Join us for our WDAS’ Women Of Excellence event happening Saturday, April 6th.This year’s honorees include: Jenice Armstrong, Metro Columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer; Keir Bradford-Grey, Chief Defender of the Defender Association of Philadelphia; Facetta Greene, Operations Manager of The Dell Music Center, Philadelphia; Amber Hikes, Executive Director, Office of LGBT Affairs, Mayor’s Office; Renee Chenault Fattah, Iconic Philadelphia Anchor Woman & News Personality. Our Special Trailblazing Woman of Excellence honor will be presented to Grammy Award Winning Rapper, Songwriter, Actress, Co-host of the CBS’ The Talk and West Philly Native Eve. Plus, musical performances by Brian McKnight, Pastor Marvin Sapp, and Raheem DeVaughn! Log onto WDAS-FM.com for tickets and information.
Wendy Williams says she’s living in a sober house and hadn’t told her audience her addiction problem in the past. Is this why Wendy hasn’t left her husband/manager Kevin Hunter? Wendy told her audience she’s spent time in a facility to deal with her issues, and only her husband and son knew. She also said don’t let the glam she displays on her show fool you because she’s only human. Naturally, her critics are coming for her hard for the timing of this revelation.Is this an attempt not to talk about the possibility of losing half her career earnings if she leaves Hunter? How about all the potential husband and wife secrets that could be exposed as well? This week, Williams and Howard Stern, another controversial media figure, went toe to toe on their respective shows. That feud began when Williams critiqued Stern’s softer tone in his new book. He retaliated by calling Williams a Jealous B**ch and saying she’d never be him. At press time Williams hasn’t returned fire to Stern.
Singer Tevin Campbell is poised for a comeback. The singer enjoyed a string of hits in the 90’s when he collaborated with the likes of Quincy Jones, Babyface and Prince to name a few on songs like Tomorrow, Round And Round and Can We Talk. Now, after getting some unsolicited dragging on social media about his relevance, Campbell is set to return to acting as he did early in his career. Superstar Filmmaker Ava DuVernay responded to the backlash by promising to feature Campbell in her OWN series Queen Sugar. True to her word, OWN released photos and a press release celebrating welcoming Campbell to the show. Queen Sugar returns to OWN on Wednesday, June 12th.
The Being Mary Jane two hour series finale just confirmed a big reveal: Morris Chestnut versus Michael Ealy! The BET drama that stars Gabrielle Union will return to close out the series in April. Union’s character, the very successful journalist Mary Jane Paul, finds herself in a love triangle. When Mary Jane’s romance with Jason (Michael Ealy) goes south, enter a brand new love interest (Morris Chestnut). How will Mary Jane move forward especially after Jason decides he wants her back? Being Mary Jane’s two hour series finale airs Tuesday, April 16th at 9pm on BET.
Blackish is developing another spin-off, and one of our favorites, Tika Sumpter, is involved. This will be a prequel where Tracee Ellis Ross’ character Rainbow Johnson is shown in her formative years. The child of an interracial marriage, her mom will be played by Sumpter (Ride Along; The Haves And The Have Nots; Southside With You), her dad by Anderson Holm (Champions), her grandfather by Gary Cole (Veep; Fam; Brady Bunch movies) and Young Bow is played by Arica Himmel. The spin-off will begin as a flashback episode of Black-ish and if all goes well, the as of yet untitled Rainbow show will air on ABC’s Freeform cable channel.
How’s Paris Jackson holding up? Published reports say the 20-year old daughter of the late Michael Jackson attempted suicide after being triggered by the HBO documentary on her late father. The controversial Leaving Neverland documentary features two Michael Jackson accusers who recant their earlier sworn testimony and accused the late singer of child molestation. This was followed by another report that she fell asleep at the wheel of her car. Paris refutes both stories. The model and socialite called the reporters F**kin’ Liars and asked when will it end?Lately, Paris has been seen out and about at premieres.
Tuesday, April 25th and Wednesday, April 26th are the two days in which The Young And The Restless will pay tribute to the late Kristoff St. John. The actor, who set a record as the longest running black character on a daytime soap, won multiple Emmys for his portrayal as Neil Winters. St. John died last month, and many attributed it to alcohol poising. The autopsy results were released and St. John died of heart disease triggered by alcohol poising. Reportedly, the actor had been struggling with his mental health and just got out of rehab. It had been a year since the death of St. John’s son Julian, who died by suicide. The actor had been struggling with that loss ever since.Reports are that St. John’s eldest daughter, Paris, had to file for control of his estate because the actor had no will.Meanwhile as for the CBS tribute, the cast of Y&R, past and present, will be a part of the tribute including Shemar Moore, who got his start playing St. John’s TV brother Malcolm, and Victoria Rowell, who played St. John’s TV wife Drusilla.
Diana Ross is on the cover of Ebony magazine, but unfortunately had re-earn her name as The Boss. She’s celebrating her 75th birthday this month and Motown’s 60th anniversary, the legendary music label that started her career. Miss Ross has been doing her Diamond Diana tour, and she had to check a fan the old fashioned way at a recent concert. While performing in Times Square, a man in the audience poked her in the stomach, tried to push her over and grab her boa. The Boss slapped the man’s hand and had security escort him out. She never missed a beat and kept performing for her audience. Meanwhile, Diana Ross: Her Life, Love And Legacy, the documentary and film of her 1983 Central Park Concert will premiere in theaters on her birthday, Tuesday, March 26th.
