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I'm Free And Single! Janet Jackson opens up on the new issue of Harper’s
Bazaar magazine. She looks fabulous as she talks about being single. After
seven years, she is no longer with Producer Jermaine Durpi. On Sunday, she
will be performing on The MTV Video Music Awards doing a tribute to Michael.
Janet is also starring in the new Tyler Perry movie Why Did I Get Married
II, which opens in theatres April 2nd. Janet is planning a big year in 2010,
which also includes a new album being produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
and a new book on self-esteem.
Meanwhile in other Jackson news, the family has had enough of Jermaine’s
ego. Jermaine has been cutting deals for performances, demanding lots of
money and causing a lot of friction within the family. Insiders say it took
so long to bury Michael because of the infighting. Mom Katherine is very
upset at her son because she feels he is too busy trying to be the next
Michael Jackson and getting rich. The brothers are getting resentful, and it
will probably be shown on their new A&E reality show. The money deals are
coming in for the family, but it’s Jermaine who is trying to reap all the
benefits for himself and his kids.
Paula who? Talk Show Host Ellen DeGeneres has confirmed that she will be the
new permanent judge on FOX’s American Idol. DeGeneres will be taking over
for the departed Paula Abdul, who couldn’t come to terms with producers over
money. Ellen says she will also continue to host her top-rated afternoon
talk show.
Speaking of Idol, the woman Ellen is replacing, Paula Abdul, will be hosting
the VH1 Divas Live special on September 17th. Honorees include Miley Cyrus,
Leona Lewis and Kelly Clarkson. Jennifer Hudson has been added to the show.
Hudson can officially say she is a married woman with a baby. A few weeks
she gave birth to a baby boy, and shortly before that she married former
reality star David “Punk” Otunga. Yes! J-Hud is a married lady!
Queen Latifah is none too pleased after pictures of her and female strippers
were sold to the tabloids. Latifah has never publicly commented on her love
life - is she gay? The photos showing Latifah and the strippers were taken
at a private party in New Jersey. Latifah has a lot at stake. She has two
romantic comedies coming out next year, Valentines Day with Jamie Foxx and
Just Wright with Common. If she were to come out, would she be taken
seriously at the box office? Latifah has been told to cool it with the
parties and be more discreet with her private life until she decides (if and
when) to come out.
Oprah kicks off her 24th season with a two-part interview with Whitney
Houston. Oprah says this is her best interview ever. Winfrey says she simply
let Whitney tell her story: her marriage to Bobby Brown, drugs, rehab and
how her family saved her. The interview airs September 14th and 15th. Oprah
is also doing a special on the life of Michael Jackson. Her special segment
will also include her 1993 interview with The King Of Pop.
Tyler Perry is on a roll. He has just signed on to write, produce and direct
the movie version of the 1975 stage classic “For Colored Girls Who Have
Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf". The stage play, by Ntozake
Shange, will arrive in movie form next year. This is the first film that
Perry is doing not based on his own work.
Actress Maia Campbell is finally in rehab. The daughter of the late Author
Bebe Moore Campbell and star of the TV show In The House has been having a
problem with drugs for years. Campbell has been making headlines with her
drug fueled rants all over the internet. Now, she is finally getting the
help she needs for her drug addiction and bi-polar condition.
The wedding date for Bishop Thomas Weeks and Prophetess Christina Glenn is
set for October 17th in Atlanta, Georgia. Bishop Weeks says he is the
happiest man in the world. He has put his past behind him, his past being
his stormy marriage to Prophetess Juanita Bynum. Their million dollar
wedding spectacular turned into a stormy marriage which left Prophetess
Bynum battered and bruised. Earlier this year, Bishop Weeks advertised for a
wife, and many women put in their bid. But, it was Christina Glenn who won
the competition, and now she is set to marry Bishop Thomas Weeks. There has
been no comment from Prophetess Bynum on the status of her ex-husband.
It’s Mary J. Blige on the new issue of Essence magazine. Mary opens up about
her life and her new mission helping abused women.
The ladies of The Real Housewives Of Atlanta are gracing the cover of the
new issue of Jet magazine.
It’s a revived Whitney Houston on the new issue of Ebony magazine. She says
she thanks God for never letting her go and her fans for loving her.
Alicia Keys is getting ready to come out of hiding. She’s working on a new
album due out late this year.
Singer Deborah Cox is coming to Broadway. Cox will be starring in a new
musical based on the life of Josephine Baker. Rehearsals start soon for the
Broadway bound production. Cox is best known for the record-breaking, hit
song Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here.
Fantasia caught a lot of flack over the weekend for missing some
performances of The Color Purple in Chicago. Fantasia came down with food
poisoning and dehydration and had to hospitalized, but her fans didn’t want
to hear it. They wanted their money back. When Fantasia was starring on
Broadway in The Color Purple, she made headlines for missing shows. But this
time, according to her people, she really was sick.
Rick Fox has been added to the cast of Melrose Place on the CW network. The
former basketball star for The L.A. Lakers and ex-husband of Vanessa
Williams has been serious about getting his acting career on track.
Get ready for Big Momma’s House III. Martin Lawrence has signed for a third
installment of the hit movie series about an undercover agent disguised as a
grandmother.
Comedian/Actor Mike Epps will be hosting The BET Hip Hop Awards, which will
air October 27th on the network.
Will the real Roxanne please stop lying? Rapper Roxanne Shante’ recently
made headlines when she claimed she had to fight her record label to get her
college education. At the time, Shante’ was signed to Warner Bros Records,
and she said she signed a clause that said the label would pay for her
college education. She says after battling the record company, they gave in
and she went on to get a PhD in psychology at Cornell University. Well, she
lied big time! She never attended Cornell, and the record company never had
her sign a contract promising to provide her with a college education.
