[Afrochic]

Patty Jackson The 411

The Golden Globe awards are set for January 19th on NBC. Queen Latifah has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mama Morton in the Musical Chicago. Chicago is based on the Broadway smash and it opens in theatres on the 27th. Chicago stars Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellwegger, Richard Gere, Mya, Taye Diggs and Queen Latifah. Bernie Mac has also been nominated for a Golden Globe for his work in the Bernie Mac Show and Actor Dennis Haysbert also received a nomination for his work on the Fox Show 24. In other Queen Latifah news she’s headed to Broadway to star in a production with Rapper/Actor Mos Def.

Patti Labelle has started her new management company. The company is called Pattionium and the first artist is her back up Singer Mary Griffin.

Arsenio Hall is headed back to TV. Aresenio is going to be the new host of Star Search. Before there was American Idol there was the talent competition show Star Search. Ed McMahon hosted the show, which went on to launch many careers. Arsenio will take over the Ed McMahon role and it debuts on CBS on the Jan. 8th.

Producer Dallas Austin is being sued by a Producer/Director who says Dallas stole his idea for the movie Drumline. Darryl Lassiter is claiming that Drumline was his idea and the movie is based on his Independent movie ‘Pay the Price’. Pay the Price was about a freshman college student who tries out for the marching band. Darryls movie even co-starred J Anthony Brown who plays a rival marching band leader. The movie Drumline is based on the life of Producer Dallas Austin. His story is also about a freshman college student who tries out for the marching band and also co stars J Anthony Brown as a rival marching band leader. Damn! Darryl says he met with Dallas years ago to talk to him about his idea for a film. Uh-oh, someone has some explaining to do. Drumline is an excellent movie I hope everybody gets there do.

Cedric The Entertainer is teaming up with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the Buddy Film ‘Joe’s last chance’. The movie is about a hit man who changes his attitude after Cedric saves his life.

Oprah Winfrey escaped injury in Johannesburg South Africa. Oprah is doing work on behalf of her foundation and she was giving out Christmas gifts to school kids. While Oprah was inside with a group of kids, a tent collapsed outside. Thank Goodness no one was hurt. Oprahs Christmas Kindness Project hopes to help 45 thousand children worldwide.

Mike McCrary of Boys To Men stopped by to see. Mike brought me some food from his restaurant and he wanted to clear some things up. Contrary to reports Mike says he is not retiring from Boys to Men. He says he is still with the group and he is not planning on leaving anytime soon. Mike says people thought he was leaving the group when he went into the restaurant business. Mike says his new business venture will not get in the way of his singing career. Mike and his wife Venus are the owners of Majestic Ribs. Majestic Ribs is located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey 1900 Greentree Road in the Springdale Plaza. The food Mike brought me was delicious. The WDAS staff was very happy. The cornbread was off the hook. Majestic Ribs specializes in Southern Cuisine.

Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees is reportedly teaming up with Michael Jackson for a music project.

Actor Nick Cannon who is currently starring in the movie Drumline, is set to star in and produce a movie called The Under Classmen. In the movie Nick will play undercover detective who infiltrates an elite private school.

Baby News for the Sixers! Congratulation to Eric Snow of the 76ers. Eric and his wife recently welcomed their third child a boy, Jarren Christopher. Also congrats at Allen Iverson and his wife Tawanna they are expecting their third child.

Our condolences go out to Singer Gladys Knight. Gladys younger brother David Knight died earlier this month. David was 55 and he died from a heart attack brought on by diabetes. David was a percussionist and he was known as an Honoray member of the Pips. Gladys has had to deal with a lot of grief lately. Last year she lost her neice by singer Aalilah in a plane crash and in 1999 her son Jimmy died.
Congratulations to the Lattimores. Kenny Lattimore and his wife Singer Chante Moore are expecting their first child. The new arrival will be here in the spring. The will be Kenny’s first child and Chante’s second. She has a daughter from a previous marriage to Actor Kadeem Hardison.

Beyonce is going to be the new Spokesperson for Pepsi. Beyonce is looking at a cool 10 million dollars for the deal. Look for the new commericals to air during the Superbowl.