Entertainment News Week of 1/11

We begin with the loss of Philly’s own “TP.” Teddy Pendergrass has passed away at the age of 58. A life-long resident of the city and an international sensation, Teddy came to prominence as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes. They signed with Gamble and Huff on Philadelphia International Records in 1971. They had a string of hits with If You Don’t Know Me By Now, The Love I Lost, Bad Luck and Wake Up Everybody. Pendergrass left the Bluenotes and went on to a solo career with the hits Love TKO, Come Go With Me and Close The Door. Although a 1982 car crash left Pendergrass paralyzed, he continued recording and had a hits with You’re My Choice Tonight, Joy and Hold Me, a hit duet with Whitney Houston. In the last years of his life, Pendergrass created The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, a non-profit advocacy organization for those living with spinal cord injuries. Pendergrass’ record-breaking album sales and concerts set the standard for most of today’s hottest artists. The world will miss the legendary “Teddy Bear.”

There are a lot of changes in TV land. Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol for his own show, The X-Factor. The FOX network offered him millions to do both shows, but Cowell says he wants to do his own thing. The buzz is on ex-Idol Judge Paula Abdul. Will she be joining Cowell on his new show X-Factor, which debuts in 2011?

David Hasselhoff is out as judge on America’s Got Talent. His drinking escapades got to be too much for the producers. He is being replaced by Howie Mandel from Deal Or No Deal.

It looks like Conan O’Brien is going to take the money and run. The fallout continues from The Tonight Show debacle. Jay Leno will return to his former time slot after the Winter Olympics. O’Brien feels betrayed, and is talking of leaving the network. Is there a FOX in his future? Here is what I want to know, Leno had excellent rating, so why did they move him to 10pm? Why would they make him leave his show to give it to someone else? O’Brien’s ratings were not as good as Leno’s. David Letterman is somewhere laughing his behind off.

The Michael Jackson death investigation has ended. The case has gone to the D.A.’s office. Sources say Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, will likely face some kind of criminal charge. The case took so long because it was so complicated. Murray didn’t break any laws, but he was negligent while administering the propofol, which caused Jackson’s death. He could face involuntary manslaughter charges.

Who robbed Usher? The superstar says he was robbed of a million dollars worth of goodies that were stolen from his SUV. Usher says he was holiday shopping when someone broke into his car and stole jewelry, furs, clothing and laptops. Who carries this kind of stuff in their cars? Usher says he did have insurance.

Get ready for Jill Scott. The new mommy is back with a vengeance in 2010. Check out her new column in the February issue of Essence magazine. She will be starring in the Lifetime movie Sins Of The Mother on February 7th. Her new Tyler Perry movie with Janet Jackson, Why Did I Get Married Too, opens in theatres April 2nd. She’ll also be playing the voice of “Storm” in the new BET animated series Black Panther. She has a new album, Light Of The Sun, coming out this summer, and she’ll touring on the Lilith Fair concert series with Mary J. Blige and Erykah Badu.

Oscar Winner Morgan Freeman is trying to hide his messy love life. The 72-year old has been put on blast by his soon to be ex-wife for dating his 27-year old step-granddaughter. She’s a young woman he never adopted, but has raised since she was 10. Over the past couple of years, skeletons have come out of Morgan’s closet with jumpoffs, mistresses, car crashes and now the step-granddaughter. The whole situation is messy, and Freeman has been asked to do something about it. He is up for a slew of awards for his role as Nelson Mandela in the movie Invictus, and his controversial love life is causing too much scandal. At future events, look for Freeman to have as his companion, his manager, a tall blonde who is just going along with the game. Hmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

VH1 is producing a documentary about the TV show Soul Train. Terrence Howard is narrating the documentary called The Hippest Trip In America. It airs February 5th on VH1.

