'Being clear-headed and sober makes it more painful,' he says of 'scary' stunts in flick previewing at Sunday's VMAs.By Jocelyn Vena
Steve-O
Photo: MTV News
Fans won't have to wait until October 15 to get a taste of the mayhem set to take place in "Jackass 3D." An exclusive clip from the flick will premiere during the MTV Video Music Awards, where the cast will also be presenting on Sunday.
One of the movie's stars, Steve-O, is super excited for fans to check out the preview.
"I can't wait. It's going to be awesome. We made a great movie. Everybody's gonna love it. People are gonna be waiting to see how being sober and filming 'Jackass' is different [for me]," he told MTV News at the VMA Radio Forum on Friday. "Being clear-headed and sober makes it more painful, more scary and the first thing I say is, 'I'm Steve-O, why do I have to be Steve-O?' "
He wouldn't get too specific about his favorite part of the movie, but Steve-O did note that the film starts with one very eye-catching scene. "I think that after the opening credits, like, the first scene that I'm in, I think it's pretty great," he said. "It's just awesome. It's a good movie."
While doing many of the painful stunts in "Jackass 3D" proved to be quite the challenge for a now-sober Steve-O, he was certainly up for it.
"I was eager to do as much as I could. I, unlike Johnny Knoxville and some of the other guys, was feeling pretty sure I didn't want to risk paralysis or death," he joked. "Knoxville just needs to risk paralysis and death, but that being the case, I was really eager to get involved in as much stuff as I could, and I think I'm in this new movie more than either of the first two. It was a totally different me and it was a real blessing to do that."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
Check out everything we've got on "Jackass 3D."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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VMA 2010 Exposed
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Sunday, September 12, 2010
Taylor Swift Talks Pretend Nuptials and Music Leak
Taylor Swift dishes to ET about the buzz surrounding the wedding scene in the video for her new single, "Mine" -- and she reveals how she reacted when the song leaked online. Did sparks really go flying between Taylor and her groom Toby Hemingway?
Taylor in a wedding gown, happily clutching a bouquet -- but the nuptials are only pretend, for the video of "Mine."
"The wedding scene in the video has been most talked about because someone got a picture of it while we were shooting it," the Grammy winning singer says.
Taylor in a wedding gown, happily clutching a bouquet -- but the nuptials are only pretend, for the video of "Mine."
"The wedding scene in the video has been most talked about because someone got a picture of it while we were shooting it," the Grammy winning singer says.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Britney Spears - Do Somethin'
Do Somethin'
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: BMG International
Director: Bille Woodruff/Mona Lisa
Album: My Prerogative
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: BMG International
Director: Bille Woodruff/Mona Lisa
Album: My Prerogative
'Resident Evil: Afterlife' Comes Alive At Box Office
The latest film in the sci-fi franchise takes top spot at theaters Friday.By Mawuse Ziegbe
Milla Jovovich in "Resident Evil: Afterlife"
Photo: Sony Pictures
The Box-Office Top Five
#1 "Resident Evil: Afterlife" ($10.9 million)
#2 "The American" ($1.79 million)
#3 "Takers" ($1.78 million)
#4 "Machete" ($1.33 million)
#5 "Going the Distance" ($1.30 million)
The "Resident Evil" series proved it's still filled with life at the box office. The latest installment in the undead-packed sci-fi franchise, "Resident Evil: Afterlife" pulled in $10.9 million during its first day on screens. Moviegoers checking out the return of zombie-fighter Alice (Milla Jovovich), who scours a bleak planet for survivors in the wake of a vicious virus that ravaged the globe five years earlier, placed the film at the top of the box office. Since its 2002 debut, the series has been reinvigorated with 3-D effects and, as Jovovich recently told MTV News, "In this movie, I have a lot more guns. That was fun too."
George Clooney's turn in "The American," as a hitman on the run after an assignment goes south, continued to draw action fans during its second week in theaters. Although the flick opened at #1 last week, the film was far behind Friday's box-office victor "Resident Evil," scoring $1.79 million in ticket sales.
"Takers" continued to maintain a strong presence in theaters, running neck and neck with "The American" for third place with an estimated $1.78 million in ticket sales. Moviegoers are still heading to multiplexes to catch the slick heist flick crammed with stunts that star and producer T.I. has called "outstanding."
"I think all of this is just a result of the hard work that was put into the project. Everybody gave 150 percent. Nobody laid back, nobody took off — everybody went hard. This is the result of that," the rapper and actor told MTV News in August.
The Robert Rodriguez-directed "Machete" upholds the action-heavy trend among Friday's box-office winners. Touting a diverse ensemble that includes Jessica Alba, Don Johnson and Lindsay Lohan, the flick scored $1.33 million, just squeaking ahead of sunny rom-com "Going the Distance," which kicked off its second week in theaters in fifth place with $1.30 million.
Check out everything we've got on "Resident Evil: Afterlife" and "The American."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos
'Resident Evil: Afterlife' Clips
Milla Jovovich in "Resident Evil: Afterlife"
Photo: Sony Pictures
The Box-Office Top Five
#1 "Resident Evil: Afterlife" ($10.9 million)
#2 "The American" ($1.79 million)
#3 "Takers" ($1.78 million)
#4 "Machete" ($1.33 million)
#5 "Going the Distance" ($1.30 million)
The "Resident Evil" series proved it's still filled with life at the box office. The latest installment in the undead-packed sci-fi franchise, "Resident Evil: Afterlife" pulled in $10.9 million during its first day on screens. Moviegoers checking out the return of zombie-fighter Alice (Milla Jovovich), who scours a bleak planet for survivors in the wake of a vicious virus that ravaged the globe five years earlier, placed the film at the top of the box office. Since its 2002 debut, the series has been reinvigorated with 3-D effects and, as Jovovich recently told MTV News, "In this movie, I have a lot more guns. That was fun too."
George Clooney's turn in "The American," as a hitman on the run after an assignment goes south, continued to draw action fans during its second week in theaters. Although the flick opened at #1 last week, the film was far behind Friday's box-office victor "Resident Evil," scoring $1.79 million in ticket sales.
"Takers" continued to maintain a strong presence in theaters, running neck and neck with "The American" for third place with an estimated $1.78 million in ticket sales. Moviegoers are still heading to multiplexes to catch the slick heist flick crammed with stunts that star and producer T.I. has called "outstanding."
"I think all of this is just a result of the hard work that was put into the project. Everybody gave 150 percent. Nobody laid back, nobody took off — everybody went hard. This is the result of that," the rapper and actor told MTV News in August.
The Robert Rodriguez-directed "Machete" upholds the action-heavy trend among Friday's box-office winners. Touting a diverse ensemble that includes Jessica Alba, Don Johnson and Lindsay Lohan, the flick scored $1.33 million, just squeaking ahead of sunny rom-com "Going the Distance," which kicked off its second week in theaters in fifth place with $1.30 million.
Check out everything we've got on "Resident Evil: Afterlife" and "The American."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos
'Resident Evil: Afterlife' Clips
Minka Kelly Minki van der Westhuizen Miranda Kerr Mischa Barton
Beyonce Says She's 'A Feminist, In A Way'
Singer also talks about retiring alter ego Sasha Fierce and starting a family, in You magazine.By James Dinh
Beyoncé
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ Getty Images
Whether it's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" or the Destiny's Child classic "Independent Women," most of Beyoncé's catalog consists of strong female-empowerment anthems. So it's no surprise that the singer considers herself to be a feminist.
In an interview with the U.K.'s You magazine, the pop star opens up about the importance of female companionship, not needing to hide behind Sasha Fierce and her much-talked-about baby plans.
"I think I am a feminist, in a way. It's not something I consciously decided I was going to be; perhaps it's because I grew up in a singing group with other women, and that was so helpful to me," she told the magazine. "It kept me out of so much trouble and out of bad relationships. My friendships with my girls are just so much a part of me that there are things I am never going to do that would upset that bond. I never want to betray that friendship, because I love being a woman and I love being a friend to other women."
Most recently, Beyoncé has certainly made her share of female friends in the industry. In the past year, the singer has collaborated with Lady Gaga ("Video Phone" and "Telephone") and Alicia Keys ("Put It in a Love Song").
While the singer might always have female besties, there's one thing she's cut out of the picture: alter ego Sasha Fierce. Earlier this year, the pop star revealed that she "killed" Sasha, and now she said the alter-ego absence is due to her newfound self-awareness.
"I don't need Sasha so much anymore, because these days, I know who I am. It takes time to figure out who you are, and I am still discovering different things about myself. As I am exposed to different experiences, I think, 'Oh, I like this. I didn't know I liked this,' " she explained. "That's the journey of life that is so exciting. More and more, I know who I am, I know what I like, I know what I want, and that makes me feel so free."
In fact, B already has her eye on some personal life goals. "My ambition is to continue to learn about the world and to eventually have a family," she said. And while Beyoncé remained coy about when she and husband Jay-Z will expand the Carter family, she hinted that there's really "no dates, no times" to motherhood. "It will happen when I am ready."
What is your favorite Beyoncé female-empowerment anthem? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Related Photos
What Beyonce Might Be Like At Home
Related Artists
Beyoncé
Beyoncé
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ Getty Images
Whether it's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" or the Destiny's Child classic "Independent Women," most of Beyoncé's catalog consists of strong female-empowerment anthems. So it's no surprise that the singer considers herself to be a feminist.
In an interview with the U.K.'s You magazine, the pop star opens up about the importance of female companionship, not needing to hide behind Sasha Fierce and her much-talked-about baby plans.
"I think I am a feminist, in a way. It's not something I consciously decided I was going to be; perhaps it's because I grew up in a singing group with other women, and that was so helpful to me," she told the magazine. "It kept me out of so much trouble and out of bad relationships. My friendships with my girls are just so much a part of me that there are things I am never going to do that would upset that bond. I never want to betray that friendship, because I love being a woman and I love being a friend to other women."
Most recently, Beyoncé has certainly made her share of female friends in the industry. In the past year, the singer has collaborated with Lady Gaga ("Video Phone" and "Telephone") and Alicia Keys ("Put It in a Love Song").
While the singer might always have female besties, there's one thing she's cut out of the picture: alter ego Sasha Fierce. Earlier this year, the pop star revealed that she "killed" Sasha, and now she said the alter-ego absence is due to her newfound self-awareness.
"I don't need Sasha so much anymore, because these days, I know who I am. It takes time to figure out who you are, and I am still discovering different things about myself. As I am exposed to different experiences, I think, 'Oh, I like this. I didn't know I liked this,' " she explained. "That's the journey of life that is so exciting. More and more, I know who I am, I know what I like, I know what I want, and that makes me feel so free."
In fact, B already has her eye on some personal life goals. "My ambition is to continue to learn about the world and to eventually have a family," she said. And while Beyoncé remained coy about when she and husband Jay-Z will expand the Carter family, she hinted that there's really "no dates, no times" to motherhood. "It will happen when I am ready."
What is your favorite Beyoncé female-empowerment anthem? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Related Photos
What Beyonce Might Be Like At Home
Related Artists
Beyoncé
Is Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance' Video Of The Year?
VMA contender overloaded Gaga's website when it premiered.By Mawuse Ziegbe
Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News
Lady Gaga will be battling a ubiquitous, game-changing pop upstart in the MTV Video Music Awards Video of the Year category: herself.
Gaga goes on a post-jailhouse murder spree with fellow pop superstar Beyoncé in the Video of the Year-nominated "Telephone," but the visual trickery, bizarro couture and steely Russian mob guys of "Bad Romance" give "Telephone" some super stiff competition.
For starters, "Romance" almost broke the Internet when droves of fans shut down the singer's website in November for a chance to see the highly anticipated clip. The "Romance" mania is not all that surprising given the buzz the track racked up in the weeks leading to the video's release. The track likely garnered approval from Gaga's fashion-forward followers when the pulsating hit closed the spring 2010 show of late high-fashion demigod Alexander McQueen. And the rest of the country's curiosity had probably piqued days before when Gaga performed a snippet of the track on "Saturday Night Live" after a faux catfight with Madonna.
When the visual finally surfaced, replete with all types of eye-popping imagery, it was well worth the wait. The Francis Lawrence-directed clip takes place in a stark, all-white Bath Haus of Gaga. Her eyes are bugged-out and her waist digitally nipped to cartoonish proportions, she busts out semi-nude dance sequences with strategically placed strips of lace covering her lady bits, rocks some deliriously decadent beaded headpieces and teeters on some insanely high McQueen heels before wrapping up the affair in a torched bed with sparks flitting from her bra. Buried in the smorgasbord of high-fashion and high-octane moves is an equally eyebrow-raising narrative.
"There's this one shot in the video where I get kidnapped by supermodels," Gaga told MTV Newslast fall. "I'm washing away my sins and they shove vodka down my throat to drug me up before they sell me off to the Russian mafia."
Gaga explained that the video was inspired by the no-nonsense sensibilities of her New York City homegirls and paid tribute to her pals in the form of shades fashioned from razor blades.
"I wanted to design a pair for some of the toughest chicks and some of my girlfriends — don't do this at home! — they used to keep razor blades in the side of their mouths," Gaga said. "That tough female sprit is something that I want to project. It's meant to be, 'This is my shield, this is my weapon, this is my inner sense of fame, this is my monster.' "
Fans gobbled it up. Kerrianne De'Alessandro told MTV News, "I loved her outfits again — her hair and her nails were so cool. They had, like, lace on them."
