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 this Saturday. Tickets and information can be found on the wdasfm.com homepage.
76-year old Richard Williams, the father of Tennis Legends Venus and Serena, is really going through it. He’s had a series of strokes and he cannot speak. Williams recently divorced his wife 38-year old wife Lakeisha. They have a 6-year old son. Yes …..a 6-year old son! Richard had previously had to get restraining orders as his health challenges increased. Accusations of Lakeisha forging his name to get houses in Florida and cashing his social security checks are just the start. Where does the Williams family go from here?
Carlton Banks will see you in court Fortnite! Actor Alfonso Ribeiro, the actor who played Carlton on the NBC 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, says the gaming company Fortnite has taken his famous Carlton dance and used it in their game without his permission or compensation. He’s filed suit, but there’s a problem. TMZ released video of Ribeiro saying he got the dance from Courteney Cox in Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark video and Eddie Murphy in Raw. Hmmmmmmmmmm! That could come up in the lawsuit. Ribeiro’s lawsuit states he’s the creator of the Carlton dance and is in the process of copyrighting it. Meanwhile, Fortnite is also facing similar lawsuits for the dances The Floss and The Milly Rock. Most of this is uncharted territory and there’s huge money at stake since these Fortnite games have millions of users.
Oprah Winfrey’s OWN has cancelled the drama series Love Is after one of its showrunners was hit with a lawsuit and Metoo allegations. Love Is was based on the life of husband and wife Writing/Producing/Directing team Salim & Mara Brock Akil. The show had been renewed in July. Then, Salim Akil was accused of having an abusive filled, decade-long, extra-marital affair with Actress Amber Dixon Brenner. Brenner also sued and claimed the Love Is drama was her idea, and that Salim Akil stole it. Brenner’s suit started an investigation at Warner Bros. for both Love Is and Black Lightning TV shows. Salim Akil, through his attorneys, acknowledged a past relationship with Brenner but denied all wrongdoing. OWN then did an about face and cancelled Love Is. The drama was already the lowest rated on cable and OWN was named in the Brenner’s lawsuit. Mara Brock Akil, who has been silent on her husband’s accusations, did take to social media and express how sad she was for the actors and crew Love Is won’t return. OWN released a statement that the network simply chose not to move forward with the show.
Speaking of Metoo controversies, former CBS CEO Les Moonves has been denied his $120 million severance by the CBS Board. After outside council investigated, they determined there were more problems at CBS that violated policy, and that the company has cause to terminate Moonves with no golden parachute. Actress Cybill Shepherd also came out on a radio interview claiming she feels because she brushed off Moonves’ advances at a dinner, that’s why her 1990’s CBS sitcom Cybill was cancelled. Moonves released a statement that the investigation’s findings were pre-ordained and he continues to deny all accusations of harassment or forcible sexual encounters. Moonves wife, CBS Big Brother & Celebrity Big Brother Host Julie Chen, has not commented.
Emmy winning Actress/Director Regina King has some early Oscar buzz. King is starring in If Beale Street Could Talk with KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Brian Tyree Henry and Teyonah Parris. From Oscar Winning Writer/Producer/Director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), this film version of the James Baldwin novel follows a young woman and her family’s efforts to clear her wrongly charged husband before their baby is born. If Beale Street Could Talk is now in theaters.
Insecure and The Game Actor Jay Ellis is part of the cast of the thriller Escape Room. Ellis plays Jason, one of six people who together find themselves in circumstances beyond their control requiring their wits and team work to escape. Escape Room, co-starring Taylor Russell, Deborah Ann Woll and Tyler Labine, opens in theaters Friday, January 4th.
