Why is Mary J. Blige having money problems? This was not a good week for The Queen Of Hip Hop Soul, who was hit with a $3.4 million tax lien from the IRS. This is on top of the $900,000 she owes the state of New Jersey. Blige tours all the time, so why is she having financial problems? Blige could wind up in jail if she doesn’t solve her tax issues. Lauryn Hill is on her way to jail. She has to turn herself in this summer and joins Wesley Snipes, Reality Star Richard Hatch from Survivor, and Ronald Isley on the list of celebrities who wind in jail for failing to pay taxes. C’mon Mary! We love you, so get it together!
Speaking of celebrities and their money, Actor/Comedian Sinbad has filed for bankruptcy again. He is $10 million in debt. He owes the I.R.S. Over $8 million from 1998-2006. Sinbad says he only makes $16,000 a month, and he can’t afford to pay his bills. Sinbad also owes thousand of dollars in credit card debt.
Another broke celebrity is Celebrity Apprentice Star Claudia Jordan. The Deal Or No Deal model filed for bankruptcy due to being a million dollars in debt. There were rumors she was dating Fly Jock Tom Joyner. If she wasn’t before, she may want to think about it now. He’s got the money and he’s single.
More mudslinging in the Michael Jackson wrongful death suit. Mom Katherine Jackson is suing concert promoter AEG on behalf of her late son's estate. She filed against AEG Live for negligent hiring of Dr. Conrad Murray, who is currently serving 4 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. The trial is to established how much responsibility AEG must take for Jackson's death. Look for AEG to bring up a lot of negatives against Michael Jackson including that he hired Murray, drug and alcohol abuse and whether or not Jackson is the biological parent of Prince and Michael. As the plantiff and guardian of Michael's three children, Katherine Jackson was deposed for nine hours over a three-day period. That's because every point is going to be used by both side. There was even a controversy as lawyers for AEG gave candy to the jurors. After objections from Jackson's lawyers, the compromise is that both sides can now give candy to the jurors. This will be a long trial.
Meanwhile, Choreographer Wade Robson says that as a minor, he was molested by The King Of Pop. Robson, 30, is suing the Michael Jackson estate for damages. Lawyers for the Jackson estate call Robson's claim outrageous and pathetic. Now, Jackson nephew Taj, one of Tito's sons, says Robson is definitely lying. Taj says he was molested as a child by an uncle on his mother's side of the family, and that Michael Jackson was part of his support system. Taj says as a survivor of molestation he can tell Robson is not being truthful.
Gabrielle Union returns to the small screen on the BET drama series Being Mary Jane debuting Tuesday, July 2nd. Union plays a TV talk show host navigating her way through career and single life. The show was created by Mara Brock Akil creator of Girlfriends and The Game. Speaking of The Game, new episodes also premiere Tuesday July 2nd.
TV shake ups:
Dancing With The Stars looks like it may welcome some different faces to the judges table. Len Goodman and Carrie Ann Inaba may be saying goodbye. Look for only Bruno Tonioli to return. This along with the Dancing being cut down to
one show a week (two hours on Monday) is all part of the plan to head off declining ratings.
That's the same reason for the major changes are coming to American Idol. The past season despite good talent, Idol had disappointing ratings. Now, a new panel of judges is being sought. Out are Randy Jackson, Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey and Keith Urban. I hear producers may bring back former contestants like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken and Adam Lambert to be the new judges. Do you think this would work? Meanwhile, original Idol Judge Simon Cowell has revealed changes for his singing reality show The X-Factor. New judges Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio are replacing Britney Spears and L.A. Reid. The new season of The X-Factor kicks off this fall on FOX.
Oprah Winfrey is gearing up for a new season of Master Class. The show returns to the OWN cable channel with Lenny Kravitz on June 2nd, Motown Founder Berry Gordy on June 16th and Diahann Carroll on June 23rd. Tyler Perry is joining the OWN this weekend with his new shows Love hy Neighbor and The Haves and Have Nots.
Get ready for Sweet Brown! The “Aint Got No Time For That” lady is getting her own series, The Sweet Brown Reality Show. The internet sensation recently filmed a cameo for Tyler Perry's Christmas movie. She is also coming out with a barbeque sauce called Oh Lord Jesus, It’s A Fire, her famous line from her interview segment that went viral.
Wanna dress like “Olivia Pope?” Get ready for a clothing line based on the character of the hit ABC show Scandal.
Former Lakers Coach Phil Jackson has written a book about his career as one of the winningest basketball coaches in history. Jackson's book Eleven Rings: The Soul Of Success details his relationship with NBA Superstar Kob Bryant. In 2003, Bryant had sexual assault charges brought against him, and Jackson admits he resented Kobe because Jackson's own daughter had been sexually assaulted by an athlete. Even though the case was settled and charges dropped, it took years to repair their relationship.
