Usher is a man of many talents, like dancing around like someone's dislocated all his bones and hooked him up to a bunch of electrodes, or starring in no films that have even been close to good.
But Usher is only human, and he experiences the same problems and pain that you do. Well, maybe not you specifically – he's probably not going to get pathetically drunk on alcopops tonight to counter his feelings of self-loathing for never having done anything with his life – but, you know, he sometimes gets sore throats and that. Sore throats so bad that he's had to leave his role in Chicago a week early.
Usher occupies a very distinct spot in the world of pop – his songs are as wildly popular as they are entirely forgettable. Every now and then Usher will have a new album out and suddenly his music will be the only music you hear played in public for a few months, but then a few months later you won't be able to remember a single note of any of it, with the exception of the song where Usher sang the word "shit" and Radio One played an uncensored version of it about a million times without anyone even noticing. And you can't say that about Lemar.
But Usher's getting old – he'll be 30 before you know it – and he's recently felt the need to expand his capabilities. That means starring in dreadful films with the Desperate Housewives willy-dangler and also indulging in a spot of musical theatre when the mood takes him. Since July, Usher has been playing Billy Flynn in Chicago, the show that attracts giant celebrities like Brooke Shields and David Hasselhoff and… er… Claire Sweeney. And that.
However, the pressures of having to sing Razzle Dazzle every day for four months have taken their toll on Usher's throat, and he's had to leave Chicago forever. First he loses $50,000 then he loses his voice? That's just careless. Apparently Usher has a throat infection, which means that he's had to quit the Broadway production a week earlier than his contract intended. This fills Usher's slave Jonetta Patton with sadness:
"Usher has had an amazing time on Broadway and loved every minute of performing on stage with the entire cast of Chicago. He expresses his sincere apologies to all of his fans who purchased tickets to see him in Chicago this final week and appreciates all of their love and support."
From Sunday, Usher's Chicago will be filled by Christopher McDonald, who – as a star of Requiem For A Dream – will be sure to bring an air of crushing inescapable depression to the role of Billy Flynn, which Chicago audiences will no doubt find to be a marked contrast to Usher's portrayal of the same character, who would often launch into a 45-minute freestyle breakdance routine in the middle of the important courtroom scene.
Read more:
Early exit for Chicago star Usher – BBC
[story by Stuart Heritage]