lizethmartens

lizethmartens

From 'guyliner' to American delicacies like Uncrustables, Kathy Griffin, Mike Posner and more tell us what they'd get Will and Kate.
By Terri Schwartz

Kate Middleton and Prince William
Photo: Ben Stansall/ Getty Images

What kind of wedding gift do you give the royal couple who has everything?

The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is on Friday (April 29), so MTV News reached out to some of our favorite Hollywood celebrities — from Ke$ha to Adam Lambert. Fortunately, they had some solid ideas!

"I haven't met them, so it would be kind of awkward," the "Tik Tok" singer admitted to MTV News. "I might paint them something. Maybe I'll paint them a guitar."

Like Ke$ha, other celebs had suggestions that were from the heart, even if they weren't the most practical.

"I will go out on a limb and say these two individuals maybe haven't had Uncrustables before in their life. I would get them a strawberry Uncrustable," Mike Posner said about the pastry.

David Cook followed up on the all-American food idea. "I feel like they have everything except maybe they probably don't have an Applebee's gift card. I'll go [with an] Applebee's gift card," the "American Idol" alum said.

Other stars said they'd gift the British prince and soon-to-be-princess with an item they were personally best known for.

"I'd probably buy William some eyeliner," Lambert said. "He could do that, he could rock that look. I think."

Ne-Yo was more empathetic, saying he would give gifts that could help shield them from photographers and blend in with everyday people. "Three years' supply of sunglasses. Yeah, put them on. A bunch of baseball caps, throw those on, and try to move around like regular people," the singer said. "I can't imagine what it would be like having to live under that big of a magnifying glass your whole life ... and fake mustaches, that's what I'd give them."

Brooke Burke went the more traditional route, saying she would get Will and Kate a journal to record the big event. "I would ask them to really take the time to write down thoughts and phrases and wishes," Burke said. "And not really to lose sight of how they feel about each other now and to really hold on to that feeling."

Kathy Griffin had good intentions but the comedian couldn't resist a puke joke.

"If I had to get the royal couple a gift, I would get them the Royal Couple Vomit Bag, which someone sent me a photo of," Griffin told us. "So you can actually buy vomit bags with their image on it, and I think that that is an honor and I hope that they see it as such."

What would you give to William and Kate? Share your ideas in the comments section!

Related Photos

Prince William And Kate Middleton: A Royal Wedding

Related Artists

Luján Fernández Magdalena Wróbel Maggie Grace

lizethmartens

Femme Fatale producer tells MTV News the pop star defies categorization because she's 'forward-thinking.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias

Britney Spears
Photo: Max Morse/Getty Images

Since Britney Spears emerged on the scene nearly a decade and a half ago, she's run the gamut of pop music: from sugary bubble-gum to dirty, sexy dance tracks. In that respect, her longtime collaborator and Femme Fatale producer Dr. Luke says that the superstar has in many respects become bigger than pop. In fact, he says it's hard to confine her to just one genre.

"I feel like Britney kind of has her own genre: If you look at songs like 'Toxic' and 'Piece of Me' and 'Oops! ... I Did It Again,' they all were sort of influential and led the way," he told MTV News on Thursday (April 28) at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.

So when the pair sat down to work on her latest release, Dr. Luke said her pop-music shape-shifting was very much on his mind. "She wanted to keep on with that and do stuff that was forward-thinking," he continued. "So we put some dubstep stuff in there, in bridges; snuck it in different places and I hope it ended up good. I hope you like it."

It seems every time Spears drops a new album, it's declared her comeback record. But Dr. Luke noted that Brit has really never gone anywhere. "Where'd she go? I don't know. I didn't know she ever disappeared, really," he said. "She's always been selling out concerts and records, so I don't know that she ever disappeared."

So what do Spears and Luke have up their sleeve now? "Not yet ... give me a second to breathe, come up for air!" he told us.

Plus, even with Femme Fatale already in stores, it seems like the pair are always finding ways to update the songs. Take, for example, the recent remix of "Till the World Ends," which features Ke$ha (the track's songwriter) and Nicki Minaj.

"Well, we already had Ke$ha on the song 'cause she co-wrote the song ... and she sounded really good on it," Dr. Luke explained. "And then Nicki got on the Femme Fatale Tour so we put Nicki on it and it just sounded amazing. She killed it."

Which version of "Till the World Ends" do you prefer? Tell us in the comments!

