Rabu, 19 Mei 2010

MTV News

MTV News

Crystal Bowersox And Lee DeWyze 'In It To Win It' On 'American Idol'

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:40 AM PDT

Casey James seemingly punches his ticket home with lackluster pre-finale performance night.
By Gil Kaufman


Crystal Bowersox
Photo: FOX

It's down to three, and if this season (or any season, frankly) of "American Idol" has taught us anything, it's all about song choice. Left to their own devices, the top three mostly blew it on Tuesday night with their selections, with only Lee DeWyze earning lukewarm praise for his pick, while Crystal Bowersox and Casey James both elicited tepid responses. Things turned around in the second half when all three got thumbs-up from the judges (who also happened to pick the songs), and DeWyze sprinted ahead of the pack with a powerhouse performance of the oft-covered Leonard Cohen soul-stirrer "Hallelujah," which has been the savior of many an "Idol" contestant.

First up, though, was Cool, Texas' James, who chose little-known singer Eric Hutchinson's 2008 song "OK, It's Alright With Me," which he said felt like something he could have written. James sang the bouncy pop tune in his signature bluesy rasp and smiled his way through the peppy lyrics, earning a clap-along from the pumped-up audience but clearly not impressing the panel.

Randy Jackson said it was just all right and deemed the song choice too safe and easy, and Ellen DeGeneres agreed, reminding James that what he really needed to do was blow the crowd away. "The problem is, it is arguably the most important night of your life," Simon Cowell said. "You're lucky you've got two song choices, because I would compare that first song to if you were having dinner, that's the salad. In other words, there's something more hopefully substantial to come." He ended by saying James appeared to be busking for change rather than competing to win.

Bowersox went with a more recognizable song, picking "Come to My Window" by Melissa Etheridge, a song that seemed like an obvious choice for her voice and blues-mama style. Opening with some Bob Dylan-esque harmonica and finger-picked acoustic guitar, the Elliston, Ohio, native came out a bit wobbly with the first couple of lines but soon found her vocal footing and leaned into the choruses with her big, brassy voice, biting into the passionate lyrics and displaying her signature sass.

Kara DioGuardi thought she got lost in the arrangement a bit but still brought a decent vocal. Jackson also didn't love the arrangement but said Bowersox rose above with her vocals and won him over. Cowell agreed and gave her props for never once compromising during the entire competition. "You came out here and you just decided to do what is you," he said. "It's a very honest performance, and I think you probably made the right choice."

Also slinging his acoustic guitar was Mt. Prospect, Illinois' Lee DeWyze, who said the lyrics to Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man" — a tune he has frequently performed at karaoke bars with his hometown pals — have always spoken to him. Starting out solo acoustic, DeWyze didn't change up the arrangement of the classic-rock ballad too much but still managed to put his patented bar-band-crooner stamp on the tune.

After asking him why he chose the song — Lee explained that it just makes him happy — Cowell said Lee picked well. "I don't think you won round one; I think you just crushed the other two," Cowell said. Comparing him to a "little baby lamb" when they first met him, Ellen busted out another of her bizarre metaphors and said Lee's blossomed into a carefree impala. Randy agreed that it was a brilliant song choice and growled, "Somebody here is feelin' like they could win!" Kara said he did what every wannabe "Idol" winner needs to do: show dynamics and pick a song that has meaning, calling round one for DeWyze.

For their judges' pick, Randy and Kara went with John Mayer's "Daughters" for James, saying it fit his commercial appeal to women. His eyes narrowed in concentration, James gently strummed an electric guitar, accompanied by some subtle piano and acoustic guitar, as he played a straightforward, smoldering jazz cover of the only contemporary song in the mix, making some flirty eye contact with the camera, and, seemingly, some ladies in the crowd.

"This fits you like a glove, and I hope that you continue in this direction," Jackson enthused, seconded by DioGuardi, who said the song showed his more artistic, vulnerable side. Cowell couldn't help but laugh at Kara's commendation of her song choice, saying he liked the performance but had an issue with the "lazy" arrangement and held his fellow judges responsible for not providing James with a "moment."

Ellen gave Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" to Crystal, hoping it would help show off MamaSox's range. Sitting on the stairs to start, Crystal put some gospel grit into the tune as she made her way down the stage, growling the lyrics (without changing the gender pronouns!) and putting some serious soul fire on the subtle solo hit from the ex-Beatle.

"I couldn't have asked for more. That's what I was hoping you'd do, and you did it," smiled DeGeneres, after Jackson shouted, "Great song, great vocals, and America, we got somebody else in it to win it!" Kara praised her for putting down the guitar and showing off new parts of her voice. "What you've proved after that performance is that you've got soul," said Cowell, who was initially wary of the song choice. "You worked outside of your comfort zone, and after that, you may be thanking Ellen next week for putting you in the final. That was terrific."

Going back to a song that has been pay dirt for several former "Idol" contestants, Cowell chose Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," which the judge said he suspected DeWyze could knock out of the box. Backed by a string section and a gospel choir and bathed in white spotlights, Lee poured all of his gravelly spirit into the song, his voice rising to meet the ascending arrangement before climaxing with a sustained note that earned him a standing ovation and, likely, a berth in the finale.

"Lee, you are what this show is all about," Kara gushed. "Somebody who starts in one place and ends up here tonight in an incredible, epic moment. You are the heart of this show this season, and you just owned the entire night." Jackson gave props to Cowell for picking the song and called the performance unbelievable, as Ellen concurred, calling the tour de force "stunning."

Never one to mince words, Cowell said he was very proud of DeWyze and said the performance proved he was a "fantastic singer and a great person" who is on his way to realizing his dream.

Wednesday night's elimination show will determine this season's finalists and will feature performances from Justin Bieber and Travis Garland.

How do you think the top three did? Who came out on top? Who is probably going to go home? Leave your comments below.

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

Are Rick Ross And Nicki Minaj The New Biggie And Kim? Lil' Cease Weighs In

Posted: 19 May 2010 04:59 AM PDT

'Big paved the way for Ross, and Kim paved the way for females that's hot now,' he tells Mixtape Daily.
By Shaheem Reid


Lil Cease
Photo: Harbody

Celebrity Favorites: Lil' Cease

Rick Ross with the fur coat and shades. Nicki Minaj with the green hair and other colorful wigs. While Ross and Minaj have carved out niches with their own distinctive styles, they still hark back to golden memories of the Notorious B.I.G. and Lil' Kim.

Diddy is working with both artists, and now Lil' Cease, another person who has been a part of Biggie and Kim's inner circle, said he loves what the Bawse and Barbie are doing.

"It's a good thing to me," Cease said of the comparisons to his childhood friends. "If people are taking steps into people's styles like that, that's paying homage. I definitely looked at Nicki and was like, 'That's that Kim remedy.' I think Ross is nice. To see him be co-signed by Diddy, it gives you that feel. I like it. It's just showing the influence we had on people. It shows the influence Kim had on females. It shows the influence Big had. I don't look at it like they're trying to take [Big and Kim's] spot or trying to be them. Big paved the way for Ross, and Kim paved the way for females that's hot now."

