MTV News |
- Jennifer Lopez Says She 'Lucked Out' With Lady Gaga Tracks
- 'Thor' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
- Jacob Lusk Sent Home On 'American Idol'
- Lady Gaga 'Judas' Video 'Fulfills Our Vision,' Laurieann Gibson Says
- Consequence Talks Exclusion From <i>XXL</i> G.O.O.D. Music Feature
- Jennifer Lopez Gets 'On The Floor' On 'American Idol'
- Lady Gaga Says 'Judas' Video Isn't 'An Attack On Religion'
- Rick Ross Talks MMG Signees Wale, Meek Mill, Pill
- Cormega's 'I Made A Difference' To Support Haitian Relief Effort
- Lady Gaga Performs New Version Of 'You And I' On 'Oprah'
- 'American Idol' Report Card: Haley Reinhart Eclipses The Competition
- Jennifer Lopez Calls Lil Wayne 'An Interesting Artist'
- Casey Abrams Had To 'Translate' Online Haters During 'American Idol'
- Go Inside '30 Minutes Or Less' With Jesse Eisenberg And Danny McBride
- Johnny Depp Surprises 'Oprah' Crowd With 'On Stranger Tides' Tickets
- Lady Gaga's 'Judas' Video Hits The Net
- Katy Perry Holds Off Adele, Britney Spears Atop <i>Billboard</i> Hot 100
- Lil B, Freddie Gibbs Deny Beef After <i>I'm Gay</i> Comments
- 'The Beaver' Director Jodie Foster Talks Mel Gibson, Puppet Co-Star
| Jennifer Lopez Says She 'Lucked Out' With Lady Gaga Tracks Posted: 06 May 2011 03:52 AM PDT J.Lo talks about the tunes Gaga helped write and produce on her new Love? album.
Jennifer Lopez came onto the scene as a dance princess, throwing millennium parties while "Waiting for Tonight" and frolicking on the beach declaring that "My Love Don't Cost a Thing." Well, it's now 2011 and not that much has changed for J.Lo.
She still wants her fans to shake their fannies while she sings about the ups and downs of love. This time around, however, she got some help from this millennium's biggest pop princess, Lady Gaga — along with frequent Gaga collaborator/producer RedOne — for the just-released Love? album. "I think RedOne's sound is very specific, but he also can be very individual for each artist that he works with, which I like, but there's still kind of a commonality in it," J.Lo said. "But it's him. He makes a record sound so big and important ... When he would play me different tracks and even the beginnings of ideas and when he told me, 'Actually I worked with Gaga on this,' and I was like, 'Really? That's awesome. Is it OK?' and he [was] like, 'Yeah, yeah.' You know, they write and produce together a lot. So, it was exciting. I kind of just lucked out on that one." But, there is a lot more to the album than the few tracks featuring Gaga's golden touch. Love? also is a complete work of art that in a way, Lopez says, she's been working on for most of her life. "I've been making this album maybe for a couple years now," she said. "It's been quite a process, but I've been saying lately that I've been actually making this record since I was 13 years old — the first time I fell in love — because it's true, all the thoughts and all the things that went into this album were questions and things that I've had over the years ... Love is a very complex topic and I've been singing about it since my first album, and this was kind of the culmination of that." Sure, J.Lo is not the same girl she was back then, and she knows that. "I wanted to pose some questions and get the dialogue going about love," she added. "I wanted to make a great dance, rhythmic album, as well ... and we did that. I had great producers ... who helped me do that, helped take me and put it into this generation of music with all of that [and] we still were able to do that." Related Videos |
| 'Thor' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Posted: 06 May 2011 03:52 AM PDT We catch you up on how the God of Thunder made his way to the big screen.
Is "Thor" the best Marvel Studios movie ever? Better than "Iron Man," which wowed crowds in 2008 on its way toward $585 million in worldwide box-office receipts? Better than "Iron Man 2" and "The Incredible Hulk"? That's the word floating around the blogosphere and inside the MTV Newsroom, where everyone is marveling about what director Kenneth Branagh was able to accomplish with his comic book source material.
