Very sadly, 2023 began with the deaths of three members of the entertainment community. Earth, Wind and Fire drummer Fred White passed away on January 1 at 67 years old. His brother and bandmate Verdine White posted the announcement on Instagram, but did not say what the cause of Fred’s death was. We also lost Anita Pointer to cancer on Dec. 31, 2022. She was 74. In a statement, her publicist Roger Neal said the wonderful vocalist was surrounded by family and friends at her Beverly Hills, California, home when she died. Ruth Pointer is now the only surviving member of the Pointer Sisters; both June and Bonnie preceded Anita in death. Also on Jan. 1, former Three 6 Mafia member Lola “Gangsta Boo” Mitchell was found dead in a house in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 43. “The Mitchell family would like to thank everyone for their condolences regarding the untimely death of Lola ‘Gangsta Boo’ Mitchell,” said the rapper’s mother, Veronica Mitchell, and family in a statement issued Jan. 2. “The family is asking for your continued prayers and privacy as we process the loss of our loved one.” …
Despite having a new baby girl — Love Combs — with Dana Tran in October 2022, Sean “Diddy” Combs was joined by his girlfriend, Yung Miami, as they celebrated New Year’s Day on a yacht in St. Barts, reports the Daily Mail. The couple was joined by friends who reportedly included Fabolous, Meek Mill, French Montana and Lil Baby. Called “Victorious,” the luxurious 278-foot yacht was built by Akyacht in 2021. It can hold up to 24 guests in 12 staterooms, and is up for sale at $116.8 million through Fraser Yachts. …
Actor Wendell Pierce had to break character during the Dec. 27, 2022, performance of the Broadway play “The Death of a Salesman” after a woman in the audience became disorderly. One man in the audience, Peter Tu, posted on Twitter, “We hope things go back to normal in 2023. Death Of A Salesman was playing at the Hudson Theatre. On the 27th. it was interrupted by a woman behaving strangely. Actor Wendell Pierce responded very gracefully & the police arrived to deal with it. The show continued.” Pierce portrays Willy Loman in the play by Arthur Miller. …
On Dec. 31, 2022, actor Joseph Sikora, star of the Starz shows “Power,” “Power Book II” and “Ghost Power Book IV: Force,” along with movie producer Noel Ashman, hosted a New Year’s Eve bash at Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club in New York City that doubled as a pre-release celebration for Sikora’s upcoming movie, “Fear.” The soirée featured preview scenes from “Fear” as Sikora led the countdown to 2023 with special guests Jesse Metcalfe, “Chicago PD” star LaRoyce Hawkins and more. Grandmaster Melle Mel also surprised guests by performing “White Lines” and the Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.” …