Cease said he loves Ricky Rosé's flow. "As far as with Ross, it's the delivery," Cease said. "He's lyrically hands-on. Just his whole swag, to me, he's just the dude. That big black dude. Every time I see him, he gives the feel of just B.I. Just his whole swag too. He's got that confidence that B.I. had. B.I. was real confident. No matter how he looked, he would say it in rhymes: 'Fat, black and ugly as ever.' That's one of the most quoted lines. It didn't do nothing for him but make him a better person. Ross got that same swag. He knows he's dope. Then when you getting the best of the best co-signing you, it makes you go harder. I feel he made three dope albums. He can get that Big effect where he's consistent with it. A lot of his material is just dope music. You can't knock him at the end of the day. Whether you want to compare him to Big or not, he's a dope artist."

Cease applauded Minaj as well. "Nicki ain't really got too much competition out there. Ain't too many female rappers out there," he said. "But she's a female, one that's bringing the sex appeal back to it. No matter what Kim talked about, she had the appeal to it. Kim would dress up. She looked like a lady. Kim could rap about the hardest thing ever, but she would still dress up: hair done, she still got on the flyest stuff. Nicki is kinda taking it to that same mind frame. She's having fun with it too.

"One thing about Kim, she switched up the flow and concepts," he added. "She was playing with it. You can tell that Nicki, she's starting to get comfortable with herself. The way she sounds now, I heard her on some early mixtapes, she sounded a lot more East Coast, a lot harder. You could tell [Nicki is] sitting around those vets now, and she's just feeding off the energy of being around Young Money and Cash Money. You can hear that Wayne effect in her rhymes with the animation in it and the flow. It's kinda good. She's getting that knowledge from Young Money and Wayne and them, and they teaching her how to make records."

This Friday, on Notorious B.I.G.'s birthday, Cease is putting out a mixtape called Hardbody Vol. 1. Definitely check back with MTVNews.com for a lot more on Cease's project.

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines or follow the Mixtape Daily team on Twitter: @shaheemreid and @mongosladenyc.

'American Idol' Finalist Casey James Was Always 'A Throwback'

Posted: 19 May 2010 04:59 AM PDT

'He had no cell phone, no computer, no TV,' musician Danny Ross recalls of the old-school 'Idol' guitar ace.
By James Montgomery


Casey James
Photo: FOX

Unlike most of the "American Idol" audience, Danny Ross has had a front-row seat to the Casey James show for years now. As owner of the Fort Worth, Texas, blues club the Keys Lounge, Ross has seen the "Idol" finalist grow from a fresh-faced kid to a full-fledged guitar ace, and no, he's not surprised that James now stands on the brink of big-time fame. In fact, Ross always thought James was destined for greatness.

"I've known him for a while, and I always knew there was something about him," Ross told MTV News on Tuesday.

"His mom is a singer, and he'd come sit in when he was a baby-faced kid; we'd have these blues jams. And as he got more proficient, he started booking his own acoustic gigs, then with an electric band. At first, his mother used to have to come with him," Ross explained. "Then me and him hit it off and we started playing together ... he's just got it. A lot of people in other places — New York, Dallas — they're in it for the money and the women ... they're 'scene players,' and then there are those who are in it for the music, and Casey is definitely one of those."

Ross has been playing with James on and off for more than two years now, most recently jamming with him at the Keys during his "Idol" hometown visit. He said that in all his years as a musician, he's never met someone as dedicated and in love with playing music as Casey. To the point where, sometimes, he'd have to forcibly remove the guitar from James' hands.

"I'd have parties at my house, and Casey would play ... and he'd just keep playing," Ross laughed. "It would be 3, 4 in the morning, and I'd have gone to bed, and he'd still be playing. If there was one person still at the party, he'd keep playing for them. He's that dedicated."

To that end, Ross said James reminds him of a bygone era of bluesmen — the kind who would travel from town to town, playing gigs until the sun came up. To be honest, that's not all that far from the truth — James truly doesn't belong to these times.

"He had no cell phone, no computer, no TV ... I remember telling him he needed to get his e-mail address out there, to get some publicity for his gigs at Keys, and he told me, 'Man, I'm just not into that.' He's a real traditional guy, and I think that's why he gets along with us older musicians," Ross said. "He's a throwback — he's got a house, and he's got these two basset hounds and, you know, I think he'd be happy just living there, with them, playing gigs. He's honestly in it just for the music."

Which is why, Ross said, James almost didn't try out for "American Idol." ("His mother let him borrow her truck and told him to get his butt up to Denver and audition," Ross chuckled.) But now that he has, it would appear that the sky really is the limit. And Ross, as he always has, sees nothing but big things in Casey's future.

"I think America likes him ... I think, overall, because of his playing — he's played to all kinds of crowds, big and small and now national, and he has the poise to do anything," he said. "He's a far better guitar player than he's shown on the show. ... I really think he could be the next John Mayer, only without the attitude."

Are you rooting for Casey on "American Idol"? Let us know in the comments!

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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Lee DeWyze's Early Albums: A Boy And His Guitar Grow Up

Posted: 19 May 2010 04:59 AM PDT

Pre-'American Idol' work displays singer/songwriter's progress, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery


Lee DeWyze
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Fox

Late last week, I received a package from something called Wuli Records, a vaguely mysterious-sounding Chicago label with a fancy dragon logo. Intrigued — since, you know, I love dragons — I opened it, and out fell a pair of CDs from a singer/songwriter named Lee DeWyze. I have never heard of him, but I decided to give them a listen, since he looked like a nice guy in the press photo. I guess I had a few hours to kill or something.

Of course, the second-half of that paragraph isn't exactly true (since, you know, DeWyze is probably going to win "American Idol," a show watched by some 20 million people every week, myself included), but I decided to pretend like it was, for one day at least. Erasing everything I know about him from my memory (which isn't all that much — didn't he work in a paint store or something?), I sat down and listened to DeWyze's first two albums. After all, before he was a front-runner on America's favorite singing competition, he was just another kid with an acoustic guitar, a batch of songs and a dream of making it big. I suppose it was my way of trying to get to know him better or at least trying to latch on to this fairly nebulous thing his fans keep e-mailing me about. What can I say? I guess I had a few hours to kill or something.

So, ignore everything I just wrote. Let's talk about this DeWyze kid — he could be big someday, or at least have a song or two on adult-contemporary radio, provided he works hard enough.

