| Justin Bieber's 'U Smile' Video: A Cheat Sheet Posted: 30 Sep 2010 03:51 AM PDT Here's everything you need to know before tonight's premiere of the singer's latest clip.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Justin Bieber
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage It's only a matter of hours before Justin Bieber bestows his latest video gift upon the world in the form of the clip for "U Smile." The video is the fifth off his March release, My World 2.0. It follows videos for his singles "Baby," in which he went bowling with Drake and Ludacris, "Never Let You Go," in which he hung out at Atlantis, "Somebody To Love," in which he threw a karate-themed dance party with Usher and finally "Eenie Meenie," in which he and Sean Kingston partied in the Hollywood Hills. While details are scant about what will go down in the Alfredo Flores-directed video, which premieres on Thursday evening (September 30), Bieber has tweeted that it will focus on wooing a young woman who will apparently be an actress playing a fan that he falls in love with. It seems the idea was inspired by people wondering if he would ever date a fan. "I took the opportunity 2 make a video 4 the fans, about a fan, and how we could fall IN LOVE," he tweeted about the forthcoming video. "Love Grows. #LoveGrows." As for what Bieber and his lady pal might be doing in the video, photos taken from the shoot show him and his female lead outside a closed, run-down movie theater trying to break in. Bieber spoke to MTV News in March about working on the track alongside songwriters Jerry Duplessis, Arden Altino and Dan August Rigo. "I worked with August. I got him. He's a really good writer," the singer said. "The song is amazing. We really love the song, so we decided to cut it. It's really amazing." At the time he further explained via Twitter, "It really is a throwback to the great records I listened to growing up. ... I wrote it for all my fans who got me here." Are you looking forward to the "U Smile" video? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos |
| 'Jersey Shore' Just Part Of 'I Like It' Success, RedOne Says Posted: 30 Sep 2010 03:51 AM PDT Producer reveals he's back in the studio with Enrique Iglesias.
By Jocelyn Vena 
RedOne
Photo: MTV News It seems like "I Like It" owes a lot of its success to a little television phenomenon known as "Jersey Shore." The Enrique Iglesias jam, which features the cast of the MTV reality show in its video, had many a club-goer jamming to the beat at their local Karma outpost. But the song's producer, RedOne, thinks that being linked to the show is only one of the puzzle pieces that created the song's overwhelming success. "No, I'm not tied to the 'Jersey Shore,' " he told MTV News when he stopped by our office last week. "If your song is good, it's going to survive all the way. It started with 'Jersey Shore,' and then radio." He explains that Iglesias was looking to reinvent himself, and this was just the right tune. "People were calling radio like crazy because radio wouldn't play Enrique," RedOne said. "Thanks to Enrique, because he delivered an incredible performance. Pitbull was a really important factor to that song too. Everybody's energies helped, made it go all the way. 'Jersey Shore' was just one piece out of the whole thing." RedOne said that in addition to working with Lady Gaga — and not working with Lindsay Lohan — he is back in the studio with Iglesias, trying to cook up some more magic. "We're still working and doing songs," he explained. "If you love music and you have your passion and you know what you're doing, you just focus and do it well and with the quality. "We're gonna make people dance," he continued. "We're gonna make people happy. That's what we did with 'I Like It.' ... We're just gonna get together and do what we do." What drew you in to "I Like It"? Let us know in the comments! |
| Far East Movement Explain Chart-Topping 'Like A G6' Posted: 30 Sep 2010 03:51 AM PDT 'What's flyer than a G4? Of course, it would be a G6,' Kev Nish says of how the song came about.
By Evan Leong 
Far East Movement's Kev Nish
Photo: MTV News Far East Movement's momentum to the top of the iTunes singles chart with "Like a G6" has been as fast as, well, a jet taking off. Coming from virtual obscurity, Far East Movement's upcoming album, Free Wired (due October 12), could be the project that launches the four-man group to the next level. But just what is the "G6" they're talking about in their breakthrough single? "A G6 is not a Gatorade flavor. It's not a car, convertible, four-door. It's not a watch," Kev Nish explained to MTV News. "But Drake, Drake talks about having G4 pilots on deck, so we said, 'What's flyer than a G4?' Of course, it would be a G6." "After we finished the song, we actually had to go on tour," Prohgress added. "We put the song on a mixtape and on the Internet and just kind of left. We came back about three months later, and on YouTube, we had, like, a million hits, so it seems like the people were speaking." The experience has been surreal a surreal one for the group, which has been around since 2003. "We've been touring over the country with Mike Posner, and it's been just remarkable," J-Splif marveled. "When we perform the song, you got people singing the song for you. And every city we land to, we like to listen to the radio. To hear your own song on the radio is like watching your first child have its first baby steps." What do you think of "Like a G6"? Are you excited to hear more from the group? Let us know in the comments! |
| Drake Ups Ante With Jay-Z, Fabolous On Second Night In NYC Posted: 29 Sep 2010 10:40 PM PDT Young Money family — Birdman, Mack Maine and Tyga — also joins Drizzy onstage.
