MTV News |
- Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Video: A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet
- Justin Timberlake 'In Awe' Of 'Summit On The Summit' Climb
- We Follow 'Hope For Haiti Now' Donations With World Food Programme
- Jay-Z Shouts Out Notorious B.I.G. During Nets Groundbreaking Event
- Alex Lambert Says 'American Idol' Stage Fright Was 'All In My Head'
- Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Style Is 'Amazing,' Co-Star Jai Rodriguez Says
- Lilly Scott Trades 'American Idol' For 'Indie Cred'
- Corey Haim Might Have Been Involved In Illegal Prescription-Drug Ring
- Katelyn Epperly Had 'Pride Issues' With Being On 'American Idol'
- Todrick Hall Was Planning To Dance On 'American Idol' Next Week
| Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Video: A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet Posted: 12 Mar 2010 02:04 AM PST From Batman to Quentin Tarantino, we analyze every influence on the epic clip.
As soon as Lady Gaga's epic "Telephone" video premiered, her ultra-obsessive fans (not to mention even the most casual of pop-culture observers) began picking it apart, frame by frame. It was a pretty big job.
Because while it's a feast for the eyes, "Telephone" is also a sort of "all-you-can-eat" buffet for those who dine almost exclusively on popular culture, full of nods to cult films and comics, eclectic icons, underground bands and internationally famous pop legends, and even the occasional commercial (there are an awful lot of not-too-discreet product placements sprinkled throughout). Sorting through it all is a head-spinning experience, which is why we've done all the dirty work for you. Here — after hours spent analyzing each second of the clip until our eyeballs frizzled in our skulls — is our pop-culture cheat sheet for Lady Gaga's "Telephone" video, alphabetized and cross-referenced for your convenience. "Batman": Classic '60s-era TV series starring Adam West — animated "Smack!" and "Wroom!" graphics call to mind the Dark Knight's "Pow!" and "Zonk!"-assisted fight sequences. "Caged Heat": Prototypical chicks-in-prison flick. Gaga's schlocky, sexually charged jailhouse is ripped right from this 1974 feast of beefed-up guards, brawling babes and naked flesh.
Captain America & Wonder Woman: Iconic crime-fighting comic book superheroes. Beyoncé's stars-and-stripes uniform during her post-murder-spree dance-sequence riff on the Captain's color scheme and the Woman's silhouette. Diet Coke: Refreshing, sugar-free carbonated beverage, dangerous when coupled with Mentos. Doubles as Gaga's impromptu hair-curlers during video's "catfight" sequence. Doom: English crust-punk band that burned brightly from 1987-1990, faded away, then reformed this year. Their logo is visible on Gaga's studded leather jacket during same sequence. Double-Breasted Drive-Thru: Logo seen on cup in Beyoncé's P---y Wagon. Does not actually exist, though it could be a reference to the "Double D's Drive-Thru" made (somewhat) famous on FunnyOrDie.com. Germanotta, Natali: Gaga's younger sister. Looks eerily similar to pre-The Fame Gaga. Also looks eerily like a de-thawed Snooki. Appears in the video's prison scenes. Hermaphrodite: Rumors that Gaga was a hermaphrodite were widespread in 2009. They are jokingly referenced by one of the prison guards who, after stripping Gaga in her jail cell, remarks, "I told you she didn't have a d---." "High and Dry": Single off Radiohead's 1995 album The Bends. Two videos were filmed for the song, one of which is set in a diner very similar to the one in "Telephone." The fact that death (and contemplative drinking of coffee) is involved in both is also noteworthy. Jackson, Michael: Late, great King of Pop. Gaga pays tribute to him by breaking into an MJ-esque shuffle after being bailed out of jail. "Kill Bill": Quentin Tarantino's two-part martial arts epic. Uma Thurman's garish P---y Wagon reappears as Gaga and Beyoncé's getaway mobile. LaChapelle, David: Photographer/director whose hyper-saturated work is clearly a touchstone for much of the video, particularly the scenes that feature Gaga wrapped in electric-yellow police tape. Lava: Majestic female Great Dane, sister of the late Rumpus. Both featured prominently in Gaga's "Poker Face" video and Lava has since worked with Gaga in "Bad Romance." She is visible in the diner sequences in "Telephone." "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels": Guy Ritchie's stylized take on the crime genre. The quick-cutting, sound effect-heavy diner murder scene is vintage Ritchie. Madonna: Undisputed pop legend. Gaga has teamed with her in the past (on "Saturday Night Live"), and her short blond tresses in the prison dance sequence seem like a direct homage to Madge's hairstyle in the "Vogue" video. Meyer, Russ: The campy king of sexploitation cinema. Top-heavy women in lingerie, the mix of female violence and sensuality, the often shoestring-budget aesthetic — all this and more points directly at Meyer. "Natural Born Killers": Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis' serial-killing satire. With the diner's dusty locale, Gaga and Beyoncé's gleeful massacre and