Red tulips win her heart

It started with red tulips and purple irises delivered to VIP Hair & Nails Salon owner Tiffany Wilson around Valentine's Day, along with a mysterious anonymous note about how they might meet in the future. "Regards," the note ended, formally.

As one of Minnesota's most beautiful people, outside and inside, Wilson might be expected to have a secret admirer. She assumed this was someone who knew her because red tulips are her favorite flowers. So Wilson wasn't curious or concerned. She graciously accepts life as it comes anyway -- even the rough parts like the 2008 death of her boyfriend, WCCO-TV sports guy Bob Rainey. I'm pretty sure Wilson and Rainey would have married had his second bout with cancer not claimed Bob.

A few months later, her 2010 secret admirer was ready to disclose his identity along with some more flowers.

However, Wilson wasn't quite so ready when she phoned me Nov. 11 to say she had something to tell me, but the news had to be delivered in person. That's fine. We hung up. I called right back and asked if she was engaged. "Nooo!" she said, in a tone that suggested this was the silliest question I'd ever asked. We hung up, again. I called back a second time to ask if she was moving to Paris, a dream of hers. Again, no.

"I'm dating somebody and it's serious," said Wilson when we met up. "You had lunch with him. He's a lawyer, Jerry Blackwell. Remember when I got those tulips? He sent them."

Now of the Blackwell Burke law firm in Minneapolis, he and I had lunch back when his firm had a different name, was located in Edina, and I believe he was representing Prince.

Things have been moving pretty fast since Blackwell disclosed his identity to Wilson. She tells me they eat dinner together almost every night. One night in November, Blackwell proffered a very large engagement ring, which was accepted by Wilson, whose dimples are practically beaming. She said they're planning an island destination ceremony for Feb. 14, 2011. It will be his second marriage, her first. Congrats.

Prince's ex on Oxygen show

Mayte Garcia, the first ex-wife of Prince, is scheduled to be a judge on Oxygen channel's weight loss show, "Dance Your A.. Off," according to AOL.com.

Garcia is described as a "dancer and choreographer" in the blurb, and not one of Symbolina's former wives. She joins judges Lisa Ann Walter, a dancer, actor and an exec producer of the show, and choreographer Danny Teeson on the show to be hosted by Mel B.

"Even the title of this competition series is shedding something," reads an AOL blurb -- "in this case letters that may be offensive in some circles."

The winners and losers each week will be judged both on their weight loss and their dancing: "The judges' score combined with the contestants' weight loss for the week determines who is eliminated, with the overall winner receiving $100,000.... Dr. Robert Huizenga ('Biggest Loser') heads a team of weight loss specialists on hand to help the contestants reach their goals."

Kim K's White Chocolate

Note to TMZ: Kris Humphries is probably better described as "semi-white."

Updating us on Kim Kardashian's dynamic dating life, the gossip TV show reported she was no longer seeing Halle Berry's ex -- Gabriel Aubry.

"As long as there is an NFL, she'll find a man," intoned the TMZ announcer -- "or an NBA or NHL [or] Professional Bowlers Association."

Kardashian was lauded on the show by a female TMZer for taking full advantage of a brand of pulchritude that appears irresistible to pro athletes and good-looking men everywhere. "Kim is now reportedly dating New Jersey Nets player Kris Humphries, the second white guy in a row!" the TMZ voiceover guy continued.

According to my sources, Kris' dad is black and his mom is white. So Kris is probably biracial. But if you've got a drop of black blood in you. ...

When last mentioned here (and it's a good thing I write every other day or so) I wrote about Kim moving from Kris to Gabriel. Days later, reader Julie Paine humorously e-mailed this: "Uh, Aubry and Kim broke up ... she's been seen with Kris. ICK!!! Oh. [Kris] is so much better than that trash [Kim], don't you think?"

I rather enjoy Kim and pray she's not hopping into the sack with all these guys. STD test results can't get back from the doc in the time span of some of Kim K's "dating" situations. Sorry to disappoint you even more, Julie, but I even like Kourtney -- the person, not this ridiculous spelling. Don't care much for Khloe (same goes for the silly spelling) and I remain astounded that her whirlwind courtship and then marriage to L.A. Laker Lemar Odom has survived.

Paraphrasing someone on "Chelsea Lately": These Kardashian chicks are the latter day KKK (as in Kim, Kourtney and Khloe), and they really like black people!

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings.