celebfreak99: July 2010

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Usher To Release Versus LP In August

An extension of Raymond v. Raymond, album features eight new songs.By Mawuse Ziegbe

Usher

Photo: Mike Coppola/FilmMagic

R&B megastar Usher will release an extension of his latest hit album, Raymond v. Raymond, on August 24. The album, entitled Versus, features eight new songs, including the Pitbull collaboration "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love," which recently premiered on the singer's website. In addition to Versus, Usher will also put out Raymond v. Raymond (The Deluxe Edition) on the same day. The deluxe edition of the crooner's chart-topping album will include all the tracks from Versus and the original version of Raymond v. Raymond.
The singer's latest album took the top spot on the Billboard albums chart when it debuted earlier this year, moving more than 300,000 copies during its first week of release. Before Raymond dropped, the hit-making heartthrob told MTV News that the album held special significance for him.
"This album means so much to my career," Usher said. "I think this is the one time where I'm able to put it all in, emotionally and the good times — super-freaky and then also super-emotional. Raymond v. Raymond, artistically, is one of my greatest pieces of work, not only just because of the content but also the people whom I got involved in it: T.I., Will.I.Am, Puff, Nicki Minaj."
Usher has also proven he has an eye for talent with the breakout success of teen protégé Justin Bieber. Drawing from his history of cranking out R&B and pop smashes, Usher recognized early on that the Beeb's talent extends beyond his pipes.
"I felt like his voice was incredible. I feel he was very charismatic, and that's what it takes to be able to handle what this is," Usher told MTV News. "It's the ability to turn it on and understand, but it was a very real ability. It was actually just him."

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Travie McCoy Joins Rihanna, Ke$ha On Last Girl Tour

Gym Class Heroes frontman hits the road with the ladies for tour kicking off July 2.By Mawuse Ziegbe

Travie McCoy

Gym Class Heroes' Travie McCoy will hit the road with pop princesses Rihanna and Ke$ha on this summer's Last Girl on Earth Tour, which kicks off on July 2 in Auburn, Washington. The tour will crisscross the U.S. and Canada and wrap up on August 28 in Syracuse, New York.
McCoy's addition to the lineup comes after the tour was originally announced in April as a girl-power outing, with Young Money's Nicki Minaj as one of the openers. Minaj later dropped out of the tour, saying she was going to focus on wrapping up her debut instead.
"Barbz I'm sorry 2 say I will not be going out on RiRi's tour. I've decided 2 use that time 4 the completion of my album. Hope u understand," the star tweeted just days after the tour was announced.
McCoy will rock stages this summer in support of his solo debut, Lazarus, which features the single "Billionaire" with Bruno Mars. The hip-rock star — who goes by Travie instead of Travis for his solo work — premiered the video for his new single "The Manual" featuring T-Pain and Young Cash online on Friday.
Travie recently told MTV's Buzzworthy that the solo effort is just one of the many side projects he tinkers with while still being a part of the Gym Class Heroes.
"Since the beginning of Gym Class Heroes, we've all kind of had side projects," he said. "This is just an extension of that."
Last Girl on Earth tour dates with Rihanna and Ke$ha according to McCoy's label:
»7/2 - Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
»7/4 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
»7/6 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
»7/9 - Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
»7/10 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
»7/14 - Albuquerque, NM @ The Pavilion @ Hard Rock Casino
»7/15 - Englewood, CO @ Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
»7/17 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Resort
»7/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
»7/22 - Tucson, AZ @ Ava Amphitheatre
»7/24 - Laredo, TX @ Laredo Energy Arena
»7/25 - San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
»7/28 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
»7/30 - Tampa, FL @ Florida State Fairgrounds
»7/31 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
»8/3 - Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
»8/5 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
»8/7 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
»8/8 - Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
»8/11 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
»8/12 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
»8/15 - Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach Music Theater »8/18 - Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
»8/20 - Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
»8/21 - Hershey, PA @ Hershey Park Pavilion
»8/22 - Clarkson, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
»8/25 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
»8/28 - Syracuse, NY @ New York State Fair

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Britney Spears Opens Up About Her Sons In Cosmo

Spears says she will lock her sons in their rooms if they decide to go into show business.By Jocelyn Vena

Britney Spears on the cover of <i>Cosmopolitan</i>

Photo: Hearst

A smiling Britney Spears appears on the cover of the August issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, which hits newsstands on July 13. In the issue, Spears, who is currently working on new music, opens up about her life in the spotlight and her sons.
"If my sons [Sean and Jayden] told me they wanted to be in the entertainment business, I'd lock them in their rooms until they turned 30," Spears, who kicked off her career as a child star on the "Mickey Mouse Club," admitted about the prospect of her sons entering the family business.
As for how she spends her days now, the singer said that she's just busy being a mom to her two young sons. "Things are pretty quiet right now. I've been spending a lot of time at home with my boys," she said. "They just started karate class, which is super cute!"
And while things are quiet now, she says that when the time comes, she doesn't want to have to talk to Jayden and Sean about the birds and the bees. "I'm dreading the moment when my sons ask me how babies are made," she said.
Spears, who recently released her own clothing collection for Candie's, adds that there's one aspect of her career that she always knew was inevitable: the constant paparazzi presence in her life. "[It's] something I always knew would come with the job I chose," she explained.
The singer tweeted about the cover, saying, "I'm on the cover of Cosmo's August issue. So excited! What do you all think?"
What do you think of Britney Spears' Cosmo cover? Tell us in the comments!

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Justin Bieber's 'Somebody To Love' Video, Featuring Usher, Premieres

Dance-heavy clip appropriately debuts on 'So You Think You Can Dance.'By Jocelyn Vena

Justin Bieber and Usher in 'Somebody to Love'

Photo: FOX

While Usher was making everyone say "OMG" with his performance on Thursday night's (June 17) "So You Think You Can Dance" results show, it was protégé Justin Bieber who had teenage girls everywhere tuning in to catch the premiere of his "Somebody to Love" video, featuring, of course, Usher.

"You guys are fans of Justin Bieber, right?" Usher asked the crowd, who enthusiastically agreed. "It's gonna be an incredible video."
The clip was shot in May and was directed by Dave Meyers (Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne). While Bieber had previously teased his dancing skills in the "Baby" video, he really channeled Usher's smooth moves in this newest clip. There's even one special female backup dancer who dances one-on-one with Bieber.
While Bieber's videos thus far have had a story line, this one is really just Bieber and various dancers backing him up for the club-friendly pop tune, while he and Usher display their keen skills in all things pop-and-lock. Perhaps as a nod to his song on the "Karate Kid" soundtrack, there are ninja dancers showing off their martial-arts skills amid flames.
There's even a part where Bieber rides a bicycle, but dancing definitely takes center stage. "[We're] bringing Justin into the world of dance on this one, giving Justin the chance to integrate to different styles of dance," Meyers said about the clip. "So we kind of kept it simple with the art direction, just real graphic and really highlighting the dance. No big story lines, no crowds of people, just real clean."
What did you think of the "Somebody to Love" video? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man

I just finished Bill Clegg's Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man.

