Patty Jackson 411 courtesy 2 Down Front Entertainment

PATTY JACKSON'S 4-1-1
WEEK ENDING: August 20th, 2010

Wyclef Jean is receiving death threats. Jean revealed his political ambitions earlier this month to run as the president of the Haiti islands. Jean, 40, is in hiding in a secret location. A lot of people have questioned his credentials. Is he qualified to be the president? Jean says he wants to end the corruption that has been going on for 200 years. Can Jean legally run? You have to live in Haiti five straight years before an election.

We remember Robert Wilson of The Gap Band. Wilson, 53, suffered a massive heart attack last weekend. Robert was known as The Godfather of the bass guitar. Robert along with his brothers Charlie (a.k.a. Uncle Charlie) and Ronnie formed the Gap Band in the 70’s.

Is Producer Jermaine Dupri going to be a daddy again? Is this the reason Janet Jackson left him? According to published reports, Dupri got a stripper pregnant, and she is due any day now. But, don’t cry for Janet Jackson. She is dating a young, rich, tall Arabian entrepreneur. Janet is madly in love with new beau, Wissam Al Mana, and for the first time, she has a man who pays for everything.

Despite having a reality show where she is looking for a man, she is actually in love. Reality Show Star Omarosa has been dating and is in love with Actor Michael Clarke Duncan (Green Mile).

Oscar Winner Halle Berry is the cover girl for the new issue of Vogue magazine. Berry, 44, looks great as she discusses motherhood and love. Berry says even though she and her baby daddy, Model Gabriel Aubry, are no longer together, they are committed to being the best parents they can be. Berry says the right person to have a child with was Aubry. She says their breakup was a good thing.

Auntie Viv still has her man despite his public temper tantrum announcing the end of their relationship! The Atlanta-based party promoter known as Slimm is back with Vivica A. Fox. The two had a spat. He went public then realized he was going to miss those shopping sprees. The two are currently back together.

No one uses their real name in porn! These were the angry words of Actor Laurence Fishburne to his daughter Porn Star Montana Fishburne. Finally after weeks of silence, the C.S.I. star speaks, and he let his daughter have it. 19-year old Montana Fishburne, a.k.a. Chippy D, decided to go against the grain and start a career in porn. Her first released sold thousands, and she is about to sign a multi-picture deal. Laurence Fishburne tried to buy the movie for a million dollars, but it was too late. The film was headed for distribution. You embarrassed me! You are unwelcome in my life! Lawrence wants nothing to do with Montana, and he will not speak to her until she turns her life around and stops doing porn. Fishburne is married to Actress Gina Torres, and they have a young child, Delilah.

Fantasia’s got her man. In a whirlwind week, Fantasia suffered a medical overdose, reunited with her married boyfriend, filmed scenes for her VH1 reality show and started booking dates to plug her new album. Fantasia had a lot going on. Was she pulling our leg? Was the suicide attempt for real? Should we call her “Fraud-tasia?” Fantasia apparently couldn’t handle the stress and negative publicity surrounding her affair with a married real estate agent. Antwaun Cook is married with two kids, and his wife Paula hit the roof when she realized her husband was spending his time with Fantasia. Fantasia released statement saying she didn’t know Cook was married, and they dated on and off for 11 months. She brought him a motorcycle, and she had his name tattooed on her shoulder. Upon her released from the hospital, she released a statement thanking her fans for their love, prayers and support.

Fantasia said she’s going to concentrate on her young daughter. Two days later, she was filming new scenes for her reality show with Cook. Cook’s wife Paula had threatened to sue Fantasia for interfering in her marriage. In North Carolina, you can sue the mistress of your husband. Some people think Fantasia used the suicide ploy as a way to gain public sympathy so that people would not be mad at her for being involved with someone else’s husband. Was Tasia pulling our leg? She is now back with Cook, and they are talking marriage and kids. Her family doesn’t approve. They see Cook as a male golddigger, and they won’t take him serious until he divorces his wife and marries Fantasia. Fantasia’s new album, Back To Me, comes out on the 24^th, and she is hitting the road to promote it with appearances on Good Morning America, Regis And Kelly and The Wendy Williams Show. Her married boyfriend will also be a part of her VH1 reality show, Fantasia For Real, which kicks off season number two in early October. Fantasia recorded a song called Lucky, which was written by Kandi Burruss of Xscape and The Real Housewives Of Atlanta fame. The song Lucky is about a woman who is glad she is the jumpoff. Fantasia….. for real! Will this song be on the album Back To Me?