Even though she’s a married to rich Muslim billionaire (Entrepreneur Wissam Al Mana), Janet Jackson says she is working on a new project. This comes on the heals of Janet recently celebrating the 20th anniversary of her Janet album which yielded six top ten singles and sold over 7 million copies.
Chad Ochocinco Johnson is in trouble again. Chad changed his name back to Johnson, and this past week he was arrested for violating his probation from a 2012 domestic violence incident. Chad failed to report to his probation officer, and failed to show proof he enrolled in a domestic violence education class. Chad is 35, and he was once a famous football star. He was also on reality shows including Dancing With The Stars, and he married Reality Star Evelyn Lozada from Basketball Wives. With regard to the probation, Johnson was jailed briefly before posting bail and being released. In his court appearance, he said he had no money to pay his child support.
Ron Isley is back! Isley just turned 72, and he has a new song, Dinner And A Movie. In the video, he stars with his 36-year old wife Kandy Isley.
Odunde is happening Sunday, June 9th at 23rd and South Street from 10am until 8pm.
Chaka Khan is getting inducted into the Apollo Theatre Hall Of Fame on Monday, June 10th. Wayne Brady will be hosting with Mary J. Blige and Patti LaBelle performing.
Good Morning America Anchor Robin Roberts is writing a book. Roberts recently received a bone marrow transplant from her sister, and the book due out next April will focus on her battle against the illness.
Will Smith and son Jaden Smith team up for the movie After Earth, which opens in theatres May 31st.
Former Destiny's Child Singer LeToya Luckett is joining the cast of VH1’s Single Ladies. Damien Wayans is also joining the cast. The cable drama starring LisaRaye, Charity Shea and Denise Vasi returns to VH1 later this year.
Heavy D’s estate is going to be left to his daughter. The popular rapper/actor/music exec died in November 2011, and left behind a 13-year old daughter. When she is of age, she will inherit his estate and his social security, pension and future royalties. Heavy’s brother Floyd will manage the estate until Heavy's daughter can.
The fight is on for Nelson Mandela estate. The former president of South Africa is 94, and has been experiencing major health issues. He doesn’t want his daughters to have a hand in his business dealings. Mandela has gone to court to stop them from meddling in his business. In November, Idris Elba will be portraying Mandela in the movie Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. The movie opens in theatres November 29th, and will detail Mandela's early life and his 27 years in prison.
The Best Man sequel, The Best Man Holiday, with Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Monica Calhoun, Melissa De Sousa and Sanaa Lathan, opens in theatres November 15th.
The Real Husbands of Hollywood Reunion Show is happening Tuesday, May 28th on BET. During the show, Singer Robin Thicke is going to talk about why he quit the show. New Cast member Bobby Brown is expected to pop up as well. Chris Rock has also signed up for next season joining series star Kevin Hart, JB Smoove, Boris Kodjoe, Nick Cannon and Duane
Martin. Speaking of Nick Cannon, he just brought the rights to Soul Train. He says he is going to do a total overhaul of the how in the next few months. Cannon is also the host of NBC's America's Got Talent.
Cannon's Real Husbands' co-star Kevin Hart has his latest stand up comedy movie Let Me Explain hitting theatres July 3rd. Meanwhile, Hart's ex-wife, Torrei, is proving she and Kevin have a great relationship despite their divorce. For Mother's Day, Kevin gave his ex-wife, who is the mother of his two children, a diamond heart necklace.
The Pastors Of Los Angeles is a show headed to the Oxygen channel. So what's it like being the pastor of a mega church? The reality show is going to follow the travels of Bishop Noel Jones, Bishop Clarence McClendon and Gospel Singer Deitrick Haddon among others. The show is sure to be explosive. For example, Bishop Noel Jones, the twin brother to Singer Grace Jones, is dating TV/Movie Star LisaRaye. Yes! LisaRaye from The Players Club. He’s 63, and she’s 46. The two have been dating for a while. Will she eventually be the First lady of his church? Hmmmmmm!
Cee-Lo Green and Christina Aguilera are returning to The Voice next season. Season five will feature the original crew of Adam, Blake, Cee-Lo and Christina. Usher starts filming the Sugar Ray Leonard bio-pic Hands Of Stone with Robert De Niro. Shakira will return to her singing career. Both Usher and Shakira both were very good this season on The Voice. Cee-Lo is also doing a reality show for the TBS cable channel, The Cee-Lo Life debuts next year.
The BET Awards are set for Sunday, June 30th on BET with Comedian/Actor Chris Tucker hosting. “Uncle” Charlie
Wilson is getting the night's big honor, and R Kelly is scheduled to be one of the night's performers.
Upcoming movies:
The Lee Daniels film The Butler, with Oscar Winner Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey, hits theatres August 16th. The movie is about White House Butler Eugene Allen, who served under 8 presidents from 1952 to 1986.