The movie could have easily become another "Masters of the Universe," a cheese-tastic example of how not to bring fantastical heroes to planet Earth. But Thor, no doubt, has avoided the fate of He-Man before him. To understand how Marvel and Branagh accomplished this impressive cinematic task, we must flash back into the recent past to see how the project came together. Luckily, that's exactly what we're able to do, since MTV News has been all over this project for years and can now present an indispensible cheat sheet: everything you need to know about "Thor": Searching for the Gods At that point, though, Branagh said it was too early to speculate about a potential cast. For Thor himself, we soon learned, Marvel was eyeing someone in his 20s who could be "physically powerful, very handsome, occasionally egotistical, petulant, and wild." Names like Daniel Craig and Kevin McKidd had been floated before for the hero from Asgard, but neither seemed to fit the bill, at least age-wise. Other actors like Alexander Skarsgård, Charlie Hunnam and Channing Tatum entered the conversation, but the job eventually went to Chris Hemsworth. Natalie Portman then signed on to play a scientist and Thor love interest, Tom Hiddleston became Thor's brother Loki, Anthony Hopkins became Thor's father Odin, and Stellan Skarsgård, Jaimie Alexander and Colm Feore joined in too. Bringing Asgard to Earth Our first look at "Thor" came in April: Hemsworth in full Thor costume, his blond locks artfully falling in his face. "It's a pretty impressive costume, and I think anyone who put it on would look pretty cool," Hemsworth told us earlier. "I have a nice long, blond wig which they throw on every day." Then came a pic of Hopkins as Odin. "It's a superhero movie, but with a bit of Shakespeare thrown in," he revealed to us. "It's a big, big, broad thing." More photos followed, until the first footage debuted at San Diego Comic-Con. The public didn't get a chance to see official footage until December, when the first trailer popped up online, showing the God of Thunder as a skilled but arrogant warrior living in the faraway land of Asgard. But when Thor's reckless actions reawaken an ancient war, he's cast down to Earth and forced to live among mankind. As a threat from Asgard looms over our planet, Thor becomes the only one able to save both worlds from destruction. Mighty Thor Arrives A Super Bowl commercial gave us a closer look at the action, followed by another full trailer in mid-February. Eventually, Hemsworth got to see the full film. "Being that close to something, it's often pretty hard to watch yourself, but the film in so many ways is so impressive that I was swept along with it like an audience member, and that's a pretty good sign," he told us. He wasn't the only one impressed. Early reviews lauded the film for its faithful adaptation of the beloved comic books. Everything, it seems, is looking good both for a "Thor" sequel and "The Avengers," the superhero all-star flick that's already in production. "It would be a lovely challenge and problem to have should we do a second one," Branagh said of directing "Thor 2." "We went through so many possibilities for how the story might go, that of course the prospect of that is very tantalizing and fascinating." As for "Avengers," which will focus not only on Thor and Loki but characters like Hulk, Captain America and Hawkeye, everyone involved is ecstatic. "We've met sort of separately at various events and things, but yet to all sit down in the same room and do a read through...which I'm very excited about," Hemsworth told us before production began. "All of a sudden there's more people to sort of take some of the weight of it all, but also you want to do your bit and stand out, you know so it's a combination. But the excitement outweighs all of that. I'm a huge fan of these characters and these actors." Check out everything we've got on "Thor." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos |
| Jacob Lusk Sent Home On 'American Idol' Posted: 05 May 2011 06:34 AM PDT Lauren Alaina lands in the bottom two for the first time.
First the good news: More than 60 million votes came in on Wednesday night for the highest vote total so far this season on "American Idol." Of course, even with that avalanche of support, someone had to go home after the up-and-down "now and then"-themed performance episode. As always at this stage of the competition, there was an unexpected twist, as gutsy high-schooler Lauren Alaina landed in the bottom for the first time all season. But when the tears were mopped up, it was gospel crooner Jacob Lusk who was sent to the showers, after a pair of performances that split the judges and drew low marks from mentor Jimmy Iovine.
