Hot News 4u: June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

'Thor' Sequel Set For July 2013

Star Chris Hemsworth will return, but director Kenneth Branagh will not.
By Kara Warner

Chris Hemsworth in "Thor"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

Given its mighty haul at the box office earlier this summer, Disney and Marvel Studios have officially green-lit a "Thor" sequel to be released July 26, 2013.

Deadline originally reported that Chris Hemsworth will return to play the titular God of Thunder, but director Kenneth Branagh will not be back, which Disney confirmed to MTV News.

When we spoke with Branagh prior to the film's release in May, the esteemed thespian seemed to be interested in continuing the story of the haughty Asgardian but was cautious about stating outright that he would be 100 percent in to direct a second "Thor" film.

"The prospect of [a sequel] is very tantalizing and fascinating," Branagh diplomatically told MTV News. "I loved working with this group of actors and had a fantastic experience working with everyone in the Marvel family."

At the time, Branagh mentioned the fact that getting a sequel off the ground would require major box-office success and support from the fans — which, with a $437 million worldwide gross, the fans and money talked.

Branagh also added that whether or not he was directing future installments, he was still a fan of the world of the Marvel Thunder God.

"When I first got involved with this, I was so thrilled. The first big, really exciting moment when I started really going through the comic books was all the descriptions of powers," he explained. "I loved it, amazing. People's body weights, how tall they were, what they could do, all of that kind of stuff. There's a vast amount of that from the Thor universe that I'd like to see."

Check out everything we've got on "Thor."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666726/thor-sequel.jhtml

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Beyonc� - Halo

Halo

Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Philip Andelman
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1236911&vid=332332

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Adam Lambert's 'Whole Lotta Love': The Story Behind The Cover

Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.
By Gil Kaufman

Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox

Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."

That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.

The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.

For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.

Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1610709/adam-lamberts-whole-lotta-love-story-behind-cover.jhtml

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'Transformers' Reviews: How Do The Three Movies Stack Up?

Third installment of the Shia LaBeouf-starring 'Bot franchise is getting the best notices yet.
By Eric Ditzian

Sentinel Prime in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

We've now seen "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" — during a raucous pre-release IMAX screening that left our ears ringing and our senses tingling — and can vouch for the consensus critical opinion surrounding the summer blockbuster: It's the finest film in the franchise.

That's the overall take. But how do the three films — including the 2007 original and 2009's "Revenge of the Fallen" — stack up when you're gauging various cinematic elements? To get to the bottom of that question, we have to dive back into the historical record.

The Story
"T1": "The screenwriters, Alex Kurtzmann and Robert Orci, don't bother to explain as they go along; they just pile up the bang-crash action sequences and, when things get too confusing, screech to a halt for some plodding explanatory dialogue." — Dana Stevens, Slate

"T2": "There is much absurd backstory and crammed-in explanation for what is going on and despite much of it being voiced by the thunderous Peter Cullen ... it still gets annoying." — Jordan Hoffman, UGO

"T3": "Writer Ehren Kruger ... had script duties all to himself, and he has fashioned a narrative of ornate silliness — which is to say, pretty good pulpy fun." — Kurt Loder, Reason

The Visuals
"T1": "The visuals are the real stars here. Though they grow repetitive, the robots' transforming scenes — joints bending, appendages stretching, gears whirling — are too cool to ever become boring." — David Germain, The Associated Press

"T2": "The battle scenes are bewildering. A Bot makes no visual sense anyway, but two or three tangled up together create an incomprehensible confusion." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"T3": "By showing a measure of restraint and using 3-D to excellent effect, Bay finally enables the Transformers to emerge as players in their own right, with hopes and dreams, declaiming their philosophies of fate, humankind and the universe in grand Shakespearean style." — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

The Performances
"T1": "LaBeouf has the hefty job of single-handedly injecting the action with personality, and he brings it off, though without offering much variation on his nervous, hipster-squirt charm." — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

"T2": "Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, who are definitely the stars as far as how much of the movie they're in compared to anyone else, both throw themselves into the physical demands of the film with admirable zeal, which is good, since there's nothing else to the roles." — Drew McWeeny, HitFix

"T3": "LaBeouf is highly physical and crowd-pleasingly jerky as the little man and the franchise's centerpiece, Sam Witwicky. If all Tom Cruise consumed were juice boxes of Red Bull, LaBoeuf is who he'd be." — Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

The Bottom Line
"T1": "We knew it would be dumb. But we had no idea it would be so much dumb fun." — Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinal

"T2": "[Though] it has plenty of popcorn moments that can be big, dumb fun (alien secrets under a pyramid, sexy girls who sprout mechanical tails at the worst moments), director Michael Bay's sequel is louder and more illogical than the megasuccessful 2007 original." — Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

"T3": "'Dark of the Moon' is hardly a fleet production, but here Bay makes his best, most flexible use yet of all the flamboyant bigness at his command: computer-drawn characters and human actors seem to occupy the same narrative for once." — Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Coldplay, Led Zeppelin Album Covers Featured On New British Stamps

Album art from Pink Floyd, Blur and David Bowie also included.
By James Montgomery

Coldplay's new British stamps
Photo: Royal Mail

On Thursday (January 7), the U.K.'s Royal Mail unveiled a series of 10 new stamps, honoring the most iconic album covers of the past 40 years.

