- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Zomba Label Group/Jive
- Director: Joseph Kahn
- Album: Circus
Zoe Saldana Zooey Deschanel Aaliyah Abbie Cornish Adriana Lima
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Britney Spears - Womanizer
Halle Berry & Olivier Martinez Are Still Creepin? Together
At the start of the month we learned that actors Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez had sparked up a bit of a romance … a romance that continued to fortify in Paris, France the following week. Today we learn that Halle and Olivier are still goin’ at it … the couple enjoyed a very romantic [...]
Catherine Bell Chandra West Charisma Carpenter Charli Baltimore Charlies Angels
VMA Nominations By The Numbers: Lady Gaga On Top
From Gaga's record 13 nods to the six first-time nominees, we take a closer look at the 2010 nominations.
By Gil Kaufman
Lady Gaga
Photo: Derek Storm/ Splash News
For an artist who has quickly made a habit of smashing records, Lady Gaga improbably did it again on Tuesday (August 2). She leaped past such career stars as "Telephone"/ "Video Phone" collaborator Beyoncé to set a new record for the most nominations in a single year for MTV's Video Music Awards, which air Sunday, September 12, at 9 p.m. ET. The Mother Monster racked up 13 nods, far outpacing the artists with the second-most nominations, a resurgent Eminem, who racked up eight. On her way to setting the record, Gaga also became the first female artist nominated for two different clips in the coveted Video of the Year category for "Bad Romance" and "Telephone."
But 13 isn't the only significant number this year. We've pored over the nominations and here's a breakdown of the other figures popping out at the 2010 Video Music Awards:
1994: The year Usher's debut was released. As for the other nominees in the Best Male Video category, Eminem hit the scene in 1996, while the other three acts in the category — Drake, B.o.B and Jason DeRulo — didn't release their full-length debuts until 2010.
25: Nominated artists who've appeared on a NOW That's What I Call Music! Compilation: Justin Bieber, Ke$ha, Rihanna, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Jason DeRulo, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Drake, Eminem, David Guetta, Katy Perry, 3OH!3, Kid Cudi, Pink, Beyonce, Coldplay, David Guetta, Enrique Iglesias, Green Day, Gorillaz, Jay-Z, MGMT, Muse and Paramore.
23 years: Age difference between Best New Artists nominees Broken Bells' James Mercer (39) and Justin Bieber (16).
9: The record Gaga will have to beat if she wants to snag the distinction of most wins in a single night, currently held by Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer."
7: Number of nominated artists who are playing at this year's Lollapalooza festival: B.o.B., Dan Black, Green Day, MGMT, Mumford and Sons, Lady Gaga and the Black Keys.
6: First time nominees, including B.o.B., Ke$ha, Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence and the Machine, Mumford and Sons.
2 1/2: Artists nominated in the Video of the Year category who were up for the award last year: Gaga (with assist from last year's winner, Beyoncé) and Eminem.
2: Previous times Eminem has been nominated for Video of the Year.
1: Number of times the band Ratatat has been mentioned before in connection with the VMAs.
1: Opportunities for a cast member of "Jersey Shore" to hop up onstage during an award acceptance, should Enrique Iglesias win for "I Like It" from the "Shore" soundtrack album.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for the winners in general categories, including Best New Artist, from Tuesday (August 3) through September 12.
Are you surprised by any of this year's nominees? Talk about it in the comments.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsKim Yoon jin Kirsten Dunst Krista Allen Kristanna Loken Kristen Bell
Britney Spears - 3
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Jive, Jive Label Group
- Director: Diane Martel
- Album: The Singles Collection
Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci Amber Brkich
Tyler Clementi Suicide Puts Bullying In Spotlight
Rutgers student's death reveals the ugly consequences of using wired means to taunt.
By Gil Kaufman
Tyler Clementi
Photo: Facebook
Police are still searching for the body of 18-year-old Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi, one week after he is believed to have killed himself after his roommate posted online a video of Clementi having a sexual encounter with another man.
Authorities believe that Clementi leapt from the George Washington Bridge in New York after his roommate secretly taped him and then posted the footage on the Internet.
Clementi's roommate Dharan Ravi and Ravi's childhood friend Molly Wei are each facing two counts of invasion of privacy and could spend up to five years in prison if they are convicted of distributing sexual images without consent. Ravi allegedly posted a live feed of Clementi on Skype, according to CBS News, and boasted about it on Twitter.
"Roommate asked for the room till midnight," Ravi, 18, tweeted on September 19. "I went into Molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay." Ravi is also alleged to have tried to broadcast a second encounter a few days later.
Investigators do not know how many people saw the feed or if Clementi had other issues that may have contributed to his despondency, but he clearly was upset by something. Before his disappearance, he wrote on his Facebook page, "Jumping off the gw bridge sorry."
Clementi's death is the latest incident to reveal the dangers of cyberbullying and the consequences of using wired means to taunt. ABC News reported that Clementi complained to his resident advisor and other university officials about Ravi allegedly livestreaming video of Clementi having a sexual encounter with a male classmate earlier this month. A university spokesperson said the information was turned over to local authorities.
His death comes as a rash of bullying-related suicides has made the news. Minnesota Public Radio reports that seven teenagers in the Anoka-Hennepin School District, one of Minnesota's largest school districts, have taken their lives over the past year. Administrators are concerned that bullying, cyber or otherwise, may have played a part in the incidents, at least two of which involved gay students who'd allegedly been harassed or bullied at school as a result of their sexuality.
