MTV News |
- Miley Cyrus Says She Never Reads 'Anything That's Bad' About Herself
- Drake's Busy Album-Release Day: A Recap
- Taylor Lautner Calls 'Eclipse' The Most 'Guy-Friendly' 'Twilight' Film
- Kristen Stewart 'Excited' About 'Breaking Dawn' Being Two Movies
- Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Other Stars Pitch In After Gulf Oil Spill
- Snooki Reveals Her Favorite 'Jersey Shore' One-Liner
- Adam Lambert 'Caught Off Guard' By Reaction To His Half-Shaved Head
- 'Eclipse' Featurette Includes New Scenes From Film
- Megan Fox Says She And Brian Austin Green Never Broke Off Engagement
- Miley Cyrus Fans React To 'Good Morning America' Concert
- Drake Never Considered Changing <i>Thank Me Later</i> Release Date
- Diddy Set To Guest On 'Entourage'
- Michael Jackson's Estate And AEG Will Pay For 2009 Memorial
- Owl City's Adam Young Calls Sky Sailing Project 'A Dream Come True'
- Snoop Dogg Sinks His Teeth Into 'True Blood' With 'Oh Sookie'
- Hayley Williams Takes Issue With Paramore's Portrayal In <i>Spin</i>
- Jay-Z's Surprise Outdoor 'David Letterman' Performance Canceled
- Sean Garrett Talks Finalizing Deal With Lil Wayne, New Mixtape
- Blink-182's Mark Hoppus Promises 'Exciting' Announcement Monday
- 'Toy Story 3': The Reviews Are In!
| Miley Cyrus Says She Never Reads 'Anything That's Bad' About Herself Posted: 18 Jun 2010 07:02 AM PDT 'Can't Be Tamed' singer says her team protects her from 'the bullcrap that people write about me.'
Miley Cyrus is certainly growing up. As the 17-year-old expresses her growth on her new album, Can't Be Tamed, she's been criticized by some who say she's trying to be too old too fast. But the Disney star has a message for those who may not approve of her: She doesn't read what you have to say anyway.
"I try to think of really just the positive things. My family, we're only allowed to have 10 channels basically at our house, because we don't want to see any of that stuff," she told MTV News on Friday (June 18), days before celebrating the release of her album with a concert in L.A. to be live-streamed on MTV sites. "So the people that are around me, they bring me the good things, and I never see anything or read anything that's bad because it's never e-mailed to me by my manager or publicist or whoever." Cyrus claimed to be deliberately ignorant of any gossip or negative talk about her. "That's the job of the team that I have around me: to make sure that those things aren't talked about," she explained. Well, now that we are talking about "those things," does she have a response to the criticism that her work has become too mature for her fanbase? "A lot of people say there's things that are on the Internet about me, or whatever, and then they go, 'Well if that's you, how do you expect people to buy your record when your fans are kids?' " she said. "My record isn't the bullcrap that people write about me. My record is what I want to say and what I think is important." No matter what, Miley said, she's got the support of her parents, and that's what's important. "I'm a very inspirational person," she said. "At the end of the day my parents are proud of me, and I have a feeling if your job is to bring other people down, you may not have the same response." If you were Miley, would you respond to critics or ignore them? Share your thoughts in the comments. Don't miss Miley Cyrus' Can't Be Tamed World Premiere Live concert, which will be live-streaming on Miley.MTV.com Monday at 10:30 p.m. ET — the pre-show with Sway begins at 10:15 p.m.! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Drake's Busy Album-Release Day: A Recap Posted: 18 Jun 2010 04:50 AM PDT Drizzy's Thank Me Later debut date included promotional stops, a concert cancellation and partying at New York City hot spots.
Drake's highly anticipated debut album, Thank Me Later, dropped earlier this week and the Toronto rapper was plenty busy promoting the project and basking in its release. He shared the experience with fans and peers alike via a number of events, ranging from a free (albeit aborted) concert in Manhattan to two album-release parties.
Here, MTV News recaps Drake's big day, June 15: Morning "I actually was surprised that I even got to sleep. I was so excited that I was so exhausted too. I had a long day yesterday. I got right on the phone and started doing radio [interviews]; I did about 15 radio stations this morning. My mom texted me, she was just like, 'I can't believe this, because people are saying you sold this [many copies] already,' " he continued. "I was like, 'Ma, don't listen to that.' She had some crazy numbers. She was like, 'Oh, I heard you sold 200,000 albums by 10:00. I was like, 'I doubt that!' " Afternoon "I got here at 3 in the morning," Natalia Morales said. "I'm ecstatic right now. I'm still shaking!" "It's a lifetime experience being ... one of the first guys to get my CD signed by him," Kevin Benejam said. "I told him I look up to him a lot for going for his dream, because a lot of people don't have the courage to go for their dream." Evening A few hours later, Drake appeared at Manhattan night spot Amnesia for a Hot 97-sponsored album-release party, and popped up later at 5 Ninth for a private fete that included his mother, his manager, Birdman and a number of music-industry insiders. Don't miss the "Drake: Better Than Good Enough" documentary, airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Taylor Lautner Calls 'Eclipse' The Most 'Guy-Friendly' 'Twilight' Film Posted: 18 Jun 2010 01:30 AM PDT 'The romance is still there, but the action level is stepped up way more,' he tells MTV News.