His first album — which, conveniently enough, came bundled with a huge sticker declaring it "The Debut Album From Lee DeWyze" — is called So I'm Told, and it's very much a first album. Released in 2007 and produced by Ryan T. McGuire (who, Wikipedia tells me, is/was a member of the Virginia Gentlemen, "the oldest a cappella group at the University of Virginia"), it's basically 11 gently strummed acoustic numbers, with DeWyze singing like a mushier-mouthed Dave Matthews (particularly on the song "Love and Misery"). None of it is particularly grabbing, though it bears mention that the silly wah-wah guitar frippery on "Red Rover" manages to get a rise (it also sounds a whole lot like Edie Brickell & New Bohemians' "What I Am"), and DeWyze's duet with an unnamed female singer (looking at the back of the album for a name, perhaps it's "Erin McGuire," who's credited as an "Additional Recording Engineer") on "The Problem Is You" is genuinely pretty. The problem here is, DeWyze doesn't show anything special. Sure, his voice is nice enough, and he's a perfectly serviceable player, but he doesn't do much to distance himself from the 10 bazillion dudes who do this same kind of thing every Tuesday at open-mic night. Oh, and the album artwork is kind of boring too.

It's on DeWyze's second album — or, as the sticker on the front puts it, "The New Album" — Slumberland where he really shows signs of distancing himself from the pack. Released in 2009, it's proof that DeWyze has been practicing and growing as a musician and songwriter. Opening with "So What Now" — a hushed, dreamlike number featuring a humming, backtracked guitar bit, rattling tabla and a sitar (!) — the album rolls right into the strummy, feedback-laced "All Fall Down" and then a roiling slide-guitar tune called "Annabelle," each showcasing his newfound sorta-growl and swampy, sweaty phrasing techniques. There's a cocksure swagger here, and yes, DeWyze still sounds a lot like Matthews, but he's also coming into his own. I could see him winning a televised singing competition someday.

Thematically, as the title implies, Slumberland seems to be loosely based on the concept of sleep, or at least dreams. "Princess" opens with the line "Do you remember sleeping on the floor?" "Where You Lie" begins with "Under your bed, where you lie your head." And, shoot, there's a tune called "Another Sleep Song" on here too. Sonically, there's plenty of opaque, treated guitars, wooshing, windswept slide guitar, winsome strings and even some electronic beats. I'll go ahead and call it a concept album, because, hey, it's not like anyone is ever gonna hear it.

The point is, I would probably actually buy Slumberland, or at least download it off some torrent site. There's an admirable level of growth on display here, in just about every conceivable way — not to mention the level of ambition he shows by releasing what amounts to a conceptual piece. Even the artwork — a drawing of a tree — is much improved this time out.

I don't know what the future holds for DeWyze, but if the leap he made from one album to the next is any indication, things look bright indeed. Sure, he's still just a singer/songwriter (a genus I will freely admit to loathing), but there's something here, to be certain. Now, if only he could find some way to raise his profile. Then the sky would really be the limit.

Questions? Comments? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

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Bret Michaels Talks Losing Virginity On 'When I Was 17'

Posted: 19 May 2010 04:59 AM PDT

'It involved a motorcycle, a blanket and an 8-track,' the Poison frontman admits on Saturday's episode.
By Eric Ditzian


Photo: MTV News

It's been a harrowing but, ultimately, hopeful month for Bret Michaels, who suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage in late April, only to recover enough that he was able to tape an interview with Oprah Winfrey, airing Wednesday (May 19). Michaels is also set to appear on Sunday's finale of "The Celebrity Apprentice."

It's a dramatic turn of events for the Poison frontman, but it seems the 47-year-old star has always had a way of putting a theatrical spin on whatever he pursues.

"I lost my virginity around 17. It involved a motorcycle, a blanket — I'm going to admit it — it was an 8-track pop-tape player at the Mechanicsburg Fish Hatchery," Michaels reveals during the new episode of MTV's "When I Was 17," which airs Saturday at 11 a.m.

We take it all this added up to one heck of a romantic gesture back in Pennsylvania in the early '80s. Michaels, though, considered himself lucky to even be in a position to lose his virginity, given his face was covered in pimples at the time.

"I worked at Bob's Big Boy," he explained. "I was the ultimate busboy, and eventually I got to the ultimate job, which was deep-fry cook. I've already got an acne problem, and now the grease flying up on my face isn't really helping the situation."

Zits or not, Michaels had a way with the ladies. He also had a feeling that he wouldn't be working at a fast-food joint for long. "I had a couple buddies there," Michaels said. "We loved to raise hell. We'd go out, hang out by the dumpster on our break, because that was the cool thing to do. You make it work. You had to tell yourself, 'It's going to get better than this.' "

"When I Was 17" — this week featuring Kevin Jonas, Bret Michaels and Katharine McPhee — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV.

'Dancing With The Stars' Results: Chad Ochocinco Gets Sacked

Posted: 19 May 2010 05:19 AM PDT

Evan Lysacek, Nicole Scherzinger and Erin Andrews continue to next week's finals.
By Kelley L. Carter


Cheryl Burke and Chad Ochocinco on "Dancing with the Stars"
Photo: ABC

Say goodbye to the bling. Chad Ochocinco, the celebrity contestant who showered his dance partner, Cheryl Burke, with a ridiculously expensive-looking pieces of jewelry throughout this season on "Dancing With the Stars," was sent home on Tuesday night.

Not that his ouster was too much of a shock for the football star — the Cincinnati Bengals player was the only one of the final four celebrity dancers who had zero previous dance training, even though his improvements continued to impress the judges week after week. Ochocinco joked that he'd be back next year "as a professional."

"This was awesome," Ochocinco said after being eliminated. "I enjoyed the journey. I met some wonderful people. I got some great criticism that's only made me stronger ... and I'll miss 'em all, especially the beautiful Cheryl Burke. And in my eyes really, I've already won."

Burke said that Ochocinco was the most humble guy you'll ever meet. "The most amazing, soft, gentle man in the world, and I've had such an amazing experience with you, thank you."

At the beginning of the results show, Olympic skater Evan Lysacek and partner Anna Trebunskaya were the first to learn that they were safe and had landed a spot in the finals. It was their paso doble from the night before that was picked for the reprisal dance; judges considered it his strongest performance of the season.

Musical guests Sarah McLachlan — who did her old hit "Angel" — and Miley Cyrus — who sang her new tune "Can't Be Tamed" — played while dancers performed in front of them.

Nicole Scherzinger and partner Derek Hough, and ESPN reporter Erin Andrews and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy also are in the finals.

Do you think Chad Ochocinco was the right person to go home this week? Which couple is your favorite? Share your own reviews in the comments.

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Did 'Hallelujah' Earn Lee DeWyze A Ticket To 'American Idol' Finale?

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:40 AM PDT

The judges sure seemed to think so: 'You just owned the entire night,' Kara told Lee.
By Kara Warner


Lee DeWyze
Photo: FOX

At the beginning of Tuesday night's (May 18) "American Idol," Ryan Seacrest declared that the night's performances were "a fight for the finale." Well, according to the raucous applause and overwhelmingly positive reactions from the judges, Lee DeWyze won that fight.