Wow. Riveting. I had to close the book at times because I couldn't bear to continue reading. I wanted to scream, "No, Bill! Don't do it! Put down the pipe!"
For those of you who don't know, Bill Clegg is a New York literary agent who became addicted to crack. Portrait of an Addict is his memoir. I hope my agent doesn't start doing crack. For more about the book, visit the official website.
Anywho, I'm going to blog more often about the books I'm reading. But I'm going to wait until I finish them to do so because I'd say for every ten books I buy, I start seven and finish three. This has less to do with the quality of the book and more to do with my lack of an attention span. I get bored really easily, so if a book doesn't move forward quickly, I'm out.Gabrielle Union Garcelle Beauvais Genelle Frenoy Georgianna Robertson

Snooki Gets Out Of Jail

Usher - OMG

OMG

Artist: Usher

Label: LaFace Records, JLG
Director: Anthony Mandler
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Eddie Cibrian Has A New Job

For a little while, at least, actor Eddie Cibrian has found another job after his unexpected firing from 'CSI: Miami.' He's been hired for a multi-episode arc on the new NBC show 'Chase,' according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello.
The actor will play a bounty hunter in at least two episodes, the first of which will air in October.
Chase centers on a team of U.S. marshals that hunt America?s top fugitives.
Does this make you more or less interested in 'Chase,' or are you just indifferent?
Photos by FAME

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'The Hills' Musical Legacy: Natasha Bedingfield, Lady Gaga And More

Artists from Hilary Duff to Journey owe a debt to 'Laguna Beach' and its spin-off.By Kyle Anderson

Lady Gaga on "The Hills"

Photo: MTV

Tuesday night (July 13) represents a huge moment in the history of MTV programming and reality television in general. After six seasons, "The Hills" is coming to a close with a two-hour grand-finale event, beginning at 8 p.m. on MTV. It has been a watershed program, as it first established the sort of hyper-real aesthetic that many reality shows (and a handful of fictional dramas) copied. But "The Hills" and its predecessor, "Laguna Beach," also left their mark in the music world.
Each of the shows had theme songs that helped spark massive career moves for the artists behind them. The theme song to "Laguna Beach" was Hilary Duff's "Come Clean," co-written by Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks. Though it originally appeared on Duff's 2003 album, Metamorphosis, and was released as a single in early 2004, it really picked up steam once it accompanied the premiere of "Laguna Beach" in September of that year. It peaked at #9 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart and earned Duff a shortlist recommendation (though no actual nomination) for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards.
"The Hills" theme song did even better by its artist. When Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" debuted as the tune that introduced the world to "The Hills" in May 2006, it stormed up the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #5. In fact, because of its crossover appeal, "Unwritten" became the most-played song on the radio in the United States in 2006. Not bad for a track that was originally released in 2004 on Bedingfield's debut album of the same name.
"The Hills" also gave the world some early exposure to Lady Gaga. Before Gaga's debut album, The Fame, took over the airwaves, she performed at a fashion show where Conrad and friend Whitney Port styled her. Gaga was even the subject of a minor plot in that episode, as the zipper of her catsuit broke, forcing Conrad to repair it and save the day.
But perhaps the most lasting musical legacy of "The Hills" is actually a moment from "Laguna Beach." The second-season premiere of "Laguna Beach" (which aired in July 2005) featured a scene wherein castmember Stephen Colletti picks Conrad up for a date. The song playing in Stephen's car during the scene? Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," which had yet to receive its second renaissance thanks to the series finale of "The Sopranos" (which didn't air until two years later). Exposure on "Laguna Beach" (along with its appearance on a "Family Guy" episode the same week) sent the track skyrocketing into the iTunes Top 10, an amazing feat for a song that was nearly 25 years old.
What was your favorite musical moment from "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills"? Let us know in the comments!
Join MTVNews.com on Tuesday, July 13, at 8 p.m. ET for a live stream from the red carpet of Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel, where the stars will gather for "The Hills Live: A Hollywood Ending." Then tune in for the series finale at 10 p.m. ET on MTV and "The Hills Live: A Hollywood Ending After Show" at 11.

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Newly Sober Mischa Barton Tries Out A New Look

Last weekend we read a report that claims that Mischa Barton has given up drinking alcohol for good … and today we get to see the fruits of that decision. The newly sober Mischa was spotted out and about last night wearing an outfit that, IMHO, looks like only a drunken or blind woman would [...]Emma Watson Emmanuelle Chriqui Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum

'Tron Legacy' Star Jeff Bridges Explains How He Plays His Younger Self

'It's great to be able to play a character in a story at any age you want now,' veteran actor says about revisiting his 1982 role.By Eric Ditzian, with additional reporting by Josh Horowitz

Jeff Bridges

Photo: MTV News

In March, when the "Tron Legacy" teaser trailer dropped online and showed us our first glimpse of a reverse-aged Jeff Bridges, director Joseph Kosinski revealed to MTV News that capturing this CGI-assisted footage was his greatest challenge.

"The hardest thing to do in visual effects is pull off a realistic human face," he explained.
But that was the task filmmakers took on when they set out to make a sequel to the 1982 original, in which Bridges starred as two characters: a software designer named Kevin Flynn who's sucked into a computer-generated gaming world, and a digital villain named Clu. With Clu playing a key role in "Legacy," Kosinski had to re-create the '80s-era Bridges to step into the Clu role once again. As he revealed to us, his reference point was the Bridges of the 1984 drama, "Against All Odds."
For Bridges himself, the opportunity to play, in essence, his younger self was not one he could pass up. "It was very exciting to be a part of that," he told us recently at Comic-Con. "That was one of the reasons that got me involved in 'Tron' in the first place, was to be a part of that cutting-edge technology. This one takes it to the nth degree."
To get the visual effects right, Bridges shimmied into a motion-capture suit and set to work. "Playing the young guy, we did a lot of work in a space called the Volume — you record motion-capture work," he said. "That was a completely unique experience for me. I had never done that. It's great to be able to play a character in a story at any age you want now. I can play my character when he's 4 years old."
Of course, there's always the chance that one day actors won't be needed at all, as filmmakers fully create their characters in a computer. "I go between worry and gratefulness. Maybe I'll be ready to do something else by that time," he laughed about the possibility. "There is going to be a time — it's probably already here — when they say, 'Let's get a combination of [co-star] Garrett [Hedlund] and Bridges and let's put a little Bela Lugosi in there. What the hell — let's see what happens!' "
Check out everything we've got on "Tron Legacy."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll

Rock and Roll

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'Charlie St. Cloud': Dead Zone, By Kurt Loder

Zac Efron in ghost world.

Zac Efron in "Charlie St. Cloud"

Photo: Universal Pictures

Charlie St. Cloud sees dead people. Possibly filing in to watch this movie. Although the storyline of "Charlie St. Cloud" has some nice love-after-death twists, and the imagery — gleaming harbor-town nightscapes and sleek sailboats skudding across the water — has been beautifully rendered, the picture is becalmed by the star performance at its center.

Charlie (Zac Efron) lives for sailing, and as the movie opens, in his briny hometown on the Washington coast, he's preparing to leave for Stanford University in the fall on a sailing scholarship. Despite his resemblance to Zac Efron, Charlie doesn't have a girlfriend. He's entirely devoted to his mother (a minimal appearance by Kim Basinger) and especially his little brother, Sam (Charlie Tahan, talented beyond the call of cuteness). Sam lives for baseball, and Charlie coaches him with daily pitching practice in a clearing in some nearby woods. Charlie tells Sam he'll always be there for him. But then there's a car crash; Sam is killed, but Charlie, although briefly flatlined, survives.
Five years later, we find Charlie working as a caretaker at the local cemetery. He canceled his Stanford plans because ... well, because he told Sam he'd always be there for him. And Sam is still there, turning up in the woods every evening for their regular pitching sessions. Presumably Charlie has decided to spend the rest of his life as an undead-baseball coach. But then he meets the beautiful Tess (Amanda Crew), an avid sailor herself, who's gearing up for an around-the-world race in her elegant yacht. As Charlie and Tess fall in love, Sam, with no other earthly hobbies to occupy his time, watches them with growing unease (possibly even observing the movie's lone sex scene, a coupling so discreet it barely rises to the level of PG-13). "I could feel you forgetting me," he tells Charlie. "Without you, I feel myself start to disappear."
This basic plot conflict grows even slushier following a second tragedy, which introduces another level of lovelorn ambiguity. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of Tahan and Crew (who injects some liveliness into the otherwise turgid proceedings), the real love story at the heart of the picture is the sultry union of Zac Efron and director Burr Steers' camera. Efron, such a charmer in last year's "17 Again," is a hopeless mope here, acting mainly with his burnished tan and his bioluminescent blue eyes, which we all too often see welling with tears. Charlie stares out to sea. He stares into his soul. He suffers and suffers, and his muffled torment, even when backgrounded by glorious coastal sunsets, grows oppressive. We want Efron to jack this character up to another emotional level, to manifest some personality, but he just keeps wallowing in heartbreak. So while Charlie keeps seeing dead people (there's also a deceased buddy on hand), we're left watching a dead movie.
Don't miss Kurt Loder's review of "Dinner For Schmucks," also new in theaters this week.
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Beyonce To Perform at White House State Dinner Tonight

Obama favorite will be joined by Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela.By Mawuse Ziegbe

Beyoncé

Photo: Getty Images

Beyoncé will perform Wednesday night (May 19) at the White House State Dinner along with Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. The stars will entertain dignitaries on the White House South Lawn following the dinner for Mexican President Felipe Calderón.
Beyoncé, who has rocked stages around the world, is no stranger to performing for the first family. In 2009, the superstar hit the stage at the We Are One inaugural concert and serenaded President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama during the couple's first dance following Barack Obama's historic inauguration. Beyoncé and her mogul husband, Jay-Z — who is fairly chummy with the leader of the free world — made headlines earlier this year when the couple visited the White House with R&B star Trey Songz in tow.
Acoustic-guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela will also perform at the dinner. However, unlike Beyoncé, the performance marks the pair's first time at the White House. The duo tweeted earlier Wednesday, "Just landed in DC ... in a little while we'll do soundcheck at the White House for 2moro's performance. Never been there b4 as tourist either."
Rodrigo y Gabriela, who have gone from heavy-metal fans to street performers to world-music stars, will tour the world this summer in support of their latest album, 11:11. Despite performing at the White House for the first time, the pair seem confident about the show and tweeted some words of encouragement to President Obama and President Calderón as the world leaders apparently handled some official business earlier Wednesday. "2nd soundcheck at White House today at 3 30 ... gig's around 9! I think the 2 presidents are in an official meeting right now....good luck."
Fans who want to experience the evening don't need an official invite. The performances and a toast from Presidents Obama and Calderón will be streamed live on the White House website.
Will you watch the White House performances? Let us know in the comments below!

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Chris Brown's BET Awards Breakdown Divides Viewers

Some think Brown's Michael Jackson tribute was sincere, while others view it as a sympathy ploy.By Gil Kaufman

Chris Brown performs at the 2010 BET Awards on Sunday

Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images

While Chris Brown's onstage breakdown during a Michael Jackson tribute at Sunday night's BET Awards likely left many viewers speechless, MTV News readers had plenty to say about the emotional tribute to the late King of Pop.

Many commenters weighed in on an MTV News story about the performance, during which Brown executed some spot-on Jackson choreography for "Remember the Time" and "Billie Jean" while modeling some of MJ's signature looks. He then cried and was unable to get out the lyrics to the moving "Man in the Mirror."
"He left his heart on that dance floor and when those tears dropped from his face, so did the audience around the world," Music4Ever wrote. "He truly gave that his all and showed Michael that he was his idol."
Kjabbamodern called Brown's performance "amazing" and said he was spot on. "When you watched the awards you truly felt the incredible spirit he had, and when he broke down, it was truly genuine. Anyone that cannot understand that and see his true spirit is seriously NOT human. [Brown] made a mistake. ... I hope people find it in their hearts to forgive this young man."
The performance was one of the most high profile for Brown since the singer pleaded guilty last summer in connection with his attack on former girlfriend Rihanna. Since then, he has struggled to get his career back on track, meeting with disappointing sales for his album, Graffiti, and recently being forced to cancel European dates when the conviction stopped him from obtaining a work visa in the U.K.
Not everyone was convinced of the emotional sincerity of Brown's teary display. "Publicity stunt ... so funny that most of these commenters don't even remember all the backlash MJ had to endure!!" Eddie wrote. "Where was the forgiveness then? So sad that a sick person like Chris can put on a show of 'tears' to a REAL MUSICIAN'S MUSIC to get sympathy. ... His tears were for what he lost, which I pray he will never get back!!!"
Insantity wasn't feeling it either, adding, "I guess you can beat the life out of women, as long as you 'cry' at a tribute show."
Rebel was less harsh about Brown's intentions, writing, "This young man has suffered ENOUGH. Just let him move on and remember that there is not one amongst us who has never made a mistake in their life."
The night included notable performances from Alicia Keys, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, T.I. and Diddy. But Shai182 said simply, "Chris Brown's performance was hands down the best performance of the night!!! He killed it!!!" And chickhappy23 opined, "MJ would have been proud & we know u'll hold true to your promise Chris."
MTV's readers weren't the only ones torn over the tribute from one of Jackson's most avowed young followers. The Los Angeles Times ran a poll of readers on its site, asking whether they bought Brown's performance. At press time, 39 percent said that "Chris was thinking only of Jackson and was choked up by his death," followed by 21 percent who countered, "Chris was 100% faking a breakdown to get sympathy." The rest of the vote was split between 12 percent who said, "Chris was 50% upset by Jackson's death and 50% over-acting to get sympathy," and 9 percent who thought, "Chris was 100% freaked out that he had a real singing gig again. It had nothing to do with Jackson or faking it."
Was Chris Brown's BET breakdown genuine? Continue the conversation in the comments.

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Friday, July 30, 2010

Mary J. Blige Dishes On Her 'Crazy' Led Zeppelin Covers

'I've listened to their music since I was a child,' says the R&B diva, who recorded 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love.'By James Montgomery, with reporting by Larry Carroll

Mary J. Blige

Photo: MTV News

You wouldn't peg Mary J Blige as the black-light-and-tapestry sort, but, as has become readily apparent in recent weeks, she absolutely loves Led Zeppelin.
In early February, reports began circulating that Blige had re-recorded Zeppelin's classic "Stairway to Heaven," working with Travis Barker, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and guitarist Steve Vai on the track, which is slated to appear on the international reissue of her Stronger With Each Tear album, due Monday.

But after she had recorded "Stairway," Blige continued to get the Led out, covering another Zeppelin classic — the thunderous "Whole Lotta Love" — for the album too. And when MTV News caught up with her on the Essence Black Women in Hollywood red carpet, she told us all about channeling her inner Robert Plant for the tracks, a process that came much easier than you'd probably imagine.
"I did Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love' — it's crazy," she said. "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I'm not going to say I've been to their concerts, but I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Whole Lotta Love' is just fun."
Blige also said she recorded another new song — a "club record" called "I Can't Wait" — for the re-release. And while it's only slated to hit shelves outside the U.S., she hopes her fans will get a chance to hear all the new songs pretty soon.
"I want y'all to hear it," she laughed.

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Oops!... I Did It Again

This photo belongs on the back of 20 Times a Lady.

PS - My friend Mark took this photo and the one below of me and Bev. He's become a master photographer.Lucy Liu Luján Fernández Magdalena Wróbel Maggie Grace

50 Cent 'Studied' Robert De Niro Before His Extreme Weight Loss

'I read De Niro's interviews during 'Raging Bull,' Christian Bale's during 'The Machinist,' the rapper reveals on 'The View' of preparing for movie role.By Jayson Rodriguez

50 Cent appears on "The View" on Wednesday

Photo: ABC

Much was made about 50 Cent's dramatic weight loss earlier this year for an acting role that required the muscle-bound rap star to lose more than 50 pounds. But there's been little information about how the fit G-Unit head managed to put the weight back on.
Fif sat down with the women of "The View" on Tuesday and revealed to the hosts what his very first meal was post-production.

"I remember specifically what the first thing was, because I was starving," he laughed. "I had a steak. It was 12 ounces, but I got about four ounces in before I started getting sleepy."
The rapper shocked his fans and followers when Us Weekly got a hold of a still image from the upcoming movie "Things Fall Apart," featuring 50 Cent, Mario Van Peebles, Lynn Whitfield and Ray Liotta. Fif appeared gaunt and sickly in the picture. On the chat show, he drew comparisons to famous method actors who embraced almost tortuous acts to delve deeper into character.
The rapper also revealed he'd studied interviews of actors who attempted similar transformations. "I read [Robert] De Niro's interviews during 'Raging Bull,' Christian Bale's during 'The Machinist,' and Tom Hanks with 'Philadelphia,' " 50 said.
Earlier this year, 50 told a Cleveland newspaper why he went to the lengths he did for the part and movie.
"It's a project that I wrote, produced and financed myself," he said of the film. "It's about a Heisman hopeful who could possibly be going to the league and everyone is assuming he's gonna make it, and then he's hit with an illness. I had a friend of mine who actually experienced cancer, and it's what motivated me to write this screenplay. You don't have to make everything personal, but that project was. That's why I committed to playing a role where I lost 54 pounds. I had to discipline myself enough until I achieved it but ... I got it."
Do you think you could go to the same extremes 50 Cent did to get what you want? Talk about it in the comments.

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Angelina Calls 'Jersey Shore' Season-Two Premiere 'Intense'

'Jersey Shore' star tells MTV News that other cast members picked on her.By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Ignacio Guzman

Angelina hosts a "Jersey Shore" premiere viewing party

Photo: MTV News

On Thursday night, Angelina made her big return to "Jersey Shore." And her return did not get a very warm response, especially from the ladies.
"I think that the show is pretty intense so far," she told MTV News at a viewing party at Fushimi Japanese Cuisine & Lounge, which is located in her native Staten Island, New York. "I think that the whole entire cast is picking on me so far on the show and you can see that if you're watching it. I think it's really upsetting and at the same time I think that I held my own."
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President Obama Talks Snooki, Justin Bieber on 'The View'

President claims not to know who 'Jersey Shore' star is.By Gil Kaufman

Barack Obama on "The View"

Photo: ABC

President Obama has made a lot of history in his first 18 months in office, but becoming the only sitting president to visit daytime talk show "The View" was probably not even on his radar. In a wide-ranging interview aired on Thursday (July 29) that spanned serious topics like racial tensions, the economy and the controversy over the firing of former USDA employee Shirley Sherrod, Obama also explained why he's not invited to Chelsea Clinton's wedding and admitted that he's never heard of "Jersey Shore" star Snooki.

In his third appearance on the show, the President was asked what the hardest part of the past few months has been for him, given the multiple challenges of the Gulf oil spill, handling the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the continuing economic malaise.
"Obviously the country has gone through a tough stretch," he said, taking his seat on the show's famous couch between returning icon Barbara Walters and comedian Joy Behar. "When I was sworn in ... we were losing at that time 750,000 jobs per month, the economy was shrinking at a pace of about 6.5 percent — which is unheard of since the Great Depression — and so the last 20 months has been a non-stop effort to restart the economy, to stabilize the financial system, to make sure that we're creating jobs again instead of losing them, and in the midst of all that we've also had the oil spill, we've also had two wars, we've also had a pandemic, H1N1, that we had to manage, and a whole host of other issues.
"What has been gratifying is the fact that the economy now is starting to stabilize and grow again," he continued, "and what's been satisfying is seeing how resilient the American people are. As much as you said it's been tough for me, the truth is, it's not tough for me. ... You think about what the American people have gone through, losing jobs, seeing their home values go down, their 401Ks declining ... I don't spend a lot of time worrying about me. I spend a lot of time worrying about them."
But given the even harder question of why he agreed to appear on "The View" again in the wake of harsh criticism from the pundits on the right who slammed the decision as trivial in light of the serious issues facing the country, he joked, "We're trying to find a show that [first lady] Michelle actually watched. This is it right here."
While he's juggling so many major crises, the President still makes time to stay on top of what's going on outside the Beltway. He answered questions about fighting to hold on to his Blackberry — saying the 10 people who have his e-mail address are very careful not to send the "real juicy stuff" to it — but danced around a query about whether troubled actor Mel Gibson should undergo anger-management counseling. He quipped that he'd rather talk about the war in Afghanistan than the "Lethal Weapon" star's racist, sexist diatribes on the now-infamous recordings. "I haven't seen a Mel Gibson movie in a while," he answered, admitting that he was aware Lindsay Lohan was in jail, but couldn't recall how he found out.
Asked if "Jersey Shore" breakout star Snooki should run for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, the president admitted, "I don't know who Snooki is," revealing that he does occasionally use Twitter, but not on a regular basis. "Some 20-year-old is doing a lot of the Tweeting [for me]," he explained.
As for the inevitable question about what's on his iPod, the President once again copped to being a Jay-Z fan, saying he has songs by Jigga and Frank Sinatra, as well as opera legend Maria Callas, but, alas, no Justin Bieber. "I have Justin Bieber," he clarified. "He came to sing at the White House ... he's a very nice young man."
With former first daughter Chelsea Clinton's wedding coming up this weekend, the President clarified that he was not invited, but that there were no hard feelings. "I am not going," he said. "It's tough enough having one president at a wedding — you don't want two presidents!"
Obama said that, as he expects to do for his daughters, Sasha and Malia — who, he added, thankfully have not had any boys calling on them at the White House yet — he suspects the former president and first lady are trying to keep Chelsea's wedding a family affair and not distract from her big day.
"Ya'll will not be invited to Malia and Sasha's weddings," he joked afterwards to the show's panel.
What did you think of President Obama's appearance on "The View"? Let us know in the comments below!

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Ellen DeGeneres On 'American Idol': A Look Back

Comedian was right when she said judging role wasn't 'right fit.'By Eric Ditzian

Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ WireImage

In the end, Ellen DeGeneres' run behind the "American Idol" judges' table lasted just 10 months. After signing onto the reality competition last September and delivering an underwhelming debut during the show's ninth season, the comedian announced Thursday that she's parting ways with the show.

