Britney Spears - Criminal
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: RCA
- Director: Chris Marrs Piliero
Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli
02/25/2012
J.K. Rowling Is Writing A Book For Grown-Ups
J.K. Rowling Is Writing A Book For Grown-Ups
Now that author J.K. Rowling has completely conquered the world of young adult literature, she has decided to dive right in and tackle the world of adult novels … but not the dirty kind of adult novels … the kind of novels that are geared toward adult readers (yes, I know it still sounds dirty, [...]
Now that author J.K. Rowling has completely conquered the world of young adult literature, she has decided to dive right in and tackle the world of adult novels … but not the dirty kind of adult novels … the kind of novels that are geared toward adult readers (yes, I know it still sounds dirty, but you know what I mean). Little, Brown publishing has announced that they have signed Rowling to write her first book for grown folk, which Rowling says “will be very different to the Harry Potter series”. At this point, there is no information about plot, title or release date … but we do know that Rowling is writing again and that, my friends, is cause for great celebration.
Little, Brown Book Group and Little, Brown and Company are delighted to announce that they will publish J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults worldwide in the English language, both in print and ebooks. David Shelley, Publisher, Little, Brown Book Group, will be J.K. Rowling’s editor and will be responsible for publication in the United Kingdom with Michael Pietsch, Executive Vice President of Little, Brown and Company, responsible for publication in the United States. The book will be published by Hachette in Australia and in New Zealand and by Hachette’s companies and normal appointed agents for the English language in other markets. The title, the date for the worldwide publication and further details about the novel will be announced later in the year.
J.K. Rowling said: “Although I’ve enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the Harry Potter series, which has been published so brilliantly by Bloomsbury and my other publishers around the world. The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry’s success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher. I am delighted to have a second publishing home in Little, Brown, and a publishing team that will be a great partner in this new phase of my writing life.”
David Shelley said: “Tim Hely Hutchinson, Ursula Mackenzie and I, and the whole team at Little, Brown in the UK, along with our colleagues David Young and Michael Pietsch at Little, Brown in the USA, are thrilled, honoured and proud to be publishing J.K. Rowling’s new book. For me, quite simply, it is a personal and professional dream come true to be working with J.K. Rowling. She is one of the best storytellers in the world, and I am looking forward enormously to helping bring her new novel for adults to her fans and admirers, and to introducing her writing to new readers the world over.”
Yay!! This is very exciting news. I know many people were hoping that J.K. Rowling would write more books like the Harry Potter series but I am relieved that she has decided to tackle more adult fare. Rowling is an amazing writer and I am very interested to see what she can do with subjects and themes that might be more advanced and complicated for more advanced and complicated readers. I suppose it’s possible that Rowling might not have the same success with adult readers that she’s had with young readers but the fact that so many adults are fans of and have read (multiple times) her young adult novels, I find it very likely that she will find huge success again. I am VERY excited about the announcement of this forthcoming new book from J.K. Rowling. I’m really looking forward to learning more about it in the coming months.
[Source]
Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida
Britney Spears' Big 2011: From A Smash Album To A Ring On Her Finger
A decade into her career, the pop megastar reinvented herself this year as the ultimate Femme Fatale and made a big commitment to Jason Trawick.
By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears
Photo: Getty Images
<P>Maybe <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/spears_britney/artist.jhtml">Britney Spears</a>' lucky number is 30. The singer turned 30 this year, marking the landmark birthday on December 2 with a fan-voted MTV News tournament that crowned <a href="/news/articles/1675289/britney-spears-tournament-winner-30th-birthday.jhtml">the Best Britney Video of All Time</a>. But her 30th year also proved to be an incredibly successful period in her career. <center><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:720934/cp~vid%3D720934%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A720934" width="460" height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed></center> For the first time in a while, she seemed comfortable being the pop megastar that she is. More than a decade into her career, Spears re-emerged as a <a href="/news/articles/1675474/britney-spears-femme-fatale-favorite-album.jhtml"><i>Femme Fatale,</i></a> giving fans a fist-pumping album, embarking on a flashy tour and dropping more memorable music videos. Britney Spears fandom was reenergized as the singer came out of her shell, opening up about this phase in her career as well her personal life in several high-profile interviews. So it's probably not surprising that Spears will cap off the year at #4 on MTV News' <a href="/news/articles/1676177/newsmakers-2011-lady-gaga-amy-winehouse.jhtml">Top Newsmakers of 2011</a> list, just behind Lil Wayne. "When I was younger, I was busy, busy, and I was always singing and dancing all the time. I was just really creative," she recalled in the <a href="http://www.mtv.com/videos/news/638813/britney-hits-the-studio-with-william.jhtml#id=166112">MTV special "I Am the Femme Fatale."</a> "That's when my mom realized I'm a really creative person." She let that creativity shine over the past 12 months. From <a href="http://www.mtv.com/videos/britney-spears/624145/hold-it-against-me.jhtml#artist=501686">"Hold It Against Me"</a> to <a href="http://www.mtv.com/videos/britney-spears/639722/till-the-world-ends.jhtml#artist=501686">"Till the World Ends"</a> to her Chris Marrs Piliero-directed "I Wanna Go" and "Criminal," Britney made headlines every time she dropped a music video. But no vid stirred up as much controversy as her <a href="/news/articles/1672795/britney-spears-criminal-video-director.jhtml">"Criminal" clip</a>, which featured real-life boyfriend <a href="/news/articles/1676120/britney-spears-is-engaged.jhtml">(now fiancé) Jason Trawick</a> — and his abs. "At the end of the day, Jason killed it," Piliero told MTV News of Trawick's cameo. "That was one of those things I was really stoked [about], as much as I went into it like, 'Wow, he's not an actor. This is going to be interesting,' but I really do like a challenge, and I really do like the idea that I'm a director and my job is to direct and get the performance. For me, it was a fun challenge to be like, 'I'm gonna make sure that you are awesome,' and he was." Between video shoots, Spears hit the road with <a href="/news/articles/1668836/nicki-minaj-britney-spears-tour.jhtml">the likes of Nicki Minaj</a>, Joe Jonas, and DJ Pauly D. Spears fully embraced her sensuality on the <i>Femme Fatale</i> Tour, a spectacular show full of costume changes, elaborate stage setups and stunning mini-films. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:638813.id:1661123" width="240" height="211"></div><p> And while much of the 2011 VMA buzz was about <a href="/news/articles/1669849/beyonce-pregnant-vmas.jhtml">Beyoncé's baby bump</a> and <a href="/news/articles/1669843/lady-gaga-you-and-i-video-music-awards-performance.jhtml">Jo Calderone</a>, Spears stole the spotlight by walking away with a Moonman for Best Pop Video and the prized <a href="/news/articles/1669873/britney-spears-vma-tribute.jhtml">Video Vanguard Award</a>. She also had tongues wagging after an onstage kiss from Jo (a.k.a. Lady Gaga), just before she was honored with an electrifying dance tribute that highlighted some of biggest career moments. "It was really crazy. I had no idea what to expect," Spears told us backstage at the VMAs. "The kids were amazing and so entertaining, and it was a really fun night. It was really cool. I was like, 'Wow, that's really sweet!' " As 2011 came to a close, Spears wrapped up her tour, and MTV News threw her a birthday bash in the form of the <a href="http://www.mtv.com/content/news/2011/britney30/index.jhtml">"30 Videos for 30 Years"</a> tournament. The competition was heated but in the end, Spears' iconic "I'm a Slave 4 U" took home the prize. And just when it seemed things couldn't get any better, <a href="/news/articles/1676167/britney-spears-jason-trawick-engaged-timeline.jhtml">Britney confirmed she was engaged</a> to Trawick after dating for two years. She showed off her Neil Lane ring during a celebratory weekend in Las Vegas. <b>MTV continues our <a href="http://www.mtv.com/specials/best_of/">Best of 2011</a> coverage by looking back at the biggest pop-culture stories of the year. As we count down the newsmakers that mattered to you most, also check out our <a href="/news/articles/1675981/best-artists-2011.jhtml">Best Artists</a>, <a href="/news/articles/1675921/best-songs-2011.jhtml">Best Songs</a>, <a href="/news/articles/1675822/best-mtv-live-performances-2011.jhtml">Best MTV Live Performances</a> and <a href="/news/articles/1675726/best-edm-artists-2011.jhtml">Best EDM Artists</a> of 2011.</b></p>
Related Videos Related ArtistsKe$ha Drops Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa 'Sleazy' Remix
Remix also features Andre 3000 and is a bit racier than the original track.
By Jocelyn Vena
Ke$ha performs at Bayfront Park Amphitheater on August 7, 2011 in Miami, Florida.