By Jayson Rodriguez 
Drake performs at Radio City Music Hall Wednesday
Photo: Ernest Estimé/ ernestestime.com NEW YORK — "I came here to further our relationship," Drake told his Radio City Music Hall audience Wednesday night (September 29) during his second of two sold-out shows in Manhattan. The Toronto lyricist was visiting the third city on his Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour, following Miami and Jacksonville, Florida. But on this evening, the Thank Me Later star operated like it was opening night. "I'm not gonna sugarcoat the sh--," he said. "I'm gonna give you the dreams — with my nightmares." Drake then brought out some impressive big guns during his nearly two-hour set. With appearances from Jay-Z to Fabolous to Trey Songz, it's safe to say Drizzy advanced his standing with his New York City fans. "I hang out with a lot of people in New York," Drake said after he and his Young Money family — Birdman, Mack Maine and Tyga — ran through their hits "Every Girl" and "Bedrock." "One's been holding New York down." Loso arrived onstage seconds later, and he and Drizzy swapped verses for their "Throw it in the Bag" remix. Throughout the proceedings, Drake flipped from uptempo cuts like "9AM in Dallas," which kicked off the night, and slower numbers like "Find Your Love," "Shut It Down" and Alicia Keys' "Unthinkable." "I figure I could slow it down and tell y'all some stories," he said coyly. "Ladies, you having a good time?" "'Tez keeps telling me just turned 30/ Having dreams of being single forever, he's getting worried," Drake rapped on "Unthinkable." "And I'm scared too, 'cause I'm in the same boat/ Good women are rare too, none of them ever came close/ Me, I haven't changed much, you know how I play it/ Better safe than sorry, instead of searching for substance at every single party." He then invited a female audience member to join him onstage, and as the music continued, slowly removed her jacket and kissed her collarbone. The intimate moment was interrupted, however, when Drake pleaded with the crowd to shut their camera phones off while he asked his guest, Alejandra, a question. "How old are you?" he inquired. She replied, "24," which put a smile on Drizzy's face. "Oh, we good! Turn the music up!" he yelled, before giving his new friend a BlackBerry to call him while he's on the road. "This our first gift in this relationship." Trey Songz arrived during the latter half of Drake's set to deliver a track off his new album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure, "Can't Be Friends." Drizzy might have cashed in on a favor owed to him by Jay-Z. Earlier this month, the upstart MC flubbed his delivery at Yankee Stadium during Hov and Eminem's Home and Home event. Drake restarted his verse to "Up All Night" a second time, but he and the band were out of sync. As Jay closed out his show, he told the Bronx crowd he owed Drizzy one. On Wednesday, the Brooklyn icon brought the capacity crowd to its feet when Drake invited him out for their collabo "Light Up." "They always tell me nobody's working as hard as you/ And even though I laugh it off, it's probably true," Drake spat. Then, from the side of the stage, Jay emerged to a raucous ovation. He rhymed a portion of his verse before quickly transitioning into "On to the Next One," sans Swizz Beatz. The producer, though, later joined Drake for "Fancy." Drake closed things out by thanking the New York crowd and telling the ladies he could envision finding a new girl while he's in town. "I'm looking for a New York girl," he said, then his breakout hit boomed through Radio City. "Y'all the best I ever had!" he screamed. Were you at Drake's concert? Share your reviews in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Britney Spears' 'Me Against The Music': 'Glee' Vs. The Original Posted: 28 Sep 2010 10:54 PM PDT Watch Brittany and Santana's version side-by-side with Britney and Madonna's.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Heather Morris and Britney Spears on the set of "Glee"
Photo: Facebook Heather Morris, who plays hilariously ditzy cheerleader Brittany on "Glee," got to channel her sort-of namesake on Tuesday night's "Britney/Brittany" episode. And the professional-dancer-turned-actress didn't disappoint as she re-enacted Spears' videos for "Toxic," "Slave 4 U" and "Me Against the Music." She tackled all of them with her spectacular dance skills and a pretty killer singing voice. The anesthesia-induced dream sequences followed one of Brittany's stellar reveals: "My name is also Britney Spears. Brittany S. Pierce. I've lived my entire life in Britney Spears' shadow." Well, on Tuesday night she stepped out of her shadow. Of all the video reinterpretations in the episode, the Madonna/Britney team-up, which saw Santana playing Madge and Brittany playing you guessed it, paid homage to the original 2003 video, directed by Paul Hunter. Aside from a few artistic tweaks in the "Glee" version's choreography, Morris and company do the original justice. "The 'Me Against the Music' montage, it's literally copied exactly from the video, the shots and looks, but the choreography is made so much more for a dancer — none of it is from the video," Morris told New York magazine about the "Glee" version. "You just have to wait to see it. It's insane." Hunter spoke to MTV News last year about his original concept for Britney's "Music" video. "I try to play opposites, when you have Britney in dark and Madonna in white," he said. "And then we see them kind of dance around the bed .. and you think they're gonna get on top of each other and do something crazy." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| will.i.am Reveals Science To Making Hit Records On 'The Seven' Posted: 29 Sep 2010 06:20 AM PDT Black Eyed Peas producer says 'if you want a song to be a big #1 smash, then you have to play a Michael Jackson song while you're making your song.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe 
will.i.am on "The Seven"