"I got to share the love with America and I think America fell in love with me," Lusk said with a smile upon hearing the news as Alaina wept with a mixture of relief and shock in the arms of the remaining three finalists. "And now I can go home and put out that good-feeling R&B music that worships Luther [Vandross] or reminds you of those old singers." The twisty path to the top four had the usual allotment of drama. Before Lusk learned of his fate, James Durbin took the hot seat after scoring a hit with a 30 Seconds to Mars cover and bringing tears to his own eyes with the emotional ballad "Without You." That landed him on the far side of the stage, where he looked genuinely nervous. Alaina had opened with Carrie Underwood's "Flat on the Floor" and then nailed it again with her folks' favorite song, "Unchained Melody," performances that sent the scared-looking teen to the opposite side of the stage, confusing the audience about who was in jeopardy. After a train-crash solo duet on "No Air" and an even screechier "Love Hurts," Lusk seemed destined for the bottom and he soon joined Alaina. Haley Reinhart had a seesaw night, with so-so notices for her take on the yet-unreleased Lady Gaga tune "You and I" and raves for "House of the Rising Sun." She joined James on the far side of the stage, with Scotty McCreery the last man standing after a pair of ace performances of Montgomery-Gentry's "Gone" and Elvis Presley's "Always on My Mind." He was the first to be declared safe, and Seacrest pulled his cruelest trick by asking McC to pick which group he belonged in. "I can't do that," Scotty demurred, as Seacrest led him over to the safe group featuring Durbin and Reinhart. Alaina burst into tears as she realized she was in the bottom for the first time, and Lusk looked stone-faced awaiting the news about who was going home. When Seacrest pulled the short straw for Lusk, Alaina could barely contain her emotions, bursting into tears as she made the long walk back. Lusk took the hit like a champ, going out with a reprise of Vandross' "A House Is not a Home," which was a showcase for his soaring falsetto and wild verbal gesticulations. He was joined by his four musical soul mates center stage, as he smiled his way through a playful scat-filled gospel finish to the tune. The episode also continued the season-long self-promotion from the judges and mentor Iovine, with Tyler getting a plug for his new memoir, "Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?," and another for his debut solo single, "(It) Feels So Good." Lopez also got in on the action, performing her smash "On the Floor" from her just-released Love? album. Wearing gold Hammer pants and a spangly bikini top, she stomped across the stage surrounded by a group of precision dancers during a high-energy performance. She also played a clip of her new beach-blanket bump-and-grind video for "I'm Into You." Also on the show were Grammy-winning country trio Lady Antebellum, performing their new single, the low-key ballad "Just a Kiss." Do you think Jacob deserved to go home? Let us know in comments below. Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Lady Gaga 'Judas' Video 'Fulfills Our Vision,' Laurieann Gibson Says Posted: 05 May 2011 05:55 AM PDT New clip shows 'who she is, how many levels she can go,' clip's co-director tells MTV News.
By now Lady Gaga's Little Monsters have had their ferocious appetites satisfied with the premiere of the pop star's new video for "Judas" — whether they caught the leaked "Judas" online or waited for the full seven-minute version that premiered on E! Thursday night (May 5). Up until its debut, the clip's co-director, Laurieann Gibson, has had to remain pretty tight-lipped about the top-secret project. That is, until now. MTV News sat down with the choreographer-turned-director, who was finally able to spill the beans on the highly anticipated video.
