The WDAS Holiday Jam is back and it’s happening at the newly restored Met Philly at Broad and Poplar. The WDAS Holiday Jam, Starring Uncle Charlie himself, Charlie Wilson and Stokley of Mint Condition, is happening Saturday, December 22nd. Tickets and information can be found on the wdasfm.com homepage.
Tyler Perry is taking Madea on a farewell tour. Everybody’s favorite gun totting elder has been on stage, TV and screen, but after twenty successful years Perry says it’s time for the character to end. Perry has played Madea all this time, and says he’s getting older too. While the films of late haven’t been the strongest of the series at the box office, the Madea themed films have still taken in a whopping $500 million plus at the box office. Next year, Perry will take to the road in a farewell play and on March 1st will release in theaters A Madea Family Funeral. Meanwhile, Perry latest movie, that he wrote, produced and directed, is Nobody’s Fool starring Tiffany Haddish, Tika Sumpter (The Haves & The Have Nots), Amber Riley (Glee), Omari Hardwick (Power) and Whoopi Goldberg and it’s in theaters this Friday.
Megyn is officially out and Al Roker is back! NBC News is moving quickly to wrap the all around third hour problems of The Today Show. After Megyn Kelly’s was universally blasted for comments that it was OK to dress in blackface, NBC News removed her from the show. Don’t cry for Kelly because, at press time, the network is close to paying out a huge sum against her near $69 million contract. Meanwhile, the remaining Today Show anchors will take over 9am. Hoda Kotb announced the 9am hour is starting a new chapter. Al Roker is leading the roundtable opening that spins right into an extension of the first two hours. When NBC hired Kelly, they used her to replace Roker and Tamron Hall. Hall is now prepping her own daytime talker with ABC for next year.
Netflix has tapped the hottest filmmaker in cinema to give The Purple One his just due. Ava DuVernay will create a documentary of the later Singer/Songwriter/Musician/Filmmaker Prince. From his own work (Purple Rain, 1999, Under The Cherry Moon; Batman soundtrack) to his collaborations (Tevin Campbell’s Round & Round; Sheena Easton’s Sugar Walls; The Bangles’ Manic Monday) to his work as a fierce business executive, there’s a lot to unpack to Prince’s life and death. DuVernay says she’s honored to take on the challenge. At press time, no streaming date has been announced.
Erykah Badu and Faith Evans will be the big honorees at this year’s Soul Train Awards this Thanksgiving weekend. The Soul Train Awards will be hosted by Martin castmates and longtime friends Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell (she dropped the Martin from her last name since she and her hubby Duane Martin are divorcing). H.E.R. leads the nominees along with Beyonce, Major, Ella Mai, Ledisi, Bruno Mars, Childish Gambino and John Legend. The Soul Train Awards ‘18 air on BET on Sunday, November 25th at 8pm.
Kerry Washington returns to the stage, and she’s teaming up with Philly’s own Leslie Odom, Jr. First up for the Emmy nominated star of Scandal is motherhood. She was recently interviewed by Craig Melvin on The Today Show and was asked about being the mother of two. She politely corrected Melvin and said she’s a mom of three. Washington, who’s married to former Eagle Nnamdi Asomugha, is famous for keeping her private life private. We only found out about the first two children because she had to adjust her Scandal schedule for maternity leave. Congrats to the Asomughas! Now, Washington has a play called American Son. She’s in all but a few minutes of it as the play explores the kidnapping of the son of an interracial couple in Florida. Meanwhile, Washington, Writer/Producer Saladin K. Patterson (The Last O.G.; Frasier; The Big Bang Theory; The Bernie Mac Show) and Tony Winner and East Oak Lane Native Leslie Odom, Jr. (Hamilton) are teaming up for an ABC comedy. The untitled sitcom will follow a power couple who are pastors based on the lives of Toure Roberts and Sarah Jakes-Roberts. Washington and Patterson are producing and Odom will star.
The Broadway smash Rent is coming to FOX as the latest theater hit to be given the live television treatment. Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Berry Gordy in the Motown Musical, is part of the ensemble cast. Rent will debut on FOX January 27th.