Photo: MTV As the mastermind behind inescapable jam "Boom Boom Pow" and record-disintegrating smash "I Gotta Feeling," will.i.am has been rockin' bodies — and those are just the hits he's pulled off for the Black Eyed Peas. The producer/rapper has also powered chart-winners for stars Usher, Estelle and John Legend and has recently turned his hitmaking skills toward fellow MC Nicki Minaj. On Wednesday's (September 29) episode of MTV's "The Seven," will, who teamed up with Minaj for her peppy Pink Friday offering "Check It Out," broke down his approach to creating chart-busting tracks. He said he mines inspiration from some of music's most game-changing artists when he puts together a record. "We call it 'A-B-ing.' Anything you make, there's nothing new under the sun. So there's always an 'A and B' to whatever your approach is," he said. "So if you want a song to be a big #1 smash, then you have to play a Michael Jackson song while you're making your song." He said using an artist such as Jackson as a benchmark will usually let a producer know if a track really has that 'It' factor. "What you don't want to do is have a 'hit record' and then turn it on and it isn't as loud as Michael Jackson's." Minaj, who experienced will.i.am's skills firsthand on "Check It Out," said hopping in the studio with the Peas frontman was a singular experience. "That's when I knew he was a freaking, next-level ... not even a human when he recorded me," Minaj told "The Seven." "The word 'producer' ... means different things depending on who's using the word. will's the only producer that produced me. He really sat there and he got this weird sound, and I was like, 'What?' " In addition to drawing an insane performance from will, the Young Money Barbie marveled at his ability to quickly craft the cheery instrumental. "The beat wasn't even done," Minaj recalled. "He made the beat on the spot." Minaj's awe for will appeared mutual. The Peas lyricist said the hip-hop upstart is way more than just a rapper with a rollicking flow; she's an artist. "Her being a dope rapper, a dope MC, is just an element of the Nicki factor," will said. What are some of your favorite will.i.am-produced hits? Let us know in the comments! Don't miss "The Seven" every weekday at 5 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Artists |
| New Kanye West Track, 'Lost In The World,' Leaks Online Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:43 AM PDT Song samples Bon Iver and Gil Scott-Heron.
By Jayson Rodriguez 
Kanye West
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images A third track from Kanye West's forthcoming album, tentatively due November 22, leaked online Wednesday morning (September 29). The haunting "Lost in the World" samples Bon Iver's "Woods" and includes lyrics the rapper recited during a visit to Rolling Stone magazine that was posted on YouTube. "Lost in the World" follows "Power" and "Runaway." The latter was also recited by West at the RS offices and premiered during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. Like the previous two tracks, "Lost in the World" features weightier lyrics from 'Ye than the material he's been releasing weekly as part of the G.O.O.D. Fridays series on his blog. The new song is topped off with the vocals from Gil Scott-Heron's fiery spoken-word number "Comment #1." On the Auto-Tune heavy track, West harmonizes on the chorus an interpolation of Bon Iver's "Woods": "I'm lost in the world, been down my whole life, I'm new in the city, but I'm down for the night." "You're my devil, you're my angel," he begins the song. "You're my heaven, you're my hell/ You're my now, you're my forever/ You're my freedom, you're my jail/ You're my lies, you're my truth/ You're my war, you're my truce/ You're my questions, you're my proof/ You're my stress, you're my masseuse." The track clocks in at just under six minutes and features a number of musical changes throughout the production. The song starts off faintly with the Bon Iver vocoder-tinged sample before pulsating drums pick up the tempo. Midway through, however, the song slows down to a measured tempo as Scott-Heron's vocals fire through the beat. "Who will survive in America," Scott-Heron's voice chants over and over before the song ends with a mild hand-clap. Related Artists |
| The Situation's 'Dancing With The Stars' Skills: Ronnie Weighs In Posted: 28 Sep 2010 10:42 PM PDT 'Mike has legs, so does a chair — it doesn't mean the chair can dance, right?' 'Jersey Shore' castmate quips.
By Eric Ditzian 
Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and his partner Karina Smirnoff on "Dancing With The Stars"
Photo: ABC Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino barely escaped with his reality-show life Tuesday evening on "Dancing With the Stars." Only Michael Bolton and his gangly jive saved Sitch's hide from elimination, as the "Jersey Shore" star will live to toe-tap another week. Perhaps the Situation has one of his castmates to thank, because Ronnie has vowed to vote for his roommate — regardless of his actual dancing talents. "I'm going to support him in every way," Ronnie told MTV News. "I'm going to send him a text, the vote text. I'll vote for Mike. "I'll send, like, three texts — it's like $1.50," he added with a sly smile. "How much you really want me to spend on you, Mike?" On second thought, the Situation might want to hold off on a thank-you and tell Ronnie to start texting votes with the same enthusiasm he reserved for flirting with Jell-O-shot-serving waitresses early this season on "Shore." But Ronnie might not be so convinced Mike has what it takes to win "DWTS." "Mike has legs, so does a chair — it doesn't mean the chair can dance, right?" Ronnie reasoned. Ouch. Ronnie's off-and-on gal pal Sammi was considerably more kind when we asked her about the Situation's skills. "He can't really dance, but I know he can fist-pump," she said during an earlier interview. "We'll support him," Vinny told us. And that's exactly what Ronnie made clear to us too. After all the good-natured razzing he threw the Situation's way, he told us he'll be pulling for his roomie to win. "I know he's going to try his best and do the best of his ability, and he's going to represent the 'Jersey Shore' family," he said. Are you rooting for the Situation on "Dancing With the Stars"? Let us know in the comments! Don't miss "Jersey Shore" every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Greg Giraldo Remembered By Sarah Silverman, Jimmy Kimmel, Others Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:37 AM PDT 'The world has lost a hysterical man,' Aziz Ansari tweets about late comic.