Linh Dedalto added: "I love how her costumes are all crazy, but that's just how she is."
The video went on to rack up more than 200 million views on YouTube, and even legends like Smokey Robinson, whose soulful catalog is decidedly more toned-down than Gaga's arena-ready repertoire, shelled out props.
"I think that Lady Gaga is so different and she has taken the world by storm," Robinson told MTV News. "I enjoy her music. So I think that she's unique. Unique always has a chance."
Do you think Gaga's "Bad Romance" will win Video of the Year? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for the winners from now through Sunday.
Related Videos
Revealed: MTV Video Music Awards
Related Photos
Lady Gaga Leads The 2010 VMA Nominees
Lady Gaga's 2009 VMA Looks
Related Artists
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News
Lady Gaga will be battling a ubiquitous, game-changing pop upstart in the MTV Video Music Awards Video of the Year category: herself.
Gaga goes on a post-jailhouse murder spree with fellow pop superstar Beyoncé in the Video of the Year-nominated "Telephone," but the visual trickery, bizarro couture and steely Russian mob guys of "Bad Romance" give "Telephone" some super stiff competition.
For starters, "Romance" almost broke the Internet when droves of fans shut down the singer's website in November for a chance to see the highly anticipated clip. The "Romance" mania is not all that surprising given the buzz the track racked up in the weeks leading to the video's release. The track likely garnered approval from Gaga's fashion-forward followers when the pulsating hit closed the spring 2010 show of late high-fashion demigod Alexander McQueen. And the rest of the country's curiosity had probably piqued days before when Gaga performed a snippet of the track on "Saturday Night Live" after a faux catfight with Madonna.
When the visual finally surfaced, replete with all types of eye-popping imagery, it was well worth the wait. The Francis Lawrence-directed clip takes place in a stark, all-white Bath Haus of Gaga. Her eyes are bugged-out and her waist digitally nipped to cartoonish proportions, she busts out semi-nude dance sequences with strategically placed strips of lace covering her lady bits, rocks some deliriously decadent beaded headpieces and teeters on some insanely high McQueen heels before wrapping up the affair in a torched bed with sparks flitting from her bra. Buried in the smorgasbord of high-fashion and high-octane moves is an equally eyebrow-raising narrative.
"There's this one shot in the video where I get kidnapped by supermodels," Gaga told MTV Newslast fall. "I'm washing away my sins and they shove vodka down my throat to drug me up before they sell me off to the Russian mafia."
Gaga explained that the video was inspired by the no-nonsense sensibilities of her New York City homegirls and paid tribute to her pals in the form of shades fashioned from razor blades.
"I wanted to design a pair for some of the toughest chicks and some of my girlfriends — don't do this at home! — they used to keep razor blades in the side of their mouths," Gaga said. "That tough female sprit is something that I want to project. It's meant to be, 'This is my shield, this is my weapon, this is my inner sense of fame, this is my monster.' "
Fans gobbled it up. Kerrianne De'Alessandro told MTV News, "I loved her outfits again — her hair and her nails were so cool. They had, like, lace on them."
Linh Dedalto added: "I love how her costumes are all crazy, but that's just how she is."
The video went on to rack up more than 200 million views on YouTube, and even legends like Smokey Robinson, whose soulful catalog is decidedly more toned-down than Gaga's arena-ready repertoire, shelled out props.
"I think that Lady Gaga is so different and she has taken the world by storm," Robinson told MTV News. "I enjoy her music. So I think that she's unique. Unique always has a chance."
Do you think Gaga's "Bad Romance" will win Video of the Year? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for the winners from now through Sunday.
Related Videos
Revealed: MTV Video Music Awards
Related Photos
Lady Gaga Leads The 2010 VMA Nominees
Lady Gaga's 2009 VMA Looks
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Lady Gaga
Nicky Hilton Nicole Richie Nicole Scherzinger Nicollette Sheridan
Ronnie James Dio Dead at 67
Today, the heavy metal world lost a true legend. Ronnie James Dio, who most recently fronted the Black Sabbath-without-Ozzy band Heaven & Hell, lost his battle with stomach cancer at 7:45 a.m. PST. He was 67.
?My heart is broken,? said his wife and manager, Wendy Dio in a statement. ?Many, many friends and family were [...]
?My heart is broken,? said his wife and manager, Wendy Dio in a statement. ?Many, many friends and family were [...]
Jennifer Gareis Jennifer Garner Jennifer Gimenez Jennifer Love Hewitt
Joaquin Phoenix's 'I'm Still Here': The Reviews Are In
Critics have mixed opinions for a film about the actor's retirement and apparent public breakdown.By Adam Rosenberg
Joaquin Phoenix in "I'm Still Here"
Photo: Magnolia Pictures
Late in 2008, Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix opened up on a red carpet to Extra with a bold pronouncement: "I want to take this opportunity ... also to give you the exclusive and just talk a little bit about the fact that this will be my last performance as an actor ... I'm not doing films anymore." He went on to say that he would be shifting his energies to building a career in music.
A seeming breakdown followed. A big beard appeared, bushy and unkempt. Disheveled hair, sticking out in every direction thanks to untended-to tangles and dreadlocks. Baffling and downright embarrassing public appearances. Assurances from Phoenix and people around him that his attempts to become a rapper were 100% sincere.
The entire spectacle was filmed by Casey Affleck, who collected the footage into the newly released film "I'm Still Here." Charting the year-plus following the actor's retirement, the movie stitches together a rough narrative of what ostensibly went on behind the scenes during that period. Now the movie is in theaters for a limited release, with a wide release to follow next Friday, and reviews are pouring in. Opinions are mixed overall, but every review at least alludes to the question hanging over the film: Was this all just a big method acting experiment? Or a hoax?
"It almost doesn't matter if the psyche in question is imploding artificially — as in staged — or organically," Claudia Puig writes in USA Today, sidestepping that central issue and judging "I'm Still Here" as a work of film. "It's just so unpleasant to watch two hours of unrelenting bad behavior and grandiose delusions."
Dana Stevens, writing for Slate, has a similar response. She opens with a knockout punch: "The worst thing about 'I'm Still Here' is the fact that it exists." And she goes on to conclude, "Joaquin Phoenix may be the one going under, but it was Casey Affleck whose pockets I felt like stuffing with rocks."
Village Voice writer Karina Longworth addresses the film's hype directly. "Perhaps it goes without saying that 'Here' was more provocative when it couldn't be seen, when it existed for most of us purely in the realm of rumor." She points to an early report claiming — falsely — that the film would contain "more male frontal nudity than you'd find in some gay porn."
Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times acknowledges the film's faults in little more than a sentence, focusing instead on the subject and the picture of him that is painted. "Phoenix comes across as a narcissist interested only in himself," Ebert writes. "He is bored with acting. He was only a puppet. He can no longer stand where he's told, wear what he's given, say what is written. It's not him. He has lost contact with his inner self."
Ebert's write-up is less a review and more a personal appeal to a talented performer. While he admits that he will be "seriously pissed"
if this all turns out to be a hoax, he ultimately concludes, "In 'I'm Still Here' all [Phoenix] proves is that he is hurtling toward the same pointless oblivion that killed his brother River. It is a waste of the privilege of life."
It is Entertainment Weekly critic Owen Gleiberman who most effectively cuts through the hype and strikes at the core of what audiences are likely seeing in "I'm Still Here." He writes, "Affleck uses Phoenix's descent to forge a riveting — and, in its way, cautionary — case study of a celebrity self-destructively addicted to his own psychodrama. Phoenix may say that he's left acting behind, but whether he's trolling the Internet for hookers, trying
(hilariously) to convince Diddy to produce his rap album, getting huffy with an entertainment journalist at a junket for 'Two Lovers,'
or lashing out at fame while still enjoying all of its perks, the movie understands that his Last Honest Man in Showbiz routine is really a performance — even if it's one the actor himself is only dimly aware of."
Check out everything we've got on "I'm Still Here."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Joaquin Phoenix in "I'm Still Here"
Photo: Magnolia Pictures
Late in 2008, Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix opened up on a red carpet to Extra with a bold pronouncement: "I want to take this opportunity ... also to give you the exclusive and just talk a little bit about the fact that this will be my last performance as an actor ... I'm not doing films anymore." He went on to say that he would be shifting his energies to building a career in music.
A seeming breakdown followed. A big beard appeared, bushy and unkempt. Disheveled hair, sticking out in every direction thanks to untended-to tangles and dreadlocks. Baffling and downright embarrassing public appearances. Assurances from Phoenix and people around him that his attempts to become a rapper were 100% sincere.
The entire spectacle was filmed by Casey Affleck, who collected the footage into the newly released film "I'm Still Here." Charting the year-plus following the actor's retirement, the movie stitches together a rough narrative of what ostensibly went on behind the scenes during that period. Now the movie is in theaters for a limited release, with a wide release to follow next Friday, and reviews are pouring in. Opinions are mixed overall, but every review at least alludes to the question hanging over the film: Was this all just a big method acting experiment? Or a hoax?
"It almost doesn't matter if the psyche in question is imploding artificially — as in staged — or organically," Claudia Puig writes in USA Today, sidestepping that central issue and judging "I'm Still Here" as a work of film. "It's just so unpleasant to watch two hours of unrelenting bad behavior and grandiose delusions."
Dana Stevens, writing for Slate, has a similar response. She opens with a knockout punch: "The worst thing about 'I'm Still Here' is the fact that it exists." And she goes on to conclude, "Joaquin Phoenix may be the one going under, but it was Casey Affleck whose pockets I felt like stuffing with rocks."
Village Voice writer Karina Longworth addresses the film's hype directly. "Perhaps it goes without saying that 'Here' was more provocative when it couldn't be seen, when it existed for most of us purely in the realm of rumor." She points to an early report claiming — falsely — that the film would contain "more male frontal nudity than you'd find in some gay porn."
Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times acknowledges the film's faults in little more than a sentence, focusing instead on the subject and the picture of him that is painted. "Phoenix comes across as a narcissist interested only in himself," Ebert writes. "He is bored with acting. He was only a puppet. He can no longer stand where he's told, wear what he's given, say what is written. It's not him. He has lost contact with his inner self."
Ebert's write-up is less a review and more a personal appeal to a talented performer. While he admits that he will be "seriously pissed"
if this all turns out to be a hoax, he ultimately concludes, "In 'I'm Still Here' all [Phoenix] proves is that he is hurtling toward the same pointless oblivion that killed his brother River. It is a waste of the privilege of life."
It is Entertainment Weekly critic Owen Gleiberman who most effectively cuts through the hype and strikes at the core of what audiences are likely seeing in "I'm Still Here." He writes, "Affleck uses Phoenix's descent to forge a riveting — and, in its way, cautionary — case study of a celebrity self-destructively addicted to his own psychodrama. Phoenix may say that he's left acting behind, but whether he's trolling the Internet for hookers, trying
(hilariously) to convince Diddy to produce his rap album, getting huffy with an entertainment journalist at a junket for 'Two Lovers,'
or lashing out at fame while still enjoying all of its perks, the movie understands that his Last Honest Man in Showbiz routine is really a performance — even if it's one the actor himself is only dimly aware of."
Check out everything we've got on "I'm Still Here."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Meet Lala
My sister had a baby girl yesterday and named her Lila. My stepfather misunderstood the name and told everyone at work her name was "Lala."? When corrected, he was like, "I was wondering what kind of name that was..."
Jack and Lila
Nora and Lila
Jack and Lila
Nora and Lila
TV Ad For Norwegian Deaf Metal
This image, which nicely compliments the video below, is for a 1993 metal comp that featured some pretty ripping bands, including Eucharist, Dissection, Impaler, At the Gates, Pitchshifter and Therion, along with a bunch of groups we've never heard of. Good luck tracking it down. But before you try, check out this Norwegian TV ad [...]
Beyoncé - Ego
Ego
Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Beyonce, Frank Gatson, Sheryl Murakami
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition]
Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Beyonce, Frank Gatson, Sheryl Murakami
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition]
Kristanna Loken Kristen Bell Kristin Cavallari Kristin Kreuk
Cristiano Ronaldo Promotes Time Force Watches In Madrid
Last month we got to see a few photos of Cristiano Ronaldo on the set of a photoshoot for the upcoming ad campaign for Time Force watches, which Ronaldo is the celebrity spokesmodel for. Today we get our first look at one of the ad campaign promo photos featuring Cristiano and a few photos from [...]
Britney Spears - Piece of Me
Piece of Me
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Jive/Zomba Label Group
Director: Wayne Isham
Album: Blackout
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Jive/Zomba Label Group
Director: Wayne Isham
Album: Blackout
Black Metal Goes Surfing Emperor Style
A YouTube user who calls himself MrMeddled has posted an outrageously amazing surf rock version of Emperor's black metal song 'I am the Black Wizard.' Almost as entertaining as the interpretation/transformation is the accompanying text, which reads in part:
"In 1959, Chip Ihsahn and Rocky Samoth met on the beach in California. They shared a love [...]
"In 1959, Chip Ihsahn and Rocky Samoth met on the beach in California. They shared a love [...]