The albums featured in the new series are the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed, Led Zeppelin's IV, David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, The Clash's London Calling, New Order's Power, Corruption and Lies, Primal Scream's Screamadelica, Pink Floyd's The Division Bell, Blur's Parklife and — the most recent album on to make the cut — Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head.

Meant to honor "the most potent graphic images of modern times, many of which have provided a visual soundtrack to people's lives," the series is the end result of a lengthy research process by the Royal Mail, who looked through thousands of album covers by British artists before deciding on the final list. And, during a Wednesday night BBC Radio broadcast, it was revealed that the queen herself actually approved each design.

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page — who helped design the cover for IV — was on hand to celebrate the release of the stamps and recalled the mysterious nature of the album's iconic imagery.

"Almost 40 years after the album came out, nobody knows the old man who featured on the cover, nor the artist who painted him," he said. "That sort of sums up what we wanted to achieve with the album cover, which has remained both anonymous and enigmatic at the same time."

Of course, any great honor is befitting of an equally great contest, so, on the same day the stamps were made available to the general public, Coldplay decided to give one of their Rush of Blood stamps away. In a message on their official site, the band held a contest to send one lucky fan "a letter using a Coldplay stamp, postmarked with today's issue date."

"We visited our local post office earlier today and bought some of the Coldplay stamps," the message read. "Very nice they are too."

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Ke$ha Is Channeling 'Sexiness' Of '70s Rock For New Album

Glitter-heavy pop star tells MTV News she's going for 'balls-out, irreverent rock and roll.'
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Matt Elias

Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News

Ke$ha's already got the face paint down pat, and, during recent live sets, she's even taken to guzzling blood out of a human heart, so it should come as no surprise that, on her upcoming album, the pop star is taking things back to the most theatrical era of rock: the prop-heavy, arena-spanning heyday of the 1970s.

Ke$h revealed her plans over the weekend in Los Angeles, on the red carpet of KIIS FM's annual Wango Tango concert, where she told MTV News that the follow-up to her breakout Animal album (and, we suppose, Cannibal too) would be heavy on hard riffs and light on pretty much everything else.

"The next album ... I've been working on writing on the road, but as far as a sound, I just know it's gonna be balls-out, irreverent rock and roll," she said. "I've been pretty much in this '70s rock and roll kick and I just want to capture some of the true essence of what rock and roll is, and that's just irreverence and sexiness and fun and not giving a f---, so we'll definitely put a bit of rock and roll in it."

So, does that mean that fans can expect the likes of Alice Cooper or Peter Frampton to show up on her new album? Perhaps. Because while Ke$ha's new album is still a ways off, she's already begun calling in favors, hoping to line up a killer collabo for the new disc.

"I'm trying, trust me," she laughed. "I really would love to connect with one of my idols, I mean, that's my dream. I'm working on it."

What do you think of Ke$ha going rock for her next album? Tell us in the comments!

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Beyonce Takes Fans Inside 'Year Of 4' In MTV Special

Queen B takes fans behind the scenes of the year spent making her new album in special airing Thursday at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
By Jocelyn Vena

Beyoncé in her "Year of <i>4</i>" special
Photo: MTV

Beyoncé released 4 on Tuesday (June 28), and she's taking fans behind-the-scenes of her new album in the MTV special "Beyoncé: Year of 4," set to premiere on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and BET, and at 7:30 on VH1 and Palladia (encore presentations will air later on MTV.com, MTV Hits and MTV Jams).

The special was filmed during Beyoncé's year off, as she set out to discover what she wanted next in her career. It kicks off as B wraps up her I Am Tour, and finds herself at a crossroads before eventually giving into her mother's advice to take some time off.

"My life was award shows and tour buses and hotels and it kind of goes by so fast ... I couldn't even hear it anymore," she says of her whirlwind schedule. "I'm just thinking about the next shoot ... the next video ... the next tour."

Fans are with Queen B as she travels, hangs out with family, friends and husband Jay-Z, and takes time to reflect on her crazy successful career. "I never even realized I needed a year off," she later says. "And I never realized I don't know how to take a year off."