Related Videos

Britney Spears: I Am The Femme Fatale

Related Artists

Britney Spears

Julie Benz Julie Berry K. D. Aubert Karen Carreno

lizethmartens

Sweet Dreams

Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Adria Petty
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce

Salma Hayek Samaire Armstrong Samantha Mathis Samantha Morton

lizethmartens

Ah, the unofficial start to summer: picnics and barbecues, soft-serve cones and the bevy of feature films for that summer afternoon or evening escape from the heat. But how do you know what’s right and what’s very wrong for the kids to watch? I bet most parents have had that moment when they realized a movie was not at all age-appropriate a little too late.

For me, it happened with Annie, which I thought would be fine for my 5- and 3-year-old, but the constantly inebriated Miss Hannigan and the scary chase scene where Annie almost falls to her death pushed me to look at the rating on the DVD case. When I saw PG-13, I thought, “This is not for my kids.”

In fact, our friends at Fandango recently conducted a poll in which 75 percent of respondents say they assume PG-13 rated movies should be suitable for their young children. At the same time, 78 percent felt that PG-rated films are featuring more adult content than ever before.

So what’s a parent to do? Common Sense Media, experts on what’s age-appropriate, gave us some insight into this season’s slate. Based on their analysis, here are a few of our recommendations:

For Kids 3- to 6-years-old
Winnie the Pooh (in theaters July 15). With a G rating, it’s great for preschoolers and promises to be a sweet one for the younger set anxious to see Pooh and his pals.

For Elementary School-Age Kids
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (pictured, above left; in theaters June 10). Rated PG-13, it is perfect for elementary schoolers and above -- especially ones who saw Ramona and Beezus last year and loved it. The kids (and parents) who are already fans of the Judy Moody books will love all the wacky hijinks in this flick.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins (in theaters June 17). Starring Jim Carrey and rated PG-13, this should be a crowd pleaser. We can expect a bit of potty humor and maybe some language of the “hell” or “damn” variety, but overall it seems appealing and harmless with all those cute penguins.

Cars 2 (in theaters June 24). Rated G, this movie promises to be a great film for all ages, from the 7-year-olds to the tweens. And yes, with the animation, it’s one that even Mom and Dad will enjoy.

For Tweens and Teens
Green Lantern (in theaters June 17). Starring Ryan Reynolds, last year’s Sexiest Man Alive in People, it’s likely to be a must-see film for comic fans and for fans of the Hollywood hunk. It is rated PG-13, so expect superhero action and violence, but not overly sexual content.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (in theaters July 1). This movie is really best for teens, but tweens will likely want to see it too, because of the popularity of the toys and TV shows. Parents need to gauge whether their kids are ready for this one. Expect constant action mayhem; plus, hero Sam has a hot new girlfriend, so there may be some sexual situations.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (pictured, above right; in theaters July 15). This is the last in the Potter series and promises to be action-filled -- and dark, with characters dying and beloved locations destroyed. Plus, Harry is growing up and making adult decisions. While your 7- or 10-year-old may be an enormous Harry Potter fan, it might be too much for them. This might be one to rent at home later on. If your tween insists, you should think about going with your child just in case.

Follow Kelly Wallace on Twitter: @kellywallacetv

Emma Stone Emma Watson Emmanuelle Chriqui Emmanuelle Vaugier

lizethmartens

Rachel Zoe snuggles up to her 9-week-old son during a snack stop at Pinkberry in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Monday.

Paris Hilton Patricia Velásquez Paula Garcés Paulina Rubio

lizethmartens

Heal the World

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Album: Dangerous

Amanda Detmer Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti

lizethmartens

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?

Shiri Appleby Sienna Guillory Sienna Miller Simone Mütherthies

lizethmartens

Great news, True Blood fans … if you’ve been chomping at the bit for the upcoming NEW 4th season of the show this Summer, I’ve got a treat for you. The first 3 minutes of True Blood season 4 has made its way online for your viewing pleasure. Click below to watch how the new [...]

Amber Brkich Amber Heard Amber Valletta America Ferrera

lizethmartens

Justin Bieber's AMA Night

Related Artists

Magdalena Wróbel Maggie Grace Maggie Gyllenhaal Majandra Delfino

lizethmartens

As Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s adorable tomboy celebrates her big day on May 27, we take a look at her globetrotting life

Daniella Alonso Danneel Harris Deanna Russo Denise Richards

lizethmartens

With his judging duties over, Donald Trump Jr. focuses on wife Vanessa - and their baby on the way! - on Sunday at The Celebrity Apprentice Season 4 Finale party, held at Trump Soho in N.Y.C.

