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Patty Jackson's 411 for the week of October 9th, 2006

This was not a good sales week for Janet Jackson. Her highly anticipated album, 20 Y.O. failed to go to number one at the top of the charts. Despite all they hype, Oprah, The Today Show, magazine covers, where she was half naked all of the time, and countless interviews, she sold less than three hundred thousand copies of the new CD in its first week. The number one spot went to rapper Ludacris and his CD, Release Therapy. What went wrong? The finger pointing has begun and all fingers are going to boyfriend/producer, Jermaine Dupri. A lot of people feel it was too much JD influence and not enough Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-- her longtime producers. Janet is a Pop icon not an R&B dinger. This will be Janet’s last album on Virgin Records and she will have to find a new recording home. Sources say she may not be able to snag the multi-million dollar recording deals she is accustomed to getting. Jermaine Dupri is also in danger of losing his job at Virgin Records. He is a top executive at the label and his bosses feel he spent way too much time on Janet’s project for it to fizzle out. Janet is under a lot of pressure and she needed this project to be a hit. She is basically supporting her family and once again the Jackson family home in Encino, California is facing foreclosure. Janet is tired of carrying the load and she wants certain family members to step up to the plate and take care of business. Jermaine and Randy Jackson and their brood of children, girlfriends, and baby mommas are all living at the Encino home. Someone is going to have to get a job. Big brother Michael has basically abandoned the family since being cleared of child molestation charges. Could the Jackson stage a reunion, go on tour, release an album? Not without Michael. What can Randy and Jermaine do to get money? Randy wants to sue Michael for all the work he’s done in the past as Michael’s manager, but mom Katherine Jackson, will not allow it nor will she allow the brothers to write a tell all book while she is alive about their family. Janet brought a separate home for her mother in Las Vegas. Will she allow the kids, grandbabies, baby mommas and girlfriends to live in her home? Does she have room for this large entourage? What’s up with these women? One of the women has children with both Randy and Jermaine. Somebody has to get a job in that household. They better grab the want ads and start looking.

She’s rich and beautiful, but all she wants is a man. Tyra Banks has revealed she needs a date. The former Supermodel and talk show host has turned to poet, Dr. Maya Angelou, for guidance. Tyra says she wants a nice, upstanding, young gentleman. Tyra has dated a lot of well known men (Director John Singleton, basketball star Chris Webber, Pop singer Seal). Critics say she has dated too many men and it’s a turnoff, but her friends say this is not true. Fashion Impresario Roy Campbell, who is a frequent guest on America’s Next Top Model and her close personal friend says Tyra needs a man who can deal with her brains and beauty. He says she needs a man who is not afraid of her who can deal with her being smart, gorgeous and put up with her schedule. She is a very busy lady with two successful shows, but she would like to find someone she is compatible with. There was talk of a romance with Tyler Perry, but they are just friends. Tyra recently tried “Something New,” a little interracial dating, but that has not worked out either. Popular erotic author Zane is scheduled to meet up with Tyra to give her some advice as well. Good luck Tyra, and to all the ladies who are in similar positions. Are men afraid of smart women?

Bobby Brown is determined to make money. He needs money so he can get his life together. He needs a home, a car and money fast, so he can pay his child support and stay out of jail. Bobby wants to do another reality show and he’s trying to convince former boxer Mike Tyson to help him out. He figures they could do a show together showing them getting their lives in order. They could both use the money and they are currently filming footage for a show.

Usher at a gay club! According to some dancers who have worked with him on Broadway (in the musical Chicago), yes. They claim they all went out hanging at a popular gay nightclub. I’m sure his mom was not happy about this. Even though it was just an innocent case of hanging out, people do talk-- for example, the dancers who are telling all. Usher’s mom has been trying not to interfere in her son’s private life, but she is not happy about his relationship with his former stylist Tameka Foster. Foster is an older divorcee with three kids and she wants to marry Usher. Usher’s mom would prefer him with a woman closer to his age and without all the baggage. This was not a good week for Usher. He is finishing up his successful Broadway stint in Chicago, but he has been too sick too perform. He has been ordered to rest by doctors. Appearing on Broadway was a good move for him. He was amazing with all the singing and dancing and sources say they hope he makes a return to Broadway in another musical.

What’s up with producer Quincy Jones? Friends of the 74 year old music mogul are worried that he is hanging out too much. Recent photos have shown Jones looking sleepy and out of it. Let’ hope he wasn’t drunk. He is always surrounded by young women, but he appears as though he is lost in the twilight zone. He is too old for this. He is a legend and he doesn’t need this kind of publicity. I’m sure close friend Oprah Winfrey has been notified. Maybe she can do an intervention with the help of family members.