If DeWyze crushed his fellow contenders in round one, as Kara DioGuardi declared after his performance of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man," he obliterated them in round two with his spin on the familiar "Idol" pick "Hallelujah." Simon Cowell explained his selection for DeWyze as wanting "a moment" for the former paint-store worker. "We've heard this song before," Cowell said, alluding to previous versions of the song from Jason Castro and even Tim Urban earlier this season. "We always talk about the moment. I wanted him to do something that shows he has the potential to be a great artist."

DeWyze started out his version of the now-classic Leonard Cohen song softly, slowly building (complete with string accompaniment and a small choir of backup singers) to the night's undisputable highlight. At the end of the performance, the cameras panned to Simon, who gave a knowing nod.

Randy Jackson said he'd been "waiting all season to see who's going to throw down the real gauntlet to win the whole thing." He gave credit to Simon's song selection, then declared DeWyze's performance as his "biggest moment on this show. That was unbelievable." Ellen De Generes was glad Lee listened to Simon: "There's really nothing more to be said. That was stunning. Just stunning."

Kara continued to pile on the praise: "Lee you are what this show is all about: somebody who starts in one place and ends up in an incredible epic moment. You just owned the entire night."

Cowell summed things up nicely: "I'm very, very proud of you. When we sat down last week, I put myself where you were. ... This show has given you a break. Tonight, with that performance, you proved you are a fantastic singer and a great person. I really hope you make it to [the finale]."

Next week, another Idol will be crowned. But first, one contestant will be eliminated Wednesday night. Who do you think it will be? Sound off in the comments!

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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Diddy Describes His Prison Visit With Lil Wayne

Posted: 18 May 2010 04:21 AM PDT

'It wouldn't have been right if I didn't go see him and check on his health and well-being,' he tells MTV News.
By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Josh Horowitz


Photo: Universal

There was no big spectacle when Diddy visited his friend Lil Wayne earlier this month at New York's Rikers Island. There are no pictures or video footage. Diddy told MTV News he just wanted to check in on a friend who always came through in the clutch for him.

"Wayne is a trooper," Diddy said Tuesday (May 18) while promoting his June 4 film, "Get Him to the Greek." "Wayne is doing great. It was a personal visit, so I don't want to get into the details of that. We're just counting down the days of him getting out. He's somebody that has been there for me over the years numerous times. I live in New York. It wouldn't have been right if I didn't go see him and check on his health and well-being. But the status of where that's at, that's his personal business."

One of the ways Wayne came through for Puffy was shooting a video for Diddy-Dirty Money's Last Train to Paris album, due June 28.

"On Last Train to Paris, Wayne is on the album, Drake is on the album, we're trying to get Hov on the album, trying to get Janelle Monáe on the album," Diddy told MTV News in March. "Everybody that's on the album, it's not done in a regular appearance way. It's done in a unique way that's authentic. It's not about a single or [album sales]. It doesn't have that behind it. Wayne is on a record that's called 'Strobe Lights.' It's one of the first records where I hear him talking about love and how love has affected him. That's the type of things I wanted to get out of people if they were on the album. I wanted people to get out of their comfort zone and do something that was special. He did the video for me over the weekend. 'Strobe Lights,' it's gonna be tough."

Diddy also said Wayne's absence from the scene is a big loss. "I think we gonna miss a certain energy that Wayne has," Diddy said. "The beauty about it is, he'll be back, and hopefully he'll come back a better person. Whenever we get in trouble, we're in the public spotlight. So hopefully there's a lot of kids out there who could learn from any mistakes that we may have put ourselves in, even if we're not guilty of the crime sometimes. We are human. People have to learn: 'Make sure you know where you're going, who you riding with, what the situation is.' We're targets. I'm just happy he doesn't have to do a lot of time and that he'll be out, and hopefully he'll use the time wisely and use it in a positive way."

What do you think about Diddy visiting Lil Wayne in prison? Let us know in the comments.

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Justin Bieber 'Sucked It Up' While Getting Tattoo, Studio Owner Says

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:38 AM PDT

Brian Byrne also confirms tattoo is of Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
By Kara Warner


Justin Bieber gets a tattoo in March
Photo: Splash News

Photos of Justin Bieber getting a tattoo took the Internet by storm on Monday, with many wondering both what the ink actually depicts and whether or not it was real.

Well, Brian Byrne, co-owner of Son of a Gun Tattoo and Barbershop in Toronto, where Bieber got his new ink, broke down the story for MTV News via phone on Tuesday (May 18).

"It was back in March, March 4th or 5th" Byrne said. "The guy who tattooed him, Charlie, is a lifelong friend of Jeremy's, Justin's dad — they're all from Stratford. When it came up, he called Charlie and asked if he could do it and keep it quiet. We made sure the shop was empty and there was nobody around."

Byrne also confirmed reports that the tattoo was a celebration of both Bieber's birthday and family tradition.

"It was a 16th birthday tattoo," Byrne said. "I guess his dad has it, and one of his uncles. It's the outline of the seagull from Jonathan Livingston Seagull."

During the process, Byrne said that Bieber was a trooper throughout — particularly because the area he had tattooed, his left hip, is extremely sensitive. "That's a bad area, definitely. He was great. He was nervous but then got into it and it was done. It's very tiny.

"He laid there and sucked it up, his dad took a bunch of pictures and video and everybody talked to him. He's a very nice kid."

As for the legality and parental consent, Byrne confirmed that Son of a Gun has strict policies about whom they tattoo. "Our rule at the shop is: no necks, no hands, unless you're over 25; and you don't get tattooed at all unless you're 18 years old."

That rule bends slightly, Byrne explained, if you have a parent with you, and depending on what type of tattoo it is. "[We'll do it] if you're 16 and you have your parental consent, and it's a memorial tattoo or some type of family tattoo. We're pretty sticky with that. We don't want kids running around with garbage on them that [they'll later regret]."

With all the press their shop has now received, Byrne joked that they're thinking of renaming it the "Tattooed Bieber Shop."

"At least if the kids who love him can't get tattoos, their moms can."

Son of a Gun Tattoo and Barbershop opened in November 2009 and is co-owned by Byrne, CJ Owen, and Paul Rogers. They're already getting ready to open new locations. And, naturally, Byrne would be happy to have Bieber in for more work, should he want it.

"We're ready for him anytime."

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BET Awards Nominations Led By Jay-Z, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Drake ... And Justin Bieber

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:01 AM PDT

Bieber scores a surprise nod for Best New Artist.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Jay-Z
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

After performing at the World Series, headlining a 9/11 benefit concert at Madison Square Garden and being named MTV News' Hottest MC in the Game, it's no surprise that Jay-Z received the most nominations for the upcoming 2010 BET Awards.

