Don't Lie, we just had to ask him about his relationship with the pop diva.

First, the actor danced around our questions about the Carey rumors, saying that the singer's "a great person."

When pressed for more, he positively squirmed, adding, "I can't even know what to say. She's probably the most festive, remarkable person I've ever met. Good friend." When pressed further about the rumors, he said, "Rumors happen. They do."

Carey has long been rumored to be dating executive Mark Sudack, a member of her management team, but buzz about her and Cannon gained momentum on April 15, when People.com ran a piece entitled "Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's Night Out in Vegas." The article claimed that the two flew into Sin City on a private jet and were later spotted at a nightclub, getting "cozy" at one of the VIP tables.

Then, on Monday, People.com added more fuel to the fire, claiming that Carey was seen sporting a "humongous, gleaming ring" at the afterparty. The report further claims the two held hands for most of the soiree, and that they barely left each other's sides all evening.

Whether or not it's all a bunch of hoo-hah, when asked by MTV News about a possible engagement, spokespeople for both Cannon and Carey had no comment.