During this reflective time in her life, Beyoncé also began working on her most eclectic album to date, mixing genres and styles to make 4. The special also takes a look at her career as she takes charge of her business. "It was very risky for me to set out on my own," she says. "Sometimes we don't reach for the stars, sometimes we are satisfied with what people tell us we're supposed to be satisfied with, and I'm just not going for it."

4, B's fourth solo album, is a mix of sassy uptempo tracks like the lead single "Run the World (Girls)," soft ballads like "1+1," as well as sassy midtempo songs like "Best Thing I Never Had." She worked with producers and artists like The-Dream, Kanye West and Andre 3000 for the release.

"Being able to take viewers behind the creative curtain of one of the world's most amazing and talented artists, Beyoncé, in the lead-up to her album release is a pure thrill," Van Toffler, President, MTV Music Group, LOGO and Film, said in a statement. "This honest and intimate special provides her audience and fans a rare opportunity to witness a true, musical genius at work and the stories that defined and inspired her incredible new album."

Tune in to "Beyoncé: Year of 4," airing Thursday, June 30, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and BET, and at 7:30 p.m. on VH1 and Palladia. Encore presentations follow on MTV.com, MTV Hits and MTV Jams.

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'Transformers 3' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know

Before watching 'Dark of the Moon,' check out our handy guide.
By Eric Ditzian

Shia LaBeouf and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
Photo: Paramount

Before the second "Transformers" even hit theaters, director Michael Bay was already saying no to a third installment — or at least one that would hit theaters in 2011. It was back in February 2009, a full three months before the release of "Revenge of the Fallen," that Bay said there was no way he'd helm a third "Transformers" flick (later titled "Dark of the Moon") and get it into multiplexes little more than two years later.

"I would like to take a year off," he told us at the time.

But whaddya know? Bay not only ended up agreeing to whipping together the 3-D flick in time for this year's Independence Day weekend, but Paramount ended up shifting the release to June 29 (June 28, if you count the many 9 p.m. showings). How did we get to this point? To understand that transformation — to learn everything there is to know — we'll have to travel back to mid-2009: Hop aboard our "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" cheat sheet:

Reworking the Bay-hem
By October 2009, coming off the poorly reviewed but $836 million-grossing "Revenge of the Fallen," Bay had cleared up the release date issues and announced that preproduction on the next film had begun. Increasingly, it appeared as though the new movie would be the first "Transformers" to get a 3-D release. "We're literally in the middle of that. There's no definitive answer," producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura told us about the chance for 3-D.

But the news about 3-D took a backseat to a rather shocking casting move in May: Megan Fox would not be returning to the franchise. She and Bay had previously shared a contentious creative partnership (remember when she compared him to Hitler and he called her immature?), but suddenly the two had parted ways. Possible replacements for Fox included Brooklyn Decker and Gemma Arterton, but the job eventually went to Victoria's Secret model, and Hollywood newbie, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

"I think there's positives and negatives to her not being [in the movie]," LaBeouf told us about Fox. "It's awesome that we get the discovery again. I think when everybody's vetted and everybody's been through these wars, then that discovery of the first film is nonexistent. It's kind of beautiful in that we get a new set of eyes, a fresh set of eyes for the audience to vibe with. So you get the discovery again, which is something that wouldn't happen if Megan came back."

New "Moon"
Filming kicked off on the still-untitled film last summer. It wouldn't be until the fall that it officially got a title. And the reason for that moniker wouldn't become clear until December, when the film's teaser trailer popped up online. It didn't feature LaBeouf or Huntington-Whiteley — or any of the stars, for that matter — but it did make clear the story would be tied into the Apollo 11 moon landing.

The trailers that followed, one 30-second spot during the Super Bowl and a second official trailer that dropped April 28, didn't help explain the film's storyline any further, but did continue to tease Bay's famous action sequences and the new gorgeous girl.

About That New Girl ...
Speaking of the lady in question, who admitted recently she thought she bombed her initial audition, Huntington-Whiteley's co-stars Tyrese Gibson and LaBeouf assured us that the first-time actress has a lot more going on than just a pretty face.

"Rosie is going to surprise a lot of people," Gibson said. "I have to go on record and say that she did not replace Megan Fox. She's a brand-new character; her name is Carly in the movie."

"She completely owns her sexuality," LaBeouf added. "Which I think helps, especially on a movie like this where it's a blanket summer movie and there are certain requirements of a woman in a summer movie."

Rising to Meet Technical Challenges
Director Bay entered new territory on this third installment by doing away with his preconceived notions and shooting the film in 3-D, which, according to him, forced him to deal with a whole new set of filming challenges.

"It's hard with my style of shooting and taking [a camera] and strapping it to guys who are skydiving off buildings and helmet cams," he said. "It's a technical nightmare. You don't even want to tell your viewers how technically complicated this stuff is."

