[Afrochic]

4-1-1 ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 25, 2003

Get ready for a shrinking star! Star Jones is ready to lose weight. Star is one of the popular co-hosts of the ABC Show The View and she is going to get gastric bypass surgery. This is the popular weight loss surgery that helped Today Show “Weather Guy” Al Roker and singer Carnie Wilson lose over a 100 pounds each. Barbara Walters has been trying to get Star to lose weight for years and now that Star is going to do it, Barbara is going to feature her in an ABC Special.

Who needs Jennifer Lopez when you can have three new “divas?” Benny Medina, the man who is credited with making Jennifer a star, was fired over the summer by J-Lo and now he has moved on to work his magic on singers Brandy, Mya and Mariah Carey. All three women want to reinvent themselves. This should be interesting with Mariah Carey because she can’t stand Jennifer Lopez and she has always envied her career. As for Brandy and Mya, Mya is boring, who cares? Brandy should be interesting now that she has dumped her husband. She is ready to spread her wings. Maybe that’s why she is dating singer Tyreese.

Singer Peabo Bryson owes the “tax man.” Last week was very embarrassing for the 52-year-old singer. Peabo owes the IRS $1.2 million and when he failed to pay them, they showed up at his Atlanta mansion and took all the belongings out. Peabo was standing outside in his pajamas and there was nothing he could do.

Prince is up to his old antics. At a recent show in California, Prince refused to speak or sing. Occasionally he would play the piano and the guitar, but he basically stayed on the side of the stage watching the band play. Needless to say, the crowd was not pleased and they started booing. Prince just flashed a peace sign and retreated to the VIP area of the club

Michael Jackson is mad at the makers of Scary Movie three. Michael is threatening to sue the makers of the film if the Michael Jackson look a like that is in the film uses a child sex joke.

Mary J Blige’s New CD love & Life comes out next Tuesday and Mary has been opening up about her life. Mary says she is on a new path and she is in charge of her career. Mary says she was robbed by her former management. She also said a lot of her friends preferred he drunk Mary, the drugged Mary, the Mary who didn’t know the Lord. Mary says her fiance made her give up drinking. Mary is looking to get married next year.

Tavis Smily is returning to TV. Starting in January Tavis will be hosting a late night show on PBS. The show will be a blend of news and pop culture.