In Tehachapi, California, 13-year-old Seth Walsh died on Tuesday, several days after trying to hang himself from a tree in his backyard following years of taunting over his sexual orientation. Less than a week earlier, 13-year-old Texas teen Asher Brown shot himself to death after enduring bullying over his small stature, his religion and, possibly, his sexual orientation, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Gay activists and "Savage Love" columnist Dan Savage launched a new YouTube channel called "It Gets Better." The channel gives positive examples of gay adults living their lives after suffering serious bullying in their youths in order to give hope to GLBT teens who may be struggling with abuse from their peers. Gay children are four times more likely than their straight peers to commit suicide and nine out of ten gay kids say they have been the victims of bullies at some point in their lives.
Since launching on September 15, the "It Gets Better" channel has had nearly 500,000 views.
MTV's ongoing "A Thin Line" project also provides stories and resources for anyone who believes they are being cyberbullied or who is looking for ways to stop harassment by digital means.
Jennifer Gimenez Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Morrison Jennifer ODell Jennifer Scholle
Lindsay Lohan's 'Inferno' Director Admits 'Exasperation'
'But there is a tremendous gift underneath all the obvious baggage,' Matthew Wilder tells MTV News of jailed leading lady.
By Kara Warner
Lindsay Lohan on set of "Inferno"
Photo: TylerShields.com
Lindsay Lohan's return to jail on Friday (September 24) as a result of a probation violation has no doubt put another kink in the problem-plagued actress' attempts to revive a once-thriving career. Specifically, production on the Linda Lovelace biopic, "Inferno," which was set to begin filming in November, may be hampered by the ongoing legal troubles of its leading lady.
Still, "Inferno" director Matthew Wilder, who has been unyielding in his support for his star, said the show will go on — with Lohan.
"We love her. We want her to do well," Wilder wrote in a statement e-mailed to MTV News. "We will make the picture shortly."
Wilder added that the film will now shoot in Los Angeles instead of Louisiana, as was originally planned. "I think [it] will make things easier on the Lindsay front," he said. "I understand people's exasperation," Wilder admitted, referring to the former Disney darling's string of questionable life choices over the last few years. "I share it. But there is a tremendous gift underneath all the obvious baggage."
During Lohan's hearing on Friday, Judge Elden Fox did not hear any testimony from Lohan's lawyers before denying the 24-year-old "Mean Girls" star bail and ordering her to report to jail. Lohan was reportedly handcuffed in court before being taken into custody, meaning she could be behind bars until the next hearing in the case, scheduled for October 22.
According to the conditions of her post-rehab release, Lohan could spend 30 days in jail. She served 13 days of a 90-day jail sentence in July over a probation violation from a pair of 2007 DUI cases; she subsequently spent 23 days in a rehab facility, serving less than one third of her 90-day court-ordered sentence.
Are you surprised that Lindsay's "Inferno" director is standing by her? Tell us in the comments.
Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists'Jersey Shore' Just Part Of 'I Like It' Success, RedOne Says
Producer reveals he's back in the studio with Enrique Iglesias.
By Jocelyn Vena
RedOne
Photo: MTV News
It seems like "I Like It" owes a lot of its success to a little television phenomenon known as "Jersey Shore." The Enrique Iglesias jam, which features the cast of the MTV reality show in its video, had many a club-goer jamming to the beat at their local Karma outpost. But the song's producer, RedOne, thinks that being linked to the show is only one of the puzzle pieces that created the song's overwhelming success.
"No, I'm not tied to the 'Jersey Shore,' " he told MTV News when he stopped by our office last week. "If your song is good, it's going to survive all the way. It started with 'Jersey Shore,' and then radio."
He explains that Iglesias was looking to reinvent himself, and this was just the right tune.
"People were calling radio like crazy because radio wouldn't play Enrique," RedOne said. "Thanks to Enrique, because he delivered an incredible performance. Pitbull was a really important factor to that song too. Everybody's energies helped, made it go all the way. 'Jersey Shore' was just one piece out of the whole thing."
RedOne said that in addition to working with Lady Gaga — and not working with Lindsay Lohan — he is back in the studio with Iglesias, trying to cook up some more magic.
"We're still working and doing songs," he explained. "If you love music and you have your passion and you know what you're doing, you just focus and do it well and with the quality.
"We're gonna make people dance," he continued. "We're gonna make people happy. That's what we did with 'I Like It.' ... We're just gonna get together and do what we do."
What drew you in to "I Like It"? Let us know in the comments!
Tara Reid Taryn Manning Tatiana Zavialova Taylor Swift Teri Hatcher
Chris Brown's BET Performance Joins List Of Greatest Pop-Culture Crying Fits
Halle Berry, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake and more have had their moments.
By Kyle Anderson
Chris Brown performs at the 2010 BET awards on Sunday
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Despite the triumphant TV returns of Kanye West, T.I. and El DeBarge at Sunday night's 2010 BET Awards, the big headline from the show was Chris Brown's moving tribute to late superstar Michael Jackson. Brown flawlessly executed all of Jackson's most classic dance moves (including a scorching moonwalk), but when it came time to lend his voice to Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," Brown broke down in tears and could not sing, apparently overwhelmed by the emotion of the situation.
Crying in public is hardly a new phenomenon in the world of popular culture. Brown joins the list of some of the biggest stars in the world who have also broken down on television.