Shiri Appleby Sienna Guillory Sienna Miller Simone Mütherthies
Friday, September 10, 2010
Justin Bieber Raps On Our World Mixtape With Sean Kingston
'Eenie Meenie' pal says Biebs' MCing is 'nice for someone who doesn't do it that much.'By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello
Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images
First they collaborated on "Eenie Meenie," and then they hit the road together on Justin Bieber's My World Tour. Now, the pair are set to release a mixtape together -- which Kingston teased would feature Biebs' sweet vocals and some rhymes.
"It should be out in, like, three weeks," Kingston told MTV News. "It's amazing! It's the exclusive. Justin Bieber, Sean Kingston, it's called Our World. It's amazing."
Kingston even teased a song or two fans will hear on the soon-to-be-released mixtape of covers. "We did [Travie McCoy's] 'Billionaire.' We did [Soulja Boy Tell'em's] 'Pretty Boy Swag.' We did so much stuff. We just took the beat over and made it our own."
In fact, Bieber, who has rapped at times, will be displaying his skills on the mixtape. "Yeah, he's doing some rapping," he teased. "[He's] pretty tight, nice for someone who doesn't do it that much."
Until the mixtape hits the shelves, Kingston is gearing up to support his pal at the VMAs, where Bieber is performing and up for Best New Artist. And he even has a date in mind. "I think I'm gonna [bring] my mom," he said. "After the VMAs, I drop her back off, and then it's time to party."
Speaking of that party known as the VMAs, the night's host, Chelsea Handler, admitted that Bieber's music really speaks to her. "He knows so much about romance," she said. "If you listen to the lyrics of 'Baby, Baby, Baby,' or is it just called 'Baby'? I have to say it three times, 'cause it makes my heart thump. He's obviously been around the block. I mean, I don't know why he's pretending he's not a sexual deviant, because he is."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
Related Videos
VMA Artist Access: Sean Kingston
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2010 Video Music Awards Performers And Presenters
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Justin Bieber
Sean Kingston
Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images
First they collaborated on "Eenie Meenie," and then they hit the road together on Justin Bieber's My World Tour. Now, the pair are set to release a mixtape together -- which Kingston teased would feature Biebs' sweet vocals and some rhymes.
"It should be out in, like, three weeks," Kingston told MTV News. "It's amazing! It's the exclusive. Justin Bieber, Sean Kingston, it's called Our World. It's amazing."
Kingston even teased a song or two fans will hear on the soon-to-be-released mixtape of covers. "We did [Travie McCoy's] 'Billionaire.' We did [Soulja Boy Tell'em's] 'Pretty Boy Swag.' We did so much stuff. We just took the beat over and made it our own."
In fact, Bieber, who has rapped at times, will be displaying his skills on the mixtape. "Yeah, he's doing some rapping," he teased. "[He's] pretty tight, nice for someone who doesn't do it that much."
Until the mixtape hits the shelves, Kingston is gearing up to support his pal at the VMAs, where Bieber is performing and up for Best New Artist. And he even has a date in mind. "I think I'm gonna [bring] my mom," he said. "After the VMAs, I drop her back off, and then it's time to party."
Speaking of that party known as the VMAs, the night's host, Chelsea Handler, admitted that Bieber's music really speaks to her. "He knows so much about romance," she said. "If you listen to the lyrics of 'Baby, Baby, Baby,' or is it just called 'Baby'? I have to say it three times, 'cause it makes my heart thump. He's obviously been around the block. I mean, I don't know why he's pretending he's not a sexual deviant, because he is."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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VMA Artist Access: Sean Kingston
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Bonnie Jill Laflin Bridget Moynahan Britney Spears Brittany Daniel
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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Michael Jackson
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.
Related Videos
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'Waiting For Superman' Director Hopes Film Will Help U.S. Schools
'We're failing too many kids,' Davis Guggenheim tells MTV News.By Kara Warner
"Waiting for Superman"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
"Waiting For Superman," like "Catfish," is a documentary that came out of this year's Sundance Film Festival with major buzz. But the two films couldn't be more different. Directed by Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth"), "Superman" sheds a glaring and startling light on the crippling flaws of America's school system.
MTV caught up with the award-winning director while he was in the midst of a promotional blitz that has included appearances and screenings at schools across the country — one of which MTV was proud to host in conjunction with our Get Schooled campaign. Despite a hectic schedule (which explains why he didn't have the time to do that Justin Bieber concert movie), Guggenheim sat down with us to talk education reform, the reasons why MTV viewers should care about their neighborhood schools and what the average person can do to sustain the conversation he hopes to start with his film.
MTV: Why tackle this subject now?
Davis Guggenheim: Well, I'm a parent and I have three kids. I worry about what education they're going to get. ... Everyone knows the world has changed, but our schools haven't changed. They're not built to prepare our kids for this new economy. Right now, if you don't graduate high school and don't go to a four-year college, your chances are really limited. We're failing too many kids. Kids who watch MTV should be really worried about whether they're getting the right education and whether their friends and siblings are getting a good education, so they can have a good life and a piece of the American dream.
MTV: With a film like this, people feel outrage, depression, etc. What is the message or emotion you want people to take away from it?
Davis Guggenheim: There are two feelings when you see this movie. The movie climaxes in a scene where the kids I follow end up at a lottery and you realize that their future is going to be determined by how a bingo ball bounces, literally. They are there holding a card with a number, but instead of winning a lot of money, you win a chance to have a future in America, and it's heartbreaking and it's really un-American. You say, "Wait a minute. This is not our country; we shouldn't have to play bingo to get a good education." That's the harsh realization, but the other emotion that comes out of the movie is a sense of hope. In the last 10 years, there is a new generation of reformers who are doing an amazing job, in every city across the country. They're starting to break the code on how you can educate kids, even in the toughest neighborhoods. So there's a lot of hope if we focus on these reforms and smart reforms, and put away all the adult problems, we can actually start helping kids.
MTV: Is there a call to action at the end?
Davis Guggenheim: Yeah, there really is. The call to action is, "The stakes are even higher than we thought; it affects all of us. But we can do it and it takes people stepping up, being outraged, and demanding that our schools are great for every kid."
MTV: What is the first thing the average American who sees the film and wants to do something can do?
Davis Guggenheim: The first step is to be informed. What I find is that a lot of people think they know what's going on but really don't. With No Child Left Behind, you can actually go on and learn the scores of your school. But I think that the best way is to go see this movie. Like "An Inconvenient Truth," it became this primer, this experience people had and they shared with each other and became empowered to fight for change. When that happens, anything is possible. Some people might go in and tutor a kid, another might want to become a teacher, other people might want to reform their school district. That's what a film does — it creates a conversation and inspires people to incite change.
MTV: What has the response been like so far?
Davis Guggenheim: Even moreso than "An Inconvenient Truth," and I never thought I'd have an experience that would surpass "An Inconvenient Truth." But even more than [that film], there has been this rallying around the movie. Paramount, a major movie studio, decides to release it. At Sundance there were standing ovations, tears, people are coming up to me and saying "I want to help this one kid, I want to pay for their private school," "I want to reform my district." It's very exciting to see a movie like this have this effect on people.
MTV: Moving forward, aside from having made the film and getting the word out, what is next?
Davis Guggenheim: Well I'm trying to raise three good kids and make sure, even with a private school, that they have a great education. But it's not enough to make the movie, I'm on a campaign to fix our schools. ... Next month I'm in a different city every day getting people to join our conversation on how to fix our schools.
MTV: Well, now it's understandable why you were a little too busy to tackle the Justin Bieber concert movie.
Davis Guggenheim: [He laughs.] I think they found someone more talented than me. [But] my daughters love him and my 4-year-old still thinks she's going to marry him. ... It's so cute. I like his music.
MTV: So it was just a matter of too-busy schedules and timing?
Davis Guggenheim: Scheduling, timing and I needed to serve this movie first. I have to spend the next six months on this.
From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films'
biggest stars.
Check out everything we've got on "Waiting for Superman."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos
2010 Sundance Film Festival Video Highlights
Related Photos
Sundance Film Festival 2010
"Waiting for Superman"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
"Waiting For Superman," like "Catfish," is a documentary that came out of this year's Sundance Film Festival with major buzz. But the two films couldn't be more different. Directed by Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth"), "Superman" sheds a glaring and startling light on the crippling flaws of America's school system.
MTV caught up with the award-winning director while he was in the midst of a promotional blitz that has included appearances and screenings at schools across the country — one of which MTV was proud to host in conjunction with our Get Schooled campaign. Despite a hectic schedule (which explains why he didn't have the time to do that Justin Bieber concert movie), Guggenheim sat down with us to talk education reform, the reasons why MTV viewers should care about their neighborhood schools and what the average person can do to sustain the conversation he hopes to start with his film.
MTV: Why tackle this subject now?
Davis Guggenheim: Well, I'm a parent and I have three kids. I worry about what education they're going to get. ... Everyone knows the world has changed, but our schools haven't changed. They're not built to prepare our kids for this new economy. Right now, if you don't graduate high school and don't go to a four-year college, your chances are really limited. We're failing too many kids. Kids who watch MTV should be really worried about whether they're getting the right education and whether their friends and siblings are getting a good education, so they can have a good life and a piece of the American dream.
MTV: With a film like this, people feel outrage, depression, etc. What is the message or emotion you want people to take away from it?
Davis Guggenheim: There are two feelings when you see this movie. The movie climaxes in a scene where the kids I follow end up at a lottery and you realize that their future is going to be determined by how a bingo ball bounces, literally. They are there holding a card with a number, but instead of winning a lot of money, you win a chance to have a future in America, and it's heartbreaking and it's really un-American. You say, "Wait a minute. This is not our country; we shouldn't have to play bingo to get a good education." That's the harsh realization, but the other emotion that comes out of the movie is a sense of hope. In the last 10 years, there is a new generation of reformers who are doing an amazing job, in every city across the country. They're starting to break the code on how you can educate kids, even in the toughest neighborhoods. So there's a lot of hope if we focus on these reforms and smart reforms, and put away all the adult problems, we can actually start helping kids.
MTV: Is there a call to action at the end?
Davis Guggenheim: Yeah, there really is. The call to action is, "The stakes are even higher than we thought; it affects all of us. But we can do it and it takes people stepping up, being outraged, and demanding that our schools are great for every kid."
MTV: What is the first thing the average American who sees the film and wants to do something can do?
Davis Guggenheim: The first step is to be informed. What I find is that a lot of people think they know what's going on but really don't. With No Child Left Behind, you can actually go on and learn the scores of your school. But I think that the best way is to go see this movie. Like "An Inconvenient Truth," it became this primer, this experience people had and they shared with each other and became empowered to fight for change. When that happens, anything is possible. Some people might go in and tutor a kid, another might want to become a teacher, other people might want to reform their school district. That's what a film does — it creates a conversation and inspires people to incite change.
MTV: What has the response been like so far?
Davis Guggenheim: Even moreso than "An Inconvenient Truth," and I never thought I'd have an experience that would surpass "An Inconvenient Truth." But even more than [that film], there has been this rallying around the movie. Paramount, a major movie studio, decides to release it. At Sundance there were standing ovations, tears, people are coming up to me and saying "I want to help this one kid, I want to pay for their private school," "I want to reform my district." It's very exciting to see a movie like this have this effect on people.
MTV: Moving forward, aside from having made the film and getting the word out, what is next?
Davis Guggenheim: Well I'm trying to raise three good kids and make sure, even with a private school, that they have a great education. But it's not enough to make the movie, I'm on a campaign to fix our schools. ... Next month I'm in a different city every day getting people to join our conversation on how to fix our schools.
MTV: Well, now it's understandable why you were a little too busy to tackle the Justin Bieber concert movie.
Davis Guggenheim: [He laughs.] I think they found someone more talented than me. [But] my daughters love him and my 4-year-old still thinks she's going to marry him. ... It's so cute. I like his music.
MTV: So it was just a matter of too-busy schedules and timing?
Davis Guggenheim: Scheduling, timing and I needed to serve this movie first. I have to spend the next six months on this.
From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films'
biggest stars.
Check out everything we've got on "Waiting for Superman."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos
2010 Sundance Film Festival Video Highlights
Related Photos
Sundance Film Festival 2010
George Clooney's 'The American' Triumphs Over Labor Day Box Office
'Machete' carves out a second-place finish, edging out 'Takers' over slow holiday weekend.By Josh Wigler
George Clooney in "The American"
Photo: Focus Features
The Box-Office Top Five
#1 "The American" ($16.4 million)
#2 "Machete" ($14 million)
#3 "Takers" ($13.5 million)
#4 "The Last Exorcism" ($8.8 million)
#5 "Going the Distance" ($8.6 million)
As people said goodbye to summer across the country, box-office activity was relatively quiet throughout the Labor Day weekend — but many of the moviegoers who did manage to find their way into theaters made sure to honor the "American" way.
George Clooney's "The American" was the weekend's first-place finisher, yielding a respectable if not overly lucrative $16.4 million haul from Friday through Monday. The film got a head start on the competition with its Wednesday opening, bringing the moderately priced thriller's total to $19.5 million in less than a week. Made on a reported $20 million budget, "The American" is nothing short of a modest success.
Hot on the heels of "The American" was "Machete," the self-professed Mexploitation revenge flick from the deliciously deranged mind of co-director, producer and writer Robert Rodriguez. An extended version of the trailer filmed for Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's "Grindhouse," the Danny Trejo-starring "Machete" sliced and diced its way to a $14 million debut. Just like "The American," "Machete" is virtually guaranteed to recoup its $20 million production budget, and the door is wide open for possible sequels to the R-rated action movie down the line.
