Patty Jackson Weekly 411 courtesy 2 Down Front Entertainment

PATTY JACKSON'S 4-1-1
WEEK ENDING: February 26th, 2010

Houston, We’ve Got A Problem! Fans in Australia have taken to the internet with their complaints about Whitney Houston. She is on tour down under, and the reviews have not been good. Something is wrong with Whitney. During one show, she kept taking breaks and was out of breath. She coughed through most of the songs. Fans complained that she seemed to be on another planet, and she was not fit to perform. She could barely get through her signature song I Will Always Love You. Has years of drug abuse taken its toll on her voice? She had one of the greatest voices of our generation, and now it appears to be gone.

We Will Rebuild! These are the words of Legendary Producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff after assessing the damage of the fire that destroyed much of the Philadelphia International Records building. Officials say it was arson and Police have charged a man. The famed studios and Huff’s legendary piano were left intact, but the offices suffered a lot of water damage and memorabilia was ruined. In other Gamble and Huff news, they are going to be given doctorate degrees by Berkley College in Boston on May 8th. I guess we will have to refer to them as “The Doctors.”

Former Basketball Star Jayson Williams is off to prison. It’s been a grueling eight years for Williams, who accidentally shot his limo driver to death, and tried to cover it up. Williams was sentenced to five years in prison, and he’s up for parole in 18 months. Williams apologized to the limo driver’s family, his family and the NBA. He says he will now work to redeem himself.

Evander Holyfield has called off a session with Dr. Phil. The boxer needs help with his marriage, and he had reached out to Dr. Phil. But, once he and he is wife Candi met with Dr. Phil, Holyfield had a change of heart. After going upside his wife’s head a few weeks ago, Holyfield realized he needs counseling. This is his third wife, and their confrontation happened after she complained about the lack of heat in their Atlanta mansion. Why the change of heart when you know you need counseling? Holyfield didn’t like the direction of where things were headed with Dr. Phil, and he felt he was being man-bashed. If Dr. Phil can’t help the Holyfields, who can?

Kevin Eubanks is not leaving The Tonight Show just yet. Last week, The Tonight Show bandleader announced he was leaving. Now, he says he will return to the show when it returns to its 11:30pm slot, but he will be playing a reduced role.

Can Reverend Al Sharpton keep his daughter away from her violent boyfriend? Last week, 23-year old Dominique Sharpton suffered a busted lip after her boyfriend punched her in the mouth, and threw her out of a car. The boyfriend in question is 23-year old Latrelle Peeks. He’s 6’7 and 250 pounds. His mother says it was just a scuffle, and people are only talking about it because Reverend Al Sharpton’s daughter is involved. The NYPD wants her to press charges, but Dominique Sharpton won’t cooperate. Maybe Reverend Al can talk some sense into her. Violence against women is not cool.

There’s no deal on the table, and the talks are off. It appears Magic Johnson won’t be buying Ebony magazine after all. Magic Johnson Enterprises, which has holdings in Starbucks, 24 Hour Fitness and TGI Fridays, was in talks to buy the financially strapped magazine. There was a lot of excitement about the news because no one wants to see the legendary magazine fold due to a bad economy. But now with no deal, who knows what will happen to Ebony.

Are wedding bells in the air for Alicia Keys and Producer Swizz Beatz? Word has it the couple are secretly engaged and are planning a wedding later this year. At press time, Swizz Beatz was still in the process of getting a divorce from his wife Mashonda.

Rihanna is rumored to be joining the cast of The Last Dragon movie. The remake is based on the 1985 Berry Gordy smash that made stars out of Taimak and Vanity. The new version will feature Samuel L. Jackson stepping into the late Julius Carry’s role of “Sho Nuff” and Rihanna playing “Laura Charles,” the role originally played by Vanity.

Producer Jermaine Dupri says he is working on a sequel to the 1989 Quincy Jones smash Secret Garden. The original version featured James Ingram, Al B. Sure, El DeBarge and the late Barry White. The new version will include the vocals of Barry White plus Usher, Trey Songz, Robin Thicke and Tyrese. Dupri says the new version will be included on a new Quincy Jones album.

Jill Scott’s Lifetime movie, Sins Of The Mother, scored huge rating for the network. Up next for Scott, a role in an upcoming episode of Law And Order: SUV and Tyler Perry’s movie Why Did I Get Married Too.

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.

So what’s next for Actress Gabby Sidibe after Precious? Sidibe will be one of the featured actors on the new Showtime network series The Big “C.” The Oscar nominee is also the March cover girl for Ebony magazine.

Filming starts in September on the Richard Pryor bio-pic. Marlon Wayans will be playing the legendary comedian and actor. Wayans says he knows there are doubters, but he is up to the challenge of playing Pryor. Wayans, 37, is the youngest of the Wayans children. He says there is more to him than the movie White Chicks and Little Man.

Fantasia has added more security as she performs in the traveling production of The Color Purple. Fantasia has been the target of hate mail. The production is currently in Los Angeles.

Jennifer Lopez and Sony Records have parted ways. They are calling it a mutual breakup. Execs at Sony feel they don’t know who Lopez’s audience is anymore. Her latest singles have not done well. Sony will be releasing a greatest hits album in the fall. Lopez has a new movie coming out, The Back Up Plan, on April 23rd, and I hear she’s having talks with Def Jam Records about joining their label. Lopez will be hosting SNL this weekend on NBC.

In other Mo’Nique news, she’s coming to town. Yes! Mo’ is bringing her Spread The Love comedy tour to Philly. Mo’Nique says she wants to return to her first love, standup comedy, for a quick tour. She’s going to take a quick break from her late night talk show on BET to hit the road. Mo’ will be here Friday, May 21st at the Liacouras Center, Broad and Montgomery.

It’s splitsville for Rapper D-Nice and Actress Malinda Williams. The couple married 18 months ago. He had a daughter, and she had a son. They made a good looking couple, but both issued statements wishing each other well.

Tennis Sensation Serena Williams is expanding her philanthropic work. Williams is building her second school in Kenya. Williams says she wants to show that education leads the way out of poverty.

Our prayers go out to Allen Iverson and his family. His three-year old daughter Messiah has been sick. The star player for the Philadelphia 76ers has been dealing with his family crisis for the past few weeks. Iverson has taken an indefinite leave from the Sixers to care for his daughter and be with his family.

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.

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).

LisaRaye-McCoy, the former First Lady Of The Turks And Caicos Islands, is the March cover girl for Upscale magazine. LisaRaye is gearing up for her new reality show The Real McCoy, which debuts on TV One this spring.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are on the new issue of Essence magazine .The March issue kicks off their education series.

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.

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.

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.

At the movies this week, it’s Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan in the movie Cop Out.

On March 5th, 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.

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 in March.

The NAACP Image Awards air this Friday on FOX. The Lee Daniels’ movie Precious is leading the pack with 8 nominations. Singer Maxwell leads all entertainers with five nominations. Wyclef Jean will be getting the prestigious Vanguard Award. Tyler Perry is getting The Chairman’s Award, and Hill Harper and Anika Noni Rose will be hosting. The NAACP made history last weekend by appointing a woman as their first chairperson. Roslyn M. Brock is also the youngest person to hold this post. She succeeds Julian Bond.

Philadelphia’s own 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.