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images
<P>As promised, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/kesha_/artist.jhtml">Ke$ha</a> and her boys Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa and Andre 3000 dropped a new <a href="/news/articles/1672529/lil-wayne-kesha-ti-wiz-khalifa-remix.jhtml">remix of "Sleazy"</a> on Tuesday (December 13). </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="id:1661961" width="240" height="211"></div><p> The Bangladesh-produced song originally appeared on K-Dollar's 2010 <a href="/news/articles/1651081/keha-gets-sleazy-on-new-cannibal-track.jhtml"><i>Cannibal</i> album</a> before a <a href="/news/articles/1656039/andre-3000-pops-up-on-kehas-sleazy-remix.jhtml">remix featuring Andre</a> popped up earlier this year. The latest version of the song is available for purchase and is all over blogs like <a href="http://www.rap-up.com/2011/12/12/new-music-kesha-f-wiz-khalifa-andre-3000-ti-lil-wayne-sleazy-remix/" target="_blank">Rap-Up.com</a>. The song gets a bit dirtier and introspective thanks to verses from the guys that play up the track's bumping beat. Wiz kicks it off, rapping about designer clothes and his lady love, Amber Rose. "OK, I'm young and I'm tatted/ I get them bucks like an addict/ Rocking this Christian Dior/ I spend so much on my fabric/ I got a wifey at home/ And what she wants she can have it," he spits before going on about chilling on the beach, being rich and his prowess in the bedroom. Sitting in between Wiz and Tip is Andre's recycled verse, before T.I. gets his shot and gets sexy, asking Ke$ha, "Do you know what to do with me?" before he launches into a verse all about how good he is to the ladies. "Bad bitches know me/ So don't bother introducing me/ They want me more than diamonds," he brags before explaining that it has a lot to do with his impressive anatomy. Wayne closes it out, adding his own signature flair. "We be on that sh-- that no one be on/ That's what we on/ Smoke that neon, Kings of Leon/ Dynamite, Napoleon/ Got some skinnies and a tee on/ And some Vans," he rhymes about his famous sense of Weezy-fied style before the song circles back to the funky chorus, where Ke$ha declares that she doesn't "need you or your brand-new Benz/ Or your bougie friends/ I don't need love lookin' like diamonds/ Lookin' like diamonds." If any of K's fans or critics were wondering if she has the swagger to chill with the guys, she displayed some of her sass when she <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/KESHASUXX" target="_blank">tweeted</a> about the remix. "Question ANIMALS ... who can say they got with Lil Wayne, T.I., Andre 3000 and Wiz Khalifa on a f---ing hot track??" she asked. "ill give u one clue ... Its $." <i>What do you think of the "Sleazy" remix? Tell us in the comments!</i></p>
Related Videos Related ArtistsOscars Music Will Be 'Very Different,' Pharrell Says
Oscars Music Will Be 'Very Different,' Pharrell Says
Producer talks to MTV News about collaborating with award-winning composer Hans Zimmer.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Ricky Louis
Pharrell Williams
Photo: MTV News
This Sunday, super producer Pharrell Williams and Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer will show the world what they've been cooking up since the December announcement they would join forces as the musical consultants for the 84th Academy Awards.
"You know, Hans called me and he said that [Oscars Producer] Brian Grazer had asked him to come on as a consultant and effectively score the music or whatever," he explained to MTV News. "And Hans was like, 'I can't do that. ... I'd do that if like I had, like, Pharrell.' [Grazer's] like, 'OK, get Pharrell on the phone.' That's the story he told me. I got the call from Hans and he told them he wanted to do it with me, and so I pleasantly accepted and we've just been working ever since."
While Pharrell wanted to keep the collaboration as top-secret as possible, he did give some insight into what the two have in store for the big night, which will be hosted by Billy Crystal.
"Well, you're gonna have to watch the show and see, we can't give it away. That's what's so funny about interviews. They always want to know what you're about to do," he explained. "It's like some of us love you know music and art that blindsides, comes out of nowhere with a crazy impact. And then sometimes you talk about things because you want to warm up the feeling before the huge impact.
"But this is another one of those things where we keep things under wraps," he continued. "But it's cool; it's interesting; it's very different. Definitely there's an homage to the tradition of how the music was done traditionally. ... [but] we're different, and when given an opportunity and it's our opportunity, Hans and I agreed we just would do it from the perspective of people who love music and love making music and respect it, giving back to what gave us so much, which is music and film."
The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Stick with us for everything you need to know leading up to the awards show, and head to Next Movie for a printable Oscar ballot. On Sunday, tune into MTV.com at 5 p.m. ET for our two-and-a-half-hour red-carpet live stream and updates on the night's big winners. To join the live conversation, tweet @MTVNews with the hashtag #Oscars.
Related Photos Related ArtistsJeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III
02/24/2012
Usher's Next Album 'Soulful, Catchy,' Taio Cruz Teases
'He always wants there to be the soul in there,' Cruz tells MTV News about his 'Without You' collaborator.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias
Usher
Photo: Todd Williamson/ WireImage
<P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/usher/artist.jhtml">Usher</a> is hard at work on his next album. Set to work with fellow hitmaker <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/cruz__taio/artist.jhtml">Taio Cruz</a>, the two already cooked up some magic with their <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/guetta_david/artist.jhtml">David Guetta</a> anthem <a href="/news/articles/1670301/usher-david-guetta-without-you.jhtml">"Without You,"</a> and it seems they are hoping to recapture that spirit for Usher's follow-up to 2010's <i>Raymond v. Raymond</i>. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:717257" width="240" height="211"></div><p> "I saw Usher a few times, but I spoke to him at length at David [Guetta]'s house when we were in Ibiza [Spain]," he told MTV News in L.A. after his Jingle Ball set. "He has very specific ideas of where he wants to go musically and sound-wise." Given that Usher has never shied away from exposing a bit of himself in his music, while also keeping the party going, Cruz wants to make sure they can connect the mind, body and soul for this next release. "He always wants there to be the soul in there," he explained. "I'm kind of, not the opposite, but I'm always like, 'Let's get straight to the point and be really clear with the message and be simple.' "So we try to match those two worlds together: being soulful and, at the same time, catchy," he added. Cruz can't yet discuss what they're working on: Besides "Without You," he said, "Everything else is secret." Usher said he was drawn to the <a href="/news/articles/1674782/usher-david-guetta-without-you.jhtml">Guetta hit</a> because he connected to it emotionally, explaining to MTV News recently what an important part that plays in his musical philosophy. "I think the world wanted a record like that. That [song] really spoke to the journey that I've actually been on in the last three years," he said. "Traveling all around the world, music sounds different. There's many different genres, and when you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is." <div style="background-color:#000000;width:428px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:713197/cp~vid%3D713197%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A713197" width="420" height="236" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed></div></div></p>
Related ArtistsBristol Marunde Replaces Derek Brunson Against “Jacare” Souza at Strikeforce: “Tate vs. Rousey”
Bristol Marunde Replaces Derek Brunson Against “Jacare” Souza at Strikeforce: “Tate vs. Rousey”
With Derek Brunson failing his pre-fight medicals due to poor eyesight, relative unknown Bristol Marunde has stepped up to take on former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza next weekend at "Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey".
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza was expected to face Derek Brunson next weekend at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey, but Brunson was forced out of their bout this week for failing a pre-fight eye exam with the Ohio Athletic Commission.
Luckily for Jacare, it was revealed today that Bristol Marunde will step up in Brunson’s place to take on the former Strikeforce middleweight champ in what will be his promotional debut.
Hailing from Fairbanks, Alaska and fighting out of Las Vegas with the Throwdown Training Center, the relatively unknown Marunde (12-6) will be riding a four-fight winning streak into his battle with Souza. The 29-year-old last appeared in action at Superior Cage Combat 3 in November, taking out Jay Silva via unanimous decision.
Recently deposed Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (14-3, 1 NC) will be looking to rebound from his title-relinquishing loss to Luke Rockhold and put one back in the win column when he faces Marunde. Jacare dropped a unanimous decision to Rockhold when they met in the Strikeforce cage this past September to dispute the belt.
Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey goes down on March 3 from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio and will feature a title fight between Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champ Miesha Tate and challenger Ronda Rousey.
Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte
What to look for: UFC on Fuel TV 1
What to look for: UFC on Fuel TV 1
The UFC rolls out its first major card debut tonight on Fuel TV in Omaha, Ne. Jake Ellenberger has a chance to work his way into the welterweight title mix with a big win over Diego Sanchez, but the card features much more beyond the main event (Fuel TV 8 p.m. ET).
The heavyweights are definitely can't miss this evening. Stefan Struve faces the division's great anamoly in Dave Herman. A chiseled 235 pounder Herman seems to fight with little strategy, but he is dangerous. He's mocked jiu-jitsu in the past. He'd better take it seriously against Struve, who has 15 submission wins in his 21 victories.
The other thing to watch for with Herman is what sort of look he brings to the Octagon tonight. Yesterday, he looked like a Russian lumberjack.
Ellenberger returns home
Sanchez will be walking into a road spot against Omaha's Ellenberger. The city is fired up for the return of the rising UFC star.
Today Ellenberger — born and bred in Omaha and the assistant coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha — was presented with the Key to the City by David Dover, Deputy Chief of Staff to Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle. The former US Marine said: "I'm honored to be recognized by the city I grew up in and fight for. It's extra pressure to fight in your hometown with all your family and friends in the front row, but I know the support from the local fans will be awesome."
UFC looks to boost FUEL
The Fox deal was a no brainer for the promotion, but it does come with some early risks by using FUEL as its clearance house for programming.
Spike was in 100 million home. Fuel is still a work-in-progress with only 36 millions. That will get boosted into the mid-40's tonight due to a free preview this week. Unfortunately, like many young networks FUEL is fighting for clearance with cable companies. Comcast, the nation's biggest cable carrier, still doesn't offer the channel. That said, the Fox folks are enthused by the early uptick with the UFC partnership.
"We've had an 80 percent increase in the target demographic of men ages 18-49, and a near 230 percent increase in overall prime-time ratings from past ratings periods," Fuel TV vice president George Greenberg said. "To say I'm jacked would be putting it mildly."
Dillashaw needs a quick bounce back victory
The pre-show favorite for the 135-pound title on Season 14 of "The Ultimate Fighter," Dillashaw was surprised by the much smaller John Dodson in the final. He was finished on what he thought was a flash knockdown.
The powerful wrestler faces a challenge in the very rangy Walel Watson. He's not impressed.
"He's obviously going to be the tallest bantamweight I'll ever fight. He's got a long reach. Other than that, I don't find him too dangerous. Yeah, he's going to use his reach to his advantage, but he's not dangerous with it. He likes to stay on the outside obviously and use it to his advantage, but I'm not too impressed with his ground game or his [aggression]," Dillashaw told Sherdog.
The key phrase there is aggression. Watson's striking game can be dynamic, but he rarely sits down on his strikes. He is dangerous off his back which makes this fight really interesting since Dillashaw is probably going to look for the takedown and top control. He needs to be consistently active or he could get caught.
Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne
Grammys Live Stream: What Shocking Entrances Will We See?
How will Lady Gaga arrive this year? Join Sway and James Montgomery on the red carpet, starting 5 p.m. Sunday on MTV.com.
