Janet Jackson Performs A Tribute To Michael Jackson At The VMAs
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Thursday, June 30, 2011
Selena Gomez, Cory Monteith Cop To 'Monte Carlo' Sing-Offs
'I feel like we were very annoying to people on set,' co-star Leighton Meester tells MTV News.
By Christina Garibaldi
Katie Cassidy, Leighton Meester, and Selena Gomez in "Monte Carlo"
Photo: Twentieth Century Fox
Selena Gomez's When the Sun Goes Down was released on Tuesday, but the star isn't just celebrating a new album this week. She heads back to the big screen with a leading-lady role in "Monte Carlo."
In the movie opening this weekend, Gomez plays not one, but two characters: an American teenager, Grace, and British heiress Cordelia, which required the Disney actress to take on an English accent.
"I did about two weeks [of training] before the film," Gomez told MTV News of learning the accent. "It was really fun [but] I was really nervous."
And the fun didn't stop there. Gomez also bonded on the set with her "Monte Carlo" co-stars, including "Gossip Girl" star Leighton Meester, who plays Gomez's stepsister; Katie Cassidy; and "Glee" heartthrob Cory Monteith, who had the tough job of working alongside some of Hollywood's most beautiful ladies.
"Going to hang out with a bunch of hot chicks in Europe? Sign me up!" Moneith laughed when we asked what attracted him to the role. "It was a no-brainer. They approached me to do a movie, and I heard Selena Gomez wanted to do it and shoot in Europe."
The cast spent two months filming overseas, primarily in Monte Carlo and Paris, and they had as much fun onscreen as they did off.
"We sang a lot," Gomez said of her castmates.
"I feel like we were very annoying to people on set," Meester added.
Of course, considering Monteith, Meester and Gomez are all singers, it's hard to believe anyone found them "annoying." So what was their song of choice?
"[We sang] to actual songs that were out," Gomez said. "But we would create our own lyrics; it was really fun."
"There was a little jumping and jiving," Monteith admitted. "We were so taken away by the moment, shooting in Paris, shooting the Eiffel Tower," he speculated about what may have inspired all that singing. "It was incredible."
Check out all of the stars in action when "Monte Carlo" hits theaters on Friday.
Check out everything we've got on "Monte Carlo."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666701/monte-carlo-cast-sing-off.jhtml
Cindy Crawford Cindy Taylor Cinthia Moura Claudette Ortiz Coco Lee Connie Nielsen Cristina Dumitru
Beyonce's 4 Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
Long-awaited album finally hit stores Tuesday.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia
Beyoncé's 4 may have leaked weeks ago, but its official release date is finally upon us. It's been a long-churning album that touches on soul, '90s R&B, hip-hop and even '80s adult contemporary. Long before the album even dropped, B promised fans that the album would be eclectic — a promise that was certainly met.
"I have a lot of live instruments that I'm putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music," she said about the album.
On it, she worked with a number of A-listers, including The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Kanye West, Chad Hugo, Ryan Tedder and Diplo, to name a few. She had also been spotted in the studio with indie acts like Sleigh Bells, proving that she wanted to try anything and everything.
"I'm mixing every type of genre that I love and I'm inspired by every type of genre," she told MTV News late last year. "I'm not in a box. It's not R&B. It's not typically pop. It's not rock. It's just everything I love all mixed together in my own little gumbo of music."
Which track on 4 is your favorite? Tell us on our Facebook page.
By the time 2010 was nearing its midway mark, Beyoncé finally debuted "Run the World (Girls)," a girl-power pop tune that samples Major Lazer's "Pon De Floor" and is full of so much bravado that she needed wild animals in the music video.
So why did Beyoncé name the album 4? Well, aside from the fact that it's her fourth album, she explained: "We all have special numbers in our lives, and 4 is that for me. It's the day I was born. My mother's birthday and a lot of my friends' birthdays are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date."
In addition to "Run the World (Girls)," Queen B teased fans with songs like the album's official second single, "Best Thing I Never Had," plus the promotional track "1+1" and the leaked track "Party," featuring Andre 3000.
The songs show the many sides of Beyoncé: playful, heartfelt, flirty, sexy and, yes, sassy. In the end, B wanted fans to hear all those sides of her on the album. "I also gave myself more freedom to really belt out some songs, and bring soul singing back," she explained. "I used a lot of the brassiness and grittiness in my voice that people hear in my live performances, but not necessarily on my records."
What are your thoughts on 4? Tell us in the comments!
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New Sneak Peek At Pottermore!
At first glance at this interactive menu, we have a feeling we will never be hearing from any of your Potterheads ever again come this fall. None of you will be leaving your computers!
Via the website's personal Twitter page come this first glimpse at what is in store at Pottermore.com. The pic is a [...]
Via the website's personal Twitter page come this first glimpse at what is in store at Pottermore.com. The pic is a [...]