the send-up of news media reportage, "NBK" has its bloody fingerprints all over "Telephone." Page, Bettie: Exotic pinup queen of the 1950s. Her short-banged look is mirrored by Beyoncé in the "Telephone" video (and, for that matter, the "Video Phone" clip too.) "Pulp Fiction": Quentin Tarantino's Oscar-winning gangland revelation. From the diner setting to the casual "Honey" pet names that Gaga and Beyoncé exchange, Tarantino's 1994 gun-and-drug-soaked adventure pops up again and again in this music video. Radio KUK: Fictional station heard on the P---y Wagon's radio. Could be an homage to the "Grand Theft Auto" franchise, or KLON radio, the station that makes an appearance on the Queens of the Stone Age's 2007 album Songs for the Deaf. Or we may be reaching a tad. Rodriguez, Jai: Former "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" culture expert. Makes a cameo as a TV reporter following the carnage inside the diner. Semi Precious Weapons: Gaga's pals and tourmates. Appear in the diner sequence, where they are poisoned. "Thelma & Louise": Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon's female-empowerment road movie. As Gaga and Beyoncé clasp hands and drive off into the unknown, there can be no mistaking the allusion to this film's speeding-car-off-a-cliff shocker of an ending. Twain, Shania: Canadian-born pop-country star. The leopard skin outfit she wears in her "That Don't Impress Me Much" video seems to have directly inspired Gaga's getup towards the end of "Telephone," when she performs in front of the P---y Wagon. WNS News: Fictional news outlet that employs Jai Rodriguez. Perhaps a nod to New York's famous 1010 WINS news radio station, which Gaga undoubtedly heard every time she leapt into a cab. Then again, perhaps we're reaching here. Well, did we miss any refererences? What do you think of Lady Gaga's "Telephone" video? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Justin Timberlake 'In Awe' Of 'Summit On The Summit' Climb Posted: 11 Mar 2010 11:56 PM PST Film that documents the climb airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.
Justin Timberlake was there when his pal Kenna decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. In fact, he encouraged him to do it, and is "bummed" that his schedule didn't allow him to join his friend on the trek.
"Kenna and I, every winter, we find a place to go snowboarding, and we were up on a mountain somewhere, snowboarding," Timberlake told MTV News. "We got onto the lift, and Kenna was talking about how, before, he had tried to climb Kilimanjaro." And there, the idea for "Summit on the Summit" was hatched. Unfortunately, due to work conflicts — the trek up Africa's highest peak was rescheduled several times and ultimately collided with Timberlake's filming for "The Social Network" — Justin didn't actually get to make the climb with Kenna. Instead, the likes of Lupe Fiasco and Santigold and actors Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch and Isabel Lucas made the climb up Kilimanjaro, but Timberlake remained close to the action, getting daily updates on the trek. "I was getting sort of a texting diary from day to day," Timberlake recalled. "And the one thing I heard was ... the hardest part was the last day, obviously, because not only were they climbing from 16,000 to 19,000 feet, but that extra 3,000 was really brutal, because of the altitude. And on top of that, I think they woke up at 2:30 in the morning and had to climb the last 3,000 feet. I heard from all of them that the last 3,000 feet, every breath counted. Every single time you could conserve oxygen, you could feel it. It really counted. ... I'm in awe that they did it. I'm really impressed." Timberlake did record an introduction to the film that documents the climb — and highlights the global issue of clean water — called "Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro." The 90-minute doc premiered Wednesday night in New York and will air Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. And just because he didn't actually climb the mountain this time around, don't count him out just yet. "I was bummed that I wasn't able to do it, because I thought it would be a cool thing to do. Maybe one day I will," he laughed. "But it's really an inspiring idea and an inspiring task, and I was very proud of everyone who was involved with it. ... It says a lot about all the people who were involved in the climb, that they were sort of willing to put themselves out there ... to have cameras on them 24/7 and to say, 'Well, if this has any effect on anyone who's watching it, or creates any type of awareness, and gets $10 from one person, well, that's amazing.' " Tune in to "Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro" Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. And find out what you can do to help solve the global water crisis now at the "Summit on the Summit" Web site. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| We Follow 'Hope For Haiti Now' Donations With World Food Programme Posted: 11 Mar 2010 10:07 PM PST MTV News crew met with WFP's Louis Hamann to see how food donations are being distributed in Haiti.