We remember Singer/Actress/TV Personality Nancy Wilson. After a long battle with an undisclosed illness, Wilson passed away last week leaving a trailblazing legacy. She didn’t like to be called a Jazz Singer because she loved all types of music and performed all types as well. From her long period on Capitol Records throughout the 60’s and 70’s to Columbia Records in the 80’s and 90’s, Wilson was a top performer. Her hits included How Glad I Am; Face It Girl, It’s Over; and her signature Guess Who I Saw Today, the cheater busting song of all songs. Her Philly connections ran deep. Guest starring as Bill Cosby’s love interest in I Spy in the mid 1960’s and in the late 80’s as Denise Huxtable’s mother-in-law on The Cosby Show. Gamble & Huff produced her 1970 album Now I’m A Woman, which spawned the title track and Joe. Philly Soul Writers Thom Bell and Linda Creed provided her with her top ten 1974 hit You’re As Right As Rain. Wilson toured extensively with Capitol labelmate Lou Rawls and was his long time UNCF Parade OF Stars telethon co-host and performer. “Sweet Nancy” Wilson, 81, will have no funeral but a celebration of life possibly in February of next year near her birthday.
We remember Actress/Producer/Director Penny Marshall. Marshall’s career took off as an actress when her brother, Producer Garry Marshall, cast her as Jack Klugman’s secretary in The Odd Couple. He later put Penny in the Happy Days’ spinoff Laverne and Shirley with Cindy Williams, which enjoyed two seasons (1977-1979) as the number one show on television. Penny Marshall began directing while on her sitcom’s seven year run. At the time, she was still married to former husband Filmmaker/Actor Rob Reiner (“Meathead” of All In The Family). Marshall would move on to directing film: Big with Tom Hanks, Jumpin’ Jack Flash with Whoopi Goldberg, A League Of Their Own with Geena Davis and Madonna and The Preacher’s Wife with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston. Marshall would become the first woman to direct a film (Big) to gross over $100 million at the box office. Marshall passed away from complications of diabetes and was 75 years old.
Mary J. Blige is coming to Netflix. The Queen Of Hip Hop Soul is following up her Oscar nominated 2017 role in Mudbound by playing a hired killer. Blige will play an assassin in the Nextflix series The Umbrella Academy. This is a scary series. In fact, think American Horror Story type scary. Umbrella Academy begins streaming February 15th.
Speaking of Netflix, the reports are true and Channing Dungey is the company’s new VP Of Original Content. Dungey was the first African American broadcast network chief for three years at ABC before she stepped down. But not before Dungey supervised the now Shondaland classics Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder, resurrected American Idol from FOX to ABC and had to fire Roseanne. Now, Dungey reunites with her former ABC collaborators Shonda Rhimes (TGIT-ABC drama line up) and Kenya Barris (Black-ish), who both have deals at Netflix.
Will Smith is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly as the Genie in the live action remake of Aladdin hitting theaters May 24, 2019.
Harper’s Bazaar presents their first ever digital issue with Willow Smith, her mother Jada Pinkett Smith and her mother Adrienne Banfield Norris.
Actor Jason Momoa is on the cover of Men’s Health magazine, and his new movie Aquaman, co-starring Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, opens in theaters this Friday.
Taraji P. Henson is on the cover of InStyle magazine celebrating her latest film What Men Want opening in theaters February 8th.
Ciara is hosting the Los Angeles portion of the 47th annual Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2018 with a performance from Ella Mai. Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy will be live from Times Square airing December 31st on ABC.
Our Forever First Lady Michelle Obama is on the cover of Essence’s December/January issue, Ebony’s December/January Power 100 issue, and her Becoming is the hottest title in the book world.
Check out who’s coming to town:
This Saturday – 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.
Friday, December 28th - The Irresponsible Tour starring Kevin Hart at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/event for ticket 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.
Sunday, January 20th – The All Stars of Hip Hop starring Naughty By Nature, Kool Moe Dee, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane and more at The Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Tickets and information at ticketmaster.com or The Boardwalk Hall box office.
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.
Saturday, February 16th – Erykah Badu in concert at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. For tickets and information log onto ticketmaster.com
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.
Saturday, March 30th – Mariah Carey in concert at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto ticketmaster.com for tickets and information.
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.