The platinum songwriter and producer talks about his work with Kelly Rowland and Good friend Usher.
Photo: Triple C's
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Michael Jackson's Family Upset With James Durbin Over 'American Idol' Pepsi Quip
'We were shocked to see this,' read the Jacksons' message; Durbin tweeted an apology on Thursday.
By Gil Kaufman
James Durbin performs on "American Idol" on Wednesday
Photo: Michael Becker/ Fox
Some people might argue that it's patently unfair to take rank amateurs, put them on the biggest show on TV and then expose them to potential worldwide ridicule every week. Because it's one thing to tune in to "American Idol" from your living room or play shows at the local wings joint, it's another thing entirely when you get up on that stage and open your mouth with tens of millions watching and listening.
James Durbin learned this lesson the hard way this week when he made what he thought was an innocent crack about not setting himself on fire during his pyro-tastic cover of Elton John's "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" on Wednesday night.
Asked by host Ryan Seacrest if he was worried about dancing around among the flames shooting up from the piano onstage, Durbin joked, "I have a lot of hairspray in my hair to keep it from jumping around — so much so, the one thing I was worried about was having a 'Pepsi moment.' "
The seemingly innocent crack was a reference to the 1984 on-set accident in which late pop icon Michael Jackson was badly burned during the shooting of a Pepsi commercial by some wayward pyro effects. The serious burns he suffered in the incident allegedly led to his longtime addiction to pain medication and prescription drugs.
The Jackson family was not amused by the quip and sent a statement to TMZ on Thursday.
"We were shocked to see this. It's nothing to make light of and everybody should be focusing on who was responsible for Michael's death," read the statement. Family patriarch Joseph Jackson also was reportedly miffed that "Idol" producers did not cut the comment from the West Coast feed of the show.
Durbin defended his slip-up in a tweet, which has since been scrubbed from the singer's official "Idol" Twitter feed, that explained, "For anyone talkin ... I said pepsi NOT MJ! I have no disrespect for Michael. I grew up singing his art. I guess youll take it how you want it." He later added, "Talkin about MJs passing is too soon. Making a reference to an incident 25 years ago..not too soon. The stab was at pepsi people."
It's worth noting that Pepsi's bitter rival, Coca-Cola, is the main "Idol" sponsor, a fact that Seacrest reminded Durbin of in an awkward moment after the comment on the show.
What did you think of James Durbin's "Pepsi" quip? Tell us in the comments.
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661097/jackson-family-james-durbin-american-idol.jhtml
iVoices: Making Dinner with Just One Main Ingredient -- Try It Tonight!
Our iVoice Christine Candelaria takes The iVillage Mealtime Makeover Challenge and tackles the first assignment from Coach Antonia Lofaso -- serving up dinner using one ingredient already in the fridge -- eggs!
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/making-dinner-just-one-main-ingredient-ivoices/1-h-377593
Beyonce's Baby Bump, Lady Gaga's Jo Calderone Rule 2011 VMAs
Jay-Z and Kanye West's debut Throne performance and Katy Perry's Moonman haul also make a huge impact.
By Ryan J. Downey
Beyoncé on stage at the 2011 VMAs
Photo: FilmMagic
Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Beyoncé onstage together; Gaga kicking off the show in drag backed by a legendary rock guitarist; Adele pitting a stripped-down stage show against the likes of surprise performers Jay-Z and Kanye West's pyrotechnics; and legendary grunge trio Nirvana name-checked by Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Chris Brown like it was 1991.
It was, of course, the 2011 VMAs. And women ruled the night.
Five of the eight televised awards (including, of course, Best Female Video) went to strong females: Video of the Year (Katy Perry), Best Pop Video (Britney), Best Hip-Hop Video (Nicki Minaj), Best Collaboration (Perry, with Kanye) and Best Female Video (Gaga).
Speaking of Gaga, her Jo Calderone alter ego introduced on the cover of Japanese Vogue opened the show. With a dirty white T-shirt, black pants, boots and a pompadour to make John Travolta's character in "Grease" blush, there was nothing "Lady"- like about Gaga in drag as she took multiple drags from a cigarette.
Go backstage with Kanye West, Britney Spears and more at the VMAs.
After a monologue, Gaga in drag jumped onto a piano bench and started to belt out "Yoü and I." As the beat kicked in, she joined a group of male dancers who were all wearing the same outfit as her. When she introduced legendary Queen guitarist Brian May for the song's solo, the camera cut to a visibly enthusiastic Dave Grohl clapping wildly from his seat in the audience. Gaga cracked open a beer, climbed on top of her piano and sprayed the front row with the alcohol. Britney's mouth was agape during the performance, and Katie Holmes was smiling. Lady Gaga kissed May's cheek before she exited the stage.
The first Moonman of the night was presented by Nicki Minaj and Jonah Hill, who made hay with his very obvious weight loss and poked fun at fans on Twitter who've speculated his new physique might make him less funny. Minaj practically screamed "Britney Spears!" who collected the award for Best Pop Video. "I wasn't expecting this," Spears said. She thanked God, her kids, her management, her beau Jason Trawick ("I love you!") and "Till the World Ends" director Ray Kay.
Relive Beyoncé's big night at the VMAs in photos!
