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Did CBS This Morning Anchor Gayle King really out her BFF as weed smoker?!!!! King, who has a new book out called Note To Self: Inspiring Words From Inspiring People, told Ellen DeGeneres that while King herself has never smoked marijuana, The Mighty O has… in the past. King says she wasn’t telling tales out of school, but she wouldn’t say more than that. Note To Self: Inspiring Words From Inspiring People was collected and introduced by King. CBS This Morning asked its diverse list of guests to give a note to their younger selves. The book will feature thoughts from Oprah Winfrey, Congressman and Civil Rights Veteran John Lewis, Chelsea Handler, Vice President Joe Biden and Maya Angelou to name a few. Note To Self: Inspiring Words From Inspiring People is available in bookstores and on line now.
Queen Latifah is now a doctor! The Oscar nominee and Grammy winner has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts by her hometown’s own Rutgers University in Newark, NJ. Latifah also received the news that her Lee Daniels produced FOX drama, Star, has been renewed for its third season.
Speaking of TV, FOX cancelled the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but NBC heard the fan outrage on line and picked up the show. After a five season run on FOX, the police centered sitcom, starring Andre Braugher, Terry Crews and Andy Samberg, will come to NBC for its sixth season. Also this fall look for Cedric The Entertainer and Tichina Arnold in the new CBS sitcom The Neighborhood on Monday nights at 8pm followed by Damon Wayans, Jr. and Amber Stevens (The Carmichael Show) at 8:30pm in Happy Together. Meanwhile, Damon Wayans, Sr. returns this fall to FOX after putting his now fired co-star on blast by way of social media. Wayans’ Lethal Weapon TV co-star Clayne Crawford was fired from the FOX drama for his behavior on set. As the press started to question the firing, Wayans supplied several photos by way of twitter calling out his former co-star as an emotional terrorist. The show did get renewed, and Wayans will be back with new co-star Seann William Scott (American Pie).
There’s sad news this week for Stevie Wonder and his family. The sister of the Motown legend was found dead. Unfortunately, despite being found at home, she was so decomposed she wasn’t recognizable. At press time, no official cause of death or funeral services have been announced yet. This news comes as Wonder is in the midst of returning to touring. He has a Las Vegas residency at the Park MGM in early August. The Oscar and Grammy winning singer/songwriter, who just celebrated his 68th birthday, will make his way to the Borgata in Atlantic City for two shows August 25 and 26th.
Speaking of Vegas residencies, guess who the first hip hop act is to get a Las Vegas residency? It’s none other than Salt-N-Pepa. They’ll be on the strip this September around Labor Day. In more Salt –N-Pepa news, the ladies will reunite with En Vogue Sunday at The Billboard Music Awards. Back in 1994, the two groups joined forces for the platinum selling, top 5 hit Whatta Man. Salt-N-Pepa are being honored for their 30th anniversary of being the first female rap group to hit Billboard’s top 40 chart with Push It. Meanwhile, En Vogue is also enjoying new attention. The veteran group has just released new music and video for their Ne-Yo written new single Rocket. Plus, En Vogue is on their way to the Dell Music Center July 12th. Meanwhile, others set to perform at The Billboard Music Awards are John Legend, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Demi Lovato and Janet Jackson, who’ll be receiving The Icon Award. Congrats to John Legend by the way because he and his wife, Supermodel Chrissy Teigen, just welcomed their new born son who joins his big sister two-year old Luna. The Billboard Music Awards with Host Kelly Clarkson airs this Sunday at 8pm on NBC.
Congratulations to Taraji P. Henson, her career and personal life are both coming up roses. First, her top rated TV drama Empire was renewed for a fifth season and will be back this fall on FOX. Her latest box office hit, Tyler Perry’s Acrimony, has grossed over $45 million. And now Henson is ready to jump the broom. She’s engaged to NFL Player Kelvin Hayden. Hayden’s previously played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears. He’s 34 and she’s 47. Henson has a 24-year old son from a previous relationship. Hayden popped the question on Mother’s Day, but as press time the couple hasn’t announced a wedding date.
Whitney Houston abused?!!! That’s what a new documentary is exploring. The allegations come from a Houston’s former assistant Mary Jones and Houston’s brother Gary Garland Houston. They claim Singer Dee Dee Warwick molested Houston when she was a child. The documentary explores whether that trauma influenced the tragedies in Houston’s life. Dee Dee Warwick, who died in 2008, was the cousin of the late Houston and was the sister of Dionne Warwick. Dee Dee was also a singer who most notably worked with Gamble and Huff on their original version of the Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations’ hit I’m Gonna Make You Love Me. This is all featured in the only documentary to have the approval of The Whitney Houston estate. Whitney opens July 6th.