Source: http://perezhilton.com/2011-06-30-first-glimpse-at-pottermore-website
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Usher - Lil Freak
- Artist: Usher
- Label: LaFace Records, JLG
- Director: Anthony Mandler
- Album: Raymond V. Raymond
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1270&vid=497563
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Beyonce's 4 Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
Long-awaited album finally hit stores Tuesday.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia
Beyoncé's 4 may have leaked weeks ago, but its official release date is finally upon us. It's been a long-churning album that touches on soul, '90s R&B, hip-hop and even '80s adult contemporary. Long before the album even dropped, B promised fans that the album would be eclectic — a promise that was certainly met.
"I have a lot of live instruments that I'm putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music," she said about the album.
On it, she worked with a number of A-listers, including The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Kanye West, Chad Hugo, Ryan Tedder and Diplo, to name a few. She had also been spotted in the studio with indie acts like Sleigh Bells, proving that she wanted to try anything and everything.
"I'm mixing every type of genre that I love and I'm inspired by every type of genre," she told MTV News late last year. "I'm not in a box. It's not R&B. It's not typically pop. It's not rock. It's just everything I love all mixed together in my own little gumbo of music."
Which track on 4 is your favorite? Tell us on our Facebook page.
By the time 2010 was nearing its midway mark, Beyoncé finally debuted "Run the World (Girls)," a girl-power pop tune that samples Major Lazer's "Pon De Floor" and is full of so much bravado that she needed wild animals in the music video.
So why did Beyoncé name the album 4? Well, aside from the fact that it's her fourth album, she explained: "We all have special numbers in our lives, and 4 is that for me. It's the day I was born. My mother's birthday and a lot of my friends' birthdays are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date."
In addition to "Run the World (Girls)," Queen B teased fans with songs like the album's official second single, "Best Thing I Never Had," plus the promotional track "1+1" and the leaked track "Party," featuring Andre 3000.
The songs show the many sides of Beyoncé: playful, heartfelt, flirty, sexy and, yes, sassy. In the end, B wanted fans to hear all those sides of her on the album. "I also gave myself more freedom to really belt out some songs, and bring soul singing back," she explained. "I used a lot of the brassiness and grittiness in my voice that people hear in my live performances, but not necessarily on my records."
What are your thoughts on 4? Tell us in the comments!
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Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj And Ke$ha 'Till The World Ends' Remix Leaks
Reworked tune features an opening verse by Minaj as Ke$ha sings atop Spears' vocals throughout the song.
By James Dinh
Britney Spears' "Til The World Ends"
Photo: Jive
Britney Spears isn't the only pop titan dancing until the world ends: Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha have joined forces to add a new spin on an all-female remix of Femme Fatale's second single, "Till the World Ends."
The reworked dance anthem, which leaked online Friday (April 22), appears to have surfaced earlier than expected as noted by a series of countdowns on all three of the stars' websites.
Mixing the dance tune's original sonic swirls with heavier bass, Britney tourmate Minaj starts off the remix by throwing down an aggressive verse, in which she calls out a female hater: "A-A-A-A-A-AYE!/ Chimpanzees is hatin', but I take it all in stride/ Put her in a jungle with bananas on the side/ Told you they'd revive your career, but somebody lied/ I ain't talkin' poultry when I say this chicken's fried."
After Minaj spits a few introductory bars, Spears delivers the song's first verse before an introduction for the all-star trio. "It's Britney, bitch. I'm Nicki Minaj and that's Ke$ha!" the Young Money MC proclaims.
Ke$ha, who originally wrote the track for the pop princess, takes part in singing the club-ready track's chorus. Spears soon takes back control of the song as Ke$ha shadows the singer's lines toward the end of the second verse and bridge. Unlike the original version, the "Till the World Ends" remix also features a stuttering dubstep dance break.
News of a star-studded collaboration was hinted earlier this week when producer Dr. Luke tweeted, "@NICKIMINAJ killed it tonight!!!! thanks!!!"
Have you heard the all-star "Till The World Ends" remix? Share your reviews in the comments!
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Britney Spears - Till the World Ends
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Jive
- Director: Ray Kay
- Album: Femme Fatale [Deluxe Edition]
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=639722
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Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj And Ke$ha 'Till The World Ends' Remix Leaks
Reworked tune features an opening verse by Minaj as Ke$ha sings atop Spears' vocals throughout the song.
By James Dinh
Britney Spears' "Til The World Ends"
Photo: Jive
Britney Spears isn't the only pop titan dancing until the world ends: Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha have joined forces to add a new spin on an all-female remix of Femme Fatale's second single, "Till the World Ends."
The reworked dance anthem, which leaked online Friday (April 22), appears to have surfaced earlier than expected as noted by a series of countdowns on all three of the stars' websites.