By Mawuse Ziegbe 
Greg Giraldo
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images Comedian Greg Giraldo died on Wednesday (September 29), and the late comic is clearly missed. Known for skewering stars on several Comedy Central Roasts and appearing on talk shows such as "The Late Show With David Letterman" and "The Howard Stern Show," the comedian died at age 44 after accidentally overdosing on prescription drugs. In the hours after news of his death surfaced, many of Giraldo's colleagues and friends took to Twitter to express their grief and recall fond memories of the late funnyman. "Very sad to hear the news about Greg Giraldo," MTV Movie Awards host Aziz Ansari tweeted. "One of the most respected comics I can think of. The world has lost a hysterical man. RIP." "Greg Giraldo was a great and funny man," late-night host Jimmy Kimmel tweeted. "RIP Greg Giraldo. Belly-laugh hilarious, prolific, good & kind," wrote funnywoman Sarah Silverman. "A thousand oys can't express." "30 Rock" star Judah Friedlander typed, "RIP Greg Giraldo. Miss you man. Much love." Fellow Comedy Central Roast regular Lisa Lampanelli remembered Giraldo's contributions to the raunchy affairs. "There are no words 2 express what a shame it is 2 lose Greg Giraldo," Lampanelli wrote. "His smart humor was unparalleled & he will be missed for yrs to come." David Hasselhoff, who was the subject of Giraldo's barbs on his August roast, also lamented Giraldo's passing. "Really sad to learn about Greg Giraldo," he tweeted. "He was a funny guy and was great on the roast. RIP, Greg..." Apparently, not only were Giraldo's high-profile friends tweeting about the late comic, but his fans upheld his memory on the social-networking site as well. At press time, "RIP Greg Giraldo" and "Giraldo died" were trending topics on Twitter. Share your memories of Greg Giraldo in the comments. Related Photos |
| Mariah Carey Wheelchair-Bound After Twisting Ankle Posted: 29 Sep 2010 07:14 AM PDT Rep says singer was injured in Singapore and failed to pack 'more sensible shoes.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe 
Mariah Carey (file)
Photo: Theo Wargo/ Getty Images Days after a video of Mariah Carey taking a dramatic tumble onstage over the weekend hit the Web, the powerhouse — and possibly pregnant — singer was snapped at Los Angeles' LAX airport tooling around in a wheelchair. On Wednesday (September 29), Carey's rep revealed that the Grammy-winning songstress sustained an injury in Asia and that she needed the new set of wheels because the famously glamorous star only brought along treacherously high heels. "Mariah twisted her ankle in Singapore and should have packed more sensible shoes, but she doesn't have any," Carey's rep, Cindi Berger, told UsMagazine.com. "I'm sending her a pair of flats today." Although the video shows Carey sporting a fuller figure, the superstar songbird has ducked rumors that she is indeed expecting. "I appreciate everyone's well-wishes. But I am very superstitious," she wrote on her website in August. "When the time is right, everyone will know — even Cindi Berger." Carey's hubby, Nick Cannon, hasn't been any more forthcoming about whether the duo are expecting a little one. However, he has explained that Carey is waiting for the right time to announce any news she may have. "I think 'superstitious' might be the wrong word," Cannon explained to Us last month. "I think it's more of a spiritual thing, like trying to stay true and stay private for as long as you possibly can. She wants to keep as much privacy as she possibly can." Cannon maintained that Carey has the final word when it comes to confirming any impending arrivals. "I've said it before and I'll say it time and time again — when my wife feels like talking about whatever she wants to talk about, you will hear it directly from her," he said. "We all know it's extremely personal, and it is for a woman to deal with things with her body, and especially when dealing with the idea of childbirth and all that stuff." Despite the onstage spill, Carey sent out a post-show tweet referencing the incident and assuring fans that she was all right. "TY SO much to my fans in Singapore!!! Yeah, several hectic moments, (lol!)but I tried to swirl them into festive!.Love+ God Bless!" she tweeted on Sunday. "Again Singapore, thanks so much for allowing me to just be who I am &just have fun+connect w/everyone there! Thanks 4 the LOVE!x0x" Leave your well-wishes for Mariah in the comments. Related Artists |
| Jeremih Says 50 Cent 'Came Through' On 'Down On Me' Posted: 29 Sep 2010 04:33 AM PDT R&B singer talks to MTV News about his next possible single.
