By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
Beloved Grammy Award-winning hitmaker, three-time Emmy nominee, culinary entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author Patti LaBelle is back with an updated 20th anniversary edition of her beloved cookbook “LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes To Sing About.”
For Miss Patti, cooking is about love. Taught by the great cooks in her family — her mother, father and aunts Hattie Mae and Joshia Mae — Patti LaBelle has kept these family heirlooms close to her heart.
But now, she invites you into her kitchen and serves up more than 100 of her favorites — Say-My-Name Smothered Chicken and Gravy, Fierce Fried Corn and Aunt Hattie’s Scrumptious Sweet Tate Bread — to good-enough-for-dinner-parties dishes — Shrimp Etouffee, Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary-Lemon Rub, and Aunt Mary’s Philadelphia Buttercake.
And this 20th anniversary edition has three new recipes you’ll want to prepare and eat ASAP — Patti’s Quarantine Lobster-Shrimp Cakes, Good Life Chicken and Bangin’ Fish Deluxe.
Copies of the book, as well as a signed bookplate will be included for registrants of the virtual Live Talks Los Angeles event: “An Evening With Patti LaBelle,” which will be held July 6 at 6 p.m.
She will be joined in conversation by Tamar Braxton, multi–Grammy Award-nominated singer, five-time Emmy nominated, co-creator and co-host of “The Real,” as well as creator and star of We TV’s “Braxton Family Values.”
For more information, visit: https://livetalksla.org/events/patti-labelle/
VEGAS HOLIDAY: A couple of the biggest acts in entertainment converge on the Las Vegas Strip beginning July 2 with Dave Chappelle and Friends at the MGM Grand Garden Arena: and Bruno Mars at the Park MGM Grand (also July 3 and 4); with Chappelle returning with Joe Rogan on July 8. Good luck scoring tickets.
TASTY QUIP: “We are four months in and people are still acting surprised that I am being gay and sexual in performances of a song about gay and sexual sh*t. Like the song is literally about gay sex. What y’all want me to do? Play the piano while baking a cake?” – LIL NAS X on criticism of his BET Awards performance
CLIPPETTES: Legacy Recordings celebrates the 25th anniversary of Nas’ ground-breaking hip-hop classic “It Was Written” by releasing a newly expanded digital edition featuring previously unavailable bonus tracks “Silent Murder” and “Street Dreams” on July 2 …
Samuel L. Jackson will receive an honorary Oscar and Danny Glover the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Ceremony on Jan. 15, 2022 …
Grammy-nominated rapper Freddie Gibbs headlines the Wiltern Livestream Series July 2 at 6 p.m. Tickets available at https://www.veeps.com/browse …
According to a BlackFilmandTV.com exclusive, legendary Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter (“Coming 2 America,” “Black Panther”) will make her producing debut with “African/American,” a hip-hop South Africa set period drama to star Roc Nation artist and activist Vic Mensa …
Celebrate Independence Day at the Hollywood Bowl July 3 and 4 with their Fireworks Spectacular featuring Kool & The Gang with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra …
Hot actress Taylour Paige, who is the lead in two current films “Boogie” and “Zola,” has been cast opposite Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”) in the remake of “The Toxic Avenger.”
TASTY QUIP: “There’s something inside me that says this makes sense. I feel like this is what I’m supposed to do. ‘Jeopardy!’ is a cultural touchstone and for a Black man to occupy that podium is significant.” – LEVAR BURTON on being a July test host to the New York Times
TC ON TV: July 2 – “The Tomorrow War” (Amazon): Chris Pratt, Sam Richardson, Eldin Hodge and J.K. Simmons star in a time travel actioner. “Summer of Soul” (Hulu): With his filmmaking debut chronicling the Harlem Cultural Festival concerts done, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson will next tackle a documentary on music legend Sly Stone. “The Talk” (CBS): Mike Colter, Chef Antonio Lofaso “Friday Night Vibes” (TBS): “Black Panther” and “National Security” is the double feature this week. “Ready To Love” (OWN): There should certainly be some hurt feelings in “Reunion Part 1.”
July 4 – “We The People” (Netflix): Learn the basics of rights and citizenship with upbeat songs by popular artists like Janelle Monáe, H.E.R. and Adam Lambert. “Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular” (NBC): Tony and Grammy Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry co-hosts the 45th annual edition with performances by Black Pumas, Coldplay and others. “A Capitol Fourth” (PBS): Vanessa Williams hosts and joins Gladys Knight, Cynthia Erivo, Mickey Guyton, Jimmie Allen, Christopher Jackson and more in song. “The One and Only Dick Gregory” (SHO): Feature-length documentary examining the activist, pop-culture icon and thought leader, whose work as a self-described “agitator” shaped a generation demanding justice. Gregory’s personal reflections are here along with archival footage and interviews with the artists he influenced — including Chris Rock, Lena Waithe and Wanda Sykes.
July 5 – “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta” (VH1): This franchise entry is celebrating a landmark 10th season. “Celebrity IOU” (HGTV): After helping him through a critical injury, Kevin Hart wants to thank his trainer and friend, Boss, by transforming his backhouse into a sleek man cave.
July 6 – “The Latino Experience” (PBS): A three-hour presentation of nonfiction and fiction short films depicting a broad collection of experiences, perspectives, and points of view highlighting the diversity of the Latino community and illuminating the vibrancy of the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
July 7 – “Abby’s Places” (ESPN+): Stars, including David Ortiz, Ronda Rousey and Vince Carter, bring fans to the people and places that make their sports what it is today. “Ellen” (Syn): Loni Love hosts with guests RuPaul and rapper Saweetie. “Big Brother” (CBS): The 23rd season boasts no returnees and team style play. “Music’s Greatest Mysteries” (AXS): Investigating the most enigmatic stories in music history with new episodes.
July 8 – “Ice Cold” (YouTube): An all-new, four-episode docuseries that uses the prism of hip-hop jewelry to explore deeper issues around racial inequity and the American Dream with special appearances from the rap trio and executive producers Migos, some of the biggest names in hip-hop including J Balvin, Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, A Boogie, A$AP Ferg, City Girls, French Montana, Slick Rick and Talib Kweli; top celebrity jewelers Ben Baller, Eliantte, Johnny Dang and Icebox; and more. All four episodes premiere for free exclusively on Migos’ YouTube Channel. “Grown-Ish” (Freeform): The college set “black-ish” spin-off starring Yara Shahidi, Trevor Jackson, Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey and Diggy Simmons reaches its senior year. “Spice of Life” (Cooking): Premiere episodes of the series finding chefs visited by Hawa Hassan, focus on “The Red Gold of Ethiopia” and “Nigeria’s National Spice.
TASTY QUIP: “Sometimes the industry tries to keep out realism. And I represent that, and everybody around me represents authenticity. Like I’m not afraid to tell people my light’s been off. I’m not afraid to tell people that I played basketball and I had holes in the bottom of my shoes, or my mom was on welfare and worked a job. Like, you gotta understand we came from a real place … the game needs to be told for free to others, so they can grow… Instead of investing in that $2,000 belt, invest in a camera and go shoot a movie.” – Filmmaker DEON TAYLOR (“The House Next Door: Meet The Blacks 2”) to The Jasmine Brand
As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving nearly one million weekly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at tastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.