After saying the show wasn't the "right fit" for her, she added, "I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings," she announced in a statement on her website.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about Ellen's exit is that neither she nor "Idol" producers realized, until recently, that it was never the right fit. A woman who's made a career out of being nice to people simply was out of place on a show dedicated to critiquing people, often harshly and without mercy. Last fall, though, all involved had a rather different perspective on matters.
"Getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I'll save from not having to text in my vote," DeGeneres said a month after Paula Abdul abruptly left the show.
Fox reality-TV chief Mike Darnell had actually approached DeGeneres' reps
with the idea, even though producers also entertained the notion of returning to a three-judge format (as had been the case before Kara DioGuardi came aboard in season eight). Ellen was reportedly ecstatic about joining "Idol," and a deal was quickly hashed out.
Yet before she could even make her debut, Simon Cowell announced he was leaving the show he helped make a pop culture institution. A sense of impending and unwelcome change — and, some might say, doom — enveloped the program as Ellen made her debut. And it really was quite a debut: She was funny but still took the job seriously and was adept at sprinkling her criticism with I-want-you-to-succeed compassion. "You're hiding inside and just scared to death," she told one contestant. "You gotta let go of that, because those nerves are gonna kill you."
We started to wonder if in fact Ellen was what the "Idol" family needed all along. Things changed, however, once the live shows began
in late February. She was nervous and struggled to compress her comments into TV-friendly bites, which was strange considering all her on-camera experience. If we hoped Ellen would provide some competition to Simon's must-hear commentary, we were most certainly wrong.
As the show pushed forward, Ellen didn't seem to improve much. Far too many of her comments began with, "I agree with ...," rather than original insight. She seemed almost apologetic as she foisted criticism on contestants clearly on the skids. All too often she'd pop off a joke rather than delivering an enlightening take on a performance. By the final rounds, it really did seem as if Ellen, much like Simon, had mentally checked-out of her judging duties.
And so it comes as no great shock that Ellen has decided to call it quits after just one season. Her talents are far better suited for talk-show work than reality-competition evisceration. Ellen made the right call, and she did so with class and wit. As she tweeted Thursday night, "Dim the lights ... I've voted myself off 'American Idol.' "
What do you think of Ellen DeGeneres leaving "American Idol," and who do you think would be a good replacement for her and Simon Cowell? Sound off in the comments below!

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Usher Performs First Concert In China -- And Sings In Chinese

He is joined by Chinese singer Leehom Wang, who helped Usher out on 'OMG.'By Kelley L. Carter

Leehom Wang and Usher

Photo: 42 West

For his first-ever show in Beijing, Usher paired up with Chinese singer Leehom Wang onstage to sing his hit "OMG." They also joined forces on Wang's "My One and Only" — which Usher even sang in Mandarin.
Usher encouraged his fans to sing along.
"I want you to have crowd participation, which is very odd in my Asian markets, because a lot of times, they don't like to sing out of respect, but I don't mind. I love for my audience to sing along with me," Usher said, according to Rap-Up.com. "That's the part that makes me really enjoy it and I hope it makes them enjoy the show as well."
It was Usher's first trip to China, and he pulled in Leehom to perform with him because he wanted to give his Chinese fans a little hometown flavor.
"I am really excited!" Wang said before the show. "It is a great honor to be able to perform with Usher who has had such a powerful role in developing R&B around the world. The audience in Beijing is in for a really special night."
Usher said Wang came to his attention earlier that year as he started preparing for the tour. "You know, in looking at the music in Asia, Leehom really stood out," Usher said in a statement. "Like me, he started young and I'm impressed by his natural talent, plus he has written some great songs. Also, his commitment to the environment and other good causes really resonated with my own philanthropic work."
What do you think about Usher singing in Chinese? Let us know in the comments!

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Justin Bieber Charms L.A. Ladies, From Toddlers To Grandmas

The My World Tour brought Bieber fever to the Nokia Theatre Tuesday night.By Kelley L. Carter

Justin Bieber performs in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Photo: Robyn Beck/ AFP/ Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — The countdown started early in the night for Justin Bieber's sold-out show at the Nokia Theatre on Tuesday night.
Bieber's young fans screamed and waved multicolored glow sticks in the air, while their parents stuffed cotton balls in their ears, sipped on wine or text messaged, seemingly oblivious to the growing anticipation by their children.
When the two large screens on either side of the stage clicked on and announced that it was almost showtime, the decibel level was off the charts. Fans pulled out their cell phones and began taking silly shots of each other, waving their hands in the air, and at times, singing their favorite Bieber songs in unison.

When the 16-year-old finally took the stage shortly before 9 p.m., he dropped down from the ceiling in an egg-shaped apparatus. Neon green lasers shot from the stage, and his face popped up on the screens.
Bieber spent the next hour rolling through a number of hits — including "Baby," "One Time," "Love Me," "Favorite Girl" and "One Less Lonely Girl" — all tracks that helped to make the Canadian heartthrob a household name. Bieber also sang a little medley of classic hits, including "Wanna Be Starting Something" by Michael Jackson and "Walk This Way" by Aerosmith and Run-DMC.
"I'm so glad everyone could make it tonight. I have the best fans in the world," Bieber said. "I would do anything to make you smile."
Again, the kids screamed, rightly knowing that he would launch into his track, "U Smile."
Bieber made several costume changes, but he always kept a New York Yankees baseball cap on his head, grabbing it while dancing in front of and next to his backup dancers.
The contraption that he first dropped down in changed shapes, at one point turning into a heart that he boarded. It took Bieber into in the air, as he strummed his guitar and smiled down lovingly at his mostly female concert.
"I see a lot of beautiful girls in the audience. You know what? I think I need to get a little closer to you," he said. And as if on cue, fans as young as 3-years-old and those old enough to be their grandparents cried and flailed their hands about, hoping to get closer to him.
Have you seen Justin Bieber in concert? Share your experiences in the comments below.

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'Dinner For Schmucks': The Reviews Are In!

'Funnier than you might expect,' says MTV News' Kurt Loder.By Eric Ditzian

Steve Carell and Paul Rudd in "Dinner for Schmucks"

Photo: Paramount Pictures

After two straight weeks of adrenaline-raising debuts from "Inception" and "Salt," a trip to the multiplex this weekend might not tax your blood pressure so much as your funny bone, because "Dinner for Schmucks" is now in the mix.
Paul Rudd and Steve Carell's new comedy will likely not sell enough tickets to prevent "Inception" from winning a third straight weekend at the box office. But these two funnymen — reuniting again after "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" and "Anchorman" — should provide stiff competition for Angelina Jolie's "Salt."

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Photos | Mariah Carey, Usher, More Stars Scheduled To Appear At Michael Jackson's Memorial

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Coachella 2010 Features Blistering Sets By Jay-Z, Muse, Thom Yorke

Faith No More, Gorillaz, Pavement and other age-defying acts heat up the desert fest.By Corey Moss

