Monday, January 31, 2011
Watch: The Britney Spears ?Hold It Against Me? Parody Music Video
Britney Spears - Break the Ice
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Jive/Zomba Label Group
- Director: Robert Hales
- Album: Blackout
Usher's 'OMG' Is MTV News' #1 Song Of 2010!
Club smash, featuring will.i.am, tops our list of the Top 25 Songs of the year.
By James Montgomery
Usher
Photo: Getty Images
MTV News' Top 25 Songs of 2010 has reached an end. We've already counted down the rest, and now it's time to get to the best: Usher's "OMG," the song that perfectly sums up the past 12 months of popular music — and makes you wanna move until you can't move no more.
If 2010 proved anything, it's that a DJ really can save your life ... or at least get you to #1 on the Hot 100. After years of staring at each other from across the room, hip-hop, pop and R&B all decided to finally get in bed with dance music, and the results weren't always pretty, but they were certainly successful. To date, only 17 songs have made it to the top spot of Billboard's singles chart in 2010, and nearly two-thirds of them — from Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" to Far East Movement's "Like a G6" — were, in some way, dance songs.
In that regard, no song better sums up 2010 pop music quite like Usher's "OMG," the dance song to end all dance songs. Sure, it may not have matched the swagger of Kanye West's "Power," the snarl of Rick Ross' "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)" or the inbox-clogging spread of Cee Lo's "F--- You," but it didn't have to. None of those songs went to #1, after all. "OMG" did. Twice.
Even among songs that managed to snag that top spot — Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie," Katy Perry's "California Gurls," B.o.B and Bruno Mars' "Nothin' on You" — "OMG" stood out from the pack, mostly because of its pedigree. It's not a stretch to say that any of those tracks could've (and probably would've) been #1 in any other year; "OMG" could only have done it in 2010, because it was crafted to do nothing else. No other song this year was as of the moment, as singular and shiny and downright undeniable. There's a reason it was named on more ballots than any other song on our countdown and justly takes the title of MTV News' #1 Song of 2010.
And while all that is important, it's largely beside the point. "OMG" is the kind of song that truly defies deep inspection, because it's not exactly headphone music. Rather, it was made for the clubs, designed to envelop you on the dance floor and not let go until the final "oh-ohh-oh-ooh-oh." And in that regard, it succeeds in spades. It is a masterful melding of R&B, and Euro dance, all icy synths and handclaps, starbursts and stutters and sing-along chants. It ebbs and flows, stops and starts, pumps and preens. Simply put, you cannot listen to it without moving in some way. (MTV's Dee Caligiuri, who voted on our countdown, probably put it best one night when she declared: "There are so many dances you can do to it!") And if that's not the definition of a success, well, then I don't know what is.
A large portion of the credit for "OMG" has to go to will.i.am, who not only produced the track (I know!), but was smart enough to see this whole dance thing coming when he teamed up with producer David Guetta last year. Those songs — "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling" — were, of course, massive, but neither of them are as good as this. Given full control, Will goes off the deep end, cramming the song with every dance trick in the book — and probably some new ones he just invented on the spot. And Usher, whose career, truth be told, was sort of in need of a shot in the arm, is the beneficiary. He floats and gloats above the mix, suave and cocksure, knowing that he is exactly the right man at the right time. That time, of course, had to be 2010.
Because in a year when so many big-name acts embraced the DJ, he flat-out did it better than any of them. "OMG" represents the peak of the dance-pop era in which we live, a song as undeniable as it is of the moment. We can only speculate as to what next year will bring, but there's really no denying that, as 2010 comes to a close, Usher stands above all else, reinvigorated and ready for more. It's enough to make you say "Oh My God," really.
How does Usher's "OMG" rank among the year's best songs? Let us know in the comments!
MTV News' Top 25 Songs of 2010 have all been counted down. But the fun isn't over yet: We still want to see your picks in the comments below!
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsMichael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray Hid Evidence, Guard Testifies
Testimony has Conrad Murray removing IV stand and two bags of medication.
By Gil Kaufman, with additional reporting by Kara Warner
Alberto Alvarez, Michael Jackson's bodyguard, leaves court after testifying at the preliminary hearing for Dr. Conrad Murray on January 5
Photo: Toby Canham/Getty Images
The second day of testimony in the preliminary hearing of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, featured damning testimony from one of the late King of Pop's bodyguards about Murray's actions in the critical minutes after the singer was found unresponsive.
After a former Jackson staffer testified Tuesday that Murray appeared to not know how to perform CPR properly, security guard Alberto Alvarez said on Wednesday (January 5) that the cardiologist frantically grabbed medical evidence from the star's bedroom before instructing Alvarez to call 911.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Alvarez said he was the first person to walk into Jackson's bedroom after Murray realized his patient was not breathing, where he found the cardiologist administering chest compressions with one hand while Jackson lay on his bed, which goes against the recommended procedure for the life-saving method.
"I said, 'Dr. Murray, what happened?' " Alvarez told the court. " 'He had a bad reaction, he had a bad reaction,' that's all he said." Alvarez choked up as he described how Jackson's daughter, Paris, followed him into the room and screamed when she saw her father sprawled out and unresponsive on the bed.