Haiti faces untold challenges as the Caribbean island nation tries to dig out and recover from the devastating 7.0 earthquake that leveled thousands of buildings and killed more than 200,000 in January. In addition to medical attention and shelter in advance of the rainy season, one of the most crucial needs continues to be food aid to the millions of Haitians left homeless in the wake of the disaster.
MTV News returned to the island in late February to follow the trail of some of the more than $65 million raised during January's "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon. We dropped in on staffers from the 50-year-old United Nations World Food Programme, which delivers life-saving food to victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters across the globe. Even before the quake, conditions were desperate in Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, with poverty and hunger already rampant. But the destruction of so many homes, businesses and government buildings made conditions even more dire for the chronically hungry and impoverished. MTV's Sway traveled to Haiti to document the work of the WFP, applying stickers to a few 110-pound bags of urgently needed rice to follow their path to hungry Haitians. Surrounded by bags of food in the port of the nation's devastated capital, Port-au-Prince, WFP's Louis Hamann said the organization has brought in about 25,000 metric tons of food (around 55 million pounds) to date. "It just gives you an idea of how massive this operation is for us here in Haiti," he said, noting that the $58 million grant from "Hope for Haiti Now" has helped the organization buy, ship and distribute the food aid to those most in need, possibly for the next year. Rice is an obvious first-choice staple to distribute because it is easy to store, cook and share and a little goes a long way. "The reason that it's only rice right now is to make sure that we reach everybody quickly and efficiently [and] calm down the food situation in Port-au-Prince," said Hamann, who added that the plan is to move to a "more traditional basket" of food items featuring staples of the Haitian diet in the next weeks and months. Sway also visited a massive staging area where trucks were loaded up with bags of rice that were delivered early in the morning to the sea of refugees set up in a temporary tent city inside the Sylvio Cator Soccer Stadium near the island's capital. As the thousands inside the stadium lined up for food aid early in the morning, they were quickly joined by thousands more looking for rice, an example of the more than 3,000 families that line up every day in just one location to haul away the heavy bags. MTV's crew then followed one of those families as they carried a bag back to their crumpled home, a pile of rubble and twisted metal, where the rice would be cooked over a makeshift carbon stove by widowed mother Myrthile Joseph. "Thank you to everyone that donated for Haiti from all over the world," said a grateful Joseph. "Thank you for the distribution that is going to the people in need." Learn more about what you can do to help with earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti, and for more information, see Think MTV. Visit HopeForHaitiNow.org or call (877) 99-HAITI to make a donation now. Related Videos |
| Jay-Z Shouts Out Notorious B.I.G. During Nets Groundbreaking Event Posted: 12 Mar 2010 05:51 AM PST 'We did it again, Brooklyn,' Jay says in reference to Biggie's Source Awards speeches.
Leave it to Jay-Z. On Thursday, Hov was in Brooklyn at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Barclays Center, the future home of the New Jersey Nets, the NBA team he co-owns. When it was Jay's time to speak, not only did he tell the crowd — which included Beyoncé, the Reverend Al Sharpton and the mayor and governor of New York — about the realizations of his own dreams, but Jigga also shouted out the other half of "Brooklyn's Finest."