Pyrotechnics introduced surprise performers Jay-Z and Kanye West to the stage as the pair lit their microphones ablaze, trading verses from their landmark collaboration album, Watch the Throne. Jigga wore a much cleaner white T-shirt than Gaga while West was dressed in skintight denim and a matching button-up shirt, with an American-flag bandana in his pocket that matched their backdrop.
Rap gave way to rock as Shawn White joined Miley Cyrus to present the Best Rock Video award to the Foo Fighters. Cyrus professed her love for Nirvana, Joan Jett and Aerosmith just before Grohl told the crowd to "Never lose faith in real rock and roll music. Never lose faith in that. You might have to look a little harder, but it's always going to be there."
Pioneering punk rockers-turned-rappers-turned-multi-instrumentalists brought it all together afterward, albeit in a very different form. The "Beastie Boys from the future," as seen in the recent short film "Fight for Your Right Revisited," dance-battled Odd Future. Will Ferrell (as Mike D), Jack Black (MCA) and Seth Rogen (Ad-Rock) presented the Best Hip-Hop Video Award for "Super Bass" to Nicki Minaj, who called Lil Wayne "the best rapper alive" in her acceptance speech.
Demi Lovato helped give the Best Collaboration award to Katy Perry and Kanye West for "E.T." "Now this is the time where you want to interrupt me, Kanye," Perry joked. West called her "brave" for inviting him on the track despite the controversy that surrounded his famous VMA interruption in 2009.
Paul Rudd and Rick Ross joked about being confused for one another by the public before they introduced a crowd-rousing performance from Pitbull and Ne-Yo, who were joined by a group of burlesque-type dancers and green laser lights to rival any planetarium.
There were no pyrotechnics, laser lights, fog machines, backup dancers or anything else of the sort for the breathtaking performance from Adele, who Katy Perry introduced as "one of my favorite artists." There were no theatrics, save for the acclaimed British singer's powerful voice.
A commercial break separated the mournful pathos of Adele's intimate tune from the stupefied sexual innuendo of Beavis and Butt-Head, who teased their triumphant return to the airwaves due in late October. Nicki Minaj slapped Beavis and Butt-head's skulls together in a segment that mixed live action and animation reminiscent of when David Letterman fought the pair over a burrito at the VMAs back in 1994.
Kim Kardashian restrained herself from flirting with Justin Bieber when she handed him the Moonman for Best Male Video. His screaming fans enacted the "U Smile" title as he climbed the steps to accept. "I just want to say thank you so much not only to God but to Jesus because I wouldn't be here without him. He's really blessed me. He's put me in this position so I want to say thank you so much," he said.
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez had a romantic night at the VMAs.
Chris Brown did some sharing of his own as he offered props to Wu-Tang Clan (with faux martial-arts dancing) and Nirvana (complete with flannel-shirted dancers jumping on trampolines) in the form of brief tributes during his performance of "Beautiful People." Clad in an all-white suit, Brown was backed by several dancers, lip-synching into a headset mic and flying into the air on wires.
Still in drag as her alter ego, Gaga returned to the stage to present Spears with the Vanguard Award. "When you're a struggling artist, literally starving for your dream, you gotta live off inspiration," she began. "One of my biggest inspirations was Britney Spears. Britney taught me how to be fearless."
Britney Spears calls her VMA tribute "an honor."
Kanye grabbed Jay-Z by the shoulders enthusiastically after Beyoncé's performance, when she unbuttoned her sparkly blazer to reveal a baby bump. Earlier in the night, before the show, Beyoncé beat out both Britney and Gaga in the choreography category thanks to her "Run the World (Girls)" video.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z celebrate their big news backstage.
Standing beside Taylor Lautner, Selena Gomez pointed out that the Best New Artist Award had previously been won by folks like Eminem, Alicia Keys, Bieber and, of course, Nirvana. Winner Tyler, the Creator was joined by his crew as he rushed the stage and began an expletive filled acceptance speech. "Yo, I'm excited as f--- right now. I wanted this sh-- since I was 9," he said. "I'm about to cry."
Young the Giant were also joined by friends on the VMA stage -- 250 of them, to be exact. The Irvine, California, group, which counts legendary singer Morrissey among their fans, played directly to some lucky supporters and were introduced by musician/actor Jared Leto and "Avatar" star Zoe Saldana.
Microphone problems didn't stop Cloris Leachman from trading blue humor with the girls of "Jersey Shore" before they presented the award for Best Female Video to Lady Gaga. "It doesn't matter who you are -- gay, straight, bi, lesbian, transgendered," Gaga, still in drag, declared. "You were born this way."
Russell Brand pointed out that Gaga is among those influenced by Winehouse. "Adele would admit her debt to Amy Winehouse," he said, as the camera cut to the singer nodding her agreement. "[Katy Perry], Florence and the Machine. ... When a talent like Amy Winehouse comes along, it affects everybody."
MTV's exclusive first look at the upcoming adaptation of "The Hunger Games" preceded the award for Video of the Year, which was presented by Katie Holmes.
After smooching her husband (and former VMA host) Brand, Katy Perry went out of her way to walk over to Adele before she made it to the stage to accept the award for "Firework." "I'm very proud of the song and what it stands for. And I feel like I'm doing something right when I sing that song," she said, echoing a familiar sentiment espoused earlier by Gaga about meaning in music.