"With 'Judas,' I'm so happy," Gibson, beaming with pride, told us on Thursday afternoon. "Because as her choreographer and her creative director, and then collaborating with 'Judas,' I was able to sit in the director's seat and fulfill our vision and see it all the way through. So at the end of the day, you saw how amazing she looks — beautiful — she's dancing again. And it's just great because I was able to produce the next level: who she is, how many levels she can go and the idea that this artist is a real artist and capable." Gibson was referring to reservations that she'd had about Gaga's "Born This Way" video, which didn't go creatively as far as she wanted. For "Judas," Gibson was able to take a more hands-on approach, which included choosing among several concepts. "I think the concept stuck with this one because, ultimately, there was a place where we wanted to leave the interpretation up to each individual and not take away [Gaga's] power as a performer, as a dancer, as a star," Gibson explained. "And to leave the moments for you to interpret and be inspired by the fact that everyone has a Judas in their life and that there is a place of deliverance. For me, I interpret differently than her, and for someone else, they'll interpret it differently. "But as the director, I was really excited about filling the frame, using the Phantom [camera], creating a different dynamic in the way we approached the shots; never stop moving the lens, never lock off, complementing her with the way she moves, making it graceful when she's strong in her movement," she continued. For die-hard fans curious about the video's story line, Gibson clued us in on one particular scene. "In the marketplace, if you noticed, it was supposed to be a rock concert," she revealed. "And if you look closely ... I took the inspiration from, you know, in New York, when they're building a new building and they have the scaffolding — that's where that inspiration came from. Jesus would eventually arrive to perform at a rock concert, and so it has that town circle and they're about to perform." Share your thoughts on the "Judas" video in the comments section! Related Artists |
| Consequence Talks Exclusion From <i>XXL</i> G.O.O.D. Music Feature Posted: 05 May 2011 04:12 AM PDT 'What are my fans gonna think,' Cons recalls thinking when issue guest-edited by label boss Kanye West hit stands last October.
Consequence stopped by MTV's "RapFix Live" on Wednesday, and dished on the good, the bad and the ugly of his and Kanye West's relationship. One incident of note was when West appeared on the cover of the October 2010 issue of XXL magazine. Inside the issue, for which 'Ye served as a guest editor, was a feature article titled "Monsters, Inc." The piece detailed the history of West's G.O.O.D. Music label, where Cons was once signed. 'Quence was photographed for the article, but when the issue hit stands his picture didn't appear.
"There were other people who weren't invited to the photo shoot, other artists who contributed to the history of G.O.O.D. Music, but I was there," Cons reasoned. "When you get a magazine and you open it and you're not there, but your guy is on the cover — what are my friends gonna think? What are my fans gonna think?" To add insult to injury, when 'Quence's name was mentioned in the piece, a note appeared in parentheses that said that it was "unclear at press time" if Cons was "still down with the label." But that wasn't all, he also was noticeably absent from the G.O.O.D. Music rhyme cipher that aired during BET's 2010 Hip-Hop Awards. 'Quence followed those snubs with the Kanye West dis track "Man Purses," in October of last year. On the track, he volleyed a lyrical shot at Kanye and G.O.O.D. Music. Cons rapped, "My crew ain't been the same since Amber Rose and Taylor Swift." The line, of course, was in reference to Kanye's ex-girlfriend and the Taylor Swift controversy at the 2009 MTV VMAs. Cons told "RapFix Live" host Sway that after the track dropped, he and Kanye had a chance to talk about their differences, hinting that West didn't want any problems with the Queens MC. Still, Consequence remained tight-lipped about the specific details of that conversation, choosing to save the rest of that story and other grievances for his upcoming mixtape, Movies on Demand 3, which is set to drop by June. Kanye West's representatives at his home label, Def Jam, refused to comment on the situation when reached by MTV News. What do you think of Consequence being left out of the XXL G.O.O.D. Music photo shoot? For more on Consequence and the G.O.O.D. Music saga, stay tuned to MTV News and our RapFix blog. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Jennifer Lopez Gets 'On The Floor' On 'American Idol' Posted: 05 May 2011 06:59 AM PDT Pitbull joins 'Idol' judge as she shows superstar hopefuls how it's done.