By Gil Kaufman
Jennifer Lopez at the 2000 Grammys
Photo: Getty Images
<P>What's the point of getting all dolled up for the <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/grammys">Grammy Awards</a> if no one notices your outfit? Since not everyone can earn a nomination or score a performance slot, sometimes you have to make your own news by crashing the red carpet with an eye-popping outfit that is sure to get tongues wagging. It's anyone's guess what this year's attendees will be wearing on Sunday night at the 54th annual awards show, but MTV News will be camped out on the carpet for a full three hours before the festivities kick off and we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for all the outrageous looks and fashions. <a href="http://www.mtv.com/photos/10-shocking-grammy-red-carpet-moments/1678986/6893746/photo.jhtml" target="_blank"><b><big>Click for photos of our most-shocking Grammy red carpet moments!</b></big></a> In the meantime, we thought it was worth a look back at some of the legendary entrances from Grammys past: </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="id:1678854" width="240" height="211"></div><p> <B>Lady Gaga egg</B>: Sure, Justin Bieber toted his pet snake to last year's show, but it was, of course, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/lady_gaga/artist.jhtml">Lady Gaga</a> who turned the most heads by getting carried down the carpet in a <a href="/news/articles/1657833/lady-gaga-grammy-arrival-egg.jhtml">giant, see-through egg</a> that she incubated in before emerging later in the night for her performance of "Born This Way." <B>Britney gets bodied</B>: Britney Spears has long prided herself on wearing what she wants, when she wants. But someone should have pulled her aside in 2010 before she exited the car in an oddball Dolce & Gabbana bodysuit overlaid with a lace dress that turned heads for all the wrong reasons. <B>M.I.A.'s pregnancy chic</B>: With her <a href="/news/articles/1678599/mia-super-bowl-halftime-middle-finger.jhtml">middle finger</a> firmly tucked into place, the rapper/singer made her way into the <a href="/news/articles/1604583/mia-talks-baby-slumdog-at-grammys.jhtml">2009 show while nine-months pregnant</a> in a cartoony, ruffled blue maternity dress and matching sneakers. <B>Coldplay play dress up</B>: It was kind of cool when Coldplay stuck with their bold Sgt. Pepper's-style suits for the whole <I>Viva La Vida</I> tour. But when they wore them to the <a href="/news/articles/1604580/lil-wayne-coldplay-win-big-at-grammys.jhtml">2009 show</a>, it just felt ... silly. <B>OK Go ... back to the drawing board</B>: Viral icons OK Go are experts at drawing attention to their music with trippy, how-did-they-do-that videos. They drew mostly sniggers, though, when they donned matching brocade curtain-looking red-and-gold suits to the 2007 show. Their smartest move may have been to cover their faces with red cloth. <B>R. Kelly, man of mystery</B>: Kels has made a career out of being inscrutable , but his bold sartorial choice at the 2004 Grammys was, well, weird. From the neck down he wore an elegant three-button black suit and tie, but the matching Robin mask? Who knows? <B>Alicia Keys gets funky</B>: Nobody really knows what Keys was thinking in 2002 when she walked the carpet wearing embroidered jeans, sandals, a white tank and a sheer green sari-like shift with a built in, bedazzled headdress. <B>Toni Braxton lets it all hang out</B>: Sometimes it's what you <I>don't</I> wear that gets attention. In 2001, singer Braxton sported a barely-there white "dress" that hardly covered her assets with strips of material that dangled in the front and back. <B>Jennifer Lopez's plunging neckline</B>: Way before she was an "American Idol" judge, Lopez sent hearts racing in 2000 with her instantly infamous plunging neckline Versace gown. <b>Chaos! Profanity! Wardrobe malfunctions! Don't miss our <a href="/news/articles/1678706/grammy-awards-red-carpet-live-stream.jhtml">Grammy red-carpet live stream</a> this Sunday, February 12, for a full three hours of mayhem, starting at 5 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And the fun doesn't end Sunday: MTV News has you covered for all the <a href="http://style.mtv.com/category/awards-shows/">Grammy red-carpet fashion</a>, <a href="/news/articles/1678701/grammy-winners-list.jhtml">Grammy winners</a> and Grammy news until the hangover wears off!</b></p>
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsColdplay, Led Zeppelin Album Covers Featured On New British Stamps
Album art from Pink Floyd, Blur and David Bowie also included.
By James Montgomery
Photo: Royal Mail
<P>On Thursday (January 7), the U.K.'s Royal Mail unveiled a series of 10 new stamps, honoring the most iconic album covers of the past 40 years. The albums featured in the new series are the <a href="/music/artist/rolling_stones/artist.jhtml">Rolling Stones</a>' <i>Let It Bleed,</i> <a href="/music/artist/led_zeppelin/artist.jhtml">Led Zeppelin</a>'s <i>IV,</i> <a href="/music/artist/bowie_david/artist.jhtml">David Bowie</a>'s <i>The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,</i> <a href="/music/artist/mike_oldfield/artist.jhtml">Mike Oldfield</a>'s <i>Tubular Bells,</i> <a href="/music/artist/clash/artist.jhtml">The Clash</a>'s <i>London Calling,</i> <a href="/music/artist/new_order/artist.jhtml">New Order</a>'s <i>Power, Corruption and Lies,</i> <a href="/music/artist/primal_scream/artist.jhtml">Primal Scream</a>'s <i>Screamadelica,</i> <a href="/music/artist/pink_floyd/artist.jhtml">Pink Floyd</a>'s <i>The Division Bell,</i> <a href="/music/artist/blur/artist.jhtml">Blur</a>'s <i>Parklife</i> and — the most recent album on to make the cut — <a href="/music/artist/coldplay/artist.jhtml">Coldplay</a>'s <i>A Rush of Blood to the Head.</i> Meant to honor "the most potent graphic images of modern times, many of which have provided a visual soundtrack to people's lives," the series is the end result of a lengthy research process by the Royal Mail, who looked through thousands of album covers by British artists before deciding on the final list. And, during a Wednesday night BBC Radio broadcast, it was revealed that the queen herself actually approved each design. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page — who helped design the cover for <i>IV</i> — was on hand to celebrate the release of the stamps and recalled the mysterious nature of the album's iconic imagery. "Almost 40 years after the album came out, nobody knows the old man who featured on the cover, nor the artist who painted him," he said. "That sort of sums up what we wanted to achieve with the album cover, which has remained both anonymous and enigmatic at the same time." Of course, any great honor is befitting of an equally great contest, so, on the same day the stamps were made available to the general public, Coldplay decided to give one of their <i>Rush of Blood</i> stamps away. In a message on their official site, the band held a contest to send one lucky fan "a letter using a Coldplay stamp, postmarked with today's issue date." "We visited our local post office earlier today and bought some of the Coldplay stamps," the message read. "Very nice they are too."</p>
Related Photos Related ArtistsGarcelle Beauvais Genelle Frenoy Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville
Matchmaker, matchmaker: Fights for ‘Mayhem,’ Evan Dunham and Eddie Alvarez
Matchmaker, matchmaker: Fights for ‘Mayhem,’ Evan Dunham and Eddie Alvarez
Though MMA's spring schedule is not as dizzying as its winter pace, there are plenty of fight cards that need filling. To that end:
-- Jason "Mayhem" Miller will take on C.B. Dollaway at UFC 146 on Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas. This is Miller's first fight since losing the Michael Bisping at "The Ultimate Fighter" season 14 finale. Dollaway has been finished in his last two bouts, a TKO to Jared Hamman and a KO to Mark Munoz.
-- Evan Dunham and Edson Barboza will also meet at UFC 146. Dunham just fought at UFC on Fox 2, scoring a win over Nik Lentz. Known for his powerful striking, Barboza has never lost. His knockout of Terry Etim at UFC 142 was called one of the best knockouts in UFC history.
-- In Bellator, Eddie Alvarez and Shinya Aoki are expected to meet in April. Alvarez was submitted by an Aoki heel hook in 2008. After that loss, he won seven straight before losing a classic title bout to Michael Chandler. Aoki is currently holds the DREAM lightweight belt.
Who will win these bouts? Talk to us in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick
Justin Bieber Made A 'Smash' With Far East Movement
Producer RedOne opens up to MTV News about recording session.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Kara Warner
Justin Bieber performs at the 2011 American Music Awards
Photo: Getty Images
<P><a href="/music/artist/bieber_justin/artist.jhtml">Justin Bieber</a> might be singing hooks like a G6 in the very near future. Super-producer RedOne told MTV News that he recently hit the studio with the teen star, and it involved dance-floor phenoms <a href="/music/artist/far_east_movement/artist.jhtml">Far East Movement</a>. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:734458" width="240" height="211"></div><p> "The Bieber thing, I don't know if I'm allowed to mention it right now, but ... I did a few songs with Far East Movement, and one of the songs ... to me, it's a smash," he told us in his Los Angeles-area recording studio. "And Justin sang the chorus. It's a really good song, and I think people are gonna dance like crazy to it." While any other details about the project are top-secret, Red did praise the 17-year-old's work ethic, maturity and musicality. "He's very positive and he's an amazing singer," he said. "Amazing everything! He's Justin Bieber. He's a sensation. I think he's becoming a man with his voice. He's an incredible singer. So it's not just the dance or the looks or the 'Justin' factor. He's a real singer musician ... He's a real artist." Currently, <a href="/news/articles/1675015/justin-bieber-new-album.jhtml">Bieber is busy recording his 2012 release, <i>Believe,</i></a> and there's a chance RedOne could be involved in the album. But it will only happen if the twosome can cook up a choice track. "We're trying to figure out some smashes together for his album," he said. With RedOne's part on the album still up in the air, there are plenty of other folks onboard with Bieber for the release, including producers Pharrell, Timbaland and will.i.am and rappers <a href="/news/articles/1678841/justin-bieber-drake-collab-believe.jhtml">Drake and Lil Wayne</a>. <i>Believe</i> will be released later this year. <i>What are you hoping to hear from Justin's new music? Let us know in the comments!</i></p>
Related ArtistsLeslie Bega Leslie Bibb Lil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' Kim Lily Allen
How to survive a Chinese drinking frenzy
by Trista Baldwin
If you thought shotgunning a beer in under five seconds back in uni was the pinnacle of drinking prowess, you?ve probably never been properly ganbei?d.
