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Sep. 28--The first lady of R&B is waiting for her pink nail polish to dry. It's a tiny, rare chunk of time for Patti LaBelle to talk about the things that are important to her: food, music, family and, well, food.
The chart-topper who began her career in the '60s with Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles is a busy woman. She's on the road with that powerful, distinctive voice, which comes to the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday. The diva's long-awaited gospel CD, "The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle," which includes guest turns with Kanye West, CeCe Winans and Wynonna Judd, is scheduled for release Oct. 17. And she's busy reminding Americans about diabetes via her commercials for One Touch Ultra, the blood glucose monitoring system for diabetics.
Diabetes, LaBelle is quick to tell anyone who will listen, changed her life. Her mother died from complications of the disease. And LaBelle herself was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1995 after collapsing onstage. The disease, which she now keeps under control through diet, exercise and testing, changed her life.
Today, LaBelle can't dive into the fried chicken and potato salad, as she used to. Although she thinks about it -- often. Her new lifestyle of healthful, low-sugar eating has allowed her not only to continue her hectic singing schedule but also has given her a new platform -- as a spokeswoman for diabetes -- to spread the word about getting diagnosed and getting the disease under control.
We chatted by phone with LaBelle about diabetes and her new projects as her nails dried.
Q: There's a new generation that's getting to know you from your "One Touch" jingle. They recognize you as the Diabetes Lady, not Lady Marmalade. What do you think of that?
A: I think it's wonderful. "One Touch changes everything ..." (singing). People see me in the airport and they come up to me and say, "You made me go get a check. Your commercials really helped me." So it's a good thing. We can live or die. We may have diabetes, but diabetes does not have us. I get up in the morning, and I check the sugar and give myself insulin. The one thing I can't resist, though, are those warm chocolate chip cookies they serve on the airplane. I may be diabetic, but I'm going to have that cookie!
Q: You had a hit with "New Attitude" but really, you had to develop a whole new attitude toward food and eating once you were diagnosed with diabetes. How did you go about that? How hard was that?
A: It was hard. For a few years I was in total denial. I was like, if I have that fried chicken it won't hurt. Honey, that was a lie. But just because you have diabetes doesn't mean you can't cook with flavor. You find ways of cooking your food with lots of garlic and hot peppers. Just look at my cookbooks. When you grill that chick or saute it, it's going to taste like fried chicken, honey. There's so many ways to live with the disease.
Q: Your love of cooking is well known. Your "Lite Cuisine" cookbook has plenty of diabetes-friendly recipes. Has the disease taken any of the joy out of cooking?
A: No, because when you taste that chocolate mousse, you'll swear you're sinning. There's so many recipes we can cook that feel like cheating, but honey, trust me, the stuff I make we can live a long time with diabetes.
Q: So diabetes hasn't stopped you from cooking?
A: No, I cook for everyone. And I watch everybody eat. I still love to cook. As I'm making theirs I'm making mine and mine is just as good.
Q: What foods do you miss most?
A: Pasta. Oh God, pasta and the potato salad. And fried chicken. But I can do mine.
Q: You like it hot, too.
A: Spicy hot. That saves me. I know how to make food cute. Cute meaning good.
Q: What about getting the diabetes message out to blacks, Hispanics and American Indians, who have high percentages of diabetes within their ethnic populations? Do you think that's important?
A: That's why Johnson & Johnson [makers of One Touch meters] wanted me to be their spokesman. So many people come up to me and say, "Thank God you did that commercial." I sometimes get mad at them and say "Why would it take an entertainer to wake you up and save your life?"
But black people won't go to the doctor; they won't go to the hospital. I know all about that. I didn't check mine. I didn't find out until I passed out on stage. But I take my black Patti there now. Believe me. After losing Luther [Vandross], that was a wakeup call for so many black people. But not just black people -- just people. You don't feel [diabetes]. You think you're cool.
Q: How has the disease, which claimed your beloved mother, forced you to look at your music? Has it changed your music or your presentation of the music you love?
A: It's no different at all. I still sing the same. I did finally finish my gospel project. It comes out next month. Everyone on the album did it for love. I make no money for it. All the proceeds will go to cancer research.
Q: Do you talk to your audiences about diabetes?
A: Every night. I even sing that little song. They all clap.
Q: What can your fans attending the Mohegan Sun concert expect?
A: Anything. I'm very spontaneous. Just expect the unexpected. Maybe I'll test your blood sugar. I'll bring out the meter.
Q: You're really doing it.
A: Yes, I better. I have to.
Patti LaBelle performs Friday at 8 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena. Tickets, $27.50 each, are available at ticketmaster.com or the Mohegan Sun box office.
Contact Greg Morago at morago@courant.com
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Hartford Courant, Conn.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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