Patty Jackson Weekly 411 courtesy 2 Down Front Entertainment

PATTY JACKSON'S 4-1-1
WEEK ENDING: March 5th, 2010

As an Oscar looms in her future, Mo’Nique reveals all. In an interview that will air Sunday night before The Academy Awards, Mo’Nique sits down with Barbara Walters. In a no holds barred interview, Monique says it’s alright if her husband and manager, Sidney Hicks, sleeps with other women. Mo’Nique says cheating is not a deal breaker. They have an open marriage. She says they have been best friends for 25 years, and she is comfortable and secure with her husband. Mo’Nique also talks about her hairy legs, and why she won’t shave them. Mo’ definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. She’s also coming back to Philly. Mo’Nique’s Spread The Love comedy tour will hit the Liacouras Center, Broad and Montgomery, Friday, May 21st. Mo’ says she wants to return to standup with a quick tour. She’s going to take a quick break from her late night talk show on BET. In the meanwhile, let’s hope she’s a big winner for her role in Precious Sunday night at The Academy Awards. The Barbara Walters Special airs at 7pm this Oscar Sunday at 8pm on ABC.

Up next for Mo’Nique’s Precious Co-Star Gabby Sidibe has a featured role in the new Showtime network series The Big “C,” and the March cover of Ebony magazine.

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Singer Anita Baker. Baker almost landed in jail for not cooperating with a divorce decree. Baker recently divorced her husband of 23 years, Walter Bridgeforth. They have two teenage sons. Bridgeforth is seeking half of Baker’s fortune. At a court hearing last week, Baker told a judge she wasn’t being defiant, but she was filled with anxiety at the thought of going to jail. In a tear-filled statement, a distraught Baker admitted she didn’t understand the documents that were presented to her. Baker, 52, is an eight-time Grammy winner. She says she needs time to research how much her ex-husband is owed in music royalties. A judge granted her request, and she has until late April to make arrangements.

While we’re talking Oscars and Precious, the film is up for six awards, including Gabby Sidibe for Best Actress, Mo’Nique for Best Supporting Actress, Precious for Best Picture, and Lee Daniels is also nominated for Best Director. Precious Co-Executive Producer Tyler Perry will be a presenter on Oscar night, and the film will be out on DVD March 9th. Oscar Winner Morgan Freeman is up again for Best Actor in Invictus where he played Nelson Mandela.

Maxwell and Jill Scott are going on tour. It’s a 21-city tour.

Is Mariah Carey’s drinking getting out of control. At a recent show in Las Vegas, concert goers had to wait two hours for her to come on stage. Reps for Carey claim she needs help with her throat, but inside sources say it’s her drinking, and it’s out of control. She loves champagne, and she drinks it like water. Carey has been drinking for a while, but it wasn’t until the Palm Springs Film Festival when she appeared in public drunk that people started to notice. Her close friends want her to get help, and her husband Nick Cannon is having a hard time dealing with her. He has his own career, but he may have to put it on hold to help his wife. Will she seek the help she needs? Can Nick get her away from the champagne?

Reps for Whitney Houston say all is well with her, but the tapes don’t lie. Houston’s overseas tour has been a disaster. Fans in Australia demanded their money back after a performance where Houston appeared out of it. She kept taking breaks, and couldn’t hit the high notes. The video footage was seen all over the world, and the tapes don’t lie. Has she lost her voice due to years of drug abuse? Photos have also been circulating, and she doesn’t look good. Where is the beautiful Whitney Houston that we knew?

Our condolences go out to Fox 29 Weekend News Anchor Joyce Evans who recently lost her mother Margaret Evans. Mrs. Evans died at the age of 81 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

For the third straight week, Sade has the number one album in the country with Soldier Of Love. Check her out on the April edition of Ebony magazine. She looks fabulous letting her hair out.

Michael Jordan is going to own a basketball team. A deal is in the works for Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, to purchase the Charlotte Bobcats from former BET Owner Bob Johnson.

Season number ten of Dancing With The Stars kicks off March 22nd. This season’s cast includes an interesting bunch including Niecy Nash (The Insider, Reno 911) Pamela Anderson, Olympic Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek, Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals, and Kate Gosselin (Kate And Jon Plus 8), just to name a few.