On the other side of the technical spectrum is the amount of wirework required of the actors for the various stunts and action sequences. The specifics behind why the wirework proved to be so difficult, aside from the obvious hanging around, became very clear when LaBeouf, Gibson and Huntington-Whiteley offered a detailed (and highly entertaining) explanation of the various body parts that get pinched during the process.

"Yeah, I don't like the wires," LaBeouf admitted to MTV News. "Really, you can ask any man."

"All the things cut into the wrong places, put pressure on the wrong bits," Huntington-Whiteley added. "Whatever it does to a man, it also does to a woman."

"Thank God I have a bigger ass so when you put the harness on, the ass is able to help you stay away from the front part," Gibson explained. "It kind of balances things out a little bit. When your ass is flat and you have to have it going over the front, it is a bad day in America."

Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Justin Bieber Vintage Video: His First Meeting With Usher

Justin Timberlake also wanted to sign Bieber, 'Never Say Never' star said in 2009.
By Jocelyn Vena

Justin Bieber
Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News

Just as the world was learning who Justin Bieber was, MTV News caught up with the shaggy-haired singer in September 2009. He was gearing up to release his debut album, My World, and plotting his pop-world domination. In the year and a half since that interview, Bieber has done the nearly impossible, launching himself into the pop mega-sphere.

In the chat, Bieber recalled how he and his manager, Scooter Braun, met and eventually got big names interested in signing the teen.

"My manager found me on YouTube. He flew me out to Atlanta for the first time — I'd never actually been on a plane before. He flew me to Atlanta where i was going to the studio to meet some people," he recalled.

"And Usher happened to roll up in his Range Rover. I ran up to him, and I was like, 'Usher, I love your songs. Want me to sing you one?' The politest possible way he could say no, he did. ... I took the hint. I didn't get to sing for him: He had to run into a studio session."

But later, Usher was beckoning the teen back to the ATL. "He actually watched my videos — after my manager got to talking to him — and was like, 'I should have let this kid sing,' and flew me back to Atlanta where I got to sing for him in a proper setting. A week later, I had a meeting with Justin Timberlake, who also wanted to sign me, so they both kind of wanted me."

As the story goes, Bieber went with Usher, and the two never looked back.

"As far as Usher being my mentor, he's definitely given me words of wisdom. I hear it from everybody, but definitely to hear it from Usher is great, just to stay humble and grounded is very important," he explained.

"There's a lot of people, especially young stars, that have gone down the wrong path, and I definitely plan to stay humble and stay grounded and keep my family first, because that stuff really is important in life."

On Friday, Justin Bieber's 3-D documentary, "Never Say Never," opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music.

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Beyonc� - Video Phone (Extended Remix)

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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Jack, My Narcoleptic Nephew Update

Remember when I wrote this post about how my nephew Jack can sleep anywhere?

Wel, here's the latest:

Source: http://www.prettyinthecity.com/blog/2011/6/17/jack-my-narcoleptic-nephew-update.html

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Photos | The Evolution Of: 50 Cent

The Evolution Of: 50 Cent

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Photos | Photos From Justin Bieber's Interview With Sway

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Usher - Trading Places

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Britney Spears' 'I Wanna Go': A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet

From 'Crossroads' to seashells, here's a look at the references in Britney's latest video.
By James Montgomery

Britney Spears in her music video for "I Wanna Go"
Photo: Jive

Britney Spears' new "I Wanna Go" video is, like some of her past clips, an all-out affront to the pesky paparazzi that follow her every move. But, unlike any video she's done previously, this one tackles the issue with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

See, "Go" is essentially one long dream sequence — instigated by the rote questions Spears is forced to endure by members of the media — and, as such, it's packed with pop-culture nods to film and television (and whistling dogs too). And that fact not only makes it pretty funny, but it sets it apart from most of Brit's other work. And though we've done pop-culture cheat sheets for her other videos, rarely have they been as much fun as they were this time out.

So, without further ado, alphabetized and cross-referenced for your perusing pleasure, here's our "I Wanna Go" cheat sheet:

"Crossroads": Epically bad 2002 coming-of-age flick starring Spears herself (written, interestingly enough, by "Grey's Anatomy" mastermind Shonda Rhimes). In a rare self-effacing moment, the supposed sequel — "Crossroads 2: Cross Harder" — is teased on a theater marquee in "I Wanna Go."

E*Trade Baby: Lippy, fiscally savvy infant who stars in an ongoing series of commercials for the financial company. In "I Wanna Go," there's a baby too, and while he doesn't dispense any trading tips, he does whistle, using the same creepy, CGIed mouth effects the E*Trade ads do.