He said Murray then instructed him to get the children out of the room, noticing as he left that Jackson's penis was out of his underwear and that medical tubing was attached to it. When Deputy District Attorney David Walgren asked Alvarez if he knew what a condom catheter was, the security guard said he did not.
Alvarez said he then witnessed Murray grabbing a handful of bottles, which he instructed the security guard to put in a bag. He told the court that he held open the bag as the doctor dropped the bottles of medicine inside and then put it in a brown canvas bag on the floor, per Murray's instructions. Murray also allegedly told Alvarez to grab one of the two bags hanging on an IV stand next to Jackson's bed and put it in another bag. Alvarez said he noticed a "milk-like substance" in the bottom of the IV bag.
The Los Angeles County Coroner's office determined that Jackson died of an acute intoxication of propofol, a powerful surgical anesthetic sometimes referred to as "milk of amnesia" thanks to its milky white appearance. Only after the medical materials had been put away did Murray tell Alvarez to call 911.
"After you had collected the bottles per Dr. Murray's instructions, and after you had collected the bags per Dr. Murray's instructions, did Dr. Murray instruct you to call 911?" Walgren asked. "Yes, sir," Alvarez responded.
TMZ reported that during cross-examination, defense attorney Ed Chernoff got Alvarez to admit that he never told police about Murray ordering him to remove the bottles and Alvarez later admitted that he may try to sell his story.
Later in the day, EMT Richard Senniff testified that he arrived at the Jackson home, just four minutes after the 911 call was placed. According to TMZ, Senniff said that, based on the condition of Jackson's body, it appeared that Murray waited at least 20 minutes to call 911. Senniff also stated that when he asked Murray what meds Jackson had been administered, he only listed lorazepam (Ativan).
Jackson cook Kai Chase also testified, revealing the food she prepared for Jackson prior to his death (seared ahi tuna and salad, white bean Tuscan soup) and that she knew something was wrong when Murray came downstairs in a panic and summoned Jackson's son, Prince.
The preliminary hearing is aimed at determining whether there is enough evidence to try Murray on a felony count of involuntary manslaughter in the June 2009 death of the King of Pop. It is expected to last two to three weeks.
Related ArtistsCheck Out Our SAG Awards Live Blog!
Relive the night over on Movies Blog.
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/ Getty Images
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Michael Jackson - Hold My Hand
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: Columbia Records/SMG
- Album: Michael
Alecia Elliott Alessandra Ambrosio Alexis Bledel Ali Campoverdi
Michael Jackson - Beat It
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: Epic Records
- Director: Bob Giraldi
- Album: Thriller [Bonus Tracks]
Deadmau5 Brings Dance Music To The 'Masses,' Wolfgang Gartner Says
'He has a major role in the younger generation to this music,' producer/DJ tells MTV News of his collaborator.
By Adam Stewart
deadmau5
Photo: Charley Gallay/ Getty Images
It's no secret that 2010 was a pivotal year for electronic dance music here in the States. With deadmau5 and Swedish House Mafia becoming household names, the genre's momentum shows no signs of slowing down. Using a conduit of collaboration, artists such as deadmau5 (a.k.a. Joel Zimmerman) have paired up with various underground acts to further the rapid expansion of the genre.
Perhaps one of the most notable movers and shakers of the year is now-Grammy-Award-nominated producer and DJ Wolfgang Gartner, who recently sat down to chat with MTV News about deadmau5 and dance music's rise to the top.
"He has a major role in the younger generation to this music," Gartner says, "but there have been certain artists that have been instrumental in helping it cross over and reach the mainstream — which I think is a good thing. I think rap artists using dance beats is a great thing. I think it just brings more people towards this music that we all love."
Thanks to several key moments, such as deadmau5 taking the helm as house DJ (well, technically "House Artist") for the 2010 VMAs, dance music has been thrown into the forefront of America's youth, a key demographic for any genre.
"Everybody knows who he is now and he's kind of exposing the masses to dance music. These little five-, six- and seven-year-old kids latch on to this 'mau5head' logo — they get into the music and he's bringing this tiny young generation into this music that probably wouldn't be exposed to it."
Gartner certainly doesn't mind the exposure either. Unless you were living under a rock for the past six months, you probably heard one of this past summer's hottest anthems, "Animal Rights," a collaborative effort brought forth by deadmau5 and Gartner.
"It was interesting because I kind of had a preconceived notion about how he would be to work [with]," said Gartner. "I think our sounds are really similar, so I figured he would work in a similar way to me, but the way that he writes music is actually completely different to me. But he achieves kind of the same sound through a completely different process."
Recorded in deadmau5's favorite Los Angeles studio — that would be rocker Tommy Lee's House — "Animal Rights" is a thumping progressive house anthem that melds Wolfgang's unmistakable harmonics and funk riffs with the driving bass line and wobbly synths that make deadmau5 one of the unique forces in the dance music world.
"[Deadmau5] writes these rich complex chord progressions and he does it by drawing these little bars on a grid, which is just amazing that you can do that and get that result," Gartner goes on to say. "It just proves you don't have to be able to play keyboards to write amazing music."