The taxman is looking for Actor Morris Chestnut. He owes the I.R.S. over $300,000, and he could lose his home.

At the movies this week, it’s the return of Wesley Snipes in the cop drama Brooklyn’s Finest. The movie also stars Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke.

The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin is getting help from Actor Billy Dee Williams for her latest album. Williams will be reciting on the album A Woman Falling Out Of Love, which is due out this month. Franklin says the album is based on a past relationship she had.

Vivica A Fox is going to serve as a fashion correspondent during the Oscars for the TV Guide network. Later this year, Fox will be debuting her new wig line.

Congrats to new mommy Singer Keyshia Cole. Keyshia and her fiancé, Cleveland Cavaliers Star Daniel “Boobie” Gibson, are the proud parents of a baby boy, Daniel Hiram Gibson, Jr.

Congrats to Aja and Fatin Dantzler, a.k.a. Kindred The Family Soul. Baby number six is a son named Deen, and they say This Is It, which is the name of their new web-based reality show. It’s a bi-weekly series detailing their family life, six kids and their marriage.

Toni Braxton’s new album, Pulse, has a new release date: May 4th. The album has undergone some changes, including appearances by Mo’Nique and Robin Thicke.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell is at it again. She loves to attack the help, and this time it was her personal driver. No charges were filed, but the driver says the supermodel punched and slapped him, jumped out the car and fled.

Janet Jackson is gearing up for the promo tour for the latest Tyler Perry movie Why Did I Get Married Too. She is doing a song called Nothing for the soundtrack. Jermaine Dupri produced it. Janet will hit the road to promote the movie, which also stars Jill Scott and Tasha Smith, and of course Tyler Perry. Oscar Winner Louis Gossett, Jr. is also in the movie. Gossett recently revealed that he has been battling prostate cancer. He says early detection saved his life. Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too opens in theatres Easter weekend (April 2nd).

Get ready for the brother and sister duo of Brandy and Ray-J. The Norwood siblings are getting their own reality show. Brandy and Ray-J: A Family Business debuts Sunday, April 11th on VH1.

Vogue Editor At Large Andre Leon Talley is set to make his debut as a judge on the 14th cycle of America’s Next Top Model. Talley will be replacing Miss J. The new season kicks off March 10th.

Congratulations to Singer Brian McKnight. McKnight recently proposed to his girlfriend at one of his shows. No wedding date has been set, but he is coming to the area March 13th at Resorts in Atlantic City.

Get ready for the return of Dru Hill. Sisqo, Nokio, Jazz and newcomer Tao. Their new album, IndDRUpendence, arrives in stores April 13th. Dru Hill is also ready to debut their new reality show Sweat’s Platinum House, which will be produced by Keith Sweat and air on BET’s Centric channel.

On March 12th, it’s Our Family Wedding with Forest Whitaker, Regina King, Lance Gross and America Ferrera.

Will Celebrity Apprentice help this funny man get out of debt? Actor/Comedian Sinbad is having serious financial problems, and he is going to be a part of the new season of Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice. The show will also feature Holly Robinson Peete, and kicks off March 14th on NBC.

Big Daddy Aaron McCargo, Jr. from the Food Network is working on a cookbook. The book is due out this fall. You can catch Big Daddy’s House on the Food Network every Sunday at 1:30pm, and the 4th season kicks off.

Bill Cosby will be the 2010 recipient of the Marian Anderson Award. The Marian Anderson Award is an honor that salutes artists whose leadership benefits society. The awards ceremony takes place April 6th at the Kimmel Center, Broad & Spruce. Past winners include Danny Glover, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier and Quincy Jones.

The new version of the Karate Kid hits theatres next summer with Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson and Jackie Chan.

Get ready for Sarah Jessica Parker and the girls in Sex And The City II coming out next May.

Tyler Perry is going to be in Philadelphia with his latest stage production, Madea’s Big Happy Family. Tix are on sale for the show.

Chris Rock teams up with Martin Lawrence for the comedy Death At a Funeral. The movie opens in theatres April 16th. The comedy also stars Tracy Morgan, Kevin Hart, Zoe Saldana, Luke Wilson and Danny Glover. I have the trailer on my page, Patty’s page, at wdasfm.com. Check it out. It’s very funny.