The Brooklyn MC scored nods in the Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Best Collaboration ("Empire State of Mind"), Video of the Year ("Empire State of Mind" and "Run this Town") and Viewer's Choice categories to lead the way with five nominations, it was announced Tuesday (May 18).

Teen heart throb Justin Bieber picked up a surprise nomination for Best New Artist, his only recognition. "That was not a joke," BET executive Stephen Hill said, laughing in response to the singer's nod.

Beyoncé (Best Female R&B Artist), Alicia Keys (Best Female R&B Artist), Trey Songz (Best Collaboration, for "Successful" and "Say Aah") and newcomer Melanie Fiona (Centric Award) were among the other multiple nominees, each receiving four nods.

Lil Wayne's protégés did well too, with Drake picking up three nominations, including Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Nicki Minaj scoring two nods and Young Money as a collective earning three nominations, including as the only crew up for Best New Artist.

Drake and Nicki Minaj will also be among those scheduled to take the stage to perform during the evening, in addition to Trey Songz and Diddy-Dirty Money.

Rihanna, Fabolous, B.o.B, Monica, and Maxwell round out the multiple nominees with two nominations apiece.

New categories introduced for the show, now in its 10th year, include Best Movie and Young Stars Awards, in which Selena Gomez and Will Smith's daughter Willow will compete against each other.

Queen Latifah is set to host the festivities live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on June 27. "Mo'Nique will slap the sh-- outta me if I don't do a good job," Latifah told the gathered media, in regards to following in the footsteps of the comedian and Jada Pinkett-Smith as female hosts.

Diddy will host the post-show, as he counts down the release of his album, Last Train to Paris, which arrives June 28.

The full list of nominees, according to BET:

Best Female R&B Artist
» Beyoncé
» Mary J. Blige
» Melanie Fiona
» Alicia Keys
» Rihanna

Best Male R&B Artist
» Chris Brown
» Raheem DeVaughn
» Maxwell
» Trey Songz
» Usher

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
» Ester Dean
» Lil Kim
» Nicki Minaj
» Rasheeda
» Trina

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
» B.o.B
» Drake
» Fabolous
» Jay-Z
» Ludacris

Best New Artist
» Justin Bieber
» Melanie Fiona
» Nicki Minaj
» Wale
» Young Money

Best Gospel
» The Anointed Pace Sisters
» Kirk Franklin Presents: Artists United for Haiti
» Tamela Mann
» Marvin Sapp
» Vickie Winans

Best Group
» Black Eyed Peas
» Clipse
» Diddy-Dirty Money
» New Boyz
» Young Money

Best Collaboration
» Beyoncé (featuring Lady Gaga) - "Video Phone"
» B.o.B (featuring Bruno Mars) - Nothin' on You
» Drake and Trey Songz - "Successful"
» Drake (featuring Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Eminem) - "Forever"
» Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind"
» Trey Songz (featuring Fabolous) - "Say Aah"

Video Director of the Year
» Benny Boom
» Gil Green
» Anthony Mandler
» Chris Robinson
» Hype Williams

Video of the Year
» Beyoncé (featuring Lady Gaga) - "Video Phone"
» B.o.B (featuring Bruno Mars) - Nothin' on You
» Melanie Fiona - "It Kills Me"
» Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind"
» Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West - "Run This Town"

Best Actress
» Taraji P. Henson
» Regina King
» Mo'Nique
» Zoe Saldana
» Gabourey Sidibe

Best Actor
» Quinton Aaron
» Don Cheadle
» Idris Elba
» Jamie Foxx
» Denzel Washington

Best Movie
» "Avatar"
» "Law Abiding Citizen"
» "Michael Jackson's This Is It"
» "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
» "The Blind Side"

Young Stars Award
» Selena Gomez
» Lil JJ
» Keke Palmer
» Willow Smith
» Tyler James Williams

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
» Tamika Catchings
» Vanessa James
» Candace Parker
» Serena Williams
» Venus Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year
» Carmelo Anthony
» Usain Bolt
» Kobe Bryant
» LeBron James
» Tiger Woods

Viewer's Choice
» Beyoncé - "Sweet Dreams"
» Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind"
» Monica - "Everything to Me"
» Rihanna (featuring Young Jeezy) - "Hard"
» Trey Songz (featuring Fabolous) - "Say Aah"
» Young Money (featuring Lloyd) - "Bedrock"

Best International Act
» Kojo Antwi (Ghana)
» Chipmunk (U.K.)
» Dizzee Rascal (U.K.)
» Estelle (U.K.)
» Hip Hop Pantsula (South Africa)
» K'NAAN (Somalia)
» M.I. (Nigeria)
» P-Square (Nigeria)
» Corinne Bailey Rae (U.K.)
» Sade (U.K.)

Centric Award
» Melanie Fiona
» Maxwell
» Chrisette Michele
» Monica
» Sade

Who are you looking forward to seeing at the 2010 BET Awards? Let us know in the comments!

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T-Pain Thinks 'American Idol' Could Help Him Sell More Records

Posted: 18 May 2010 03:33 AM PDT

'I don't know if they let you use Auto-Tune, but if they do, I'm a shoo-in,' he tells MTV News.
By Jayson Rodriguez


T-Pain
Photo: MTV News

T-Pain is diligently at work on his next album, but it seems like the Tampa, Florida, native is already thinking about the marketing plan for the project.

"Revolver is coming," he told MTV News on Saturday, backstage at Chris Brown's "Virginia Stand Up!" benefit concert. "We're just trying to see. ... It's hard to sell records unless you're Susan Boyle, I guess. Nobody is selling records.

"I should compete on 'American Idol' the way they're selling records when they come off of there," T-Pain laughed. "I need to be a part of that competition. I don't know if they let you use Auto-Tune, but if they do, I'm a shoo-in. I'm two shoes in! I'm a pair of shoes in."

The computer-aided crooner hasn't released a project since he was embroiled in a pseudo-feud with Jay-Z after the rapper released his single "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)."

Pain initially announced his follow-up to 2008's Thr33 Ringz would be Revolver, although he flirted with the title UBER. But that project, which he said was going to be released last year, appears to have been shelved.

Recently, T-Pain announced that plans for a joint album with Lil Wayne are now on hold following the rapper's incarceration. He told MTV News in March that it didn't make sense to rush the project while Wayne was preparing to begin his prison sentence.

"The T-Wayne album, we're actually gonna wait until he gets out," Pain said at the time. "He has so much going on. He has Rebirth out right now. I don't wanna interrupt that. We just gonna wait until he gets out to really get in on that. We recorded a bunch of songs. But, right now, it's time for him and his personal sh--. We definitely got an album's worth of material, but it's only an album's worth. It's nothing to pick from. We just got an album. We can put out whatever we feel like and say, 'Hey, this is T-Wayne's album,' or we can actually try to make it good. Like we're actually trying to make an album and say, 'This is the good T-Wayne album.' Rather than just record 12 songs and say, 'Here you go, mutha----as! I know you want it. You gonna buy it anyway, just 'cause you think it's good.' "

Are you excited to hear T-Pain's next album? Let us know in the comments!