By Jayson Rodriguez 
Jeremih
Photo: MTV News Jeremih was a lonely crooner on his self-titled debut album. For his follow-up, however, the Chicago singer recruited Ludacris for the first single "I Like." And for "Down on Me," likely the next single from his new album All About You, Jeremih worked with 50 Cent. Jeremih said he wasn't trying to hog the spotlight on his first project. "My first album had no features at all," Jeremih told MTV News. "It was an unintentional thing. Me and Mick [Schultz, his producer] were the only people in the studio, so that's just how it happened. ... So for this album I definitely wanted to collaborate, get in tune with some of the artists, even on Def Jam, 'cause we have the greatest on our label. Luda came through on 'I Like.' 50 Cent came through on 'Down on Me,' which is a contestant to being my second single." The pair never met during the recording process, but they finally came face-to-face a few weeks later when Jeremih ventured to the G-Unit offices and played his entire album for 50 Cent. "Thugs and gangsters listening to R&B, and I think they were digging it, genuinely, so it was pretty dope," Jeremih said. On Wednesday (September 29), 50 also added his vocals to Jeremih's track "Waiter/ The 5 Senses." "I'm a 50 Cent fan, even from his G-Unit when he first came out with Get Rich or Die Tryin' to movies and films and even the little short films he do with his CDs," Jeremih said. "I think he's dope." What other artists would you like to see Jeremih collaborate with next? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Kelly Rowland Responds To Kanye West's 'Power' Lyric Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:07 AM PDT 'To hear him say that, I was just kinda blown away,' Rowland says.
By Mawuse Ziegbe 
Kelly Rowland
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images As a founding member of one of the biggest girl groups ever, Destiny's Child, one would think that Kelly Rowland is used to getting attention. However, a lyric in Kanye West's single "Power" has brought the Grammy-winning star even more shine than she bargained for. "The system broken, the schools closed, the prisons open/ We ain't got nothin' to lose, Motha----er, we rollin'/ Huh? Motha----er, we rollin'/ With some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands," 'Ye spits on the track. In an interview with Complex.com, the R&B diva said the line from the popular song has even changed how her pals approach her. "My friends sometimes greet me like that now, which is really weird," Rowland giggled, after reciting the lyric her homegirls apparently start spitting when they meet up with the singer. As far as West, Rowland said she was taken aback by the shout-out, which pegs her as a standard of beauty. "To hear him say that, I was just kinda blown away. Dang, no pressure, Kanye," Rowland quipped. Of course, 'Ye isn't the first lyricist to look to Rowland to lend some sizzle to a project. The singer appeared in 50 Cent's 2009 video "Baby by Me" as a devoted, yet still crazy glamorous, housewife raising a brood of mini 50s. Before the video dropped, Fif explained to MTV News that he coaxed Rowland into appearing in the clip at the last minute because he felt she brought the star power he needed for the Before I Self Destruct visual. "Kelly was getting ready to fly back to Miami. I was lucky enough to catch her. I kinda begged my way into her doing it," 50 said. "I didn't want to do the normal video situation, where you have the vixen or somebody no one knows from anywhere. I think it intensifies the whole song." Do you have a favorite line from Kanye West's "Power"? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Comedian Greg Giraldo Dies At 44 Posted: 29 Sep 2010 03:28 AM PDT Comedy Central Roast staple suffered an accidental overdose Saturday.
By Kara Warner 
Greg Giraldo
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images Comedian Greg Giraldo died Wednesday (September 29) at age 44 from a reportedly accidental prescription-drug overdose. Giraldo had been hospitalized in New Brunswick, New Jersey, after he overdosed on prescription pills last weekend. According to TMZ, the overdose was not a suicide attempt. Giraldo reportedly collapsed Saturday evening in his hotel room in New Jersey, where he was performing at a club. He was discovered by friends after he failed to show up for his scheduled performance. He was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Jim Norton confirmed the news via Twitter, including a picture with his fellow comedian: "Greg Giraldo passed away today. This is the last photo of us together, taken June 28 at Noam's wedding. RIP buddy." A source close to Giraldo told TMZ: "Greg passed away today at the hospital in New Brunswick as a result of an accidental overdose. His family was by his side." The Giraldo family's plans for a memorial service will reportedly be made public when they become available. Giraldo was best known for his celebrity roast appearances and was a frequent guest on "The Late Show With David Letterman," "Late Night With Conan O'Brian" and "The Howard Stern Show." He had also been a judge on NBC's "Last Comic Standing" and appeared as a panelist on Jerry Seinfeld's "The Marriage Ref." Before Giraldo became a comic, he worked as a lawyer. He was a graduate of Columbia University and attended Harvard Law School. A few of Giraldo's noteworthy Comedy Central Roast subjects included: Chevy Chase, Pam Anderson, William Shatner, Jeff Foxworthy, Flavor Flav, Bob Saget, Joan Rivers, Larry the Cable Guy and David Hasselhoff. Share your well-wishes for Giraldo's friends and family in the comments. Related Photos |
| Steven Spielberg Advised 'Let Me In' Director Posted: 29 Sep 2010 04:23 AM PDT Legendary filmmaker suggested Matt Reeves listen to child actors.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz 
Kodi Smit-McPhee in "Let Me In"
