USHER - USHER'S DOUGHNUT PASSION

R+B hunk USHER had just one factor motivating him to become a singer - he wanted to earn enough cash to own a KRISPY KREME doughnut store.

The YEAH! singer, who's adored by a large number of his fans for his rock-hard abdominal muscles, admits he still has a fixation with the fattening treats to this day.

He says, "The only reason I ever started singing is because I wanted to own a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop. I mean, after I did that, I'm done!

"I'm well-invested, but unfortunately Krispy Kreme won't give me shares. Can you help me out, somebody?"

While he may not have shares in the company, generous comedienne ELLEN DeGENERES handed the singer 12 large boxes of the popular doughnuts on her show yesterday morning (13MAY04), which prompted him to note, "Abs of steel, after I eat that, will be flabs of steel!"