Author Terry McMillan is about to embark on a 19 city book tour to promote her latest novel The Interruption of Everything. The book comes out on the 19th and she will be in Philadelphia on the 21st at the Church of the Advocate. A couple of weeks ago the world found out what she has known for a while, that her husband was gay and he had left her. McMillan's romance with Jonathan Plumber made headlines around the world. She was 43 when she met the 20 year old on the island of Jamaica. They got married and she based her best selling novel How Stella Got her Groove Back on her romance. After six and a half years, the marriage ended and now she has to pay him spousal support and they have restraining orders out on each other. Terry says she's angry but she's moving on. McMillan reveals she found out about his other life when she kept getting calls from a man in Jamaica. Then she found the gay pornography. McMillan says she's not angry about her husband being gay, but she feels betrayed that he would risk her life. She's afraid she now could be HIV positive. As she heals she is doing a lot of praying and meditating. Her soon to be ex is not being quiet. He wants some money. He claims he signed a prenuptial agreement under duress and he wants to void it because he wants to reestablish himself. McMillan's response, "He should get a job!"
Singer Luther Vandross got a four star sendoff at his recent memorial service. The popular singer died from a pulmonary embolism on July 1st. Luther's family and celebrity friends came out to honor and remember him. They also wanted to show their love to Luther's mom, Mary Ida Vandross, and to let her know that even though she has lost all of her children she has many people who love her as their mom. This week's edition of Jet Magazine will be a collectors' edition with a special tribute issue dedicated to his life and it feature photos from the memorial service. Make sure you pick up your copy.
Is The Apprentice ready to play the race card? Donald Trump is ready to shake things up on his reality show, The Apprentice, which has gotten stale. Sources say he may have a version that pits whites against blacks. Trump says it's just an idea, but a show like this is somewhat reflective of our world. It sure would be explosive because people would be talking.
Don't throw that Fugees reunion yet! Lauryn Hill opens up in the latest issue of Trace Magazine. She says being in the Fugees was a conspiracy to control and manipulate her. She reveals even though she was having an affair with the married Wyclef Jean, she was not allowed to date other men. She says being in the group made a beautiful person ugly. Something has happened to her over the years and it could be her affairs with married men. First, there was Wyclef and then the father of her four children, Rohan Marley. He has a wife that he has not divorced. Lauryn says she only wants to make music for her children. Now speaking of Trace Magazine, Erykah Badu poses nude in a layout that comes out later this year. Well she's not totally nude she will be wearing a pair of three thousand dollar glasses.
Author E. Lynn Harris is coming out with a new book early next year called I Say a Little Prayer.
Will there be a Rush Hour 3 movie? According to Jackie Chan a reunion is in the works, but his co-star Chris Tucker is holding things up with his demands.
There is life after Kevin Federline and Shar Jackson is living proof. The former Moesha star was dumped by Federline when he met his wife Britney Spears. Shar was seven months pregnant and even though Kevin is there as a father for their two children, just imagine how humiliating it had to be for her to be pushed aside for another woman while you're pregnant. Shar has moved on and now she's dating director Quentin Tarantino. He's 42 and he's best known for the movies Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2 and Pulp Fiction. I've seen the photos and Shar looks happy. Quentin, well maybe he's just happy to be there.
Singer Eric Benet is also moving on and he wants the world to know there is life after Halle Berry. Before his famous marriage to the Oscar Winner he was known as a singer and he was building quite a following. He recorded a great song with Tamia called "Spend My Life With You." Eric was on a roll. Then came Halle, marriage, cheating and a stay at a sex clinic. Eric says even though he cheated he was and is not a sex addict. He is truly sorry for what happened and how his marriage ended, but there is more to him than Halle and their ill fated marriage. Eric has a new album in stores called Hurricane and he's coming to Philly. Eric is doing a show at the Theatre of the Living Arts , 3rd and South Streets on August 16th. Tickets are on sale now.
Mariah Carey's sister Allison is in trouble again. Allison was arrested for the second time in two months on prostitution charges. Allison, 44, has four children and she is HIV positive. She has a history of drug abuse and she has been in rehab, courtesy of Mariah at least ten times. She has been a prostitute on and off since the 80's and she recently went through a million dollar inheritance left to her by her father. Mariah is at her wits end trying to help her sister, but her sister seems to stay in trouble.