Photo: Overture Films There is a moment in the new horror flick "Let Me In" when a local policeman goes in search of a young girl named Abby, who he believes is connected to a series of grisly murders. As he walks into her apartment, he steps on one of the toys that she and her friend Owen had been playing with moments before. It's a small yet redolent moment: The cop has missed her for now, this young girl with a horrifying secret whom the audience has come to care about so deeply. It turns out the moment was neither part of the shooting script nor one of director Matt Reeves' ideas. It sprung from the mind of then-13-year-old Kodi Smit-McPhee, who plays Owen. "I was like, 'That was a great idea,' " Reeves told MTV News recently. "And we did it. With kids, you have to be open to what they bring." That's a lesson Reeves learned from none other than Steven Spielberg, who's directed child-actor-centric films like "ET," "Empire of the Sun" and "Hook." The directors were brought together by J.J. Abrams, who produced Reeves' "Cloverfield" and is working with Spielberg on "Super 8," an upcoming film shrouded in mystery. "[Spielberg] had seen 'Cloverfield,' and he was very, very complimentary," Reeves said. "I asked J.J., 'Do you think Spielberg would talk to me ... about directing kids?' And he was like, 'Yeah, of course. I'll ask him.' I met with him, and I was like, 'Oh, this is cool.' " Reeves remembers Spielberg coaching him: "He said, 'The thing about it is you have to let them bring themselves to it. When you go in a room, say, "OK, this is your room. Where would you go? What would you do?" Let them bring it. I'm telling you, that's where the gold is.' "Because they actually are the ages of the characters, you're remembering what it was like to be 12," he continued. "They are 12. That was the big thing." The result of this advice was an environment of open collaboration in which Smit-McPhee (who starred in "The Road" last year) and co-star Chloe Moretz (who plays Abby and made a name for herself in "Kick-Ass") were free to contribute ideas each day. Many of those ideas, like the toy one, made it into the final picture. "Directing them was really playful, just learning to try and see through their eyes," Reeves said. Check out everything we've got on "Let Me In." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| 'Social Network' Star Jesse Eisenberg Says Internet Can Be 'Cruel' Posted: 29 Sep 2010 01:37 AM PDT 'It's incredibly painful to read it, so I stay off of it,' actor says of reading about himself online.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Vanessa White Wolf 
Jesse Eisenberg
Photo: MTV News Early in "The Social Network," a young Mark Zuckerberg returns to his Harvard dorm after getting dumped by his girlfriend. The future Facebook CEO fires up his computer and promptly begins to trash his ex online, writing on his blog, among other things, that she's hardly as busty as she likes to claim. It's spiteful stuff, and leaves her in tears. And it's just that sort of harsh commentary that has led Jesse Eisenberg, who plays Zuckerberg in the new film, to avoid reading about himself online. "I know that I'm written about online — we're all written about online," he told MTV News. "It's incredibly painful to read it, so I stay off of it. People can write things that are terribly cruel because of the anonymity of the Internet." Not everybody on the Web, though, slings hate in his direction. In the summer of 2009, as word of a Facebook movie broke, we suggested Eisenberg was the best choice to play the curly-haired, flip-flop-wearing Zuckerberg. When we reminded Eisenberg that many folks on the Internet tagged him as the best fit for the role, he remained skeptical. "That happens to be something nice, but once you read something like that, you'll read 10 things that are bad, and then you can't sleep at night," he said. At least he says that now. Back in the fall of '09, when Eisenberg's name came up in "Social Network" casting rumors, we asked the actor if there was any truth to all the gossip, and he jokingly admitted that he was an obsessive self-Googler. "I read about that online. I search my name every day," Eisenberg deadpanned. "I do it manually, because Google Alerts you can't trust. I have a lawyer do it for me in my bathroom." Check out everything we've got on "The Social Network." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Young Jeezy Gets <i>The Last Laugh</i> With New Mixtape Posted: 29 Sep 2010 12:42 AM PDT Boo Rossini says the Snowman's much-delayed TM103 is 'almost done cooking.'
By Jayson Rodriguez 
Young Jeezy
Photo: Prince Williams/Getty Images Young Jeezy's Spidey sense must have been going off. The Atlanta rapper's abilities have been doubted lately, as the lead-up to his forthcoming album TM103 has been postponed several times. The rousing rapper has had his musical abilities questioned after a string of poorly received records. Then the Snowman dropped "Rap Game" and "Amen" earlier this week and turned the tables on his critics. On Tuesday evening, Jeezy delivered a new mixtape, The Last Laugh, via his USDA2Day website. The rapper's U.S.D.A. affiliate Boo Rossini told MTV News on Tuesday that Jeezy is about to shock those who thought he slipped. "Right now, the main focus is Young," Boo, who is promoting his new record "100 (Live By It, Die By It)," told MTV News. "He's gonna kill them when he drops. He's almost done cooking, so watch out for that. After that, we got the U.S.D.A. project, and I'm working this single. We going into the new year trying to smash it." In May, Jeezy dropped Trap or Die 2: By Any Means Necessary with DJ Don Cannon. He's also released the TM103 singles "Jizzle," "Lose My Mind" with Plies and "All White Everything" featuring Yo Gotti. His album was slated for a September release, but the scheduled date has come and gone. According to Boo, the Snowman is on top of his game. "That ain't nothing but motivation, though," he said of the chatter. "That's what we thrive off of. 'Cause the odds, we always been the underdogs. ... That does nothing but add fuel to the fire, that's all that's doing." Have you heard Jeezy's new mixtape? Give us your review in the comments! Related Artists |
| Britney Spears Inspires Another 'Glee'-Cap Musical Posted: 28 Sep 2010 11:23 PM PDT Heather Morris' moves and John Stamos' grin have us breaking into song.