Halle Berry When Berry won the Oscar for Best Actress at the 74th Annual Academy Awards in 2002 (for her work in "Monster's Ball"), she became the first African-American woman to take home the prize. That, combined with the overwhelming experience that was making the emotionally-charged "Monster's Ball" and the huge standing ovation she received, threw Berry into hysterics during her acceptance speech. "This moment is so much bigger than me," she said.
Kelly Clarkson When Kelly Clarkson won the very first season of "American Idol," she was initially in a state of shock. Unable to express how she was feeling to the television audience who voted her the victor over Justin Guarini, she moved on to her performance of "A Moment Like This." When she hit the lyric, "I can't believe it's happening to me," she finally broke. She managed to get through the song, but to continuously apologized for her emotion.
Justin Timberlake Ashton Kutcher's hit MTV show "Punked" certainly pushed a lot of his famous friends to the brink, but few had a reaction like Timberlake. When Kutcher's crew of actors pretended to be federal officers seizing most of his possessions for failure to pay back taxes, Timberlake flipped out and wept. Usually, Kutcher's reveal at the end of the episode throws the celebrity in question into laughing jags or fits of anger, but Timberlake was clearly just filled with relief.
Tonya Harding Athletes cry all the time, but it's usually because of the overwhelming thrill of victory or the agony of bitter defeat. Rarely do they weep during a particular competition, but that's exactly what Harding did at the 1994 Winter Olympics. After dealing with her connection to the attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan in the run-up to the games, Harding took the ice only to realize that a lace on one of her skates had broken. In between sobs, she pleaded with the judges to allow her to get new laces and start over. They allowed it, though Harding still only finished eighth.
Crystal Bowersox The season nine "American Idol" runner-up had an extremely emotional run to the finals (including a harrowing health scare), but it took merely the presence of her father and a particularly heartfelt song to push her to tears. Bowersox slipped a handful of sobs into her performance of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "People Get Ready" during Inspirational Week on the show. It was one of the many performances that put Bowersox in the discussion of the best "Idol" contestants of all time.
Tracy Morgan The always unpredictable star of "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock" has had a tough life and a challenging career, but the mere mention of co-star Tina Fey sent Morgan on the crying train when he visited with Oprah Winfrey on an episode of her show back in April. "She's my friend. Tina is my friend. I love her," he told Winfrey as he was fighting back tears.
"Crying Girl" There are an awful lot of "American Idol" moments on this list, aren't there? Ashley Ferl gained notoriety during the show's sixth season not as a contestant but as a particularly emotional audience member. The 13-year-old Ferl was so taken with "Idol" contestant Sanjaya Malakar's take on the Kinks' "You Really Got Me" that she sobbed uncontrollably, earning herself a great deal of screen time and the privilege of becoming an Internet meme for a while.
Did we miss any? What is the best incident of celebrity crying? And what did you think of Brown's performance? Let us know in the comments!
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsHeidi Montag Hilarie Burton Hilary Duff Hilary Swank Isla Fisher
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
B.o.B, Ke$ha, More L.A. Gigs Kick-Start VMA Weekend
Jason Derülo, Sean Kingston will also perform prior to Sunday's big show.
By Kara Warner
B.o.B
Photo: MTV News
Although the MTV Video Music Awards aren't until Sunday, a slew of VMA-themed concerts featuring Ke$ha, B.o.B and others will take over Los Angeles in the days leading up to the big show.
Sean Kingston kicks things off Thursday night (September 9) with the Verizon Club Night Concert Event at Hollywood's Playhouse, where Jermaine Dupri will also be spinning. On Friday night, Jason Derülo and Never Shout Never will take the Music Box stage at a concert sponsored by Taco Bell and Feed the Beat.
On Saturday night, "Rock Band 3" and FreeCreditScore.com will present the 2010 MTV VMA Concert to Benefit Lifebeat — The Music Industry Fights AIDS, featuring VMA nominees Ke$ha and B.o.B. The "Tik Tok" singer said she is honored to play a show benefiting such an important cause. "It's really awesome that MTV can bring together incredible musicians over VMA weekend, not only to entertain, but to make a difference," she said. "The world of celebrity is a funny game, although it's a great feeling to have the opportunity to use my fame for a good cause helping those in need."
B.o.B is equally excited to perform for a good cause: "The road to the VMAs has been a wild one. I'm glad to be taking time the night before the big show to support a great organization. Lifebeat's message of HIV prevention is an important one for young people, and I am honored to join them in the fight."
Tickets for the Ke$ha and B.o.B event, with all proceeds going to Lifebeat, are available at Lifebeat.org.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsVictoria Silvstedt Vinessa Shaw Virginie Ledoyen Vitamin C Vogue
Britney Spears Makes First Appearance Since Lawsuit
A smiling Spears was spotted in L.A. on Thursday, just as news broke that she was being sued for sexual harassment.
By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears out in Los Angeles on Thursday
Photo: Fame Pictures
After news broke that Britney Spears' former bodyguard Fernando Flores is suing her for sexual harassment, Spears made her first public appearance on Thursday. Rocking a big smile, skinny jeans, heels and a white man-tailored ruffled top, the pop star made her way through sunny Los Angeles just as the story of the sexual-harassment lawsuit was making waves in the media.
According to the suit, Flores claims Spears "made repeated unwanted sexual advances," exposed herself to him and engaged in "numerous sexual acts" in front of him. On her website, Spears posted a statement denying Flores' allegations. "This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself."
And in an interview later that day, Flores told TMZ that he is "standing up for what I believe is right."
Flores has also accused the singer of child abuse (including an incident where he says Spears allegedly whipped one of her sons with a belt), but Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline, speaking through his lawyer, declared those accusations "baseless."