The two sound pioneers never cease to stop pushing the limits on what they are able to produce. Using drastically difference production approaches, deadmau5 and Gartner had the ability to play off each other's strengths while recording the track.
"I'd say the biggest thing is that I play everything in on a keyboard, like even my drums," says Gartner. "I play everything in live and he draws it in with notes on a mouse, which blew me away because his music is very musical."
What do you think 2011 will hold for deadmau5 and Gartner? Let us know in the comments below!
Related ArtistsExclusive: NEW Details Leak From The Set Of Britney Spears?s New Music Video
Lady Gaga Or Britney Spears? RuPaul's Drag Queens Weigh In
'RuPaul's Drag Race' season three premieres Monday (January 24) on Logo.
By Damian Vaca
Lady Gaga and Britney Spears
Photo: Getty Images
WEST HOLLYWOOD, California — Reluctantly crouched behind the red carpet line, drag queens primping and taking their time, the flashbulbs go off and the cameras go up, all of them yearning for their chance at the cup!
On Tuesday night, we caught up with the stars of "RuPaul's Drag Race" as they head into battle to see who will be the top drag queen of season three. Amid the glam and sequins in the air, competition was definitely on everyone's mind, so what better time to find out who RuPaul's drag queens predict will rule 2011: Lady Gaga or Britney Spears?
"With Britney and Gaga coming out with new [albums] this year — it's going to be Gaga," Shangela, of season two, predicted. "Gaga runs the world, so Britney better take a seat and enjoy."
Tough words about a woman who has reached the #1 iTunes spot in 19 countries since her new single, "Hold it Against Me," was released a little over a week ago.
Season three's Venus D Lite, who could give Madonna a run for her money, stated, "I would probably say Britney — only because Gaga has had her spotlight moment."
However, Raja, also from season three, disagreed: "I'm going to say Gaga. ... She challenges everyone and really puts out new ideas, and I certainly appreciate that."
With both artists set to premiere highly anticipated videos in the next couple of months, fans are waiting to see what new creative visions the stars will bring to the world of pop culture.
"I would love to see [Gaga] just be an artist and not just a character," said Sonique of season two. "With Lady Gaga, you can't really expect anything other than something that is going to be controversial."
season three castmember Mimi Imfurst, who arrived on the red carpet in an epic "worldly" outfit, is definitely on Team Gaga: "Lady Gaga has all the creativity that Britney doesn't have, plus all the talent she doesn't have, so Lady Gaga all the way."
When all is said and done, one thing's for sure: RuPaul's drag queens definitely aren't shy about expressing their opinions. Season three of "RuPaul's Drag Race" premieres Monday (January 24) at 10 p.m. ET/PT, 9 p.m. Central on Logo.
Who do you think will conquer 2011: Britney or Gaga? Sound off below!
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Is Kristen Stewart Going to Play Snow White?
Hollywood loves any story with a princess, a villain and a "happily ever after" -- so it's no surprise that a new Snow White and the Seven Dwarves movie is currently in the works. What is surprising is the actress who's being courted to play the fair-skinned heroine: Twilight's Kristen Stewart. According to The Hollywood Reporter, producers of the new Snow White film have screen-tested tons of actresses, but they've got their hearts set on 20-year-old Stewart. Now they're just hoping she says yes.
Okay -- we love K-Stew, but let's just state the obvious here: She's not a Snow White type. Anne Hathaway is Snow White. Rachel McAdams is Snow White. Kristen Stewart is Snow White's lesser-known sister, Muted Gray, who refuses to go to balls because she thinks petticoats are stupid.
Then again, is probably not the same Snow White story we're all expecting. Titled Snow White and the Huntsman, the new version apparently has Snow taking matters into her own hands; the huntsman, who is sent by the evil queen Ravenna to kill Snow instead goes all Mr. Miyagi on her, teaching her to fight back and survive. (Too bad she still has that pesky apple allergy.) The script must be intriguing, because the tentative cast is pretty impressive: Viggo Mortensen as huntsman, and Charlize Theron as the nasty queen. (There's no word on who will be playing the seven dwarves or Prince Charming. Suggestions?)
If Stewart does accept the role, she'll be one of many actresses taking the fairy tale plunge -- including Amanda Seyfriend (this year's Red Riding Hood), Mia Wasikowska (last year's Alice in Wonderland), and -- rumor has it -- Angelina Jolie in a 2013 Sleeping Beauty remake.
Do you think Kristen Stewart should play Snow White? Chime in below!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Britney Spears - If U Seek Amy
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Jive, Zomba Label Group
- Director: Jake Nava
- Album: Circus
Justin Bieber's Next Album To Capture Justin Timberlake's Magic
Songwriter Sean Garrett says former 'NSYNC star's success inspires Bieber's new project and also dishes on Beyoncé's album.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Justin Bieber
Photo: Getty Images
Justin Bieber may have declined the chance to join Justin Timberlake's label, but according to a songwriter in the know, the former 'NSYNC crooner is the inspiration for the teen sensation's upcoming album.
Songwriter Sean "The Pen "Garrett, who has been working with Bieber on the follow-up to the chart-ruling My World 2.0., spoke with Billboard about the direction for the teen superstar's forthcoming album, saying the project will feature more grown-up fare.
