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.
Before the summer goes away officially, there are two more events happening at The Dell….and one’s with President Barack Obama!!! The former POTUS is holding a get out the vote rally at The Dell Music Center, 33rd and Ridge, with Governor Tom Wolf and Senator Bob Casey this Friday September 21st. Tickets are with The Pennsylvania Democratic Offices, including at Progress Plaza on Broad St., the 44th and Chestnut Office, Mt. Airy at 6817 Germantown Avenue and Upper Darby at 130 State Road. Tickets are being distributed on a first come first serve basis. Then this Saturday, September 22nd, Always Best Care Presents The Caregiver Choice Awards happening at The Dell with performances by The Force MD’s and Philadanco. Get your free passes at ticketleap.com. And by the way, our Forever First Lady, Michelle Obama, will also be in town for her Becoming: An Intimate Conversation tour at The Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, November 29th.
WDAS Morning Man Steve Harvey has to find a new home for his daytime talker Steve in 2019. NBC is replacing the show in the fall of 2019 with a new talk show from Kelly Clarkson. Clarkson is a popular coach on another NBC property, The Voice, which returns to NBC Monday, September 24th at 8pm. So what’s going on with Steve? It’s the expense. Steve tapes in L.A. and owns a huge portion of the show himself. NBC wants to do more in house productions, and The Clarkson show helps cut down on expenses and increases profits. Can Steve find a new arrangement to save his daytime talker?
When The Conners premieres on ABC next month, it will be without matriarch Roseanne Conner, formerly played by Roseanne Barr. The Conners is a spinoff from the Roseanne reboot after Roseanne was cancelled following Barr’s racist tweet toward Obama Administration Advisor Valerie Jarrett. Producers negotiated with ABC to bring the show back, but Roseanne could have no part in it nor enjoy any proceeds. Producers bought her out, and Roseanne agreed to let the show go on without her. Now I’m hearing it will be a drug (opioid) overdose that will kill off the Roseanne character. The Conners premieres on ABC Tuesday, October 16th at 8pm.
Katt Williams: a roasting, a chase down and a bow-down all in a week. The comedian set off a firestorm when he went on an Atlanta radio show and began talking about other comedians. He trashed Jerrod Carmichael, Lil Rel and Hannibal Burress as comedians who are only making it because they’re ugly. Williams questioned whether or not Tiffany Haddish earned her stripes, and hinted it was lucky breaks rather than an extensive stand up legacy that created her opportunities. Haddish took to twitter and said it’s a sign she’s made it to be roasted by Williams. Kevin Hart took to his Night School co-star’s defense as well without naming Williams but saying he’s always going to lift up his sister Tiffany.
Then, things got really crazy when Katt Williams roasted the radio show’s Co-host Wanda Smith. They both tried to get the best of each other, but unfortunately Williams came out on top and the exchange went viral. It also continued at a comedy club both attended. When words were exchanged again, Smith’s husband jumped in it and chased Williams and his bodyguard into a grocery store. That’s when police were called. Wanda Smith’s husband, LaMorris Sellers, copped to chasing the two men and that he had a gun but it fell out while chasing the men. Videotape that’s beginning to emerge seems to conflict with that, but the police are still investigating. As for Katt Williams: all’s well that ends well. He and Tiffany Haddish were at The Emmys Monday and collected their awards for their guest roles in Atlanta and Saturday Night Live, respectively. Williams even bowed down to Haddish and that photo went viral too! Meanwhile, Haddish and Kevin Hart in Night School opens in theaters September 28th. After that, Haddish joins Tika Sumpter (The Haves & The Have Nots), Amber Riley (Glee), Omari Hardwick (Power) and Whoopi Goldberg for Nobody’s Fool, written and directed by Tyler Perry hitting theaters November 2nd.
In more Emmy news, the show set a record for its low ratings. Many believe some of the awards shows are simply not musts for the millennial TV viewers. On top of that, many winners are for show people just don’t know. Between cable and streaming, those shows dominated the awards, but aren’t familiar to the mass audiences. There were some fun moments like Co-host Michael Che’s reparation Emmys. Che gave Emmys to Marla Gibbs (The Jeffersons; 227), Jaleel White (Family Matters), Jimmie Walker (Good Times), John Witherspoon (The Richard Pryor Show; The Wayans Brothers) and Tichina Arnold (Martin; Everybody Hates Chris). Meanwhile, the night’s competitive Emmy winners included RuPaul (RuPaul’s Drag Race), Thandie Newton (Westworld), Kenan Thompson (songwriting for Come Back Barack on Saturday Night Live) and Regina King (Seven Seconds).