While it is unknown how much Flores is suing Spears for, he is seeking damages based around the sexual harassment incidents and for "intentional infliction of emotional distress." Attorney Michael Bononi, who is not involved in the case, told MTV News that the burden of proof will be on Flores.
"What he's gonna have to show in making these allegations is that he was subjected to a hostile work environment," Bononi said. "And it's gonna have to be hostile in two ways: one, that a reasonable person similarly situated would have been offended by the conduct and secondly that he was actually offended by the conduct."
Related Artists
Beyonce Could Release New Single In Next Few Weeks
'Listening to New B record Dream wrote ... Y'all C in 3 weeks!' producer Los Da Mystro tweeted Wednesday.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ Getty Images
Fans are slowly but surely getting more and more details about Beyoncé's next album. And the latest word is that the singer could release her first single from the album within the next three weeks. While the name of the song is still unknown, it appears that Lady B is well on her way to releasing new music off her follow-up disc to 2008's I Am ... Sasha Fierce.
"Listening to New B record Dream wrote ... F---INg INSANE! WOw!! She About to Kill the game again! Had to Listen again!! Y'all C in 3 weeks!" producer Los Da Mystro, a frequent collaborator of The-Dream, who worked with Tricky Stewart on Beyoncé's hit "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," tweeted. "Thats what they sayn now.. But it is the music Business. could b sooner r lata."
MTV News hadn't received comment by Beyoncé's label by press time.
However, the producers and songwriters she's been working with on the album have been dropping hints about what fans might expect on Beyoncé's fourth studio album. So far Ne-Yo, Jim Jonsin and Sean Garrett have all opened up about penning tracks for the album. And with the tweet from Los Da Mystro, it's evident that she's once again working with The-Dream and Stewart.
B's last album spawned the hits "Single Ladies," "If I Were a Boy," her Gaga-collabo "Video Phone" and "Halo." And while it is unknown what direction this next album will take, Ne-Yo has pointed out that Beyoncé has an "agenda" all her own.
"She's an artist that knows exactly what she wants to do," he told MTV News. "She's going to give you directions [like], 'Here's where I'm going, so here's where I need you to be.' And, you know, I'm a person that follows direction well. [And she'll be like], 'So this is the sound, this is the vibe; make it happen.' And I write and she likes it or she doesn't. And in this case she did, and there you have it."
Since she killed off her alter-ego Sasha Fierce for her next album, this record will be all Beyoncé. Producer Jim Jonsin recently noted that while he wants to go even more '80s than the pair did on "Sweet Dreams," he's also looking to try out some other genres with the singer. "Even some sexy mid-tempos, see if she likes that and I'll try that too," Jonsin said.
Whatever the album ends up sounding like, Garrett promised that it won't be a rehash of previous material. He explained, "We're working on some really incredible music. We're going to stretch a little bit — take it to a whole new level, if Beyoncé can go to a whole new level. ... It's going to be her biggest album ever. We're going to take it to a whole other level."
Related ArtistsJoanne Montanez Jodi Lyn OKeefe Jolene Blalock Jordana Brewster Josie Maran
'Wall Street 2': The Reviews Are In!
Critics are divided, but one praises Oliver Stone sequel as 'urgent and strangely necessary.'
By Eric Ditzian
Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
Twenty-three years ago, Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" finished third at the weekend box office, losing out to "Throw Momma From the Train" and "Three Men and a Baby."
Times, and tastes, have changed. Stone's sequel, "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps," is likely to nab this weekend's top box office slot. No matter that critics have not exactly been kind to the film since its Cannes opening in May, after which Stone was said to have headed back into the edit room in search of a new cut. What he found there should be enough to dispatch the animated owls of "Legend of the Guardians" and secure Stone his first #1 opener since 1999's "Any Given Sunday."
Here's what the critics are saying:
The Story "Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas, sly and purry as ever) walks away from jail in the movie's 2001 opening scene, brick-like cellphone in hand. Seven years pass and he's back on top, with a new book ('Is Greed Good?') and untold millions. But the money can't buy what he wants: a relationship with his estranged daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan). She lives with her boyfriend Jake (Shia LaBeouf), an up-and-coming young trader who hears Gekko speak and is enamored by his message. Drawn into Gekko's orbit — the older man hopes to use the younger as a conduit to Winnie — Jake gets caught up in the world of deal making, not necessarily to his benefit." — Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times
The Performances "Douglas is terrific, and he's joined by fellow heavyweights Josh Brolin, Eli Wallach and Frank Langella as rival financial titans. But the movie belongs to LaBeouf. Stone loves to show us the convoluted world through the lens of a young striver still clinging to antiquated ideals. LaBeouf's shark-in-training manages to keep all of the balls in the air with a winning performance that balances moral wranglings with love and ambition." — Clint O'Connor, The Cleveland Plain Dealer
The Director "Using an ingeniously layered visual design, split screens and sinuous mobile cameras that move through scenes like the human sharks who inhabit them, Stone here proves that he's still a director of bold muscularity. If some of his references hit too squarely on the nose — the shot of a child's soap bubble standing in for the metaphoric financial version, for example, or the vaguely fascist corporate insignia of a malign CEO played by Josh Brolin — Stone has a knack for pacing, detail and atmosphere that manages to feel authentic and fancifully allegorical at the same time." — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
The Dissenters "This time around, the team does show occasional flourishes of the original's snap and urgency. However, it's nearly impossible to stay invested in a narrative stuffed with pliable characters whose actions fail to stay true to their natures. That's particularly glaring in a climax that ties everything up with a hunky-doryness that should have been liquidated faster than a risky hedge fund." — Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News
The Final Word "The movie's punch-drunk energy can't quite make up for what, without giving away any plot points, I can only describe as a third-act lapse into maudlin sentimentality. By the film's last frame, Gordon Gekko has gone from evil to sympathetic to ambiguous so many times that we no longer trust any twist involving him. But thanks in no small part to Michael Douglas' evident joy in playing the role, Gekko has now become one of those characters, like 'The Big Lebowski' 's Dude, who no longer needs a movie to sustain him. Oliver Stone's account of the events of 2008 is as unsubtle in its charms as Gordon Gekko himself. But like Gekko, the film also feels urgent and strangely necessary." — Dana Stevens, Slate
Check out everything we've got on "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Boo! Michigan School Robs Transgender Teen Of Homecoming Title!