"What we're trying to do with Justin is to segue him into young adulthood," Garrett said of the project, which is also slated to feature production from hitmaker Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. "The one great thing about Justin Bieber is the fact that his fans are going to grow with him. So we want all the fans that started out with him to still be intrigued and excited about him, but we want to also stretch out a little bit and make the fans that are 22-23 years old love Justin as well. When Justin Timberlake went from the last album of *N Sync to his first solo album -- I want to say [we're aiming for] that level. That's the bar for the type of song, that level of 'Cry Me a River,' big records."
Garrett, who has crafted records for stars like Chris Brown and Bieber's mentor Usher, also said he's hard at work on Beyoncé's next project. However, the songwriter didn't divulge too much information, only revealing that he's "been working with her extremely hard ... she's my favorite."
While Garrett said the plan for his next outing is to angle Bieber toward a swiftly maturing audience, Bieber himself has refused to categorize his music, insisting to MTV News in December that he's just focused on creating quality records.
"Whatever comes out of my mouth is just what you guys are going to hear," Bieber explained of his hits. "I don't know, it's not a specific type of music. Whatever music I write, I wouldn't say I'm pop or R&B or country or anything: I would just say it's just good music,"
What do you think Justin Bieber's new music is going to sound like? Let us know in the comments!
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The Vampire Diaries Nabs Infectious Ratings With Return!
Last night marked the midseason return of The CW?s highest rated shows, The Vampire Diaries and Nikita. The shows faced strong opposition now that American Idol has returned, but surprisingly, they both performed well under the pressure!
3.5 million people caught VD (teehee), while 2.7 million tuned in to watch [...]
Nichole Robinson Nicky Hilton Nicole Richie Nicole Scherzinger
Vote for Beverly!
Mama needs a new chair! (Or table!)
Modernica's "Pet's on Furniture" Contest
She's #2
Charisma Carpenter Charli Baltimore Charlies Angels Charlize Theron
Friday, January 28, 2011
Chris Cornell Filling In For Robert Plant On Led Zeppelin Tour? That's News To Him
'I have not been approached to fill in for Robert Plant on the Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be,' singer says.
By Chris Harris
Chris Cornell
Photo: MTV News
Former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell has spoken out for the first time about rumors that he's been asked to fill in for Robert Plant on a proposed Led Zeppelin reunion tour. The trek would feature original guitarist Jimmy Page, original bassist John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham taking over on drums for his late father, John Bonham.
Cornell has been mentioned — along with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, White Stripes mastermind Jack White and Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy — as a potential Plant fill-in. Plant has already said that he wouldn't take part in the tour.
"I have not been approached so far to fill in for Robert Plant on the upcoming Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be," Cornell told MTV News. "I've heard that from about 200 people now, and it might be one of those situations where it's just an online rumor or it might be true. But if you see anyone from Led Zeppelin around, let me know. I think I should actually fill in for Jimmy Page on the Robert Plant/ Alison Krauss tour."
Cornell's denial comes just a day after Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford confirmed reports that frontman Steven Tyler recently met with Zeppelin for an impromptu jam session. "They did it for fun," Whitford said during an appearance on the syndicated show "Todd N Tyler Radio Empire." "I actually think Jimmy wanted Steven to come over and play a little bit because I think he was trying to light a fire under Robert."
Rumors of a Zeppelin reunion tour have abounded since the iconic band played a single reunion set last year at London's O2 Arena. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider added fuel to the fire last month when he revealed that the group was thinking of touring, with or without Plant.
According to Snider, the rest of the band told Plant, " 'We're all rehearsed, we're ready to go. Here's a gazillion dollars on the table. If you don't do it, we're going out with this kid [Myles Kennedy].' "
"And he can sing the sh-- out of Zeppelin," Snider added. "They're going to hope that Robert, at the last minute, will go, 'OK,' and step in."
In a recent interview, Jones told BBC Radio Devon that a new singer was being sought to take over for Plant. "We are trying out a couple of singers," he said. "We want to do it. It's sounding great, and we want to get on and get out there."
But Jones insists that he, Page and Bonham aren't interested in finding a Plant clone. "It's got to be right," he said. "There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band. There would be a record and a tour, but everyone has to be onboard."
Of course, even if Zeppelin were to approach him, Cornell might be too busy to take over vocals for the band. His upcoming Timbaland-produced solo LP, Scream, will be released within the next few months. Cornell told MTV News last month that some of his fans might consider Scream something of a departure, but he doesn't see it that way.
"It makes me happy that there's this perception that I have a group of fans that I'm now sort of throwing a curve at and what their reaction will be," he said. "But I've been in this situation so many times already. When I put out [1999's] Euphoria Morning, my main goal was to create an album that sounded like nothing I'd done in Soundgarden, and I did that. I also had that with Temple of the Dog, where I showed up with songs that weren't necessarily riff-based. And then, of course, the pairing of me and members of Rage Against the Machine had everyone sort of speculating about what that would sound like.
"It feels like I've done this so many times that when it's presented to me as being a departure, I feel that's a misconception," he added. "I feel like that's my theme at this point."
