Whoever is booking the guests for The Jennifer Hudson Show already needs a raise. In the few short months that Jennifer Hudson’s daytime talker has been on the air, she’s had a who’s who of artists, actors and superstars cozy up next to her on her couch. This week the down-to-earth diva rolled out the red carpet to welcome Patti LaBelle to the show and dedicated a whole episode to the legendary diva.
Mama Patti, as Jennifer so lovingly referred to her, came out on stage giving rich auntie energy dressed in a brilliant purple pantsuit with matching stilettos and eyeshadows. The 78-year-young icon tipped out to her group LaBelle’s 1974 hit “Lady Marmalade” and was greeted with a warm embrace from JHud and a standing ovation and chants of “Patti! Patti!” from the audience. She beamed and took all the praise in before she heaped some onto Hudson, who she called her “other daughter.”
The two entertainers took turns giving each other their flowers during the conversational and insightful interview that had some comedic twists and turns. At one point, Patti was admiring JHud’s sparkly “red bottoms” and hilariously pulled one of her shoes off of her foot. Later in the show after returning from a commercial break, Mama Patti had taken off her own shoes and set them on the coffee table because her “corns were hurting.”
Always one to keep it real, LaBelle touched on being open to new love after divorce, stating, “I’m too good to be solo,” and practically dropping the mic after that statement. When Hudson asked her who she’d like to play her in a biopic, Patti expressed a tinge of disappointment that Jenny had already played Aretha Franklin in RESPECT but suggested Fantasia or Ledisi could get the job done.
Of course, Patti and Jennifer couldn’t be in the same space for all that time and not sing together. Sing they did when they serenaded Hudson’s best friend Walter Williams with a few verses of Patti’s hit 1978 ballad “You Are My Friend” accompanied by Charles Jones on piano. They invited Williams to join them on the couch as they took turns showing him lots of love and trying to outsing each other, but there was no outdoing Mama Patti.
For more Patti LaBelle, you’ll have to catch her on her upcoming tour or when her new album, which she’s in the process of making, drops. For more Jennifer Hudson, you can catch her Monday through Friday afternoons on The Jennifer Hudson Show. If you aren’t already tuned in, check your local listings and set your DVRs. Press play below to watch Patti and Jennifer having a moment singing “You Are My Friend” and a snippet of their interview.