David E. Talbert's Baggage Claim, with Paula Patton, Jill Scott, Boris Kodjoe, Trey Songz, Taye Diggs, Dijmon Hounsou and Derek Luke, opens in theatres September 27th.
The BET gospel competition show Sunday Best has been renewed for a new season.
Blair Underwood is returning to TV this fall in the remake of the Raymond Burr classic Ironside, about the paralyzed police chief who continues to fight crime. The show will air Wednesday nights on NBC.
Barbara Walters is saying goodbye to TV. Walters, 84, is planning a year long celebration that will culminated in the Summer of 2014.
Get ready for the return of Oscar Winner/Comedienne Mo'Nique. Mo'Nique is currently touring the country on a comedy tour. She has lost 82 pounds through walking and drinking of plenty of water. Mo'Nique was last seen on her BET late night-talk show, which was abruptly cancelled. Mo'Nique says she still doesn’t know what happened to have BET take the show off the air. In a recent interview, Mo'Nique explained her controversial open marriage comments from a few years back. She claims she was in an open relationship with her husband that had no secrets. Mo'Nique described her husband Sidney Hicks as her rock that she loves very much. She realized her behavior backfired on her, and now she knows how to appreciate her husband.
Former Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb is going to retire as a Philadelphia Eagle. The big ceremony is taking place Thursday, September 19th when former Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid comes to town with his new team,
the Kansas City Chiefs.
Filming has started on the sequel to the Steve Harvey smash Think Like Man. Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union and Michael Ealy are among the returning cast members. The first installment grossed $100 million, and this sequel is due to hit theatres June 10th, 2014.
Look for changes coming to Dancing With The Stars next season. The show is being pared down to one show a week and two hours on Monday.
Niecy Nash has a new book out on dating tips for singles called It’s Hard To Fight Naked. Nash returns to the small screen next month in The Soul Man with Cedric The Entertainer. The second season kicks off Wednesday, June 19th on
the TV Land network.
TV's The Young And The Restless is planning a tribute to Actress Jeanne Cooper. Cooper, best known for her role as “Katherine Chancellor on the popular soap opera, passed away last week at the age of 84. The special Young And The Restless tribute show will air Tuesday, May 28th.
Mary Mary's Tina and Erica Campbell are the cover girls for the latest edition of Ebony magazine. In a very revealing interview, Tina talks about her marital troubles with husband Teddy Campbell. She talks about his infidelity, and how it almost drove her to violence. Tina, who just gave birth to baby number five, says she and Teddy are working through their problems and are committed to each other.
Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey are the cover models for the latest issue of Essence magazine. Tyler has two new shows debuting on Oprah's OWN cable station later this month: The Have And Have Nots and Love Thy Neighbor.
In more Oprah-OWN news, the Bill Duke movie Dark Girls is coming to the network in June. The movie deals with color issues (colorism) within the African American community.
On July 4th , it's the Wawa Welcome America concert at the Art Museum steps on The Ben Franklin Parkway with The Roots, Jill Scott, Ne-Yo, Demi Lovato, John Mayer and J Cole.
The Dell Music Center kicks off a new season July 11th with Chaka Khan and Ledisi followed by:
July 18th - Fantasia and Joe;
July 25th- The Whispers, Stylistics, Chi-Lites & Breakwater for WDAS' celebration of Tony Brown's 40th Anniversary;
August 1st – Israel Houghton & Vicki Yohe;
August 8th- Bell Biv Devoe and SWV
August 15th- Stephanie Mills & Jeffrey Osborne;
August 22nd – Dave Koz Peabo Bryson & Friends featuring Gerald Albright;
August 29th - The Funk Show starring Bloodstone, New Birth, Con Funk Shun, The Dazz Band & Cameo.
The Dell box office is open now until May 24th for season ticket holders, and May 28th for the general public. The Dell Music Center is located at 33rd and Ridge.
Rapper/Reality Star Flavor Flav will be able to tour with Public Enemy this summer. He is scheduled to stand trial in September on assault charges. The 54-year old Rock & Roll Hall Of Famer is accused of chasing his girlfriend's 17-year old son with a butcher knife. Flav faces up to 12 years in jail.
Oscar Nominated-Actress Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) is joining the cast of American Horror Story. Season three kicks off later this year on FX. Angela Bassett is also joining the show playing a witch. Bassett will also join Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker and Mary J. Blige are headlining the cast of the movie version of Black Nativity, which is coming out later this year.
The 2013 Tony Awards air June 9th on CBS. Congratulation to Acting Legend Cicely Tyson, who got her first ever Tony nomination for her role in the stage production of A Trip To Bountiful. She’s been nominated for Best Actress. Tyson's Bountiful co-stars Vanessa Williams and Cuba Gooding, Jr. have gotten more good news. A Trip To Bountiful has been extend on Broadway until September 1st at the Stephen Sondheim Theater.