Jay-Z performs at Coachella 2010

Photo: Lee Barth

INDIO, California — Leave it to the least likely star to grace the Coachella headlining stage to best sum up 2010's festival.
"I wanna be forever young," Beyoncé sang as fireworks erupted Friday, helping husband Jay-Z close his much-anticipated set.
2010 Coachella Music Festival
Not only was there a cavalcade of age-defying acts among the three day festival's 100-some performers, it was often the over-40 club delivering the most commanding sets, Jigga Man included.
Before Jay powered through more than 30 songs on Friday, super group Them Crooked Vultures (featuring Foo Fighter Dave Grohl, Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme) and Street Sweeper Social Club (starring Rage Against the Machine/ Audioslave guitar hero Tom Morello) both won over large crowds — not with familiar songs, but with sheer performance flair. Ditto Thom Yorke, Faith No More, Devo, the Specials, a reunited Pavement and many more throughout the weekend.
Even Coachella itself has improved with age. Now in its 11th year, the festival set attendance records, selling out 75,000 three-day passes. (Single-day tickets were not available for the first time ever.)
Because flights were grounded overseas due to the ash cloud created by the volcanic eruption in Iceland, seven bands missed Coachella, including the Cribs and Frightened Rabbit, as well as Phoenix's light tech. "So, we're just gonna go simple and make it about the music," Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars said, before deftly staying true to that promise.
Also absent was Dr. Dre, who was widely rumored to guest during Jay-Z's set. Actually, with the exception of Beyoncé and his own 10-piece band, Hova had no guests, a bit surprising considering the tall order at hand as the festival's first hip-hop headliner. Instead, Jay relied on his own swagger and arsenal of hits, beginning with "Run This Town" and ending with, of course, "Encore."
As California first lady Maria Shriver enjoyed the set next to Beyoncé and Hayden Panettiere, video screens showed President Obama doing the "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" gesture.
After cheering from the sidelines (and enjoying a cold beer), Beyoncé took the stage with a giant smile and a punk-rock T-shirt with the Never Mind the Bullocks logo (perhaps a nod to Sex Pistol Johnny Lydon, whose Public Image Limited was playing at the next stage over).
Jay, who entered by rising from a platform below the stage, hardly played a song in its entirety and could have done more for this crowd with his rock-leaning songs like "99 Problems." At Glastonbury in 2008, after Noel Gallagher said there was no place for hip-hop at the festival, Jay opened with Oasis's "Wonderwall." His DJ played that song at Coachella too, but it felt out of place in the middle of his set and without context.
As has been his habit at concerts lately, Jay gave several shout-outs to specific crowd members. "To the guy who looks like The Situation," he said to much laughter. It was a genuine, raw moment the set needed.
It was Saturday's headliner, Muse, who clearly delivered the best performance, giving a master class in energizing an audience, beginning with a rollicking "Uprising." And just to ensure that every single person sang along to the epic tune, the words flashed behind them as singer/guitarist Matt Bellamy hit each one. Heck, the band's light and pyro show was worthy of its own Coachella slot.
Bellamy borrowed from the best throughout the 90-minute set, windmilling around the stage like Pete Townsend and picking through the national anthem like Jimi Hendrix. (The Brit also wore an American flag shirt to go along.) He even paid tribute to big band, a genre memorialized across Palm Springs, by crooning Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" from a clear grand piano.
Coachella's best cover actually came from Faith No More, whose Mike Patton took the stage in a red leisure suit and cane, and sang a deadpan rendition of Peaches and Herb's "Reunited" with the fitting chorus, "Reunited and it feels so good." Somehow the song blended right in among classics like "We Care a Lot" and "Epic." It was difficult to hear their hard-fueled rock and not think of all the bands they influenced, from System of a Down to Incubus, whose Brandon Boyd was spotted backstage.
Gorillaz headlined Sunday and got off to a good start with a video of an animated Snoop Dogg introducing the band, who appeared in the flesh. Damon Albarn was in prime vocal form, but the show lacked the visual excitement expected of the group. The animated members rarely appeared, let alone as holograms or anything else. Bonus points, however, for bringing on some real guests, including De La Soul, members of the Clash and Bobby Womack, who sings on the new single "Stylo."
Headlining Sunday's second stage was Thom Yorke, who showcased his own super group, Atoms for Peace, which includes Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Beck drummer Joey Waronker and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich. The virtuosos made Yorke's solo record The Eraser their playground, inflicting jittery beats and funky bass grooves all over the singer's wide-ranging vocals.
At first the blue-haired Flea looked almost bored, but he quickly got into the show, dancing with Yorke, or whatever you call the shaking they did many times through the 90-minute set. For an encore, Yorke returned solo and played a new song on which he layered his own vocals with looping pedals. Then he treated his fanboy audience (which included Jay-Z and Russell Simmons) to a couple of Radiohead tunes, including "Everything in Its Right Place."
Also playing late, although not intentionally, was Sly Stone, who in perfect Sly fashion, missed his 7 p.m. slot, showed up 40 minutes late to his rescheduled 10:30 slot, and then performed what could only be described as a train wreck. He ranted for 10 minutes about his old manager, stopped songs midway through, forgetting lyrics, and abruptly jumped off the stage and left. Axl Rose has got nothing on this guy.
On the opposite end of the spectrum were Matt & Kim, the band happiest to be playing Coachella, or at least the one who showed it the most. The duo recounted their favorite memories from the weekend ("Beyoncé gave me goose bumps," Matt said), shared manscaping tips and had their very own streaker ("Hooray for that man's penis!" Matt cheered). And the music was just as entertaining, like when the drum (Kim) and keys (Matt) duo broke into "Apache" during the middle of their awesome single "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare." They also pounded ferociously through Gary Glitter's "Rock & Roll Part 2."
Other Sunday stand-outs included French sensation Phoenix, who gathered one of the largest crowds of the weekend and whipped them into a frenzy from the opening "Listomania" to the closing "1901" and everything in between. Spoon had the most sing-alongs, but it was Yo La Tengo and Pavement who educated the main stage audience on alternative rock's roots, while Sunny Day Real Estate, featuring Foo Fighters Nate Mendel on bass, reminded the second stage of emo's origins.
Julian Casablancas ignored the desert heat and donned a black leather jacket for a set that included both solo and Strokes material, while Miike Snow took the stage in matching black suits and white masks, looking like a scene out of a Stanley Kubrick movie, and kinda sounding like one too.
On Saturday, maybe it was that Muse and Faith No More were so good, but the highly anticipated MGMT and Dead Weather sets seemed to fall flat. Both acts waited until mid-show to play their best-known material, which can be risky when there are four other stages going at the same time.
Coheed & Cambria are not exactly hit-makers, but the MTV March Madness champions are performers and proved the perfect warm-up for FNM and Muse. For their closing, the Rush-inspired rockers brought out members of the USC marching band, adding to an already full sound.
Band of Skulls turned in a break-out set, putting a more radio-friendly spin on blues rock. Think Wolfmother or the Black Keys meets Blink-182. Other Saturday afternoon highlights included perennial partiers the Gossip (who were also remixed later in the 2 Many DJs set) and Australian newcomers the Temper Trap, whose "Sweet Disposition" was one of those perfect hot Coachella afternoon anthems.
Friday's show-stealers were Them Crooked Vultures and Street Sweeper Social Club, the former fronted by Indio's own Josh Homme, who mixed some subtly humorous banter in with his guitar shredding. While introducing the band, for instance, he said "and on pretty much everything, John Paul f---ing Jones!" The Zeppelin legend played mostly bass, but opened the show on a stand-up electric slide guitar contraption, and later took to the piano for a beautiful interlude (a nice smoke break for Homme). Grohl's drumming was ferocious from the first beat, a reminder of what Kurt Cobain saw in him years ago. The dude just loves to rock out and it shows.
Similarly, Tom Morello was on fire throughout Street Sweeper Social Club's 5 p.m. set, soloing on nearly every song, pumping his fist like he meant it and leading the charge on a masterful re-creation of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes." Boots Riley could be a slightly better MC, but the band still brings something special live.
LCD Soundsystem are a special live act too, but fell a little short by playing several new songs and saving the favorites for the end. Vampire Weekend followed a similar strategy, but what hurt them most was a 10 p.m. set time. Late afternoon would have been a much better fit for their sun-soaked, eclectic song collection.
She & Him had that slot instead and owned it with a breezy, relaxed set. For an actress, Zooey Deschanel could have a little more stage presence, but her voice is angelic like Jenny Lewis, who has fit in nicely at past Coachellas.
Friday's breakout act was Sleigh Bells, a Brooklyn duo featuring Derek Miller's metal riffs and firecracker Alexis Krauss' rhymes over sampled beats. Sounds odd and very 1999, but it's infectious and fun.
And finally a special shout-out to DJ Lance Rock, who not only spun the kids' songs from his show, "Yo Gabba Gabba," but also brought along all his friends from the show. Forget Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens; Kristen Stewart, John Mayer or Katy Perry. Forget Paris Hilton, Kate Bosworth and Mischa Barton. The biggest celebrities at the fest were the felt favorites Muno, Broobee and Foofa.
Were you at Coachella? Share your own reviews of the fest in the comments below!