Mixing the dance tune's original sonic swirls with heavier bass, Britney tourmate Minaj starts off the remix by throwing down an aggressive verse, in which she calls out a female hater: "A-A-A-A-A-AYE!/ Chimpanzees is hatin', but I take it all in stride/ Put her in a jungle with bananas on the side/ Told you they'd revive your career, but somebody lied/ I ain't talkin' poultry when I say this chicken's fried."
After Minaj spits a few introductory bars, Spears delivers the song's first verse before an introduction for the all-star trio. "It's Britney, bitch. I'm Nicki Minaj and that's Ke$ha!" the Young Money MC proclaims.
Ke$ha, who originally wrote the track for the pop princess, takes part in singing the club-ready track's chorus. Spears soon takes back control of the song as Ke$ha shadows the singer's lines toward the end of the second verse and bridge. Unlike the original version, the "Till the World Ends" remix also features a stuttering dubstep dance break.
News of a star-studded collaboration was hinted earlier this week when producer Dr. Luke tweeted, "@NICKIMINAJ killed it tonight!!!! thanks!!!"
Have you heard the all-star "Till The World Ends" remix? Share your reviews in the comments!
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Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Lauren Alaina Meets Justin Bieber And A Few Fans Of Her Own
As the 'American Idol' runner-up prepares to tour, she recalls her own fangirl moment with Bieber.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias
Lauren Alaina backstage with Justin Bieber at the 2011 CMT Music Awards
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
As Lauren Alaina prepares to kick off the American Idols Live! tour on July 6 in Utah, it's time for her to start imagining life as an artist beyond the confines of a TV competition. As her second-place finish on season 10 proves, she has quite a fanbase, and the tour will give them the chance to see her in person. The thought of meeting supporters had the 16-year-old recalling her own ultimate fangirl experience, meeting Justin Bieber.
"Well, I was presenting Sugarland at the CMT Awards, and I found out that Justin Bieber was there," she explained to MTV News at the "American Idol" tour press day. "And I said I that I wanted to meet him, and I guess the people that I was there with made it happen."
During some down time on the show, she was about to meet Bieber, who took home Collaborative Video of the Year with Rascal Flatts that night, but first she had to battle a fashion mishap.
"I walked up to meet him and he was doing an interview, and then I was just looking at my outfit, and I realized I had a rip in the side of my dress, so I was trying to fix it real fast," she recalled. "And then someone had told him I had gone over there to meet him, so he came up to me and was like, 'Hey, I'm Justin.' ... It just kind of set me back. We took a picture and then it was over."
Though it was brief, Lauren wasn't too disappointed with their encounter. "It was cool just to meet him," she said. "Everyone wants to meet Justin Bieber and I got to do it, so it was really nice."
While in Nashville, Alaina was greeting her own fans too. "I haven't had anything weird happen to me, it's just people recognize me a lot more," she said. "And I went to Nashville, and I got out on Broadway with Scotty [McCreery] and we were like swarmed in 10 seconds. We didn't even know if people were going to realize who we were. [And] I mean immediately, as soon as we got out of the car, they recognized us, so that was really cool."
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Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: Epic Records
- Director: n/a
- Album: Moonwalker
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1102&vid=206759
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'Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Trailer: Cruise Control
If you had any doubts that Tom Cruise is still the man, please, let the "Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol" trailer lay them to rest.
In the first official trailer for director Brad Bird's take on the "Mission Impossible" franchise, we get just about all the information we need to know what Ethan Hunt's latest [...]
In the first official trailer for director Brad Bird's take on the "Mission Impossible" franchise, we get just about all the information we need to know what Ethan Hunt's latest [...]
Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/06/29/mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-trailer/
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Pet Tags
Man, I'm so irritated.
I just received four pets tags that I ordered for Bev and Mary Margaret (two for Brooklyn and two for LA) and they're all messed up. Not only did they leave off the "Margaret" on Mary Margaret's tags, but the text isn't centered correctly and runs off the right side on all four of them. (The last letter of the address is cut in half.) The tags themselves are also ugly. The edges aren't smoothed out... they look like someone just cut them from a piece of sheet metal and called it a day.
So anyway, I got them this morning on my way to Starbucks (yesterday's mail), so while I was there, I started drafting a strongly-worded letter in my head, like what I was going to say to these people when I sent them back.
And then I saw it.
In tiny print on the bottom of the invoice it said, "Our handicapped employees appreciate your order."
So now I can't send them back. If I did I'd be a total asshole.
I'm just going to order new ones from someplace else. Any recommendations?
Source: http://www.prettyinthecity.com/blog/2011/5/8/pet-tags.html
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Robert Plant And Alison Krauss Win Grammy Album Of The Year
Raising Sand, from Led Zeppelin vet and bluegrass superstar, wins five Grammys on Sunday night.