Taylor Lautner is fast becoming a go-to young Hollywood actor for demanding action roles. He's about to start filming "Abduction," a Jason Bourne-style thriller, and has lined up two action-heavy flicks — "Stretch Armstrong" and "Cancun" — further down the line. Plus he signed up for, then parted ways with, "Max Steel," a superhero movie in which he would have played a kid imbued with the power of nanobots. The 18-year-old, in short, digs action. It's no surprise, then, that when it comes to picking his favorite film in the "Twilight" series, he's going with the upcoming "Eclipse" — the one that ratchets up the action in a way Twilighters have not yet seen.
"It was my favorite book, so I was always looking forward to the day that I got to film it," Lautner told MTV News of "Eclipse," due in theaters June 30. "The final product turned out even better than I expected." Credit goes to director David Slade, the man behind the horror flick "30 Days of Night" and someone with both a distinct visual style and a talent for capturing run-and-gun action sequences. "It's my favorite, because it's the most guy-friendly by far," Lautner explained of "Eclipse." "It's dangerous. There's a lot of action. The romance is still there, but the action level is stepped up way more. It's great." Less than great, however, is watching himself up on the big screen without a shirt on. Because "shirtless" is pretty much Lautner's default state during the film. Fans might love those scenes, but the actor says they're both uncomfortable to shoot and to watch. "It is a little awkward for me to watch myself and, actually, when we're filming those scenes," he said. We'll be live at the L.A. premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" on Thursday, June 24. Tune in to Movies.MTV.com at 9:30 ET (8:30 Central) for our red-carpet webcast, and watch us chat with Robert, Kristen, Taylor and all your favorite stars. And don't forget to submit your burning 'Eclipse' questions! Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Kristen Stewart 'Excited' About 'Breaking Dawn' Being Two Movies Posted: 17 Jun 2010 11:03 PM PDT 'It would have lacked so much because you couldn't cram the story into one,' the 'Eclipse' star says.
Long overdue weddings, unexpected pregnancies, vicious vampire wars: With so much ground to cover, how could "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn" possibly have satisfied fans with just one movie?
Frankly, it probably couldn't have, which is why Summit Entertainment announced that the final "Twilight" chapter, "Breaking Dawn," would be split into two separate movies. The decision to have the film unfold in two parts brings a sigh of relief not only from fans of the supernatural romance series, but also from many of the series' cast and crew members. Kristen Stewart told MTV News that she was thrilled to hear "Breaking Dawn" would get a two-part treatment. "I'm really excited," Stewart said when we spoke with her as she promoted "Eclipse." "I didn't want to read the script that was just one [movie]. It would have lacked so much because you just couldn't cram the story into one. At least that was my opinion, so I'm really excited." And Stewart has many reasons to be excited. Her character Bella goes through some dramatic transformations over the course of this final story. Stewart's Bella finally marries Pattinson's Edward and gives birth to their human-vampire hybrid baby, Renesmee Cullen. And perhaps most incredibly, Bella becomes a vampire herself. For Stewart, the "Breaking Dawn" story line is also pivotal because it's where the Forks teen comes into womanhood. "She's a woman now and it blows my mind," Stewart said of reprising her role as Bella one last time. "It's going to be a completely different person to play. She's like a matriarch now. She's the strongest vampire, she literally can protect everyone. She's literally impenetrable. I'm most excited about seeing Renesmee. It should be interesting, all of that stuff." We'll be live at the L.A. premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" on Thursday, June 24. Tune in to Movies.MTV.com at 9:30 ET (8:30 Central) for our red-carpet webcast, and watch us chat with Robert, Kristen, Taylor and all your favorite stars. And don't forget to submit your burning 'Eclipse' questions! Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Other Stars Pitch In After Gulf Oil Spill Posted: 18 Jun 2010 05:47 AM PDT Celebs are boycotting BP fuel on their tour buses, appearing on CNN's telethon and filming PSAs.
A collection of artists has agreed to boycott fuel sold by BP on their tours this summer, after the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Associated Press reports that Korn's Jonathan Davis is trying to get his fellow artists to boycott the use/purchase of BP fuel, as well as that of any of its affiliates. In a statement issued Friday (June 18), the rocker said he has already gathered Lady Gaga, Creed and the Backstreet Boys for his effort. Justin Bieber, Cameron Diaz, Lenny Kravitz and Ryan Seacrest, meanwhile, are all set to appear Monday on CNN's two-hour telethon "Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help." Kravitz also participated in the New Orleans fundraising concert Gulf Aid last month, along with Mos Def, John Legend and others, which reportedly raised $350,000 for fishing families and wetlands restoration. "Lost" and "Vampire Diaries" actor Ian Somerhalder, a Louisiana native, filmed a PSA for the Audubon Institute and told the Los Angeles Times, "I never talk about politics, but right now is a time to be angry and sad." Actor Kevin Costner has perhaps put forth the biggest effort, having invested in 300 Ocean Therapy machines to help clean up the spill. New York's Daily News reported that the machines work like a big vacuum that sucks up tons of polluted water, separates the oil and finishes with 97 percent clean water. Tens of millions of gallons of oil have gushed into the Gulf Coast since an April explosion of an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana. Have you done anything to help the cleanup effort in the Gulf? Let us know in the comments. Head to Think.MTV.com to find a community where you, your friends and your favorite celebrities can get informed, get heard and take action on the issues that matter to you most. Related Artists |
| Snooki Reveals Her Favorite 'Jersey Shore' One-Liner Posted: 18 Jun 2010 05:54 AM PDT Find your favorite in 'Gym, Tanning, Laundry: The Official Jersey Shore Quote Book.'