"What I stand here and represent is hope for Brooklyn, New York City. I'm a son of Brooklyn, I'm from Marcy projects," Jay said. "I think about growing up in Brooklyn in the Marcy projects and shooting jump shots, thinking I can make it to the NBA. Now I stand here as an owner of a team that's coming back to Brooklyn. The pride in that, and bringing that dream so much closer for people, brings me so much pride I get a little nervous about it. But I'm very happy, very excited about this day. And we did it again, Brooklyn — shout-out to [Notorious] B.I.G." The tail end of Jay's speech hearkened back to the 1995 Source Awards, where Biggie shouted out Brooklyn during his multiple acceptance speeches. After Jodeci presented him with Album of the Year, Big — wearing a white towel on his head — and a horde of others came onstage to address the crowd. "I wanna give mad love to my daughter, my moms, my manager, Gucci, my wife," he said. "We did it, Brooklyn. We did it. All them sh--. [I won] all of them [awards]. One love to all y'all mutha----as." The Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down in Los Angeles 13 years ago Tuesday. Related Artists |
| Alex Lambert Says 'American Idol' Stage Fright Was 'All In My Head' Posted: 12 Mar 2010 06:11 AM PST He also addresses Ellen's metaphors: 'I probably won't be able to look at a banana the same way.'
While Alex Lambert's nerves got the best of him during his early "American Idol" performances, the singer seemed to be getting on the right track, choosing perfect-fit songs by Ray LaMontagne and John Legend. Unfortunately, Lambert fell victim to Thursday's shocking results night and didn't quite make the top 12, along with fellow castoffs Lilly Scott, Katelyn Epperly and Todrick Hall. We caught up with him Friday (March 12) to talk about his surprise elimination, what's next and much more.
Q: After you were eliminated, you said that you had more to show America. What did you mean by that? A: When I said I want to break out of my shell and show America what I can do, man, honestly, every time I got up there, I couldn't even sing my best because I was so nervous, and I have a whole series of songs that I can sing that sound so much better than singing on the show. I don't regret anything, because it's the beginning of my career. I have never really been onstage before, so I think I did great for not having any experience. Q: Do you think you'll be able to get past the nerves and have a music career? A: I feel like I'm already past it. I feel like I just needed a few more weeks of just having a little bit more experience on that stage. ... It wasn't a nerve thing, because I would get up there and be comfortable and it felt right, but I didn't know how to look at the camera. I didn't know how to interact with the audience, because I had never done it before. I mean, definitely, it's something that I'll easily be able to get past. Q: Did you get a chance to talk to the judges after the show? A: They talked to me, and they pretty much told me that I need more experience. And it's true, but I felt like, vocally, it was my time. ... I didn't have enough experience on the stage is pretty much what they were telling me. They all know I have a good voice, and they told me I had a lot of future ahead of me. Q: The judges have made a big deal about the contestants knowing what kind of artist they want to be. Do you know? A: I know exactly what kind of artist I want to be. I really would like to do a bunch of acoustic stuff and I would also like some R&B tracks — a whole bunch of different stuff. I know my voice and what I can and cannot do, and I know what would sound good on what, and I believe that I could sound good on not only one genre of music; I could put it on anything. Q: What helped you through the nerves? Did the judges help or your friends or ... A: I would say it was all me. The only person who was going to help me overcome my nervousness and my stage fright was me, and it was all in my head. I could have gone up there and had a great performance, but in my head, I was thinking to nail the song vocally, and I wasn't really worried about performing, I guess. I never thought that the show was so much of a performing show as a singing competition. I had it in my head so much, like, "I want my vocals to be so much better than everyone else's." And I guess that's all. I lost track of the fact that this is a TV show. Q: When the show came back from commercial after you were eliminated, things looked pretty emotional. What was going on? A: A lot of people were talking to me and, yeah, it was emotional, because a lot of people weren't expecting the people that went home to go home. There's people in the top 12 that everyone thought was going home, and then when they found out it was me, that whole day I was nervous, and people were like, "Dude, why are you nervous? You have no reason to be nervous. You're going to be here." And then when I got cut, they were just like, "What?!?" And a lot of people that were upset were like, "I made it and he didn't?" Q: Do you think if you'd made it to the top 12 you would have been encouraged to cut off your mullet? A: [Laughs.] The stylists have already asked me if I wanted to cut it. I mean, even if they did tell me to — yeah, they probably would want me to cut it, but I wouldn't let them cut it. I wouldn't ever let them cut my mullet. Q: What did you think of Ellen's constant banana metaphors? A: [Laughs.] Well, I mean, I know it's all for entertainment, but it does make sense, I guess. I mean, I probably won't be able to look at a banana the same way. Were you sad to see Alex go? Will you listen to his post-"Idol" music? Let us know! 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 |
| Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Style Is 'Amazing,' Co-Star Jai Rodriguez Says Posted: 12 Mar 2010 05:06 AM PST 'I love the Bettie Page bangs and the aesthetic of the film noir and the hair,' he says.