Mariah OBrien Marika Dominczyk Marisa Coughlan Marisa Miller

lizethmartens

Singer's choreographer gives MTV News the inside scoop on B's 'Oprah Winfrey Show' farewell-week performance.
By Jocelyn Vena

Beyoncé performs on "The Oprah Winfrey Show"
Photo: Harpo productions

The first part of the two-part "Oprah Winfrey Show" star-studded surprise episode aired Monday (May 23), and with appearances from Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Halle Berry, Diane Sawyer and Madonna, it was Beyoncé and her over-the-top, girl-powered stage spectacle that had the audience — and Oprah — moving.

Donning a tuxedo bodysuit and surrounded by a cavalcade of all-female backup dancers, Beyoncé strutted her stuff as she performed her new single, "Run the World (Girls)."

"Oprah, your persuasion can build a nation," B said mid-song. "We love you, Oprah. Thank you," she told the talk-show host at the end of the performance, giving a hug to Winfrey.

Last week, MTV News spoke to Beyoncé's longtime choreographer, Frank Gatson Jr., who commented on the honor of performing for Oprah during her epic farewell week. (The final "Oprah Winfrey Show" episode airs Wednesday.)

"It's amazing. Me, myself, Beyoncé, people of color — we have so much respect for that woman" Gaston said. "How can we say no to [Oprah]? She possesses something that God has given her, 'cause when I saw her onstage, of all the people that were there, everyone's in awe of her — Tom Cruise, Halle Berry, Madonna — so we felt honored, privileged. That's why Beyoncé pushed us so hard. She wanted to make sure that Oprah's proud of what she did for her show. She did such an important number.

"In Oprah's world, women rule the world, so how coincidental that Beyoncé's song is called that?" he continued. "So it was just appropriate, perfection. I loved it. It was great to be there. The energy in that place was unbelievable."

What did you think of Beyoncé's "Oprah" appearance? Let us know in the comments!

Related Photos

Celebs Bid Farewell To Oprah Winfrey At Her Final Show Tapings

Related Artists

Beyoncé

Ciara Cindy Crawford Cindy Taylor Cinthia Moura

lizethmartens

Them Crooked Vultures make their debut with a post-Lollapalooza set.
By James Montgomery

Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Officially, Lollapalooza ended Sunday night in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from the Killers and Jane's Addiction. Unofficially, it ended very early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures.

To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of Foo Fighters frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere.

According to some reports, the Vultures actually turned down Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town.

Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called Never Deserved the Future, and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans).

The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.

It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October.

Early Monday, a Crooked Vultures Twitter account, which had previously posted links to the band's official-looking Web site and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a Deserve the Future T-shirt. Cost: $30.

Related Videos

The Lollapalooza 2009 Experience

Related Photos

Vampire Weekend, Jane's Addiction, More At Lollapalooza 2009

Related Artists

Pamela Anderson Paris Hilton Patricia Velásquez Paula Garcés

lizethmartens

New track with Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha follows leaked version, plus Brit tweets single's cover art.
By Jocelyn Vena

The "Till the World Ends" Femme Fatale remix
Photo: Jive

Just days after it was leaked on Friday, Britney Spears and her femme fatales, Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha, dropped their official remix of "Till the World Ends."

The new version of the song was produced by Dr. Luke and Dream Machine. Brit half-whispers " 'Till the World Ends' remix" before the beat kicks in and Nicki hits her verse hard. She spits fierce lines like, "Sniff, sniff, cries/ I done slayed your whole entire f---ing life."

Then Britney's sex-kitten vocals kick in for the song's first verse. "That's Britney, bitch! I'm Nicki Minaj and that's Ke$ha," the Queens MC declares before K sings the chorus. The beat is harder, the loops are sassier and the song is grimier than the original version, which was the second single from Femme Fatale. The newly added dubstep portion takes the one from "Hold It Against Me" to a new level by adding in bass-heavy synths.

Ke$ha, of course, wrote the track for Britney, and the ladies certainly don't seem to mind sharing the spotlight with each other. The official track isn't much different than the version that leaked over the weekend, though Spears did have something brand-new to share with her fans just as the song dropped on iTunes and streamed on her website.

Spears tweeted the artwork for the single, which features the original press photo of Spears along with separate photos of Nicki on the left and Ke$ha on the right. Spears wrote, "@NickiMinaj @Keshasuxx Too much fierceness for one cover! Thanks for lending your voices girls... #TTWEREMIX — Brit"

Spears and Minaj have been hanging out a lot in the lead-up to their summer tour. They hung out at the Factory nightclub on Friday night after Minaj's show in Los Angeles. Spears later wrote, "Early rehearsal after a late night with my girl @NickiMinaj. Can't WAIT to get out on the road with you."