Related ArtistsBritney Spears - Radar
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: RCA, Jive, Zomba Label Group
- Director: Dave Meyers
- Album: Circus
Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: MJJ
- Director: Spike Lee
- Album: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
Usher - Spotlight
- Artist: Usher
- Label: Warner Bros. Records, Asylum, Mizay Ent
- Director: Benny Boom
- Album: The State vs. Radric Davis
Lea Michele: Super Bowl XLV Singer!
Adding a little more star power to an already sure to be celeb-packed affair, Lea Michele has been chosen for singing duties at Super Bowl XLV.
Being held in Dallas, Texas, the "Glee" actress will be treating fans to a rendition of ?America the Beautiful? when the annual NFL championship game takes place on February 6.
Miss Michele joins Christina Aguilera - who will be singing the national anthem - with the Black Eyed Peas taking on halftime performance duties.
Following the big game, fans of Lea can stay tuned to FOX as an all-new special episode of "Glee" will be aired upon the Super Bowl's conclusion.
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Drake In Talks To Star With Al Pacino In 'Arbitrage'
Movie would mark rapper's first starring film role.
By Gil Kaufman
Drake
Photo: John Parra/ WireImage
Drake has already conquered the charts and the road, but now the former "Degrassi: The Next Generation" star is in talks to headline his first movie.
A spokesperson for producer Johnny Lin's Filmula company confirmed Monday that Drake is in negotiations to join the financial thriller "Arbitrage." The Wrap reported that the Young Money rapper is considering joining the cast of the indie film, which will be written and directed by Nicholas Jarecki ("The Outsider").
According to the site, the movie follows the path of a hedge-fund magnate who is in over his head and desperate to complete the sale of his shady trading empire to a major bank before his fraud is revealed. But then an "unexpected, bloody error" forces him to turn to an unlikely source for protection.
Susan Sarandon and "Casino Royale" star Eva Green have already signed on to play the wife and art-dealer mistress, respectively. The movie is slated to begin filming in March in New York and will feature a reunion of Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino and Sarandon, who co-starred in HBO's Jack Kevorkian biopic "You Don't Know Jack." Pacino will play the lead role; it was not known at press time what Drake's part would be.
It wouldn't be the first time Drake (born Aubrey Graham), 24, has made the jump from TV to films, following up on his small role in 2007's "Charlie Bartlett."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related ArtistsFab Sale: 20% Off of D�v Kids Rain Boots!
Beyoncé - Video Phone (Extended Remix)
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
- Director: Hype Williams
- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Milly Debuts New Collection for Girls
Beyonce Says She Takes Pregnancy Rumors In Stride
'I just hope that one day, when I decide to be pregnant that people are happy for me,' superstar jokes about year-round bump-watch.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé
Photo: MTV News
In 2010 alone, Beyoncé was pregnant at least twice, if you believe the rumors.
While the singer shot down the talk both times, she says that at this point she's pretty much to used to people speculating about potential baby bumps. "I mean, it's a part of it. At this point they said I've been pregnant like eight times, so I'm kind of used to it," Beyoncé told MTV News at a screening for her concert DVD, "I Am ... World Tour," in New York City.
"I just hope that one day, when I decide to be pregnant that people are happy for me, 'cause I'm like gosh, like, everyone's like, 'Oh god, please! She's been pregnant 100 times.' One day, hopefully, I will be. So whatever; it's a part of being a celebrity, I guess."
Her mom, Tina Knowles, was also at the screening and when asked if she thought that 2011 might be the year we give up gossiping about Bey's pregnancy status, she played it cool. "You have to ask her those personal things," she said. "I don't know!"
But Tina was also the lady to shoot down the baby-bump rumors last month when she sat down with talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres.
"I heard that, but I'm here to clear the rumors up. The truth is it's not Beyoncé that's pregnant, it's me," she joked. "No, it's not true. Not right now. I'm looking forward to it. With all the rumors, by now I should have about five or six grandchildren."
What do you think of the constant speculation about Bey and a baby bump? Tell us in the comments!
Related ArtistsLady Gaga Gets 'Bigger And Bigger' On Born This Way, RedOne Says
'She's growing all the time, from the day I met her,' producer tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias
Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
It's only a matter of weeks until Lady Gaga releases the first single from her highly anticipated album Born This Way, due in May. Producer RedOne recently chatted with MTV News about their latest collaboration, saying it shows the next step in the evolution of the girl formerly known as Stefani Germanotta.
"She's growing all the time, from the day I met her," RedOne said. "Of course, she's an encyclopedia of music. She listened to all the Bruce Springsteens, all the legends, and she has music in her. But on her personal level, she's always growing and growing and growing and becoming bigger and bigger, and her vision's the same thing. She just needed this platform to put all her ideas and learning from what she's been doing [into one place], and she's doing her thing."
With work on the album close to complete, this is a very exciting time for Gaga and him. "It feels exciting. It feels very exciting," he said with a smile on his face. "It's really exciting, and I hope the world is going to enjoy this as much as we do."