We remember Actress Margot Kidder. She was a successful actress whose private battle with mental illness impacted her career at first. She then went public with her bi-polar disorder and became a much lauded activist and heroine. She championed the causes of mental illness and the environment despite her own health battles following a car accident in 1990. Kidder rose to fame at the box office with Sisters (1973), The Great Waldo Pepper with Robert Redford in 1975, The Amityville Horror in 1979 and with her former flame Richard Pryor in the surprise dramatic 1982 hit Some Kind Of Hero. Kidder became box office royalty when she won the role of Lois Lane opposite her lifelong friend Christopher Reeve in the four Superman movies from 1978 to 1987. Margot Kidder was 69 years old.
Bill Cosby, who was found guilty on three counts of sexual assault, will be sentenced over two days, September 24th and September 25th. The 80-year old remains on house arrest in his Cheltenham home until sentencing. Cosby faces up to 30 years in prison, and his lawyers have vowed to appeal.
Rapper/Actor Drake is going on a 41 city tour with Migos. The tour is called Aubrey and The Three Amigos and will stop at the Wells Fargo Center Saturday, September 15th. Log onto wellsfargocenterphilly.com for ticket information.
The stars return to the Dell Music Center, 33rd and Ridge Avenue, this summer. Tickets are going on sale this Saturday and check out the line up so far:
Thurs., July 5th – Kem / Tamar Braxton / Damien Escobar
Thurs., July 12th - Kool & The Gang / En Vogue
Thurs., July 19th - Tamela Mann
Sun., July 22nd – Ne-Yo / Lyfe Jennings
Thurs., July 26th – Charlie Wilson / Avery Sunshine
Also coming are Patti LaBelle, Erykah Badu, Johnny Gill, Keith Sweat, Ralph Tresvant, Gregory Porter and RBRM, a.k.a. Ricky/Bobby/Ronnie & Mike, a.k.a. Ricky Bell/Bobby Brown/Ronnie DeVoe/Michael Bivens. For more information log onto mydelleast.org.
In other Bobby Brown news, his life story is at the center of the follow up TV movie to BET's smash hit The New Edition Story. Actor Woody McClain will once again play Brown. The two-part TV movie will span Brown's 30-year career. Look for stories revolving around Teddy Riley, L.A. Reid & Babyface, and among the women in Brown’s life, Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson. The Bobby Brown Story will air this fall on BET.
Spike Lee and Oscar Winner Jordan Peele have teamed up for the feature film BlacKkKlansman. The movie is based on the life experiences of African American Detective Ron Stallworth, who so successfully infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado that he became the head of the chapter. Fresh off his Oscar winning box office hit, Get Out Writer and Director Jordan Peele teams up with Spike Lee with Lee and Peele both serve as producers and Lee taking on directing and co-writing duties. The film stars John David Washington (son of Denzel and Pauletta Washington), Topher Grace (That 70’s Show), Adam Driver and the legendary Harry Belafonte. BlacKkKlansman opens in theaters August 10th.
Speaking of Acting Icon Denzel Washington, he is set to reprise his role as “Robert McCall” in The Equalizer II coming to the big screen July 20th.
The record breaking box office smash Black Panther, starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Daniel Kaluuya, Forest Whitaker, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright and Danai Gurira, is now out on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Speaking of Black Panther actors, HBO will premiere the uber-busy Actor Michael B. Jordan’s latest project. Fahrenheit 451 is based the Ray Bradbury novel about a society that bands books and the so called firemen charged with burning them. Jordan, who co-executive produced the project, plays a fireman whose conscious is challenged while burning books. It’s huge time for Jordan. He’s in the midst of filming Creed II in the city of Philadelphia. Jordan is also on the cover of the May issue of Men’s Health magazine. And, Fahrenheit 451 premieres on HBO this Saturday at 8pm.
Tiffany Haddish is everywhere. The comedienne and actress walked the carpet at The Met Ball, she’s making a filmed cameo appearance for Taylor’s Swift’s latest tour and she has signed a deal with Netflix that will include her starring in the animated series Tuca & Bertie. Haddish will also be the first African American woman to host The MTV Movie & TV Awards Monday, June 18th at 9pm. Haddish and Tracy Morgan’s series The Last OG has been renewed for a second season by TBS. And, Haddish has two movies on the horizon. First up she co-stars with NBA Champ Kyrie Irving, Shaquille O’Neal, Reggie Miller, Chris Weber, Lisa Leslie and Erica Ash in Uncle Drew, based on Irving’s Pepsi commercial character, hitting theaters June 29th. Then Haddish co-stars with fellow Comedian Kevin Hart in Night School coming to theaters September 28th.
