March 13, 2023
Trae Patton/NBC
Patti LaBelle teams up with Billy Porter on Tuesday's episode of 'That's My Jam,' the musical game show hosted by Jimmy Fallon. The show airs at 10 p.m. on NBC. It can be streamed on Peacock.
Patti LaBelle is no stranger to collaboration. From duets with Bobby Womack, Michael McDonald and Mary J. Blige to a teased collaboration with Jazmine Sullivan, the "Godmother of Soul" has routinely showcased her signature blend of soulful R&B, pop and gospel music alongside other singers.
This week, LaBelle teams up with Broadway star Billy Porter on "That's My Jam," the musical variety game show hosted by Jimmy Fallon of "The Tonight Show." They will face off against actors Darren Criss and Sarah Hyland in a variety of music, dance and trivia contests. It's all in an effort to support charities.
The episode airs at 10 p.m. Tuesday on NBC. It also can be streamed on Peacock.
The hour-long game show features contests like "Turn The Beat Around," a charades-style challenge in which contestants dance out clues as their parters try to guess the songs they're acting out.
Other games require the contestants to guess song titles using ridiculous words, answer retro music trivia questions or perform cover songs with a stylistic twist. The best performances of the season are replayed during a "best hits" special episode at the end of the season.
A preview of Tuesday's episode shows Porter being tasked with performing a gospel rendition of Kelly Clarkson's 2011 hit "Stronger." Without missing a beat, he steps onto the stage and asks the crowd, "Y'all ready to go to church?" As he performs, LaBelle can be seen beside Fallon, singing along to the cover. She is then given a microphone to join in the performance.
Season 2 of "That's My Jam" premiered last Tuesday with appearances from singers Nicole Scherzinger, Jason Derulo, Kelsea Ballerini and Julia Michaels. The episode featured Scherzinger performing a Led Zeppelin-inspired cover of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On." The show's audience increased by 31% compared to the first season, Deadline reported.
Philadelphia native Quinta Brunson and University of the Arts graduate Jabari Banks are slated to appear later this season. Other guests include Chloe and Halle Bailey, Taraji P. Henson, Kesha, Adam Lambert, Keke Palmer, John Stamos, Kenan Thompson, Quavo and Saweetie.
LaBelle, 78, has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide during her decades-long career. The Philadelphia native has received nearly a dozen lifetime achievement awards and has been described as "the greatest gay icon of all time" by journalist Clay Cane.
LaBelle, who is touring the United States, most recently performed at Caesars Atlantic City on Saturday night. In a conversation with her former Labelle bandmate Nona Hendryx for V Magazine, LaBelle described the experience as a "gumbo pot of fun."
"The music industry now is so good for women," LaBelle said, reminiscing on her time with Labelle in the 1960s and 1970s. "Back in the day we were laid back, shut out and hidden. But now, women are taking over the charts. I don't know how you see it, Nona, but that's how I see it."
"That's My Jam" is not the first time that LaBelle has taken part in a singing competition show. In 2019, she participated in "The Masked Singer." She performed for the judges in a flower costume before her identity was revealed toward the end of the season.