Rounding out the weekend's newcomers was "Going the Distance," Drew Barrymore and Justin Long's romantic comedy about a couple's struggle to maintain a long-distance relationship. Long and Barrymore's chemistry wasn't enough to go the distance, however, with the rom-com settling for an $8.6 million fifth-place finish.
Last weekend's top performers "Takers" and "The Last Exorcism" proved their staying power with $13.5 million and $8.8 million, respectively.
Upcoming Releases
Next weekend sees the return of Milla Jovovich as Alice in "Resident Evil: Afterlife," the fourth entry in the video game movie franchise directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.
Check out everything we've got on "Machete" and "The American."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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George Clooney in "The American"
Photo: Focus Features
The Box-Office Top Five
#1 "The American" ($16.4 million)
#2 "Machete" ($14 million)
#3 "Takers" ($13.5 million)
#4 "The Last Exorcism" ($8.8 million)
#5 "Going the Distance" ($8.6 million)
As people said goodbye to summer across the country, box-office activity was relatively quiet throughout the Labor Day weekend — but many of the moviegoers who did manage to find their way into theaters made sure to honor the "American" way.
George Clooney's "The American" was the weekend's first-place finisher, yielding a respectable if not overly lucrative $16.4 million haul from Friday through Monday. The film got a head start on the competition with its Wednesday opening, bringing the moderately priced thriller's total to $19.5 million in less than a week. Made on a reported $20 million budget, "The American" is nothing short of a modest success.
Hot on the heels of "The American" was "Machete," the self-professed Mexploitation revenge flick from the deliciously deranged mind of co-director, producer and writer Robert Rodriguez. An extended version of the trailer filmed for Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's "Grindhouse," the Danny Trejo-starring "Machete" sliced and diced its way to a $14 million debut. Just like "The American," "Machete" is virtually guaranteed to recoup its $20 million production budget, and the door is wide open for possible sequels to the R-rated action movie down the line.
Rounding out the weekend's newcomers was "Going the Distance," Drew Barrymore and Justin Long's romantic comedy about a couple's struggle to maintain a long-distance relationship. Long and Barrymore's chemistry wasn't enough to go the distance, however, with the rom-com settling for an $8.6 million fifth-place finish.
Last weekend's top performers "Takers" and "The Last Exorcism" proved their staying power with $13.5 million and $8.8 million, respectively.
Upcoming Releases
Next weekend sees the return of Milla Jovovich as Alice in "Resident Evil: Afterlife," the fourth entry in the video game movie franchise directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.
Check out everything we've got on "Machete" and "The American."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos
'Machete' Clips
MTV Rough Cut: 'Takers'
Drew Barrymore And Justin Long Are 'Going The Distance'
Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj And More VMA Virgins
Sunday is a big night for these first-time nominees and performers.By Kelley L. Carter
Justin Bieber
Photo: Robyn Beck/ Getty Images
Be gentle with these guys — it's their first time as nominees or performers at the MTV Video Music Awards. Here's a look at this year's VMA virgins and where you'll see them come Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Ke$ha
It was almost impossible to turn the radio on and not hear Kesha's party-happy pop track "Tik Tok" over the past year. (She also did the background vocals on Flo Rida's ubiquitous "Right Round.") The singer is up for Best New Artist, and she'll present an award Sunday. "This is such a monumental thing for me to be nominated, because it really means people do really like what I'm doing," she said.
Nicki Minaj
Lil Wayne's wig-loving protégé will perform during the VMA pre-show on Sunday, and perhaps the mixtape diva will give us a taste of her forthcoming debut album, Pink Friday. "Obviously, this is something everybody dreamed of being part of, and I'm no exception to that rule," she said. "I just feel like this is my coming-out party. This is major for an artist with no album out."
Cascada
Natalie Horler fronts this German Eurodance group, and along with DJ Manian and Yanou, the band will make their VMA debut Sunday. They'll be competing in the newly revamped Dance Music Video category. Earlier this year, it was announced that they were the second-most-downloaded dance artists of all time. Who's the most downloaded? French DJ David Guetta, which brings us to our next rookie ...
David Guetta
The French DJ is responsible for sweating up dance floors, both international and domestic, and he finally nabs his first VMA for "Sexy Chick," featuring Akon.
B.o.B
The Atlanta rapper is up for five VMAs, and he'll take the stage for the first time.
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine's Florence Welch is bringing her funked-out, soulful vocals to the VMA stage this year, where she's up for four awards.
Jason Derülo
The pop singer feels like he already won at the VMAs. Last year, he attended the awards, but he sat in the back of the house. "This year, I'm nominated for two awards. It's incredible," said the singer, who has opened for Lady Gaga. "I've watched these awards my whole entire life, so to finally be a part of it is a dream come true. Pinch me, please." Derülo will be taking the stage with VMA house artist Deadmau5.
Justin Bieber
Bieber presented a VMA with Ke$ha at the 2009 show, but this year, he's up for Best New Artist and is set to perform.
Deadmau5
In case you're wondering, it's pronounced "dead mouse" (real name: Joel Thomas Zimmerman), and he's a Canadian house producer. He'll be working as this year's house artist.
Chelsea Handler
The comedian is the first woman to host the VMAs since 1994. Prepare for laughter beyond belief from the E! talk-show hostess.
Drake
The Toronto rapper (and Lil Wayne protégé) is up for three Moonmen; he'll also perform at the VMAs for the first time.
Robyn
Fresh off a tour with Kelis, Robyn, a Swedish pop singer, will perform with deadmau5 on Sunday at the VMAs.
Bruno Mars
Up for one VMA (along with collaborator B.o.B), Bruno Mars will also perform for the first time at the VMAs.
Who's your favorite VMA virgin? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Be gentle with these guys — it's their first time as nominees or performers at the MTV Video Music Awards. Here's a look at this year's VMA virgins and where you'll see them come Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Ke$ha
It was almost impossible to turn the radio on and not hear Kesha's party-happy pop track "Tik Tok" over the past year. (She also did the background vocals on Flo Rida's ubiquitous "Right Round.") The singer is up for Best New Artist, and she'll present an award Sunday. "This is such a monumental thing for me to be nominated, because it really means people do really like what I'm doing," she said.
Nicki Minaj
Lil Wayne's wig-loving protégé will perform during the VMA pre-show on Sunday, and perhaps the mixtape diva will give us a taste of her forthcoming debut album, Pink Friday. "Obviously, this is something everybody dreamed of being part of, and I'm no exception to that rule," she said. "I just feel like this is my coming-out party. This is major for an artist with no album out."
Cascada
Natalie Horler fronts this German Eurodance group, and along with DJ Manian and Yanou, the band will make their VMA debut Sunday. They'll be competing in the newly revamped Dance Music Video category. Earlier this year, it was announced that they were the second-most-downloaded dance artists of all time. Who's the most downloaded? French DJ David Guetta, which brings us to our next rookie ...
David Guetta
The French DJ is responsible for sweating up dance floors, both international and domestic, and he finally nabs his first VMA for "Sexy Chick," featuring Akon.
B.o.B
The Atlanta rapper is up for five VMAs, and he'll take the stage for the first time.
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine's Florence Welch is bringing her funked-out, soulful vocals to the VMA stage this year, where she's up for four awards.
Jason Derülo
The pop singer feels like he already won at the VMAs. Last year, he attended the awards, but he sat in the back of the house. "This year, I'm nominated for two awards. It's incredible," said the singer, who has opened for Lady Gaga. "I've watched these awards my whole entire life, so to finally be a part of it is a dream come true. Pinch me, please." Derülo will be taking the stage with VMA house artist Deadmau5.
Justin Bieber
Bieber presented a VMA with Ke$ha at the 2009 show, but this year, he's up for Best New Artist and is set to perform.
Deadmau5
In case you're wondering, it's pronounced "dead mouse" (real name: Joel Thomas Zimmerman), and he's a Canadian house producer. He'll be working as this year's house artist.
Chelsea Handler
The comedian is the first woman to host the VMAs since 1994. Prepare for laughter beyond belief from the E! talk-show hostess.
Drake
The Toronto rapper (and Lil Wayne protégé) is up for three Moonmen; he'll also perform at the VMAs for the first time.
Robyn
Fresh off a tour with Kelis, Robyn, a Swedish pop singer, will perform with deadmau5 on Sunday at the VMAs.
Bruno Mars
Up for one VMA (along with collaborator B.o.B), Bruno Mars will also perform for the first time at the VMAs.
Who's your favorite VMA virgin? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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'In My Head' Director Braved Blizzard To Shoot Jason Derulo Video
'You'll probably have to direct this video by Skype,' Kai Crawford recalls being told about Justin Timberlake-inspired Best Male Video nominee.By Jayson Rodriguez
Jason Derülo in his "In My Head" music video
Photo: Warner Bros. Records
Jason Derülo turns up the heat in his steamy video for "In My Head," but the mercury was plummeting when production on the upstart singer's visual was slated to begin. With temperatures on the East Coast falling, L.A.-bound director Kai Crawford nearly had to oversee the clip via satellite as snow blanketed New York City.
Not the way he planned on handling the video, which has been nominated for Best Male Video at this year's VMAs. (Derülo is also up for Best New Artist.)
"It was like the coldest day of the year, it seemed like," Crawford explained to MTV News. "It's funny. I traveled from New York and I got snowed in, 'cause it was a blizzard, like, four or five days before Christmas, which for me, was two days before the shoot. I got snowed in. The [video's] commissioner got so scared, she told me, 'You'll probably have to direct this video by Skype.' "
Crawford's flight to Los Angeles was postponed and the airport in New York was just about shut down. But the director made the trip to JFK International Airport anyway in the hopes of catching a flight. His determination was rewarded when after a few hours Delta Airlines re-opened and Crawford was able to book another flight. With his old ticket refunded, the director bought a new ticket ASAP and headed to California.
Crawford and Derülo then sought to create an homage to Justin Timberlake's Diane Martel-helmed clip for "Like I Love You." According to Crawford, the concept of Derülo's clip was the "party after the party" in the parking lot. With the Miami singer's moves and his crooning, they were able to accomplish that goal.
The only problem?
"It was like the coldest day in L.A.," Crawford recalled, laughing.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Jason Derülo in his "In My Head" music video
Photo: Warner Bros. Records
Jason Derülo turns up the heat in his steamy video for "In My Head," but the mercury was plummeting when production on the upstart singer's visual was slated to begin. With temperatures on the East Coast falling, L.A.-bound director Kai Crawford nearly had to oversee the clip via satellite as snow blanketed New York City.
Not the way he planned on handling the video, which has been nominated for Best Male Video at this year's VMAs. (Derülo is also up for Best New Artist.)
"It was like the coldest day of the year, it seemed like," Crawford explained to MTV News. "It's funny. I traveled from New York and I got snowed in, 'cause it was a blizzard, like, four or five days before Christmas, which for me, was two days before the shoot. I got snowed in. The [video's] commissioner got so scared, she told me, 'You'll probably have to direct this video by Skype.' "
Crawford's flight to Los Angeles was postponed and the airport in New York was just about shut down. But the director made the trip to JFK International Airport anyway in the hopes of catching a flight. His determination was rewarded when after a few hours Delta Airlines re-opened and Crawford was able to book another flight. With his old ticket refunded, the director bought a new ticket ASAP and headed to California.
Crawford and Derülo then sought to create an homage to Justin Timberlake's Diane Martel-helmed clip for "Like I Love You." According to Crawford, the concept of Derülo's clip was the "party after the party" in the parking lot. With the Miami singer's moves and his crooning, they were able to accomplish that goal.
The only problem?
"It was like the coldest day in L.A.," Crawford recalled, laughing.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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First Look: Gwyneth Paltrow And Leighton Meester In 'Country Song'
I've been waiting to see this: Gwyneth Paltrow as a country singer. Here's the first trailer from her and Leighton Meester's new film, 'Country Strong.'
Garrett Hedlund and Tim McGraw also star in the film.
What do you think?
Garrett Hedlund and Tim McGraw also star in the film.
What do you think?
Gearing Up For The 2010 VMAs!
Check here for news on performers, presenters, nominees and more leading up to this year's big show!
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage
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Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage
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Beyoncé - Sweet Dreams
Sweet Dreams
Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Adria Petty
Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce
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Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville Gina Carano Gina Gershon
Photos | MTV News' 2009 Men Of The Year: #1 Michael Jackson
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Photos | Lady Gaga Leads The 2010 VMA Nominees
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Thursday, September 9, 2010
Photos | Lady Gaga Leads The 2010 VMA Nominees
Lady Gaga Leads The 2010 VMA Nominees
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Britney Spears On Working With Lady Gaga: 'Anything's Possible'
Singer poses on manga-inspired Pop cover.By James Dinh
Britney Spears on the cover of <i>Pop</i>
Photo: J-Pop
From schoolgirl to toxic temptress, Britney Spears has played many characters throughout the years. But the singer took a very different approach for her photo spread in the upcoming issue of the U.K.'s Pop magazine by channeling her inner manga character. In the issue, the pop princess dished about the possibilities of a Lady Gaga collaboration and working with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami for the anime-inspired cover.
Despite Gaga overthrowing Spears as the most-followed celebrity on Twitter, the singer had no hard feelings toward pop's newest sensation. "I'm a big fan of hers," she said when asked about working with Gaga. "Anything's possible!"