Without a doubt, the most quotable member of the "Jersey Shore" cast is Snooki. Sorry, Sitch, you know it's true. She's got the pickles, she's got the duck phone and she's got the absolutely untouchable "I think my crotch is sticking out."
However, when we asked the lovely Miss Polizzi what her favorite one-liner from the first cycle of the smash hit show was, she surprised even us: "I think my favorite quote from last season would probably be when I was talking about being drunk and I was like, 'You know what? ... I'm not trashy. Unless I drink too much.' That's what drinking does to you. So this book that's coming out with all of our quotes from last season is gonna be the most dysfunctional, nut-job book I have ever seen. And I'm actually going to purchase it myself." The book that the queen of the Shore — and probably South Beach by now too — is referring to is the hot-off-the-presses "Gym, Tanning, Laundry: The Official Jersey Shore Quote Book," which hit stores this past week. And we totally believe her when she says she's going to buy it. Because who can remember all that stuff? It's much easier to have it all written down in a book. If for some reason you're still not convinced this is a great use of your cash, just sit back and let Warren the Ape and Mick Foley convince you. Snooki's got her favorite line, but what's yours? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Adam Lambert 'Caught Off Guard' By Reaction To His Half-Shaved Head Posted: 18 Jun 2010 12:52 AM PDT 'I'm flattered that they find it that important,' he says of media and fan response to new look.
It was only 3 inches, nothing more. And yet, that didn't stop the media from positively freaking out about Adam Lambert's brand-new half-shaved head, something he finds rather mind-blowing, especially considering his head really wasn't "half-shaved" to begin with. "I was just talking about it with my makeup artist, who helped me shave a tiny piece of my hairstyle — it's just 3 inches up the side of head! And it's not bald, just very short," Lambert laughed during a conference call Friday (June 18). "I didn't think that was newsworthy! It caught me off guard and made me laugh that E! Online and MTV and People wanted to report on it. I'm flattered that they find it that important." Uh, you're welcome! And even though plenty of websites — not to mention a large portion of his rather rabid fanbase — were sent into a panic by Lambert's new look, he was quick to point out that he didn't really see it as that drastic of a departure ... or even much of a fashion statement, really. "I think [of it as] air conditioning," he laughed. "Some of these cities are really hot." And those cities he's referring to are the ones he'll be hitting on his just-launched Glam Nation Tour, a trek he has previously promised would be a decidedly "theatrical" affair, and one that — not surprisingly — has already lived up to the advance booking. "I tried to give it an emotional through-line, from the dark and serious to the light and celebratory ... but, of course, for me, 'dark and serious' also means lots of rhinestones," Lambert said. "There's a sense of theatricality to it. It's definitely glam." Were you freaking out over Adam's new look? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Eclipse' Featurette Includes New Scenes From Film Posted: 18 Jun 2010 03:26 AM PDT 'There's a lot of action, and that's what us guys love,' Kellan Lutz says in the new footage.
A new "Eclipse" featurette hit the Web on Friday (June 18), and it takes viewers further inside the story and making of the third "Twilight" film than any other previously aired clips. The featurette mixes footage seen in previous trailers and TV spots, along with several new scenes, behind-the-scenes shots and commentary from the film's stars. The two-minute featurette opens with familiar scenes of vampire Riley going through the change and assembling a vampire army. Peter Facinelli (Carlisle Cullen), shown in costume, explains why the army is a problem for the Cullens and the wolf pack. Cut to Xavier Samuel (Riley) talking about the dangers of being around newly turned vampires, spliced with scenes of the vampire army in destruction mode, on their way to find Bella.
Elizabeth Reaser (Esme Cullen) describes why the vampires and werewolves must now work together to ward off the approaching army, as well as the complications and politics involved in vampire/werewolf relations. The second half of the featurette focuses on how the vampires and werewolves undergo training to prepare for battle. There are new scenes here, showing Jasper teaching the vamps and werewolves how to fight, with brief clips of what look to be fun scenes of vampire-on-vampire combat training: the first a relatively intense battle between Jasper and Emmett and the second more playful fighting between Edward and Carlisle. "There's a lot of action, and that's what us guys love," Kellan Lutz (Emmett) says, followed by several scenes of the climactic battle between the Cullens and the wolf pack vs. the new vampire army. What do you think of the new scenes? Have you already bought your ticket to see "Eclipse" on June 30? Let us know in the comments! We'll be live from "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" premiere on Thursday, June 24! Tune in to Movies.MTV.com at 9:30/8:30c for our red carpet webcast and watch us chat up Robert, Kristen, Taylor and all your favorite stars. And don't forget to submit your burning 'Eclipse' questions! Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Megan Fox Says She And Brian Austin Green Never Broke Off Engagement Posted: 18 Jun 2010 02:45 AM PDT 'We've been engaged for four years, so I don't know why the story is breaking now like it's new,' she says of new engagement reports.