Lil Wayne closed the festivities in a white T-shirt (a very popular clothing item this year, apparently) and sunglasses after a spirited introduction by Drake. His pants looked to be of black and white leopard print, topped off with a black fedora and ketchup and mustard colored Vans sneakers. He began "How to Love" like a sensitive crooner, talking with the crowd and casually walking to a microphone stand at first.
Naturally, his shirt came off and a band emerged to the riff from Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" as Wayne jumped around screaming "yeah!" and smiling wide. Wayne made his way into the crowd where he chest bumped Rick Ross and other friends. Wayne didn't even attempt to censor any of his lyrics, eventually making his way to a guitar which he threw on the stage after strumming briefly.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.
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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669865/vma-recap-beyonce-pregnant.jhtml
Lady Gaga's Jo Calderone Credits Fans With VMA Wins
Gaga herself takes to Twitter to say how 'overwhelmed+grateful' she was to pick up two more Moonmen.
By Jocelyn Vena, with additional reporting by Rob Markman
Lady Gaga as Jo Calderone backstage at the 2011 VMAs
Photo: MTV News
Lady Gaga might not have been at the Video Music Awards on Sunday night, but her stand-in, male alter ego Jo Calderone, promised MTV News that Gaga couldn't have been more excited about nabbing two more Moonmen.
"You know, I think that this award means more to her than anything she's ever received," he told us backstage. "She was texting me after the award, after I picked it up for her, and she just said, 'You know, more than anything I've ever gotten before, this means more to me, because "Born This Way" is about the fans and the fans are more important to me than anything I do; more important than f---ing breathing, you know?' "
And Calderone wasn't lying: Gaga later took to Twitter to thank her dedicated fans for their votes. "I couldn't be more overwhelmed+grateful as I am tonight. Little Monsters inspire me. Never give up on your vision, you were born this way," she wrote. "To win 2VMAs, Best Video with a Message + Best Female Video for 'Born This Way' means the world. I have never believed in a work so much."
She also appreciated the fans' support of Calderone. "Thank u monsters for supporting @jocalderone attending instead of myself," she wrote. "He came over last night with 2 moonmen, whiskey + we watched VMAs."
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.
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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669944/lady-gaga-jo-calderone-monsters-fans.jhtml
'Arrested Development' Alum Judy Greer Joins 'Two and a Half Men'
Ashton Kutcher isn't the only new face coming to Two and a Half Men! New reports say actress Judy Greer will play Kutcher's ex-wife on on the upcoming season of the CBS hit.
The Arrested Development alum (she played the hilarious character Kitty Sanchez, who was George Bluth Sr.'s assistant/mistress) has been cast as the former wife of Kutcher's depressed character Walden Schmidt, EW.com reports. You could say the entire new plot line has her to blame.
In the new season (CBS, Mondays, 9 p.m. ET, starting Sept. 19), we meet Schmidt, an Internet billionaire who buys the recently deceased Charlie Harper's (Charlie Sheen) beach house. He's emotionally distraught over the breakup of his marriage to Greer, so he begs Alan (Jon Cryer) and Jake (Angus T. Jones) to keep living in the house... with him.
Although there are no specifics about Greer's new recurring character, she will likely pop up at least as often as Alan's on-screen ex (Marin Hinkle), in about every other episode. The show will be somewhat familiar territory for Greer, 36, who played a minor character named Myra (who naturally slept with the womanizing Charlie) in two Men episodes back in 2007. Of course, it's possible her new character will have no connection to that two-episode arc.
Greer is a primetime comedy veteran. In addition to playing the boobs-flashing Kitty, she voices the hypersexual secretary Cheryl on FX's adult animated comedy Archer, starred in CBS' short-lived comedy Mad Love last season, and has appeared on more than two dozen shows in the past 14 years. Movie fans will also recognize her from her memorable supporting roles in 27 Dresses, 13 Going on 30, Love and Other Drugs and The Village.
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/arrested-development-alum-judy-greer-joins-two-and-half-men/1-a-377606
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Bravo to Air 'Real Housewives' Suicide Special?
No doubt Bravo execs have been hard at work figuring out how to proceed with season 2 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Mondays, 9 p.m. ET) in the wake of Russell Armstrong's suicide. Now it seems they may be confronting the issue head-on.
Sources close to the show tell the Los Angeles Times
Bravo hasn't confirmed this plan, but it may be the best way to move forward in an extremely delicate situation. One of the prominent story lines of season 2, which is still set to premiere on Sept. 5, revolved around the breakup of Russell and Taylor Armstrong's marriage.
Gearing up to promote the new season, the network sent out promo videos to the press that included Taylor crying about her marriage and shopping for lingerie to try to spice it up. Then Russell's body was found in his home on Aug. 15, with the death was ruled a suicide.
Through Russell's lawyer, the family requested that any footage of Russell or those associated with him be edited out of the show, with his mother even threatening a lawsuit.
While a source at Bravo has acknowledged that the show is being re-edited in light of recent events, edit Russell out altogether is a tricky proposition; Taylor's whole story line appears to hinge on disintegration of her relationship with her ex. To edit Taylor out of the show might be next to impossible, since she's an integral part of the group and often in scenes with the other women.