Next week, Comedian and Actor Bill Cosby will be sentenced for his conviction on sexual assault against Andrea Constand, but first his new legal team and his wife Camille are making moves. First, Cosby’s new legal team filed a motion to have the judge, Steven O’Neill, removed for bias because of a political feud with the former D.A., Bruce Castor, who refused to charge Cosby and made a deal with never to charge the comedian. The judge denied the motion to recuse himself. Cosby’s wife Camille filed a legal complaint against Judge O’Neill with Pennsylvania’s Judicial Conduct Board and asked for an immediate investigation. She called him unethical and his court corrupt. Meantime, Cosby’s sentencing is expected to last two days with possibly other accusers speaking at that hearing beginning this Monday September 24th.
In more Metoo news, with her husband, ex-CBS C.E.O. Les Moonves, shrouded in sexual misconduct allegations, Julie Chen has departed from The Talk. Chen has hosted the daytime talk show since its inception in 2010. This new ninth season premiered in the midst of the Moonves allegations and his resignation. Chen had Co-host Sharon Osborne read a statement that Chen would (first) take time off to be with her family. Then Chen returned to CBS’ Big Brother and for the very first time used the name Julie Chen-Moonves. Now, this week came her pre-taped emotional goodbye. Once again, Chen says she wants to spend more time with her family. For now, she stays put on Big Brother, but TV insiders aren’t sure how long that will last. CBS has taken big hits this year with Moonves’ resignation, Charlie Rose’s firing from CBS This Morning and Jeff Fager’s firing as executive producer of 60 Minutes. If CBS wants to move on, can they really do that with Julie Chen-Moonves in primetime? Critics also pounced on the fact that The Talk covered Camille Cosby as a topic, and questioned how they could cover Metoo with Chen at the network at all. To be continued……
Kelis graces the cover of the October issue of Essence magazine, which includes legendary Essence Editor In Chief Emeritus Susan L. Taylor’s tribute to the late Aretha Franklin.
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.
We remember the founding director of The Dance Theater Of Harlem Arthur Mitchell. The famed choreographer began making history by becoming the first African American dancer admitted to the New York City Ballet in 1955 staying until 1968. Mitchell had constant international appearances and broke TV’s color barrier on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show with Agon, an interracial routine with Diana Adams. Mitchell then led The Dance Theater Of Harlem to worldwide acclaim. Aside from stage, film (Sidney Poitier’s A Piece Of The Action), and TV (1987’s Creole Giselle hosted by Bill Cosby), The Dance Theater Of Harlem does a special outreach program for young people and children who want to learn the art and history of dance. Groundbreaker Arthur Mitchell was 84-years old.
Rapper/Actor Drake is sick of the Instagram thots!! What?! Yes! It’s because a woman from England, reported to be Layla Lace (a.k.a. Laquana Morris) accused Drake of getting her pregnant and then of sexually assaulting her. The rapper has responded with a lawsuit. He’s suing Lace for emotional distress, fraud, defamation and extortion, but in the legal papers he also admits to a consensual sexual relationship with Lace. He says Lace then turned their encounter into a fantasy relationship. Will this be enough to help Drake learn his lesson and maybe settle down? The rapper is reportedly seeing the 18-year old daughter of Jimmy Jam of Sound Of Minneapolis famed Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.
Taraji P. Henson is geared up for a delivery…of the season premiere of Empire not a baby. Rumors are swirling all over the Oscar and Emmy nominee that she and her fiancé, Kelvin Hayden, are expecting. Henson says just because Hayden is seen coddling and holding her doesn’t mean she’s pregnant because he always does that. Henson has a 24-year old son, Marcel Jonson, from a previous relationship. Henson returns in the FOX drama Empire for its season premiere Wednesday, September 26th at 8pm.
Meanwhile, Porsha Williams is pregnant. Congratulations to The Real Housewives Of Atlanta star who took to Instagram to announce the good news. This will be her first child with her man Dennis McKinley, whom she told back in July. Williams admits she was a bit concerned because of her past health issues (fibroids; a miscarriage; a myomectomy), but she has a positive attitude and calls this event a blessing and a dream come true.