By Jim Cantiello 
Britney Spears and Heather Morris on the set of "Glee"
Photo: FOX From the Heather Morris-starring scene-for-scene video re-creations to the sight of Lea Michele as a sexy schoolgirl to the debut of John Stamos, this week's Britney Spears-themed episode of "Glee" has everyone talking. But it has us singing. Without further ado, here are the lyrics to this week's "Glee"-cap! Britney
You took over this week's "Glee."
Oh, baby you can hit me
One or two more times.
But when you act,
It's all sorts of crazy wack,
It's so good to have you back,
Even though you look 39.
A full hour of hits that are yours,
But then Lea performed Paramore.
[Jim speaks: What the f--- was that about?]
Oh, Britney, take these kids on tour.
[Jim speaks: Seriously, Heather Morris did Britney better than Britney ever did Britney.
Clip: Santana says, "Leave Britney alone!"
Jim: Sorry!]
[To the tune of "... Baby One More Time"]
Oh, Stamos, Stamos,
How was I supposed to know
That you and "Glee" are besties?
Oh, Stamos, Stamos,
You're not singing "Kokomo."
No love for Uncle Jesse.
Mating with crazy eyes,
They're dating,
Schuester's fading,
Student's masturbating,
Oh, that's gross!
John Stamos has a dentist chair.
He gives "Glee" kids
So much sweet air.
When they go under,
They lose their mind.
Drugs are sublime!
Then it becomes Britney time!
[To the tune of "Everytime"]
Videos redone
Are so much fun,
But baby
Everytime "Glee" tributes
The plot falls by the wayside.
They just want you to buy
lots more soundtracks, baby.
"Glee" is structured like a porn.
They talk and then perform.
Scenes are shoehorned
Who needs story, baby?!
[Jim takes a hit of nitrous oxide, collapses.] Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Guillermo Del Toro Says James Cameron Will Be 'Tough Ally' On 'Mountains' Posted: 29 Sep 2010 01:51 AM PDT 'He's going to grill me every step of the way,' director tells MTV News about horror film Cameron is producing.
By Eric Ditzian 
Guillermo del Toro
Photo: MTV News Guillermo del Toro has been dreaming about "At the Mountains of Madness" for well over 30 years. He read the H.P. Lovecraft story as a child and wanted to shoot a Super 8-assisted adaptation. Eighteen years ago he pitched his friend James Cameron on the idea of making "Mountains" into a feature. He tried to sell studios on the project too. But nothing happened — until this July, when news broke that del Toro and Cameron were teaming up to adapt the horror story for the screen. Del Toro signed on to direct the 3-D feature, Cameron came aboard as a producer, and now the duo are deep into preproduction with an eye toward shooting next year. After years of informally evaluating each other's work, they're now formal creative partners. To hear del Toro tell it, the duo will likely both concur and clash as they push forward on the production. Yet whether they're facing off or giving each other a hearty thumbs-up, both strong-willed men are sure of one thing: It's del Toro's movie. MTV: The idea of collaboration between you and James Cameron is something that gets a lot of people excited — two seriously impressive movie nerds. Have the two of you been geeking out together on movies, space, aliens, 3-D, that sort of stuff? Guillermo Del Toro: Jim has been one of my closest friends for the last 20 years, but we haven't collaborated. He always gets a thank-you on my movies and we always visit each other's editing room and design room. I've had the blessing of reading the screenplays before he shoots them. He was the first person who saw a first cut of "Cronos," and he gave me a line that is in the movie: "No, not my nose again!" He came up with that over lunch. MTV: Why was this the project on which to formally collaborate? Del Toro: "Mountains of Madness" requires everything we have technologically, pushing 3-D in horror in a way that is not just things coming at you, but to use it creatively in function of the genre, without the gimmicks. The first movie I pitched to him in 1992 was "Mountains of Madness." We got together and he'd seen the design we had generated in a couple weeks. He was blown away by the stuff we were doing. We have a small crew of designers. Five guys. And he came in and said, "You mean five guys in two weeks have done all this?" He has been very helpful with having notes on the screenplay, but the best part of working with Jim is he knows me, I know him and we had a very easy time having "the talk." I said, "Push comes to shove, it's my movie." And he said, "It's your movie, absolutely, no problem, I'm here to support you." He's going to be like he's always been: a tough ally. It's not like he's going to let me get away with everything. He's going to grill me every step of the way. MTV: It seems like there are few people in this business who could go toe to toe with Cameron like that. Del Toro: He's a guy I completely admire. This is a guy who, in every sense of the word, is formidable. This guy has literally gone to the depths of the ocean. He has pushed the medium. He's not the most successful filmmaker in history. He's the first and second most successful moviemaker in history. MTV: Are you nervous at all to finally shoot with 3-D cameras? Del Toro: My first lesson on 3-D came from the hand of Jim Cameron. I'm there with Jim all morning going through the PACE [camera] system of 3-D and I cannot think of a better teacher, so I was absorbing everything, discussing ideas with him. I'm all about depth. I was saying what attracts me about 3-D is not what comes out of the screen [but] the depth that you gain on the screen, how you are sucked into it rather than attacked by things. Jim had an absolutely Zen, Taoist moment and he said one of the best things I've ever heard about 3-D. He said, "What screen? There is no screen." I go, "Whoa, master." That's the key if you want to use 3-D properly. You truly create a new reality. That moment with Jim was my clarity on the mountain. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Arthur Penn, 'Bonnie And Clyde' Director, Dies Posted: 29 Sep 2010 01:25 AM PDT Pioneer, 88, 'paved the way for the new generation of American directors,' writer/director Paul Schrader says.