China?s version of ?down the hatch? is a bit like the Power Hour, which involves repeated and prolonged shooting of small amounts of alcohol -- red wine if you?re lucky, baijiu if you?re not.
Though observed in all social circles, ganbei is particularly prominent in China?s formal banquet culture, where business suits and government officials rub elbows, talk business and get completely sloshed.
Shanghai-based food and wine critic Lawrence Lo and a few seasoned ganbei-ers, shared the secrets of this thoroughly intoxicating custom.
1. You?re in, or you?re outWhile you?re not obliged to chug the night away, it is tacitly expected at a business banquet.
read moreVideo: UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference
Video: UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference
Although the UFC was unable to provide a live stream of last night's pre-fight press conference for UFC 144, video of the entire conference has been released. The press conference includes UFC President Dana White along with fighters on UFC 144's main card: Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Ryan Bader, Jake Shields, and Yoshihiro Akiyama.
Although the UFC was unable to provide a live stream of last night’s pre-fight press conference for UFC 144, video of the entire conference has been released. The press conference includes UFC President Dana White along with fighters on UFC 144′s main card: Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Ryan Bader, Jake Shields, and Yoshihiro Akiyama.
UFC 144 takes place Saturday evening, which includes the pay-per-view starting at the usual time of 10 PM EST, with the event taking place locally Sunday morning in Japan.
Video of the press conference is below:
For complete coverage of UFC 144, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com
David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton
Sundance 2012: Indomina Group Acquires 'The Imposter'
Jay A. Fernandez , Daniel Miller The Indomina Group has acquired North American rights to Bart Layton's "The Imposter." The documentary had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and will receive a theatrical release later this year.
Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, John Paul Jones Unveil Supergroup
Them Crooked Vultures make their debut with a post-Lollapalooza set.
By James Montgomery
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
<P>Officially, <a href="/news/articles/1617945/janes-addiction-killers-turn-up-heat-on-lollapaloozas-last-day.jhtml">Lollapalooza ended Sunday night</a> in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from <a href="/music/artist/killers_the/artist.jhtml">the Killers</a> and <a href="/music/artist/janes_addiction/artist.jhtml">Jane's Addiction</a>. Unofficially, it ended <i>very</i> early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures. To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of <a href="/music/artist/foo_fighters/artist.jhtml">Foo Fighters</a> frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, <a href="/music/artist/queens_stone_age/artist.jhtml">Queens of the Stone Age</a> mastermind Josh Homme and <a href="/music/artist/led_zeppelin/artist.jhtml">Led Zeppelin</a> legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere. According to <a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/derogatis/2009/08/them_crooked_vultures_at_metro.html" target="_blank">some reports</a>, the Vultures actually turned <i>down</i> Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town. Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called <i>Never Deserved the Future,</i> and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans). The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — <a href="http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2009/08/concert-review-them-crooked-vultures-at-metro.html" target="_blank"><i>Chicago Tribune</i></a> critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the <i>Chicago Sun-Times'</i> Jim DeRogatis. It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October. Early Monday, a <a href="http://twitter.com/crookedvultures" target="_blank">Crooked Vultures Twitter account</a>, which had previously posted links to the band's <a href="http://www.themcrookedvultures.com/" target="_blank">official-looking Web site</a> and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a <i>Deserve the Future</i> T-shirt. Cost: $30.</p>
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsOscars 2012 Predictions: Best Actress
Oscars 2012 Predictions: Best Actress
'The Help' star Viola Davis will likely help herself to a statuette on Sunday.
By Amy Wilkinson
Viola Davis in "The Help"
Photo: DreamWorks
The Oscars love nothing more than a role that allows an actress to a) portray a historical figure or b) completely transform herself physically. (And, lest we forget, some combination thereof, i.e. Charlize Theron's chilling turn as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in 2003's "Monster"). This year's Best Actress field is no exception, with four of the five nominees falling squarely into one of these categories.
Representing real-life ladies we have Meryl Streep as first female British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady" and Michelle Williams as breathy blond bombshell Marilyn Monroe in "My Week With Marilyn." In the transformation category is Rooney Mara, all pierced and tatted as punk-hacker Lisbeth Salander in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," and Glenn Close playing a woman playing a man in the period drama "Albert Nobbs." And the wildcard nominee? "The Help" star Viola Davis.
Yet, despite her non-conformity, Davis may just be the lady going home Sunday night with Oscar. Can anyone top her? Here are our predictions for Best Actress.
Who will win: The big-screen adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel has been riding a wave of accolades this awards season, notching several wins at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, including awards for Davis, co-star Octavia Spencer and the entire ensemble cast. (In fact, we've already predicted a win for Spencer in the Best Supporting Actress category too.) Despite Williams and Streep both scoring Golden Globes for their respective roles, we expect Davis triumph thanks to her moving portrayal of Southern maid Aibileen Clark in this racially charged, yet uplifting film.
Who should win: Davis is a strong contender to be sure, but going on sheer dedication alone, the trophy should go to relative newcomer Mara. The girl pierced her nipple for goodness' sake! Mara has so embodied Stieg Larsson's embattled heroine that we've been having a hard time separating her on-screen persona from her off-screen, as she continues to walk carpets sporting Salander's raven locks and even darker wardrobe. Sure, the film didn't perform as well as many had hoped, but it had nothing to do with Mara's gritty performance. As it turns out, we're a fool for a good transformation role too.
Who do you think will take home the Oscar for Best Actress? Leave your comment below!
Related VideosLena Headey Autumn Reeser Willa Ford Tara Conner April Scott
What if? Dana White talks Roy Nelson’s future
What if? Dana White talks Roy Nelson’s future
There's no doubt the most popular man at UFC 143 was Roy Nelson. For that reason, he's going to stick around. After his loss against Fabricio Werdum, he's now 3-3 with the UFC.
When asked about Nelson's future, Dana White isn't ready to give up on "Big Country," he still wonders if the fighter is cheating himself by not being in tip top condition.
"He's tough man, he's so tough. One of the toughest guys I've ever seen ... ever. The guy brings it. He comes to fight," said White.
Nelson shed some of excess weight and fought Werdum at 246 pounds, but it sounds like White would like to see drop even more.
"I've been telling Roy forever, if Roy took himself serious ... the schtick was funny for a while, but going in at 265 with a frame that doesn't carry 265 makes no sense when you're a professional fighter or a professional athlete of any kind," White said. He got his weight down [but] you wonder what he could do if he really, really trained and got into it."
Nelson lost a unanimous decision to Werdum, but had his moments early in the fight. When it came time to press on the gas pedal, Nelson didn't have the energy.
"If he was in good enough shape to keep that kind of pace he would win more fights," said White.
When asked about Nelson's punching power disappearing if he drop down into the 230's, White didn't think it would take away too much.
"You either have [punching power] or you don't. You got these guys that have knockout power, then guys that don't."
Nelson clearly put in good work to drop from 265 to 246, let's hope he can shed a little more, be able to go three hard rounds and take out heavyweights who legitimately in the top 10.
Missy Peregrym Halle Berry Jamie-Lynn Sigler Jessica White Bianca Kajlich
Check Out Paris Hilton?s New Video ?Drunk Text? (VIDEO)
Check Out Paris Hilton’s New Video “Drunk Text” (VIDEO)
DJ duo Manufactured Superstars released a new music video featuring socialite Paris Hilton. In the video, Paris talks about her partying and texting, beginning the [...]
Check Out Paris Hilton’s New Video “Drunk Text” (VIDEO) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News
Charlies Angels Charlize Theron Chelsea Handler Cheryl Burke
Woody Harrelson Avoids Being 'Phony Drunk' In 'Hunger Games'
But he also didn't want to actually drink during filming — like he had done before — to play Haymitch.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Woody Harrelson in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate
Anyone familiar with "The Hunger Games" books knows the character Haymitch Abernathy is mostly memorable for one thing: drunkenness. Sure, his character has a more multifaceted arc over the course of Suzanne Collins' trilogy, but in speaking of the first book and film adaptation, Haymitch's most recognizable trait is his near-constant intoxication.
When MTV News caught up with Woody Harrelson recently, the man who will be bringing the District 12 victor and mentor to life via the big-screen adaptation on March 23, we him how he approached his character's inebriation.
"It's an intriguing thing for me to play, because it's not something I've had that much opportunity to play," Harrelson said. "I was a little bit worried about looking phony, that phony drunk thing. Some Method actors might go drunk onscreen; I can't do that. I tried it one time," he admitted. "When I was doing 'Indecent Proposal,' I had this one scene, and I was supposed to be really drunk, contesting Robert Redford's love for Demi Moore, and I got smashed because I was supposed to be, so I rationalized it, and that wasn't a pleasant experience."
Harrelson said he and "Games" director Gary Ross spent time coming up with the right level of inebriation, a point that suited the character but did not completely detract or distract from the story.
"There was a thing with me and Gary trying to decide the level of drunkenness in any given scene, and I was always pushing for more drunk, and he didn't want me to be drunk in every scene," he said. "He was always pulling back, and I was always pushing for more just because I think it's kind of funny and interesting. Knowing Gary, he got the right balance."
Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
Related Videos Related PhotosRachael Leigh Cook Rachel Bilson Rachel Blanchard Rachel Hunter
Watch: President Obama Takes The Microphone To Sing With B.B King And Mick Jagger
Watch: President Obama Takes The Microphone To Sing With B.B King And Mick Jagger
Putting the election campaign aside, I think we have a pretty cool President. During a blues concert for Black History Month at the White House on Tuesday night, President Obama took the microphone and sang alongside music icons, B.B. King and Mick Jagger. You might remember that Obama is no stranger to taking the microphone [...]