Actor Terrance Howard is set to star in the life story of Country legend Charlie Pride on the big screen. After performing in the Negro League’s Pride, he went on to become a music legend in country music which is rare for African Americans. He has had over 36 number one songs. Howard is set to do his own singing and play the guitar.

I hear congratulations are in order for singer Faith Evans and her husband they are expecting another child. It’s been a long road for the singer. Two years ago she and her husband were arrested for cocaine possession.

The first season of Martin is coming out on DVD in January. The first season features 27 episodes, plus a blooper real and commentary from star, Martin Lawrence.

Actress Tamara Dobson has died. Dobson was best known for the 1973, movie Cleopatra Jones. She was 6’2 in heels and she was built like a brick house 38-26-38. Dobson has been battling multiple sclerosis for the past few years. She was 59 years old.

Celebrity TV Chef G Garvin has a new cookbook out called Turn up the Heat with G Garvin.

The Third Annual Hip Hop Honors will air on VH1 Tuesday, October 17th at 9pm. Honorees include Ice Cube, The Wu Tang Clan, Afrika Bambaataa, Russell Simmons, MC Lyte, Rakim, The Beastie Boys and Eazy E.

Tyler Perry will be hosting the 2006 Black Movie Awards. The show airs Wednesday, October 18th at 10pm on TNT. Special honorees include actor Laurence Fishburne, who is getting a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Halle Berry will be starring in the movie Class Act. The movie is a true story about a White School Teacher, Terry Cahill, from Reno, Nevada who accepted a challenge from her sixth grade class and ran for Congress in 2006. Halle will play the role of Cahill.

R. Kelly is being sued for beating up one of his former workers. Henry Love Vaughn says the singer beat him up and cheated him out of song writing royalties. Vaughn says he was a mentor to Kelly and he says he co-wrote “Step in the Name of Love.” Spokespeople for R. Kelly have responded, saying the R. Kelly has written over two thousand songs without using a co-writer. They described Vaughn as a hanger on who was trying to extort money from R. Kelly.

Queen Latifah has written a children’s book called Queen of the Scene.

Actress Sanaa Latham will be gracing the cover of Essence magazine. She was supposed to be on the cover earlier this year when the movie Something New hit theatres, but there was a lot of controversy surrounding Sanaa and her friendship with actor Denzel Washington. Sanaa says they just worked together on the movie Out of Time. She says there was no affair. Sanaa is the rumored new girlfriend of Dallas Cowboy star Terrell Owens. Sanaa is close friends with his publicist Kim Etheridge.

Smokey Robinson will be appearing on the soap opera Days of Our Lives on November 14th and 15th. In addition to a little acting he’s going to sing.

Donna Summer and Chaka Khan are both scheduled to release new albums next year on Burgundy Records. It’s a new record label that will feature and cater to established artists.

Maybe she’s just trying to preserve her voice, but fans of Pop singer Mariah Carey are fed up with her lip singing on tour. A lot of fans feel they pay too much money to see her perform and she’s actually lip singing on stage. This is odd because Mariah can really sing. There is no need to fake it.

WHAT’S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These two soul music veteran are at odds. They have been stars since childhood. She is an accomplished singer with a classic voice. He is a musical genius who despite his handicap is one of the most successful recording artists in history. Years ago he promised the female singer one of his songs. He had her rehearse and record it. He begged her to do it, so imagine her surprise when she heard the song being sung by the Queen of Soul. This song went on to become a big hit for the Queen and the female singer never forgot that. She has done projects with the musical genius over the years, but she has never forgotten how he used her and broke his promise.

Patti LaBelle’s long awaited gospel album is coming out on November 21st. The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle includes a duet with Yolanda Adams called “Where Love Begins.” On November 10th Patti will be in concert at the Deliverance Evangelistic Church, 21st and Lehigh Streets.

Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting the American Music Awards. The show will air on ABC on November 21st. Beyonce and Mary J. Blige are scheduled to perform.

Tavis Smiley’s new book is out. My Story of Growing up in America, What I Know For Sure, is a book about his life and what made him the man he is today. Tavis will be in Philly on Tuesday, October 17th at the National Constitution Center. He will be speaking at 6:30 pm. For more info call 215-409-6700.

The Philadelphia Chapter of the NAACP will hold their Annual Freedom Fund Gala Saturday, October 14th. Festivities will take place at the First District Plaza, 3801 Market Street. For information call 215-978-7500.

The Ivy Legacy Chapter of the AKA’s present Philly’s Men Are Cooking. The 15th Anniversary fundraiser takes place December 2nd at The National Constitution Center, 6th and Arch Streets. For more info call 215-848-4735.