A collaboration between the pop stars doesn't seem out of the question, as Gaga's mega-hit "Telephone" duet with Beyoncé was originally offered to Spears.
Donning a white wedding dress and a veil with matching gloves, Spears innocently poses in a field of flowers on the cover. In another photo, the singer trades the dress for a leg-baring getup accessorized with a red backpack.
Spears' manga-style shoot was shot by Todd Cole with art direction from Takashi Murakami, who is often referred to as the "Andy Warhol of Japan." While the spread strays from the singer's typical styling, the pop star enjoyed working with the artist. "I loved working with Takashi," she said. "I especially liked how he took high-end fashion and incorporated it with Japanese manga."
The singer's tour to Japan was what originally piqued her interest in Japanese culture. "We looked at a lot of characters and artwork before we shot, so I could get a feel for what he was looking for," she explained. "I was in Japan on my past promo tour, and I loved it."
Editor in Chief Dasha Zhukova spoke to Style.com about the singer's Japanese treatment: "She's feminine, sassy, strong-willed, determined: all the things a great Pop icon should be. Couple that with some Japanese swimsuits and a Rodarte wedding gown, and I think she is pretty much Pop personified!"
Spears couldn't wait to share her excitement for her photo shoot with fans. The pop star took to Twitter, saying, "I just saw the photos for the first time and they are beautiful. Comes out Sept. 1st. Thanks @TakashiPom -- Britney."
Aside from gracing the cover of Pop magazine, the singer has already filmed a cameo for her "Glee" tribute episode and is working on completing the follow-up to 2008's Circus.
What do you think of Britney's manga-inspired photo shoot? Would you like to hear a Britney and Gaga collabo? Share your thoughts below!
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Britney Spears on the cover of <i>Pop</i>
Photo: J-Pop
From schoolgirl to toxic temptress, Britney Spears has played many characters throughout the years. But the singer took a very different approach for her photo spread in the upcoming issue of the U.K.'s Pop magazine by channeling her inner manga character. In the issue, the pop princess dished about the possibilities of a Lady Gaga collaboration and working with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami for the anime-inspired cover.
Despite Gaga overthrowing Spears as the most-followed celebrity on Twitter, the singer had no hard feelings toward pop's newest sensation. "I'm a big fan of hers," she said when asked about working with Gaga. "Anything's possible!"
A collaboration between the pop stars doesn't seem out of the question, as Gaga's mega-hit "Telephone" duet with Beyoncé was originally offered to Spears.
Donning a white wedding dress and a veil with matching gloves, Spears innocently poses in a field of flowers on the cover. In another photo, the singer trades the dress for a leg-baring getup accessorized with a red backpack.
Spears' manga-style shoot was shot by Todd Cole with art direction from Takashi Murakami, who is often referred to as the "Andy Warhol of Japan." While the spread strays from the singer's typical styling, the pop star enjoyed working with the artist. "I loved working with Takashi," she said. "I especially liked how he took high-end fashion and incorporated it with Japanese manga."
The singer's tour to Japan was what originally piqued her interest in Japanese culture. "We looked at a lot of characters and artwork before we shot, so I could get a feel for what he was looking for," she explained. "I was in Japan on my past promo tour, and I loved it."
Editor in Chief Dasha Zhukova spoke to Style.com about the singer's Japanese treatment: "She's feminine, sassy, strong-willed, determined: all the things a great Pop icon should be. Couple that with some Japanese swimsuits and a Rodarte wedding gown, and I think she is pretty much Pop personified!"
Spears couldn't wait to share her excitement for her photo shoot with fans. The pop star took to Twitter, saying, "I just saw the photos for the first time and they are beautiful. Comes out Sept. 1st. Thanks @TakashiPom -- Britney."
Aside from gracing the cover of Pop magazine, the singer has already filmed a cameo for her "Glee" tribute episode and is working on completing the follow-up to 2008's Circus.
What do you think of Britney's manga-inspired photo shoot? Would you like to hear a Britney and Gaga collabo? Share your thoughts below!
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Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror
Man In The Mirror
Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic Records
Director: n/a
Album: Moonwalker
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Director: n/a
Album: Moonwalker
Photos | Lady Gaga's Homecoming Show At Madison Square Garden
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Is Lindsay Lohan Ready To Be A Mother?
Is Lindsay Lohan Ready To Be A Mother?
In Touch Weekly magazine is reporting in this week’s new issue that Lindsay Lohan is telling friends that she is ready to be a mother. Now, before you choke to death on all that laughing you’re prolly doing right now, let’s just entertain the notion that this report might be true (in some strange parallel [...]
Bar Refaeli
Malin Akerman
Mila Kunis
In Touch Weekly magazine is reporting in this week’s new issue that Lindsay Lohan is telling friends that she is ready to be a mother. Now, before you choke to death on all that laughing you’re prolly doing right now, let’s just entertain the notion that this report might be true (in some strange parallel [...]
In Touch Weekly magazine is reporting in this week’s new issue that Lindsay Lohan is telling friends that she is ready to be a mother. Now, before you choke to death on all that laughing you’re prolly doing right now, let’s just entertain the notion that this report might be true (in some strange parallel universe) and just read on for the entertainment value, shall we?
Despite her recent legal issues — and recent reports that while driving she allegedly clipped a stroller with a toddler in it — Lindsay Lohan wants to be a mom! The star has confided to a pal that she’s determined to stay sober and thinks the best way for her to achieve that goal is to get pregnant. According to the pal, Lindsay, 24, hates being alone and thinks a baby would make the perfect companion. She’s seen what motherhood has done for former party girl Nicole Richie and thinks it can do the same for her. “She needs to be around someone nearly 24 hours a day,” the pal says. “She thinks having a baby could straighten out her life.”
While it’s true that Lindsay has — for the most part — been behaving herself ever since she was released from jail/rehab, I think it’s a bit INSANE to even entertain for a second the idea of Lindsay Lohan becoming a mother. After all, let’s not forget the way she was raised by her own mother Dina Lohan:
I mean … is the world really ready for more trainwreckness? Yes, this In Touch story is funny … for a second … but let’s just try and forget that it even exists. I mean, can you imagine if this ridiculous story gave Lindsay any bright ideas? OY! Stop the madness!!!
[Source]
Bar Refaeli
Malin Akerman
Mila Kunis
Drake Has 'A Couple Of Women' He'd Like To Hug At VMAs
'I'm just excited to see all the faces I never met,' he tells MTV News.By Jayson Rodriguez
Drake
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
This is a family network, so we can't print what Lil Wayne wants to do to every girl in the world (you can pick up the Young Money compilation to find out), but Weezy's protégé Drake has a cleaner desire when it comes to the women attending the 2010 Video Music Awards.
Drake
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
This is a family network, so we can't print what Lil Wayne wants to do to every girl in the world (you can pick up the Young Money compilation to find out), but Weezy's protégé Drake has a cleaner desire when it comes to the women attending the 2010 Video Music Awards.
Charisma Carpenter Charli Baltimore Charlies Angels Charlize Theron
Taylor Swift Talks Pretend Nuptials and Music Leak
Taylor Swift dishes to ET about the buzz surrounding the wedding scene in the video for her new single, "Mine" -- and she reveals how she reacted when the song leaked online. Did sparks really go flying between Taylor and her groom Toby Hemingway?
Taylor in a wedding gown, happily clutching a bouquet -- but the nuptials are only pretend, for the video of "Mine."
"The wedding scene in the video has been most talked about because someone got a picture of it while we were shooting it," the Grammy winning singer says.
Taylor in a wedding gown, happily clutching a bouquet -- but the nuptials are only pretend, for the video of "Mine."
"The wedding scene in the video has been most talked about because someone got a picture of it while we were shooting it," the Grammy winning singer says.
Kanye West, Justin Bieber Fans Split On 'Runaway Love' Remix
Remix featuring Raekwon has some pop and hip-hop purists on the fence.By Peter de Saint Phalle
Justin Bieber
Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage
Kanye West forced fanbases to collide on Monday, when he released his Justin Bieber "Runaway Love" remix, which also features Raekwon.
What began as a mere social-networking brainstorm both utilizes the contemporary pop-chart topping talents of both West and the Biebs and incorporates some of Raekwon's vintage verses from "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F--- Wit." So how do loyal fans react when a teen pop sensation, a master producer-turned-rapper and a hip-hop legend combine forces?
For the answers, we've looked across different blogs and MTVNews.com to see fan comments and reactions to the new record. While the remix seemed acceptable to most listeners, others thought the blend of Bieber with the two MCs went together like oil and water.
McShanful wrote on the hip-hop blog 2dopeboyz.com: "I thought this turned out pretty dope. But judging by the comments, this remix is a fail because Wu-Tang fans don't want to hear JB on a classic beat. And JB fans don't know or even care who Raekwon is, nor do they appreciate this classic beat. Nice try, 'Ye."
Readers on both pop and hip-hop websites couldn't see the benefit of including Bieber's song in the collaboration, stating that the current prince of bubblegum pop discredited the rappers' integrity.
"I'm a hard-core fan of Kanye's earlier music, but now I honestly think he will do anything if it gives him some fraction of publicity or money," Leni wrote on JustJared.com. "Justin Bieber? I mean really?"
Legacye wrote on on PerezHilton.com: "Oh ... dear ... lord. That was awful. Kanye's part of the track sounded fine, but Justin's music is just TOO tweeny-pop to fit in well with adult R and B. 1/5 from me."
And though Bieber's collaboration with Ludacris on "Baby" has been a huge hit with his followers, some were less than pleased by this much this harder-edged track.
"OMG !! That is just horrible," KT wrote on on Popeater.com. "Justin is the only good thing on the song, but you have to sit thru that no talent thug mumbling and talking his way thru the verses before Justin sprinkles his magic on the song. PLEASE Justin don't team up with these no talent thug rappers because your management says so. All it shows is how much talent you have and how little talent the rappers have. No wonder they all want a piece of Justin's genius. YAYYY JUSTIN!!"
But other fans were supportive of the boundary-breaking trio.
"The song actually wasn't that bad, and as much as I hate to say it, Bieber sounded a little like Michael Jackson," Ericarbo436 wrote on MTVNews.com.
"A young youth, rockin' the gold tooth!" Börte Petrarchia wrote on PerezHilton.com. "What a great collaboration that was. I think some were uneasy about it when they first heard, but I wasn't. F--- this elitist bullsh-- about who should work with who in music. It's all about creating wonderful tracks, and this is fantastic. Kanye's back, better than ever, so I'm happy."
Rwar wrote on 2dopeboyz.com: "So good I had to post twice. Can we collectively acknowledge how important Kanye West is to music? Who else could make this happen?"
What do you think of the "Runaway Love" remix? Keep the conversation going in the comments below!
Related Artists
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Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber
Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage
Kanye West forced fanbases to collide on Monday, when he released his Justin Bieber "Runaway Love" remix, which also features Raekwon.
What began as a mere social-networking brainstorm both utilizes the contemporary pop-chart topping talents of both West and the Biebs and incorporates some of Raekwon's vintage verses from "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F--- Wit." So how do loyal fans react when a teen pop sensation, a master producer-turned-rapper and a hip-hop legend combine forces?
For the answers, we've looked across different blogs and MTVNews.com to see fan comments and reactions to the new record. While the remix seemed acceptable to most listeners, others thought the blend of Bieber with the two MCs went together like oil and water.
McShanful wrote on the hip-hop blog 2dopeboyz.com: "I thought this turned out pretty dope. But judging by the comments, this remix is a fail because Wu-Tang fans don't want to hear JB on a classic beat. And JB fans don't know or even care who Raekwon is, nor do they appreciate this classic beat. Nice try, 'Ye."
Readers on both pop and hip-hop websites couldn't see the benefit of including Bieber's song in the collaboration, stating that the current prince of bubblegum pop discredited the rappers' integrity.
"I'm a hard-core fan of Kanye's earlier music, but now I honestly think he will do anything if it gives him some fraction of publicity or money," Leni wrote on JustJared.com. "Justin Bieber? I mean really?"
Legacye wrote on on PerezHilton.com: "Oh ... dear ... lord. That was awful. Kanye's part of the track sounded fine, but Justin's music is just TOO tweeny-pop to fit in well with adult R and B. 1/5 from me."
And though Bieber's collaboration with Ludacris on "Baby" has been a huge hit with his followers, some were less than pleased by this much this harder-edged track.
"OMG !! That is just horrible," KT wrote on on Popeater.com. "Justin is the only good thing on the song, but you have to sit thru that no talent thug mumbling and talking his way thru the verses before Justin sprinkles his magic on the song. PLEASE Justin don't team up with these no talent thug rappers because your management says so. All it shows is how much talent you have and how little talent the rappers have. No wonder they all want a piece of Justin's genius. YAYYY JUSTIN!!"
But other fans were supportive of the boundary-breaking trio.
"The song actually wasn't that bad, and as much as I hate to say it, Bieber sounded a little like Michael Jackson," Ericarbo436 wrote on MTVNews.com.
"A young youth, rockin' the gold tooth!" Börte Petrarchia wrote on PerezHilton.com. "What a great collaboration that was. I think some were uneasy about it when they first heard, but I wasn't. F--- this elitist bullsh-- about who should work with who in music. It's all about creating wonderful tracks, and this is fantastic. Kanye's back, better than ever, so I'm happy."
