BILL VAUGHAN'S TASTY CLIPS: Janet Jackson, New Edition Announce 2023 Tours

Janet Jackson surprised concertgoers this week by announcing a return to live performances with her “Together Again” Tour slated to hit 33 cities beginning in the spring of 2023.

It will give fans the long-awaited chance to celebrate her 50th anniversary in entertainment spotlighting milestones for two of her most critically acclaimed albums - 25 years of “The Velvet Rope.” and 30 years of “janet.” featuring her biggest chart-topping hits, plus new music.

Even more exciting, 3-time Grammy Award winning recording artist and “Fast and Furious” actor Ludacris will join the tour across all dates as a special guest.

It kicks off April 14 at Hollywood, Florida’s Hard Rock Live, with Columbia, SC (Apr. 25), Atlanta (Apr. 27), New York (May 9), Charlotte, NC (May 12), Toronto (May 23), and Houston (June 3) among the stops.

The celebrated icon behind “All For You,” “Rhythm Nation,” “Nasty,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” and so many more, headlines Opening Night at the Hollywood Bowl (benefitting the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its Learning and community programs) on June 10.

Tickets go on sale to the public beginning Friday, Dec. 16 at 11 a.m. via janetjackson.com; as well as hollywoodbowl.com and 323-850-2000 for the Bowl date.

Also hitting the road in 2023 is The Legacy Tour featuring all members of New Edition along with the “New Jack Swing” reunion of the original members of Guy (Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall and Damion Hall), Keith Sweat and Tank.

Tickets for the 30-city tour from the Black Promoters Collective launching Mar. 9 in Columbia, SC; and arriving at The Forum on Apr. 8, also go on sale Dec. 16. For tickets and more information, visit Ticketmaster.com.

SAY WHAT?: “This is the end for me. I don’t know if it’s the end for the rest of them. I retired two years ago, for the most part. I was done. I asked Sidney Poitier 10 years ago, does he want to do any more work, and he said, ‘Why would I spend my last 10 years doing an impersonation of myself?’ And that’s what I’ve gotten to.” – TERRENCE HOWARD telling “Entertainment Tonight” that he’s calling it quits after Peacock’s “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” premiering Dec. 22 with eight episodes.

CLIPPETTES: West Coast rap supergroup Mount Westmore (Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40, and Too $hort) have released their new 16-track album titled “Snoop Cube 40 $hort” …

Billie Eilish: Happier Than Ever, The Hometown Encore continues at The Forum Dec. 16; as High Holidays feat. Curren$y, The Far Side, Phony Ppl, Buddy and Mavi is held at Vermont Hollywood; and a couple of two-night stands begin for Harry Connick Jr. at the Pantages Theater and Manhattan Transfer at Segerstrom Concert Hall …

Stevie Wonder’s House Full of Toys! benefit is happening Dec. 17 at the Microsoft Theater, while Dionne Warwick sings her hits at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex; and Trey Songz, Sean Kingston and Chris Brown co-headline at Banc of California Stadium …

Also that night, Terry Steele: Sounds of Christmas is presented at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center; and Lyrics Born is at The Venice West … ?

Breakout San Diego retro-soul trio Thee Sacred Souls arrive at The Observatory on Dec. 18. Caught this group making their national TV debut on CBS Saturday Morning and came away quite impressed. Lead singer Josh Lane can really blow …

Anita Baker, the songstress who called herself “Retired from The Plantation and Competition,” announced she will premiere new music on TV - Jan. 5, 2023 …

Soulection: The Sound of Tomorrow with PJ Morton, Alex Isley, Sango, and Mack Keane is the show du jour Dec. 22 at The Novo; while jazz pianist David Benoit performs at The Coach House.

