Many were astonished when pop sensation Mariah Carey, 38, announced her marriage to rapper, Nick Cannon, 10 years her junior. The couple flitted off to commemorate the union in the Bahamas away from the prying eyes and ears of the media. In fact, upon their return, they avoided reporters altogether and kept the news under wraps for weeks following. While many saw their dodged attempts as a sign that both were embarrassed about their hasty indiscretion, Oprah Winfrey claims that she had known all along.
It seems that Carey, one of the best-selling female recording artists in the country, had “Mrs. Cannon” tattooed on her back prior to the wedding was only too happy to show Winfrey. Gayle King, editor of ‘O’ magazine and best friend of Oprah, also recalls an interview she had with Carey a week before the big day. Carey had said, “I do have somebody, but I can’t tell you who it is.” After grilling her for a while, King managed to get Carey to spill the beans. “It is Nick Cannon. It’s a secret. Don’t tell anybody.”
Although King was excited for Carey, who seemed genuinely happy at that point in her life, she was shocked when she heard that the couple had married only a few days later. Winfrey, on the other hand, was expecting the prompt affair. The tattoo was a giveaway that both Carey and Cannon were very serious about one another and were planning on going through with it. King points out that Carey did seem more serious about Cannon than she has about any other man in her past. “Mariah told me herself that she has never felt this way about anybody before in her whole life. They have something special between them that both of them feel.”
While Winfrey is cheering on the newlyweds, King is still a little skeptical about the arrangement. After seeing the turnout of most Hollywood marriages, she doesn’t think that rushing the nuptials will play in their favor. “I am concerned that they got married so quickly. I do think when you meet somebody you’ve only known for a month . . . . that’s a little scary.”
Carey is enjoying married life to the fullest extent. She told People Magazine two weeks after her island getaway that everything is “fantastic.” Cannon reveals that although they only dated for two short months, they’ve been friends for quite a while. Later that week, he surprised her by renting out Magic Mountain for a late-night bash.