• Beyoncé surprised Chicago fans on her Mrs. Carter World Tour stop with the very first performance of her new song “XO.” She also stopped by a restaurant called Karyn’s Cooked, and the pop superstar made sure she met the owner and renowned raw/vegan expert Karyn Calabrese. Meanwhile, in addition to her new self-titled album selling 500,000 copies almost instantaneously, Beyoncé is also releasing a new fragrance called Rise in February 2014.
  • In November, “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes was hospitalized for blood clots in her lungs. Leakes now says her health is better and she is about 80 percent back to normal. She told E! News: “I’m not 100 percent, but I’m trying to get there. It’s been tough, but I’ve been pretty strong. I’m coming back.” Leakes says she’s on blood thinners, and it could be a full six weeks before she’s back to normal. However, she does feel well enough to celebrate the holidays by spending Christmas in Atlanta and New Year’s in Las Vegas with family and friends.
  • The “Deadly Stuff Players” tour continues. Yours truly will be signing books on Sunday, Dec. 22 at Sisters Uptown Bookstore, 1942 Amsterdam Ave., from 2-4 p.m. Come by, have a glass of Flo wine and enjoy some great reading and conversation.
  • Crooner R. Kelly and his entourage showed up at Papa Juan Cigar Room in Harlem on Dec. 13 and were bombarded by the excited patrons at the bar. One of the guys began recording Kelly with his phone. Instead of becoming angry, Kelly took the cell and recorded his rendition of “The Christmas Song” for the thrilled fan. Sources say everyone in the establishment was ecstatic!
  • Legal trouble never seems to end for Chris Brown. The judge in the Rihanna assault case has revoked Brown’s probation because of charges stemming from assault charges that were filed against him in Washington, D.C., in October. Brown was in court for a progress hearing. The judge felt the criminal complaint in D.C. is enough proof that Brown did not obey the laws, which he is required to do while on probation. The judge did not remand him into custody because he was impressed by Brown’s progress in his anger management rehab. The judge will hold a hearing on the matter in February 2014. Brown was also ordered not to use medical marijuana for the time being.