"Half Baked": Cult 1998 stoner comedy starring Dave Chappelle as a weed-obsessed "master of the custodial arts" (and a weed-addled rapper named Sir Smoke-a-lot), who runs with an appropriately stony crew. Said crew includes actor Guillermo Diaz, who quits his crappy fast-food job in truly epic fashion. The scene is replayed verbatim at the beginning of "I Wanna Go," only with Britney delivering the "F--- you, f--- you, f--- you, you're cool and f--- you ... I'm out!" line. As an added bonus, Diaz also co-stars in the video. Truly the most inexplicably awesome part of the entire production.

"Kill Bill": Ultra-gory 2003 revenge flick written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, it stars Uma Thurman as Beatrix Kiddo, a bride out to avenge her wedding-day massacre. She battles several baddies throughout, including Gogo Yubari, a sadistic 17-year-old who wields a meteor hammer. In "I Wanna Go," Britney uses a microphone in much the same fashion — namely, to bash those pesky paparazzi.

"The Mickey Mouse Club": Oft-revived Disney variety show/ teen-sploitation factory that famously featured young stars like Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling (!) and, of course, Britney. She pays homage to her Mouseketeer days in "I Wanna Go" by wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a Mickey Mouse skull.

Seashells: Hard, protective exoskeletons created by sea-dwelling creatures. In "I Wanna Go," Diaz's character gives Britney a handful of them, and since the majority of the clip takes place in her daydream, we're going to get deep here: In dreams, seashells represent security or protection.

"Terminator 2: Judgment Day": The 1991 sci-fi blockbuster featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular Terminator, sent back in time to protect a young John Connor from the nefarious T-1000. Arnie suffers severe battle damage throughout, including one scene where half his face is blasted off, revealing a glowing cyborg eye beneath his skin. That same scene is shown in "I Wanna Go," though it's the paparazzi who are revealed to be robotic killing machines.

"Thriller": Iconic 1984 Michael Jackson mini-movie that may very well be the greatest music video ever made. It concludes with a famous freeze frame (and subsequent zoom-in) of MJ with glowing eyes and Vincent Price's legendary cackle. Britney pays tribute to the scene at the ending of "I Wanna Go," though it's Diaz's eyes that are glowing. We're not sure who provides the cackle.

Did we miss anything? Share the pop-culture tidbits you picked up in the comments below!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666243/britney-spears-i-wanna-go-video.jhtml

Michelle Branch Michelle Malkin Michelle Obama Michelle Rodriguez Michelle Trachtenberg

Kanye West - Digital Girl

Digital Girl

Artist: Kanye West
Label: J Records
Director: Hype Williams
Album: Intuition

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1230523&vid=429794

Shana Hiatt Shania Twain Shanna Moakler Shannon Elizabeth Shannyn Sossamon

Monday, June 27, 2011

Beyonc� - Ego

Ego

Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Beyonce, Frank Gatson, Sheryl Murakami
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition]

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1236911&vid=391548

Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci Amber Brkich Amber Heard Amber Valletta

Baidu's big play into online travel

After a yearlong negotiation, China?s biggest search engine, Baidu, announced on Friday that the company has reached a strategic agreement with Qunar.com (???), China?s biggest travel website.

The agreement means Baidu will invest a total of US$306 million in Qunar.com, thereby becoming Qunar?s biggest shareholder.

The deal represents the largest investment Baidu has made in its company history.

Source: http://www.cnngo.com/shanghai/visit/baidu-invests-us306-million-chinas-biggest-travel-search-engine-495858

Carol Grow Carrie Underwood Cat Power Catherine Bell Chandra West

Harry Potter, Severus Snape Soar In Early World Cup Voting

Hermione Granger is also dominating in the first round of the MTV News tournament.
By Eric Ditzian

Alan Rickman as Professor Snape in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Don't pooh-pooh Filius Flitwick! That's just one of the lessons coming into focus little more than 24 hours into the epic showdown we call the "Harry Potter" World Cup.

Though the diminutive master of Charms nabbed just a 10 seed in our monthlong tournament, in which fans have been voting online to choose the greatest character in the fantasy franchise, Professor Flitwick has raced out to a commanding first-round lead over his fellow Hogwarts colleague, and number-seven seed, Sybill Trelawney. But voting in the initial round doesn't close until midnight on Monday, meaning there's more than enough time for Trelawney fans to divine a whole lot of votes in her honor.

Other contests seem less prone to an upset. Honestly, what are the chances Harry Potter himself, facing off against Dark Arts devotee Quirinus Quirrell, gets an unexpected first-round ouster from the World Cup? As of this writing, the boy wizard has wrangled more than 95 percent of the vote. His pal Hermione Granger, meanwhile, has garnered more than 98 percent of the vote in her battle with often-salacious journalist Rita Skeeter.

