Patty Jackson 411 courtesy 2 Down Front Entertainment

PATTY JACKSON'S 4-1-1
WEEK ENDING: September 3rd, 2010

A lot of people are talking about Fantasia, and it’s not good. Fantasia shocked a lot of people at the Steve Harvey Hoodie Awards with her behavior. Attendees said she was loud, rude and wore ill fitting clothes. She was also sweating in all the wrong places. Just weeks after a recent suicide attempt, Fantasia was living it up. Is she behaving this way for her reality show? Some believe she’s pregnant by her married boyfriend Antwaun Cook. One industry insider says Fantasia needs a stylist and a therapist. Maybe fame is going to her head. The new season of her reality show is about to kickoff, and her new album, Back To Me, is already high on the charts.

Wesley Snipes is determined not to go to jail. He wants a new trial for his tax evasion case. Snipes is facing three years in jail. He says he needs a new trial because of jury misconduct.

Terry McMillan’s long awaited sequel to Waiting To Exhale is called Getting To Happy, and it arrives in bookstores September 7^th. McMillan is coming to town on Wednesday, September 8^th. She is doing a booksigning that night at the Free Library of Philadelphia, 19^th and Vine Streets.

Vanessa Williams is geared up for the new season of Desperate Housewives. Williams is joining the cast along with Actor Reggie Austin, who plays her basketball player husband. The new season kicks off September 26^th. Williams looks amazing in the promos.

Speaking of the Mighty O, it’s going to be a long farewell as Oprah says goodbye to daytime TV. Winfrey steps down September of 2011, and she is already running a goodbye video. The new season, the 25^th and final season, of The Oprah Winfrey Show kicks off September 13^th. Oprah talks about her top 25 OMG moments in the new issue of TV Guide.

The NBC network is gearing up for some exciting new shows, and they are bringing the hunks. Blair Underwood will play the President Of The United States in the suspense filled drama The Event, which airs on Monday nights beginning September 20^th. Check out Underwood on the new issue of Jet Magazine. Boris Kodjoe will be starring with Gugu Mbatha-Raw as husband and wife in the action drama Undercovers, which will air on Wednesday nights beginning September 22^nd.

Eric Benet’s new album, Lost In Time, arrives in stores in November. The first single is Sometimes I Cry. The album features Faith Evans, Chrisette Michele, Ledisi and Eddie Levert.

The 11^th season of Dancing With The Stars kicks off on the 20^th. This year’s dancers include David Hasselhoff (Baywatch, Knight Rider) Kirstie Alley (Cheers), Michael Bolton, Football Star Kurt Warner, Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol, Singer Brandy, Kyle Massey (Corey In The House, That’s So Raven) former husband of Vanessa Williams and Basketball Star Rick Fox and Brady Bunch mom Florence Henderson. Brandy is the favorite to win it all. If Brandy wins, she would be the first African American female to win. Past contestants include Laila Ali, Vivica A. Fox, Mel B, Mya and Lil’ Kim.

Will Downing latest project Love Lust And Lies arrives in stores September 14^th.

Now speaking of Whoopi, she has a new book coming out called Is It Just Me. In the book, Goldberg says what’s on her mind. Goldberg even talks about style saying she loves being comfortable. The book comes out in October. Goldberg recently had to leave the London production of Sister Act to care for her mom who had a stroke.

Don’t look for Singer Mariah Carey to talk about her pregnancy. Carey is four months pregnant, and she’s very superstitious. This will be the first child for her and hubby Nick Cannon.

Despite a little confusion, the number one movie for the past week was Takers. Idris Elba, T.I., Matt Dillion, Paul Walker, Michael Ealy and Chris Brown stormed the box office taking in almost $21 million. I hear there will be a Takers sequel. Takers Co-star Idris Elba is going to be the Honorary Chairperson along with Jimmy Rollins at this year’s Philly’s Men Are Cooking taking place Saturday, November 27^th. I’ll keep you posted with more details later.

A planned Usher/Chris Brown tour has been scrapped. Usher is gearing up for the release of his new album Versus.

Iyanla Van Zandt has a new book coming out in November called Peace From Broken Pieces: How To Get Through What You’re Going Through. Van Zandt is returning to the literary world after suffering the loss of her daughter and the end of her marriage.

Ron Isley opens up in the new issue of Vibe magazine. Isley, 74, described his jail time like being in camp. He was away for 37 months after being convicted of tax evasion. Isley says his young wife Kandy would visit him often with their young baby. He is now working on a new album which will feature Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin, T.I., Lauryn Hill and Tank. R Kelly did not work on this project, but Isley described Kelly as being like a son to him. Now speaking of R Kelly, he’s back with a new album called Untitled. He spent a lot of time in Africa working on the project. The first single is the powerful When A Woman Loves.

Anita Baker is set to release a new album new on January 18^th. Baker, 52, says she’s excited about the new project called 21^st Century Love.

The Best Of Gerald Levert is a collection of his greatest hits and is currently available. The CD features the latest hit Can It Stay along with his solo hits, his duets and his work with the groups LSG and Levert.

So where’s Singer D’Angelo? …He’s got a new album coming later this year.

Will Downing latest project Love Lust And Lies arrives in stores September 14^th.

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.

Speaking of the Mighty O, it’s going to be a long farewell as Oprah says goodbye to daytime TV. Winfrey steps down September of 2011, and she is already running a goodbye video. The new season, the 25^th and final season, of The Oprah Winfrey Show kicks off September 13^th. Oprah talks about her top 25 OMG moments in the new issue of TV Guide.

Marcus Jordan, the 19-year old son of Basketball Great Michael Jordan, is being investigated. Marcus Jordan was bragging on his twitter account about spending over $56,000 on booze and women in a Las Vegas casino. Authorities want to know did he violate the laws of drinking and gambling by minors. Marcus admits he made a mistake, and he did talk to his parents about it.

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.

Speaking of comebacks, El DeBarge has a new album coming out. Second Chance arrives September 28^th. El DeBarge will also be touring, and he’s coming to Philly in October.

The Stand Up To Cancer TV event airs Friday, September 10^th at 8pm. The special will air on all the broadcast networks, and will feature Will Smith, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow, just to name a few. The show will be hosted by the network news anchors: Brian Williams, Katie Couric and Diana Sawyer.

CNN’s Soledad O’Brien is back with another installment of her Black In America specials. This time the focus is the black church, and airs October 21^st.

Terrell Owens opens up about his three-year old in his reality show. T.O., who now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals, says he never talks about his son because he doesn’t get along with the child’s mother.

What’s going on between Eddie Murphy and Nia Long? The two were spotted together in Hawaii. Is this a movie project….. or a new romance? Hmmmmmmmmmmm!

Speaking of the Bengals, T.O.’s fellow VH1 reality star and teammate Chad Ochocinco Johnson has landed another reality show. Ochocinco has landed a part on the VH1 reality show Basketball Wives. He’s going to play the love interest of Evelyn Lozada. Ochocinco was recently fined $25,000 for tweeting messages during a preseason football game.

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.