Thursday, February 22, 2007

Jamie Foxx and Fantasia - what's the deal?

Tickets are selling well for the Jamie Foxx concert at Bobcats Arena
next month, but if you’re expecting Fantasia to be on the "Unpredictable Tour," prepare to be disappointed.

Fantasia, who was on the first leg of the tour, is no longer rolling with Foxx. Instead, fans will get more comedy from opening comedian Speedy, and Foxx will do a 20-minute routine. There also will be a video montage of Foxx’s career.

Foxx’s handler’s say Fantasia couldn’t fit her type of show into the 30- to 40-minute opening slot, and that it was a hassle to change the stage setup for the other two acts. (Fantasia’s people aren’t saying anything; they didn’t return e-mail request for comments.)

This explanation sounds crazy to me. Yes, she puts on a good show, but 30 minutes is plenty of time for an opening act. And changing the stage between acts is part of the concert business. They pay people to make that go smoothly and quickly. Reviews of the show have been mostly favorable. Why change it up now?

Initially, I thought Fantasia -- who lives in Charlotte -- might have stolen the show from Foxx with her exuberant performance. Then I realized that, in the past six months,the two have had a couple of steamy public encounters. The most notable was the much-talked-about kiss during the BET awards last summer.

Now, I’m wondering if maybe there was a "personality" conflict. Whatever happened, I hope Fantasia gets back on the road soon. Post your thoughts below.