| Chris Brown To Appear In Court Today Posted: 29 Apr 2009 03:53 AM PDT 'The deadlines will help get something done or prepare things to move forward,' legal expert says of singer's hearing.
By Jayson Rodriguez 
Chris Brown
Photo: Pool/ Getty Images Earlier this month, Chris Brown pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from his February altercation with Rihanna on the eve of the Grammys. Brown is now due back in court on Wednesday (April 29) to make his first appearance since entering his plea. So what can the singer expect as he once again enters Judge Patricia Schnegg's chambers? Well, it depends on a number of factors — both sides in the case were reportedly working furiously to negotiate a plea deal, and a few of those factors favored a deal being struck, legal experts have said. For example, Chris Brown is a first-time offender with no criminal history. Rihanna, it appears, doesn't have much interest in testifying in the case — her lawyer recently said that his client would like to reach a resolution as soon as possible. And both stars could do without additional damaging information about the night in question being made public. On Wednesday, Brown will appear in Los Angeles County Criminal Court for a status conference and there's a remote chance his attorney, Mark Geragos, will announce that a plea deal has finally been reached. Peter T. Haven, a legal expert based in California, explained that most likely Geragos will ask for additional discovery time. Earlier this month, Brown's legal team made a similar request, which in turn allowed them to see what evidence the prosecution held — a court formality. This time, the Brown camp will have to update the judge on their findings and may request more time to seek further evidence on their own. Haven, who worked on O.J. Simpson's controversial book "If I Did It," said the prosecution may argue against the motion which, if successful, could see the judge set a preliminary hearing in the near future — as early as in 90 days, according to Haven. "During the preliminary, which is significant, the prosecution puts the case in front of the judge to convince the judge that they have sufficient evidence to go forward with a criminal prosecution," Haven told MTV News. "The defense then tries to kill the case. [But] if there's enough evidence, the prosecution could then get a trial date." If the case goes to trial, Brown could face a maximum of four years and eight months in prison if he's found guilty, according to an L.A. County District Attorney spokesman. Brown is battling felony charges of assault and making criminal threats. What may prove to be a sticking point in negotiations moving forward is the matter of Rihanna's jewelry. The singer recently requested through her attorney that the jewelry she wore the night she and Brown argued be returned to her. The items are reportedly worth up to $1.4 million, and the jeweler who loaned the Barbados native the goods is requesting she either return or pay for them. According to TMZ.com, sources claim the prosecution is holding the jewelry as a means of leverage against the singer should they require her to testify. Additional sources told the celebrity site the claims are not true and that the district attorney and Brown's team will simply use photos of the jewelry in case, should they need to. If that's the case, Rihanna — who is not required to appear in court — may receive word on Wednesday that her jewelry will be returned. Ultimately, on Wednesday, if the judge rules in favor of a preliminary hearing or an additional 30 days for further discovery, Haven said the timetables will establish dates for each side to work with if they chose to strike a deal. "The deadlines will help get something done or prepare things to move forward," Haven said. "These are target dates that drive deals to be done." Related Videos Related Photos |
| Kris Allen's Hometown Packs Arena To Watch 'American Idol' Posted: 29 Apr 2009 09:24 AM PDT Conway, Arkansas, fans get together for some speed-dialing and repeat viewings of Kris' performance.