Lady Gaga rocks many interesting looks in her "Telephone" music video, from crime-scene tape, a '40s suit and hat, a bikini and jacket made of leather and studs to a leopard-print leotard and an American-flag-print bikini. Oh, and let's not forget all her telephone-inspired headgear. Beyoncé also gets her fashionista on, thanks to an American-flag dress, a yellow latex dress with matching cowboy hat and a funky military-inspired blue satin top with cutoff denim shorts.
TV personality Jai Rodriguez, who appears in the video as a reporter, said the looks are amazing. "I think the military thing [is the best]," he told MTV News. "The big, oversized, shoulder-paddy bedazzled jackets. I don't think it's something Beyoncé would have rocked on her own, but being in a Gaga video, she made it her own. Made it very B. I love the Bettie Page bangs and the aesthetic of the film noir and the hair. I thought that [suit she wears leaving the prison] was amazing. I love the film-noir thing." Rodriguez is already seeing the video's style influence in the real world, spotting girls wearing Gaga's fluorescent-yellow hair. Other fashion experts are noticing Gaga's fashion-icon status as well. "I think she's growing up nicely and starting to bust out on her own," "The City" boss Kelly Cutrone told MTV News about the looks in the video. "I think she's making much stronger pop-art statements." What did you think of the fashion in the "Telephone" video? Will you be wearing any of the clip's looks in the real world? Let us know! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lilly Scott Trades 'American Idol' For 'Indie Cred' Posted: 12 Mar 2010 03:46 AM PST 'It was just my time to go out with a bang,' she says.
Lilly Scott's name was often mentioned in the same breath as Crystal Bowersox's as this year's "American Idol" female powerhouses. Looks like Crystal has that title to herself now. Scott seemingly had a ticket to the top 12 with her well-received take on Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces" and the coveted final performance slot, but her "Idol" journey came to an end, along with Alex Lambert, Katelyn Epperly and Todrick Hall, during Thursday's shocking results show.
We caught up with Scott on Friday (March 12) to talk about her surprise elimination, what's next and much more. Q: After you were eliminated, you made it clear that you were frustrated. What was going through your mind? A: Originally, trying out, I really just wanted to kind of break the mold and just kinda be that offbeat contestant that did exactly what I wanted to do. ... I definitely have no regrets in that department. But just kind of watching certain people make it into the top 12 that have not done so well over the past three weeks and then based on the judges' comments on my three songs the past three weeks, I was just kinda frustrated, just kinda feeling like my fanbase wasn't really there, even though the judges and producers seemed to love me. I was feeling like I had a great run on the show. So I guess my fans weren't there. So I guess that's why I said, "I don't know what America wants to listen to." But then again, my voting demographic is probably more of the underground scene who probably doesn't even own a TV, and if they do, they're probably out riding their bike or doing something more productive than watching TV, let alone "American Idol." I guess they just weren't voting and that definitely was my falter. Q: Do you think singing the 50-year-old song "I Fall to Pieces" had anything to do with your downfall? A: I picked that song because I love Patsy Cline. It really describes who I want to be as an artist. But, then again, the "American Idol" voting demographic is probably mostly tweens, and I'm sure they don't know who Patsy Cline is. So that probably affected me. But I'm staying true to my song choices and I'm definitely having no regrets. I just feel like maybe my fanbase and the audience I was playing to, which is the underground market, literally wasn't watching the show and just supporting me in their hearts and not actually voting, and there's the whole deal of maybe people just assumed I was safe and chose not to vote. Obviously, I really have no idea what happened, though. Q: Did you expect to go home this early? A: I did and I didn't. In the past years I have watched "American Idol," and it seems like every year, the person that I fall in love with goes home. And if that's because I see true artistry in that contestant or I don't know what it is, but I definitely feel like I got cut early. I knew that I could have done a great