Gabrielle Union has a hit on her hands as her thriller Breaking In took in $17 million at the box office. Union stars and co-produced the film with Will Packer on a modest budget. The movie has already taken in almost 3 times its budget. Union, who’s on this month’s feature and cover for Ebony magazine’s travel issue, also signed first look deal with Sony. The actress has a two-year pact which covers TV, cable and digital projects for Sony TV.
WDAS presents our Second Annual Sista Strut Breast Cancer Walk taking place Saturday, June 16th 2018 at XFINITY Live! Philadelphia, 201 North 17th Street. All the registration info and details are on the wdasfm.com page.
Kerry Washington is on the cover Essence magazine’s 100 Woke women.
Rihanna is on the cover of Vogue’s Up All Night feature for June 2018. Rihanna is also co-starring in the big screen heist-adventure-comedy Ocean’s 8 with Mindy Kaling, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Sara Paulson, Helen Bonham Carter and Awkwafina opening June 8th.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are on the cover of Vanity Fair as their Saturday wedding date draws closer.
Issa Rae (Insecure & Yara Shahidi (Blackish; Grownish) split the cover of Marie Claire.
Essence magazine released the Essence Music Festival schedule and lineup for 2018. The festivities return to New Orleans July 5th through the 8th. Performers include Janet Jackson, Jilly from Philly Jill Scott, Philly’s own The Roots, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Teddy Riley’s New Jack Swing Experience (Wreckx-N-Effect, Blackstreet and Guy), Idris Elba, Fantasia, Miguel and Mary J. Blige with more acts to be announced. All the details are on Essence.com
The hit Power has gotten some good news from its cable network Starz. The award winning drama starring Omari Hardwick, Joseph Sikora, Naturi Naughton, Lela Loren and, the show’s co-executive producer, Curtis 50 Cent Jackson, was renewed for a six season. 50 Cent is set to direct in that season, but first comes the faith season. And, the fifth season premiere of Power will be Sunday, July 1st at 9pm on Starz.
Check out who’s coming to town:
Saturday, May 26th – Philly’s own Hall & Oates present The 2nd Annual HoagieNation Festival with Train/ Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers/ Fitz & The Tantrums/ Down North/ Beano French and more. It all takes place at Festival Pier on Penns Landing in Philly. For tickets and information visit hoagienation.com
Saturday, May 26th – The Irresponsible Tour starring Kevin Hart at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Saturday, May 26th - It’s The Sounds Of Philadelphia starring Russell Thompkins, Jr. & The New Stylistics, The Delfonics & Harold Melvin's Blue Notes at the Xcite Center inside Parx Casino. For tickets and information log onto parxcasino.com
Saturday, June 2nd - The 11th Annual Roots Picnic with host Dave Chappelle. Scheduled to perform with The Roots are 2 Chainz, DVSN, Fabalous, Jadakiss, Rapsody and Brandy, just to name a few. It all takes place at Festival Pier on Penns Landing in Philly. For passes and information log onto rootspicnic.com/philly.
Saturday, June 30th – WDAS Summer Block Party starring Jill Scott / Boyz II Men / DJ Jazzy Jeff in concert at the Mann Center For The Performing Arts, 52nd Street & Parkside Avenue. For more information log on to manncenter.org
Friday, July 13th – Lauryn Hill and the 20th anniversary of The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill tour at Penns Landing’s Festival Pier. Log on to ticketmaster.com for more information
Saturday, July 21st - Cedric The Entertainer comedy show at The Sugar House Casino. For tickets and information log onto sugarhouseentertainment.com
Monday, July 30th – Jay-Z & Beyoncé: 2018 On The Run 2 Tour at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia. For tickets and information log onto ticketmaster.com.
Sunday, August 12th – Gladys Knight and The O’Jays in concert at the Mann Center For The Performing Arts, 52nd Street & Parkside Avenue. For more information log on to manncenter.org
Saturday, August 25th – Smokey Robinson in concert at the Mann Center For The Performing Arts, 52nd Street & Parkside Avenue. For more information log on to manncenter.org
Saturday, August 25th & Sunday, August 26th – Stevie Wonder in concert at the Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. For more information log on to theborgata.com
Sunday, September 2nd – Earth, Wind & Fire in concert at the Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. For more information log on to theborgata.com
Wednesday & Thursday, September 19th and 20th – Bruno Mars and Cardi B on Thee 24K Magic North American Concert Tour at the Wells Fargo Center. For tickets and information log onto wellsfargocenterphilly.com.
If you would like more info please email me at PattyJackson@iHeartMedia.com or check me out with my midday reports at 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm during the day.