There's no word yet on whether the special episode about Armstrong's death will air before or after the premiere episode.
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/bravo-air-real-housewives-suicide-special/1-a-377661
Monday, August 29, 2011
Britney Cozies Up To Beyonce: VMA Seating Revealed!
Presenter Kim Kardashian has a VMA seat, but where's hubby Kris Humphries?
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello
Kim Kardashian's seat at the 2011 Video Music Awards
Photo: John Shearer/ MTV
It's that time of year again, everyone. The seating cards are being placed inside the Nokia Theatre in sunny Los Angeles as producers work to put the finishing touches on Sunday's 2011 Video Music Awards.
So what types of match-ups have they thought up this year? MTV News' Jim Cantiello investigated and found out some tasty tidbits.
"Tony Bennett: This guy is a baller, and whoever is behind him is going to have the craziest contact high," he teased of the 85-year-old crooner, who will pay tribute to the late Amy Winehouse at Sunday's show. So who snagged that seat? Wiz Khalifa, naturally.
Kim Kardashian will also be in the house as a presenter, but Jim wondered: "Where's her husband at? Her husband doesn't get a seat card. You thought when you marry Kim Kardashian you'd instantly get more famous. Dude, you're still not famous enough to get your own card at the VMAs," Jim warned the newlywed. His advice? "#DealWithIt."
"This is going to be a very rowdy section at the VMAs Sunday night," Jim said as he made his way through the theater. "This is the land of Odd Future. Now, there are like 100 members of Odd Future. I'm only seeing three cards. So sorry, Hodgy, you're not invited this year."
When Jim noticed there were some potato sacks lying around, he had a thought: "Here at the VMAs, we are prepared for anything in the audience, so if Lady Gaga wants to have a potato-sack race with Lil Wayne, we got them covered."
Of course, Justin Bieber and girlfriend Selena Gomez are seated next to each other. Jim, however, knows how to make it even more adorable. "The only thing that would make this cuter is if Maru the cat was trying to get in between them," he suggested.
Perhaps the section of the room fans will be most excited to see contains two of pop's ruling divas. "I'm in section Queen B at the VMAs," he said. So what does that mean? Beyoncé and Britney Spears are sitting next to each other!
Who else will be there? Well, the "Jersey Shore" kids will be sitting front row, right near the cast of "Teen Wolf." And the cast of MTV's newest hit show "Awkward." will be there as well.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669720/video-music-awards-seating-chart.jhtml
Beyonce To Hit The VMA Stage
Tune in for B's first VMA performance in two years, this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
By Aly Semigran
Beyoncé
Photo: Tabatha Fireman/Redferns
Beyoncé, who instructed girls to run the world with her VMA-nominated smash song, will now run the stage at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
The "Run the World (Girls)" singer, who has three nominations this year (including Best Female Video, Best Choreography and Best Cinematography) and is the previous recipient of nine Moonmen, including 2009's Video of the Year award for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," will join the lineup of 2011 VMA performers, which already includes Lady Gaga, Adele, Bruno Mars, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Young the Giant, Pitbull and Ne-Yo. Jessie J will serve as a house artist for the ceremony.
"We are thrilled to have Beyoncé return to her rightful musical home at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards," said Amy Doyle, executive producer of the 2011 MTV VMAs and MTV's EVP of Music & Talent, in a statement. "Her performances at the VMAs are legendary — leaving everyone breathless and talking for days. We can't wait to see her set the stage on fire once again!"
While it's been two years since the pop diva extraordinaire last hit the stage as a VMA performer (when she, along with a bevy of backup dancers, brought down the house with a "Single Ladies" number), Beyoncé recently played a series of intimate shows at New York's Roseland Ballroom, performing songs off of her latest album, 4, as well as classic hits, including favorites from the Destiny's Child era, to sold-out crowds.
The VMAs will air live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday at 9 p.m. (live ET/ tape-delayed PT). Presenters includes Selena Gomez (who will pull double duty as VMA pre-show host), Taylor Lautner, Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj, Zoe Saldana, Seth Rogen, Drake, Joe Jonas, Jared Leto, Jonah Hill, Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Victoria Justice, Rick Ross, Odd Future and JB Smoove.
Though voting is closed for Beyoncé's categories, fans can still vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com online or m.mtv.com on their mobile phones. In addition, Best New Artist text voting is open to all wireless carrier subscribers by texting BNA to 66333. Voting continues all the way through the show, until the winner is announced live on Sunday.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.
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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669576/beyonce-perform-mtv-vmas.jhtml
Mark & Donnie Wahlberg to Open Burger Joint
Those Boston boys know their burgers! Famous siblings Mark and Donnie Wahlberg, along with their chef brother Paul, are opening up a new restaurant in Hingham, Mass. The family finally scored the rights to the name "Wahlburghers," which had been previously trademarked.
"It just works," Ed St. Croix, the Wahlbergs' business partner, told the Boston Herald. "It's a good sounding brand we could put out the product with, a great name people could relate to."
St. Croix said the restaurant's owners approached Tom Wahl’s, a chain of burger joints based in Rochester, N.Y., a few months ago after they discovered it sold a product called the "Wahlburger." Now the famous family's business partners have access to the "full spectrum" use of the name. "It worked out well for both sides," he said.