job next week with Rolling Stones, and I knew I could of really kicked butt in the top 12, but maybe I was just too off the wall for people or it was just my time to go out with a bang so I can still keep my indie cred [and] kind of do my own thing without having the "American Idol" label over my head. Q: Do you know how close the vote was on Thursday? A: No, they really don't let us know any of that stuff. It's actually really unfortunate, because I'm one to think, "Screw the establishment!" But I definitely would love to know the statistics. I don't want to think anything was rigged, but I would also like to know how many votes I really had. Q: Who would be your dream collaborators? A: I would love to meet Thom Yorke from Radiohead and people like Björk, just really like the king and queen of the indie world. They're really who I kinda strive to be like as an artist, and their fanbase is so huge, and they're so respected as artists. Just every album they put out, I would love to collaborate with someone like them. Q: Did you ever consider singing songs by those artists instead of older choices? A: I definitely considered that, but in a way, the producers swayed me against doing songs like that, because they're almost less well-known than people like Sam Cooke and Patsy Cline. ... I mean, they're 100 percent well-known to me, but I actually did try to do "Nude" by Radiohead — which is their top-charting song, more than "Paranoid Android" or older songs — so that didn't get cleared. I just figured, I love classic rock, and I'm going to try to make that my niche this season, but unfortunately, indie underground music isn't really ready for the big breakthrough, and I think that was kind of reaffirmed last night by me getting voted off, that America may still not be ready to have that kind of music in the mainstream. Q: What do you see yourself doing in the music business now? A: I definitely feel like I would fit in the big film and festival circuit doing things like Coachella and Bonnaroo and really just doing some mass touring. I know that I can have a whole entire different kind of audience coming out to shows if I did tour. Recording is definitely on my list of things to do. I know there's a fanbase out there for me that is loving what I'm doing .I just don't necessarily think that would be the "American Idol" voting demographic, so that's kinda what I worried about. Day one of being on the show, I thought I could break the mold, but I guess it's another season of the same old stuff. [Laughs.] Were you sad to see Lilly go? Will you listen to her post-"Idol" music? Let us know! 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 |
| Corey Haim Might Have Been Involved In Illegal Prescription-Drug Ring Posted: 12 Mar 2010 07:11 AM PST Late actor's name was found on a fraudulent prescription obtained through a drug ring, authorities tell the AP.
Corey Haim may have been involved in a major drug ring that provided him with an illegal prescription for a painkiller, authorities told The Associated Press on Friday (March 12). During an investigation of the ring, the California attorney general's office found records of the fraudulent prescription in the late actor's name. Law-enforcement officials were investigating the drug ring and whether Haim himself actually filed the prescription or if someone used his name to obtain it.
Haim was found dead Wednesday, but coroner's officials have not yet determined his cause of death. According to the actor's manager, preliminary reports reveal that he died of an enlarged heart with water-filled lungs. The Los Angeles County coroner told Haim's mother that the culprit was pulmonary congestion, manager Mark Heaslip said. The initial buzz of what might have actually killed Haim came from the 1980s teen icon's decades-long struggle with drug addiction. Longtime friend and frequent co-star Corey Feldman asked Wednesday that people not "jump the gun" to conclude a drug overdose killed Haim. Heaslip, manager to both Feldman and Haim, said he seemed to be winning his battle against drug abuse in the weeks before his death. Haim was "weaned down to literally zero medications" in the past two weeks by an addiction specialist, Heaslip said Wednesday on CNN's "Issues With Jane Velez-Mitchell." The doctor "put him on a new line of medications," Feldman said on "Larry King Live" on Wednesday. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Katelyn Epperly Had 'Pride Issues' With Being On 'American Idol' Posted: 12 Mar 2010 06:11 AM PST 'A talent competition is not necessarily my thing,' she says.
