Wyclef Jean was felled by a bout of food poisoning this week that landed the former Fugee in the hospital. Jean was admitted to a New York City hospital on Wednesday for exhaustion and dehydration and is expected to be discharged after the weekend.

Jean, 31, had just returned from a promotional tour of Europe early in the week when he fell ill. Though he missed a scheduled appearance at GQ's Men of the Year awards function on Tuesday, Jean is expected to be healthy enough to give a free performance at New York's Roseland Ballroom next Thursday. Earlier that day, Jean plans to make another appearance, at lunchtime in Times Square.

Jean is on the front end of promotion for his fourth solo album, The Preacher's Son, which will be released next month.

ANDREW DANSBY
(October 17, 2003)