Zoe Kravitz gets it from her momma! Kravitz recreates her mom’s famous Rolling Stone partial nude cover shot. 30-years ago, Lisa Bonet shook up her squeaky clean Cosby Show image by starring in the R-rated Angel Heart and posing for the 1988 Rolling Stone cover. Now her daughter recreates that same image for Rolling Stone’s Hot Issue. Kravitz, who is also the daughter of Singer/Songwriter Lenny Kravitz, speaks of her flourishing career. She also talks about the Metoo movement, her own experience with harassment by a director and the reportedly dark vibe her mom got from Bill Cosby.
Keeping Tina Turner in our prayers as her health challenges are back. In this month’s O magazine, she discussed her son’s suicide and her kidney transplant that she received from her husband. As well, she talked about suffering a stroke and battling stomach cancer. There seem to be some complications to her transplant now, so the Queen of Rock & Roll is staying close to home. Turner, who will be 79 this month, has a new autobiography out called My Love Story. Plus, she’s also preparing to bring her life story musical to Broadway in the fall of 2019 after a successful run on the European stage.
John Legend is coming to town with a holiday tour and has a new album of Christmas music. The new album is called A Legendary Christmas and features the holiday standards Silver Bells, The Christmas Song and a duet with Stevie Wonder on Wonder’s classic What Christmas Means to Me My Love. Legend will also be in the area for A Legendary Christmas Tour at The Borgata in Atlantic City on Black Friday, November 23rd and The Met Philadelphia Tuesday, December 4th. The new album, A Legendary Christmas, is available now.
Actress Tessa Thompson (Dear White People; Creed II) graces the cover of the November issue of Essence magazine, which covers Our Time To Heal and The Metoo movement.
Senators Kamala Harris and Corey Booker join Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on the cover of Ebony magazine for the November political issue, which also features an Aretha Franklin tribute.
Speaking of The Queen Of Soul, Essence magazine has issued a special commemorative issue all about Lady Soul, Aretha Franklin, in words and pictures over the years of her record breaking career.
Michael B. Jordan is on the cover of the November issue of Vanity Fair. Meanwhile, Creed II, which Jordan filmed largely in Philly and co-stars Sylvester Stallone, opens Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd.
Check out who’s coming to town:
This Saturday, November 3rd- Live Saturday Night with Patty Jackson/Mimi Brown/DJ Doc B/DJ Jamar at the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, 1612 N. DuPont Highway in New Castle, Delaware. For Tickets and Information livesaturdaynight.com
Friday, November 16th – Hall & Oates at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/event for ticket information.
Friday, November 23rd – A Legendary Christmas starring John Legend at the Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. For more information log on to theborgata.com
Saturday, November 24th - The Irresponsible Tour starring Kevin Hart at the Wells Fargo Center. For tickets and information log onto wellsfargocenterphilly.com.
Thursday, November 29th - Michelle Obama-Becoming: An Intimate Conversation at the Wells Fargo Center. For tickets and information log onto wellsfargocenterphilly.com.
Friday, November 30th – Michael McDonald in concert at the Parx Casino in Bensalem. For Tickets and information log onto parxcasino.com/xcitecenter
Tuesday, December 4th – A Legendary Christmas starring John Legend at The Met Philly, Broad and Poplar. Log onto themetphilly.com/events for tickets and information.
Saturday, December 1st – Jeffrey Osborne at the SugarHouse Casino, 1001 North Delaware Avenue. Log onto sugarhouseentertainment.com for tickets and information.
Saturday, December 8th – Maxwell at the Tower Theater on 69th Street in Upper Darby. Log onto ticketmaster.com for tickets and information.
Saturday, December 22nd – The WDAS Holiday Jam starring Charlie Wilson and Stokley at The Met Philly, Broad and Poplar. Log onto the wdasfm.com homepage for tickets and information.
Monday, December 31st – The O’Jays & The Commodores at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/event for ticket information.
Friday, February 8th – Herbie Hancock in concert at the Parx Casino in Bensalem. For Tickets and information log onto parxcasino.com/xcitecenter
Saturday, February 16th – Boyz II Men celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the album II at The Met Philly, Broad and Poplar. Log onto themetphilly.com/events for tickets and information.
Sunday, February 17th – Gladys Knight in concert at the Parx Casino in Bensalem. For Tickets and information log onto parxcasino.com/xcitecenter
Saturday, March 16th – Comedian JB Smoove at the Parx Casino in Bensalem. For Tickets and information log onto parxcasino.com/xcitecenter
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.