Katelyn Epperly finally had a breakout "American Idol" performance last week with Coldplay's "The Scientist," even though the judges didn't see eye-to-eye on it. But the whole panel agreed that her take on Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move" didn't live up to her potential. Even so, Epperly wasn't expected to get the boot on Thursday, but such was the theme of the shocking results night, when Lilly Scott, Alex Lambert and Todrick Hall were also sent packing. We caught up with the singer/songwriter to talk about her closest "Idol" allies, her next move and more.
Q: Did you feel that the judges were especially hard on you this season? A: They were definitely more critical towards me. I'm not sure if it's possibly because I've been performing for so long. Maybe they expected more out of me than what I was giving them. But I started off on a pretty strong note, so maybe I didn't live up to their expectations week by week. Q: Did you sing "I Feel the Earth Move" to compensate for Simon's "corny" comments the week before? A: I totally did. I definitely was trying to find a song that would portray me as an artist, which is difficult for a singer/songwriter in this competition, because first of all, I don't listen to mainstream music, and second of all, I don't typically perform covers. So I kind of scrambled around last-minute trying to do something. I brought out the Wurlitzer keyboard. I wanted to do something edgier, and it didn't work out for me, but I definitely don't regret doing it, because I love that era. Q: You and Lilly seemed especially emotional during the results show. Why was that? A: Lilly and I have gotten really close, and from the start, we've flocked together. Crystal [Bowersox] too. I don't typically hang out with girls very often, so this was a rare thing for all three of us, actually. To really truly have female friends and to get along so well and to be so supportive of one another and turning and seeing them there — for me, it wasn't over. This is sort of a platform in my career. I wasn't so sad about that; I was sad to see them, and I'm gonna say it was a pretty big disappointment to me to see Lilly go home, because if I were to be at home watching that show, she would, by far, over all the other girls, not be the one going home. Q: What made you choose "The Scientist" last week? A: It's definitely a song that comes to mind when I think about anything hard I've had to do, any sort of loss. It's a very touching, riveting song. I covered it a lot this summer and coped with a lot of things that I was going through. This is a song that is sad but also hopeful. When they said it was too slow, that was OK with me. I was waiting for that comment. I wanted to do it slow. I wanted to focus on the lyrics of the song. The song just cries, and I think I portrayed it, despite what the judges might have thought. Q: Are you especially rooting for anyone now that you're off the show? A: I wish them all well, because I've gotten to know them all, and everyone's worked so hard. Honestly, from the start, Crystal has been a very true, true friend to me and an honest person. And when she sings, it comes from the heart, and I know you've watched her. It's just natural for her, and she totally deserves it. I'm going to be pushing for her all the way. Q: Was it comforting to you for there to be so many other singer/songwriters in the competition this season? A: I think that's very important. That's actually what made me so much more OK with being on the show, because I did have some pride issues with it at first, because a talent competition is not necessarily my thing. I'm the kind of person who just likes to sing and dance and spend time with music instead of making it something competitive. I've seen so many singer/songwriters this year who really are credible and who have been working at it their whole lives and truly deserve it. They didn't just roll out of bed one day and want to be on a TV show and have an OK voice and a pretty face. So it was really fun to sit around backstage while we were rehearsing. We got to just jam out together. We'd all pass around the guitar and sing. It was awesome. Q: Would you have liked to sing your original songs on the show, if that were an option? A: That's a tough one. It would be really awesome because I feel like people like Lilly, Crystal and I and others, we would definitely excel in that kind of category. At the same time, it is a show where you get judged. It's really hard, because original music, especially the music I write, is filled with a lot of emotion and it's based on personal experiences, and I think it would be hard for me to get up in front of four people and for them to tell me my personal experiences are invalid and my song that I wrote when I was going through a hard time wasn't good enough. So its mixed and matched, but I definitely think it would be a cool twist to bring to a show and really bring to light some of those true musicians. Q: What's next? Will you head back to Iowa? A: I am planning on going back for now, since I'm flat broke. [Laughs.] I gotta go back to Des Moines and start working and continue to pursue recording and writing music with all sorts of different artists. The band called Lovedrug is a band I've been listening to since I was real young. I'm gonna get together with them and hopefully write some music with them as well as other artists. Just getting back in the studio and getting back to what I truly love to do. Were you sad to see Katelyn go? Will you listen to her post-"Idol" music? Let us know! 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 |
| Todrick Hall Was Planning To Dance On 'American Idol' Next Week Posted: 12 Mar 2010 06:30 AM PST 'I was going to be the first contestant to actually do a dance break,' he says.