Chalk it up to the hours of interviews, appearances and other assorted rigors involved in promoting her new film "Jonah Hex," but Megan Fox seems surprised that anyone thought she and fiancé Brian Austin Green had ever broken up. "We've been engaged for four years, so I don't know why the story is breaking now like it's new," she told E! News at Thursday's "Jonah Hex" premiere. "But I'm happy to still be engaged and still be with him." "[It's] really not a re-engagement ... nothing is different," Fox also told Us Weekly at the premiere. These statements raise an eyebrow to the couple's heavily reported breakup in early 2009. A source told People magazine at the time that, despite the split, the two remained friendly. "The decision was mutual," the source said about the couple, who met in 2004 before getting engaged for the first time in November 2006. "They're still friends." In 2008, Green spoke about the strain their busy careers put on their relationship, even before the split. "We met on 'Hope & Faith,' " he told TV Guide. "We've lived together for three years. We have tattoos of each other's names. We have more time away from each other now than we'd like. We have a potbellied pig, dogs, two cats, two birds, a squirrel. Megan wants a leopard. That'll never happen! That's a whole different world. ... I would love more kids. Right now, our biggest problem is rescuing pets from pet stores." The actress, who is well-known for her outlandish and blunt comments in the press, also recently admitted to Interview magazine that she sometimes stretches the truth in interviews to "throw people off the scent of what's really going on" in her life. "In the past, I've been reluctant to share any bits of truth about myself or to really let people in on my reality," she said in the interview. "So I have sort of aided the media in printing these misconceptions, which I regret." Perhaps this is one of those times where she is trying to throw people off — or the story of the 2009 breakup was untrue. Fox, 24, has been with Green, 36, for six years, and she admitted to Us that her relationship is better than ever. "We are just even more committed to each other and we always have been. I am more in love with him now than I was in the beginning." Fox added that she is in no rush to walk down the aisle. "It's going to be years!" she said. "I'm going to be 44 when I get married!" What do you think of Fox's new story? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Miley Cyrus Fans React To 'Good Morning America' Concert Posted: 18 Jun 2010 02:05 AM PDT 'We came out to see Miley with the nice surprise of Bret Michaels,' a New Jersey mom says of star's Poison duet.
In the words of Bret Michaels, it was "nothing but a good time" Friday morning (June 18) as ABC's "Good Morning America" hosted the latest in its summer concert series, with Miley Cyrus performing several songs, including a duet with the Poison frontman on his "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." The mini-concert became a family affair as parents and their offspring sang along to the classic '80s rock ballad, bridging the generation gap between the grown-ups (Poison fans) and kids (Miley fans) gathered on the Bryant Park lawn in New York City.
Miley superfan Alison Brustman, 18, of Westchester, New York, said Miley's choice of collaboration hit close to home. " 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' happens to be my dad's favorite song," Brustman said. "I was so excited because my dad's my favorite person and Miley's my favorite artist." Stacie Fitzgerald, a mom from New Jersey, said she drove hours to bring her daughter Paige to the early morning concert. She was thankful to Miley for rewarding her efforts with good ear (and eye) candy. "We came out to see Miley [and got] the nice surprise of Bret Michaels," Fitzgerald said. "Smart move, Miley: Give those mommas something to look at!" Hundreds of fans of all ages turned up — some holding large signs printed with the words "We love Miley" — wearing bedazzled T-shirts or rehearsing dance moves to show off their dedication to the pop superstar. For best friends Linore Ben-Avraham, 16, Isabelle Diamond, 18, and Remy Gordon, 18, who began camping out at 3 a.m., missing out on a few hours sleep was nothing for a chance to see Miley. "We didn't go to sleep at all last night," Isabelle said. "We fell asleep before she came on, and then we woke up with the crowd applauding." Although the "GMA" audience included several parents with toddlers mounted on their shoulders, Cyrus did not give fans a "Hannah Montana"-style performance, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by her appreciative teen following. "As she's entering her adult life, so are we," said Julianna Butera, 18, of Long Island. Her friend Moira Power, 17, agreed saying, "I do like her new image. We're growing up with her." Miley's edgier new album, Can't Be Tamed, includes the Bret Michaels cover and is due Monday. "We'll memorize all the lyrics by Wednesday," Joey Gordon, 16, said. Don't miss Miley Cyrus' Can't Be Tamed World Premiere Live concert, which will be live-streaming on Miley.MTV.com Monday at 10:30 p.m. ET — the preshow with Sway begins at 10:15 p.m.! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Drake Never Considered Changing <i>Thank Me Later</i> Release Date Posted: 17 Jun 2010 11:27 PM PDT 'If they got the music already, let's let them listen to it,' the Toronto MC recalls telling label after leak.
Back in April, Drake revealed June 15 would be the release date for his much-anticipated debut, Thank Me Later. But when his album leaked well before its expected delivery, the Toronto rapper was adamant that the album rollout plan remain unchanged.
"They tried to force me into a situation — I'm not sure if it was the label — [but] somebody tried to force me into a situation and drop the album June 9," Drake told MTV News earlier this week. "I really was like, 'June 9 isn't enough time to let them digest all the leaked music. If they got the music already, let's let them listen to it. Let's give them that two weeks to ride around to it and talk to their friends about it.' 'Cause that way when they show up to the store, there's no pressure — you know what you're buying. You're just going to support an artist you love and music you believe in." His strategy seemed to have paid off. Hundreds of fans lined up outside of a Best Buy store in Manhattan to meet the rapper, who showed up to greet them and sign their copies of Thank Me Later. "I got here at 3 in the morning," Natalia Morales, the first female fan to meet Drake, told MTV News. "I'm ecstatic right now. I'm still shaking!" For his part, Drake is returning the "thank you" for all the adoration he's received this week from fans, especially the die-hards who camped out overnight to buy his LP. "I have more than confidence in them," he explained. "I have a relationship with them, I understand. I don't ever for a second doubt them." What do you think about Drake wanting fans to have time to enjoy his album once it leaked? Let us know in the comments! Don't miss the "Drake: Better Than Good Enough" documentary, airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Diddy Set To Guest On 'Entourage' Posted: 18 Jun 2010 02:22 AM PDT The Bad Boy mogul plays himself on HBO show. Lenny Kravitz and Mark Wahlberg also make cameos in episode, airing in August.