Speaking of the VH1 network, they have a couple of hits on their hands with the Fantasia’s reality show, Fantasia For Real, and Pepa from Salt N Pepa with Let’s Talk About Pep. Pep’s show is funny as heck, and Fantasia’s show is deep. She’s taking care of everybody in her family. No wonder she’s broke. The shows air at 10pm and 10:30pm, respectively. Million tuned in for the premieres last week.

It may be a Valentine’s Day wedding for Singer Keyshia Cole and Basketball Player Daniel “Boobie” Gibson of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cole got a ten-carat engagement ring over the holiday, and they are expecting their first child in early spring. Cole has gone out of her way to distance herself from her controversial family. Her mom and sister are the stars of The Frankie And Neff Show on BET. Cole is embarking on a new chapter of her life, and she doesn’t want the drama associated with them. In a press release, she has asked them to not make comments on her life because they are not involved in it.

Is some color coming to Saturday Night Live? The long running sketch comedy show has come under fire for their lack of African American cast members. I hear Chris Rock’s brother Tony is being looked at as well as Comedienne Debra Wilson who used to star on Mad TV.

The new issue of Ebony magazine features Kimora Lee Simmons and her hubby, Actor Djimon Hounsou. Their family is featured on the cover in a beautiful spread. Meanwhile, Essence magazine is catching heat for their latest cover photo choice. New Orleans Saints’ Reggie Bush is on the cover. He is also the boyfriend of TV Personality Kim Kardashian. Not only did they use a photo from 2006, but they put a man on the cover who is not known for dating women of color. The issue celebrates love and relationship, and a lot of people feel they should have made a better decision regarding the cover choice. Hope it doesn’t hurt sales.

The Third Annual BET Honors is happening February 1st. Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah and Diddy are among the honorees. Gabrielle Union returns as host. Scheduled performers include Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, India.Arie and Patti LaBelle.

Toni Braxton has pushed back the date of her latest album Pulse. The album’s new release date is March 2nd.

Cedric The Entertainer will be doing a comedy show for the ABC network. The show, about a retired pro-athlete reconnecting with his son and granddaughter, has been given the green light by the network. The show should debut in the fall.

Hot couples news includes Southland Star Regina King and former Cosby Kid Malcolm Jamal Warner (“Theo”). King’s new TV show Southland is excellent. It airs Tuesday nights at 10pm on TNT.

Lisa Raye and Rapper Nelly have also been spotted getting cozy in Detroit.

Check out Beyonce on the new issue of Allure magazine. Beyonce is promoting her new fragrance Heat. She is also taking a much needed break. In the spring, Beyonce says she’ll step away from the spotlight for six months to live life.

Congrats to 6ABC News Anchor Monica Malpass, who is expecting twins this coming June. Malpass anchors the 5pm news with Rick Williams, and hosts the Sunday morning political show Inside Story. Malpass is the mother of a pre-teen son who is said to be excited about the upcoming arrival of her twins. Good Luck Monica!

Benicio Del Toro stars as The Wolfman, which opens in theatres February 12th.

John Travolta sports a new look, a shaved head, in the movie From Paris With Love, which opens in theatres February 5th.

On February 11th PBS presents a celebration of music from the Civil Rights movement. John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Seal, Smokey Robinson and The Blind Boys Of Alabama will join President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for a special from The White House during Black History Month.

The BET network presents The Michael Vick Project. It’s an eight-part series that will focus on the embattled football star who rejoined the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. The series will focus on his life after the dog fighting scandal that almost ruined his career.

Basketball Star Jayson Williams has pleaded guilty to shooting his limo driver. Williams will serve at least 18 months in prison for the 2002 Valentine’s Day cover up and accidental shooting of his limo driver. Williams pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. During the height of his career with the Sixers and Nets, he signed an $86 million contract with the NBA. Since the shooting, his life has been on a downward spiral. Just two weeks ago, he was arrested for drunk driving after crashing his car into a tree.

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.

Now that her talk show is going off the air is Tyra Banks going to embrace motherhood. Sources say the former supermodel is happy with her love life, and she has always wanted to be a mom.