Todrick Hall stumbled a bit during his first "American Idol" live performances, but he seemed to hit his stride with a bombastic version of Queen's "Somebody to Love" this week. Unfortunately, the "Idol" viewers repaid him by sending him on his way Thursday night, along with Lilly Scott, Alex Lambert and Katelyn Epperly. We caught up with Hall on Friday (March 12) to talk about why he was eliminated, how he got sucked into the rumor mill and what's next.
Q: Were you surprised to be eliminated after your best live performance? A: I feel like I should have done that a couple weeks earlier. The problem is, I'm an African-American male, as you call tell from watching me on TV. [Laughs.] ... I got so many messages saying, "Sing Usher. Sing Chris Brown. Sing Brian McKnight. Sing Ne-Yo, Stevie Wonder, any black artist basically that you can sing, because that's your demographic." But that's not the kind of music that I want to sing, so I'm happy that I stayed true to myself, but I kinda feel if I had just sang the cookie-cutter songs that people would have expected me to do and not gone so far out there with the clothes and the performing and would have just been a normal guy that got up there and sang semi-decent, I feel like I would have done better. But I'm happy that I stayed true to myself, because I think that is the most important. I would not have been happy doing anything else. Q: Do you think your theater background worked against you on the show? A: I do honestly feel that way, and it's sad to say, but when people know certain things about you, it's kinda hard to shake those things. But I just told someone today that I feel if Lady Gaga, who is one of the most successful artists out right now, if she was on "American Idol," I don't think that they would have good things to say about her. ... I do think that they want you to be out of the box and they kept telling me that I was changing things too much, but I would hear them tell people they're not changing enough and not making it their own. You have to try and find that line of when is it not changing it too much and when is it being too cookie-cutter and being a karaoke version, which sometimes they're OK with and sometimes they're not. I feel like I was true to myself, and I feel I'll be rewarded for being different in the end. Q: What did you do after your elimination? A: I just took a deep breath and thought, "What do I do next? Pick yourself up." I've grown up in theater, and I always know there are no's. ... I was more concerned about Alex and some of the people who had not necessarily gone through this. Q: There have been a lot of online reports about you being involved in a scam surrounding "Oz, the Musical." Can you explain that? A: I'm so glad that I can talk about it now. It wasn't a good time to talk about it when I was on "American Idol," because I just needed to focus on the show, but I do want everybody to know, I'm not a scam artist. I am a nice person. No 23-year-old that I know in the history of the world has ever had to put on a show, and I think if they think about that, they'll realize I'm just an ambitious kid that got wrapped up with a producer that didn't really know what he was doing. I didn't really know what I was doing. I allowed my name to be attached to it, but I'm gonna get on the phone on Monday and hopefully call a lot of those people, because I do want to go there, and I love kids, and I wouldn't want people to think negatively of me in that way, and I think the show is going to happen again and that we'll be able to fix that situation. And there won't be no more negative press. Just for the record, I was just the writer and director/choreographer. I did not produce that show. I never had any of that money. I never dealt with any of the money side of the show. Q: Did you know what you would sing for the Rolling Stones theme week? A: I was gonna sing "I Can't Get No Satisfaction." I was gonna dance for the very first time. They kept yelling at me for dancing, then Ellen, the very last week, said, "I think you should dance," so I was going to be the first contestant to actually do a dance break, like Crystal Bowersox does her harmonica type of thing and the guitar and people have beatboxed. But no one ever danced, and I was looking forward to doing that. Were you sad to see Todrick go? Will you listen to his post-"Idol" music? Let us know! 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 |
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