Nick Cannon Celibate & Dating Nicole Murphy? [NEWS]

While Mariah Carey has had absolutely no problem showing off her new romance with her billionaire boyfriend, James Packer, Nick Cannon has been keeping things surprisingly low-key. According to the latest gossip news updates, the Wild N' Out host is not so secretly dating Eddie Murphy's ex-wife, Nicole, but to hear him tell it that is all lies. Although Mariah's almost-ex-husband has supposedly been seen going out to dinner and even furniture shopping with Murphy, Cannon recently told Ellen DeGeneres that he is currently celibate, so he can focus on his career and his kids.

Mariah Carey seems to be well on her way to her next marriage, but Nick Cannon has kept his private life as quiet as possible, perhaps to keep the R&B singer from losing her cool before their divorce in finalized.

One source in the latest December 28, version of Life & Style, however, claims that Mariah already knows about Nick's new girlfriend and completely approves of his dating Nicole Murphy:

"Mariah is fine with Nick dating Nicole.

"She's in love with James Packer, so she's happy.

"[Nicole is also a mom] so she's fine if she's around their twins, Moroccan and Monroe."

Although a new relationship with another older woman hardly seems like anything worth covering up, Nick swore up and down during his recent appearance on Ellen that he was absolutely keeping to himself these days, in every conceivable way (via Us Weekly):

"I'm not ready for all that [dating].

"I'm always so busy, so if I'm not working, [my kids] are my No. 1 priority.

"I'm being celibate. I'm trying to work on myself. No sex right now."

What do you think about Nick Cannon's insistence that he is still single?

Does it seem a little hard to believe given all the time he has supposedly been spending with Nicole Murphy?

Or, is Cannon's word impeachable given his hard fought reputation for keeping it real in interviews, no matter what?

Let us hear what you have to say about Nick in the comment field below.