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James Cameron And Guillermo Del Toro To Collaborate On 3-D 'Mountains Of Madness'

Cameron will produce del Toro's adaptation of story of explorers who encounter alien creatures in Antarctica.By Eric Ditzian

Guillermo Del Toro

Photo: Jerod Harris/ Getty Images

When we caught up with Guillermo del Toro at Comic-Con over the weekend, he was impressively tight-lipped about his new project following his departure from "The Hobbit" in May. The Mexican-born director has long had a desire to adapt H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness" for the big screen, but he declined to announce plans to direct the project at the Con.
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Lady Gaga: From Pop Deity To Human Being, One Reality Show At A Time

Bigger Than the Sound wonders: Is Gaga the most everyman pop star around?By James Montgomery

Lady Gaga

Photo: Gabriel Bouys/ Getty Images

By now, you are probably aware that Lady Gaga is an unstoppable moneymaking machine, an insatiable studio junkie, a high-ranking Polaroid executive, an honorary Hair Wars champion, a burgeoning fashion icon, the next Madonna, more popular than Barack Obama and quite possibly a member of the Illuminati.
But, chances are, you didn't know that she's also a big fan of A&E's "Intervention."
Or maybe you did. After all, she tweeted about it Tuesday, calling the show "informational, heartbreaking and inspiring." And while the idea of Gaga sitting in a hotel room, hair done up in Diet Coke can curlers, cigarette sunglasses still smoldering on the bedside table, watching Allison huff duster (and subsequently walk on sunshine) is rather amazing, it's also important too. Because it's just another step in the latest chapter of her career: her continued transformation from otherworldly pop deity into an actual human being.
And perhaps I am reading entirely too much into one simple tweet about a phenomenally addictive reality show (about addiction), but now — more than at any point in her time in the spotlight — Gaga seems determined to be one of us. She chugs beer at baseball games (albeit while wearing a leather jacket and a bikini), crushes BBQ at Boston dive bars and spends her off-days in New York cooking for her dad, drinking and watching episodes of "Cops" (something she made a point of mentioning onstage at her tour kickoff in Montreal). She spoke openly and frankly about her ex-boyfriend in an interview with Rolling Stone, and her newest song — a piano ballad called "You and I" — seems to be very much about reconciling with him, in perhaps the most un-Gaga setting imaginable: a dark and dirty bar. (It's also worth noting that the songs sounds a whole lot like a Billy Joel B-side, and who's more everyman than the Piano Man?)
At this point, I don't know what she could possibly do for an encore — maybe start Tivo-ing "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" or take on a disastrous adjustable-rate mortgage? — but the fact remains that right now, despite all her trappings, Gaga is probably the most openly human pop superstar on the planet (or at least the most open). Can you imagine any of her contemporaries — the Beyoncés and Britneys and Madonnas of the galaxy — giving the finger to photographers at a Mets game or slaving away in the kitchen? Of course not. Would any of them go to such great lengths to shed the veil of celebrity and seem so downright normal? Not in a million years. Lady Gaga has basically graduated to a whole new level now, one that's either so far above — or so far below — anything anyone else has ever attempted that it seems positively groundbreaking: She is the cursing, drinking, red-meat-devouring deity. She is, in a sense, just like you or I.
But is any of it intentional? I'm not really sure. When I interviewed Gaga last year in San Diego, I asked her if she were "in character" all the time or if there were moments when she was just, you know, normal (i.e. When she went to the grocery store, did she wear those Alexander McQueen armadillo heels?). She responded, quite matter-of-factly, that Lady Gaga wasn't a character; it was who she was, and that, if there was any kind of concept behind her career, it was — as she put it — to "create an atmosphere for my fans, where they don't leave loving me, they leave loving themselves."
So even back then, the template appeared to be in place. Gaga is not untouchable, she is not perfect — she's not supposed to be. And while some might find the notion of their pop royalty slumming it down here with the rest of us rather uncouth, I for one find it rather admirable. It's not careerist or calculated; it's just Gaga being Gaga. And, I suspect, it's just one of the many reasons her "little monsters" love her so.
And, if she wants to continue down her current path, might I suggest "Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch," currently airing on VH1? It's waaay everyman.
Do you think Gaga is relatable or untouchable? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Janet Jackson And Family Visit Michael's Forest Lawn Grave

Randy, Tito and Jermaine Jackson join their sister to pay their respects a year after MJ's death.By Eric Ditzian

Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Janet Jackson and Randy Jackson visit Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park on Friday

Photo: AP

As fans lined up outside Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California, on the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death, his family gathered inside to pay their respects to the fallen pop star.
Janet Jackson, as well as Randy, Tito and Jermaine, arrived at the cemetery around 11 a.m. PT on Friday (June 25), according to Us Weekly. Janet wore a black trench coat and black skirt as she was escorted in by her brothers. The family entered the cemetery through a back entrance and made their way to the Great Mausoleum, where Michael was laid to rest.
The mausoleum's architectural design was inspired by the Campo Santo in Italy, an elaborate cemetery constructed in the 13th century and used as a burial ground for Italian elites for hundreds of years. The building was not open to fans on the anniversary of Jackson's death.
Michael's children, Prince, Paris and Blanket, did not accompany the other Jackson family members. According to Us, the children were last seen in Hawaii on Thursday with Michael's mother, Katherine, who is their legal guardian.
"Sorry Big Bro, for not getting ur children there on the anniversary of ur last day. I tried," Randy wrote on his Twitter account.
Katherine was on hand Friday in Gary, Indiana, Michael's hometown, to unveil a marble memorial and hold what was described as a cell phone vigil outside his childhood home. "I am not in support of the Gary event/trip or whatever it is. I'm tired but I promise to continue this discussion first thing in the morn," Randy tweeted.
MTV will be remembering the life and music of Michael Jackson all weekend. Don't miss the one-hour special "Michael Jackson's Influence on Music," airing tonight at 6:30 p.m. on MTV.

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Lindsay Lohan's Incarceration A 'Huge Problem' For Jail, Expert Says

Celebrity offenders are 'not a good situation,' Fox News legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle says.By Gil Kaufman

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Photo: Mark Ralston/ Getty Images

Though she was initially sentenced to 90 days in jail for probation violations, troubled actress Lindsay Lohan could be released from lockup within the week, after serving less than one-fifth of her original term.

That's pretty typical, according to Fox News legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle, who told MTV News that chronic overcrowding in the Los Angeles County jail system has turned it into a "revolving door" for high-profile, low-level offenders like Lohan, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.
"When you have a celebrity like Lindsay Lohan, it's a huge problem for the correctional officers," she said. "They don't want that. They're getting a lot of press and focus on their detention facility. It gets all the other inmates up in arms, their panties in a bunch, it's not a good situation."
That's why, she said, in addition to the overcrowding argument, jail officials in L.A. County often cite celebrity inmates — even President Obama knows about Lohan's incarceration — as a "security risk." The facility often has to go on lockdown whenever Lohan is moved around or is let out of her cell for meetings with her lawyer and family. "Because of that, they're going to want to get her out as soon as possible without giving the impression that she's receiving special treatment," Guilfoyle said.
The key for jail officials is to process high-profile inmates quickly and avoid the appearance of special treatment, while making sure that they serve enough time to make the judges in the case satisfied that the message has gotten through to them.
"Keep in mind, Lindsay had a 90-day jail sentence," she said, noting that the average person with that sentence in Los Angeles would be expected to do at least 22 or 23 days. "But for Lindsay, now they're saying two weeks total, so definitely she'd be getting it better than the rest."
At press time, Lohan's lawyer could not be reached for comment on when the "Mean Girls" actress might be released from jail.