Rwar wrote on 2dopeboyz.com: "So good I had to post twice. Can we collectively acknowledge how important Kanye West is to music? Who else could make this happen?"
What do you think of the "Runaway Love" remix? Keep the conversation going in the comments below!
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Ke$ha - Blah Blah Blah
Blah Blah Blah
Artist: Ke$ha
Label: RCA
Director: Brendan Malloy
Album: Animal [Clean]
Artist: Ke$ha
Label: RCA
Director: Brendan Malloy
Album: Animal [Clean]
Fantasia: I Just Wanted To Be Away From the Noise
Fantasia says she was "overloaded" when she overdosed and "just wanted to be away from the noise."
Making an appearance on "Good Morning America," the "American Idol" winner reveals things are going much better after her release from the hospital.
Of her much publicized overdose, she said, "It just became heavy to me to the point I just wanted to be away from the noise." Recent claims that she broke up a relationship by having an affair with a married man took their toll on the singer, but she says it was much more that drove her to attempt suicide.
Making an appearance on "Good Morning America," the "American Idol" winner reveals things are going much better after her release from the hospital.
Of her much publicized overdose, she said, "It just became heavy to me to the point I just wanted to be away from the noise." Recent claims that she broke up a relationship by having an affair with a married man took their toll on the singer, but she says it was much more that drove her to attempt suicide.
Lindsay Lohan Checks In, Ciaos Down
Checking in with Lindsay Lohan today and we get to see new photos of L. Lo dutifully checking in with her probation officer in Santa Monica, CA as ordered by the court. As you can see, Lindsay was dressed for the cooler weather than has been plaguing SoCal this week as she sported a bright [...]
Thalía Thandie Newton The Avatars of Second Life The Pussycat Dolls
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
British ?GQ? Honors The Men Of The Year For 2010
British GQ magazine hosted their annual Men of the Year Awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London, England last night and brought out only THE most fashionable and stylish men in town … and Alice Cooper. Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals last night: Honorees this year included Dizzy [...]
British ?GQ? Honors The Men Of The Year For 2010
British GQ magazine hosted their annual Men of the Year Awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London, England last night and brought out only THE most fashionable and stylish men in town … and Alice Cooper. Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals last night: Honorees this year included Dizzy [...]
New Treatment Center Encourages Clients to Rock Out on Premesis
Roll over Betty Ford and tell Promises the news. A new rehab center in South Central, Pennsylvania called Clarity Way is providing its clients the use of an in-house recording studio and a music therapist. So now drug-addled artists can try to get clean and be productive at the same time.
The studio, which is equipped [...]
The studio, which is equipped [...]
Photos | 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Trailer Frames
'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Trailer Frames
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College Football, 'Machete' Micro-Reviews, Milla Jovovich As A Thundercat In Today's Twitter-Wood
NCAA college football re-entered Twitter-Wood this weekend, and though the Boise State game last night dominated posting, Marlon Wayans sounded off today about news that Reggie Bush could be stripped of his 2005 Heisman Trophy.
Revelations abounded as well. Milla Jovovich announced which Thundercat character she'd love to play on the big screen (her choice should [...]
Revelations abounded as well. Milla Jovovich announced which Thundercat character she'd love to play on the big screen (her choice should [...]
Beyoncé - Video Phone (Extended Remix)
Video Phone (Extended Remix)
Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Hype Williams
Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce
Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Hype Williams
Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce
Chris Brown's BET Awards MJ Tribute Was 'Spectacular,' Jermaine Jackson Says
'He deserves to perform, because it's healing for him,' Michael Jackson's brother tells 'Extra.'By Gil Kaufman
Chris Brown performs during the 2010 BET Awards on Sunday
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Chris Brown wasn't the only one getting misty-eyed at Sunday night's BET Awards during his tribute to Michael Jackson. The King of Pop's older brother, Jermaine, told "Extra" that he was also overcome with emotion during the dance routine, in which Brown paid homage to some of MJ's most famous moves and then attempted to sing "Man in the Mirror" before being overcome with emotion and weeping onstage.
"To see [Chris'] performance, it was very emotional for me, because it was an acceptance from his fans from what has happened to him and also paying tribute to my brother," Jermaine said. "It was just a spectacular moment."
Fans and critics have been split on the performance, which some saw as the bursting of an emotional dam for the singer, making his first major public appearance since he pleaded guilty to felony assault in his assault of former girlfriend Rihanna last June. Others speculated that Brown may have manufactured the tears to gain sympathy from fans who abandoned him in the wake of the Rihanna attack.
Jermaine Jackson said he thought Brown — a longtime devotee of Michael's and, at one point, considered a modern heir to the R&B throne — had every right to pay homage to his brother. "He deserves to perform, because it's healing for him," Jermaine said. "How can he learn from his mistakes if you don't give him a chance? He needs that. I love Rihanna, and I'm not supporting what he did, but I support him [as a singer] 100 percent. ... I'm just very emotional just knowing what has happened. Chris Brown is a human being, and we all make mistakes. We can't condemn him for what has happened. We hope he has learned from it."
Brown hasn't made any public statements since the BET performance, but on Monday, he did tweet, "My fans are my world," a follow-up to a message earlier in the day when he wrote, "I Love you ... (ever single one of #teambreezy)."
What did you think of Chris Brown's emotional performance? Let us know in the comments.
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Chris Brown performs during the 2010 BET Awards on Sunday
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Chris Brown wasn't the only one getting misty-eyed at Sunday night's BET Awards during his tribute to Michael Jackson. The King of Pop's older brother, Jermaine, told "Extra" that he was also overcome with emotion during the dance routine, in which Brown paid homage to some of MJ's most famous moves and then attempted to sing "Man in the Mirror" before being overcome with emotion and weeping onstage.
"To see [Chris'] performance, it was very emotional for me, because it was an acceptance from his fans from what has happened to him and also paying tribute to my brother," Jermaine said. "It was just a spectacular moment."
Fans and critics have been split on the performance, which some saw as the bursting of an emotional dam for the singer, making his first major public appearance since he pleaded guilty to felony assault in his assault of former girlfriend Rihanna last June. Others speculated that Brown may have manufactured the tears to gain sympathy from fans who abandoned him in the wake of the Rihanna attack.
Jermaine Jackson said he thought Brown — a longtime devotee of Michael's and, at one point, considered a modern heir to the R&B throne — had every right to pay homage to his brother. "He deserves to perform, because it's healing for him," Jermaine said. "How can he learn from his mistakes if you don't give him a chance? He needs that. I love Rihanna, and I'm not supporting what he did, but I support him [as a singer] 100 percent. ... I'm just very emotional just knowing what has happened. Chris Brown is a human being, and we all make mistakes. We can't condemn him for what has happened. We hope he has learned from it."
Brown hasn't made any public statements since the BET performance, but on Monday, he did tweet, "My fans are my world," a follow-up to a message earlier in the day when he wrote, "I Love you ... (ever single one of #teambreezy)."
What did you think of Chris Brown's emotional performance? Let us know in the comments.
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Lady Gaga Redefines Pop: A VMA Cheat Sheet!
Since the 2009 VMAs, Gaga has become an international sensation.By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga at the 2009 VMAs
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
With a whopping 13 nominations, Lady Gaga is bound to take home at least a Moonman or two when the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards go live September 12.
Lady Gaga at the 2009 VMAs
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
With a whopping 13 nominations, Lady Gaga is bound to take home at least a Moonman or two when the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards go live September 12.
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'Jersey Shore,' 'Glee' Casts To Present At 2010 VMAs
Mary J. Blige, Swizz Beatz to perform with Drake, while Bruno Mars also hits Video Music Awards stage on Sunday.By Jocelyn Vena
The cast of "Jersey Shore"
Photo: MTV
The 2010 VMAs may be going live in Los Angeles this year, but MTV viewers will get a glimpse of Seaside Heights when the cast of "Jersey Shore" appears to present on Sunday. But it's not all "GTL" at the MTV Video Music Awards: The show just got a bit more "Glee"-ful, as castmembers of the hit Fox show, including Jane Lynch, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer and Amber Riley will also be on hand to present on Sunday.
And those aren't the only big names just added to the presenters list. TV talk-show maven and former "American Idol" host Ellen DeGeneres (who will tape an episode of her show at the VMAs), "Burlesque" star Cher, VMA-nominated Katy Perry, "Star Trek" star Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, the cast of "Jackass" including Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and Steve-O are all presenting, along with reality-show starlet Kim Kardashian and Romeo of the Latin music sensation Aventura.
Before the VMAs kick off at 9 p.m. ET, "Hills" star and newly named "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Audrina Patridge will be the official MTV International red-carpet guest correspondent. Nicki Minaj will take the stage during the pre-show portion of the ceremony, while model Coco Rocha will host MTV.com's "Red Carpet Report."
As if all of that wasn't news enough, an already star-studded performance lineup has just gotten more so: Bruno Mars will perform, while Mary J Blige and Swizz Beatz will hit the stage with Drake. This latest round of celebrities joins previously announced performers including Eminem, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, Linkin Park and Usher.
Those VMA acts should more than meet the show's musical expectations, especially since host Chelsea Handler has said she won't be doing any singing or dancing on the Nokia Theatre stage.
"I'm not a dancer and I'm not a singer, and I don't have the kind of ass that should be mooned. I mean it's sweet, it's a sweet ass, but it's little and it's white," she joked. "I'm there to be funny, kind of, so hopefully I'll just kind of be doing that."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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The cast of "Jersey Shore"
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The 2010 VMAs may be going live in Los Angeles this year, but MTV viewers will get a glimpse of Seaside Heights when the cast of "Jersey Shore" appears to present on Sunday. But it's not all "GTL" at the MTV Video Music Awards: The show just got a bit more "Glee"-ful, as castmembers of the hit Fox show, including Jane Lynch, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer and Amber Riley will also be on hand to present on Sunday.
And those aren't the only big names just added to the presenters list. TV talk-show maven and former "American Idol" host Ellen DeGeneres (who will tape an episode of her show at the VMAs), "Burlesque" star Cher, VMA-nominated Katy Perry, "Star Trek" star Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, the cast of "Jackass" including Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and Steve-O are all presenting, along with reality-show starlet Kim Kardashian and Romeo of the Latin music sensation Aventura.
Before the VMAs kick off at 9 p.m. ET, "Hills" star and newly named "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Audrina Patridge will be the official MTV International red-carpet guest correspondent. Nicki Minaj will take the stage during the pre-show portion of the ceremony, while model Coco Rocha will host MTV.com's "Red Carpet Report."
As if all of that wasn't news enough, an already star-studded performance lineup has just gotten more so: Bruno Mars will perform, while Mary J Blige and Swizz Beatz will hit the stage with Drake. This latest round of celebrities joins previously announced performers including Eminem, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, Linkin Park and Usher.
Those VMA acts should more than meet the show's musical expectations, especially since host Chelsea Handler has said she won't be doing any singing or dancing on the Nokia Theatre stage.
"I'm not a dancer and I'm not a singer, and I don't have the kind of ass that should be mooned. I mean it's sweet, it's a sweet ass, but it's little and it's white," she joked. "I'm there to be funny, kind of, so hopefully I'll just kind of be doing that."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Robert Plant And Alison Krauss Win Grammy Album Of The Year
Raising Sand, from Led Zeppelin vet and bluegrass superstar, wins five Grammys on Sunday night.By James Montgomery with MTV News staff
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant accept the award for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
"I'm bewildered," Robert Plant said onstage as he accepted the Grammy Album of the Year award with Alison Krauss on Sunday night. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday."
He was probably one of the few who were surprised, because Raising Sand, which won five trophies at Sunday night's show, is in many ways the perfect Grammy album. It features two respected veterans, a critically lauded producer, some sandpaper-and-velvet vocals and a baker's dozen of time-tested standards.
You're probably familiar with Robert Plant from his Led Zeppelin days, and you might be aware of producer T-Bone Burnett's work on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack (it won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002). And if you don't know who Alison Krauss is, she possesses a haunting set of pipes and is one of the meanest fiddle players in the world. Oh, and she's won 21 Grammys, more than any other female artist and the seventh-most in history.
Really, she's the key to Sand's success, and not just because of her voice (or her fiddle playing). She and Plant first met in 2004, at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to legendary bluesman Leadbelly, and the former Zeppelin man was amazed by her knowledge of American Roots music — so much so that they began kicking around the idea of recording an album together. Three years later, Sand was released.
And while Plant possesses the more famous voice, the album's finest moments radiate from Krauss. Whether she's getting bluesy on Little Milton's "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson" or entwining with Plant's husky voice on songs like "Please Read the Letter" and Roly Salley's winsome "Killing the Blues," she more than carries her end of the bargain.
And perhaps that's also due to producer Burnett, who handpicked the 13 songs the duo cover on Sand. His arrangements are sparse — giving the two voices ample room to breathe — yet dense, warm and crackling at the same time. It's a testament to his work that he's often given just as much billing as Plant and Krauss on the project ... and it's certainly justified.
To date, Sand has sold more than 1 million copies, heaped tons of acclaim and actually earned a Grammy last year — "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" took home the award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
One expert was surprised not by the album's success, but by the fact that it's actually quite a good album.