By James Montgomery with MTV News staff
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant accept the award for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
"I'm bewildered," Robert Plant said onstage as he accepted the Grammy Album of the Year award with Alison Krauss on Sunday night. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday."
He was probably one of the few who were surprised, because Raising Sand, which won five trophies at Sunday night's show, is in many ways the perfect Grammy album. It features two respected veterans, a critically lauded producer, some sandpaper-and-velvet vocals and a baker's dozen of time-tested standards.
You're probably familiar with Robert Plant from his Led Zeppelin days, and you might be aware of producer T-Bone Burnett's work on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack (it won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002). And if you don't know who Alison Krauss is, she possesses a haunting set of pipes and is one of the meanest fiddle players in the world. Oh, and she's won 21 Grammys, more than any other female artist and the seventh-most in history.
Really, she's the key to Sand's success, and not just because of her voice (or her fiddle playing). She and Plant first met in 2004, at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to legendary bluesman Leadbelly, and the former Zeppelin man was amazed by her knowledge of American Roots music — so much so that they began kicking around the idea of recording an album together. Three years later, Sand was released.
And while Plant possesses the more famous voice, the album's finest moments radiate from Krauss. Whether she's getting bluesy on Little Milton's "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson" or entwining with Plant's husky voice on songs like "Please Read the Letter" and Roly Salley's winsome "Killing the Blues," she more than carries her end of the bargain.
And perhaps that's also due to producer Burnett, who handpicked the 13 songs the duo cover on Sand. His arrangements are sparse — giving the two voices ample room to breathe — yet dense, warm and crackling at the same time. It's a testament to his work that he's often given just as much billing as Plant and Krauss on the project ... and it's certainly justified.
To date, Sand has sold more than 1 million copies, heaped tons of acclaim and actually earned a Grammy last year — "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" took home the award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
One expert was surprised not by the album's success, but by the fact that it's actually quite a good album.
"At first, the album seemed like a vanity project. ... Two names, clearly a one-off record, didn't have to be any good, you know?" New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica said. "Led Zeppelin fans would buy it because of Robert Plant, Alison Krauss would get a check. But it actually turned out to be a really thoughtful, really good record. So when you combine all that with the fact that the Grammys love to lionize one of their own, I could really see it taking home some awards."
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Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Muse Added To Grammy Show
Usher, Jaden Smith, B.o.B, Janelle Monae and Lady Antebellum will also perform on February 13.
By Gil Kaufman
Justin Bieber and Usher
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
While Willow Smith is the one who made music headlines with "Whip My Hair" last year, it's her brother, "Karate Kid" actor Jaden Smith, who will take the stage at the upcoming 53rd Grammy Awards in a special performance alongside Usher and Justin Bieber, with whom he collaborated on the song "Never Say Never" last summer.
The trio joins a list of new performers added to the show on Thursday (January 20) that will also include another power trifecta made up of B.o.B, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe, according to a press release from the Recording Academy announcing the additions to the February 13 telecast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Also taking the stage next month will be nominees Muse and Lady Antebellum. They will join a roster of previously announced performers that includes Eminem, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Arcade Fire, Cee Lo Green and Miranda Lambert. It will be the first time on the Grammy performance stage for Bieber, B.o.B, Lambert, Mars, Monáe, Muse and Smith. Eminem, Green, Gaga, Perry, Usher and Lady Antebellum will be making return visits for the occasion.
While 11-time Grammy winner Eminem leads the pack in nominations this year (with 10 nods), Mars has seven nominations, and Gaga and Lady Antebellum are not far behind with six nods each. B.o.B has notched five, Perry and Green are each up for four, and Arcade Fire and Lambert are vying for three awards. Bieber, Muse, Usher and Monáe are each nominated for two Grammys.
No details of the collaborative performances were released, but the Grammy announcement promised a rare, never-before-seen event for the Mars, B.o.B and Monáe segment.
With the addition of Antebellum, all five Album of the Year nominees (Eminem, Arcade Fire, Gaga, Perry) are now scheduled to perform on the show. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon.
Which Grammy performance are you most looking forward to? Talk about it in the comments!
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RZA Joins Cast Of 'G.I. Joe' Sequel
Wu-Tang Clan member will play martial arts character Blind Master.
By Gil Kaufman
RZA
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
When the "G.I. Joe" sequel gets under way, fans will see an almost all-new cast that not only includes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson but could also feature Wu-Tang Clan rapper/producer-turned-actor RZA.
The beatmeister will play a martial arts expert named the Blind Master, who once trained Joe commandos Snake Eyes and Jinx (Elodie Yung of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In addition to returning star Channing Tatum, another potential new face will be D.J. Cotrona, currently appearing on the TV show "Detroit 1-8-7." Both RZA and Cotrona are in negotiations to join the movie, which is being directed by Jon Chu ("Justin Bieber: Never Say Never").