For its seventh season, HBO's "Entourage" is enlisting a superstar who's known for rolling with his own mega-entourage. Diddy will make a guest appearance on the series' upcoming season, which kicks off June 27. The show's creator, Doug Ellin, told EW.com that Diddy will appear as himself alongside "Entourage" executive producer Mark Wahlberg in an episode set to air in August. "Turtle [Jerry Ferrara] is starting a business, and he's trying to get them to invest in it," Ellin explained. "He's going to a lot of people about this investment." Diddy tweeted the news on Thursday and included a link to a story posted on AOL's TheBoombox.com. Rocker Lenny Kravitz will also make a cameo in the star-packed episode. "Ari's trying to trade favors," Ellin revealed to EW.com of the plotline that finds Jeremy Piven's hard-driving agent wheeling and dealing as usual. "He's got to get Lenny to do a movie so someone else will do something for him." Diddy won't be the first hip-hop artist to show up on "Entourage": Bow Wow played an up-and-coming comedian, 50 Cent taunted Turtle in a guest spot as a cocky driver and Snoop also did his thing on the HBO hit; the West Coast MC played himself. Wahlberg recently told MTV News the new season could be the setup for a much buzzed-about "Entourage" movie. "I am more focused on making that movie than my own films," Wahlberg said. "I just think we can make a great movie. I think people always wanted [it] and have complained that the episodes are too short — they've always wanted more. I think we're going to do it," he said. "We just have to end strong, and this season is, by far, the best season so far." Both Diddy and Kravitz have been making power moves in Hollywood. Kravitz gave a touching portrayal as a male nurse in the Oscar-winning drama "Precious", and Diddy's scene-stealing turn in this month's "Get Him to the Greek" won raves from co-star Jonah Hill. Are you excited for a new season of "Entourage"? Which other rappers would you like to see make a cameo? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson's Estate And AEG Will Pay For 2009 Memorial Posted: 18 Jun 2010 03:03 AM PDT $1.3 million will be donated to Los Angeles for permits, police and cleanup services.
AEG and Michael Jackson's estate have agreed to foot the bill for Jackson's huge memorial in Los Angeles last year. The city incurred major costs handling the July 7 memorial at the Staples Center after the pop icon died last summer at age 50. AEG confirmed in a statement e-mailed to MTV News that the company and the estate of Michael Jackson will pay $1.3 million to the city of Los Angeles; $1 million will be donated to the city's general fund, and another $300,000 will go to the Los Angeles Police Foundation. L.A. determined that the figure represents expenses for permits, police services and Sanitation Department and Transportation Department costs. AEG was behind the scheduled run of Jackson's much-anticipated This Is It shows at London's O2 arena, which the singer was preparing for when he died of cardiac arrest. The singer also rehearsed at the Staples Center before his death. According to the Los Angeles Times, a 2009 city report pegged the cost of the memorial at $3.2 million. AEG President and CEO Timothy J. Leiweke alleged that City Attorney Carmen Trutanich demanded $6 million last year to cover the memorial's expenses, while Trutanich maintained he only requested between $2 million and $3 million, the paper reports. Jackson's memorial was a star-studded event, attended by celebrities and fans alike. Mariah Carey, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Stevie Wonder gave powerhouse performances, and luminaries like Smokey Robinson, Magic Johnson and the Reverend Al Sharpton paid tribute to the star. An estimated 17,000 fans were present inside the Staples Center and at the Nokia Theatre next door, where a viewing area was set up. Celebrate Michael Jackson's legacy all next week as MTV News looks back at his life, his music and the death that shook the world one year ago. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Owl City's Adam Young Calls Sky Sailing Project 'A Dream Come True' Posted: 18 Jun 2010 02:32 AM PDT 'I can't tell you what it means for people to want to hear the Sky Sailing songs,' Young tells MTV News.
Adam Young never dreamed people would want to hear the songs he made under his Owl City moniker, let alone the ones he made before that. And yet, thanks to the startling success of the song "Fireflies," and Owl City's Ocean Eyes album, he's now getting the chance to release those early tunes — which he recorded as Sky Sailing — and, much like everything that's happened since OC broke, he can't really believe his luck. "Initially, these were just ideas that I had in my head that I wanted to get out," Young told MTV News on Friday (June 18). "I had no plans other than making a MySpace page and maybe letting my friends hear [the songs]. Fortunately, Owl City took off, and they had to take a backseat. But I'm really excited to have people hear them now." The songs collected on Sky Sailing's An Airplane Carried Me to Bed (due July 27) were actually recorded back in summer 2007, well before Owl City became the phenomenon it is today. And now that he's officially between OC albums, Young figured he'd revisit the songs, "re-polish them" (as he put it) and let his legions of fans have a listen. "It's a bit ironic in terms of a timeline, because Sky Sailing took on its own form and shape before Owl City was ever conceptualized," Young said. "A few months after I had recorded them, I started to write synth-pop songs that were different from the acoustic stuff I was doing with Sky Sailing. So it was pretty clear early on that there were going to be two avenues and two projects. I just didn't know if this one would ever be heard." And with Bed just around the corner, and a new Owl City record currently in pre-production, Young really can't believe much of anything going on in his life these days, but he's pretty happy they are. "Really, everything that's happened, and is happening, I can't believe it for a second. I never imagined any of my songs would have done what they've done," he said. "And I can't tell you what it means for people to want to hear the Sky Sailing songs, either. It's a dream come true. It's a priceless feeling." Will you check out the upcoming Sky Sailing album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Snoop Dogg Sinks His Teeth Into 'True Blood' With 'Oh Sookie' Posted: 18 Jun 2010 06:34 AM PDT Rapper has already paid homage to the HBO vampire series in 'Gangsta Love.'