Ciara is on the cover of InStyle magazine’s April edition. Mrs. Russell Wilson talks about motherhood, finding unconditional love and releasing new music, entitled Greatest Love, for the first time in three years on a new label and being in charge of her album.
At the movies, Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke head the cast of Oscar Winner Jordan Peele’s new film Us. Nyong’o and Duke play a married couple who take their two children to a beach house on vacation only to be confronted by the entire family’s look a likes (doppelgangers). While Peele, who rose to fame as a comedian, talks often about being influenced by The Twilight Zone, critics are calling him the heir apparent to Alfred Hitchcock, a.k.a. The Master Of Suspense. Us hits theaters this Friday.
Dionne Warwick will release her first album in five years. Produced by her son, Damon Elliot, the album is simply entitled She’s Back. The album consists of remakes and new songs, and Warwick will duet with Kenny Latimore, Musiq Soulchild, and Krayzie Bone from Bone, Thugs & Harmony. YES, Krayzie Bone and Auntie Dionne! It’s a big year for legendary songstress as she’ll receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Grammys in a special celebration in May, and she begins her Las Vegas residency April 4th – 27th at Bally’s. Her album, She’s Back, will be released May 10th.
The three generations of The Red Table Talk cover the March issue of Essence magazine. For Women’s History Month, its Adrienne Banfield-Jones (grandmother), Jada Pinkett Smith (mother) and Willow Smith (daughter) all sharing the cover.
Check out Essence magazine digital as Actress and Walking Dead Alum Sonequa Martin-Green graces the cover. Currently, Martin Green can be seen on the CBS All Access streaming network in Star Trek Discovery as the first African American lead in the franchise’s 53-year history.
Anthony Anderson of Black-ish will return to host The 50th Anniversary of The NAACP Image Awards on TV One airing Saturday, March 30th.
Smokey Robinson and Cedric The Entertainer (CBS’s The Neighborhood) will host a Grammy special entitled Motown 60: A Grammy Celebration. Performers include Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Boyz II Men, Chloe X Halle, Ne-Yo and Thelma Houston. The 60th Anniversary Motown special airs Sunday, April 21st at 8pm on CBS.
Issa Rae is on the cover of Women’s Health magazine and next month her movie Little hits the big screen. Rae plays the assistant of high powered and super mean business executive Regina Hall (from Girls’ Trip) who is transformed back into her 13-year old self with her present day mind (Marsai Martin, “Diane” from Black-ish). Rae’s character is the only one who knows the truth, and must keep her boss’ business going until they can make her normal again. Rae talked to Women’s Health about money weight. She says when she began her web series, she was broke. By the time she created HBO’s super hit Insecure, she began to gain that money weight. That what success does, so she made time to work out. Rae graces the cover of the April edition of Women’s Health, and her movie Little, co-starring Tone Bell (CBS’ Fam) and Justin Hartley (NBC’s This Is Us), opens in theaters April 12th.
Check out who’s coming to town:
Now – Sunday, March 24th– Madea’s Farewell starring Tyler Perry at The Met Philly, Broad & Poplar Streets. For tickets and information log onto ticketmaster.com
This Friday, March 22nd and Saturday, March 23rd– Lionel Richie in concert at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto ticketmaster.com for tickets and information.
Saturday, March 30th– Mariah Carey in concert at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto ticketmaster.com for tickets and information.
Friday, April 26th – The New Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr., The Manhattans featuring Gerald Alston and The Delfonics featuring William Hart in concert at The Keswick Theater, Glenside, Pa. For tickets and information log onto keswicktheater.com/events/all.
Friday, May 3rd – Wayne Brady at the Parx Casino in Bensalem. For Tickets and information log onto parxcasino.com/xcitecenter
Friday, May 10th – The Mother’s Day Music Festival Weekend starring The Whispers & The Force MD’s at Caesar’s Circus Maximus Theater in Atlantic City. For more information log onto ppshows.com and for tickets log onto ticketmaster.com.
Saturday, May 11th – The Mother’s Day Music Festival Weekend starring Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Kem, Al B. Sure and Christopher Williams at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. For more information log onto ppshows.com and for tickets log onto ticketmaster.com.
Sunday, May 12th – The Mother’s Day Music Festival Weekend starring After 7 and Dru Hill at Tropicana Showroom Theater in Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now. For more information log onto ppshows.com and for tickets log onto ticketmaster.com.
Saturday, June 1st – The 2019 Roots Picnic has a new location at The Mann Music Center For The Performing Arts, 52nd and Parkside! Celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Roots album Things Fall Apart with special guests H.E.R., Raphael Saadiq, 21 Savage, City Girls and more. Log onto rootspicnic.com for more information.
Thursday, June 6th – One Nation Under A Groove-George Clinton’s Farewell Tour with Parliament-Funkadelic at the Franklin Music Hall, formerly The Electric Factory, 421 North 7th Street. For more ticket information log onto ticketmaster.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.