" 'Joe' is something I've loved since I was a kid," Chu confessed to MTV News when word of his possible involvement first leaked earlier this year. "My era was 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,' 'G.I. Joe' and 'Transformers.' When 'Joe' changed their theme song from the old-style 'Go Joe!' to 'Got to get tough, go Joe!' that was the era I was in. Those are the fun, glory years that I remember."
Cotrona is slated to play a character named Flint, one of Joe's soldiers best known from the 1980s comics for his signature shotgun and beret.
The mainstream flick is one of the most high-profile popcorn movie roles to date for RZA, who has previously appeared in films such as "Due Date," "Kill Bill," "Funny People" and "American Gangster." He recently wrapped work directing the martial arts movie "The Man With the Iron Fists," in which he co-stars with Russell Crowe and blaxploitation icon Pam Grier.
For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.
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'Bad Teacher': The Reviews Are In!
Critics grade Cameron Diaz's irreverent flick as it enters a mixed bag of summer comedies.
By Eric Ditzian
Cameron Diaz in "Bad Teacher"
Photo: Gemma LaMana
As "Bad Teacher" opens this weekend, it joins a mixed bag of summer comedies. While we're still giggling over certain "Bridesmaids" moments and can't wait to take in a second viewing on DVD, "The Hangover Part II" left us reaching for a copy of the original film to remind us why we were so taken with that boozy cinematic bunch. But hey, the second "Hangover" has grossed almost $500 million worldwide, so what the heck do we know?
The Cameron Diaz-starring laugher, according to the critics, falls closer to the letdown that was the second "Hangover" than the revelatory "Bridesmaids." Reviewers have criticized the film for plot holes galore and poor character development, even as most have admitted it delivers a hefty helping of laughs. Read on for a deeper dive into the critics' take on "Bad Teacher."
The Story
"Director Jake Kasdan coaxes some laughs out of the film, but only Jason Segel, as a cynical gym teacher, seems like a real person instead of a caricature. Everyone else seems like they're trying just a touch too hard. Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) gets dumped by the rich guy she was going to marry for money, forcing her to come back for another year of teaching junior-high English. But she is not without goals; her immediate one is to figure out how to get enough money to pay for breast implants, which she thinks will help her more easily land a replacement sugar daddy. The operation is tough to afford on a teacher's salary, of course. But one day handsome Scott Delacorte (Timberlake), the heir to a watch-making fortune, shows up as a substitute teacher, giving Elizabeth a suitable target." — Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
The Performances
"The movie, of course, belongs to Diaz. She's always projected a sort of girlfriend-gone-wild sass that suggested she's a hell of a lot of fun after a couple of mango margaritas; 'Bad Teacher' is one of the few films that's allowed her to show that. And not only does she show it, she flaunts it, from a wardrobe that's tighter than next year's school budget to a vocabulary that's definitely not on any standardized test. But she's not alone. The wonderful Lucy Punch — the gold digger from 'You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger' — is a nagging toothache as a too-perfect teacher. Comic actors such as Thomas Lennon drop by for brief but marvelous scenes, and Jason Segal is a menschy gym teacher. Justin Timberlake, however, remains too cool to really commit to his oddball character, a substitute teacher that the man-hungry Diaz fixates on." — Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger
The 'Bad' Comparisons
" 'Bad Teacher' wants to be 'Bad Santa' but it's afraid to go as far as Billy Bob Thornton's gleeful middle finger to holidays and proper treatment of children. So it ends up trapped in a nowhere middle-ground, somewhere between 'Bad Santa' and the equally hilarious but family friendly Jack Black movie 'School of Rock.' Both of those movies had somewhere to go and a way to get there, but 'Bad Teacher' just goes and doesn't really seem to know where it's going. The script has its moments and the cast has a few too." — Josh Tyler, Cinema Blend
The Missteps
"The main problem with 'Bad Teacher' is that it's really just one joke, which is stretched further than the uneven script by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg (vets of TV's 'The Office') will permit. Jake Kasdan's flat direction doesn't help. ... 'Bad Teacher' has its amusing moments, but also many where you can't help wondering about the comedic choices. If you're going to have the hung-over instructor getting her young charges to watch movies all day, aren't there funnier picks than just a succession of teacher-themed movies? And if you've already decided your film is going to get an American 'R' rating — the profanity alone guarantees that — then why not take a few more risks with your comedy?" — Peter Howell, Toronto Star
The Final Word
" 'Bad Teacher' does not always connect with every joke, and there's one character in particular that seems to have been abandoned by the screenwriters midstream, but when the film works, it contains some wicked belly laughs, and I'll give Cameron Diaz credit for this: she seems delighted to play a total a--hole." — Drew McWeeny, HitFix
Check out everything we've got on "Bad Teacher."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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David Cook Jokes He's Still 'Bothered' By Simon Cowell Nightmare
'This one kept me up a lot of nights,' Cook tells MTV News of recording brand-new This Loud Morning.