Putting the election campaign aside, I think we have a pretty cool President. During a blues concert for Black History Month at the White House on Tuesday night, President Obama took the microphone and sang alongside music icons, B.B. King and Mick Jagger. You might remember that Obama is no stranger to taking the microphone to belt out a few tunes- he sang Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ at a fundraiser in January. Watch his bluesy performance of “Sweet Home Chicago”. He isn’t to bad..
The Obama’s have certainly been a lot more comfortable with popular culture than many previous White House residents. I think it is part of why they are more easily to relate to. A couple of weeks ago we heard that Michelle Obama had enlisted the help of some of her celeb friends, this time Jimmy Fallon, to help her campaign to fight childhood obesity. At the start of the year, we also heard about how Michelle Obama can’t stop dancing with the cast of iCarly. This week, President Obama had some fun with the band during the Black History Month concert. It is so great to see them both having fun and enjoying themselves, in between what seems like so much stressful work.
Check out the sweet video below of the President of the United States getting his blues on…
[source]
Rose McGowan Katharine McPhee Cristina Dumitru Alessandra Ambrosio Kate Walsh
Ke$ha Drops Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa 'Sleazy' Remix
Ke$ha Drops Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa 'Sleazy' Remix
Remix also features Andre 3000 and is a bit racier than the original track.
By Jocelyn Vena
Ke$ha performs at Bayfront Park Amphitheater on August 7, 2011 in Miami, Florida.
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images
As promised, Ke$ha and her boys Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa and Andre 3000 dropped a new remix of "Sleazy" on Tuesday (December 13).
The Bangladesh-produced song originally appeared on K-Dollar's 2010 Cannibal album before a remix featuring Andre popped up earlier this year. The latest version of the song is available for purchase and is all over blogs like Rap-Up.com. The song gets a bit dirtier and introspective thanks to verses from the guys that play up the track's bumping beat. Wiz kicks it off, rapping about designer clothes and his lady love, Amber Rose. "OK, I'm young and I'm tatted/ I get them bucks like an addict/ Rocking this Christian Dior/ I spend so much on my fabric/ I got a wifey at home/ And what she wants she can have it," he spits before going on about chilling on the beach, being rich and his prowess in the bedroom. Sitting in between Wiz and Tip is Andre's recycled verse, before T.I. gets his shot and gets sexy, asking Ke$ha, "Do you know what to do with me?" before he launches into a verse all about how good he is to the ladies. "Bad bitches know me/ So don't bother introducing me/ They want me more than diamonds," he brags before explaining that it has a lot to do with his impressive anatomy. Wayne closes it out, adding his own signature flair. "We be on that sh-- that no one be on/ That's what we on/ Smoke that neon, Kings of Leon/ Dynamite, Napoleon/ Got some skinnies and a tee on/ And some Vans," he rhymes about his famous sense of Weezy-fied style before the song circles back to the funky chorus, where Ke$ha declares that she doesn't "need you or your brand-new Benz/ Or your bougie friends/ I don't need love lookin' like diamonds/ Lookin' like diamonds." If any of K's fans or critics were wondering if she has the swagger to chill with the guys, she displayed some of her sass when she tweeted about the remix. "Question ANIMALS ... who can say they got with Lil Wayne, T.I., Andre 3000 and Wiz Khalifa on a f---ing hot track??" she asked. "ill give u one clue ... Its $." What do you think of the "Sleazy" remix? Tell us in the comments!
Related Videos Related ArtistsGerrit Wolsink Velky Zdenek Sarah Silverman Shakira Kate Mara
Grammy Red Carpet: Rihanna, Katy Perry, Adele Shine
Our experts take a look at A-list artists who dazzled in glamorous gowns and over-the-top looks.
By Christina Garibaldi
Rihanna at the 2012 Grammys
Photo: Getty Images
<P>Despite the <a href="/news/articles/1679029/whitney-houston-dead.jhtml">shocking death</a> of <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/houston_whitney/artist.jhtml">Whitney Houston</a> on Saturday, the biggest stars in music graced the <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/grammys/">Grammy</a> red carpet Sunday to not only honor the late icon, but also to celebrate one of the biggest nights in music and <a href="http://style.mtv.com/">fashion</a>. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:733318.id:1679149" width="240" height="211"></div><p> A-list artists brought both subdued, glamorous looks and the typical over-the-top statement-making <a href="/news/articles/1679091/grammy-awards-2012-red-carpet-fashion.jhtml">Grammy styles</a>. The lady of the night, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/adele/artist.jhtml">Adele</a>, sparkled from head to toe on the red carpet in a black Armani gown, showing off a lighter hair color in her first performance since having <a href="/news/articles/1673944/adele-throat-surgery-recovery.jhtml">vocal-cord surgery</a>. <a href="http://style.mtv.com/2012/02/12/grammy-awards-fashion-best-dressed/"><b>MTV Style picks their best-dressed at the Grammys.</b></a> Fellow British artist Jessie J shined on her first Grammy red carpet, turning heads in a gray Julien Macdonald gown. "I just wanted to wear something that I don't usually wear, which is silver, something long and very heavy," Jessie told MTV News. "I feel like a disco ball at the event." <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/perry_katy/artist.jhtml">Katy Perry</a> was <a href="/news/articles/1679098/grammy-awards-katy-perry.jhtml">feeling blue at the Grammys</a>, matching her blue hairstyle to a light-blue, long-sleeved Elie Saab gown. "One of my absolute favorites of the night was Katy Perry," <a href="http://www.celebuzz.com/" target="_blank">Celebuzz</a> producer Rachel Maresca told MTV News. "She paired her bold, blue hair with a very light-blue Elie Saab lace gown. She looked stunning, and it's a more subdued look for her. We don't always see that out of her, but it is very glamorous." Another statement dress belonged to <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/fergie_bep_/artist.jhtml">Fergie</a>, who called her Jean Paul Gaultier couture gown her "safe choice," which it was far from. The vibrant orange lace gown allowed her black bra and panties to see through, but according to Fergie, when Gaultier gives you a custom look, you have to wear it. "When Jean Paul Gaultier couture gown comes and it's shipped to you and it fits, you wear it," <a href="/news/articles/1679082/grammy-awards-fergie-whitney-houston.jhtml">Fergie told our own Sway Calloway</a>. Yet, out of all these amazing artists, it seems the fashion night belonged to Rihanna. Jaws dropped as she worked the carpet in a one-of-a-kind Armani dress that she helped design. With a plunging neckline and a deep halter, this dress hugged every curve to perfection. <center><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:732065/cp~id%3D1678854%26vid%3D732065%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A732065%26instance%3Dmtv" width="460" height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed></center> <b>Stick with MTV News for all the news on Whitney Houston's tribute, the <a href="http://style.mtv.com/category/awards-shows/">Grammy red-carpet fashion</a>, <a href="/news/articles/1678701/grammy-winners-list.jhtml">Grammy winners</a> and more until the hangover wears off!</b></p>
Related Videos Related Photos- 2012 Grammys Red Carpet Photos
- 2012 Grammy Awards: Main Show
- 2012 Grammy Awards: Backstage And Audience
Charlies Angels Charlize Theron Chelsea Handler Cheryl Burke
'Hunger Games' Oscars Party: A How-To
In this week's Hobnobbing, we plan your Panem-themed Academy Awards fete.
By Amy Wilkinson
Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate
Well, the 84th annual Academy Awards are right around the corner, and though "Hunger Games" fans have another year to wait until the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' teen novel is awards-eligible (we've got you in our crosshairs, Best Picture nomination!), that doesn't mean we can't celebrate in revolutionary style. And we're making it super easy for you hungry film buffs out there. We've carefully composed a step-by-step guide to throwing your very own "Hunger Games"-themed Oscars party. Dig in!
Reap Your Attendees
Just like Panem's most prestigious event, you can't let the entire dystopian nation into your Oscars get-together. Write each of your friends' names down on a slip of paper, drop them into a bowl and select only 24 pals to enjoy your bean dip and Billy Crystal-shaped Jell-O mold. They'll thank you for it in the end.
Set Up a Groom Room
Tributes — I mean, guests — can't even think of setting foot into the arena of your living room without first dividing their unibrows and conquering their hairy gams. Clear a common space (who needs privacy?) for your pals to primp and polish (sans Cinna and company, unfortunately) before the opening ceremonies. Stock generously with Capitol Colours nail polish.
Let the Games Begin!
OK, full disclosure: This isn't so much a party as it is a cinephilic death match — only one guest can survive. Print Oscar ballots for each attendee (our friends at NextMovie have a handy, downloadable version) and be sure they fill out every category. Eliminate each incorrect guest, ushering them out of your home one by one (anthem optional) until you're left with a single, exhausted winner.
Cue the Parade
Six months later (August 26, to be exact), you'll want to invite the winner back to your house or apartment for their victory tour. Knock on each of your neighbors' doors (starting with the highest number) and request they throw you a huge celebratory feast. Gratis.
Your Hobnobbing Gamemakers guarantee this will be one party Panem will be talking about for years to come! May the Oscars be ever in your favor!
Will you be throwing a "Hunger Games"-themed Oscars party? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns!
Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
Related Videos Related PhotosBrandy and Monica’s Kids Follow In Their Footsteps
Brandy and Monica’s Kids Follow In Their Footsteps
A lot has happened in the 14 years since Brandy and Monica charmed the world with their Grammy-winning teen-rivals hit "The Boy is Mine." Now they're back with a new duet and are both mothers.
A lot has happened in the 14 years since Brandy and Monica charmed the world with their Grammy-winning teen rivals hit “The Boy is Mine.” Now they’re back with a new duet – ”It All Belongs to Me” is out now — and are both mothers.
Brandy’s daughter Sy’rai, 9½ (dad is her ex, producer Robert Smith), has the talent to follow in Mom’s footsteps, but the singer isn’t ready to let her — yet.
“She’s into her school work and her education but singing is all she does, watching videos and making up routines,” Brandy, 33, tells PEOPLE. “I’m seeing the signs, but I want her to hold on a little longer and have a regular childhood.”
