Sure, the legendary Patti LaBelle has been in the music biz’ for almost 6 decades, but who said anything about her slowing down? If anyone did, then they are dead wrong about this 73 year old songstress! News has just surfaced that Ms. LaBelle has landed a new gig on a hit television show and her fans are waiting in anticipation for it. Check out the details below…

Patti’s 2nd New TV Gig In One Year!

Deadline revealed that Patti will be joining forces with Oprah’s OWN Network and it’s television drama series, Greenleaf, which also stars Lynn Whitfield, Keith David, and other known names in Hollywood. She will have a recurring role for the upcoming season 3…

https://twitter.com/OWNTV/status/968248190246912002

Via Deadline: LaBelle will play Maxine Patterson, a famous Christian motivational speaker and the CEO of a global Christian self-help empire. An old friend of Mae’s from college days, Maxine will be Lady Mae’s sounding board and greatest ally as Mae attempts to consolidate her power at Calvary.

Greenleaf takes viewers into the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch, where scandalous secrets and lies are as numerous as the faithful. The series centers on the journey of estranged daughter and disillusioned preacher Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge) who has returned home after 20 years on the occasion of the mysterious death of her sister, Faith. As she reenters the world of Calvary Fellowship World Ministries, the Memphis megachurch run by her powerful parents Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David) and Lady Mae Greenleaf (Lynn Whitfield), it becomes evident that things are not as virtuous as they seem and that the family’s outward display of faith hides sin and misdeeds. Deborah Joy Winans, Kim Hawthorne, Tye White, Rick Fox, Desiree Ross, Lamman Rucker and Lovie Simone also star.

Patti’s Other TV Ventures

Following the success of her Walmart ‘Patti’s Pies’ in 2016, Ms. LaBelle wasted no time creating an even bigger lane for herself in the food game. She inked a deal with The Cooking Channel for her cooking show, Patti LaBelle’s Place, which is currently in it’s second season.

https://twitter.com/MsPattiPatti/status/934504588937396227

The party doesn’t stop there though! Patti will also have a role in the new season of the hit Fox series, Star, which is produced by Empire director, Lee Daniels. However, if you thought that was it for Patti- wrong again! In addition to her TV gigs, she also released a jazz album, titled Bell Homage, in May 2017, which she is continuing to promote to this day.

Why Twitter Was Recently Confused About Patti LaBelle

Speaking of Patti, she was recently the talk of Twitter, after fans were hilariously confused during this year’s 2018 Grammy Awards ceremony. As we previously reported, the confusion had everything to do with a Patti LaBelle performance that never happened:

https://twitter.com/theGEGEeffect/status/957815403518021633

You see, as many of Patti’s fans were sitting at home, eating popcorn and watching the Grammy’s, they thought they were in for the surprise of their night, when the speaker announced that Patti was about to perform. Everybody started turning up their TV volumes and sliding to the edges of their couches like, ‘Patti’s about CUT UP on that Grammy stage!’ In other words, in their anticipation of seeing Patti, folks on Twitter were pretty much like this…

https://twitter.com/Sngkid_360/status/957815009156960256

HOWEVER, it turns out, soul sangin’ Patti never showed up, instead, it was Broadway singer, Patti LuPone, singing “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.”

Of course, when the legendary LuPone stepped onto the Grammy stage, many were initially like ‘Patti Lu-WHO?!!’ Then came Black Twitter’s hilarious reactions that began to quickly flood the Twitter timelines. Check out those priceless reactions out below:
https://twitter.com/theeGGGF/status/957814822976008195

When you thought Patti Labelle was performing, but it’s Patty Lapone pic.twitter.com/3G9l3JRODR

— DJ R-Tistic (@DJRTistic) January 29, 2018

Soooo Patti LABELLE ain’t coming? pic.twitter.com/MSMfPtgopq

— [mel] (@WhoMEA) January 29, 2018

Damnit I wanted Patti LABELLE pic.twitter.com/65C35CpgSA

— Rafa with the Good Hair (@A_Kid_Named_Lee) January 29, 2018

But when you mis-hear the announcer and you hear Patti LaBelle and not Lupone, and you kick you shoes of and…. pic.twitter.com/s30W5gGp2q

— Terry Hollimon (@terryhollimon) January 29, 2018

When I realized it wasn’t Patti Labelle… pic.twitter.com/EVO5WExE2i

— Lem (@LemDunnigan) January 29, 2018

https://twitter.com/prime_bee/status/957815691058515969

Patti’s Luther Vandross Controversy

With stardom, also comes some backlash every now and then, which is what Ms. LaBelle received when she was yet again, the talk of the internet recently:

LaBelle dropped a bombshell, when she revealed that her dear friend, the late Luther Vandross, feared he’d upset the world over his sexuality. According to Yahoo! News, Patti and singer, Sam Smith, recently appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Patti explained how she admired Sam’s voice and how it reminded her of Luther Vandross’ voice because,  like Luther, Sam has the ability to move people.

“There are voices in this world and once they sing it’s a stamp on everybody,” she said. “Luther did that and he’s done it.”

But when Luther became a topic of discussion, the conversation took a turn toward more personal aspects of the late R&B legend’s life – his sexuality. Andy casually asked Patti if Luther struggled to come out of the closet and the 73-year-old singer didn’t hesitate to tell the truth. She even recalled a time when they discussed his situation and she revealed why he chose to keep his sexuality away from the public eye. Apparently, Luther Vandross opted to put his mother and his fans before himself, so says Patti…

“We talked about it. Basically, he did not want his mother to be – although she might have known, he wasn’t going to come out and say this to the world. And he had a lot of lady fans and he told me the he just didn’t want to upset the world. … And he had a lot of lady fans. He told me that he just didn’t want to upset the world,” she added. “It was hard for him…what a wonderful man.”

“He came backstage at the Apollo Theater with clothes pretending he was a designer. He hooked us up with all of these gowns…and then he became my first fan club president,” she recalled. And then he became my best, best friend.”

Following Patti’s revelation about her best friend, Luther, there were many people who voiced their opinions online, stating that Patti should not have exposed Luther in death, if he didn’t do so in life. Patti certainly didn’t appear to be coming from a malicious place when she revealed Luther’s sexuality. However, the backlash from his fans was understandable, because some of them felt the need to protect his legacy, by presenting it in the manner that he wanted it presented.

Wendy Williams slammed Patti’s comments about Vandross…

As we also reported, even controversial talk show host, Wendy Williams, wasn’t feelin’ Patti’s sexuality reveal about Luther. So, she decided to blast Patti during the infamous “Hot Topics” segment of her show. When The Wendy Williams Show aired on Thursday, December 7, Wendy had some choice words for Patti. The talk show host basically told fans how she would have handled the situation differently, if she were Patti being asked about her deceased friend. Wendy argues Patti crossed the line and violated her friendship with Luther…

“She should have said ‘no comment.’ If he had asked me something like that, then – it’s okay for me to talk about it. I didn’t know Luther Vandross.” Wendy continued, “He wasn’t my friend. But, it’s not okay to talk about it when it’s your best friend. You know? It’s like a violation.”

https://youtu.be/YfT9sjc4bf4

Like we said though, superstardom comes with it’s highs, as well as it’s fair share backlash and “Oops” moments for most celebs. They’re human just like us, and that’s a lesson Patti LaBelle probably learned after her slip up.

At any rate, we’re looking forward to seeing Patti in her new TV roles very soon. Greenleaf and Star will definitely have some extra spice this season once Ms. Patti steps onto the scene. Go ‘head Patti!