By Gil Kaufman 
Kris Allen viewing party fans in Conway, Arkansas on Tuesday
Photo: Gil Kaufman/MTV News CONWAY, Arkansas — He might have referred to Kris Allen's performance of "The Way You Look Tonight" as inexplicably "wet," but Simon Cowell got a rousing ovation when his name was announced Tuesday night (April 28) inside the Farris Center on the campus of University of Central Arkansas as Conway gathered to watch "American Idol" en masse. It was all the love Cowell would get, though. And it was nothing compared to the deafening screams every time hometown hero Allen was shown on the giant inflatable megascreen set up in the university's arena to view Tuesday night's Rat Pack-themed show. The home side of the bleachers were packed with nearly 2,000 Conway faithful, many of them waving the one-page insert from that day's local paper hyping the 23-year-old native son, while others held up homemade signs professing their love for the young man who might want to consider a run for mayor if this whole music thing doesn't work out. Commercial breaks were filled with the sound of Allen's performances of "Falling Slowly" and "Ain't No Sunshine," but when he finally took the stage to sing "The Way You Look," the room rocked as if the Jonas Brothers had just walked onstage with the cast of "Twilight," carrying Miley Cyrus on their shoulders (seriously, it was really loud). With every breath and every pause Allen took during his buttery, languid rendition of the standard, the crowd yelped anew, providing proof why so many of Allen's friends said earlier in the day that they would have loved to join the crowd but simply couldn't take the constant distraction. Immediately after the performance, one of the local organizers of the event encouraged everyone in the room to program Allen's two numbers into their phones right there. "You heard what Simon said!" she yelled, referring to the cryptic "wet" comment. "We need to do it! . Seriously, Simon, what was he thinking?" And though the crowd sat politely as the rest of the contestants performed, when favorite Adam Lambert came onstage there was a low murmur of boos for the one contestant the crowd seemed to think could spoil their shot at collective fame. Along the far wall, a long line of people waited their turn to send personal video messages to Allen, and by the end of the hour, the series of nine long tables on the other end of the arena began to fill up as Allen acolytes readied to wear their fingers out speed-dialing for the singer. Seconds after the show ended, the house lights came on and the cell phones lit up, with most fans double-fisting it and excitedly yelling out their totals. "I've already got 40 votes in!" shrieked one woman barely 10 minutes into voting. Sarah Mayer, 17, barely looked up from her phone as she admitted that she'd never watched "Idol" before Allen got the town buzzing. "He's amazing," she said. "I couldn't believe how many people came out." Her friend, Lauren Rivers, also 17, said her friends at school were talking about the watch party all week, and in the time she was saying how great it is that the town was supporting Allen so much, she lodged 15 votes. "I think Simon's crazy," she said, blasting away at her phone. Cale Mills, 25, an old friend of Allen's who actually accompanied him to his "Idol" audition in Louisville last year, stayed late at the event and said the amount of people who hung around to vote was a testament to Allen. "His character is shining through on the show," he said. "And the community is picking up on that. If they didn't think he was talented, they wouldn't be here." As Allen's performance from Tuesday night unspooled for a third time on the big screen, Mills' words rung true, as all around him, supporters were still working their phones, including some with a cell phone in one hand and a land line up their other ear. "I'm going out next week, so he will make it through," Mills promised with a smile. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Allison Iraheta Makes A Play For The Finals On 'American Idol' Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Check out 'Idol' expert Jim Cantiello's minute-by-minute recap of the show. 
Photo: Getty Images Related Videos |
| Mr Hudson Says Mentor Kanye West 'Met My Music Before He Met Me' Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:06 AM PDT Duo shot a video for 'Supernova,' which they co-wrote.
By Shaheem Reid, with reporting by Grace Jackson 
Mr Hudson and Kanye West
Photo: MTV News What could the extravagant Louis Vuitton Don have in store for his artist Mr Hudson? The British vocalist said that several months ago, Kanye West came into the studio and told him he had a "gift" for him. "A new Jesus piece?" Hudson thought. Nope. "A hand-me-down Jaguar?" Nah. It was a record that had the potential to be a hit. West simply told the engineer in the studio to press play, and out of the speakers came the chorus for a song the two wound up collaborating on: "Supernova." " 'Supernova,' it's a co-write," Hudson explained, sitting in the Beverly Hills Hotel a few days ago. "I think our head space, we kinda overlapped with similar emotions about things when we were hanging out last summer. I think we both could relate to the lyrics, so we built it together. Kanye brought in the chorus. We brought the verses up together." Kanye and Hudson were shooting the video for their song, which is the first single from