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Ryan Phillippe On Drake, Jay-Z And His Hip-Hop Aspirations

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:03 AM PDT

'I've grown up a hip-hop head since I was mad young,' 'MacGruber' star says.
By Eric Ditzian


Ryan Phillippe
Photo: MTV News

At first it seemed like a joke. Ryan Phillippe appeared on "Saturday Night Live" in a sketch called "Hip-Hop Kids" that had him challenging a grizzly bear to a rap battle. "The only thing that bear is going to eat is my rhymes!" he boasted.

But maybe he wasn't just playing around with the world of hip-hop. In an interview published weeks after his "SNL" gig, the 35-year-old actor claimed he's a seriously gifted rapper. "I rap really well," he told Women's Health, of all publications. "I can sound like Lil Wayne or Ludacris. I'm dead serious ... I can spit!"

Really? This was something MTV News had to investigate, and we got the chance when Phillippe was promoting his upcoming action/comedy film "MacGruber." Does he really harbor hip-hop aspirations?

"True," he said. "I would like to, at some point, produce an artist down the line. It's always been a passion of mine. I've grown up a hip-hop head since I was mad young."

So who's he listening to these days to get inspiration for the day he heads into the recording studio with an up-and-coming lyricist? Turns out Phillippe just checked out one of hip-hop's hottest acts when he made his way to Drake's sold-out show at Los Angeles' Club Nokia earlier this week.

"He was amazing," Phillippe said. Not only was it Drake, but he brought out Nicki Minaj. Birdman came out and Tyga and Soulja Boy.

"There's this guy Jay Electronica that I'm really into right now," he added, going on to name-check some of his other favorite artists. "Jay-Z. Biggie. All of 'em, everybody, the whole gang!"

Are you surprised by Ryan's hip-hop love? Let us know in the comments!

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Ronnie James Dio Remembered At Pearl Jam, Kiss Concerts

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:09 AM PDT

Singer is also mourned by onetime Dio guitarist Doug Aldrich and Saxon frontman Bill Byford.
By Kelley L. Carter


Ronnie James Dio
Photo: Marty Temme/WireImage

Kiss' Paul Stanley cupped the microphone in his hand and stood in the middle of the stage, pointing toward the sky. "Let's make sure he can hear us up there," the guitarist said, leading thousands of fans in a chant during a Kiss concert in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday night.

"Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie! We love you and we miss you!"

It was one of many tributes paid to legendary heavy-metal singer Ronnie James Dio, who died on Sunday of stomach cancer. He was 67. A number of metal artists and their fans sent condolences to the former Black Sabbath singer. Widely regarded as one of the most recognizable voices in metal, Dio also performed with Rainbow, Elf and his own solo band.

"We mourn the tragic passing of the great Ronnie James Dio," Kiss bandmembers said in a statement. "In addition to his powerhouse vocal ability, Ronnie was a true gentleman who always emanated great warmth and friendship to us and everyone around him. We will miss him."

Other groups, like Pearl Jam, let Dio's music do the talking. About 45 minutes before their concert was to begin in Boston, house speakers blasted music spanning Dio's career, and during a performance of Pearl Jam's "Alive," the band closed the song with riffs from Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" single.

Guitarist Doug Aldrich, who once played with Dio, described the singer as a giant. "I was blessed to share some music with him, but mostly, I am thankful for his friendship," Aldrich said in a statement. "Ronnie was a good-hearted, caring man. He brought so much happiness through his music. Thank you, Ronnie, for the gifts you shared with us. Ronnie made magic, and Ronnie was and will always be golden."

Saxon frontman Biff Byford also released a statement on Sunday, saying, "Today I heard my friend Ronnie Dio has lost his battle. It is a great loss to us all. I first met Ronnie in the early eighties when we played with Black Sabbath and Blue Öyster Cult, the infamous 'Black and Blue' tour. I first heard him sing on 'The Butterfly Ball' and from that moment, I understood what great singing was all about; he was at the top of his game from then on. His voice was always powerful and soaring; his phrasing was uniquely his, copied by many but never bettered. I will miss him as we all will."

What are your memories of Ronnie James Dio and his music? Share with us in the comments below.

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John Travolta And Kelly Preston Expecting A Baby

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:09 AM PDT

Actors are parents to 10-year-old Ella Bleu; son Jett died last year of a seizure.
By Kelley L. Carter


John Travolta and Kelly Preston
Photo: Getty Images

A year ago, John Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston, were grieving the loss of their 16-year-old son, Jett, who died of a seizure in January 2009. On Tuesday (May 18), they announced that Preston, 47, is pregnant.

"It's impossible to keep a secret ... especially one as wonderful as this," the couple said in a statement. "We want to be the first to share this great news with everyone that we are expecting a new addition to our family. Love, John, Kelly and Ella."

Travolta, 56, and Preston also are parents to 10-year-old Ella Bleu. Jett died while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas, at the family's vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island. Jett hit his head in a bathtub and was declared dead at Rand Memorial Hospital.

People magazine reported that Preston told Montel Williams in 2003 that when Jett was 2 he became "very, very ill, but it seemed like flu symptoms" before being diagnosed with Kawasaki disease. The condition, which usually affects children from ages 2 to 5, can cause inflammation of the arteries; the disease can lead to lasting heart damage in rare cases.

The news of the pregnancy comes on the heels of reports that two dogs who belonged to Travolta were struck and killed at Bangor International Airport in Maine on Thursday. The accident happened shortly after he and members of his family landed there. The dogs were both on leashes while being walked and were making their way to some grass when they were hit by an airport service truck.

Send well-wishes to the Travolta family in the comments.

B.o.B Says All City Chess Club Side Project Is 'Fun And Creative'

Posted: 18 May 2010 04:49 AM PDT

Supergroup also includes Lupe Fiasco, Asher Roth, J. Cole, Charles Hamilton, the Cool Kids, Diggy Simmons, Wale and Blu.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Steven Roberts


B.o.B
Photo: MTV News

Last month, Lupe Fiasco introduced a new super crew via Twitter when he sent a dispatch about the All City Chess Club. The Chicago lyricist wrote that the members included himself, B.o.B, Asher Roth, J. Cole, Charles Hamilton, the Cool Kids, Diggy Simmons, Wale and indie rapper Blu.

B.o.B told MTV News that the members are already brainstorming ideas.

"The All City Chess Club is something that Lupe had the idea about, and me and Charles Hamilton were at a show, and he came up with the idea and talked to us about it, and we were down," B.o.B said of the group's genesis. "I feel like the respect level is mutual with all of us. And I've already done songs with Charles Hamilton, Lupe and Asher Roth. Basically, the whole concept of it is to have a project, a freelance project, that's something fun and creative."