Actress Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek) has been named the new spokesperson for Avon Cosmetics. Saldana will be joining Oscar Winning Actresses Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Hudson as faces for the cosmetics line.

Congrats to Educator/Author Salome Thomas-El. Principal El is a contributor to The Dr. Oz Show seen locally at 9am on CBS3. As a part of Core Team Oz, he is teaching people how to live better inside and out. Principal El has also signed on to the Oprah Radio network on Sirius, and he has a new book coming out in a couple of weeks, The Immortality Of Influence.

BET’s Celebration Of Gospel re-airs Sunday, January 17th at 7pm on BET.Lionel Richie is this year’s honoree for the UNCF Evening Of Stars. Brian McKnight, Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole were just a few of the stars on hand for the festivities that will air on FOX Saturday, January 23rd at 2pm.

More women are coming out of the woodwork, but this time, going after Shaquille O’Neal. Shaunie O’Neal, Shaq’s soon to be ex-wife, should expect a big payday. That’s because it appears Shaq cheated on her throughout their seven-year marriage, and didn’t use protection according to the jumpoffs.

Martin Lawrence has signed on as the executive producer of the new TV One show Love That Girl. This will be the first original sitcom presented by the network. The show will star Tatyana M. Ali of The Young And The Restless and The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. The show airs January 19th on TV One.

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.

At the movies this week, Denzel Washington’s new movie The Book Of Eli. He is also returning to Broadway starting April 26th in the August Wilson play Fences. The play, about the life of the everyday man, originally debuted on Broadway in 1987 with James Earl Jones and Courtney B. Vance. Oscar Nominee Viola Davis (Doubt) is also starring in the stage revival.

The NAACP Image Awards air on February 26th on FOX. The Lee Daniels’ movie Precious is leading the pack with 8 nominations. Singer Maxwell leads all entertainers with five nominations.

Get ready for the DVD release February 16th for Chris Rock’s documentary Good Hair.

Robin Thicke and his wife Actress Paula Patton are expecting a baby boy this year. Thicke says his name will be Julian.

Alicia Keys is bringing her Element Of Freedom tour to Atlantic City. Mark your calendars for March 20th at Trump Taj Mahal’s Mark G. Etess Arena. Hot new singing sensation Melanie Fiona will be the opening act for her tour.

Andre Leon Talley is headed to America’s Next Top Model. The fashionista extraordinaire is the editor-at-large for Vogue magazine. Talley will serve as the 4th judge.

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.

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, which runs April 29th- May 2nd at the Liacouras Center, Broad and Montgomery.

The Grammy Awards take place January 31st. Scheduled performers include Maxwell and Beyonce.

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.

Idris Elba, Michael Ealy and Rapper T.I. will be starring in the new movie Takers, which opens in theatres February 19th, 2010. Elba has also signed on for the movie Thor, where he will play a superhero.

The Bynum Brothers are back with a new venture. They own Warmdaddy’s on Columbus Boulevard and had the old Zanzibar Blue in Center City. Their latest project is called RELISH at 7152 Ogontz Avenue. It replaces Sadiki’s. RELISH features live jazz music Thursday through Sunday. For more info go to relishphiladelphia.com or call 215-276-0170. Join WDAS’ Mimi Brown on Wednesday nights for The Rising Star Talent Search. They are looking for up and coming musicians and singers to showcase their talent. For more info and to schedule an audition call 215-927-5455. The winner will get $5,000.

WHAT’S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Male Celebrity is famous in his own right, but he is not as famous as his Superstar Wife. This guy is talented, good looking and has a good head on his shoulders. It’s a shame his career will stall because he has to constantly babysit his wife, who loves to drink.This Female Actress just wants someone to love. She’s a nice woman, sharp, witty and attractive. She always falls for the wrong man. This time it’s a young Club Promoter who has a history with the ladies, and the ladies are telling his business for money. He is a ladies’ man, and he just may break this Actress’ heart.