See photos of all of the "Potter" World Cup players.

But that was all to be expected. Early voting has also shown us some characters that could become Cinderella stories. Dobby the House Elf, the adorable rascal who made the ultimate sacrifice to save Harry and company, shot out to a maybe-we-should-call-it-now lead over Gryffindor half-blood Dean Thomas. Maybe now it's time for Dobby, who's always been the servant until now, to lead a fan-supported charge. Yet the floppy-eared elf could well run up against Severus Snape, who himself is dominating a first-round matchup with Death Eater spawn Vincent Crabbe, in the Sweet 16.

Snape, as "Potter" buffs know, has one of the most complex and satisfying character arcs in the entire series. Only Dobby, we presume, stands between him and an Elite Eight showdown with Harry. That's the main action in the Privet Drive quadrant of the bracket. Over in Godric's Hollow, while Hermione is busy wiping the floor with Rita, the phoenix Fawkes is straight up embarrassing poor Nearly Headless Nick. But voting in Albus Dumbledore's game hasn't even started. If you ask us, anyone who thinks someone like Dark Arts defender Remus Lupin is going to stand in the way of a Hermione vs. Dumbledore Elite Eight face off is crazy.

See the full bracket and vote!

Things haven't even gotten started on the other side of the bracket. There's a whole lot of Weasley brawling going on in the Hogsmeade section, not only with Ron securing the top seed but with Arthur cruelly conjuring up a war with his son Percy. But all that may become background noise once Cedric Diggory (memorably, if briefly, portrayed onscreen by one Robert Pattinson) gets in on the action. Even Ron Weasley, he who won the heart of Hermione, might not be able to take down the "Twilight" heartthrob. Voting kicks off Wednesday.

And then in Diagon Alley, we find perhaps the tournament's most competitive corner. Count 'em off: Lord Voldemort, Draco Malfoy (whose Tom Felton has collected two straight MTV Movie Award Best Villain wins), Sirius Black and his murderer, Bellatrix Lestrange. About the only thing we can predict at this point is that Lord V is going to freaking destroy Moaning Myrtle, who might need a new nickname soon. Voting in these matches begins on Thursday.

Who is the best "Harry Potter" character of all time? The "Harry Potter" World Cup will find out! Voting is going on now over on the MTV Movies Blog, and you can also get the debate going on Twitter with the hashtag #mtvpottercup.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666155/harry-potter-severus-snape-world-cup.jhtml

Kristy Swanson Kylie Bax Lacey Chabert Laetitia Casta Lake Bell

Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber Turn CMT Awards Into Crossover Celebration

Kid Rock hosted the show, which featured everyone from Ludacris and Jason Aldean to Sheryl Crow.
By Gil Kaufman

Sheryl Crow and Justin Bieber at the 2011 CMT Music Awards
Photo: Getty Images

You might have done a double-take when you saw the list of winners and guests at Wednesday night's CMT Music Awards, which included trophies for Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber as well as performances that featured Ludacris and a cover of Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie."

But, yes, this was a country music event. It's just that some of the hardware handed out at the show hosted by Kid Rock tipped its 10-gallon hat to the ongoing popularity of the pop-infused sound.

The biggest example of that cross-over success, Swift, took home one of the top honors, Video of the Year, for her clip "Mine." She accepted the prize from a stage in Wisconsin, her latest tour stop.

"I just want to say thank you and hi to everybody back at the CMT Music Awards," she said. "I wish I could be there, but I'm hanging out with 15,000 of my closest friends in Milwaukee. I want to thank so many people — all the little kids who are in the video and their families for bringing them to Maine and being in the video. ... I don't know what I did to deserve you guys, but you've made so many amazing things happen to me in my life."

Male Video of the Year honors went to "The Voice" judge Blake Shelton for "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking," while the female video winner was his wife, Miranda Lambert, for her emotional tune "The House That Built Me."

One of the more unusual names on the winners list was Bieber, who snagged Collaborative Video of the Year for his hookup with Rascal Flatts on the tune "That Should Be Me."

"First of all, I just want to say how honored I am to be here ... with Rascal Flatts," Bieber said while accepting his first country award. "How amazing are Rascal Flatts, everybody? I want to thank my mom. I want to thank my family. And I want to thank Rascal Flatts for even jumping on the song with me."

Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus thanked Bieber right back for bringing the group the "great song," adding, "It was an honor to be in this video with you. What a talented guy. We appreciate it so much."

Lady Antebellum, another group that has surfed the more country side of the crossover wave, scored Group Video of the Year for "Hello World." And the Band Perry, an act that many mainstream listeners were first introduced to thanks to "American Idol" runner-up Lauren Alaina, took the USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year prize for "If I Die Young," as well as the 2011 Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award.