Stoopid! He won - fair is fair!
A young transgender teen in Michigan was stripped of his title as Homecoming King after the school decided he didn't "qualify."
The teen, who friends refer to as Oak, has until now felt the complete support of his choice to be transgender. Teachers use him or he when calling [...]
A young transgender teen in Michigan was stripped of his title as Homecoming King after the school decided he didn't "qualify."
The teen, who friends refer to as Oak, has until now felt the complete support of his choice to be transgender. Teachers use him or he when calling [...]
Jennifer ODell Jennifer Scholle Jennifer Sky Jenny McCarthy Jessica Alba
'Glee' Star Reveals Britney Spears Episode Details
'I was just staring at her at one point and thinking, 'This is just so frickin' awesome,' ' Heather Morris says.
By James Dinh
Heather Morris
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ Getty Images
Britney Spears has always had her share of doubters, but in an upcoming episode that plays homage to the singer, the students of William McKinley High will have her back as they fight for the pop princess, according to castmember Heather Morris.
In an interview with Australian magazine TV Week, the actress dished about the plotline surrounding next week's "Britney/Brittany" episode and what it was like working with the pop icon.
"Through a special substance, I go under and have a couple of dream sequences — not only myself, but with Santana [Naya Rivera]," Morris explained. "A lot of it has to do with Will [Matthew Morrison] not allowing us to perform Britney Spears songs, because he doesn't agree with what kind of entertainer she is, so it's our fight to do Britney. But it's not just us doing Britney in show choir; there are other sequences — it's our homage to her."
In the episode, which airs next Tuesday, viewers might catch a rendition of Spears' 2003 hit collabo with Madonna "Me Against the Music." Last month, the singer tweeted on-set photos of her and Morris re-enacting a scene from the girl-on-girl clip. Aside from the Madonna collaboration, " ... Baby One More Time" and "Toxic" are also reported to be part of the episode.
Morris told TV Week she wasn't nervous to work with the pop star since it wasn't her first encounter with Spears. "It wasn't really nerve-racking, because I've met her before and I wasn't really overwhelmed by who she is," she admitted. "But the idea of what she has given us for the show and, for me, getting to dance with her and play with her on set, I was just staring at her at one point and thinking, 'This is just so frickin' awesome.' "
While show creator Ryan Murphy has already revealed his admiration for the singer, Morris' idolization might be a bit more personal. "She was my idol from, like, age 12 to 16," she told the magazine. "I sang to her [songs] in my living room and danced to her — I learned all her moves. And I had my talent shows and I lip-synched to her. I just kept flashing back to growing up and being obsessed with her."
The 23-year-old actress might not have been fazed by Spears' presence, but that wasn't the case for everyone on set. "It was literally like the president had come," Murphy previously said. "We all had to wear wristbands. I couldn't get into my own sets at one point, which I thought was hilarious."
Mr. Schuester isn't the only character worried that Spears' music will wreak havoc on the halls of McKinley High. "Sue Sylvester is of the opinion that Britney Spears is basically the anti-Christ," Jane Lynch told TV Week of her character. "How does she put it? 'A pop-culture provocateur and responsible for every out-of-control impulse ever created.' So she fears that if Britney Spears' music is played, it will create a sex riot — and it does."
Are you excited for the Britney takeover on "Glee" next week? Share your thoughts below!
Related Photos Related ArtistsLaura Harring Laura Prepon Lauren Bush Lauren Conrad Lauren German
'Mission: Impossible IV' Cast Adds Josh Holloway
'Lost' star reportedly set to join Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner in 2011 installment of spy franchise.
By Kara Warner
Josh Holloway
Photo: Alberto Rodriguez/ Getty Images
The heavily hyped cast of "Mission: Impossible IV" has added another star to its beefy roster: "Lost" actor Josh Holloway.
Holloway is reportedly in final negotiations to play a member of the Impossible Mission Force, the high-tech and top-secret task force headed up by Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This will be the first big feature-film role for the "Lost" star, who is best known for playing broody antihero Sawyer on the ABC series.
Holloway joins a band of high-profile actors on the Brad Bird-directed film. In addition to Cruise and Holloway, the cast includes Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton and Vladimir Mashkov, as well as returning "Mission" co-stars Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg. The production is supposed to begin shooting sometime this fall and filmmakers are currently scouting locations in Vancouver, Prague and Dubai. Paramount announced earlier this year that "M:I 4" will open on December 16, 2011.
While the production has already weathered a few storms, Cruise has been vocal about his commitment to bringing new talent to the franchise.