the singer's U.S. debut. "What's cool is, Kanye met my music before he met me," Hudson said of their relationship. " ... I wouldn't have gone up to Kanye in a club and said, 'Here is my CD, you've gotta listen to it.' That isn't my style. I made my first album in London. It didn't get released in the States, but somehow he got a copy, which meant that when Kanye was in London promoting Graduation, we were introduced briefly. A year later, I was in Paris on holiday. I got a call coming in to the office: 'Here is a contract.' " Last November, 'Ye told Mixtape Monday that his new signee had the potential to be "bigger" than he is. Hudson appreciated the compliment but said it is a lot of pressure. "Yeah, it's really annoying, actually," he smiled. "Now I got loads of work to do to try and live up to that." "Yeah, that was, like, wack," Kanye said of his previous statement. "I shouldn't have said all that to try and put all that pressure on you," 'Ye continued, talking to Hudson. "That's one of the problems. On one hand, when you sign with an established person, you get all the limelight, the shine. On the other hand, you've got all the pressure. Then you deal with some of the baggage. You buy into some of the fans and you buy into some of the enemies. I think he'll be able to surpass all of that with his talent." Related Artists |
| Steve-O 'Grateful' For 'Good Friends' That Helped Him Get Sober Posted: 29 Apr 2009 04:50 AM PDT 'Maybe this will inspire people to do something and intervene on loved ones,' the 'Jackass' star says of his MTV documentary.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Matt Elias 
Steve-O
Photo: MTV News Sometimes your friends kick you in the groin, sometimes they save your life — that's just how the "Jackass" boys roll. Last March, after Steve-O hit rock bottom during a harrowing drug- and alcohol-fueled binge, Johnny Knoxville and many others in the "Jackass" crew of daredevils staged an intervention for their friend and colleague. Steve-O landed in a psychiatric hospital in Los Angeles. Now, more than a year later, he's sober and set to debut an unsparing documentary about his addiction and recovery, "Steve-O: Demise and Rise," premiering Sunday at 10 p.m. ET. "They've been there in the good times and the bad," Steve-O said of the "Jackass" guys in a recent interview with MTV News. "When you go through what I've been through, you find out who your friends are. I got some good friends. I'm really grateful." He can offer such sentiments now, but the experience of being locked up was nothing short of traumatic. "The psychiatric ward was a really creepy place and, hindsight being 20/20, the creepiest thing about it was that I truly belonged there," Steve-O said. Even now — more than 13 months sober — Steve-O must contend with what he described as "moments of absolute defenselessness" in his quest to stay clean and has had to cut loose people who did not have his best interests in mind. "Anybody that's not supportive of me staying sober obviously has to go," he said. "But on the other hand, there are not really a lot of people who don't want me to stay sober. I was a nightmare." One person who always will have Steve-O's back is Knoxville. "We were there before he got into show business, before he was on 'Jackass,' and we were there when he completely, absolutely spun out of control and almost lost his life," Knoxville told MTV News. While Steve-O maintains that "Demise and Rise" is not meant to cast him as a role model, he is hopeful that viewers might benefit from watching his self-destruction and recovery. "People who have loved ones that have really gotten to that point, if this shows an intervention really did a lot to get me on a better track, maybe this will inspire people to do something and intervene on loved ones," he said. Related Videos |
| 30 Seconds To Mars Try Hard So You Don't Have To Posted: 29 Apr 2009 04:50 AM PDT Jared Leto and company are plugging away at an album we might never hear, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery 
30 Seconds to Mars
Photo: MTV News Here is one thing you probably do not know about Jared Leto: He is a hugger. I discovered this on Monday, when I spent the afternoon with 30 Seconds to Mars at Leto's rather amazing home in Los Angeles and was wrapped in his gentle embrace no less than a dozen times. In the upstairs sitting room, down by the pool, in the control room of his studio ... Leto was there for me, waiting with outstretched arms. Seriously, it was like visiting my grandma, if my grandma A) had a decidedly postmodern interior-design scheme and B) were friends with Kanye West. To say that it was possibly the most surreal afternoon of my entire career would be an understatement of epic proportions. And that was before Leto sat me down, stared at me with those steely blue eyes of his, patted my knee and presented me with a gift: a box of steel-cut oatmeal (since I had joked in a blog post that he was killing us with all the cupcakes he had been sending to the MTV newsroom). Oh, and he filmed the exchange for a movie he's working on and made me sign a release form. And this brings me to the point of this week's column: Not only is Jared Leto a tireless hugger and a thoughtful gift giver, he is also totally, completely crazy ... in the best way possible. Because for the past year, despite the specter of a $30 million lawsuit hanging over his head, Leto has been clocking 