Wahlburgers is set to open soon at the Hingham Shipyard across from the brothers' Italian restaurant, Alma Nove. And, next up for the multi-talented Wahlberg family is pizza place, scheduled to open next spring.
Now we'll just have to see if their burgers are as good as their restaurant name!
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/mark-donnie-wahlberg-open-burger-joint/1-a-376637
It's a Royal Affair...
... in Brooklyn!
Bev has decided to wear an asymmetrical fascinator to celebrate Kate and Wills' big day, while Mary opted for a hat with a little tropical flavor.
Cheerio!
(By the way, this wasn't an easy photo to get:)
Source: http://www.prettyinthecity.com/blog/2011/4/29/its-a-royal-affair.html
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Likes or Yikes? Carrey's Love Video, A January Hate-Fest and Cryogenic Cowell
Chime in on the week's hottest entertainment stories
Justin Bieber Tops List Of Richest Teen Entertainers
People magazine reports Bieber made $53 million last year, followed by Miley Cyrus, Taylor Lautner and others.
By Gil Kaufman
Justin Bieber
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Justin Bieber had a very good year. Seriously, like a major one that rivals most corporate CEOs'. According to a People magazine ranking of the top-earning teen actors and musicians, Bieber, 17, raked in $53 million in 2010.
Most of that cash came from his smash movie, "Never Say Never," and his hit fragrance, "Someday." (By contrast, girlfriend Selena Gomez made $5.5 million.) Bieber reached that big-baller level thanks to the record-breaking returns from "Never," which is the most successful concert-themed film in U.S. history, with more than $73 million earned to date.
Nipping at his heels was veteran teen starlet Miley Cyrus, whose haul was $48 million, almost all of it earned from touring.
Other big earners on the list include "Twilight" top wolf Taylor Lautner, who earned $8.5 million for the final two installments of the movie series, as well as $7.5 million for his upcoming starring debut in the action thriller "Abduction."
Nick Jonas had a very good year as well, with totals around $12.5 million, while "Two and a Half Men" star Angus T. Jones banked $7.8 million, thanks to a $300,000 per episode payday.
Jaden and Willow Smith made the list, with Jaden earning $5 million last year, $3 million of it from his starring role in "The Karate Kid," while sister Willow's music career rang up $4 million.
Acting sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning also did pretty well, with Dakota, 17, getting $4 million for "Breaking Dawn" and Elle, 13, taking home $1.5 million for "Super 8."
Related Photos Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669177/justin-bieber-richest-teen-entertainer-people.jhtml
Do Foo Fighters Know Robert Pattinson From Robert Plant?
During band's rehearsal break for Sunday's Movie Awards, we put Foos to the test.
By Ryan J. Downey, with reporting by Jim Cantiello
The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl
Photo: MTV News
UNIVERSAL CITY, California — Hard rock, heavy metal, hardcore and punk have long gone hand-in-hand with evil wizards, magic, vampires and werewolves. And with a collective sub-cultural pedigree that includes stints in the Germs, No Use for a Name, Sunny Day Real Estate, Scream and some band called Nirvana, you'd think the Foo Fighters — set to perform at Sunday's Movie Awards — would know their "Potter" from their Zeppelin. Certainly they can recognize a "wand" reference and pinpoint its origin?
Right? Before we put MTV News' magically crafted trivia to the band, it seemed safe to assume the Foos would accurately distinguish between the words of Harry Potter, a "Twilight" character and Led Zeppelin. But was their underground nerd cred blown to shreds? Read on — and click the video! — to see how the Foo Fighters fared when we caught up with them on the Universal Studios lot, shortly after they finished rehearsing their Movie Awards performance.
Our own Jim Cantiello played dungeon master as Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear were given a series of semi-famous lines and asked whether they originated with "Harry Potter," the "Twilight Saga" or the lyrics of hard-rock pioneers Led Zeppelin.
Here's a sampling of a few of those one-liners:
» "The elder wand, the most powerful wand ever made."
» "Why don't you let me be yours ever truly? Can I make your garden grow?"
» "You're lying, Dolores! You mustn't tell lies!"
Can you guess whether the lines above came from the "Potter" flicks, "Twilight" or Robert Plant?
Watch as the Foos try their best to do exactly that. Then tune in to the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday to catch the Foo Fighters rock the stage with their new single, "Walk."
Will wizards, vampires or dream thieves steal the 2011 MTV Movie Awards? Find out June 5, when the 20th annual show airs live at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Tune in at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT that night for the "America's Best Dance Crew" finale and Movie Awards pre-show, loaded with live action from the red carpet, exclusive movie clips and a special edition of "After Hours."
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsChuckie Will Debut Michael Jackson Remix In Miami
Official 'Hollywood Tonight' remix coming to Miami Music Week.
By Akshay Bhansali
Chuckie
Photo: Jason Ano/ One and Only Productions
Leaving the South by Southwest festival, Lavo New York and Las Vegas' Marquee in his wake, house DJ Chuckie has his sights set on the week ahead. With Miami Music Week now upon us, Chuckie plans to seize the opportunity to debut new material. Fans will be tickled to know the Dutch producer has tracks in the can with Kelly Rowland and T-Pain, but when MTV News caught up with him Friday in New York, Chuckie shared the achievement of which he's most proud.