By Jim Cantiello
David Cook
Photo: MTV News
It's been more than three years since David Cook won the seventh season of "American Idol," but the TV show that launched his career resurfaced, in his sleep no less, while he was working on the brand-new This Loud Morning.
"There was a dream last year where I auditioned for 'Idol' again," Cook told MTV News. "I got in front of Simon Cowell and he reamed me and I didn't make it. For some reason, that bothered me a little bit."
There are no songs on This Loud Morning titled "Snarky Brit (How Could You Say No to Me?)," but the Kansas City, Missouri, rocker insists his album was inspired by his nighttime adventures into the subconscious, or perhaps the lack thereof. "I've never immersed myself in a record as much as I immersed myself in this one," Cook said. "That's not to say that I was phoning it in on the nine [albums, including eight pre-'Idol' indie releases] I did before this. But this one especially, I never had problems sleeping because of records, and this one kept me up a lot of nights.
"The other [recurring] dream was something about being chased by a witch and I hid in the vents of my childhood home. I got issues, man," Cook sighed. For the record, Cook clarified that the witch was from "The Wizard of Oz"; no flying monkeys were present, however. "Usually, those strange dreams occur when I eat late," David said he finally discovered.
Cook's This Loud Morning hit stores on Tuesday (June 28), courtesy of 19 Recordings and RCA Records.
What do you think of David Cook's nightmares? Have you ever had a dream about Simon Cowell? Leave a comment below!
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Johnny Knoxville Eulogizes His Late Friend Ryan Dunn
Last week, just days after Ryan Dunn was killed in a senseless drunk driving car accident, Johnny Knoxville and the rest of the Jackass family convened at a funeral home in West Chester, PA for a memorial service in honor of their late friend. At that memorial service, Knoxville tried to eulogize Dunn in front [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pinkisthenewblog/~3/bgLwpwDGt7s/
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Pet Tags
Man, I'm so irritated.
I just received four pets tags that I ordered for Bev and Mary Margaret (two for Brooklyn and two for LA) and they're all messed up. Not only did they leave off the "Margaret" on Mary Margaret's tags, but the text isn't centered correctly and runs off the right side on all four of them. (The last letter of the address is cut in half.) The tags themselves are also ugly. The edges aren't smoothed out... they look like someone just cut them from a piece of sheet metal and called it a day.
So anyway, I got them this morning on my way to Starbucks (yesterday's mail), so while I was there, I started drafting a strongly-worded letter in my head, like what I was going to say to these people when I sent them back.
And then I saw it.
In tiny print on the bottom of the invoice it said, "Our handicapped employees appreciate your order."
So now I can't send them back. If I did I'd be a total asshole.
I'm just going to order new ones from someplace else. Any recommendations?
Source: http://www.prettyinthecity.com/blog/2011/5/8/pet-tags.html
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Cobra Starship's 'You Make Me Feel ...' Video: A Party With Heart
On the set of the new clip, Gabe Saporta explains how a magic photo booth tells a universal story.
By James Montgomery
Cobra Starship's Gabe Saporta on the set of the "You Make Me Feel" music video
Photo: MTV News
Cobra Starship's brand-new "You Make Me Feel ..." video is most definitely a party, one packed with beautiful people (various members of the NYC glitterati, a rather confused MTV News journalist, a mightily bearded Robin Williams) and practically bursting at the seams with booze-fueled hookups and assorted Spandex getups.
But when MTV News showed up on the set of the video last month, the guys in Cobra Starship were eager to explain that "You Make Me Feel ..." is much more than an ode to bottle-popping excess. It's actually about frontman Gabe Saporta's quest to find his soul mate — up-and-coming singer Sabi — in the dwindling hours of a New York night. With the help of a magical photo booth. Or something like that.
"It's a song about a guy and a girl, and the concept is, at the beginning of the video, I find one of Sabi's photos, and she's feeling the same way that I'm feeling, which is incomplete without each other," Saporta said. "We're sharing feelings, and that's what I realize, so I'm like, 'Wow, I want to find this girl.' So I look all over the world for her, and our world is the nightclub. ... The video is about the photo booth. It's just not any photo booth; it's a photo booth that tells you how you're really feeling. That's the main star of the video."
"It's a party," guitarist Ryland Blackinton added, "but it's a very tender party at times."
So, yes, in short, it's a party video loaded with cameos from the likes of Williams (and his daughter, Zelda), DJ duo Andrew Andrew, Just Jared blogger Jared Eng, and yes, this writer. But Saporta also said that he wrote the song — and a whole lot of Cobra's upcoming Night Shades album — after going through some serious personal problems of his own. So it's a party anthem with a heart.
"Obviously, some of my personal drama was about feeling alone, and feeling like I was searching the world for the right person," he said. "And one of the things we want for this song and this record — even though it has personal stuff in it — is to be something everyone can relate to, and I think that the concept of people trying to find the right person is something that's universal."