James Durbin has had some elaborate production cues this season on "American Idol" — flaming pianos, tag-along marching bands — but "Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez showed the young singer a thing or two about big-time TV performances on Thursday's (May 5) results episode. Lopez smashed two dancers out of glass cases, performed on a platform as it rose from the stage and dropped to the floor in a complex choreographed dance routine while performing her RedOne-produced single "On the Floor." She was joined by Miami rapper Pitbull, who first emerged from the crowd and later appeared onstage and via the mobile staircase at the back of the "Idol" set.
Wearing a glimmering ensemble that included a revealing top and what looked like modified Hammer pants (they were tight on the legs and baggy in the middle), J.Lo worked the stage while lasers shot around the studio and bursts of pyro erupted around her. The performance was timed to coincide with her new album Love?, which hit stores this week and as of Thursday night was #6 on the iTunes albums chart. Earlier this week, Lopez teased the performance to MTV News. "You can expect some fun; I don't want to give away too much. But you know we're gonna go out there, we're gonna do our thing," she told us on Tuesday. "It's going to be a lot of fun. I don't even want to tell you what song we're doing, I just want you to watch." Although every effort was made to present the performance as if it were live — following the song, Lopez was absent from the judges' table, and host Ryan Seacrest explained she was backstage changing her clothes — some sloppy editing (namely a safety bar on the riser that continuously appeared and disappeared throughout the performance) made it apparent the routine was taped in advance of the episode. Also on Thursday's show, a 45-second teaser of Lopez's "I'm Into You" video was shown. The beach-set clip shows Lopez frolicking on the beach with a muscle-bound beau (Cuban actor William Levy) and later performing inside what appears to be a Mayan pyramid. While Lil Wayne is featured on the song, he was not shown in the video tease. What did you think of Jennifer Lopez's performance? Let us know in the comments! Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Says 'Judas' Video Isn't 'An Attack On Religion' Posted: 05 May 2011 05:48 AM PDT 'I respect and love everyone's beliefs,' she tells E! News after clip's TV premiere.
While Lady Gaga's "Judas" video leaked on Thursday afternoon (May 5), the clip got its official premiere on E! later that night. Gaga sat down with E! News to chat about the funky, pop-culture-influenced clip revolving around a love triangle between Mary Magdalene (Gaga), Judas (Norman Reedus) and Jesus (Rick Gonzalez). Fashion, longing and betrayal rule in the video, directed by Lady Gaga and her creative director, Laurieann Gibson. (The version that appeared on E! was billed as "uncut," but it didn't differ from the leaked version.)
As is expected with anything Gaga does, the video will have people talking. But, Gaga notes, the video isn't meant to cause controversy. "In my opinion, the only controversial thing about this video is that I'm wearing Christian Lacroix and Chanel in the same frame," she joked, adding, "This video is not meant to be an attack on religion. I respect and love everyone's beliefs. I'm a religious and spiritual person who's obsessed with religious art. I'm obsessed with it. "I believe I was put on this earth to cause a ruckus," she continued. "At the beginning, when I came out with 'Just Dance,' I couldn't get an interview. ... I couldn't get on the radio. I just want to keep making stuff that's great and thought-provoking." So what does Gaga think of the video? "Honestly, it came out more incredible than I thought it would. It's so beautiful. It's like a fresco come to life. We went on set and we just shot the sh-- out of it." What did you think of the "Judas" video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Rick Ross Talks MMG Signees Wale, Meek Mill, Pill Posted: 05 May 2011 05:05 AM PDT 'Meek Mill, I feel he's speaking for the streets,' the Maybach Music Group boss tells MTV News.
Rick Ross proved to be the biggest boss of them all after he began scooping up new talent for his Maybach Music Group and then signed his label to Warner Bros. in March. Not content with just having young guns like Wale, Meek Mill and Pill sitting on his roster, Ross is readying his MMG compilation Self Made. In an exclusive interview with MTV News, Ross broke down his motivation for adding each of his new spitters.