"I did a Michael Jackson remix, which was really scary — to touch Michael Jackson vocals," Chuckie said. "I did this remix for this track 'Hollywood Tonight.' I couldn't say it for a minute: The label called me, and they said, 'You can't say nothing about this. It's kind of a secret project.' It's gonna come out anytime now."
"Hollywood Tonight" was originally produced by Teddy Riley for Jackson's posthumous Michael album, and Chuckie's mix of the song will be the sole official remix of the track.
"I will play it Miami," Chuckie revealed. "I told them this is the best week to launch the remix. So it feels really good. I'm the only one remixing that Michael Jackson track, and they are considering it a single. For me, especially, it's an honor to remix the King of Pop because he died on my birthday."
So, will the mix be a thundering Chuckie Dutch house banger or will it have a melodic progressive house feel, like his Marquee remix of Diddy-Dirty Money's "I Hate That You Love Me"? Well, according to the "Let the Bass Kick" producer, fans will be getting a healthy dose of both.
"I had to bring in the raucous," Chuckie confessed. "Yeah, I did the Chuckie flavor, but then again, I wanted to make it really musical, so I went progressive (house) on it."
Chuckie will be performing twice at Miami Music Week: at the Cr2 Records Party at Wall Lounge on Wednesday, and then headlining "No Sugar Added" at Nikki Beach on Friday.
Are you excited to hear Chuckie's remix of Michael Jackson's "Hollywood Tonight"? Let us know in the comments below!
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660345/michael-jackson-chuckie-remix.jhtml
How Annoying Is Paul Rudd In 'Our Idiot Brother'?
From what we know about "Our Idiot Brother," which, truth be told, is based solely on our reaction to the trailers and the reviews, Paul Rudd's modus operandi in the family comedy is to pester his family and friends, played by the likes of Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer and Rashida Jones (though in [...]
Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/08/26/paul-rudd-idiot-brother/
Ke$ha Wants 'Till The World Ends' Remix To 'Take Over Airwaves'
Singer says her collaboration with Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj made a 'supergroup of three hot, strong women.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias
Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News
Earlier this week, Britney Spears, Ke$ha and Nicki Minaj dropped their femme-fatale-friendly remix of the Spears club track "Till the World Ends." The already fun song got super-charged thanks to Minaj's cutting verses and Ke$ha's recognizable vocals.
"I'm a massive fan of both the ladies I share the track with," K told MTV News on Wednesday at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. "I wrote 'TTWE' for Britney with [producers] Dr. Luke and Max [Martin] and she killed it and I loved it, but I just thought a supergroup of three hot, strong women could just take over the airwaves."
Ke$ha went on to give props to both the ladies. "I'm such a massive fan of Britney and I'm such a massive supporter of Nicki and a fan, and chicks sometimes don't team up. I don't know why, but I'm, like, huge on the girl power, so I just wanted to make a power girl track take over."
The remix quickly won praise from fans who seem to think the new features step up the song's game. "You know, with the three of us, I wasn't necessarily surprised [people like it] because I'm such a massive fan of Nicki Minaj and obviously with Britney I'm a fan of it, [taking] myself out of the equation," she said. "I'm just happy people like it."
So did Ke$ha (who once sang backup for Spears) feel any pressure writing a song for Britney? "There was no pressure. Writing for somebody else is really fun 'cause I consider myself a songwriter first and foremost," she explained. "So it was so much fun to put my brain in the sexy Britney Spears brain and express myself almost as if I were possessed by her."
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662875/kesha-britney-spears-til-the-world-ends-remix.jhtml
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Rebecca Gayheart?s Secret to Stress-Free Pregnancy? Daughter Billie!
"[With Billie] I was micromanaging everything I was eating and every little symptom I was feeling. And this pregnancy I just know everything's okay," she tells PEOPLE.
Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/dgmijhQ9Mf0/
Gone to Splitsville: Celebrity Breakups
The actress splits from her Yankees slugger beau. See more celeb pairs who are back to going solo
Source: http://www.ivillage.com/gone-splitsville-celebrity-breakups/1-b-16462
Friday, August 26, 2011
Beyonce To Hit The VMA Stage
Tune in for B's first VMA performance in two years, this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
By Aly Semigran
Beyoncé
Photo: Tabatha Fireman/Redferns
Beyoncé, who instructed girls to run the world with her VMA-nominated smash song, will now run the stage at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
The "Run the World (Girls)" singer, who has three nominations this year (including Best Female Video, Best Choreography and Best Cinematography) and is the previous recipient of nine Moonmen, including 2009's Video of the Year award for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," will join the lineup of 2011 VMA performers, which already includes Lady Gaga, Adele, Bruno Mars, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Young the Giant, Pitbull and Ne-Yo. Jessie J will serve as a house artist for the ceremony.
"We are thrilled to have Beyoncé return to her rightful musical home at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards," said Amy Doyle, executive producer of the 2011 MTV VMAs and MTV's EVP of Music & Talent, in a statement. "Her performances at the VMAs are legendary — leaving everyone breathless and talking for days. We can't wait to see her set the stage on fire once again!"