“Rodney is a drummer,” Monica, 31, explains of her eldest son (dad is her ex, rapper Rocko Hill). “He is only 6½ and is in the third grade. He wants to go to college like [my husband] Shannon and he’s serious about musical intent — he plays his drums daily and asks for lessons.”
 Kwaku Alston |
“He asked me, ‘Can you call Travis Barker and have him come give me drum lessons?’” says Monica, who recently ran into the Blink-182 drummer at an awards show and showed him a video of her son playing during his school talent show.
As for her youngest? “My 4-year-old [Romelo] is everything from an acrobat to a soccer player. He is a live wire! He’s sociable like me, a free spirit — all over the place!” she laughs.
And with both Brandy and Monica in loving, committed relationships (Brandy’s dating music publisher Ryan Press; Monica wed NBA star Brown in November 2010), they hope to become mothers again.
“Oh yes,” says Brandy. “Absolutely,” adds Monica, who hopes for “maybe two or three” kids with her husband.
Till then, both are planning play dates at Chuck E. Cheese, hoping to hit the road together this summer and relishing their renewed friendship.
“I just feel blessed,” notes Monica, whose album New Life is out April 10. “We had to get here as people first before we could do anything musically [again] and be the artists that we are, the mothers that we are.”
Brandy, who plans to release a new record this summer, sums it up: “We are ready to sing!”
For more on Brandy and Monica’s lives now and their last moments with their friend Whitney Houston, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
– Jessica Herndon and Marisa Laudadio
Nick Wey Blake Wharton Jeremy Whatley Kevin Windham Steve Wise
'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' Track List Revealed
First single from Trent Reznor/ Atticus Ross soundtrack is Karen O cover of Led Zeppelin song.
By Gil Kaufman
Rooney Mara in "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"
Photo: Giles Keyte/Columbia Pictures
<P>You kind of can't go wrong when the soundtrack you've put together for one of the most eagerly anticipated literary adaptations in years kicks off <a href="/music/artist/yeah_yeah_yeahs/artist.jhtml">Yeah Yeah Yeahs</a> singer Karen O's take on <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/led_zeppelin/artist.jhtml">Led Zeppelin</a>'s "Immigrant Song." </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:693384" width="240" height="211"></div><p> Fans heard the throbbing industrial take on the rock classic cooked up by former Nine Inch Nails mastermind and O when a trailer for the David Fincher-directed "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" leaked back in May. And on Thursday, Oscar-winning industrial-rocker-turned-film composer Reznor and musical partner Atticus Ross unveiled the full track list for their "Tattoo" score album. The follow-up to their award-winning "The Social Network" score was a labor of love, according to a <a href="http://nin.com/?id=102677" target="_blank">post</a> Reznor put up on the NIN site on Thursday announcing the disc. "For the last fourteen months Atticus and I have been hard at work on David Fincher's 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,' " he wrote about the American version of the tale of pierced and punished hacker <a href="/news/articles/1655879/rooney-mara-dragon-tattoo.jhtml">Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara)</a> and her muckraking journalist compatriot <a href="/news/articles/1667542/daniel-craig-rooney-mara-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo.jhtml">Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig)</a>. "We laughed, we cried, we lost our minds and in the process made some of the most beautiful and disturbing music of our careers. The result is a sprawling three-hour opus." The album will be released on iTunes on December 9 in two versions. Right now, you can download the Karen O song on iTunes when you pre-order the 39-track album. That download purchase will also give you a link to the <a href="/news/articles/1675297/girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-trailer-extended.jhtml">eight-minute "Dragon Tattoo" trailer</a>, for which Reznor and Ross created a unique score. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:674399" width="240" height="211"></div><p> But, if you visit the <a href="http://www.nullco.com/GDT/usd.php" target="_blank">NIN online store</a>, Reznor is offering the soundtrack in a variety of forms, from a free six-track sampler to a deluxe 3,000-piece limited-edition signed $300 package with your choice of MP3 formats; the full album on six pieces of 180 gram vinyl; a deluxe book package with a metal cover; an exclusive custom 8 GB metal razor blade USB drive pendant containing the full album; and a fold-out poster. The full album score track list is as follows: <br> <b>»</b> "Immigrant Song" (Led Zeppelin cover) [ft. Karen O]<br> <b>»</b> "She Reminds Me of You"<br> <b>»</b> "People Lie All the Time"<br> <b>»</b> "Pinned and Mounted"<br> <b>»</b> "Perihelion"<br> <b>»</b> "What If We Could?"<br> <b>»</b> "With the Flies"<br> <b>»</b> "Hidden in Snow"<br> <b>»</b> "A Thousand Details"<br> <b>»</b> "One Particular Moment"<br> <b>»</b> "I Can't Take It Anymore"<br> <b>»</b> "How Brittle the Bones"<br> <b>»</b> "Please Take Your Hand Away"<br> <b>»</b> "Cut Into Pieces"<br> <b>»</b> "The Splinter"<br> <b>»</b> "An Itch"<br> <b>»</b> "Hypomania"<br> <b>»</b> "Under the Midnight Sun"<br> <b>»</b> "Aphelion"<br> <b>»</b> "You're Here"<br> <b>»</b> "The Same as the Others"<br> <b>»</b> "A Pause for Reflection"<br> <b>»</b> "While Waiting"<br> <b>»</b> "The Seconds Drag"<br> <b>»</b> "Later Into the Night"<br> <b>»</b> "Parallel Timeline With Alternate Outcome"<br> <b>»</b> "Another Way of Caring"<br> <b>»</b> "A Viable Construct"<br> <b>»</b> "Revealed in the Thaw"<br> <b>»</b> "Millennia"<br> <b>»</b> "We Could Wait Forever"<br> <b>»</b> "Oraculum"<br> <b>»</b> "Great Bird of Prey"<br> <b>»</b> "The Heretics"<br> <b>»</b> "A Pair of Doves"<br> <b>»</b> "Infiltrator"<br> <b>»</b> "The Sound of Forgetting"<br> <b>»</b> "Of Secrets"<br> <b>»</b> "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" (Bryan Ferry cover) <b>Check out everything we've got on <a href="http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/456914/moviemain.jhtml">"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."</a> For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit <a href="http://moviesblog.mtv.com/">MTVMoviesBlog.com</a>.</b></p>
Related ArtistsGeorgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville Gina Carano Gina Gershon
02/23/2012
Grammys Behind The Scenes: What You Didn't See
MTV News had a prime spot on the red carpet and inside Staples Center — here's what you missed if you were watching on TV.
By MTV News staff
Musicians Sir Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga attend The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 12, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo: WireImage
<P>MTV News spent hours interviewing artists and stars on the <a href="http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1679060">Grammy red carpet</a>. After everyone was inside Los Angeles' Staples Center, some of the news team made their way backstage while the rest made their way to their seats. Here are some observations that anyone watching from their couch would never have seen: <b>Pretty Please, More Pink</b>: Inside Staples Center, they play highlights from past shows during commercial breaks. <a href="/news/articles/1630885/pink-soars-during-glitter-in-the-air-grammy-performance.jhtml">Pink's performance of "Glitter in the Air"</a> captivated the audience so much that when they cut back to the show, the entire crowd groaned. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:733130.id:1679087" width="240" height="211"></div><p> <b>Mother Monster's Security Detail</b>: Lady Gaga moved through the arena flanked by two bodyguards in order to make it safely to her seat in time for Recording Industry President Neil Portnoy's speech. Gaga was also safer than the Beatle in the house. Sir Paul McCartney had no protection during his dual-performance night. <b>Get Up, Stand Up</b>: The audience inside Staples Center seemed unsure of when to stand up and sit down all night. The minute Paul McCartney appeared onstage, all that uncertainty disappeared. <b>One Step Behind?</b>: While <a href="/news/articles/1679084/grammy-awards-chris-brown-performance.jhtml">Chris Brown's footwork</a> looked quite impressive on air, our source told us the vibe inside Staples was lukewarm after his physical performance. <b>Join the Band</b>: Many audience members were given arm bands with a Coldplay logo on it and told to put them on <a href="/news/articles/1679090/grammys-2012-rihanna-coldplay-performance.jhtml">during the band's performance</a> with Rihanna. <b>The Standing O You Missed</b>: When Tony Bennett won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for his duet with Amy Winehouse during the pre-televised ceremony, the crowd rose to its feet. "We shouldn't be here. Our darling daughter should be here," Winehouse's father Mitch said after embracing Bennett. <b>On the Bubble</b>: The night's big winner, Adele, was chewing gum backstage after <a href="/news/articles/1679097/grammys-2012-adele-performance.jhtml">her triumphant performance of "Rolling in the Deep."</a> That applause you heard on TV was no joke. The crowd inside Staples was blown away. <big><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1679100/grammys-2012-whitney-houston-jennifer-hudson-tribute.jhtml"><b>+Jennifer Hudson Channels Whitney Houston</a></b><br> <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1679114/2012-grammys-nicki-minaj-performance.jhtml"><b>Nicki Minaj Resurrects Spooky Roman Zolanski</a></b><br> <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1679097/grammys-2012-adele-performance.jhtml"><b>+Adele Stages Thrilling Comeback</a></b></big> <b>Stick with MTV News all for all the <a href="http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1679060">Grammy red-carpet fashion</a>, <a href="/news/articles/1678701/grammy-winners-list.jhtml">Grammy winners</a> and Grammy news until the hangover wears off!</b></p>
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsDiggy Simmons RELEASES "88" Ft. Jadakiss + John Legend & Chrissy Teigen DISS Ke$ha And Chris Brown On "WWHL"
Diggy Simmons RELEASES "88" Ft. Jadakiss + John Legend & Chrissy Teigen DISS Ke$ha And Chris Brown On "WWHL"
Diggy Simmons has released a new track called "88" off his debut album. Listen to it inside and watch John Legend and Chrissy Teigen diss Ke$ha and Chris Brown on "WWHL."