So far, nothing is concrete, and Lupe, Cole, Roth, the Cool Kids, Blu and Wale are all working on their own albums, while Hamilton is looking to resurrect his dormant career and Diggy Simmons is just introducing himself as an artist.

The majority of the members are alumni of XXL's Freshmen 10 lists. Roth, B.o.B. Blu, Wale and Hamilton graced the cover in '09, while Cole was a part of the group that landed on the cover this year.

What do you think about Lupe Fiasco's supergroup? Let us know in the comments!

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Crystal Bowersox's Hometown Fans Say Her 'Idol' Run Gives Them Hope

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:21 PM PDT

Teens and other followers in Ohio are inspired by Bowersox's success.
By Gil Kaufman


Crystal Bowersox
Photo: FOX

TOLEDO, Ohio — Like its neighbor to the north, Detroit, Toledo has been hit hard by the Great Recession and the shrinking American auto industry. Downtown is littered with the hulks of giant factories that used to help supply parts and materials to the Motor City's car industry, but which now sit fenced off, their broken windows and weed-choked parking lots a testament to better times in this industrial city.

But despite areas with some of the highest double-digit unemployment rates in the state, these days there are plenty of reasons for hope thanks to the unlikely championship run of the area's new favorite daughter, "American Idol" top-three contestant Crystal Bowersox.

"She came from a small town, so it shows anybody can do anything," said Derek Wood, 14, who gathered with more than 200 others to watch the elimination show in the Baptist church across the street from Bowersox's childhood home two weeks ago. "I think it gives [kids around here] the chance to open up their dreams and try other things ... think they can actually do it. I think she's going to win."

That kind of optimism can be found all over the Toledo area, from the spanking-new signs proclaiming tiny Elliston, Ohio (population 75), the hometown of Bowersox, to the dozens of store windows painted with messages of encouragement for MamaSox in neighboring Oak Harbor, put up by the cheerleaders from the singer's old middle school.

After Bowersox made it through to the top four that night, Oak Harbor native Jaime Sellback, 20, was relieved and said the success has helped create a sense of community in the area. "I think it's brought everyone together, really, I mean, to have an 'Idol' from our town?" she said after attending her first viewing party at the church. "It's just crazy to think that someone's going to hopefully win it — well, she will win it — and be famous ... just from a small town, and she's done so good."

Of course she's a bit biased, but Bowersox's grandmother, Alice Bowersox, is not only proud of her granddaughter's success, but glad the rest of the world finally gets to see what she's known all along. "We knew she was going somewhere," said Alice Bowersox. "We really knew she had a lot of talent. And now the rest of the world is finding it out."

When it's suggested that her granddaughter's rise from a modest rural Ohio background to the biggest stage in television is a quintessential American success story, Alice blanches a bit, showing some of that signature Bowersox grit that Crystal has displayed when sparring with the judges on the show. "We always knew that she was going to go far," she said modestly. "And coming from a small town doesn't really have a whole lot to do with it. It was her drive and she really worked hard for this. That one night [on 'Idol'] when she talked about singing in the subway in Chicago, she really did that. She'd sing anywhere."

The previous night, Dr. Jeff Bunkers, who was Bowersox's orthodontist when she was a teenager, sat up close to the TVs at the Village Idiot in Maumee, Ohio — where Bowersox had a standing weekly engagement up until she left for "Idol" — and watched her perform with a big smile on his face. "I think it shows people that ... if you can dream it, it'll happen. No matter how long it takes, it will happen," he said. "So I think we should all have some dreams and let's work towards fulfilling those dreams. Because I think Crystal ... she's showing us that no matter where you come from, what you think, you can really make it happen."

That can-do message has spread all the way down to the school Bowersox attended, Oak Harbor Middle School, where principal Marie Wittman has been using an old video of the singer winning her sixth-grade talent contest as a way to motivate students during their recent Ohio achievement tests. "I can actually play off of Crystal's success because she was very driven at a young age and has worked so hard," said Wittman. "I told the students that with hard work and dedication and all of those good things, that they will be successful some day, that they never know where their dreams can take them." With the annual talent show coming up, she said some students have already taken Bowersox's example and signed up for guitar lessons thinking that they might follow in the Ohio native's footsteps.

Perhaps nobody is prouder, though, than local musician Ron Rasberry, the man who was one of the first in the area to give Bowersox a shot at playing on a real stage and who has nurtured her musical aspirations for more than a decade.

"Man, people are walking around and smiling," said Rasberry, perched on a stool on the stage at the gritty downtown Toledo bar Papa's Tavern, where Bowersox began playing at age 14 and where she is now enshrined in a hand-painted mural on the wall beside Rasberry. "This city needs a good shot in the arm, you know. Right now things are a little tough and rough around here. ... She's putting smiles on people's faces that wouldn't ordinarily watch that show. And I'm one of them."

Do you think Crystal's "Idol" journey is inspirational? Let us know in the comments!

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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Lee DeWyze Worked At Paint Store Right Up Until 'American Idol'

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:03 AM PDT

'He was our top sales guy,' old boss Bill Lagattolla tells MTV News of the 'Idol' finalist.
By Gil Kaufman


Lee DeWyze
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Fox

MT. PROSPECT, Illinois — On a recent Tuesday afternoon, Mt. Prospect Paint owner Bill Lagattolla was selling considerably more Lee DeWyze T-shirts than primer or brushes. And that was just fine with him.

"He was our top sales guy," Lagattolla said proudly, referring to the "American Idol" finalist's skill at selling paint, though he might as well have been talking about T-shirt sales, since the store had already sold thousands of the neon-green "Be-Lee-ieve" keepsakes over the past few weeks. "[Very] personable ... he was really good."

DeWyze began working at the store when he was 15, around the time he first began fiddling around with a guitar, and he stayed on the payroll until he was 18, leaving for a short time and then returning three years ago. "[He started playing guitar] shortly after he started," said Lagattolla, who gets hundreds of phone calls a day from curiosity seekers looking for information on DeWyze. "When he started working, he [needed] money for guitars and strings, and that was one of his thoughts of working here, so he could buy things he wants."

A quick study, DeWyze's specialty was stain and paint matching, a skill Lagattolla said is very hard to master. "Anything Lee did, he was always very competitive and wanted to be the best," he said. But it wasn't all work and no play. As DeWyze was working on mastering the guitar and writing his first batch of songs, Lagattolla said he used to bring his guitar in slow Sundays, often improvising lyrics about his fellow staff and the customers to pass the time.

"When he worked here, he worked for necessity," said Lagattolla, who proudly displays a photo of Lee near the register and a giant sign over the store's front window that reads, "Mt. Prospect Paint Congratulates Its Very Own American Idol Lee DeWyze."

Because of the exposure he's gotten since DeWyze rose to the top three on "Idol," Lagattolla is used to the attention in the store. During MTV News' visit, no less than half a dozen families and friends of DeWyze came in to buy shirts or just chat Bill up about Lee, often sharing stories of when they first saw him perform or asking Lagattolla what the singer was like when he wore an MPP employee badge.