While it's been two years since the pop diva extraordinaire last hit the stage as a VMA performer (when she, along with a bevy of backup dancers, brought down the house with a "Single Ladies" number), Beyoncé recently played a series of intimate shows at New York's Roseland Ballroom, performing songs off of her latest album, 4, as well as classic hits, including favorites from the Destiny's Child era, to sold-out crowds.
The VMAs will air live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday at 9 p.m. (live ET/ tape-delayed PT). Presenters includes Selena Gomez (who will pull double duty as VMA pre-show host), Taylor Lautner, Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj, Zoe Saldana, Seth Rogen, Drake, Joe Jonas, Jared Leto, Jonah Hill, Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Victoria Justice, Rick Ross, Odd Future and JB Smoove.
Though voting is closed for Beyoncé's categories, fans can still vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com online or m.mtv.com on their mobile phones. In addition, Best New Artist text voting is open to all wireless carrier subscribers by texting BNA to 66333. Voting continues all the way through the show, until the winner is announced live on Sunday.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.
Related Photos Related Artists
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669576/beyonce-perform-mtv-vmas.jhtml
Britney Spears Enlists Joe Jonas For European Tour
'It's so funny to think I had [her poster] on my wall and here I am about to perform with her,' Jonas told People.
By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears and Joe Jonas
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Britney Spears might be the Femme Fatale, but that doesn't mean she can't share the stage with a guy too. After announcing he'd be opening up for Spears at her tour stop in New Jersey, Joe Jonas announced Thursday (August 4) that he'd also be her opening act for stops in Europe.
People reports that the singer — who drops his first-ever solo album, Fast Life, in October — will be on hand for nine dates, including stops in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Spears heads to Europe in September after she wraps up the North American leg of her tour August 25. Her European leg ends in November before she heads to South America for a handful of dates.
"I'm really looking forward to being part of this," Jonas said of the jaunt. "It's a dream come true." He added that the warm-up gig will be an expanded version of smaller shows he's been playing these past few months in places like Chicago and New York. "I'll be playing more music than I have the past few times I've performed live so far. It's going to be really fun to perform some of my music from the album."
Jonas met Spears a few years back at the VMAs and said "she's a very sweet lady" and that, as a kid, he had a bit of a crush on the singer. "She was the first girl I ever had a poster on my wall of, and her album was the first CD I ever bought," he said. "It's so funny to think I had that on my wall and here I am about to perform with her."
Jonas recently wrapped up the music video for "Just in Love With You," which he filmed in Paris. It serves as the follow-up single to "See No More." Fast Life hits stores October 11.
Are you excited Joe is joining Britney on tour? Let us know in the comments!
Related Videos Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1668480/britney-spears-joe-jonas-european-tour.jhtml
Thursday, August 25, 2011
'The Avengers' Assemble, With Other Disney Stars, At D23
We recap all the sneak peeks and news to come out of the Mouse House's movie convention.
By Terri Schwartz, with additional reporting by Kara Warner
Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth
Photo: MTV News
"The Avengers" might not be assembling in theaters until May 4, 2012, but fans who attended Disney's D23 convention in Anaheim, California, over the weekend were lucky enough to catch the cast joining forces in person. MTV News was on the scene too, so stay tuned for our interviews with the stars. In the meantime, here's a little recap of the weekend's highlights:
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston and Cobie Smulders all showed up to unveil two new clips from the upcoming superhero flick. It was the first time the group has come together publicly since 2010's San Diego Comic-Con, and the first time "How I Met Your Mother" star Smulders has been part of the promotion for the movie.
Both of the clips shown focused on the showdown between the Avengers and "Thor" bad boy Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, AceShowBiz reports. The first showed Loki trapped in a high-tech chamber in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier, chatting with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. It is revealed that the chamber was actually created to hold the Hulk, but will hold Loki because he threatens Earth with war and "a force [he] can't control."
The second scene featured Downey's Tony Stark chatting with Loki in a private bar. "Let's do a head count," Loki says. "Two world class assassins" — the camera cuts to shots of Hawkeye and Black Widow — "a demigod" — cut to Thor — "a living legend who actually lives up to the legend" — a glimpse of Captain America. Stark responds by saying, "And you, big fella, you have managed to piss off every single one of them."
"I have an army," Loki says. Stark strikes back, "We have a Hulk."
When MTV caught up with Downey and Hemsworth after the panel, the two were coy about any scenes other than the ones that have been revealed. Downey joked that his favorite scene in the movie was the one "in which we don't reveal anything about the plot," but Hemsworth admitted that his favorite was already revealed.
"One of our first days was the whole assembly," he said, referring to the scene that was revealed at the end of "Captain America: The First Avenger." "That was pretty crazy. Not only meeting Robert Downey and Scarlett and whatever, but it was meeting Iron Man and Black Widow and the Hulk. It's exciting."
Marvel wasn't the only Disney division doing some heavy lifting at D23, though. Pixar showed up with a slew of announcements, including some news about unannounced upcoming films, ScreenRant recapped.