RedOne also dished about the album's forthcoming single. "It's so beautiful, and Gaga is very special to all of us — to the world," he said. "Honestly, the only thing we do is we get into the studio and suddenly magic happens. We never overthink, or we just do what we do. That's how it all started. With 'Just Dance,' we did it in one hour. There was no overthinking. Even though I remember when we did 'Poker Face,' people said musically it brought something new to the music and you won't be able to top it, we went into the studio and we did 'Bad Romance' on a bus.
"That explains how we do it, so I can't tell you anything about what's coming, but that's what we do. We just get in and do music we love and feel it, and thank God it comes out good."
What are you expecting from Gaga's new music? Let us know in the comments!
Related ArtistsOscar Nominee James Franco Set To Direct 'As I Lay Dying'
The '127 Hours' star and Oscar host tells MTV News he'll helm movie based on William Faulkner's novel this summer.
By Aly Semigran, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
James Franco
Photo: MTV News
James Franco may very well be Hollywood's ultimate Renaissance man. In addition to his already busy 2011 schedule, which includes attending the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, both as first-time host and Best Actor nominee (for "127 Hours"), the actor/writer/student will also tackle directing duties.
Over the weekend, MTV News managed to catch a minute with Franco at the Sundance Film Festival, where he revealed to us yet another impressive future endeavor. The star spilled, "This summer I'm going to direct a movie based on William Faulkner's novel 'As I Lay Dying.' "
Franco, who has in the past done some work behind the camera, explained, "I shoot a test of the whole movie before I make a movie. So we just shot a test."
Despite working from a lengthy script (160 pages, to be exact), Franco did an entire pre-shoot with actors in North Carolina on New Year's Day. And in keeping with his already unorthodox methods, the 32-year-old noted that the actors he used for the test filming won't necessarily be the ones he works with on the final product.
While Franco says he "might" appear in his adaptation of "As I Lay Dying," he has his sights set on his favorite actor, "Boardwalk Empire" and "Revolutionary Road" star Michael Shannon, whom he has worked with twice before. The cast already includes Paul Dano ("Little Miss Sunshine," "There Will Be Blood") and, if all works out for Franco, Richard Jenkins ("The Visitor," "Six Feet Under") and Joaquin Phoenix will be onboard as well.
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related VideosMichael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray Gets His Day In Court
Jackson's choreographer Kenny Ortega is expected to testify at the preliminary hearing in Los Angeles.
By Gil Kaufman
Dr. Conrad Murray (file)
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
More than a year and a half after the shocking death of Michael Jackson, the only person charged in the singer's death, his personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray, will finally get his day in court.
Murray, who has been charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter, will be in a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday (January 4) for the first day of a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to hold a full trial. The hearing, in front of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, is expected to last two weeks and feature testimony from more than two dozen witnesses, most of whom are medical experts.
Prosecutors will attempt to show that Murray, who has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge, was responsible for the singer's death from an overdose of prescription drugs on June 25, 2009. Murray's lawyers have said the doctor did inject the 50-year-old pop icon with the powerful surgical anesthetic propofol in an attempt to combat Jackson's chronic insomnia, but that the dose "should have" not been enough to kill him.
TMZ reported on Tuesday that one of the star witnesses during the preliminary hearing will be Jackson's "This is It" choreographer Kenny Ortega. Citing an unnamed source, TMZ said that Ortega is expected to testify that the week before Jackson died, the singer complained that he felt cold, had the shakes and could not perform, which resulted in a canceled rehearsal.
On the next day, June 20, 2009, an emergency meeting was reportedly called at Jackson's rented Los Angeles mansion between the pop star, Ortega, several executives from concert promotion giant AEG Live and Murray. The meeting was described as "intense, loud and argumentative" and Ortega is said to have laid into Jackson, imploring the singer to take better care of himself in the lead-up to what was intended to be his live swan song.
According to TMZ, Ortega is expected to testify that Murray said some "terrible things" during the meeting and displayed a lack of concern and respect for his patient, comments that could be "damaging" to Murray.
Last week, one of the prosecutors in the case claimed that Murray's lawyers were planning to claim that Jackson killed himself when he self-administered a lethal dose of propofol after waking up in a panic from a bout of fitful sleep.
Ortega is also reportedly set to testify that in the two days before his death, Jackson was a changed man, impressing his backup dancers with his upbeat singing and dancing. The testimony could be key to the prosecutors' case, since it could paint a portrait of Jackson as being healthy and energetic before Murray administered the cocktail of sedatives and propofol that allegedly resulted in the singer's death.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsMila Kunis Milla Jovovich Minka Kelly Minki van der Westhuizen
Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Other Stars Make Forbes' Top-Earning Of 2010 List
Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus also made the magazine's top 20 list of Hollywood moneymakers.
By Jayson Rodriguez
Beyoncé
Photo: Columbia/Music World
On the East Coast, revenue streams are slowly rising as banks are still cratering and trying to recover from the recession. But out West, money ain't a thing, as Jermaine Dupri and Jay-Z once rapped.
Forbes has released their list of Hollywood's 20 Highest Earners of 2010, with Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus among those rubbing elbows with the likes of power players like Oprah Winfrey.
The venerable talk-show host topped the list with a whopping $315 million haul. Winfrey's earnings were generated for the most part by her multimedia deals, which include a syndication deal for her TV show, a magazine and her soon-to-be-launched network.