Of course, he's far less serious about the name of the album itself. Sure, it came from personal experiences too, but it's also inspired by the family of flowering plants known as Solanaceae.
"They're the family of nightshades, and the flowers of these vegetables only open up at night, which is how I think of myself," he laughed. "Like, I wake up at 2 in the afternoon, I'm a vegetable ... until I get to flower at night."
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Beyonce Talks Career, Motherhood With Piers Morgan
'I always said I'd have a baby at 30,' singer says in new interview.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé on "Piers Morgan Tonight"
Photo: CNN
It's B Day. Today is the day that Beyoncé finally drops her new album, 4. And on Monday night, with less than a day until her album's release, the singer sat down with CNN's Piers Morgan to open up about this latest installment in her life.
The pair kicked off the conversation by talking about Beyoncé's Glastonbury Festival set just a day before. "Well, you know, I'm still walking on the clouds, I'm still kind of shocked. I think it's because I've seen Glastonbury ... and only amazing rock stars perform and it's the coolest festival," she gushed. "[To] be the first woman and first African-American woman ... It's a little strange when you think about it, but I'm just happy I was the first woman. Everybody was just united."
She said she was a bit nervous when she took the stage but explained that she found strength by embracing her diva status. "I do [like being a diva]! Because I've met what a diva is supposed to be, and I've met Patti LaBelle and I've met Tina Turner and I've met these incredible woman.
"[They're] graceful and talented and strong and fearless and brave and someone with humility," she continued. "And I think it's an appropriate time to be a diva."
Before Beyoncé began work on 4, she took some time off for some self-exploration. She admitted that her life had been such a whirlwind that she didn't even realize what it meant to have so many Grammys on her mantle. "I learned a lot about myself, the biggest thing is, I love to perform," she said. "I love music. I love what I do. I love singing in the studio and writing songs and coming up with video treatments. I learned balance. I learned the importance of taking time for myself."
This year Beyoncé turns 30 and she said that she's had some lofty personal goals for herself. She also addressed those ever-recurring rumors that she's pregnant. "I feel like a woman. I feel like I'm very aware of who I am. I feel great and I feel like 30 is the ideal age [to start a family], because you're mature enough to know who you are and to have your boundaries and your standards, and not be afraid, too polite — but you're young enough to be a young woman," she explained. "I'm so looking forward to it."
The singer added, "I always said I'd have a baby at 30. But I also said I'm going to retire at 30 ... Only God knows." Regardless of when she and husband Jay-Z decide to start a family, they are each other's support system, and that love is evident in her music. "Jay and I have kind of made a decision that we want to be known for our music and not our relationships or scandals. But he is amazing," she said. "I definitely had a very natural friendship and connection with him. We've been together for a very long time and I'm very happy. Love is the foundation of everything, everything I do. My music is inspired by love — from my family, my husband, my sister."
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Beyonce's 4 Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
Long-awaited album finally hit stores Tuesday.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia
Beyoncé's 4 may have leaked weeks ago, but its official release date is finally upon us. It's been a long-churning album that touches on soul, '90s R&B, hip-hop and even '80s adult contemporary. Long before the album even dropped, B promised fans that the album would be eclectic — a promise that was certainly met.
"I have a lot of live instruments that I'm putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music," she said about the album.
On it, she worked with a number of A-listers, including The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Kanye West, Chad Hugo, Ryan Tedder and Diplo, to name a few. She had also been spotted in the studio with indie acts like Sleigh Bells, proving that she wanted to try anything and everything.
"I'm mixing every type of genre that I love and I'm inspired by every type of genre," she told MTV News late last year. "I'm not in a box. It's not R&B. It's not typically pop. It's not rock. It's just everything I love all mixed together in my own little gumbo of music."
Which track on 4 is your favorite? Tell us on our Facebook page.
By the time 2010 was nearing its midway mark, Beyoncé finally debuted "Run the World (Girls)," a girl-power pop tune that samples Major Lazer's "Pon De Floor" and is full of so much bravado that she needed wild animals in the music video.
So why did Beyoncé name the album 4? Well, aside from the fact that it's her fourth album, she explained: "We all have special numbers in our lives, and 4 is that for me. It's the day I was born. My mother's birthday and a lot of my friends' birthdays are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date."
In addition to "Run the World (Girls)," Queen B teased fans with songs like the album's official second single, "Best Thing I Never Had," plus the promotional track "1+1" and the leaked track "Party," featuring Andre 3000.
The songs show the many sides of Beyoncé: playful, heartfelt, flirty, sexy and, yes, sassy. In the end, B wanted fans to hear all those sides of her on the album. "I also gave myself more freedom to really belt out some songs, and bring soul singing back," she explained. "I used a lot of the brassiness and grittiness in my voice that people hear in my live performances, but not necessarily on my records."
