*Barbara Smith, known to the world as B. Smith, and her husband of 23 years, Dan Gasby, are opening up about her battle with Alzheimer’s.
The couple’s personal achievements have helped make them household names in the food and TV industries, and now Smith is writing a memoir, chronicling her amazing career and recent struggle with the disease.
“I was determined to make my life continue to go forward,” Smith shares in a video that will play at Tuesday’s 32nd annual Rita Hayworth Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street. “I want to be the Barbara Smith that I am.”
Her husband Dan describes Smith as the “most unique person . . . Elegant, classy, but also approachable and down-to-earth.”
Among the couple’s successes as business partners are a SiriusXM radio show, popular restaurants in Manhattan, Sag Harbor and Washington, DC, and an expansive line of cookware and olive oil.
“It’s sort of like flying through turbulence,” Gasby told FoxNews.com of Alzheimer’s, which Smith, 66, was diagnosed with in 2014. “You know you’re in a plane. You know it’s gonna have some bumps, but you know the plane is relatively stable and we’re going to find some smooth air. It takes awhile, but we’re going to land.”
Meanwhile, singer/actress Brandy is set to make her return to BET with a new romantic comedy series titled “Zoe Ever After.” She will lead the series, playing Zoe Moon – a recently divorced single mother trying to launch a new cosmetics line.
Check out the show’s official description below:
“Zoe Moon, “a newly single mom stepping out of the shadow of her famous boxer ex-husband Gemini Moon (Dorian Missick) while trying to balance dating, motherhood, a complicated relationship with her ex and finally fulfilling her career dream of starting a cosmetics line.
Zoe is surrounded by a cast of colorful characters, including her smart and precocious eight year old son Xavier (Jaylon Gordon), her fashion-forward and fun assistant Valenté (Tory Devon Smith), company publicist and best friend Pearl (Haneefah Wood) and sexy contractor Miguel (Ignacio Serricchio).”
Deadline reports that Brandy will serve as co-executive producer, along with Elaine Aronson and executive producers Debra Martin Chase, Danny Rose, Scooter Braun and executive producer/writer Erica Montolfo-Bura.
“Zoe Ever After” premieres on BET in January 2016, check out the trailer below.
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