"My whole thing with the series is always having a new director come on and put their stamp on 'Mission: Impossible,' " he told MTV News this summer. "Brian De Palma was first, then John Woo, J.J. Abrams and now Brad Bird, so it will be Brad Bird's 'Mission: Impossible.' " Regarding his thoughts on the story line — which is, of course, very much under wraps — Cruise said simply: "It's sick. It's fun, really fun."
Pegg reacted to the latest casting news via an enthusiastic Twitter "conversation" with "Lost" executive producer Damon Lindelof.
Lindelof wrote: "Okay. They had me at Brad Bird. But now? I am TOTALLY IN"
To which Pegg responded, "I think I just squeed in my pants!"
Check out everything we've got on "Mission: Impossible IV."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Drake's NYC Concert: Check Out Our Live Blog!
We give you a front-row seat to the Light Dreams & Nightmares Tour on RapFix.
Photo: MTV News
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Chris Brown's BET Performance Joins List Of Greatest Pop-Culture Crying Fits
Halle Berry, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake and more have had their moments.
By Kyle Anderson
Chris Brown performs at the 2010 BET awards on Sunday
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Despite the triumphant TV returns of Kanye West, T.I. and El DeBarge at Sunday night's 2010 BET Awards, the big headline from the show was Chris Brown's moving tribute to late superstar Michael Jackson. Brown flawlessly executed all of Jackson's most classic dance moves (including a scorching moonwalk), but when it came time to lend his voice to Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," Brown broke down in tears and could not sing, apparently overwhelmed by the emotion of the situation.
Crying in public is hardly a new phenomenon in the world of popular culture. Brown joins the list of some of the biggest stars in the world who have also broken down on television.
Halle Berry When Berry won the Oscar for Best Actress at the 74th Annual Academy Awards in 2002 (for her work in "Monster's Ball"), she became the first African-American woman to take home the prize. That, combined with the overwhelming experience that was making the emotionally-charged "Monster's Ball" and the huge standing ovation she received, threw Berry into hysterics during her acceptance speech. "This moment is so much bigger than me," she said.
Kelly Clarkson When Kelly Clarkson won the very first season of "American Idol," she was initially in a state of shock. Unable to express how she was feeling to the television audience who voted her the victor over Justin Guarini, she moved on to her performance of "A Moment Like This." When she hit the lyric, "I can't believe it's happening to me," she finally broke. She managed to get through the song, but to continuously apologized for her emotion.
Justin Timberlake Ashton Kutcher's hit MTV show "Punked" certainly pushed a lot of his famous friends to the brink, but few had a reaction like Timberlake. When Kutcher's crew of actors pretended to be federal officers seizing most of his possessions for failure to pay back taxes, Timberlake flipped out and wept. Usually, Kutcher's reveal at the end of the episode throws the celebrity in question into laughing jags or fits of anger, but Timberlake was clearly just filled with relief.
Tonya Harding Athletes cry all the time, but it's usually because of the overwhelming thrill of victory or the agony of bitter defeat. Rarely do they weep during a particular competition, but that's exactly what Harding did at the 1994 Winter Olympics. After dealing with her connection to the attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan in the run-up to the games, Harding took the ice only to realize that a lace on one of her skates had broken. In between sobs, she pleaded with the judges to allow her to get new laces and start over. They allowed it, though Harding still only finished eighth.
Crystal Bowersox The season nine "American Idol" runner-up had an extremely emotional run to the finals (including a harrowing health scare), but it took merely the presence of her father and a particularly heartfelt song to push her to tears. Bowersox slipped a handful of sobs into her performance of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "People Get Ready" during Inspirational Week on the show. It was one of the many performances that put Bowersox in the discussion of the best "Idol" contestants of all time.
Tracy Morgan The always unpredictable star of "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock" has had a tough life and a challenging career, but the mere mention of co-star Tina Fey sent Morgan on the crying train when he visited with Oprah Winfrey on an episode of her show back in April. "She's my friend. Tina is my friend. I love her," he told Winfrey as he was fighting back tears.
"Crying Girl" There are an awful lot of "American Idol" moments on this list, aren't there? Ashley Ferl gained notoriety during the show's sixth season not as a contestant but as a particularly emotional audience member. The 13-year-old Ferl was so taken with "Idol" contestant Sanjaya Malakar's take on the Kinks' "You Really Got Me" that she sobbed uncontrollably, earning herself a great deal of screen time and the privilege of becoming an Internet meme for a while.
Did we miss any? What is the best incident of celebrity crying? And what did you think of Brown's performance? Let us know in the comments!
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Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: MJJ
- Director: Spike Lee
- Album: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
What's On The Presidential iPod?
Did you ever see George W. Bush rock out the Rolling Stones cover?! NO!
Bet if he had a killer iPod like President Barack Obama though, they would have considered it!
Stones magazine got a sit down with the Prez and asked what kind of music "speaks to him"? Our leader listed off some goodies, evertything [...]
Bet if he had a killer iPod like President Barack Obama though, they would have considered it!
Stones magazine got a sit down with the Prez and asked what kind of music "speaks to him"? Our leader listed off some goodies, evertything [...]
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New Terrible Yogi Bear Trailer Released
It's a good thing that Justin Timberlake is associated with The Social Network, because if Yogi Bear was his only performance this year…it MIGHT become necessary for us to never speak about him again!
As for you, Dan Aykroyd…why don't you just stick to selling skull shaped bottles of vodka, k?
All this new trailer does is [...]
