A judge issued a bench warrant for singer R. Kelly after he did not show for a court hearing today in Chicago.

Kelly’s people said his tour bus was delayed in Utah. The judge in his child pornography case issued the warrant but won’t enforce, unless R. Kelly doesn’t show up tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. After that the police will be free to arrest R. Kelly.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Cook County prosecutors pressed the judge, noting he had already shown considerable leeway in letting Kelly travel outside Illinois. "This is just an abuse of the process. It’s disrespectful of your honor," said Assistant State’s Attorney Shauna Bolicker.

Kelly has been charged with child pornography, in a widely reported case in which he allegedly videotaped a sexual encounter with a teenage girl. R. pleaded not guilty in the mess, which has been going on since 2002.

Kelly’s lawyer said singer was "detained because of some snow." The judge said a trial date will be set on Thursday. We’ll see about that. In the meantime, someone check and see if it was snowing in Utah yesterday and today.

Update: Police say that R. Kelly’s four tour buses were stopped yesterday, after they were clocked going over 100 mph. After the buses were pulled over, the investigating trooper noticed that the bus drivers seemed “tired.” The policeman then asked for the buses’ log books (with drivers’ rest and drive info) but they weren’t on board or weren’t updated. The buses were ordered taken out of service, and the passengers were left to find their own rides. If R. Kelly doesn’t make it to Chicago by tomorrow the warrant for his arrest with be in full effect. Better hop on a plane, fast.

R. Kelly suddenly removed Ne-Yo from his tour stating the contract wasn’t signed. Ne-Yo is upset and wanted to finish the tour. Why would anyone want to tour with someone charged with being a pedophile? NeYo’s publicist has released the following cryptic statement:

“Yesterday, Shaffer Smith aka Ne-Yo was informed that he was being dropped from the rest of the R Kelly tour after delivering two sensational performances. Entertainment reporters, music critics, bloggers, fans, and concert goers all agreed that Ne-Yo’s performances brought the heat; but maybe it brought too much heat.

He’s written hit songs for Beyonce “Irreplaceable” and Rihanna “Unfaithful” (spending a combined 19 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100), said Tango, Ne-Yo’s business partner and manager. He’s written songs slated to be on Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, and Enrique Iglesias’ new albums. In a recent article in Ebony Magazine, the king of pop, Michael Jackson, referred to him as one of the artists that impresses him most. The fans were really feeling his performances. He’s good; maybe he’s too good - that’s the problem.”

It seems like déjà vu - didn’t R Kelly have drama on his last tour. R Kelly’s camp sited the lack of a signed contract as the reason for removing Ne-Yo from the line up.

“I don’t understand their actions because I was rehearsing, doing media, promoting the tour, and performing,” said Ne-Yo. “In my opinion, I was doing everything possible to make the tour a success. I love being on stage in front of fans because of the immediate feedback you get. You know right away if they are feeling you; and they were really feeling our show.”

Ne-Yo expressed genuine concern regarding not having the opportunity to complete the tour. He wanted all of his fans and supporters to be able to see him live. “To my fans and ticket holders - I apologize if you are disappointed.”

In 2004, R. Kelly and Jay-Z’s conjoined tour came to a halt after Kelly was blasted with pepper spray by a member of Jay-Z’s entourage. Jay-Z later said that R. Kelly was a weepy, emotional wreck, prone to crying fits during the duration of their tour. Just the other day R. Kelly’s publicist quit saying "lines being crossed."

Regina Daniels, who has been R. Kelly’s publicist for 14 years, has formally announced her resignation. Daniels says:

"I have prided myself on loyalty, respect and professionalism. It saddens me that I was not always shown those same courtesies during my 14-year tenure as Mr. Kelly’s publicist … There are some lines that should never be crossed professionally or personally. Mr. Kelly crossed a line that forever altered the scope of our relationship. For this reason I made the decision to resign."

Five years ago R. Kelly was charged with 14 counts of child pornography. He has yet to go to trial. Legal proceedings are expected to finally begin next spring.

Daniels makes it sound like R. Kelly made a move on her, got physical with her, or asked her to lie or do something she couldn’t live with any longer. There’s also the possibility that Daniels wants to distance herself now before the legal proceedings start. Maybe she will be a witness for the prosecution.

R. Kelly’s ‘Trapped in the Closet’ saga isn’t over yet. In the past TITC videos were more comical than drama revealing interesting characters involved in adultery, homosexuality, religion, the law and other weird twists. And now there is more to come!

On Monday website IFC released the 13th chapter of the hip-hopera continuing the story of Sylvester (played by Kelly) and his brother-in-law Twan driving around the streets of Chicago in search of a mysterious woman at a secret location. The end of the video shows Twan still waiting for Sylvester who been gone for an hour.

According to IFC, each new video for the next eight days will be shown until the release date of a DVD including all ten chapters on August 21.

Almost 10 years after the crime took place, R. Kelly (does the R stand for rapist?) will finally go on trial to face 14 counts of child pornography. In 2002, the Chicago Sun Times exposed a sex tape Kelly made with a girl who was then 14 years old. The tape featured various sex acts, including Kelly peeing on the girl. Kelly denies he is the man in the tape, and the girls parents have said the girl in the tape is not their daughter.

This would not be the first time Kelly has faced such charges. In January of 2003 he was indicted on 12 counts of possession of child pornography in Florida when authorities found a digital camera containing three pictures showing Kelly having sex with two underage girls. Those charges were later dropped because of an illegal search. Kelly also, of course, married singer Aaliyah when he was 27 and she was 15. But about this case, E! says:

A Chicago judge has announced Sept. 17 as the start date for the trial. The case has dragged on as prosecutors and defense attorneys sparred over various issues, including the timeline when the X-rated home movie was made, and which evidence was admissible. In the interim, the "I Can Believe I Can Fly" crooner has released seven albums, including Double Up in May, and continued to tour.

It’s clear The Man is setting up this fine upstanding black man. It’s all a racist conspiracy. The white one-armed man is the one humping, and peeing on, that 14 year-old girl in the video.