Entertainment Week of 10/6..sorry its been so long.

4-1-1 ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 6TH, 2008

What is really going on with Janet Jackson, and why is she canceling shows? She has been ordered to rest, but what is really going on with her. Her brother Randy Jackson has denied issuing a statement saying she was suffering from vertigo. He says he would never make a statement regarding his sister’s health.

Tyler Perry had an amazing weekend. The writer/director/actor/producer unveiled his new movie and TV studio in Atlanta. It was a star-studded event with Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, and Sidney Poitier, to name a few. Perry’s date for the evening was Model Gelila Bekele. There was talk Perry would show up with rumored fiancé, Actress Taraji P. Henson, his co-star in the movie The Family That Preys. She was a no-show for the evening, so maybe they aren’t engaged. Perry wanted the evening to be perfect, and he nailed it. The past week has been rough for him. He has come under scrutiny for firing four writers from his TV shows The House Of Payne and Meet The Browns. The writers wanted to go union. They felt they were overworked and underpaid. Perry is known for not using union workers on the sets of his movies and TV shows. Director Spike Lee has weighed in on the controversy. Lee says Perry should do the right thing and work with the unions. This is a sensitive issue with Perry, and he says he will not deal with it in the press.

There is a lot of tension on the set of the reality show Dancing With The Stars. The competition is fierce, and the claws are out. They may look friendly on the camera, but the backstage drama is off the hook! Soap Star Susan Lucci, at 61, wanted to be the oldest dancer on the set, but 82-year old Cloris Leachman, a.k.a. Crazy Cloris, has taken her spotlight. Despite her antics and non-dancing, Leachman has proven to be a crowd favorite. Lucci is tired of Leachman stealing the spotlight. There is also a lot of resentment toward Singer Toni Braxton. One dancer was overheard saying, Can She Shut Up About Her Heart. They feel she is using her heart condition to win sympathy votes. Then there’s former Football Star Warren Sapp. Is he a “man-diva” on the set causing trouble for the show? Last week, no one was kicked off the show because Olympian Misty May Treanor had to drop out after she injured herself. With all this tension, who will be the next star let go from Dancing With The Stars?

Little Richard, the 75-year old Godfather Of Rock & Roll, may have to get hip replacement surgery. Little Richard’s health has not been good. He uses a wheelchair to get around, and he is breathing with the help of an oxygen tank.

Good Morning America Anchor Robin Roberts talks about her battle with breast cancer in her new book Eight Rules To Live By. The past year has been life changing for the popular GMA anchor. She successfully battled breast cancer, and she returned to work on GMA. Her new book details her struggles and how she survived the tough times. The book is chock full of wisdom and is very inspirational.

Now that she’s showing off her body for Playboy magazine, Spice Girl Mel B is going to show the world how she got such a fab body. Mel B is planning to release a fitness DVD that will detail her daily workouts.

The Screen Actors Guild will be giving a Lifetime Achievement Award to legendary Actor James Earl Jones. The star of stage, screen and voice of commercials will be honored in January.

Singer Natalie Cole is back at home in California. Cole is doing better as she continues her battle with Hepatitis C. She had undergone chemo and the side effects took a toll on her. She lost weight, her hair and needed help with her breathing. She was aided by an oxygen tank. She also had to undergo kidney dialysis. Cole has been ordered to take the rest of the year off and rest.

Singer Brian McKnight has been added to the cast of the new season of Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice. The new season will also feature Joan and Melissa Rivers, Dennis Rodman, Andrew Dice Clay, Tionne T-Boz Watkins of TLC fame and Former Football Star Herschel Walker, to name a few. The new season kicks off in January.

The new seasons have started for Everybody Hates Chris and The Game have started. Check out the shows every Friday night starting at 8pm on the CW Network.

Jennifer Hudson is everywhere. Check her out with her Secret Life Of Bees co-stars Alicia Keys and Queen Latifah on the cover of Ebony magazine and on the cover of Jet magazine. Her new movie The Secret Life Of Bees opens in theatres on October 17th.

Beyonce graces the cover of the new issue of Essence magazine. Beyonce talks about her life with hubby Jay-Z and her upcoming album.

Star Jones is also featured in the new issue of Essence. Jones talks her gastric bypass surgery, her failed fairytale marriage to Al Reynolds and her hopes for the future. Jones is currently dating Hotel Executive Chef Herb Wilson. She says she is ready to fall in love again. When asked about former hubby Al Reynolds, she says she’s not in love with him anymore. She also expresses regret about lying about her weight loss. She realizes she should have been honest with her audience. Of course, she talks about her days on the popular daytime talker The View. When asked about her former co-hosts, she called them hateful. OUCH!!!!

The King Kids continue to fight. Why can’t Dexter, Bernice and Martin, III get along? The King children are about to be sued by the Penguin Group. They were paid a $300,000 advance by that publisher to help with a book based on the life of their mother, Coretta Scott King. But, the kids can’t agree on anything for the book. They fight over everything: the photos, personal writings and letters. The book deal is worth over a million dollars. Unless they can get it together, they will have to give back the money, which is probably already spent.