At the movies this week, it’s the movie Lottery Ticket with Bow Wow, Ice Cube, Loretta Devine, Mike Epps and Terry Crews. Bow Wow is on a roll. He just signed on for the new Tyler Perry movie Madea’s Big Happy Family. The movie will star Loretta Devine and Isaiah Mustafa (The Old Spice Guy).

Patti LaBelle is headed to Broadway. She will be playing the mother of the lead character in the musical Fela! LaBelle starts September 14^th, and will be in the production through the first of the year.

I had a chance to catch up with Singer Regina Belle while she was in town. After a year of health challenges, Belle is back performing live. Last year, she had a tumor removed from her brain.

Essence magazine is celebrating their 40^th anniversary. It’s a special edition with Iman and Naomi Campbell on the cover.

Campbell has a lot of explaining to do in her personal life. She owes the I.R.S. over $63,000.

The TBS TV show Are We There Yet? has been picked up for a full season. A 90-episode deal has been signed for the show, which means instant syndication. The TV show is based on the hit Ice Cube movie Are We There Yet? Ice Cube is the executive producer of the TV show that stars Terry Crews and Essence Atkins.

Actress Jennifer Freeman of the TV show My Wife And Kids is back with her husband after she attacked him. Freeman is married to NBA Player Earl Watson of the Indiana Pacers. Apparently, Freeman got upset when she was checking up on her husband. Then she heard about him and groupies. Well, Freeman went off. She hauled off and punched Watson in the face twice and bit him. Watson had filed for divorce from Freeman after the attack, but then decided to work things out with his wife for the sake of their child.

Steve Harvey’s new book Straight Talk, No Chaser: How To Find, Keep And Understand A Man is due in bookstores this fall. It’s the follow up to his bestseller Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man.

Oprah Winfrey’s longtime beau Stedman Graham is mourning the loss of his mother. Graham’s mother Mary passed after a long illness. Oprah and Gayle cut short their vacation to be with Graham and his family.

Actress and Jazz Singer Abbey Lincoln passed away this week. Lincoln, 80, had been experiencing health problems for years since heart surgery. She was the lead actress in the films Nothing But A Man opposite Ivan Dixon and For The Love Of Ivy with Sidney Poitier. Lincoln was also a strong voice during the Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s.

A judge has decided to drop a lawsuit by Siohvaughn Wade. Siohvaughn Wade had filed a lawsuit against Actress Gabrielle Union. She claimed Union was being too sexy in front of her children by Basketball Superstar Dwayne Wade. Wade has been dating Union since he left his wife and two kids. Lawyers for Union says the lawsuit was petty and a waste of time. Union is currently starring in the TV show Army Wives on the Lifetime network.

The TV ONE Unsung series returns on September 13^th. The new season includes music documentaries on Teddy Pendergrass, Tammi Terrell, Heatwave, George Clinton, The O’Jays, Angela Winbush, The Fat Boys, Musical Youth and Miki Howard.

Dennis Rodman’s estranged wife is claiming the former NBA star is behind on his child support to the tune of $500,000. Rodman says despite a lucrative NBA career, he can’t make the monthly payments of $50,000a month.

Rosie O’Donnell is joining the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). No other network would touch O’Donnell after The View debacle, but Oprah came knocking on O’Donnell’s door. The Mighty O convinced her to join OWN. The network debuts January of next year but has limited content. Oprah does not sign on herself officially until after September 2011. So far Gayle King, Shania Twain, Julia Roberts and Forest Whitaker have all signed on for shows and documentaries. O’Donnell is getting a daily show that will be reminiscent of her earlier solo daytime talker.