He's hooked up with fellow tree enthusiast Willie Nelson for a country tune, indulged his sweet tooth with Katy Perry while wearing a candy suit in "California Gurls," rapped about "MILF Weed" on Showtime's "Weeds" and played a gangsta back from the dead in 2001's "Bones." When Snoop Dogg likes something, no matter the genre or medium, he goes all in with it. That might explain "Oh Sookie," a new rhyme in which the Doggfather pays homage to the mind-reading, sex-addicted, shape-shifting, bloodsucking and howling residents of Bon Temps, Louisiana, from HBO's vampire series "True Blood." In the video for the tune unleashed on HBO.com on Thursday, Snoop aims to make the love triangle between vampires Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bill (Stephen Moyer) and mind-scanner Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) a square by offering up his best sexual seduction come-ons while rocking a five-finger "Sookie" ring. Snoop already gave props to the show in the 2009 song "Gangsta Love" ("It's like True Blood, I sink my teeth in/ I gotta have it, the LB raised me"). And now he seems to be angling to shake things up even more with the hook, "We'll do it in the daytime/ Bill won't know a thing." Showing that his knowledge of the show runs deep, he doesn't just make a move on Sookie; he's also down to party with her bestie, Tara, making a reference to her dearly departed boyfriend with the couplet, "Bring your best friend, Tara/ I got some real Eggs for her to eat." The video for the song opens with Snoop — who later rocks a giant platinum "Sookie" chain — pulling into Bon Temps in his newly tricked-out Snoopmobile, complete with a "Tru Pimp" license plate and cloves of garlic hanging from the rearview mirror. Wearing a red, pinstriped suit, he urges Sookie to come close because, unlike so many of the creatures in the swampy town, "I'm the dog that don't bite." The g-funk tune bounces along on a slinky Spandau Ballet-like groove as Snoop drops references to Sookie's telepathy and even offers to buy her a gin and juice at the restaurant where she waitresses, Merlotte's diner. "Bill ain't for real, he ain't true blood/ Snoop is a G, I smoke true bud/ Wanna be a vampire, gotta listen up/ I hit you with the glamour," he raps while hanging outside Merlotte's in a pimp fur and later showing off his own TB product, a package of "True Nutz." What do you think of Snoop's "Oh Sookie"? Share your comments below. Related Artists |
| Hayley Williams Takes Issue With Paramore's Portrayal In <i>Spin</i> Posted: 17 Jun 2010 11:03 PM PDT 'Is it really that sensational that we aren't the second coming of Mötley Crüe?' she writes in blog post.
Paramore's Hayley Williams may grace the cover of July's Spin magazine, but that doesn't mean she's thrilled about the contents of the issue. On Friday (June 18), Williams posted a lengthy blog on Paramore's website taking issue with the way her band was portrayed in the magazine — specifically, that the writer of the piece just didn't "get" Paramore. "The SPIN article ... that was just printed about us doesn't really seem to say anything about us as a band," Williams wrote. "And it seems that in most cases writers simply enjoy looking at us and exclaiming — like they've discovered something huge — 'THEY'RE YOUNG!' or of course there's always, 'THEY'RE CHRISTIANS,' or 'THEY DON'T SHOOT UP IN THE BACK OF THE BUS!' What is this, the '80s? Is it really that sensational that we aren't the second coming of Mötley Crüe?" In the feature, writer Josh Eells follows the band through a pair of New Jersey gigs — including a headlining slot at the Bamboozle festival — and goes to great lengths to point out that Paramore pass time on the road not partying or engaging in typical rock-star excess, but rather they "watch 'Spaceballs' and play Yahtzee." "They sing Hanson songs, and not even 'MMMBop' — we're talking deep cuts," Eells writes. "Their bus smells like popcorn and Twizzlers, and their chief entertainment is a book of hypothetical questions they take turns shouting out answers to." Williams added in her blog post that she wasn't specifically trying to "wreck the writer from SPIN," adding, "I'm sure it's hard to get a handle on any band within the amount of time given to capture 'our story.' " But she did feel the need to correct one bit of Eells' story — "I'm not actually friends with McLovin or Miley," she wrote — and then shifted her rant toward journalists in general. "It's my opinion that anyone who is coming onto our band looking for controversy is completely missing the point. The point isn't in the intent of controversy, the point is that there is no way around it," she wrote. "As people, aren't we all bursting at the seams with conflict and controversy? The point of our music is that there are human hearts in it. Because anyone knows that eventually, someone will find something on you. If you don't do drugs, you probably have another addiction ... we could stop looking for the wrongs and realize that they're inevitable on the way to something more meaningful. "Maybe I really am just bored with giving music journalists the benefit of the doubt. Like they're really gonna let people know what we would want to tell them," she continued. "Yet still, I want to have faith in people. And anyways, what WOULD we want to tell people if we had that much space to write about ourselves? It would probably end up just the same. Does it ever bug you guys? Do you ever feel like some people are just missing it?" MTV News' e-mail to a spokesperson for Spin magazine, seeking comment on Williams' post, was not responded to by press time. Do you think Hayley's blog post has a point, or did the Spin writer get it right? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists |
| Jay-Z's Surprise Outdoor 'David Letterman' Performance Canceled Posted: 17 Jun 2010 10:32 PM PDT Secret Jay-Z concert atop the famed Ed Sullivan Theater marquee was nixed days before the event.