Diggy Simmons new track, "88," produced by Da Internz features veteran rapper Jadakiss. And on the track, DIggy proves he can run with the best of the vets. The song will appear on Unexpected Arrival due Mar. 20)
Listen to the track:
And last night.......
John Legend and his boo thang (fiancee actually) Chrissy Teigen stopped by Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live" where Chrissy rated John an 8 on the freak scale.
Also, John revealed he thinks Ke$ha is overrated.
When the subject of Chris Brown/Rihanna came up, John had no comment but Chrissy didn't hold back and let it be known she is NOT a fan.
MUSICAL BONUS:
Rita Ora made the rounds with her boss Jay-Z today in London and tweeted, OH MY god just played my first official single on z100 in New york city with jay!
Tallon Vohland Heath Voss Andre Vromas David Vuillemin Jeff Ward
iReport: My favorite China travel photos
Few countries around the world can provide travelers with such a diverse experience as China.
Spreading over approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers, the nation?s vista stretches from the winding lanes of Kashgar?s Islamic old city to the surreal Shanghai Pudong skyline to the palm tree-lined tropical beaches in Hainan.
In our recent iReport assignment, we asked travelers to share their favorite China photos and we received myriad incredible views and thrilling travel tales.
The gallery above showcases a selection of the best responses.
More on CNNGo: iReport: My favorite Hangzhou travel photo
read more
MMA Marketplace: Frankie Edgar’s walkout shirt takes on Benson Henderson’s
MMA Marketplace: Frankie Edgar’s walkout shirt takes on Benson Henderson’s
It's time to break down the most important part of Saturday's title fight between the champion, Frankie Edgar, and the contender, Benson Henderson. Which man has the better walkout shirt?
The champ brings an Affliction shirt that is thankfully free of gold foil accents and gargoyle heads. It still looks like an Affliction shirt because of the frayed edges and upside down fleur-de-lis, but doesn't burn the eyes the way other Affliction shirt can. Henderson's Dethrone shirt has heavenly undertones behind his nickname of "Smooth."
What really sets the shirts apart is their price. The Edgar Affliction shirt retails for a whopping $58, while the Henderson Dethrone shirt is is just $27.99. Two Henderson shirts cost less than one Edgar tee. The winner here is clear: Benson "Smooth" Henderson.
More from Yahoo! Sports: Frankie Edgar fooled by fellow UFC fighter
Marty Tripes Vlastimil Valek Julien Vanni Pekka Vehkonen Marc Velkeneers
'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' Track List Revealed
'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' Track List Revealed
First single from Trent Reznor/ Atticus Ross soundtrack is Karen O cover of Led Zeppelin song.
By Gil Kaufman
Rooney Mara in "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"
Photo: Giles Keyte/Columbia Pictures
You kind of can't go wrong when the soundtrack you've put together for one of the most eagerly anticipated literary adaptations in years kicks off Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O's take on Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song."
Fans heard the throbbing industrial take on the rock classic cooked up by former Nine Inch Nails mastermind and O when a trailer for the David Fincher-directed "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" leaked back in May. And on Thursday, Oscar-winning industrial-rocker-turned-film composer Reznor and musical partner Atticus Ross unveiled the full track list for their "Tattoo" score album. The follow-up to their award-winning "The Social Network" score was a labor of love, according to a post Reznor put up on the NIN site on Thursday announcing the disc. "For the last fourteen months Atticus and I have been hard at work on David Fincher's 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,' " he wrote about the American version of the tale of pierced and punished hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) and her muckraking journalist compatriot Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig). "We laughed, we cried, we lost our minds and in the process made some of the most beautiful and disturbing music of our careers. The result is a sprawling three-hour opus." The album will be released on iTunes on December 9 in two versions. Right now, you can download the Karen O song on iTunes when you pre-order the 39-track album. That download purchase will also give you a link to the eight-minute "Dragon Tattoo" trailer, for which Reznor and Ross created a unique score.
But, if you visit the NIN online store, Reznor is offering the soundtrack in a variety of forms, from a free six-track sampler to a deluxe 3,000-piece limited-edition signed $300 package with your choice of MP3 formats; the full album on six pieces of 180 gram vinyl; a deluxe book package with a metal cover; an exclusive custom 8 GB metal razor blade USB drive pendant containing the full album; and a fold-out poster. The full album score track list is as follows:
» "Immigrant Song" (Led Zeppelin cover) [ft. Karen O]
» "She Reminds Me of You"
» "People Lie All the Time"
» "Pinned and Mounted"
» "Perihelion"
» "What If We Could?"
» "With the Flies"
» "Hidden in Snow"
» "A Thousand Details"
» "One Particular Moment"
» "I Can't Take It Anymore"
» "How Brittle the Bones"
» "Please Take Your Hand Away"
» "Cut Into Pieces"
» "The Splinter"
» "An Itch"
» "Hypomania"
» "Under the Midnight Sun"
» "Aphelion"
» "You're Here"
» "The Same as the Others"
» "A Pause for Reflection"
» "While Waiting"
» "The Seconds Drag"
» "Later Into the Night"
» "Parallel Timeline With Alternate Outcome"
» "Another Way of Caring"
» "A Viable Construct"
» "Revealed in the Thaw"
» "Millennia"
» "We Could Wait Forever"
» "Oraculum"
» "Great Bird of Prey"
» "The Heretics"
» "A Pair of Doves"
» "Infiltrator"
» "The Sound of Forgetting"
» "Of Secrets"
» "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" (Bryan Ferry cover) Check out everything we've got on "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Chuck Sun Torao Suzuki Gareth Swanepoel Ivan Tedesco David Thorpe
'X Factor' Michael Jackson Night Has Singers On Edge
Meanwhile, Paula Abdul has been absent from the set since her final group was eliminated last week.
By Jim Cantiello
Michael Jackson in the video for "Hold My Hand"
Photo: Sony Music Entertainment
<P><i>MTV News' own Jim Cantiello is exclusively covering "The X Factor" rehearsals. Read on for his fly-on-the-wall backstage report!</i> <b>LOS ANGELES</b> — "The X Factor" top seven are back on the lot after their first (and only) mini-vacation of the season. And as the Thanksgiving tryptophan wears off, the anxiety of another double elimination is setting in. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:714741" width="240" height="211"></div><p> Adding to the stress? "The X Factor" is tackling the songs of <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/jackson_michael/artist.jhtml">Michael Jackson</a> on Wednesday night (November 30), on the 29th anniversary of <i>Thriller</i>'s release, no less. One of the contestants is so stressed over the theme he's emerged as a total perfectionist. During Monday's rehearsals, he had already nixed multiple arrangements the show had provided him. "This is the most unprepared I've felt on a Monday," he said to his mentor as they rushed out of Stage 36. There was a camera crew chasing them to capture the drama — as well as the ensuing late-night emergency meeting with the vocal coaches — so don't be surprised if some of this intense footage ends up in your living room. (This afternoon's dress rehearsal went swimmingly, for the record.) Meanwhile, one contestant had a full-on battle with his/her mentor over a chair. The mentor said, "Sit and sing." The contestant said, "Again?! How about I do something on my feet for Michael Jackson week?" Another mentor came to the defense of the contestant. In the end, the contestant is sitting after all. Don't worry, contestant. The eerie arrangement of an MJ classic is what folks are going to be buzzing about. No one will care if you sit or stand. In the control room, I spied one of the bigwigs utter the word "brilliant!" after the contestant's dress rehearsal. Another hot topic: wardrobe! When paying homage to one of the biggest music icons ever, it's tempting for the stylists to include clothing nods to Michael's various looks. But several singers are worried they'll look too much like Jackson impersonators, which has caused many a headache in the wardrobe trailer. But stylist June Ambrose is still able to keep things light in the midst of the drama. While waiting around for a contestant's last-minute fitting, she started an impromptu MJ dance party on the lot. Crotch grabs and "woo" included! Lastly, Paula Abdul's sunny energy has been noticeably absent on the CBS lot now that all her groups have been eliminated. She went from being the most hands-on mentor to an on-set ghost. "The X Factor" family can't wait to welcome her back for her first live show as strictly a judge. What do you think she's been doing with her newfound free time? <b>You can catch Jim on the "X Factor Pepsi Pre-Show," streaming at 7 p.m. ET tonight on <a href="http://www.thexfactorusa.com/" target="_blank">TheXFactorUSA.com</a>!</b></p>
Related Artists10 hotel rooms where history was made
by Anthea Gerrie
The best hotel rooms don't just have history, they have stories.
At these you get a soft bed, an oversized tub and a chance to see through the eyes of some of history's cultural protagonists.
Also on CNNGo: Best city hotel rooms with a view
1. Keith Richards? TV toss:Andaz West Hollywood, United States
You?d never know from the sleek, modern lines that this was formerly the Continental Hyatt House -- a k a Riot House -- so nicknamed for the hair-raising antics of out-of-control rockers.
This is where Keith Richards threw a TV off his 11th floor balcony in 1975, Jim Morrison hung from a window by his fingertips and Axl Rose tossed steaks to crowds of adoring fans gathered outside on Sunset Strip.
read moreLindsay Lohan Is SERIOUSLY Preparing To Play Elizabeth Taylor In Her Upcoming Biopic TV Movie
Lindsay Lohan Is SERIOUSLY Preparing To Play Elizabeth Taylor In Her Upcoming Biopic TV Movie
Yesterday we learned that Lindsay Lohan successfully won the role of Elizabeth Taylor in the upcoming made-for-TV biopic Elizabeth & Richard: A Love Story (tho, some are reporting the film is titled Liz & Dick). Today we are hearing from sources close to Lindsay that she is seriously serious about the role. Apparently Lindsay plans [...]
Yesterday we learned that Lindsay Lohan successfully won the role of Elizabeth Taylor in the upcoming made-for-TV biopic Elizabeth & Richard: A Love Story (tho, some are reporting the film is titled Liz & Dick). Today we are hearing from sources close to Lindsay that she is seriously serious about the role. Apparently Lindsay plans to live and breathe Elizabeth Taylor leading up to the start of filming … but will it be enough for her deliver an excellent performance in the film?