Get ready for The Mo’Nique Show. Mo’Nique’s new late night talk show,
Mo’Nique, debuts Monday, October 5th at 11pm on BET. The show will feature
celebrity guests and musical performances. Big Jim & The Penthouse Players
house band will be on tap every night. Mo’Nique will also be showing off a
new look. She has been losing weight, and so far she has lost 50 pounds.
The Sixth Annual Hip Hop Honors airs on VH1 October 13th. The show will
honor the 25th anniversary of Def Jam Records. Tracy Morgan is hosting with
performances by Ne-Yo, Public Enemy, The Roots and Mary J. Blige.
Oprah’s interview with Jay-Z is featured in the October issue of O magazine.
In the magazine, Jay-Z talks about how he went from being a drug dealer to
hip hop superstar to a media mogul. Also, check out Jay-Z on The Oprah
Winfrey Show on September 24th. Plus, he’s headlining Power 99’s PowerHouse
Concert October 23rd at the Wachovia Center.
The popular VH1 music documentary program, Behind The Music, is returning to
the VH1 network. Among those profiled will be Bobby Brown airing on
September 24th.
Get ready for the Soul Train movie. The movie will take place in the 80’s.
From 1971 to 2006, The Soul Train TV show was the hippest trip in America.
Now, you can get the DVD set and check out the re-runs on BET’s new Centric
channel, which debuts next month.
Chilli from TLC is looking for love. She is gearing up for her new VH1
reality show. Chilli used to date Usher, and People magazine once listed her
as one of their 50 Most Beautiful People. Chilli says her special someone
should be between the ages of 25 and 40 and have sex appeal and personality.
Tia and Tamera Mowry from Sister, Sister fame are teaming up for the
Lifetime movie Double Wedding. They play two sisters who are dating the same
man. The movie will air next June.
LaToya Jackson is coming to The View on Sept 16th and 18th. LaToya will be
filling in for Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who’s on maternity leave. She will also
be joining Barbara Walters on 20/20 on September 11th.
Bill Cosby is getting honored in October. The 72-year old comic legend is
getting the nation’s top humor prize, The Mark Twain Award, during
ceremonies in Washington, D.C. Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Cosby Show
Co-stars Phylicia Rashad and Malcolm-Jamal Warner will take part in the
ceremony airing November 4th on PBS. Speaking of Rashad, the woman known to
millions as “Claire Huxtable” is showing off her new look. Over the past 8
months, the 61-year old actress has lost 35 pounds via Jenny Craig.
Brian McKnight’s new CD Evolution Of A Man comes out October 27th. Stevie
Wonder is going to be his first musical guest when he kicks off his new late
night variety show on September 21st. The Brian McKnight Show debuts on
Sept. 21st on MYnetworkTV.
Anthony Beverly, the son of music legend Frankie Beverly, has produced a
tribute CD for his dad. Silky Soul Music: An All-Star Tribute To Maze
Featuring Frankie Beverly features performances Mary J. Blige, Musiq
Soulchild, The Clark Sisters, Joe, Avant, Ledisi, Mint Condition and Kevon.
The CD comes out September 29th.
The LeBron James documentary movie, More Than A Game, opens in theatres
October 2nd. The movie shows James’ life before he entered the NBA,
including his high school coach and his teammates. It’s a seven year journey
of the life of James and his teammates.
Check me out on the Food Network Sunday, September 20th. I will be a special
guest on Big Daddy’s House with Host Aaron McCargo. The show airs at 1:30pm.
Mariah Carey’s new fragrance, Forever, is coming out next month. Carey is
gearing up for a busy fall. Her new Lee Daniels movie, Precious, comes out
in November. And, we are weeks away from the release of her latest CD,
Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel. I hear she does a remake of the Foreigner
classic I Want To Know What Love Is.
WDAS Morning Man and Comedian Steve Harvey has joined Good Morning America
as a correspondent. Harvey will be dealing with relationships, family and
interacting with the audience.
At the movies, the Chris Rock documentary Good Hair coming to theaters
October 9th.
Law Abiding Citizen with Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler opens in theatres
October 16th.
Comedian/Radio Host D.L. Hughley will be a special correspondent when Jay
Leno launches his prime time show. The Jay Leno Show debuts on NBC Monday
September 13th and his first guest will be Jerry Seinfeld with first musical
guests Jay-Z-, Kanye West and Rihanna.
Get ready for the new animated series The Cleveland Show. The show debuts
Sept. 27th on FOX, and will feature the voices of Sanaa Lathan and Reagan
Gomez-Preston.
BeBe and CeCe Winans are back together. Their new single is called Close To
You. The new album comes out in October.
Actress Kim Coles is coming back to TV. Coles is best known for her role as
“Sinclair” on the TV show Living Single. Coles will be starring on the new
BET game show Pay It Off. She’ll be helping people get out of debt. Now
speaking of game shows, Wayne Brady will be the host of the new version of
Let’s Make A Deal. The show debuts in October on CBS.
At the movies this week, it’s Tyler Perry as “Madea” in I Can Do Bad All By
Myself with Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige and Gladys Knight, Pastor Marvin
Winans and Adam Rodriguez. Perry also has his new project with Oprah
Winfrey, the Lee Daniel film Precious. Precious hits theatres on November
6th, and is based on the novel Push by Sapphire. Precious stars Mo’Nique,
Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd and newcomer
Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe.
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