Jay-Z apparently had a big surprise in store for unsuspecting crowds milling about Midtown Manhattan on Monday: a mini-concert on top of the Ed Sullivan Theater's marquee, which would air on "The Late Show With David Letterman." However, the event was nixed once details about the show, which was supposed to remain under wraps, leaked to the public. A spokesperson for New York's Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting released a statement saying that the decision to pull the plug on the event stemmed from news of the secret show being leaked. "There was discussion of a concert, and ultimately it was decided there would be no permit," said Julianne Cho, associate commissioner, Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting in a statement e-mailed to MTV News. "Many permits are granted on the condition that the event is not made public beforehand for capacity and security reasons," the statement continued. "This event was made public." At press time, reps for Jay-Z had not responded to MTV News' request for comment, and the status of his "Letterman" appearance was unclear. The decision to cancel Hov's concert also comes days after fans swarmed downtown New York's South Street Seaport to catch a free show from hip-hop sensation Drake. The New York Post reported on Friday (June 18) that the event organizers had to fork over $100,000 beforehand to cover the expected overtime costs for New York City workers and police dispatched to handle the show. Outdoor performances are nothing new for Letterman: Last year Paul McCartney took to the Ed Sullivan Theater's legendary marquee for his appearance on the show. Related Artists |
| Sean Garrett Talks Finalizing Deal With Lil Wayne, New Mixtape Posted: 18 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT 'Wayne embraced me with open arms,' singer/songwriter tells Mixtape Daily of Cash Money deal.
Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables Mixtape: The Inkwell Headliner: Sean Garrett Key Collaborations: "She Geeked" (featuring Gucci Mane and Tyga), "Summer Love" (featuring Bun B and Yo Gotti) and "Girls on Girls" (featuring Lil Wayne and T-Pain)
Essential Info: Sean "The Pen" Garrett always has to be on point, because he might have to switch modes at any given moment. The Grammy winner has his singer hat on one minute, then he has to get right back into his songwriter/producer duties when he gets a call from a T.I. or Rihanna or Jamie Foxx, who just took a song Sean wanted to keep for his own album. The Atlanta native said he doesn't mind; he's elated to be active. His next mixtape, The Inkwell, drops in a few weeks. "The Inkwell is sort of like the album before the album," Sean said recently in New York. "As a creative person, creative artist, you have to sort of spoon-feed your audience. I was an artist well before I became 'The Pen.' With all of that, a lot of people have had the opportunity to hear my music on other people. So sort of representing yourself as an artist, I want my albums to be classic but creative, where people are excited to hear my music. I want people to look at me as an artist as someone that's fun and at the same time intricate, but at the same time not typical. "The Inkwell is the introduction to Sean Garrett the artist, officially," the crooner added. "The first single 'She Geeked' is real ill, real street, but sexy. All the ladies like it. It's me, Gucci Mane and Tyga from Young Money. It's just super swagged-out. My music ... I don't wanna call it R&B. It's just swag music. If you can relate to the street, you can relate to my music. If you can relate to R&B, you can relate to my music. If you can relate to urban, you can relate to my music. If you can relate to mainstream, you can relate to my music. The Inkwell is a collaboration of great artists that I expect to create music. It gives people a great look on who Sean Garrett is. I got a smash with Rocko, smash with Roscoe Dash. Of course Gucci Mane, of course Lil Wayne, Bun B, Yo Gotti, Nicki Minaj. Should I stop? It's real ill. The more I work on it, which I'm pretty much done, the more excited I get." After The Inkwell drops, Garrett will be focusing on the launch of his album. He's close to finalizing a deal with Cash Money Records. Lil Wayne brought the deal to the table before he went to prison. "I really got a lot of respect for Wayne," Sean said. "Wayne embraced me with open arms before he went on a little vacation. He took me on tour with him. He was really open arms about rocking with him. He put me on the pilot seat going on right before him. I got a lot of respect for [Cash Money], because it represents where music is going as far as really believing in yourself and not just being in a box. Just creating your own style, your own movement and believing in your team. Cash Money is really family-orientated. I can bring a lot to Cash Money, in reference to what I do, developing their other artists, helping them to travel across the water. They've got artists they are trying to break internationally. It's sort of a win/win situation." Sean has been on the road, opening for Gucci Mane, and he said he's about to go on tour with Cash Money/ Young Money family member Drake. Other Heat This Week » DJ Drama and Gucci Mane - Mr. Zone 6 For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines or follow the Mixtape Daily team on Twitter: @shaheemreid and @mongosladenyc. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Blink-182's Mark Hoppus Promises 'Exciting' Announcement Monday Posted: 18 Jun 2010 09:28 AM PDT Is the wait for a new album finally over?