Lindsay Lohan ain’t no slacker — TMZ has learned, the actress is studying up hardcore for her new movie role … doing everything she can to accurately portray a young Elizabeth Taylor. In case you haven’t heard — Lindsay just inked a deal with Lifetime to play Liz Taylor in the network’s new made-for-TV biopic called “Liz and Dick.” Production is scheduled to kick off late March, after Lindsay’s probation is terminated. Lindsay is telling friends, she’s taking her new gig extremely seriously — “obsessing over getting the part right” for the film. According to sources, Lindsay is doing nothing but watching old Liz Taylor movies to help her recreate the Hollywood icon’s posture, speech, and every other little detail. We’re told Lindsay has also been watching old Liz interviews online and reading a bunch of Liz biographies. Lifetime is taking a hard stance with Lindsay too — demanding she complete ALL her probation requirements before filming begins … which Lindsay has promised to do.
While I applaud Lindsay‘s attempt at doing Elizabeth Taylor justice, I think it’s gonna take a lot more than just watching movies and interviews to deliver the performance she needs to honor the late Liz Taylor. But, once upon a time, Lindsay was a pretty decent actress … I want to believe that she has it in her to give a great performance. We’ll have to see tho. I’m not holding my breath but would it be great if L. Lo shocked us all with a fantastic performance? HMMM. We shall see, we shall see. What do y’all think? Does Lindsay still have the acting chops to do the life of Elizabeth Taylor justice?
[Source]
Darrell Schultz Tommy Searle Gary Semics Andrew Short Shaun Simpson
George Clooney's Road To The 2012 Oscars
'The Descendants' and 'The Ides of March' earn the Academy Award-winner his sixth and seventh nominations.
By Kevin P. Sullivan
George Clooney in "The Descendants"
Photo: Fox Searchlight
At this point in his career, almost 30 years after he started acting, George Clooney has become not only one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, but a regular competitor at each year's Oscars. This year's Academy Awards nominations, his sixth and seventh, for "The Descendants" and "The Ides of March" represent the diverse work Clooney is now known for and the many different roles he takes on.
Clooney's journey to Sunday night's 2012 Oscars took a familiar path through the festival circuit with releases in the second half of the year, one carefully engineered to spell awards success, but the two films that got him there and the work he did cover a wide spectrum in filmmaking.
"Ides of March" took shape late in 2010, when Clooney signed on to wear three hats for the film: actor, producer and director. His fourth directorial effort to date, the political drama follows a young junior campaign manager (Ryan Gosling) as he struggles with the moral dilemmas of supporting a presidential candidate, played by Clooney.
Based on Beau Willimon's play "Farragut North," the script for "Ides of March" earned Best Adapted Screenplay nominations for the original author, Clooney and his frequent collaborator Grant Heslov. Though Clooney's well-known political affiliations and beliefs stood in the foreground, the man himself took more of a backseat, limiting his onscreen role to a few keys scenes.
During awards season, the film made a small mark, after debuting to only mildly positive reviews. It did, however, take a spot on the National Board of Review's top 10 of the year and earned four Golden Globes nominations, including Best Picture (Drama) and Best Director.
In "The Descendants," Clooney took a familiar spot as leading man, but the role of Matt King required him to be anything but his usual model of suave confidence. As a soon-to-be widow, Clooney fully adopted the dopey mantel of an Alexander Payne hero in the tradition of Paul Giamatti in "Sideways" and Matthew Broderick in "Election."
But unlike his predecessors as a lead in one of Payne's films, Clooney's character remained almost entirely sympathetic throughout the film, thanks in large part to the believability of the acting. He effortlessly took on the role of an utterly clueless father with good intentions, helping make "Descendants" such a true and touching film.
In the week leading up to Oscar night, Clooney stands neck and neck with fellow nominee Jean Dujardin as the favorite. It would be Clooney's second win for acting, his first coming in 2006 as supporting actor in Stephen Gaghan's "Syriana."
However Sunday's ceremony might shake out for Clooney, he has proven himself a mainstay for the Academy Awards, and — whether he's acting, directing, writing or producing — someone who will continue to appear on shortlists for years to come.
The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Stick with us for everything you need to know leading up to the awards show, and on Sunday, February 26, tune into MTV.com at 5:30 p.m. ET for our three-hour red-carpet live stream and updates on the night's big winners.
Related PhotosLeeann Tweeden Leelee Sobieski Leighton Meester Leila Arcieri
Chris Brown/ Rihanna Collabos Send 'Weird Message' To Fans
Chris Brown/ Rihanna Collabos Send 'Weird Message' To Fans
Fans weigh in on 'Birthday Cake' and 'Turn Up the Music' remixes and what working together again says about their relationship.
By Jocelyn Vena
Rihanna and Chris Brown in 2008
Photo: WireImage
When Chris Brown and Rihanna dropped their remixes of "Birthday Cake" and "Turn Up the Music," fans immediately began to weigh in on the collaborations and what they mean about the status of Ri and Brown's highly publicized tumultuous relationship.
While the songs may serve as a distraction from their personal past (which includes Brown's assault of Rihanna in 2009), many of the music fans we caught up with in Times Square stood on two sides of the line. Some were willing to forget the past and enjoy the music for what it is, while others were not yet ready to forgive.
"They're both really good artists. I like Chris Brown a lot. He was down at the bottom during that time and then he came back up," James Hauser told MTV News. "So he's starting to do better."
Cassy Cnegt pointed out the negative attention it could bring to both artists, rehashing a personal story line that doesn't seem to end. "I think there's going to be a lot of bad publicity about why she's doing it," she said.
Another fan, Billy Titus, added, "His music's all right, but I think that she can do a lot better by herself than be with him."
Jean-Yves thinks their collaborations show how far their relationship has come. "The fact that they're able to work together is a good sign for Chris Brown, as opposed to the animosity that was there before."
However, Aliyyah notes that it's difficult to separate the music from the events. "Personally, I think it's a little bit awkward for them in terms of their relationship, because he did hit her and the world knows that, so it kind of sends a weird message to her fans — especially her women fans — to still support him in that way, but I guess it's not our life," she said, adding that Brown has built up a "bad boy" reputation and that he may be trying to get Rihanna to take him back.
While music fans stand on both sides of the complex issue, one domestic violence expert tells MTV News that seeing these two artists work together again is "not surprising."
"I don't know what the message [of the songs] is. I would like the message to be: 'People can change, and I will never be treated that way again and I will never treat anyone that way again.' If they had released a song saying, 'This is what this represents for us,' that would be such a much more fabulous, powerful story than not saying a word," Rita Smith, the executive director for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said. "The content of the songs seems to be more in-your-face than something about, 'We're collaborating on something because we care about the way people treat each other.' That would have been the message that would have been nice to come out of this very public and tragic incident."
What do you think of Chris Brown and Rihanna's recent collaborations? Leave your comment below.
Related Photos Related ArtistsGerard Rond Jean Sebastien Roy Alex Salvini Donny Schmit Fritz Schneider
Chiddy Bang, Kimbra, More Added To 2012 mtvU Woodies Fest
Chiddy Bang, Kimbra, More Added To 2012 mtvU Woodies Fest
First-ever festival is set for March 15 at South by Southwest and will lead up to the awards themselves.
By James Montgomery
Chiddy Bang
Photo: Patrick Ford/Redferns
The 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards will return to Austin, Texas, on March 15, during South by Southwest, and they're definitely getting in the spirit of the annual festival.
First, they announced this year's nominees, an epically diverse field that includes everyone from Jay-Z and Kanye West, the Black Keys and Skrillex to up-and-comers like Frank Ocean, Childish Gambino and Cloud Nothings. Then they announced the first round of performers for the first-ever Woodies Fest, a (grammatically adventurous) list topped by Fun., Wallpaper. and A$AP Rocky.
And on Wednesday (February 22), the Woodies announced even more performers for that festival: Chiddy Bang (whom, as you might recall, previously set a Guinness World Record for Longest Freestyle during the inaugural O Music Awards), Gary Clark Jr., Kimbra (of "Somebody That I Used To Know" fame) and British singer Ed Sheeran.
The 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards Festival will take place March 15 down at SXSW and is open to both badge-holders and uncredited music fans alike. The entire fest will also stream live on Woodies.mtvU.com and leads up to the awards themselves. On Sunday, March 18, the best moments from the Woodies will be broadcast in a 30-minute special airing on MTV and mtvU at 8 p.m. ET.
Voting is also under way in all Woodies categories — including Woodie of the Year and the coveted Best Video Woodie — and will remain open until March 9. Voting in the Breaking Woodie category will continue during the live show March 15. Fans can cast ballots in all categories through the Woodies' website, on their mobile phones at M.MTV.com or by texting VOTE to 66333. Standard message and data rates may apply.
The 2012 mtvU Woodies invade SXSW on March 15 with the Woodies Festival. The best of the 2012 mtvU Woodies will air on MTV and mtvU on March 18 at 8 p.m. ET.
Related Photos Related ArtistsChristophe Pourcel Sebastien Pourcel Wyman Priddy Alessandro Puzar Gaston Rahier
It's official: Korea's 50 'most unique' hotels
by CNNGo staff
Never mind expensive weekend packages at Seoul?s luxury hotels.
Korea?s alternative accommodations tend to be much more visually interesting -- and not just a little campy.
Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) announced the publication of ?Korea?s most unique accommodations? on Monday. Travel writers and reporters, as well as high-profile foreign visitors contributed to the selection of the 50 venues.
While the 115-page photograph-filled book will not be for sale and mostly distributed to the 26 international branches of KTO, the organization is planning to make it available in an e-book format on the official Visit Korea website later this month.
The roundup includes lesser known accommodation options such as the Phoenix Island resort, which features beautiful glass venues designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, as well as the recently renovated hanok hotel Kundaemunjip (????) in Seoul.
read more
Recent Comments