TASTY QUIP: “I’m just really compelled by everyone’s shadow side because we live in a society, especially in the South, where everything’s about civility and respectability and smiling at the grocery store, even though this person would lynch me tomorrow. I’m intrigued by the truth versus the veneer.” – Writer/Director and Atlanta native NIKYATU JUSU (whose suspenseful Yoruba influenced “Nanny” with Anna Diop and Michelle Monaghan hits Prime Video on Dec. 16) to Daily Beast

TC ON TV: Dec. 16 – “Black Adam” (HBO Max): Dwayne Johnson’s superhero blockbuster makes its streaming premiere. “Dance Monsters” (Netflix): Ne-Yo is a judge on this large-scale UK competition combining dancing with live motion capture special effects. “From The Source” (Magnolia): Award-winning Asheville, NC chef and restaurateur Katie Button of Curate explores the stories behind different delicious ingredients. “The Recruit” (Netflix) Vondie Curtis-Hall, April Parker and Noah Centineo are featured in series about a rookie CIA lawyer who stumbles headlong into international espionage when a former asset threatens to expose agency secrets. “The View” (ABC): Darlene Love “The 90th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade” (CW): Grand Marshal Danny Trejo leads the star-studded parade with co-hosts Montel Williams, Erik Estrada, Dean Cain, Laura McKenzie, and Elizabeth Stanton. “Holiday Heritage” (Hallmark): With Holly Robinson Peete and Lyndie Greenwood.??

Dec. 17 – “Holiday Hideaway” (BET Her): Starring Camille Winbush (The Bernie Mac Show”), Vivica A. Fox and Leonard Earl Howze (“The Upshaws”). “iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2022” (CW): Artists scheduled to appear include Dua Lipa, Jack Harlow, Sam Smith, Pitbull, Black Eyed Peas, Charlie Puth, Demi Lovato, The Kid LAROI, Khalid and more. “Saturday Night Live” (NBC): Austin Butler (“Elvis”) hosts with musical guest Lizzo.

Dec. 18 – “1923” (Paramount+): From Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”) comes a limited series led by Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren exploring the early 20th century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the mountain west the family calls home. “This Is Life With Lisa Ling” (CNN): The series ends with a look at “Interracial Love.”

Dec. 19 – “Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular” (FOX): Robin Thicke, Finesse Mitchell, Cheryl Hines and the late Leslie Jordan are contestants in this three-night competition. “The Wheel” (NBC): An all-new two-week takeover of the UK's smash hit game show showcasing a colossal spinning wheel of celebrity guests (Kym Whitley, Raven-Symone, Sheila E., Taye Diggs, Judge Greg Mathis, Victor Cruz, Margaret Cho, Deepak Chopra, Todrick Hall, Loni Love, Terrell Owens, Kyla Pratt, Amber Riley, Jalen Rose, Amber Ruffin, Mark Sanchez, and others) who help everyday contestants win life-changing money.

Dec. 20 – “Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas To All!” (CBS): Filmed in New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden, the two-hour concert special will feature the singer-songwriter performing her holiday hits. “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” (Prime Video): Season three of the adventures of the fictionalized CIA officer starring John Krasinski and Wendell Pierce.?

Dec. 21 – “Fuhgeddabout Christmas” (VH1): An original holiday movie with a cast of DC Young Fly, Fetty Wap, Nick Cannon, Perez Hilton, Sway, Teresa Giudice, Vincent Pastore and more. “Disconnect: The Wedding Planner” (Netflix): After falling victim to a scam, a desperate man races the clock as he attempts to plan a luxurious destination wedding for an important investor. “Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to The Songs of Paul Simon” (CBS): With Angélique Kidjo, Billy Porter, Shaggy, Take 6, Irma Thomas, Brandi Carlile, Rhiannon Giddens, Dave Matthews, and Trombone Shorty.

Dec. 22 – “A Holiday Chance” (BET): Nafessa Williams co-wrote and stars in this drama with Sharon Leal, Tobias Truvillion, Vanessa Bell Calloway and Richard Lawson. “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount+): The Golden Globes nominated best drama film is now streaming. “Snap” (AllBlk): In the vein of “Black Mirror” and “The Twilight Zone,” this psychological anthology series co-created by Grammy-nominated singer Eric Benet and writer and director Devin Hampton, intends to deal with difficult social and ethical topics, head on, “through a unique method of storytelling that disrupts conventional opinions.” “The Best of All The Smoke with Matt Barnes & Stephen Jackson” (SHO): Fat Joe

END QUOTE: “It’s definitely a leap from the first ‘Avatar,’ so you have to brace yourself for it. It’s going to be an adventure you won’t forget. I can get choked up just talking about it. I was able to see just 20 minutes of the second installment, right before the year ended, last year. And I was speechless. I was moved to tears.” – ZOE SALDANA (returning as Neytiri) to People on the sequel “Avatar: The Way of Water” opening in theaters Dec. 16

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 [email protected], via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.