"Avatar" creator James Cameron came in second, more than $100 million behind Winfrey, with a tally of $210 million. Director and playwright Tyler Perry ($125 million), blockbuster movie producer Michael Bay ($120 million) and golfer Tiger Woods ($105 million) rounded out the top five.
Beyoncé was the only pop star to break the top 10. The "Single Ladies" superstar landed at #9, sandwiched between George Lucas and Dr. Phil. Mrs. Carter, whose hubby, Jay-Z, was named Hip-Hop's Cash King by Forbes in August with a tally of $63 million, pulled down $87 million over the past 12 months.
The blond-haired trio of Britney Spears ($64 million), Lady Gaga ($62 million) and Madonna ($58 million) made their mark on the list at numbers 13, 14 and 15, respectively.
Pop tarts Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift capped the list. The young stars placed at 18 and 19 on the list, with Disney star Cyrus pocketing $48 million, and country singer Swift depositing $45 million into her bank account.
Hollywood's 20 highest-earning men and women of 2010, according to Forbes:
1. Oprah Winfrey, $315 million
2. James Cameron, $210 million
3. Tyler Perry, $125 million
4. Michael Bay, $120 million
5. Tiger Woods, $105 million
6. Jerry Bruckheimer, $100 million
7. Steven Spielberg, $100 million
8. George Lucas, $95 million
9. Beyoncé, $87 million
10. Dr. Phil, $80 million
11. Simon Cowell, $80 million
12. Jerry Seinfeld, $75 million
13. Britney Spears, $64 million
14. Lady Gaga, $62 million
15. Madonna, $58 million
16. Sandra Bullock, $56 million
17. Ellen DeGeneres, $55 million
18. Miley Cyrus, $48 million
19. Taylor Swift, $45 million
20. Judge Judy Sheindlin, $45 million
Religion Fail
Earlier today...
MY 3-YEAR-OLD NEPHEW JACK: Why do we get presents on Christmas?
MY MOM: Well, do you know who baby Jesus is?
JACK: You mean Chuck E. Cheesus?
Uh, that'd be a no.
'Jersey Shore' Star Pauly D 'Nervous' About Heading To Italy
'I don't know what gyms are like over there, I don't know what tanning's like,' Pauly tells MTV News.
By James Montgomery
Pauly D
Photo: Tom Briglia/ FilmMagic
On Tuesday, MTV announced that for the upcoming season of "Jersey Shore," the cast would be hitting the road once again ... only this time, they're heading all the way to Italy.
If you think you're excited about the news, well, you should hear "Shore" star Pauly D talk about the gang's upcoming trip.
"I've never been to Italy, and it's always been a dream of mine," he told MTV News on Tuesday night. "I'm excited to see my roots. I have family in Italy, but I don't speak with them since I don't know the language. My mother still talks to them, though. [And] I know Vinny has family there. But none of us have ever been. It's gonna be fun."
Of course, no voyage of self-discovery is complete without overcoming a few obstacles. So while he's excited, Pauly is also aware that he and his "Shore" mates will probably run into the occasional, uh, cultural issues when they arrive in Italy. But he's more than ready for the challenge.
"I'm nervous, I'm not gonna lie," he laughed. "I don't know what gyms are like over there, I don't know what tanning's like, I don't know the food, and the language — I don't even speak Italian. Maybe I should get a Rosetta Stone or something.
"And they got some nice clubs out there, and the women ... they're real Italian women, you know?" he continued. "Since I don't speak the language, I don't know how I'm going to talk with them. I'm hoping the smile does the trick. The less words the better. I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Despite the cultural differences and the language barrier, Pauly said that he can't wait to start filming the new season — cameras are scheduled to start rolling this spring — mostly because it means he'll get to hit the road with his best friends, which, to him, at least, is the best thing about being on "Jersey Shore."
"I really love being in Seaside [Heights], I love being in Jersey and I love being at home," he said. "But I also love traveling, and with this, I get to travel with my lifelong friends and that's another memory we'll all have together."
Don't miss "Jersey Shore," airing Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on MTV.
Related PhotosWednesday, January 26, 2011
Kristen Stewart Is One Scary Vampire In 'Breaking Dawn,' Elizabeth Reaser Reveals
Prince Michael Joseph Jackson Is An LA Lakers Fan
Gina Philips Gisele Bündchen Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez
Best Of 2010 | News | Breakout Stars Of 2010
Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj and more made their mark in '10.
Photo: MTV News & Docs
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'Gossip Girl' Recap: How to Be Places
So Blair's decided on her next Powerful Womanhood mark -- Indra Nooyi, Yalie PepsiCo. Bajillionaire -- and as luck would have it, Eleanor Waldorf is dressing her tonight. So Blair plays on her mom's lack of a Jenny figure in her life to get there first, pretending to intern for her while secretly scheming. Eleanor finds out, and they go into all-out war mode... Until Dan sits B down for a little talk and Blair realizes her mom is not a bad sort of Powerful Woman to model herself on.