Of course, it wasn't all awards and honors, there was also a hilarious opening bit in which Swift and Shania Twain killed it in a three-minute "Thelma & Louise" parody. In the clip, the two jump in their convertible and run into a perv played by comedian Ron White, practice shooting their guns and run into "Glee" star Chord Overstreet, who plays the shirtless Brad Pitt character. In addition to a gratuitous Donald Trump cameo, the video also featured Kenny Rogers singing his hit "The Gambler" by the roadside and host Rock hopping into the car with the ladies after getting kicked off his tour bus for partying too hard.

There were other highlights, including someone tossing a pair of ladies' underwear at Rock and Sheryl Crow later admitting she flashed hers while getting up from a stool after performing with the rapper-turned-heartland-rocker.

"I'm just gonna address the elephant in the room, because people all over America are tweeting that I was wearing a really short skirt when I sang with Kid Rock — and that when I got up off the stool, I showed my underwear," Crow joked. "Well, at least you were wearing underwear," co-presenter Sara Evans said.

There was further drama when Twain came out to introduce the male video winner and took a major tumble on a too-slick floor while walking to the stage. She got up quickly and regained her composure, later laughing, "I don't need a stunt double."

In addition to Rock opening the show with a bit of his hard-hitting "Bawitdaba" (which was cut off in favor of a more country-safe tune named "Till My Dying Day" that he wrote for Wynonna Judd), Ludacris hooked up with Jason Aldean for "Dirt Road Anthem," the Band Perry played "Love the Way You Lie," and Lady Antebellum did a bit of Prince's "Kiss."

"Idol" winner Scotty McCreery was on hand with Alaina to introduce a performance by Sugarland as well.

Other winners included Sugarland (Duo Video of the Year for "Stuck Like Glue"), Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett (CMT Performance of the Year for "Margaritaville") and Shelton (Best Web Video of the Year, "Kiss My Country Ass.")

Alicia Keys Alicia Witt Amanda Bynes Amanda Detmer Amanda Marcum

Shakira's 'Loca' Music Video Premiere

The Colombian songstress goes raw in this brand new music video.

Photo: Epic

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1648976

Tessie Santiago Thalía Thandie Newton The Avatars of Second Life The Pussycat Dolls

Beyonc� - Diva

Diva

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

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1236911&vid=333569

The Pussycat Dolls Thora Birch Tila Tequila Tina Fey Tricia Helfer

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Artist: Christina Aguilera
Label: RCA
Director: Larry Jordan
Album: My Kind of Christmas

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=509026&vid=55279

Shakara Ledard Shakira Shana Hiatt Shania Twain Shanna Moakler

Owen Wilson Splits From Baby-Mama Jade Duell (Photos)

Owen Wilson has split from his girlfriend and mother of his 5-month-old son, Robert, because he didn’t want to commit. Owen Wilson, 42, and the [...]

Owen Wilson Splits From Baby-Mama Jade Duell (Photos) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/YDDbx69hkb8/

Maria Menounos Maria Sharapova Mariah Carey Mariah O\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Brien Marika Dominczyk

Lady Gaga's 'Edge Of Glory' Video: What Can We Expect?

MTV News rounds up clues about the video, which premieres Thursday on 'So You Think You Can Dance.'
By Jocelyn Vena

Lady Gaga (file)
Photo: Matt Harper/ MTV News

On Thursday night (June 16), on "So You Think You Can Dance," Lady Gaga is set to premiere her Haus of Gaga-directed video for "The Edge of Glory." What will it look like? How will she top herself? Little is known about what to expect, but with Gaga, anything is possible.

As producer Fernando Garibay told MTV News, the song was inspired by the death of Gaga's grandfather and was written while on the road. It features one of Gaga's childhood icons, E Street Band sax player Clarence Clemons, who suffered a stroke over the weekend. "In bed with Mommy thinking about Clarence," Gaga tweeted on Monday. "I can't wait for you to see the beautiful video we made together. He's a really special person."

Clemons performed "Edge of Glory" with Gaga on "American Idol," where her stage looked like a cross between Stonehenge and the Aggro Crag on "Guts" — which could reveal some visual clues about the new video.

As for the concept, a leaked casting notice might shed some light on it. Late last month, a notice called for a "Puerto Rican or Dominican type badass" who "must be willing to kiss Lady Gaga ... Think Enrique Iglesias." The casting call was also seeking "Couture Doctors" who will wear smocks and black gloves, adding "think 'Dr. 90210.' " Other roles include a "male or female on-air reporter" and a group of military men to hold M16 rifles.