"At first, the album seemed like a vanity project. ... Two names, clearly a one-off record, didn't have to be any good, you know?" New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica said. "Led Zeppelin fans would buy it because of Robert Plant, Alison Krauss would get a check. But it actually turned out to be a really thoughtful, really good record. So when you combine all that with the fact that the Grammys love to lionize one of their own, I could really see it taking home some awards."
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Alison Krauss and Robert Plant accept the award for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
"I'm bewildered," Robert Plant said onstage as he accepted the Grammy Album of the Year award with Alison Krauss on Sunday night. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday."
He was probably one of the few who were surprised, because Raising Sand, which won five trophies at Sunday night's show, is in many ways the perfect Grammy album. It features two respected veterans, a critically lauded producer, some sandpaper-and-velvet vocals and a baker's dozen of time-tested standards.
You're probably familiar with Robert Plant from his Led Zeppelin days, and you might be aware of producer T-Bone Burnett's work on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack (it won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002). And if you don't know who Alison Krauss is, she possesses a haunting set of pipes and is one of the meanest fiddle players in the world. Oh, and she's won 21 Grammys, more than any other female artist and the seventh-most in history.
Really, she's the key to Sand's success, and not just because of her voice (or her fiddle playing). She and Plant first met in 2004, at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to legendary bluesman Leadbelly, and the former Zeppelin man was amazed by her knowledge of American Roots music — so much so that they began kicking around the idea of recording an album together. Three years later, Sand was released.
And while Plant possesses the more famous voice, the album's finest moments radiate from Krauss. Whether she's getting bluesy on Little Milton's "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson" or entwining with Plant's husky voice on songs like "Please Read the Letter" and Roly Salley's winsome "Killing the Blues," she more than carries her end of the bargain.
And perhaps that's also due to producer Burnett, who handpicked the 13 songs the duo cover on Sand. His arrangements are sparse — giving the two voices ample room to breathe — yet dense, warm and crackling at the same time. It's a testament to his work that he's often given just as much billing as Plant and Krauss on the project ... and it's certainly justified.
To date, Sand has sold more than 1 million copies, heaped tons of acclaim and actually earned a Grammy last year — "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" took home the award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
One expert was surprised not by the album's success, but by the fact that it's actually quite a good album.
"At first, the album seemed like a vanity project. ... Two names, clearly a one-off record, didn't have to be any good, you know?" New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica said. "Led Zeppelin fans would buy it because of Robert Plant, Alison Krauss would get a check. But it actually turned out to be a really thoughtful, really good record. So when you combine all that with the fact that the Grammys love to lionize one of their own, I could really see it taking home some awards."
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Zac Efron Does ?Wonderland? Magazine
Yesterday we got to check out a couple photos of young master Zac Efron showin’ off his manly new chin pubes in SoCal but today we get to see him in a way we are more accustomed to … on the cover of a fashion magazine. Zac is featured on the cover and in the [...]
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Check here for news on performers, presenters, nominees and more leading up to this year's big show!
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Film Festival Buzz: Natalie Portman, James Franco, Joaquin Phoenix And More
New movies from Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Danny Boyle and others are drawing attention at this year's Telluride and Venice film festivals.By Eric Ditzian
Natalie Portman at the Venice Film Festival last Wednesday
Photo: Danny Martindale/ Getty Images
Around this time last year, George Clooney's "Up in the Air" opened at the Telluride Film Festival and rode that initial buzz to six Academy Award nominations. A year later, another crop of high-profile films have premiered at Telluride and the Venice Film Festival, including new work from Danny Boyle (director of 2009's Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire"), Darren Aronofsky ("The Wrestler") and Ben Affleck ("Gone Baby Gone").
Which films will we be feting in the weeks and months to come? Here's a look at the most buzzed-about movies from both fests.
"Black Swan"
Just days before Aronofsky jetted off to Venice to present his follow-up to "The Wrestler," the director confessed to MTV News that he gets very nervous before one of his film's premieres. "When 'The Wrestler' showed at Venice the last time, I walked out in the middle," he said. "I couldn't handle it. I snuck back in the end. It was not a pleasant experience."
Aronofsky may have been nervous, but "Black Swan" was indeed well-received, with rapturous praise reserved for star Natalie Portman that immediately makes her a Best Actress Oscar front-runner. Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood dubbed her turn a "dazzling tour de force."
The film follows Portman as a ballerina ready to take over the lead role in her company's production of "Swan Lake," until a rival dancer (Mila Kunis) shows up and begins to drive Portman toward madness. " 'Black Swan' is a brilliant mind f---," wrote Peter Sciretta of SlashFilm. "It is one of the boldest films I've seen produced by a Hollywood studio in years."
"127 Hours"
Danny Boyle debuted "Slumdog" at Telluride in 2008, a decision that came to be seen as a wise one, and the critical darling went on to sweep the Oscars months later. Boyle's back now with a true story about a hiker (James Franco) who becomes trapped under a boulder in the wilderness and must saw off his own arm to escape. Like Portman, Franco is being discussed as a potential Oscar nominee.
"[Franco] pulls off a virtual one-man show," said Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter. "The actor already has demonstrated tremendous versatility, and just this year, viewers have seen him as one of Julia Roberts' lovers in 'Eat Pray Love' and as Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in 'Howl.' Here he manages to create a radically different character -- an extroverted adventurer who is forced to turn reflective. Expect Oscar to come calling next year."
"The Town"
Ben Affleck's heist drama does not premiere until Wednesday (September 8), but anticipation is high based on the director's past work and the new film's impressive ensemble, including Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall and Chris Cooper.
"It's hard to disavow a movie when you've written, directed and acted in it," Affleck told The New York Times. "This is an emblem of the person I want to be going forward."
"The King's Speech"
British director Tom Hooper might not be well- known on American shores, but his new film just might be the buzziest one to debut at Telluride or Venice. Colin Firth stars as member of the British royal family who overcomes numerous obstacles to become King George VI. He's joined by Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush and Guy Pearce, among others.
"After several additional screenings and a rare standing ovation Sunday night as part of a companion tribute to Firth ... the film has provoked talk of widespread awards recognition," said The Hollywood Reporter. "While other films also attracted partisans, 'The King's Speech' was seen as having the broadest support across a broad array of awards categories."
"I'm Still Here"
The questions began early in 2009: Just what the heck was going on with Joaquin Phoenix, with that bushy beard and the unhinged public appearances? Phoenix and Casey Affleck filmed the entire unraveling, and now audiences are starting to decide for themselves: documentary or mockumentary? Trouble is, not everyone is convinced they've come to the right conclusion.
" 'I'm Still Here' finally addresses the question of whether Joaquin Phoenix's decision to give up acting to pursue a hip-hop career was on the level or a setup. The answer seems to be: a bit of both," reports Variety.
Affleck, of course, is not exactly setting the record straight, which only amps up anticipation for the film. "Elliptically, I would say ... I sincerely don't want to influence people's interpretation," Affleck told reporters in Venice, according to The Associated Press. "I can tell you there is no hoax. It makes me think of 'Candid Camera' or something."
From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more -- updated around the clock -- visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Natalie Portman at the Venice Film Festival last Wednesday
Photo: Danny Martindale/ Getty Images
Around this time last year, George Clooney's "Up in the Air" opened at the Telluride Film Festival and rode that initial buzz to six Academy Award nominations. A year later, another crop of high-profile films have premiered at Telluride and the Venice Film Festival, including new work from Danny Boyle (director of 2009's Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire"), Darren Aronofsky ("The Wrestler") and Ben Affleck ("Gone Baby Gone").
Which films will we be feting in the weeks and months to come? Here's a look at the most buzzed-about movies from both fests.
"Black Swan"
Just days before Aronofsky jetted off to Venice to present his follow-up to "The Wrestler," the director confessed to MTV News that he gets very nervous before one of his film's premieres. "When 'The Wrestler' showed at Venice the last time, I walked out in the middle," he said. "I couldn't handle it. I snuck back in the end. It was not a pleasant experience."
Aronofsky may have been nervous, but "Black Swan" was indeed well-received, with rapturous praise reserved for star Natalie Portman that immediately makes her a Best Actress Oscar front-runner. Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood dubbed her turn a "dazzling tour de force."
The film follows Portman as a ballerina ready to take over the lead role in her company's production of "Swan Lake," until a rival dancer (Mila Kunis) shows up and begins to drive Portman toward madness. " 'Black Swan' is a brilliant mind f---," wrote Peter Sciretta of SlashFilm. "It is one of the boldest films I've seen produced by a Hollywood studio in years."
"127 Hours"
Danny Boyle debuted "Slumdog" at Telluride in 2008, a decision that came to be seen as a wise one, and the critical darling went on to sweep the Oscars months later. Boyle's back now with a true story about a hiker (James Franco) who becomes trapped under a boulder in the wilderness and must saw off his own arm to escape. Like Portman, Franco is being discussed as a potential Oscar nominee.
"[Franco] pulls off a virtual one-man show," said Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter. "The actor already has demonstrated tremendous versatility, and just this year, viewers have seen him as one of Julia Roberts' lovers in 'Eat Pray Love' and as Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in 'Howl.' Here he manages to create a radically different character -- an extroverted adventurer who is forced to turn reflective. Expect Oscar to come calling next year."
"The Town"
Ben Affleck's heist drama does not premiere until Wednesday (September 8), but anticipation is high based on the director's past work and the new film's impressive ensemble, including Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall and Chris Cooper.
"It's hard to disavow a movie when you've written, directed and acted in it," Affleck told The New York Times. "This is an emblem of the person I want to be going forward."
"The King's Speech"
British director Tom Hooper might not be well- known on American shores, but his new film just might be the buzziest one to debut at Telluride or Venice. Colin Firth stars as member of the British royal family who overcomes numerous obstacles to become King George VI. He's joined by Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush and Guy Pearce, among others.
"After several additional screenings and a rare standing ovation Sunday night as part of a companion tribute to Firth ... the film has provoked talk of widespread awards recognition," said The Hollywood Reporter. "While other films also attracted partisans, 'The King's Speech' was seen as having the broadest support across a broad array of awards categories."
"I'm Still Here"
The questions began early in 2009: Just what the heck was going on with Joaquin Phoenix, with that bushy beard and the unhinged public appearances? Phoenix and Casey Affleck filmed the entire unraveling, and now audiences are starting to decide for themselves: documentary or mockumentary? Trouble is, not everyone is convinced they've come to the right conclusion.
" 'I'm Still Here' finally addresses the question of whether Joaquin Phoenix's decision to give up acting to pursue a hip-hop career was on the level or a setup. The answer seems to be: a bit of both," reports Variety.
Affleck, of course, is not exactly setting the record straight, which only amps up anticipation for the film. "Elliptically, I would say ... I sincerely don't want to influence people's interpretation," Affleck told reporters in Venice, according to The Associated Press. "I can tell you there is no hoax. It makes me think of 'Candid Camera' or something."
From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more -- updated around the clock -- visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Rihanna Debuts New Single, 'Only Girl (In The World)'
Club banger premiered on Ryan Seacrest's radio show Tuesday morning.By James Dinh
Rihanna
Photo: WireImage
After going deep and dark on her last album, Rihanna has returned to the dance floor with her new single "Only Girl (In The World)." The song, which premiered early Tuesday morning (September 7) on Ryan Seacrest's radio show, plays off the title of her Last Girl On Earth tour and was produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate, who were also behind her hits "Don't Stop The Music" and "Hate That I Love You."
On the high-energy track, Rihanna yearns for her lover to keep her at the center of his attention over a pulsing electro beat. The singer's voice remains silky on the verses, then bursts out on the song's monstrous chorus.
"Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world/ Like I'm the only one that you'll ever love/ Like I'm the only one who knows your heart/ Only girl in the world," she belts.
"Only Girl" is a departure from "Russian Roulette," the stark lead single from her 2009 album Rated R. The new track only furthers speculation that the singer's fifth album, Loud, will contain material that isn't as dark as the songs on her last full-length.
Back in June, producer Sean Garrett told MTV News that he was working with Rihanna on material that was "very positive and very explosive. Heavy in the club."
Last week, Ri tweeted at Seacrest a hint that new music would drop soon: "In less than 10 dayz ima send u sumn special," she wrote, "and ur gonna play it OVER and OVER, like I'm the only girl in the world!"
What do you think of Rihanna's new single? Do you prefer the singer's uptempo club bangers or her darker material? Sound off below!
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Photo: WireImage
After going deep and dark on her last album, Rihanna has returned to the dance floor with her new single "Only Girl (In The World)." The song, which premiered early Tuesday morning (September 7) on Ryan Seacrest's radio show, plays off the title of her Last Girl On Earth tour and was produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate, who were also behind her hits "Don't Stop The Music" and "Hate That I Love You."
On the high-energy track, Rihanna yearns for her lover to keep her at the center of his attention over a pulsing electro beat. The singer's voice remains silky on the verses, then bursts out on the song's monstrous chorus.
"Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world/ Like I'm the only one that you'll ever love/ Like I'm the only one who knows your heart/ Only girl in the world," she belts.
"Only Girl" is a departure from "Russian Roulette," the stark lead single from her 2009 album Rated R. The new track only furthers speculation that the singer's fifth album, Loud, will contain material that isn't as dark as the songs on her last full-length.
Back in June, producer Sean Garrett told MTV News that he was working with Rihanna on material that was "very positive and very explosive. Heavy in the club."