Even though she is the talk of the town with her husband's reality show, Being Bobby Brown, representatives for Whitney are shooting down reports that she will be replacing Paula Abdul on American Idol. There have been reports that Paula may step down as a judge to host a new dance show for Fox. Whitney has been mentioned as a replacement, but she is hard at work on her comeback and new album.
Director Brett Ratner is getting ready for his new movie X-Men 3 and he says he is looking for someone maybe ex-girlfriend Serena Williams or her sister Venus to play a role in the movie. Ratner says he is looking for someone to play a bi-sexual hooker, a superhero who oozes sex appeal, someone with the ability to seduce anyone.
Rapper Lil Kim heads to jail on September 19th. She was sentenced to a year and day when she was found guilty of perjury and conspiracy when she lied to a grand jury about a 2001 shooting. She also got 3 years probation and she will have to pay a $50,000 fine. Will she be able to leave her makeup behind when she goes behind bars? They don't have makeup in jail and since she's had all that plastic surgery I can't imagine what she looks like. She used to be pretty, but she went too far with the surgery.
Singer John Oates from Hall & Oates fame is suffering from Lyme Disease. He is expected to make a full recovery, but he has had to cancel several tour dates.
Parliament Funkadalic co-founder Ray Davis has died. Davis sang bass on the songs "Tear the Roof Off" and "Give Up The Funk." Davis died from cancer and he also performed with the groups The Temptations Experience and Zapp.
2005 has been quite a year for Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker. Earlier this year Nicole and Boris had their first child, a daughter. Then they got married and now they've got their Chevy truck. Yes, a Chevy truck. The Kodjoes are the new spokespeople for Chevrolet trucks and they will be starring in the print radio and TV spots. Nicole has officially changed her name to Nicole Parker Kodjoe. The two first met and fell in love on the set of the Showtime series Soul Food. Everybody loved their characters "Terry" and "Damon."
Toni Braxton is back! Check out the married mother of two on the cover of Ebony Magazine. She's sporting a bikini and she looks great. Toni is back with a new attitude, a new CD, Libra, which is due out in a few weeks and a new record label. Toni is married to musician Kerry Lewis of Mint Condition and they are planning to renew their wedding vows next year. Toni has been hard at work as spokesperson for the American Heart Association and she's working on a TV show based on her life.
Actor Terrance Howard is on the cover of Essence and he reveals a lot.
For the first time he talks about his wife, she's Jewish and she's raising their kids to be Jehovah's Witness. 
HUH?!?!?!?!Howard has to be the hottest actor in Hollywood. His new movie Hustle and Flow opens on the 22nd. So far this year he has appeared in the movies Lackawanna Blues, Crash and Their Eyes Were Watching God. Howard is best known for his role as "Quentin," the bad boy in the film The Best Man. He stole the movie from Morris Chestnut and Taye Diggs. Up next for Howard-- a possible role in a Spike Lee biopic based on the life of boxer Joe Louis, also Four Brothers with Mark Wahlberg and Tyreese and Get Rich or Die Trying with Rapper 50 Cents.
What's going on with K-Ci & Jo Jo of Jodeci fame? Are the brothers under some kind of influence? At a recent show in Jacksonville they could barely get through their act without fighting. They actually started fighting on stage. At first the audience thought it was an act. Then they realized this was not part of the show. Maybe they should take some time, get it together and regroup Jodeci.
Singer Patti Austin is sporting a new look. Austin who's best known for the songs "Do You Love Me," "Heat of Heat" and her ballads with James Ingram "Baby Come To Me and "How Do We Keep the Music Playing" has lost over a 100 pounds. The singer has been heavy for most of her life and with recent health problems she decided to do something about it. Go Patti keep up the good work.
Charlie Wilson's solo album Charlie Last Name: Wilson is coming out on August 26th. R. Kelly produced the first hit single "Charlie Last Name: Wilson."
Singer Rick James died almost a year ago and on August 16th the album he was working on when he died will be released. Rick James Forever will feature collaborations with Johnny Gill, Howard Hewitt and Rick's daughter Ty.
Hybrid Mode
