[CrimsonTide4]

:: Patty Jackson's 411 for the week of July 18th, 2005:


Singer Lauryn Hill continues to unravel before our eyes. At a recent show in London she was booed and pelted with popcorn after arriving on stage three hours late. The fans got fed up with her nonsense and let her have it. Lauryn claims she took that long because she couldn't decide what to wear.

Speaking of fed up, Hollywood is getting fed up with Chris Tucker. His Rush Hour co-star Jackie Chan recently revealed the holdup regarding another Rush Hour movie. Chan says Tucker wants too much power--final editing rights and a final look at the movie. Two Rush Hour movies have made him famous and brought him a lot of money, but he needs to get it together. I don't want to see another Rush Hour movie. He needs to prove that he can act. Stop doing buddy movies and show your acting chops. He should stop doing roles that typecast him. He plays the same character in all of his movies. Earlier this year, he signed a two picture deal with New Line Cinema for $40 million. What will happen with Rush Hour Three? The movie company is ready to drop the project because Chris won't cooperate.

Is Usher going to be a dad? It looks like it judging from a recent photo of Usher holding and rubbing his girlfriend's stomach. Usher's girlfriend, Eisha Brightwell, is reportedly three months pregnant and due in January. Eisha and Usher met four years ago on the set of his video "I Need a Girl Part One." She used to date rapper Xzibit (MTV'S Pimp My Ride) and he used to date Chili from TLC. I hear Usher's mom is not happy about the news. She wants him to concentrate on his career, not have a baby momma. Maybe Usher will marry her. He sure looks happy.


The upcoming season of the ABC series Desperate Housewives will feature more surprises, twists and turns according to the show's creator Marc Cherry. Actress Alfre Woodard joins the cast on Wisteria Lane as the new neighbor who is up to no good. The show is up for 15 Emmy nominations. The Emmys air September 18th on CBS. Halle Berry and S Epatha Merkerson are also nominated for Emmys for the work in Their Eyes Were Watching God and Lackawanna Blues. Speaking of Halle, she is gearing up for a return as "Storm" in the next X-Men movie.


Mrs. Will Smith is having a tough time on the road. When she's not acting she's singing. I'm talking about Jada Pinkett Smith who is currently on the road with her band Wicked Wisdom. Jada and her band were invited to join the OzzFest Tour by Sharon Osborne the wife of legendary rocker Ozzy Osborne. She had seen Jada perform and she thought she would be a perfect addition to the lineup. Well the heavy metal fans aren't feeling Jada and her band and they are letting her know it with their "boos" and their profanity laced tirades throughout her set. Jada says despite the negative response, she is going to continue with the tour. I hope she doesn't get hurt. Her hubby Will Smith is accompanying her on the tour. Will recently formed a new company with his Hollywood friends. Will has teamed up with Blair Underwood, Tisha Campbell and Duane Martin to form a company that will distribute films straight to DVD releases. The company will be called The Momentum Experience and the purpose is to control images of African Americans in film


"Tony Soprano" is acting like a baby. Say it isn't so! Actor James Gandolfini recently threw a temper tantrum on the set of The Sopranos. Gandolfini who plays the tough mob boss "Tony Soprano" kept flubbing his lines and he got so mad he smashed his fists into a plate glass window. His hand is okay, but a serious injury could have delayed the start of the new season scheduled for March. Sources say they hate it when he acts like an infant.


Groundbreaking ceremonies took place last week in Los Angeles for the Ray Charles Museum. The Museum is scheduled to open in 2007.


Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock will be joining forces late next year for a comedy movie. Eddie says he always wanted to work with Chris and now it is finally happening. In the movie Eddie and Chris will play would be robbers who plan a heist. 2006 is going to be busy for Eddie Murphy. Filming starts in January on the movie musical Dreamgirls. Eddie will team up with Beyonce and Jamie Foxx. Now speaking of Jamie Foxx, his new movie Stealth opens in theatres on the 29th. The Oscar winner will play a navy stealth pilot.


Singer Chaka Khan will be receiving the "Founders Award" at Billboard Magazine's R&B and Hip Hop Awards. The ceremony takes place on August 5th.


Jermaine Dupri opens up in the latest issue of King Magazine. He says he knows people are hating on him because he's got Janet Jackson. He knows they say, "How?" "Why?" He admits he didn't appreciate Chris Rock making jokes about him and he says Chris is probably not married to the woman he wants to be married to. (For the record Chris's wife is gorgeous). Jermaine will be serving as the executive producer on Janet's next album. For the past twenty years Janet has been working with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and she is re teaming with them once again. The new album is coming out next year.


Stevie Wonder is coming to Atlantic City. He's going to be in concert August 12th at Trump Taj Mahal. Tickets go on sale July 25th.


At the movies it's Hustle and Flow with Terrance Howard and Anthony Anderson.


Essence Magazine has a new Editor in Chief. Angela Burt Murray is the former Executive Editor at Teen People. She used to work at Essence from 1998-2001. Susan L. Taylor will remain as the Editorial Director and will continue her popular column, "In the Spirit."