By Kara Warner 
Arthur Penn and Melanie Griffith on the set of "Night Moves" in 1975
Photo: Alan Band/Keystone/Getty Images Revolutionary theater, television and film director Arthur Penn died Tuesday at his home in New York City, just one day after celebrating his 88th birthday. The The New York Times reports that the director, perhaps most well-known for 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde," passed away from congestive heart failure. The Times calls Penn "a pioneering director of live television drama in the 1950s and a Broadway powerhouse in the 1960s," and praises his ability to develop an "intimate, spontaneous and physically oriented method of directing actors that allowed their work to register across a range of mediums." Penn was born on September 27, 1922, in Philadelphia. He began his career in television and made a name for himself in 1957 with the production of "The Miracle Worker," adapted from the stage for television on CBS' "Playhouse 90," for which he earned an Emmy nomination. Two years later, Penn took "The Miracle Worker" to Broadway, and he and star Anne Bancroft were awarded Tonys. In 1962, he directed the feature-film version with Bancroft, who went on to win the Oscar for Best Actress, alongside a young Patty Duke, who picked up a statue for Best Supporting Actress. Penn also advised then-Senator John F. Kennedy during his debates with Richard Nixon in 1960 and directed the broadcast of the third debate. All of these events led up to his most memorable work, directing Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway in "Bonnie and Clyde." "Arthur Penn brought the sensibility of '60s European art films to American movies," writer/director Paul Schrader told The New York Times. "He paved the way for the new generation of American directors who came out of film schools." Penn continued to work in film, television and theater with some of the biggest and brightest names in the business, though none of those projects reached the level of critical mass as "Bonnie and Clyde" had done. His last theatrically released film was the apartheid drama "Inside," in 1996. Penn served as an executive producer on several episodes of "Law and Order" in his later years, followed by one of his final theatrical productions, "Fortune's Fool," which earned Tonys for Alan Bates and Frank Langella in 2002. Penn is survived by his wife of 54 years, Peggy Maurer, a son, Matthew, a daughter, Molly, and four grandsons. Share your well-wishes for Penn's family in the comments. |
| Lady Gaga's Least-Likely Little Monster? Rob Halford Posted: 29 Sep 2010 12:33 AM PDT 'She's exactly what we need right now,' Judas Priest frontman says, comparing Gaga to Madonna and praising her activism.
By Jon Wiederhorn 
Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Rob Halford, a.k.a. the Metal God, fronts one of the most influential heavy-metal bands on the scene. Along with his Judas Priest bandmates, the leather-favoring singer spends most of his time on the road fraternizing with metal legends like Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe and Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister. Halford even runs a clothing line that specializes in badass-looking T-shirts. But what fans might not know is that he also keeps a finger on the pulse of the pop world, and one of his latest heroes is Lady Gaga. "She's exactly what we need right now in that area of music," Halford told MTV News. "There has been a vacuum that's been created in that area as the wonderful Saint Madonna has gotten older, and we really need somebody like Lady Gaga to shake things up again." Halford said he admires Lady Gaga's irreverence, but also her colorful fashion sense ("That costume of meat she wore at the MTV Music Awards was just fantastic"), her outspokenness and her willingness to deliver politically charged messages. He was especially moved by Gaga's speech at a Portland, Maine, rally organized by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network as part of the movement to repeal the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. "I thought that was very admirable," Halford said. "Madonna went a little bit in the activist vein, but she did that later on in her career. What you're finding in Lady Gaga, I feel, is a microcosm of the speed of life we're living in now. Things happen so quickly. She took off like a rocket. [Interscope Chairman] Jimmy Iovine put the whole label behind her and wrote the checks for those multimillion-dollar videos because he has this incredible foresight, and it was absolutely the right move. She's incredible and provocative and I admire her as the person she is and all the great things she does." Still, like many Gaga fans, he's occasionally surprised by his pop heroine. Halford, whose Halford IV — Made of Metal hit stores this week, admitted he was somewhat taken aback by the 'Fame" singer's wardrobe choice in Maine. The Lady wore a conservative blue pantsuit, white collared shirt and patterned men's tie, but what really caught Halford's attention were Gaga's massively oversize Coke-bottle glasses. "I don't know if she's got really bad eyesight or if it was just another moment," Halford said. "But I love that she believes all people are beautiful, which they are. How dare you call somebody ugly. That's just abhorrent to me. She sends this message out to her fans and the world that's really positive and I just wish her a long life, which is going to be difficult in today's speed-of-light culture." Are you surprised that metal head Rob Halford is a "little monster"? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