Last week, Ri tweeted at Seacrest a hint that new music would drop soon: "In less than 10 dayz ima send u sumn special," she wrote, "and ur gonna play it OVER and OVER, like I'm the only girl in the world!"
What do you think of Rihanna's new single? Do you prefer the singer's uptempo club bangers or her darker material? Sound off below!
Related Artists
Rihanna
Jennifer Gimenez Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Morrison Jennifer ODell
Brooke Shields Hopes Her Girls Don't Become Actresses
Every mother has high hopes for their children, but I would guess that for celebrities, having your kids follow in your footsteps would be a little scary, because of all that comes with being famous. Brooke Shields is yet another actress who says she hopes that her daughters do NOT end up working in the business.
?Recently, my children tried out for a cameo in one of my husband's movies. They went through all the hair and make-up, got so excited in wardrobe, ate the location food and then they refused to go on. And when I asked why, my daughter said, ?I just wanted the hair and make-up!? They obviously don't need approval as much as I did growing up.
?If I had my wish, it would be that they won't want to act. If they do, I'll support them as long as they get an education.?
Hilarious! They are little divas already!
Brooke also says that technology has forced her to be strict with her babies.
?I'm a hands-on mum and I'm lucky to be able to be that. But kids are so advanced these days. It's as if they are more than a generation away from us - maybe every generation feels that. And the content on television is so mature, there is a sassiness to these kids that my girls imitate. I have to rule with an iron hand.?
Do you agree? Are kids one step ahead of their parents?
Photos by Fame
?Recently, my children tried out for a cameo in one of my husband's movies. They went through all the hair and make-up, got so excited in wardrobe, ate the location food and then they refused to go on. And when I asked why, my daughter said, ?I just wanted the hair and make-up!? They obviously don't need approval as much as I did growing up.
?If I had my wish, it would be that they won't want to act. If they do, I'll support them as long as they get an education.?
Hilarious! They are little divas already!
Brooke also says that technology has forced her to be strict with her babies.
?I'm a hands-on mum and I'm lucky to be able to be that. But kids are so advanced these days. It's as if they are more than a generation away from us - maybe every generation feels that. And the content on television is so mature, there is a sassiness to these kids that my girls imitate. I have to rule with an iron hand.?
Do you agree? Are kids one step ahead of their parents?
Photos by Fame
T.I. Makes First Public Appearance Since Arrest
Fellow rapper Nelly joins the MC as he performs at a club in Atlanta.By Mawuse Ziegbe
T.I. and Nelly (file)
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images
T.I. isn't letting his legal situation hold him back from rocking the stage.
Just days after getting busted for alleged drug possession, Tip showed up in an Atlanta nightclub on Friday and ripped the mic. In a
T.I. and Nelly (file)
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images
T.I. isn't letting his legal situation hold him back from rocking the stage.
Just days after getting busted for alleged drug possession, Tip showed up in an Atlanta nightclub on Friday and ripped the mic. In a
Taylor Swift Talks Pretend Nuptials and Music Leak
Taylor Swift dishes to ET about the buzz surrounding the wedding scene in the video for her new single, "Mine" -- and she reveals how she reacted when the song leaked online. Did sparks really go flying between Taylor and her groom Toby Hemingway?
Taylor in a wedding gown, happily clutching a bouquet -- but the nuptials are only pretend, for the video of "Mine."
"The wedding scene in the video has been most talked about because someone got a picture of it while we were shooting it," the Grammy winning singer says.
Taylor in a wedding gown, happily clutching a bouquet -- but the nuptials are only pretend, for the video of "Mine."
"The wedding scene in the video has been most talked about because someone got a picture of it while we were shooting it," the Grammy winning singer says.
Sarah Gellman Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Mutch Sarah Polley
Fantasia: I Just Wanted To Be Away From the Noise
Fantasia says she was "overloaded" when she overdosed and "just wanted to be away from the noise."
Making an appearance on "Good Morning America," the "American Idol" winner reveals things are going much better after her release from the hospital.
Of her much publicized overdose, she said, "It just became heavy to me to the point I just wanted to be away from the noise." Recent claims that she broke up a relationship by having an affair with a married man took their toll on the singer, but she says it was much more that drove her to attempt suicide.
Making an appearance on "Good Morning America," the "American Idol" winner reveals things are going much better after her release from the hospital.
Of her much publicized overdose, she said, "It just became heavy to me to the point I just wanted to be away from the noise." Recent claims that she broke up a relationship by having an affair with a married man took their toll on the singer, but she says it was much more that drove her to attempt suicide.
Jennifer Gimenez Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Morrison Jennifer ODell
Monday, September 6, 2010
Usher, Chris Brown Tease Co-Headlining Tour Online
'What would you guys say if me and Usher went on tour?' Brown tweeted after producer leaked tour in YouTube video.By James Dinh
Chris Brown, Elephant Man and Usher
Photo: Robert Keshishian/ Newscom
With their top-notch dance moves and tunes that make the ladies swoon, an Usher and Chris Brown co-headlining tour sounds like an idea made in R&B heaven. And according to producer Bryan-Michael Cox, it may just happen. This news comes just weeks after Breezy's surprise onstage appearance during Usher's set at Reggae SumFest.
Speculation began when Cox revealed during Jermaine Dupri's "Living the Life" YouTube show that the singers are planning to tour together. "Usher and the boy Chris Brown are going on tour, y'all know that, right?" Cox said. Dupri immediately replied, "They might not know that." But after the cat was let out of the bag, Cox admitted, "I might've just gave y'all some exclusive sh--."
Once word spread that that Usher and Breezy might be planning a co-headlining tour, the trio took to Twitter to respond to the hype. Responding to a fellow songwriter, Cox seemed to backpedal his revelation when he tweeted, "@rchonore86 I was drunk. Lol. Talking crazy. I don't know for a fact that THAT tour is happening. But it would be dope tho. Lol."
But the R&B heartthrobs kept the idea alive as they asked fans what they think of the possibility of an Usher/Brown tour. "What would you guys say if me and Usher went on tour?" Brown tweeted. An hour later, Usher's Twitter message read, "If you could see Usher perform live with anyone - who would it be?"
Reps for Usher and Brown had not responded to requests for comment at press time.
Earlier this year, Brown's U.K. tour plans were postponed because the singer was denied a work visa on the grounds that he is guilty of a serious criminal offense, namely assaulting Rihanna in February 2009.
What do you think of the possibility of Usher and Chris Brown touring together? Let us know in the comments below!
Related Photos
Chris Brown And Usher Perform In Jamaica
Related Artists
Usher
Chris Brown
Chris Brown, Elephant Man and Usher
Photo: Robert Keshishian/ Newscom
With their top-notch dance moves and tunes that make the ladies swoon, an Usher and Chris Brown co-headlining tour sounds like an idea made in R&B heaven. And according to producer Bryan-Michael Cox, it may just happen. This news comes just weeks after Breezy's surprise onstage appearance during Usher's set at Reggae SumFest.
Speculation began when Cox revealed during Jermaine Dupri's "Living the Life" YouTube show that the singers are planning to tour together. "Usher and the boy Chris Brown are going on tour, y'all know that, right?" Cox said. Dupri immediately replied, "They might not know that." But after the cat was let out of the bag, Cox admitted, "I might've just gave y'all some exclusive sh--."
Once word spread that that Usher and Breezy might be planning a co-headlining tour, the trio took to Twitter to respond to the hype. Responding to a fellow songwriter, Cox seemed to backpedal his revelation when he tweeted, "@rchonore86 I was drunk. Lol. Talking crazy. I don't know for a fact that THAT tour is happening. But it would be dope tho. Lol."
But the R&B heartthrobs kept the idea alive as they asked fans what they think of the possibility of an Usher/Brown tour. "What would you guys say if me and Usher went on tour?" Brown tweeted. An hour later, Usher's Twitter message read, "If you could see Usher perform live with anyone - who would it be?"
Reps for Usher and Brown had not responded to requests for comment at press time.
Earlier this year, Brown's U.K. tour plans were postponed because the singer was denied a work visa on the grounds that he is guilty of a serious criminal offense, namely assaulting Rihanna in February 2009.
What do you think of the possibility of Usher and Chris Brown touring together? Let us know in the comments below!
Related Photos
Chris Brown And Usher Perform In Jamaica
Related Artists
Usher
Chris Brown
Autographed Miley Cyrus & Black Eyed Peas Concert Posters on the Auction Block
Concert posters autographed by Miley Cyrus, the Black Eyed Peas and more stars are being auctioned online for a great cause.
Miley and the Peas are among the big names who performed on ?Good Morning America?'s 2010 Summer Concert Series ? and each of the artists autographed a special poster on the day they performed. Now, all fifteen posters will be up for grabs on eBay to benefit Stand Up To Cancer, a groundbreaking initiative raising much-needed funds for cutting-edge cancer research.
Each week featured one of the hottest chart-topping acts in the country, also including: Alicia Keys, Usher, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, and the top ten finalists from this season?s ?American Idol.?
Miley and the Peas are among the big names who performed on ?Good Morning America?'s 2010 Summer Concert Series ? and each of the artists autographed a special poster on the day they performed. Now, all fifteen posters will be up for grabs on eBay to benefit Stand Up To Cancer, a groundbreaking initiative raising much-needed funds for cutting-edge cancer research.
Each week featured one of the hottest chart-topping acts in the country, also including: Alicia Keys, Usher, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, and the top ten finalists from this season?s ?American Idol.?
Britney Spears - Do Somethin'
Do Somethin'
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: BMG International
Director: Bille Woodruff/Mona Lisa
Album: My Prerogative
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: BMG International
Director: Bille Woodruff/Mona Lisa
Album: My Prerogative
'Machete' Reviews Look Great, But Let's Not Forget About These Other Classic Film Machetes!
Let's get one thing straight: machetes are awesome. So awesome, in fact, that the oversized jungle-cutting blade is getting the spotlight in its very own Danny Trejo-starring movie, "Machete," out in theaters nationwide today.
But "Machete" isn't the first time that machetes have had a prominent role in the world of film ? far from [...]
But "Machete" isn't the first time that machetes have had a prominent role in the world of film ? far from [...]
Ke$ha Has 'Learned A Lot' From Rihanna On Tour
'Tik Tok' singer is 'petrified' of Last Girl on Earth Tour's Madison Square Garden stop Thursday night.By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi
Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News
Rihanna is bringing her Last Girl on Earth Tour to Madison Square Garden on Thursday night (August 12), and that means opening act Ke$ha is feeling particularly nervous. Why? Well, it's Madison Square Garden!
"I'm actually a little petrified, to be honest. It's a landmark in my career, and it's just an epic venue. ... I'm just really excited, and I'm gonna try to kill it!" she told MTV News. "It definitely means a lot for me to be playing there, especially with Rihanna, 'cause she's so incredible. It makes me feel like I'm finally arriving here!"
The girls kicked off the tour earlier this summer, and the "Tik Tok" singer said she and Rihanna have had some fun times on the road together. "It's amazing! She's just a badass," she said. "I saw her yesterday, and she spanked me — always keeping me on my toes. She's the sickest."
With all that time together, have the girls discussed working together? "I would love to. I mean, it's kind of been tossed around," she said. "There's not really much time that we've spent writing and stuff on this tour, because it's been so crazy, but it's definitely an idea I'm not opposed to."
Ke$ha said she's learning tons from Rihanna on tour. "I don't know what she would be learning from me, aside from how to look like a maniac, but I definitely learned a lot from her," she said. "I've only been performing pop music for under a year, so I'm relatively new to the arena thing. It's terrifying, so I really do, every night, watch her, and she's so graceful and so sweet and so badass."
Her best advice? "She just always has such a good attitude. You just have to own it!"
Have you checked out the Last Girl on Earth Tour? What did you think? Share your reviews in the comments!
Related Videos
MTV News Extended Play: Ke$ha
Related Artists
Ke$ha
Rihanna
Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News
Rihanna is bringing her Last Girl on Earth Tour to Madison Square Garden on Thursday night (August 12), and that means opening act Ke$ha is feeling particularly nervous. Why? Well, it's Madison Square Garden!
"I'm actually a little petrified, to be honest. It's a landmark in my career, and it's just an epic venue. ... I'm just really excited, and I'm gonna try to kill it!" she told MTV News. "It definitely means a lot for me to be playing there, especially with Rihanna, 'cause she's so incredible. It makes me feel like I'm finally arriving here!"
The girls kicked off the tour earlier this summer, and the "Tik Tok" singer said she and Rihanna have had some fun times on the road together. "It's amazing! She's just a badass," she said. "I saw her yesterday, and she spanked me — always keeping me on my toes. She's the sickest."
With all that time together, have the girls discussed working together? "I would love to. I mean, it's kind of been tossed around," she said. "There's not really much time that we've spent writing and stuff on this tour, because it's been so crazy, but it's definitely an idea I'm not opposed to."
Ke$ha said she's learning tons from Rihanna on tour. "I don't know what she would be learning from me, aside from how to look like a maniac, but I definitely learned a lot from her," she said. "I've only been performing pop music for under a year, so I'm relatively new to the arena thing. It's terrifying, so I really do, every night, watch her, and she's so graceful and so sweet and so badass."
Her best advice? "She just always has such a good attitude. You just have to own it!"
Have you checked out the Last Girl on Earth Tour? What did you think? Share your reviews in the comments!
Related Videos
MTV News Extended Play: Ke$ha
Related Artists
Ke$ha
Rihanna
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