18-hour days in a bare-bones-yet-strangely-futuristic studio that he and his 30 Seconds to Mars bandmates — brother Shannon and guitarist Tomo Miličević — built and financed completely out of pocket, working on the ultra-ambitious, decidedly weird follow-up to 30STM's breakthrough 2005 album, A Beautiful Lie. They brought in Flood (U2, Nine Inch Nails, Killers) to produce and advise them, even designing the studio to his exact specifications. (At one point, while giving me a tour, Leto stopped and pointed at a refrigerator-size synthesizer: "That's the same one [Flood] used on Depeche Mode's Violator," he beamed. "You have to be a scientist to play it.") They had Kanye sing and play on a song. They held an RSVP-only "audio experiment" designed to cull whispers and murmurs and shouts for backing tracks. And they are making (and editing at Leto's house) a film that will document the album's creation. This is all without the backing of a label — or a firm distribution plan, aside from Leto's steadfast insistence that people will hear the album "even if I have to go door-to-door selling it." This album, with songs that stretch to eight minutes and have the synthesizer overload of Tangerine Dream, is completely self-financed, totally uninfluenced and untouched by anyone outside of Leto's inner circle (and maybe Brandon Flowers). And it is — by Leto and his bandmates' own admission — vastly different from their last album, to the point where fan alienation is a near certainty. So, basically, Leto is making what could either be the most ambitious or disastrous album you might never hear. And he's doing it because he wants to. And really, shouldn't we have more rock stars like this? Shouldn't every album be a leap of faith, a test of wills, a risk of considerable magnitude? Isn't that how great art is made? Jared Leto gets a lot of crap, but really, he just might be the most driven, focused and downright fearless rock star I've ever met. And his band, much derided and long ignored, are the same way: Down in their studio, while no one was looking, they've been slaving away with no real end in sight, working on a deeply personal, completely unspoiled piece of art. That is brave. That is commendable. Of course, keep in mind I am basing all of this off a single afternoon I spent with 30STM at Leto's house. I haven't heard a single note of their new album — just listened to them talk about it, watched them run their fingers through their scraggly beards, rub their bloodshot eyes. I have no idea how the album will turn out ... if it ever turns out at all. But I do know that I wish there were more people like Jared Leto making music these days. We need more certifiable, insanely driven, hyper-focused people to shoulder the load, to take risks and to make art. This is what we should expect from every band we love, yet almost none of them are brave (or crazy) enough to try it. Jared Leto is. And I can't wait to see how this whole thing turns out. Disaster or triumph, at least he tried. Hard. And hugged even harder. Questions? Concerns? BTTS@MTVStaff.com Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'The Hills' Will Be Back Without Lauren Conrad Posted: 27 Apr 2009 11:39 PM PDT The show will introduce new castmembers next season to keep things spicy.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Lauren Conrad
Photo: Miranda Penn Turin Lauren Conrad might be saying goodbye at the end of this season of "The Hills," but MTV has announced that the show will be back for another season later this year without its original star. The network also announced that some new castmembers will be joining the show to keep things spicy. "MTV viewers will find out life in Los Angeles only gets more complicated as friendships, relationships and loyalties are tested like never before as 'The Hills' returns this fall with more episodes of season five," reads a press release to MTV News. If anyone was worried that Lauren's departure meant other "Hills" favorites would be leaving, fear not: Everyone else will be back to keep the drama alive. "Lauren has moved on, but Heidi, Audrina, Spencer, Brody, Stephanie, Lo and Justin Bobby will be back, as the drama continues with fresh faces, new stories and shocking surprises." Of course, the show's resident newlyweds will also be back. "Spencer and Heidi will be newlyweds," the statement reads. "So the stakes are higher than ever before for the two to make things work." Former "Hills" star Whitney Port talked to MTV News recently about why Conrad decided to jump ship. "I think at this point, she's put everybody else and the audience in front of her for the last eight years, so now she decided she needs to put herself first," the "City" star told MTV News. (Editor's note: Conrad actually debuted on "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" in 2004.) "I think she's not happy anymore." Whitney said Lauren was tired of having a camera in her face at all times. "We talked about that a lot. I know she was having a lot of difficulty with it as the season was wrapping," she said. "I think she needs to do what she wants to do. It's hard. She's had her life on tape since she was 16 years old." Related Videos Related Photos |
| Adam Lambert's Cabaret Castmates Stage A Show In His Honor Posted: 28 Apr 2009 04:03 AM PDT 'American Idol' front-runner called in during the tribute: 'I feel the love, and I can't wait to share it with you guys!'