Mark Wahlberg is teaming with Oscar Winner Denzel Washington and Paula Patton for the movie 2 Guns, which opens in theatres August 2nd.
Get ready for a new documentary about Julius “Dr. J” Erving. It's to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the NBA legend's only NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 90 minute special, The Doctor, will air on NBA-TV June 10th.
Sunny Anderson of The Food Network has a new cook book coming. Sunny Anderson: Easy Food For Real Life hits stores this August.
Sherri Shepherd from The View has a new book, How To Lose Weight And Beat Diabetes.
Friday, June 21st, it’s another Sound Of Philly night at Citizen Bank Park. The Phillies are playing The Mets, and before the game, some Philly artists will be celebrated on field. Evelyn “Champagne” King, Dexter Wansel, The Futures and Bunny Sigler will be honored. I'll be hosting the on field festivities so get your tickets now. Legendary Writers/Producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff will be on hand for the festivities as we celebrate (T.S.O.P.) The Sound Of Philadelphia.
Get ready for The Fast & Furious VI and VII. Version six with The Rock, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Tyrese and Ludacris arrives in theatres this Friday. Fast & Furious VII is coming out July 11th, 2014.
White House Down is Jamie Foxx's latest film. Foxx is going to play the President Of The United States and his co-stars are Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx Show alum Garcelle Beauvais. White House Down opens in theatres June 28th. Foxx has also been named the new spokesperson for the national campaign for Big Brothers And Big Sisters. Jamie is also playing the new villain in the next Spiderman movie. Foxx will be playing Electro. His latest movie, the Quentin Tarantino-Oscar winner Django Unchained is available on DVD. The movie also stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Christoph Waltz (Oscar winner) and Samuel L. Jackson. Foxx is also in talks to star in the movie musical Annie with Oscar Nominee Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts Of The Southern Wild). Foxx is set to play “Benjamin Stacks,” a take-off on the “Daddy Warbucks” character. Annie is scheduled to hit the big screen late next year.
Ahmir Questlove Thompson, the drummer for The Roots, has a memoir coming out June 18th called
Mo' Meta Blues: The World According To Questlove.
Upcoming Events:
Come See About Me: The Mary Wilson-Supremes Collection kicks off in January at the African American Museum. The collection will be on display now until June 30th, and it features over 30 of the Supremes' most glamorous gowns. The African American Museum is located at 7th and Arch Streets. For more information go to AAMPMUSEUM.ORG or call 215-574-0380.
WHAT’S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This Oscar Winner may be losing her man because he is not happy with her weight loss.
Check out who’s coming to town:
This Saturday and Sunday, May 25th& 26th- Mary J. Blige at Caesars in Atlantic City for Memorial Day Weekend.
Friday, June 28th- Bob James and David Sanborn in concert at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside. For information call 1-800-745-3000.
Saturday, June 1st - The 6th Annual Roots Picnic with Naughty By Nature, Solange and Robert Glasper, just to name a few, at Penns Landing.
Friday, June 7th- Anthony Hamilton in concert at The House Of Blues in Atlantic City.
Sunday, June 9th- Babyface at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside.
Thursday, June 13th- Tamia at the TLA, 3rd and South.
Saturday, June 15th- New Kids On The Block, 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men in concert at the Wells Fargo Center.
Saturday, June 15th- Father's Day Explosion featuring Brick and Breakwater and Rheel Men at the Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 North Broad Street. For more info call 1-800-298-4200.
Friday June 21st- Jaheim in concert at the TLA, 3rd and South.
Saturday, June 29th- Mint Condition, Howard Hewett and Jon B at the TD Bank Arts Center, Washington Township High School, 519 Hurffville-Cross Keys Road in Sewell, New Jersey 08080. For more information call 856-218-8902.
Friday, July 19th – It’s TGT in concert Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank at the House of Blues in Atlantic City.
Friday, August 2nd – Smooth Jazz Summer Nights – Alex Bugnon at the Great Plaza on Penns Landing.
Thursday, August 8th- Bell Biv Devoe & SWV at the The Dell Music Center, at
33rd and Ridge.
Friday, August 9th- Smooth Jazz Summer Nights- Najee at the Great Plaza on Penns Landing.
Friday, August 16th- Smooth Jazz Summer Nights- Peter White at the Great Plaza on Penns Landing.
Saturday, August 17th- Trenton African American Pride Festival in Trenton, NJ.
August 31st-Sept.1st- The Labor Day weekend comedy show Sommore, Jay Pharoah, Arnez J, DL Hughley, Mark Curry, Tony Rock and more at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Saturday, September 14th- Sinbad comedy show at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside.