Eleanor knows better, though, so they decide jointly that B will be the next Wintour/Roitfeld, which leads into the whole W internship storyline to which we've been so looking forward. It's neat to watch a story where B does all her crazy scheming without Chuck involved; even sweeter to watch Dan and Blair's tentative/reluctant steps toward BFFhood. We'll see how long that lasts once he joins her at the magazine, I suppose.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Mark Wahlberg Oscar Snub: Why Was His 'Fighter' Performance Ignored?
We examine some theories about why Wahlberg is being largely overlooked this awards season.
By Ryan J. Downey
Mark Wahlberg
Photo: Mike Coppola/ Getty Images
There will be no Oscar for Mark Wahlberg's performance in "The Fighter." Despite the constant reminder in the film's television spots that Mark's character was the one fighting ("Nawt you, nawt you and nawt you!"), the guy playing the role referenced in the film's very title has been largely overlooked this awards season.
A nomination in the Best Actor category at the Golden Globes and inclusion in the movie's numerous ensemble nods notwithstanding, the guy who passionately worked to bring the true story of "Irish" Mickey Ward to the screen as producer and star remains empty-handed for his own performance. "The Fighter" was gritty, visceral, funny, heartbreaking and heartwarming, and a lot of that has to do with Wahlberg's lead role, so what went wrong? Here are a few theories:
He's Already Been Rewarded
As producer and star of "The Fighter" and champion of the real-life boxers portrayed by him and Bale, Wahlberg has gotten to sit back and enjoy the numerous noms lavished on the rest of the cast and the movie in general. It's possible that Academy voters figure that since "The Fighter" is such a personal movie for Wahlberg, he's been rewarded enough through the recognition the flick has gotten in all these other ways. Perhaps folks think a Best Picture nomination for "The Fighter" doubles as love for Wahlberg, as it's very much his movie in the end.
In its analysis, the "Today" show supported this theory, chalking up Wahlberg's absence to "dilution" from the expanded Best Picture category. "Christian Bale got nominated for playing Mark Wahlberg's brother, Amy Adams got nominated for playing his girlfriend, Melissa Leo got nominated for playing his mom, and Wahlberg himself got nominated for... Nothing. As an actor, that is," Joal Ryan wrote, pointing out, "Wahlberg is up for Best Picture for producing."
But Movieline's Alonso Duralde cautioned against the notion that the Oscars set out to shortchange any particular person. "If there's anything I've learned in my years of voting with the L.A. Film Critics Association, [it's that] it's all random and chaotic," he told MTV News. "We often attribute things to 'the Academy likes this, or the Academy likes that'— but it's all about individuals. It may just be that there were five performances that people liked better. For all we know, [Wahlberg] came in sixth by two votes."
Christian Bale Got the Juicier Role
"Wahlberg turned in a wicked pissah performance as boxer 'Irish' Mickey Ward in 'The Fighter' and figured to be a shoo-in for Best Actah, but failed to get an Oscah nawd," Mark Marino joked over at NextMovie.com. "Meanwhile, as in the film, co-star Christian Bale continues to get all the attention as Dicky Eklund."
As Mickey's trainer brother, Bale sinks his teeth into crack addiction, familial strife, greed, despair, empathy and even a few prison scenes in "The Fighter."
As Bale said so eloquently at the Golden Globes as he accepted the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama prize: "I really gotta give a shout-out to Mark, because he drove this whole movie. And you can only give a loud performance like the one I gave when you have a quiet anchor and a stoic character. I've played that one many times, and it never gets any notice."
FilmDrunk editor in chief/ co-founder Vince Mancini agreed with Bale. "Everybody else has a very showy sort of role," Mancini told MTV News. "I just don't think Academy voters necessarily recognize subtlety in acting. Traditionally, they recognize stuff that is big and very obvious. I don't think Wahlberg's [performance] was that."
"I have always said that the Academy likes acting that it can quantify," Duralde reasoned. "They like to be able to put it on a scale and say, 'Look at this nose, look at this accent, look at all this weight you lost. You're pretty, but you did this role without makeup.' They can put a finger on that. The subtler stuff doesn't get noticed as much because it's not as showy."
How Much Acting Is He Really Doing?
Undeniably, the actor and producer has a strong personal connection with these people and this story. But does that mean he wasn't acting his ass off? Does everything need to be some big stretch?
"I would say this is closely related to [what Bale said]," Mancini pointed out. "The part that's acting [for Wahlberg] might not be blatantly obvious to people."
Duralde likened this theory to some of the talk back in 1997. "You had this great comic performance by Rupert Everett in 'My Best Friend's Wedding,' but I think people were like, 'He's playing a gay guy and he's gay, so how much work could that be?' " he lamented, pointing out that Marsha Mason was nominated for 1979's "Chapter Two" where she played a character based on her own life.
And So ...
Whatever the reason, or reasons, for Wahlberg's notable absence from the acting category at most of the major awards, it's a safe bet that the reception to the film overall offers some satisfaction.
"It has been such an incredible journey with 'The Fighter' and one that I am grateful to share with David O. Russell, Christian, Melissa, Amy, my fellow producers and the Ward and Eklund families, who are the heart and soul of the film," Wahlberg said in a statement after the Oscar nominations were announced. "Thank you to the Academy for this tremendous honor."
Check out everything we've got on "The Fighter."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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