What do you think of the "Till the World Ends" remix? Tell us in the comments!

Related Artists

Hayden Panettiere Haylie Duff Heidi Klum Heidi Montag

lizethmartens

OMG

Artist: Usher
Label: LaFace Records, JLG
Director: Anthony Mandler
Album: Raymond V. Raymond

Emmanuelle Chriqui Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum Erica Leerhsen

lizethmartens

If I Were A Boy

Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia/Music World Music
Director: Jake Nava
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce

Alexis Bledel Ali Campoverdi Ali Larter Alice Dodd

lizethmartens

Tony Romo & Candace Crawford Getting Married This Weekend!

Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Romo is set to wed sports reporter Candace Crawford this weekend in Dallas! Tony Romo and Candace Crawford, who is a former Miss Missouri and sister to actor Chace Crawford, will have an intimate wedding at the historic venue Arlington Hall. Romo and Candace began dating after his split with singer Jessica [...]

Tony Romo & Candace Crawford Getting Married This Weekend! Stupid Celebrities GossipStupid Celebrities Gossip News

Maria Bello Maria Menounos Maria Sharapova Mariah Carey

lizethmartens

Lady Gaga's 'Judas' Video: Decoded

Related Artists

Lady Gaga

Brittany Murphy Brittany Snow Brittny Gastineau Brody Dalle

lizethmartens

Alicia Keys Brings Jay-Z, Beyonce To Her New York Show

Related Artists

Saira Mohan Salma Hayek Samaire Armstrong Samantha Mathis

lizethmartens

2011 Pre-Grammy Celebrations

Related Artists

Usher

Rachel Weisz Radha Mitchell Raquel Alessi Rebecca Mader

lizethmartens

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."

Related Videos

Grammy Awards 2009: Hottest Moments

Related Artists

Amber Brkich Amber Heard Amber Valletta America Ferrera

lizethmartens

'I will be donating all of my personal proceeds...to various human rights organizations,' singer says of concert linked to Libyan dictator.
By Shawn Adler

Usher (file)
Photo: Getty Images

R&B superstar Usher announced Friday (March 4) that he was donating to various charities proceeds from appearing at a private event at St. Barts linked to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, according to a statement made to the Associated Press.

The Grammy award winner's renouncement comes after similar announcements from singers Mariah Carey, Nelly Furtado, and Beyoncé, all of whom were revealed to have performed at private concerts linked to the Middle Eastern leader, who has faced open revolt and major political uprisings since February.

"I am sincerely troubled to learn about the circumstances surrounding the Nikki Beach St. Bart's event that took place on New Year's Eve 2009," Usher said of the concert, at which he appeared alongside Beyoncé but did not perform. "I will be donating all of my personal proceeds from that event to various human rights organizations."

Usher has already begun the process, having made a donation to Amnesty International, the AP reports. The exact size of the donation is not known.

The New Year's Eve gig was reportedly for Moammar's fourth son Muastassim, who an unnamed music industry source told MTV News has a history of throwing lavish parties "jammed" with supermodels.

Beyoncé, who sang at the event, donated all proceeds from her performance to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, established in the wake of the Haitian earthquake.

"All monies paid to Beyoncé for her performance at a private party at Nikki Beach St. Barts on New Year's Eve 2009, including the commissions paid to her booking agency, were donated to the earthquake relief efforts for Haiti over a year ago," the "Halo" singer's publicist said in a statement to The Huffington Post. "Once it became known that the third-party promoter was linked to the Qaddafi family, the decision was made to put that payment to a good cause."

Singer Nelly Furtado tweeted February 28 that she plans to make similar amends.

"In 2007, I received 1million$ from the Gadhafi clan to perform a 45 min. show for guests at a hotel in Italy," she tweeted. "I am going to donate the $."

The leader of Libya since a successful military coup in 1969, Gadhafi has reportedly lost control of much of his country as a result of widespread uprisings. The United Nations voted unanimously to refer the dictator to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

Related Artists

Usher

FSU Cowgirls Gabrielle Union Garcelle Beauvais Genelle Frenoy

lizethmartens

From The Hangover Part II to the final Harry Potter, check out the films making a splash at the multiplex this summer

Ciara Cindy Crawford Cindy Taylor Cinthia Moura

lizethmartens