Gaga's creative director, Laurieann Gibson, simply teased to Rap-Up.com, "I just know that we'll be feeling very fishy." Fishy certainly was the theme of her performance on "Le Grand Journal," where she donned mermaid couture — perhaps a hint about what fans should expect in the video.

What are you expecting from the "Edge of Glory" video? Share your guesses in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1665906/lady-gaga-edge-of-glory-video.jhtml

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New Led Zeppelin On The Way? Jason Bonham Hints At 'Jam' Sessions With Jimmy Page -- But Not Robert Plant

Drummer admits he doesn't know what will come of 'new material.'
By Chris Harris

Jason Bonham
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images

On Friday morning, mere hours before he was due to take the stage with classic rockers Foreigner at Detroit's GM Renaissance Center, drummer Jason Bonham — the son of late Led Zeppelin kitman John Bonham — told Jim Johnson and Lynne Woodison of local rock station 94.7 WCSX that he'd be an ex-member of Foreigner as of September 1. But that's not the only thing he said.

Much to the delight of Led Zeppelin fans everywhere, Bonham revealed that he's been meeting up with Led Zep guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones in recent months and that they've been "trying to do some new material and writing."

It was the first time since Led Zeppelin announced they would re-form for a single performance (which happened late last year at London's O2 Arena, in honor of the late Ahmet Ertegün, who signed the band to Atlantic Records in 1969) that anyone connected to the band has confirmed publicly that new music could be on the horizon for the iconic rockers. While the bandmembers have stopped short of definitively ruling out such a reunion, singer Robert Plant insisted in the wake of last year's show that he intended to focus on promoting and touring behind his critically lauded album with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss, Raising Sand.

Not that Bonham knows what — if anything — will happen with the new material he's been working on with Page (who collaborated with pop singer Leona Lewis on an uneven version of Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" at the Olympic closing ceremonies in Beijing on Sunday night) and Jones. He said he just shows up and takes his seat behind the kit.

"I've been over [to England] a couple of times," Bonham said. "I've been working with Jimmy and John Paul and trying to do ... some new material and some writing. I don't know what it will be, but it will be something. At the moment, all I know is I have the great pleasure to go and jam with the two guys and start work on some material. When I get there, I never ask any questions. If I get a phone call to go and play, I enjoy every moment of it. Whatever it ends up as, to ever get a chance to jam with two people like that, it is a phenomenal thing for me. It's my life. It's what I've dreamed about doing."

He said it's still too early to tell what will become of these "jam" sessions, but admitted that the "possibility of doing something is in the cards. I really felt it was in the cards from the moment we walked offstage at the O2." Bonham also explained that, before there could be a Led Zep LP, "lots of politics [would need to] get ironed out," but added that recording with Zep is "something I've always wanted to do."

Bonham noticeably didn't mention frontman Plant's name during the discussion. A spokesperson for Page's management had no comment on the matter, and a spokesperson for Jones' management could not be reached by press time.

Leila Arcieri Lena Headey Leonor Varela Leslie Bega Leslie Bibb

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Ke$ha Touched By Fan's Tattoo

Singer tells MTV News about gay fan inspired by her song 'Animal.'
By Gil Kaufman

Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News

Ke$ha knows all about the perks of being a headliner. On her Get $leazy Tour, the singer gets to call all the shots, blast her fans in the face with tons of glitter and handpick which dudes she wants to party and share the stage with.

But it's not all backstage shenanigans and groupie love. When MTV News sat down with the "Blow" singer in New York earlier this week before her gig at Roseland Ballroom, Ke$ha said that amid the nightly onstage parties there have also been some poignant moments on her first headlining outing.

"Best moment? There are so many. Every night's amazing. I have kids outside right now chanting my name and it's awesome," she said of the first leg of the tour. "There was one night a fan came onstage, I invited him onstage, and he had a tattoo of the dollar sign. I was like, 'Oh, that's awesome! Badass. You're part of the cult, man.' "

And then, she said, he began to cry and explained that he was able to come out of the closet to his friends and family thanks to her song "Animal."

"And I'm standing onstage about to sing a song about growing back a pair of testicles ["Grow a Pear"] and I had tears rolling down my face and chills all over my body," she said. "Because that's really the reason I do music, to inspire people to be themselves."

Ke$ha has been a vocal supporter of the "It Gets Better" video project, which aims to help gay, bisexual and transgender youth find hope in the face of teasing and bullying.

The "Get $leazy" juggernaut continues on Saturday night with a show at Clarion University in Clarion, Pennsylvania.

Are you planning to see Ke$ha on her Get $leazy Tour? Tell us in the comments.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662061/kesha-get-sleazy-tour.jhtml

Adrianne Palicki Aisha Tyler Aki Ross Alecia Elliott Alessandra Ambrosio

Thursday, June 30, 2011

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