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Dimmu Borgir Release Live DVD; Plus Led Zeppelin, Brujeria, & More News That Rules, In Metal File

'It shows the intense live side of the band, as opposed to the perfection and the cleanness of how we sound on our albums,' guitarist says.By Chris Harris

Dimmu Borgir's Silenoz

Photo: Nuclear Blast

On October 14, Dimmu Borgir — who just happen to be Demi Lovato's favorite black-metal band — will release a a three-disc DVD/CD set called "The Invaluable Darkness," the band's first visual offering since 2002's "World Misanthropy." Boasting live footage shot last year, during gigs in Norway, Germany and England, "The Invaluable Darkness" demonstrates the unbridled furor of seeing Dimmu live, guitarist Silenoz said.
"It shows the honest rawness and atmospheric darkness of our concerts," the Norwegian told Metal File last week, after dismissing recent online rumors that his band's next LP would be coming out through Roadrunner Records. "Basically, it shows the intense live side of the band, as opposed to the perfection and the cleanness of how we sound on our albums. It's just a different side to the band, basically."
Dimmu Borgir began thinking about "The Invaluable Darkness" two years ago, but didn't start capturing footage until last summer, Silenoz explained, adding that the band will use its current stint on the Blackest of the Black Tour — which got underway Thursday night in Miami Beach, Florida, and also features the tour's founder, Danzig, along with
Moonspell, Winds of Plague and Skeletonwitch — to promote the DVD. Dimmu Borgir will not, however, use the tour to write material for their next LP.
"It's our first time on Blackest, but Glenn [Danzig] had wanted to bring us out before [on the tour], but we weren't available until now," Silenoz said. "We've done Ozzfest before, but we're looking forward to this tour more. We did the main stage on Ozzfest, playing in f--_ing broad daylight. This tour will let us play in bigger places, but at the same time showcase more of what the band's about, visually. We are going to concentrate on the tour for now. Some years ago, we tried putting [material] together on the road, but once we got home, we listened back to it, and were like, 'What the f--- is this?' So, we just scrapped it all. We find it's so much better to totally focus on one thing at a time, and then, when that's over, you move on to the next [thing]. We don't really feel like we need to rush things, anyway, so we'll just take our time, and it's going to be what it's going to be."
Dimmu Borgir hope to reconvene in late December to begin writing the follow-up to 2007's diabolically titled In Sorte Diaboli. "We have some ideas floating around already, but we haven't arranged any material yet," he said. "We'll start doing that once the touring for this DVD is over." The band's frontman, Shagrath, is also due to marry soon — he's engaged to actor Nicolas Cage's ex-girlfriend, Christina Fulton, so that may have an effect on when Dimmu finish their next album, which Silenoz said could be out this coming spring.
"I'm sure [Shagrath] won't let anything get in the way [of] the band — I think, I hope," the guitarist said. "We don't need a Yoko [Ono] situation."
While Dimmu have been at it going on 15 years now, Silenoz said he doesn't think their forthcoming material will be much of a departure from their previous black-metal offerings.
"And we have always been about more than just that term, 'black metal,' " he said. "Luckily for us, the older you get, the less concerned you get with the categorization and putting labels on your music. Things start getting more and more limitless with us, and we know that we operate within certain frames. But we try not to analyze things too much, because it's just going to be working against you in the end. When we write new stuff, we don't think about what we should write — we just get together, and put material together, and if we like it, we keep it. That's the formula, if we even have a formula."
Dimmu Borgir are definitely getting older — guitarist Galder will be missing Blackest because of a recent addition to his family, and Susperia's Cyrus will be filling in for him; while former Vader drummer Dariusz Brzozowski takes over for Hellhammer, who had to leave the band in 2007 after sustaining a neck injury that's now limited the use of his right arm. As Dimmu has gotten on in years, Silenoz admits they have failed to keep pace with some of the more extreme black-metal acts that have followed in their wake.
"We helped open doors for the more extreme bands out there," Silenoz said. "I'm sure we helped open doors for bands like Watain, [insomuch as] people that had maybe started listening to us first then went on to the more extreme stuff. Let's face it — we're not as extreme as Watain and other bands like that, but we're fine with that."
The Blackest of the Black Tour continues through November 10 in San Francisco.
The rest of the week's metal news:
Dimmu's tourmates on Blackest, Winds of Plague, have announced ex-Azusa drummer Art Cruz has joined their ranks — he replaced Jeff Tenney. According to the band's blog, "Art has already added a new spark to the band and has provided us with a solid backbone that will allow us to continue our rampage stronger than ever." ...
What the world really needs is another
Led Zeppelin box set, so, on November 4, Rhino Records will issue the Led Zeppelin Definitive Collection Mini LP Replica CD box set. For just $200, you'll get 1969's Led Zeppelin, 1969's Led Zeppelin II, 1970's Led Zeppelin III, 1971's Led Zeppelin IV, 1973's Houses of the Holy, 1975's Physical Graffiti, 1976's Presence, 1976's The Song Remains the Same, 1979's In Through the Out Door and 1982's Coda, as mini-LP replicas, with artwork from the original U.K. LP sleeves. Now, you know what you can get your dad for Christmas. ...
Former Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach and current Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz have teamed up for a new project they're calling Times of Grace, and they've already started working on material for their debut album. According to Leach, "We have two songs to go and we will be finished with all of the vocals. Adam has taken lead vocals in three songs as of yet and he is doing a great job. We also worked on a track yesterday that is so epic — we trade vocals and do two different melodies at the same time. This album went from a melodic metal album to an epic mix of metal/rock/pop/shoegaze and punk. So all of your metal expectations will be incorrect — we are pushing genre boundaries." To quote "Meet the Parents," we'll look forward to that, Greg. ...
The Funeral Pyre and Early Graves will be hitting the road together next month, starting November 7 in South Lake Tahoe, California. Dates are booked through November 21 in Hollywood. ...
The latest incarnation of Brujeria, which features Carcass frontman Jeff Walker and Napalm Death's Shane Embury, have lined up several U.S. dates for this winter. The band will begin its brief trek November 28 in Denver, and wrap things up in Dallas on December 7. ...
Demiricous will be touring with the Gates of Slumber starting November 9 in Denver, for a jaunt that's scheduled to run through December 6 in Indianapolis. ...
Nearly three years after Roadrunner Records' Roadrunner United concert, which took over the Nokia Theater in New York's Times Square, the label is now releasing footage from that special night as "Roadrunner United: The Concert." The DVD, which hits stores December 9, will boast two discs and 24 live tracks, including Life of Agony's "River Runs Red," King Diamond's "Abigail," Killswitch's "My Last Serenade," Type O Negative's "Black No. 1" and Sepultura's "Refuse/Resist." ...
According to Blabbermouth, Verrot, bassist for Swedish black-metal outfit Elimi, committed suicide on October 3. In a statement, the band said, "Verrot was a very good friend, brother, an excellent bass player/musician and an important part of Elimi; we respect his decision and hope he'll find his way with the dark gods of Chaos. Let your black flame be a part of what brings forth the day of wrath."

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