- EDITED:
On 8/6/08 I posted a statement that Usher fired his publicist Patti Webster. That statement was incorrect. Click here for the correction.
Not that it’s going to do any good, but Usher has officially rehired his mother, Jonetta Patton, as his manager.
Patton was unceremoniously fired on Mother’s Day last year – allegedly on orders of Usher’s wife Tameka Foster-Raymond.
Usher laughably told the press he “retired” his mother so she could become a glorified babysitter to his and Tameka’s son Usher Raymond V.
According tp Jawn Murray of AOL Black Voices blog and BV Buzz, Usher officially ended his business relationship with manager Benny Medina, whose other clients include Mariah Carey.
Ush also dumped his longtime publicist Patti Webster, owner of W&W PR firm. (click here for correction) But she’ll press on with her other high-powered clients such as Janet Jackson, Jermaine Dupri, Alicia Keys and Ludacris, among others.
Industry insiders speculated that Usher’s failed album and low ratings for the BET Awards – for which he was the opener – spurred him to rehire his mama.
“His core audience is black women and honestly, no black woman wants to support a man who treats his mother badly,” an industry insider told Murray.
The truth is Usher’s stank attitude is what sank his ship. By flaunting his marriage to a woman his female fans considered a barracuda — he killed any chances of his fans supporting his album. The fact that the album was wack didn’t help any.
Usher acknowledged his fans’ disapproval of his wife by being an even bigger jerk than he already was. He took every opportunity to tell his fans to leave his wife alone which made him seem soft and whipped.
His career virtually in shambles, Usher was forced to crawl back to his mama on his hands and knees. We seriously doubt Jonetta can resurrect Usher’s career, but we’re sure she’ll give it the old college try.
Photo: Getty Images
