Aretha Franklin Chats Up Wendy Williams About R.Kelly, Halle Berry; Says Health Is ‘Superb’
By Bridget Bland on Jan 12th 2011 12:12PM
Filed under: Music, Television, News, Celeb Updates
To date, Aretha Franklin has offered updates to fans on her health through two outlets – Jet magazine and her spokesperson Tracy Jordan.
But this morning (Jan 12), The Queen of Soul placed a call to the self-proclaimed Queen of All-Media, Wendy Williams, and her morning talk show ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ audience, to update the former radio jock on her health, but still remained mum on details of whether she is suffering from pancreatic cancer, or not.
“How is your health?” Williams inquired.
“My health is superb,” Franklin exclaimed. “I have two more weeks of downtown before I can get out.”
“I am down at a hotel for a few days. I wanted to change the scenery,” she continued. “One of the hotels in downtown Detroit…I’m looking for a fabulous beach. I think the closest place would probably be Hilton Head.”
Williams was quick to point out, “Ms. Franklin, I want you to know in case you are not watching on your screen right now in Detroit, that the picture we are showing is the exact one that you requested, that you sent to us to show.”
Franklin replied, “That’s my most recent PR picture.”
As for touring, Franklin confirmed that she would be rescheduling her cancelled tour dates “off the top.”
The ‘Respect’ singer shared her love for R. Kelly‘s new song ‘When A Woman Loves.’ “I think any woman who has ever been in love will readily relate to that song. He is singing his heart and his soul out,” Franklin shared, before adding, “Be careful I might become a cougar.”
A lighter moment took place when Wendy inquired about whether the 20-time Grammy Award winner had a “little boyfriend” in her life.
“I don’t have little boyfriends. I have men,” she deadpanned.
Academy Award nominated actor Terrence Howard‘s name was brought up as one of Franklin’s crushes. “Oh no you didn’t hear that,” she quipped. “I like Terrence Howard as an actor and a person. I was talking to him about playing Smokey Robinson that’s probably what you misheard.”
The 68 year-old powerhouse songstress shared that things are moving quickly with her bio-pic.
“For the last four years, we have been talking about that and I have had a number of offers, but unfortunately, they were not good offers,” Franklin revealed. “Now, we have something on the table. They have all of the financing on one project and the second project, he’s in the process of writing things for me to approve.
She also stood by her previous wish to get Halle Berry to play the older Aretha character.
Franklin closed by telling Williams that having a sit-down with her in New York was “at the top of my list.”