What are your thoughts on 4? Tell us in the comments!
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Britney Spears Battles The Paparazzi Playlist
Since early on in her career, Spears has examined her love-hate affair with the prying lens of the paparazzi.
Photo: Jive
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Kara DioGuardi Opens Up About Lindsay Lohan, 'No Boundaries'
We ask 'Platinum Hit' judge about the less-than-stellar credits in her catalog.
By Jim Cantiello
Kara DioGuardi
Photo: MTV News
In her decade-plus career, Kara DioGuardi has helped write some of the biggest hits for artists like Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Cobra Starship, Carrie Underwood, the Pussycat Dolls and countless others. But when you're an in-demand pop songwriter and you're churning out tracks at a breakneck pace, they can't all be winners. Hell, even John Lennon and Paul McCartney published a few turkeys.
Lucky for fans, DioGuardi's sense of humor is just as strong as her sense of melody. When stopping by MTV News to promote her Bravo reality competition "Platinum Hit," the former "American Idol" judge was more than happy to dish about some of the crazier credits on her otherwise-sparkling résumé.
"No Boundaries"
Sample Lyric: "You can go higher, you can go deeper/ There are no boundaries above or beneath ya."
Backstory: Kara's two-season run on "American Idol" as "the fourth judge" wasn't as well-received as she'd hoped, but nothing stung more than the flak she got for co-writing the season-eight winner's song. In her recent book "A Helluva High Note," Kara compared Kris Allen and Adam Lambert's finale performances to a plane crash.
Kara's Take: "The song that almost ruined my career! Let me tell you what really happened: I wrote that song for a girl, and when it went into the male register, it was a nightmare. Certain songs don't translate," DioGuardi admitted, adding that her finale half-naked sing-off with "Idol" reject Bikini Girl helped redeem her status with TV critics. "When your songwriting is really bad, just put a bikini on," Kara joked.
In the End: Kris Allen became the first "Idol" winner to drop the "victory song" from his set list during the "Idol" tour. Last fall, he debuted a tongue-in-cheek "reggae" version of the song in front of Entertainment Weekly's cameras.
Lindsay Lohan's "Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)"
Sample Lyric: "Daughter to father, daughter to father/ I am broken, but I am hoping!"
Backstory: After the platinum success of Lindsay's debut album, sparked by hit single "Rumors," Sony rushed Lohan and DioGuardi back into the studio to record a follow-up full-length, A Little More Personal (Raw). The kick-off single for album number two was a dark, autobiographical tune about fatherly abandonment.
Kara's Take: "If you solo the vocals you'll hear race cars, because we brought the studio to [Lindsay's] trailer on 'Herbie Fully Loaded.' I'm not kidding! She had no time to do the record, so she would be on her lunch break, and I'd be like, 'Throw that thing down your throat and get over here, 'cause we got to finish these vocals!' So I sat for 14 hours on the set and would grab her for, like, 10 minutes at a time. The poor girl. That's the reality of young Hollywood. When they're hot, they're worked to death. It was 18/20-hour days. ... And I swear: 'Vroom! Vroom!' You can hear it in the back."
In the End: Fans were less enthused with Lindsay's airing out of the family's dirty laundry. The song stalled at #57 on the Billboard Top 100 chart, and no other singles were released. A Little More Personal (Raw) sold half as many units as her first foray into pop music, and Lindsay's third album has been shelved indefinitely.
Katharine McPhee's "Open Toes"
Sample Lyric: "I'm lovin' these sling-back shoes/ I like the way they stay loose/ I could wear them all day and listen to the click-clack/ Shoes like this make me hate flats."
Backstory: In addition to Kat's successful single "Over It," the season-five "Idol" runner-up's eponymous debut contained a bizarre R&B party banger dedicated to open-toed footwear. Seriously.
Kara's Take: "You know what? I have to tell you, I just edited it. ... Sometimes you get writing credit ... " DioGuardi trailed off, embarrassed. "For instance, if you don't have the whole idea, but someone brings you a song and says, 'We really love this song. Can you help make it a little better?' you probably don't want to say, 'Don't write about open toes, because people will think about fungus and weird things on toes and stuff.' So I was like, 'Well I'll just fix it a bit.' I just totally put those [co-writers] under the bus," Kara winced.
In the End: Katharine's pop music career quieted down as her acting career picked up. She's starring in the highly anticipated fall NBC show "Smash," executive-produced by Steven Spielberg. Meanwhile, Kara and Katharine remain close friends. DioGuardi gushed, "I love Katharine McPhee, 'cause whenever I do a charity event, she is my go-to girl and she always shows up and sings a song. And it's not 'Open Toes,' " she said with a knowing wink.
Do you have any favorites from Kara's catalog? What do you think of Kara's behind-the-scenes dirt? Leave a comment below!
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