Wesley Snipes continues to think he's above the law. He was recently named as an undesirable person for trying to use a forged passport to enter South Africa. Snipes will not be able to return to South Africa unless he has a visa. He does have a valid US passport, but he still has a problem paying his child support and his taxes.


LL Cool J has just signed a production deal with Lions Gate Films. The first project will be a remake of the 1987 classic Fatal Attraction with Michael Douglass and Glenn Close. LL will play the Michael Douglass role.


Songwriter Norman Whitfield has been sentenced t six months of home detention. Whitfield was found guilty of failing to report more than $4 million dollars in songwriting royalties to the IRS. Whitfield was a Motown record producer who co-wrote many Motown classics including "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "I Heard it Through the Grapevine."


Remember the 70's disco group, The Village People? Well, the black guy who played the cop, Victor Willis, has fallen on hard times. Willis was arrested last week after being found with a loaded gun and crack cocaine. Willis has been in and out of trouble for a while. In 1990, he was convicted of possessing drugs and he was acquitted of raping a woman after she ended their one week relationship. Willis co-wrote many of the Village People's greatest hits including "In the Navy," "YMCA" and "Macho Man." Willis is also the first husband of actress Phylicia Rashad.


Singer India Aire will be featured in a new VH1 special called Tracking the Monster. The special debuts on August 23rd and it will follow the singer doing volunteer work with the Global Fund to fight AIDS. India is accompanied by her mom and actress Ashley Judd is also featured.


Louis Gossset, Jr. and Morris Chestnut will be teaming up for the movie Caribbean Manhunt. They will play Miami police detectives battling drug traffickers. Filming starts next month.


Jonathan speaks! Jonathan Plummer the soon to be ex-husband of author Terry McMillan wants his money. In a recent interview on Good Morning America Jonathan admitted he wants some money from his soon to be ex-wife. He feels there would be no How Stella Got Her Groove Back without him because that was the story his life. He feels this money is owed to him. Jonathan also revealed that he married McMillan because he truly loved her. He says he didn't know she was famous and that she came on to him. He says he suppressed his gay feelings for 28 years. Jonathan is 30 years old. He also says he didn't cheat on his wife, but he did register on a gay dating website. He says he just wanted to look. He says he feels the need to tell his story because Terry harassed him and made his life hell.


Another divorce is coming. Omarosa Manigault-Stalworth is divorcing her husband of five years Aaaron Stalworth. Omarosa is currently stretching her fifteen minutes of fame on the VH1 reality show The Surreal Life. Omarosa rose to fame as the back stabbing vixen on the first season of the reality show The Apprentice. Omarosa is on the fast track to fame and she is leaving her husband behind claiming they grew apart. Omarosa is currently trying to launch a talk show.


Mariah Carey is going to have to go back to wearing clothes. She started dressing slutty again after Live 8 in London and on a recent German television show her breasts came out of her outfit. Mariah ran off the stage in horror before anyone could get a photo. At the beginning of her promo tour she vowed to dress better. Maybe she better go back to that promise. A German TV host also embarrassed her. He told her on TV that she looked like a stuffed sausage in her clothes and then he pointed out her cellulite. OUCH! Mariah hurry home………..


Sir Elton John is planning to include a tribute song to Luther Vandross on his upcoming Christmas album. BB King, Patti Labelle, and Joss Stone will also be featured on the project.


Filmmaker Reginald Hudlin has been named the new President of Entertainment at BET. Hudlin is best known for the movies HouseParty, Boomerang and Serving Sarah. Hudlin will be in charge of Music, Entertainment, Specials, Sports, News and Public Affairs, Films and Programming.


There will be a Simple Life Four with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. The gals are no longer friends, but the executives at Fox want the girls to host the fourth installment of the hit show. Paris tried to replace Nicole when they had a falling out but Fox knows that Nicole is the real star of the show. She's hysterical. Paris may have the fame, but Nicole has the jokes. So how will the producers get them together? They may have the girls planning their respective weddings and keep them apart or they base the show on getting them to reconcile. Nicole and Paris were the best of friends, but jealousy got in the way. Nicole didn't like the fact that Paris got all the fame and side gigs (hosting Saturday Night Live) Paris hated the fact that Nicole stopped doing drugs, lost weight and found a man. Will the girls be able to overcome their differences? I guess we'll find out during the new season of Simple Life Four.


"If this Hat Could Talk" is the untold story of Dr. Dorothy Height. The stage play musical is coming to Philadelphia in October. The musical is set to gospel, blues, jazz and R&B. Dr. Height is the President and CEO of the National Council of Negro Women. She has held this position since 1957. She is best known for her community service around the world. See Delta forum for TOUR DATES and CITIES


The "Ebony Black Family Reunion Tour" is coming to Philadelphia on Saturday, July 23rd. This free event is happening at Memorial Hall, 42nd and Parkside from 11am until 8pm. This year's concert will feature Doug E .Fresh and Lisa Lisa.