As for you, Dan Aykroyd…why don't you just stick to selling skull shaped bottles of vodka, k?
All this new trailer does is [...]
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Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj And More VMA Virgins
Sunday is a big night for these first-time nominees and performers.
By Kelley L. Carter
Justin Bieber
Photo: Robyn Beck/ Getty Images
Be gentle with these guys — it's their first time as nominees or performers at the MTV Video Music Awards. Here's a look at this year's VMA virgins and where you'll see them come Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Ke$ha
It was almost impossible to turn the radio on and not hear Kesha's party-happy pop track "Tik Tok" over the past year. (She also did the background vocals on Flo Rida's ubiquitous "Right Round.") The singer is up for Best New Artist, and she'll present an award Sunday. "This is such a monumental thing for me to be nominated, because it really means people do really like what I'm doing," she said.
Nicki Minaj
Lil Wayne's wig-loving protégé will perform during the VMA pre-show on Sunday, and perhaps the mixtape diva will give us a taste of her forthcoming debut album, Pink Friday. "Obviously, this is something everybody dreamed of being part of, and I'm no exception to that rule," she said. "I just feel like this is my coming-out party. This is major for an artist with no album out."
Cascada
Natalie Horler fronts this German Eurodance group, and along with DJ Manian and Yanou, the band will make their VMA debut Sunday. They'll be competing in the newly revamped Dance Music Video category. Earlier this year, it was announced that they were the second-most-downloaded dance artists of all time. Who's the most downloaded? French DJ David Guetta, which brings us to our next rookie ...
David Guetta
The French DJ is responsible for sweating up dance floors, both international and domestic, and he finally nabs his first VMA for "Sexy Chick," featuring Akon.
B.o.B
The Atlanta rapper is up for five VMAs, and he'll take the stage for the first time.
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine's Florence Welch is bringing her funked-out, soulful vocals to the VMA stage this year, where she's up for four awards.
Jason Derülo
The pop singer feels like he already won at the VMAs. Last year, he attended the awards, but he sat in the back of the house. "This year, I'm nominated for two awards. It's incredible," said the singer, who has opened for Lady Gaga. "I've watched these awards my whole entire life, so to finally be a part of it is a dream come true. Pinch me, please." Derülo will be taking the stage with VMA house artist Deadmau5.
Justin Bieber
Bieber presented a VMA with Ke$ha at the 2009 show, but this year, he's up for Best New Artist and is set to perform.
Deadmau5
In case you're wondering, it's pronounced "dead mouse" (real name: Joel Thomas Zimmerman), and he's a Canadian house producer. He'll be working as this year's house artist.
Chelsea Handler
The comedian is the first woman to host the VMAs since 1994. Prepare for laughter beyond belief from the E! talk-show hostess.
Drake
The Toronto rapper (and Lil Wayne protégé) is up for three Moonmen; he'll also perform at the VMAs for the first time.
Robyn
Fresh off a tour with Kelis, Robyn, a Swedish pop singer, will perform with deadmau5 on Sunday at the VMAs.
Bruno Mars
Up for one VMA (along with collaborator B.o.B), Bruno Mars will also perform for the first time at the VMAs.
Who's your favorite VMA virgin? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsBeyonce Says She's 'A Feminist, In A Way'
Singer also talks about retiring alter ego Sasha Fierce and starting a family, in You magazine.
By James Dinh
Beyoncé
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ Getty Images
Whether it's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" or the Destiny's Child classic "Independent Women," most of Beyoncé's catalog consists of strong female-empowerment anthems. So it's no surprise that the singer considers herself to be a feminist.
In an interview with the U.K.'s You magazine, the pop star opens up about the importance of female companionship, not needing to hide behind Sasha Fierce and her much-talked-about baby plans.
"I think I am a feminist, in a way. It's not something I consciously decided I was going to be; perhaps it's because I grew up in a singing group with other women, and that was so helpful to me," she told the magazine. "It kept me out of so much trouble and out of bad relationships. My friendships with my girls are just so much a part of me that there are things I am never going to do that would upset that bond. I never want to betray that friendship, because I love being a woman and I love being a friend to other women."
Most recently, Beyoncé has certainly made her share of female friends in the industry. In the past year, the singer has collaborated with Lady Gaga ("Video Phone" and "Telephone") and Alicia Keys ("Put It in a Love Song").
While the singer might always have female besties, there's one thing she's cut out of the picture: alter ego Sasha Fierce. Earlier this year, the pop star revealed that she "killed" Sasha, and now she said the alter-ego absence is due to her newfound self-awareness.
"I don't need Sasha so much anymore, because these days, I know who I am. It takes time to figure out who you are, and I am still discovering different things about myself. As I am exposed to different experiences, I think, 'Oh, I like this. I didn't know I liked this,' " she explained. "That's the journey of life that is so exciting. More and more, I know who I am, I know what I like, I know what I want, and that makes me feel so free."
In fact, B already has her eye on some personal life goals. "My ambition is to continue to learn about the world and to eventually have a family," she said. And while Beyoncé remained coy about when she and husband Jay-Z will expand the Carter family, she hinted that there's really "no dates, no times" to motherhood. "It will happen when I am ready."
What is your favorite Beyoncé female-empowerment anthem? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Britney Spears - Radar
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: RCA, Jive, Zomba Label Group
- Director: Dave Meyers
- Album: Circus
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Beyoncé - Ego
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
- Director: Beyonce, Frank Gatson, Sheryl Murakami
- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition]
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Nelly Talks Returning To Music After Family Deaths
'I lost my sister in '05 and almost didn't make it back,' rapper tells MTV News.