Maroon 5 will do the halftime honors at Superbowl 53 from Atlanta airing on Sunday, February 3rd on CBS.
This is the week that Sanaa Lathan in Nappily Ever After, comes to Netflix. Lathan, who dons a shaved head for the role, plays Violet Jones, whose accident in a hair salon makes her realize she’s not living her life to the fullest. The romantic comedy also stars Ernie Hudson, Ricky Whittle and Lynn Whitfield. Nappily Ever After, based on the Tina Gordon Chism novel, begins streaming this Friday, September 21st on Netflix.
Dancing With The Stars is back. The ABC reality show enters its 27th season this fall. Among the stars this go round are Former NFL Player DeMarcus Ware, Actor/Singer John Schneider (The Dukes Of Hazzard; The Haves And Have Nots), Olympic Gold Medalist Mary Lou Retton, Singer/Actress Tinashe and Nancy McKeon (The Facts Of Life). Dancing With The Stars season premiere airs this Monday, September 24th at 8pm on ABC.
TV One’s UnSung Hollywood is back. Ray J and Wayne Brady will be among those profiled this season. Everything kicks off with the movie The Best Man. UnSung Hollywood returns to TV One Sunday, October 7th at 9pm.
Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross will return as host of 2018 The American Music Awards (AMA’s). The nominees are led by Cardi B and Drake with eight nominations apiece. Beyonce and Jay-Z share a nomination for Tour Of The Year. Bruno Mars is also up for that award. Khalid, The Weeknd, Ella Mai and The Black Panther Soundtrack are all up for awards as well. Tracie Ellis Ross hosts The 2018 AMA’s on Tuesday, October 9th at 8pm on ABC. And, the season premiere of Ross’ sitcom Blackish is Tuesday, October 16th at 9pm on ABC.
Queen Latifah has been announced as this year’s recipient of The Marian Anderson Award. As a pioneering hip hop performer and groundbreaking female MC, Latifah evolved her career to also include $100 million blockbuster movies (Bringing Down The House; Girls Trip), television (Living Single; The Queen Latifah Show) and production (co-founder of Flava Unit Entertainment). The Marion Anderson Awards will take place at the Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce Streets, for its 20th anniversary Gala and Concert. Latifah joins past recipients Harry Belafonte, Jon Bon Jovi, Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones, Patti LaBelle and Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff. The festivities will take place November 20th and you can log on to KimmelCenter.org for tickets and information.
Check out who’s coming to town:
This Saturday, September 22nd – The LIT AF Tour Hosted by Martin Lawrence featuring Deray Davis/ Deon Cole/ Adele Givens/ Benji Brown at the Liacouras Center, Broad & Montgomery. For more information log onto liacourascenter.com/events
This Sunday, September 23rd– RBRM, a.k.a. Ricky/Bobby/Ronnie & Mike, a.k.a. Ricky Bell/Bobby Brown/Ronnie DeVoe/Michael Bivins at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/event for ticket information
Thursday, September 27th – Tamia in concert at the Keswick Theatre. For tickets and information log onto keswicktheatre.com
Friday, September 28th – Sunday, September 30th – The 40th Anniversary of The Philly Pops featuring Philly’s own Leslie Odom, Jr. at the Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce Streets. Log onto kimmelcenter.org for ticket information
Saturday, September 29th – Maxwell at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/event for ticket information
Tuesday, October 2nd – Janet Jackson and her State Of The Nation Tour at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto ticketmaster.com for ticket information
Thursday, October 4th – The Whitney Houston Show starring Belinda at the Keswick Theatre. For tickets and information log onto keswicktheatre.com
Saturday, October 6th & Sunday, October 7th- Mike Epps, Bruce Bruce, Jay Pharoah, Sheryl Underwood, Tony Rock and Gary Owen and more over the two days of The Atlantic City Comedy Festival on Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. For tickets and information log onto boardwalkhall.com/events
Friday, November 16th – Hall & Oates at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/event for ticket information
Tuesday, November 20th - The 20th Annual Marion Anderson Awards, Gala & Concert honoring Queen Latifah at the Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce Streets. For more tickets and information log onto KimmelCenter.org
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
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 The Met Philly, Broad and Poplar. Log onto the wdasfm.com homepage 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.