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Grace Jackson 
Upright Cabaret co-owners Shane Sheel and Chris Isaacson at the "Upright Loves Lambert" tribute concert on Saturday
Photo: MTV News Before Adam Lambert debuted his signature yowl in front of Randy, Paula, Kara and Simon, before the judges and the viewing public declared him a favorite to win the eighth season of "American Idol," the 27-year-old California native rocking painted fingernails and jet black hair was just another talented singer trying to make it in an unforgiving city. His venue of choice was often West Hollywood, California's Upright Cabaret, and on Saturday night, the revue presented "Upright Loves Lambert," a one-night-only tribute concert to the man himself. "We've seen Adam perform on 'American Idol,' and all of these people, every single person who has been on [Upright Cabaret], is so proud of him," said Shane Scheel, one of the event's producers. "We've had so many fans of the show come to us and say, 'Is Adam gonna sing? Is Adam gonna sing?' So what we decided to do is just do a whole night dedicated to him, because it's a pretty amazing thing, what he's done." The night's performers included artists and musicians who had once shared the stage with Lambert at Upright Cabaret, including singers from the musical "Wicked" and another Hollywood revue, "The Zodiac Show." Each person sang a song or two that had some connection to Lambert. During a growly version of the Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son," singer P.J. Griffith announced, "Frankly, I don't think Danny Gokey is Adam Lambert's competition. I think it's Elvis Presley!" Before taking the stage, singer Talia Thiesfield told MTV News, "We're a family here. He's like our brother. ... It's a really warm, proud feeling, and we're all rooting for him." Toward the end of the show, Lambert, who couldn't attend because of contractual issues with "Idol," called in to thank the assembled crowd. "I'm sorry that I can't be there," he said. "I'm completely honored by everything you guys are doing tonight. I can't believe it. It kind of freaks me out, I'm not gonna lie. I love you all!" He then hopped off the phone to catch some shut-eye before the next day's Ford commercial shoot, but not before adding, "I feel the love, and I can't wait to share it with you guys!" The crowd, of course, was already sending the love Lambert's way, certain he'll win the "Idol" competition. And when he does, Scheel said, "Every man in America will have eyeliner and nail polish on!" Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Eminem's <i>Relapse</i> Track List Revealed Posted: 28 Apr 2009 01:50 AM PDT Only Dr. Dre and 50 Cent are listed as guests on the May 19 album.
By Shaheem Reid 
Eminem
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Judging from Eminem's Relapse track list, which leaked online Tuesday (April 28), the May 19 album is going to be another wild ride. The character Ken Kaniff is returning, as are a handful of other skits. There's no title track, but there are a couple of song names that might allude to the album's title, such as "Must Be the Ganja" and "Déjà Vu." The track list originally leaked on the blog 2DopeBoyz.OkayPlayer.com and was later confirmed at RapRadar.com, in which Em's manager Paul Rosenberg has a stake. Before the album drops, at least five tracks will be available on iTunes. "Crack a Bottle," "We Made You" and "3 A.M." are already available for download; on May 5, "Old Time's Sake" (featuring Dr. Dre) will hit iTunes, and "Beautiful" will go on sale May 12. Eminem, who is currently on the cover of XXL magazine, continues his publication rounds next month, when he lands on the front of Vibe. Track list for Eminem's Relapse, according to RapRadar.com: 1. "Dr. West" (skit)
2. "3 A.M."
3. "My Mom"
4. "Insane"
5. "Bagpipes From Baghdad"
6. "Hello"
7. "Tonya" (skit)
8. "Same Song & Dance"
9. "We Made You"
10. "Medicine Ball"
11. "Paul" (skit)
12. "Stay Wide Awake"
13. "Old Time's Sake" (featuring Dr. Dre)
14. "Must Be the Ganja"
15. "Mr. Mathers"
16. "Déjà Vu"
17. "Beautiful"
18. "Crack a Bottle" (featuring Dr. Dre and 50 Cent)
19. "Steve Berman" (skit)
20. "Underground/ Ken Kaniff" Related Artists |
| Who Will Go Home On 'American Idol' After Rat Pack Night? Posted: 29 Apr 2009 09:46 AM PDT 'Idol' expert Jim Cantiello makes his predictions, plus you can have your say, in our Newsroom blog. 
Photo: M Becker/ American Idol/ Getty Images Related Videos |
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