By Jayson Rodriguez
Nelly
Photo: MTV News
Nelly may have suffered through his most commercially disappointing project with 2008's Brass Knuckles (which still sold more than 500,000 copies), but the relatively low sales paled in comparison to the personal pain he endured during the making of the album.
In 2005 the rapper lost his older sister, Jacqueline Donahue, to a well-publicized battle with leukemia, and months later his grandfather also died of cancer.
The normally boisterous lyricist was still reeling from the losses when he went back to work; he said he almost didn't return to recording at all after his mourning.
"I lost my sister in '05 and almost didn't make it back," Nelly told MTV News. "That's a lot that people didn't know. Even when I was going into Brass Knuckles it was just, a'ight. I lost my sister and six months later I lost my grandfather. Both of them the same way — different diagnosis but both of them was due to cancer. And we had done so much to try to find a donor for my sister. I don't know if you ever had someone ailing from cancer in your family, but it's some of the most disheartening things to watch people go through so much pain and not be able to do anything about it."
Nelly compared his success to the powerlessness he felt during that period.
"To have so much," he explained. "So much money, so much things that you can basically buy your way out of it, but this thing here you can't get a grasp on it for nothing in the world. And I never lost anything in my life that close to me, never, ever, ever. And this is the person that took care of me."
Professionally, Nelly has finally rebounded with "Just a Dream," which earned him a top 10 solo hit for the first time since 2005.
On a personal level, he says he's dealt with his ordeals. He credits Diddy with helping him to rediscover his passion for work.
The rapper is set to release both a solo album, 5.0, and a St. Lunatics group album, City Free, in November.
"He was like, 'Let's go! What are you waiting on?' " Nelly recalled of Diddy's pep talk. "I was like, 'You know what? You're right.' And I left the party to go to the studio."
Share your well-wishes for Nelly and his family in the comments.
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Ke$ha - Your Love Is My Drug
- Artist: Ke$ha
- Label: RCA
- Director: Honey
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Drake Reveals He's Working With Rihanna On Loud
'I just did this great song with Rihanna,' rapper tells MTV News.
By Jayson Rodriguez
Drake
Photo: MTV News
Before Drake's brief Twitter affair with Nicki Minaj, the Toronto lyricist had a celebrity romance with Rihanna, whose last project he did unreleased work on and whom he was spotted smooching in a New York bowling alley.
The rapper recalled the incident on his debut, Thank Me Later, spitting about their dalliance and later saying he was Rihanna's "pawn" in an interview.
Now the fire appears to be doused, as the two are reuniting for Rihanna's forthcoming project, Loud, according to Drake.
"I just did this great song," he told MTV News. "I don't know if I'm supposed to talk about it. I just did this great song with Rihanna; hopefully we can do a video for it. I'm really excited about that."
The two had a fling before Rihanna became involved with Los Angeles Dodgers player Matt Kemp. Drake denied his involvement with the singer many times, but he finally let loose on his song "Fireworks."
"I was a pawn," Drake told the New York Times earlier this year about his time with RiRi, which began with an invitation to pen a track for the singer. "You know what she was doing to me? She was doing exactly what I've done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. I was like, 'Wow, this feels terrible.' "
Are you excited to hear Drake and Rihanna's collabo? Let us know in the comments!
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Monday, September 27, 2010
Michael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray's Trial Set For January
Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.
By Gil Kaufman
Dr. Conrad Murray
Photo: Toby Canham/ Getty Images
More than a year after Michael Jackson's death, the pop icon's former personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was in court Monday (August 23) where a judge finally set a preliminary date of January 4, 2011, in the cardiologist's involuntary-manslaughter trial.
TMZ reported that Murray's legal team won a request to get a fluid sample from Jackson as part of their defense strategy questioning the accuracy of levels of the surgical anesthetic propofol found in Jackson's body. The Los Angeles County Coroner's office determined that Jackson, 50, died as a result of acute propofol intoxication.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter and has admitted to giving Jackson propofol, a strong anesthetic usually used during surgery but allegedly employed by chronic insomniac Jackson as a sleep aid. Murray's lawyers have said the physician did not administer any drugs that "should have" caused Jackson's death. The investigation into his death was equally lengthy, lasting more than eight months, after which Los Angeles prosecutors charged that Murray gave the King of Pop a lethal combination of propofol and other painkillers and sedatives in the hours before the singer was found dead in his rented Los Angeles mansion on June 25, 2009. Murray faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
After hearing from both sides in the case at the January court date, the judge, Michael Pastor, will determine if there is enough evidence to mount a full trial.
Jackson's mother and father, Katherine and Joseph, were in court on Monday, according to Radar Online, sitting in the front row as Judge Pastor set the preliminary hearing date. Pastor granted a protective order covering all evidence in the criminal case, meaning it cannot be released to anyone other than the lawyers, paralegals and investigators in the case.
Murray's defense team reportedly asked for access to three fluids collected by the coroner's office, including ones taken from syringes and an IV tube to re-examine test results. Pastor ruled that the coroner's office must preserve the samples, and if defense attorneys and prosecutors cannot agree on the request, he will schedule a hearing on the matter.
After court let out, a group of Jackson supporters gathered and sang an impromptu verse that featured the lines, "Conrad Murray is a cold man," while holding up signs that read "Justice for Michael Jackson" and "Love Unites Us, Peace Drives Us, Judgment Day 4 All."
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