Ever since they reunited in February 2009, Blink-182 have seemingly delighted in tormenting fans with talk of a brand-new album, their first in more than seven years. There's been talk of new songs, release dates (a whole lot of them) and documentaries, but so far it's been nothing but talk. Now, finally, it looks like all of that might be changing. On Thursday, Mark Hoppus took to his blog to announce, well, an announcement ... one that very well might pertain to the future of Blink. "This Monday, June 21st at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, you can hear an announcement on KROQ 106.7 FM regarding something big," Hoppus wrote. "I'm not going to say what it is exactly, but a possible anagram is 'bee hooting twinkly.' ... Very exciting!" It is, indeed, especially when you rearrange the letters of the anagram and discover that they spell "Blink One Eighty Two." It's not exactly clear what the announcement will be about, though ever since Blink wrapped their reunion tour at the end of 2009, they've reportedly been working on a new album in fits and starts. But for all that work, there's still no title or tentative due date for the follow-up to their self-titled 2003 album, and in the meantime, Blink's Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker have also been recording their respective projects, Angels & Airwaves and Barker's long-awaited solo album. A spokesperson for Blink's label, Interscope, did not respond to MTV News' request for comment on Hoppus' announcement. So it looks like everyone's just gonna have to wait until Monday to find out the real story. And seriously, Blink fans, you're pretty used to waiting at this point, aren't you? What else could Mark Hoppus possibly be announcing on Monday? Share your predictions in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Toy Story 3': The Reviews Are In! Posted: 17 Jun 2010 10:13 PM PDT Pixar's third adventure, now in 3-D, is 'a near-perfect piece of popular entertainment,' one critic writes of Woody, Buzz and the gang.
Pixar has done pretty well for itself over the last 15 years. The studio has yet to release a film that failed to hit the $360 million mark. "Finding Nemo," the company's top box-office earner, ended its theatrical run with $868 million in ticket sales. Pixar's most recent offering, "Up," didn't fare too badly either, soaring to a $723 million gross last year. Given such financial triumphs, the anticipated box-office performance of "Toy Story 3," which arrived on Friday (June 18), is nothing short of staggering. Early tracking and pre-sales suggest the third adventure of Woody and his pals will enjoy Pixar's biggest opening ever, raking in as much as $100 million over the weekend. Thanks, premium 3-D ticket prices!
Yet B.O. bucks aside, the question remains: Is the flick any good? Is this third installment of the franchise — which finds Woody, Buzz and the gang stranded at a wacky day care center, where they struggle to find Andy, their longtime owner, before he heads off to college — worth your hard-earned cash? The answer, according to critics, is a resounding, "Yes!" " 'Toy Story 3' is as sweet, as touching, as humane a movie as you are likely to see this summer, and yet it is all about doodads stamped and molded out of plastic and polyester," wrote A.O. Scott of The New York Times. "Therein lies its genius, and its uncanny authenticity. A tale that captured the romance and pathos of the consumer economy, the sorrows and pleasures that dwell at the heart of our materialist way of life, could only be told from the standpoint of the commodities themselves, those accretions of synthetic substance and alienated labor we somehow endow with souls." That's some high praise, and Scott is not alone. Some reviewers are even convinced that "Toy Story 3" is Pixar's finest recent effort, better even than "Up," which nabbed a Best Picture Oscar nomination. " 'Toy Story 3' is a better film than 'WALL-E' and 'Up' in that it succeeds completely in conventional terms," the San Francisco Chronicle's Mick LaSalle said. "For 103 minutes, it never takes audience interest for granted. It has action, horror and vivid characters, and it always keeps moving forward." Speaking of those vivid characters, the film introduces us to some memorable new toys. "The movie has delirious fun with Big Baby, a damaged infant doll who's a rubbery, droopy-eyed zombie," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman. "And then there's Ken — yes, the Ken (voiced by Michael Keaton, having a ball), who's a different sort of zombie, a polyester-brained dandy who lives in a dollhouse and wishes that it were still hip to be square. Like every other toy in the film, he comes with his own hilariously specific mental universe." And what of the flick's CGI animation and 3-D effects? Everyone seems to agree that "Toy Story 3" looks stunning. "Pixar's animation skills have improved massively since 'Toy Story 2,' " Katey Rich wrote on CinemaBlend.com. "And the 3-D only enhances the rich texture of [pink plush bear] Lotso's fur or Ken's flashy clothes; the 'Toy Story' movies have always thrilled us by giving us a new perspective on our own world, and the 3-D adds to that immersion in all the little details only Woody or [toy dinosaur] Rex would see. The movie is heavy on action sequences and executes each flawlessly, providing the sense of space and high stakes that few live-action films ever accomplish. Director Lee Unkrich, inheriting duties from John Lasseter, has a crack sense of timing, and even when the story strays a little Unkrich moves the story forward persistently without ever seeming rushed." We'll give the final word to Dana Stevens of Slate: " 'Toy Story 3' is a near-perfect piece of popular entertainment, a children's classic that will be watched and loved when my daughter's (and one day, her daughter's) now-beloved toys are gathering dust in a basement. Sh-- — now I'm crying again." Check out everything we've got on "Toy Story 3." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos |
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