The sexiest woman alive wants more babies, and she’s working on it. Esquire magazine recently named Oscar-winning Actress Hale Berry as the sexiest woman alive. Berry gave birth to a daughter, Nahla Ariela, seven months ago, and she says she and boyfriend, Model Gabriel Aubry, are working on more.

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Queen Latifah shed some light on her personal life. She was asked if she was gay, and she responded she has a problem discussing her personal life. She doesn’t want to share her personal business, and she doesn’t care if people think she’s gay or not. The Queen says assume what you want.

At the movies this week, it’s The Express. The movie is about College Football Legend Ernie Davis. Davis was the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. The movie stars Dennis Quaid, Charles S. Dutton and Rob Brown as Ernie Davis.

The movie, Notorious, based on the life of Rapper Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., is gearing up for its release, which is scheduled for January 16th 2009. Angela Bassett will be playing Biggie’s mom, Volletta Wallace.

Motown Records is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new box set of songs that the fans have picked. The box set is due before Christmas.

Prince has a new book out. 21 Nights is the name of the book, and it chronicles Prince performing 21 sold out concerts on London. The book also features 124 previously unreleased photographs. Prince turned 50 earlier this year, and he says he is single, celibate and sexy. Prince is a practicing Jehovah’s Witness. He says he was introduced to the religion by Singer Larry Graham.

The Whispers are coming out with a holiday DVD. The famed singing group has been performing for over 45 years. Christmas With The Whispers features holiday classic and interviews.

Comedian Sommore has a new DVD out called The Queen Stands Alone. The Trenton, New Jersey native says she’s excited about the project, which she wrote, produced and directed.

Big Daddy is back! The Food Network’s latest star, Aaron McCargo, Jr., hails from Camden, New Jersey, and his food show, Big Daddy’s House, has been renewed for a second season. The new season premieres in January 2009. McCargo will be in Philadelphia on Friday October 24th at the Radisson Plaza – Warwick in Center City, Philadelphia. For more information and to get tickets, visit his website at Aaronmccargo.com.

Mark your calendars for November 7th, 8th & 9th. It’s the Philadelphia International Art Expo presented by October Gallery. This is the nation’s largest African American Art Expo. It all takes place at the Liacouras Center, Broad and Montgomery. Special guests include NBC 10’s Lori Wilson, CN8’s Arthur Fennell, Bern Nadette Stanis & Ralph Carter (“Thelma” & “Michael Evans” from Good Times) Actress Ella Joyce (“Eleanor” from Roc) and Rapper/Actor Ice-T. There is a $10 admission fee that will cover all three days.

Quincy Jones is gearing up to release The Complete Quincy Jones: My Journey And Passions. The 75-year old music giant is set to release this book on October 28th. Clint Eastwood is doing the foreword for the book, and Dr. Maya Angelou is doing the introduction. Jones is not slowing down. He is also opening a restaurant in Las Vegas. In other Quincy news, he says he will not be working with Michael Jackson on his upcoming album. The Q produced some of Jackson’s biggest selling albums, including Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad. Q says he is too busy with his other projects.

Morgan Freeman and Barbara Streisand are among the honorees for the Kennedy Center Honors.

Cedric The Entertainer is headed to Broadway. The stage play American Buffalo, about small time crooks, also stars John Leguizamo. American Buffalo opens on November 17th.

I Want To Take You Higher, The Life And Times Of Sly Stone is title of the new book about the famed musician coming out in October.

Poet and Author Dr. Maya Angelou is going to be honored along with TV Producer Norman Lear at the 2008 Annual Marian Anderson Awards. The ceremony honoring them is taking place November 17th at the Kimmel Center. Lear is best known for the TV classics All In The Family, Sanford & Son, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude. The award is named after the famed Contralto Marian Anderson, a Philadelphia native. Past honorees include Sidney Poitier, Richard Gere, Elizabeth Taylor, Gregory Peck, Oprah Winfrey and Harry Belafonte. Dr. Angelou and Lear go back a ways back. The doctor is godmother to Lear’s youngest children.

Sanford & Son, the popular 70’s show, is coming out on DVD. The complete series, 17 discs containing all six seasons, comes out on October 28th. The late Comedian Redd Foxx starred as the grouchy junkman and Demond Wilson played his long-suffering son, Lamont.

Singer Al Jarreau is hard at work on a new Christmas CD, which is coming out this fall. Brian McKnight, Aretha Franklin, Howard Hewett and Ledisi are also releasing holiday projects.

The 5th Annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors takes place in October. Actor Comedian Katt Williams is hosting.

The late Bernie Mac and the late Isaac Hayes make their final screen appearance in the movie Soul Men. Soul Men opens in theatres on November 7th and also stars Samuel L. Jackson.

Beyonce teams up with Oscar Winner Adrian Brody and Jeffrey Wright for the movie Cadillac Records. Beyonce is playing the Legendary Etta James. The movie opens in theatres December 5th.

Upcoming TV and Film Events:

A new best of compilation featuring the music of Tina Turner is coming out. Look for ‘Tina’ on September 30th.

WHAT’S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The economy is taking a toll on the concert scene. To save face with low ticket sales, many stars are faking illnesses to get out of concerts..(Trisha's notes' this isn't a hard one guys!)