First on the docket is "Brave," the Scotland-based animated adventure that hits in 2012. In addition to showing some new clips of the movie, Pixar also released a fleshed out plot synopsis that gives "Brave" more context. "Monsters University" received a summer 2013 release date slot, and Pixar also added two yet-untitled animated flicks to its upcoming releases. The first, directed by "Up" helmer Bob Peterson, speculates on what would happen if dinosaurs never became extinct and should hit theaters in fall 2013. The second, directed by "Monsters, Inc." 's Pete Doctor, explores inside the human mind and should be released at some point in 2014.
Also on the animation front, Shock Till You Drop reported on the "Frankenweenie" sizzle reel that was presented at the panel, which included footage from the flick, behind-the-scenes moments and interviews with the cast members. The title card for the movie was also unveiled, as well as the news that Danny Elfman will be composing the flick's score. "Frankenweenie" hits theaters October 5, 2012.
Jason Segel showed up with his "The Muppets" co-stars Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy to present two new clips from the movie, Entertainment Weekly reported. Clip number one featured an inside look at Kermit's house and showed that he's stuck in his '80s heyday, while clip number two showed off Muppets Rolf, Kermit, Fozzie Bear and Dr. Teeth trying to get the old Muppet Theater back in working order.
Not to be outdone, the cast and crew of "John Carter of Mars" presented four new clips from their upcoming sci-fi flick. Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe and Lynn Collins stood with director Andrew Stanton to show off the footage, EW recounted. The unfinished clips featured scenes where the titular Carter first lands on Mars, gets captured by Thark leader Tars Tarkas, has to battle his way out of a gladiatorial arena and tries to convince his lady love not to go through with her arranged marriage. Vulture said the clips had "a distinctly Pixar sense of humor," which can be attributed to Stanton's history with the animation company.
The last big presentation of D23 was for "Oz, the Great and Powerful," and though there was no finished footage, the panel did get to see James Franco's wizard and Michelle Williams' Glinda in costume. AceShowBiz said that a behind-the-scenes sizzle reel, narrated by director Sam Raimi, displayed concept art for the Emerald City, munchkins and the yellow brick road. The movie is currently in production in Detroit and is set to hit theaters on March 8, 2013.
Check out everything we've got on "The Avengers."
For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669444/avengers-hemsworth-robert-downey-jr-d23.jhtml
Usher - Fed Up (featuring Usher, Young Jeezy, Drake, Rick Ross)
Fed Up (featuring Usher, Young Jeezy, Drake, Rick Ross)
- Artist: Usher
- Label: We The Best, E1 Music
- Director: Gil Green
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1270&vid=461562
Prince Willam & Kate's Midweek Movie Date
Enjoying a down-to-earth date night, Prince William and Kate Middleton caught a movie at Cineworld in Llandudno Junction, Wales on Tuesday night (August 23).
Taking to the theater for a little comedic relief, the jeans-donning Duke and Duchess grabbed a bag of popcorn before taking to the 8 p.m. screening of the British funny flick "The Inbetweeners."
"They looked like they were in a world of their own. He had his arm around her waist as they walked in, as if he was guiding her," an onlooker of the pair told People.
The passerby later added, "They looked just like any other young couple enjoying a night at the cinema."
Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/prince-william/prince-willam-kates-midweek-movie-date-536873
'VMAs Revealed': Peek Behind The Scenes At Last Year's VMAs
'Avengers' Star Scarlett Johansson Praises 'Fanboy' Joss Whedon
Actress tells MTV News she thinks director of next year's ensemble flick will 'protect the franchise.'
By Terri Schwartz, with reporting by Kara Warner
Scarlett Johansson at the D23 Expo
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty Images
While we have yet to see anywhere near enough "Avengers" footage to get a sense of what direction Joss Whedon is taking the ensemble superhero flick, if leading lady Scarlett Johansson is to be believed, it will be unlike any of the previous Marvel films.
The cast of "The Avengers" assembled at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, on Saturday to unveil new scenes from the comic book movie, and after a panel presentation, MTV News caught up with Johansson and co-star Jeremy Renner. The actress explained how Whedon has set himself apart from the series' previous directors.
"Joss is a fanboy," Johansson said with a chuckle. "I think that Joss is going to protect the franchise by staying true to the characters' integrity."
The "Iron Man 2" star had only worked with Jon Favreau on that Marvel film, but that experience was enough to underscore for her that Whedon is taking a unique approach to "The Avengers."
"I think Jon Favreau is such a different director from Joss Whedon," Johansson added. "The flavor is different, their fingerprints are different; they just have a different way of storytelling — same with Ken Branagh."
"Avengers" castmembers have remained mostly mum about the movie's story line, talking primarily only about the tease revealed at the end of "Captain America: The First Avenger." But over the weekend at D23, two new scenes were revealed. Still, when asked about her favorite scene to shoot, Johansson said it was the big ensemble sequence seen in that first "Avengers" teaser.
"I do think one of my favorite moments is when we all assembled together. That was kind of amazing, when all of us were there," she said. "It's extremely surreal. It's strange."
"Thor" leading man Chris Hemsworth had the same pick as Johansson when we spoke to him at D23. "One of our first days was the whole assembly. That was pretty crazy," he said. "Not only meeting Robert Downey and Scarlett and whatever, but it was meeting Iron Man and Black Widow and the Hulk. It's exciting."
Check out everything we've got on "The Avengers."
For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669458/avengers-scarlett-johansson-joss-whedon.jhtml
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