After leaving for a few years, DeWyze came back when he turned 21, and Lagattolla said he could sense a new maturity in the singer, who was then preparing to release his debut album, 2007's So I'm Told. "He definitely had gone through a few things that made him stronger," said Lagattolla, who divulged that the pair liked watching cooking shows together on the store's flat-screen TV and that Lee's favorite color is a kind of bright orange called tangelo. "He had a new goal in life ... to get stable and to start working ... really chipping away at his music career."

DeWyze kept the gig right up until he left for the Hollywood rounds of "Idol," and Lagattolla actually kept him on the payroll — at $500 a week — until the top 10 since Lee didn't have any other income. In fact, Lagattolla said, Lee is still on the store's health-insurance plan, though now that he's on the verge of possibly making it to the finale, he might be able to afford his own coverage soon.

"When he worked here, he enjoyed his job," his old boss said. "Lee is that kind of person. When he's into something, he's full bore. But definitely his passion was music and singing. ... That's where he wanted to be. So 'American Idol' has given him that opportunity to do it."

Are you rooting for Lee to win it all? Let us know in the comments!

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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'Lost' Star Talks Tonight's Episode

Posted: 18 May 2010 03:09 AM PDT

'Ben finds notes of tenderness in his life,' he says of his character in the penultimate episode.
By Josh Wigler


Michael Emerson
Photo: MTV News

Benjamin Linus is many things: a liar, a manipulator, a mass-murderer and, most recently, a pawn. What he isn't, however, is lucky in romance. But that's all about to change on Tuesday night's (May 18) penultimate episode of "Lost," titled "What They Died For."

Speaking with MTV News, actor Michael Emerson revealed that his character, Ben, the onetime leader of the mysterious Others, will finally have some chance at love on "Lost" — in his flash-sideways life, that is.

"I guess there might be [romance], yeah," he told us when asked about rumors of a romantic interest for Ben's sideways counterpart. "You could take it that way. Teacher Ben finds, at long last, notes of tenderness in his life."

Emerson admitted that love has been "tough for Island Ben — he doesn't have that. But why shouldn't Teacher Ben? Maybe that's one of the morals of the flash-sideways: that [a] quieter life does sometimes allow for kinds of sweetness that are unavailable when you're chasing the big game on the Island."

Speaking of chasing big game on the Island, Emerson promised that tonight's episode gets back into the thick of the endgame, following last week's divisive and mythology-heavy episode, divisive and mythology-heavy episode, "Across the Sea." Emerson teased: "This is full throttle, mainline 'Lost' island mythology. We're hurtling towards a resolution. It's strong."

Fans who've noticed Ben's absence in recent episodes will be happy to hear he's back in the spotlight in Tuesday's outing. The actor himself acknowledges that Ben has plenty of issues to resolve before the series concludes on Sunday. In fact, Emerson promised resolution on two issues: Ben's relationship with Locke ("Yes, that's by no means finished," he said) and his rivalry with Charles Widmore.

"Oh yes, those characters will meet again," Emerson cryptically revealed of Ben and Widmore's shared future, one that might not be revealed until "The End."

Are you excited for these last two episodes of "Lost"? Let us know in the comments!

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Robert Pattinson's 'Remember Me' DVD Due June 22

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:11 AM PDT

DVD release is just over a week before 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse' hits theaters.
By Eric Ditzian


Emilie de Ravin and Robert Pattinson in "Remember Me"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

Just over a week before "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" hits theaters, Robert Pattinson's romantic drama, "Remember Me," arrives on DVD and Blu-ray June 22. Both discs will feature audio commentaries with RPattz, as well other castmembers and the filmmakers.

Co-starring Emilie de Ravin, Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper, "Remember Me" tells the story of Tyler (Pattinson) and Ally (de Ravin), two young New Yorkers who meet and fall in love in the summer of 2001.

"I never really played a normal guy before, and it was just that," Pattinson told us about the role in March. "It was just a really solid story, and I had never really done that."

He first encountered the script shortly after finishing "Twilight" and ended up shooting the film in between production on "New Moon" and "Eclipse." Filmmakers had been unsuccessfully trying to cast the role of Ally when de Ravin came in to audition.

"I read the script three weeks before they started shooting," she told us. "I flew to New York to test with Rob, and we immediately got along and had instant, great chemistry, which is not an easy thing to come by. Obviously, you're acting, but you want to have that connection with somebody. We had it. And I was thrown into a wardrobe fitting that same day."

Released in the U.S. in March, "Remember Me" grossed $46.9 million worldwide. The Blu-ray will sell for $34.99, while the DVD is priced at $26.99. Starting June 15, fans can download a redeemable coupon for $8 off their purchase. Summit is also packaging the discs with an offer for a free movie poster of Pattinson that is redeemable by mail.

Check out everything we've got on "Remember Me."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Maroon 5 Get Violent In 'Misery' Video

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:23 AM PDT

'We decided to focus on violence instead of sex this time around,' bassist Mickey Madden tells MTV News.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Kelly Marino


Maroon 5's Adam Levine
Photo: MTV News

Maroon 5's new, Joseph Kahn-directed "Misery" video is many things — almost all of which are violent.

"The cool thing is, when Joseph wrote the treatment ... after reading a few sentences, I thought it was really amazing," M5 frontman Adam Levine told MTV News on the set of the video. "Because it kind of turns the whole idea of the sexual energy between two people — a guy and a girl, a music video, you've seen that a million times — that exists in this video, but it's turning it on its ass and having the girl be the more domineering one who's trying to kill me."

"We decided to focus on violence instead of sex this time around," bassist Mickey Madden added.

"We like to switch it up," Levine joked. "The next one will be about drugs."

We'll just have to wait and see about that. In the meantime, we have "Misery" to look forward to. The band shot the clip with Kahn last week in Los Angeles, and from the sound of things, it's going to be very different from anything M5 have done in the past.

"I think it's going to be fun. I just had my first harness experience. That was very interesting. I got lowered onto the street, in the middle of traffic, because I fall off a building," Levine laughed. "I'm curious to see how it turns out. A lot of falling and violence [so far]. I've already been beaten up and thrown off a building today. We'll have to see what comes next."

And while the "Misery" video is a new look for the band, the song itself — the first single from their upcoming Hands All Over album, which hits stores September 21 — mines familiar territory. Set over a decidedly funky beat, it's Levine documenting the decay of yet another relationship, something that even he will admit has become his bread and butter in recent years.

" 'Misery' is about ... the desperation of wanting someone really badly in your life but having it be very difficult. Kind of what all the songs I write are about," he smiled. "I'm not treading on new ground, but I think a lot of people — including myself — deal with that all the time. Relationships are difficult, and it's good therapy to write about them."

Are you looking forward to the "Misery" video? Let us know in the comments!

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