"Just me being a fan of Wale's lyrics, he's a lyricist, he's a fly dude, Ross told us Wednesday when we visited the set of the MMG video for "600 Benz." I feel like he's gonna make a really huge impact over the next few years." The Bawse was equally excited about Meek Mill, who appeared on XXL 's 2011 Freshmen cover. "Meek Mill, I feel he's speaking for the streets," Ross said. "He's fillin' the void comin' from Philly. I think this was something that was well overdue and most definitely needed. The reaction of his music is speakin' for itself." Atlanta MC Pill is Maybach's most recent signing and, according to Ross, his intellect is his strong suit. "Pill, he's been representin' in the A-Town forever, just being a deep thinker and dope a street lyricist at the same time," Rozay said. "So that was somethin' that I was just vibin' and attracted to." Self Made will be in stores and online May 24. What do you think of Wale, Meek Mill and Pill? Let us know the comments section! Related Artists |
| Cormega's 'I Made A Difference' To Support Haitian Relief Effort Posted: 05 May 2011 06:02 AM PDT 'When I was in Haiti, I made a promise that I'mma do something different,' Cormega tells MTV News.
Relief efforts in the aftermath of Haiti's 2010 earthquake have seemingly died down, but Queens rapper Cormega is still doing his part. On May 18 the onetime member of Nas' supergroup the Firm will release his single "I Made a Difference" on iTunes and donate 100 percent of the proceeds to Sean Penn's J/P HRO charity. The song features 'Mega, Redman, Lil Fame from M.O.P., Steele from Smif-N-Wessun, Stic.man from Dead Prez and vocalist Maya Azucena.
It was a June 2010 trip to Haiti with fellow rappers Styles P and the Immortal Technique that gave 'Mega his original inspiration to take action. "My motivation was to make a difference, because a lot of people, they stumble upon things or information and they speak upon it, but they don't act upon it, so I promised myself that I was gonna act upon it," he told MTV News. "When I was in Haiti, I made a promise that I'mma do something different and I wanted to do something to help." Cormega, who hails from the Queensbridge projects in Queens, New York, isn't known as the most socially active rapper. His 2001 debut LP, The Realness, was ripe with vivid accounts of street life and the drug game. But 'Mega insists that he has grown since then. "What people expect from me is not necessarily who I am," said the rapper, who also did a concert and coat drive in support of Housing Works in New York City. "I've always been in touch with my people; it's just that when people first got familiar with Cormega, I was straight from out the can," he said about his prison bid before his career as a rapper. Instead, he insists that the disaster in Haiti is a human issue. "If you go somewhere and you see people outside bathing with water the way we drink water, like from little bottles, and they don't have no hot running water or you see people living in tents — not camping, living — if that doesn't affect you, like, I felt guilty about the things that I have." Still, he couldn't do it alone. The MC applauded all his collaborators as well. "All the artists that got down, everybody did it from the heart," he said. "From Redman to Fame; Lil Fame did his verse in, like, 20 minutes in the studio. He wasn't even supposed to do his verse that day, but he knew the significance of it and he knew he was about to leave to go out of town. So he knew if he left there was a great chance that he would've missed being on the song." You can purchase Cormega's "I Made a Difference" through iTunes on May 18. Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Performs New Version Of 'You And I' On 'Oprah' Posted: 05 May 2011 01:18 AM PDT Gaga played a 'high-heel' piano on Thursday's episode to delight of fellow guest Johnny Depp.
Leave it to Lady Gaga to say good-bye to Oprah Winfrey in the most over-the-top possible way. Gaga appeared on Thursday's episode (May 5) of Winfrey's show (which also featured Johnny Depp) and put on nothing less than a spectacle. Sitting atop a very high stool, Gaga — in a red leather blazer, floppy mask-like hat and see-through leopard bodysuit — played a piano made out of a wire high-heel structure. She began with an acoustic, piano-driven version of "Born This Way," and then removed the hat as a synth kicked in for a less organic version of "You and I." This version was more amped up than the one she usually plays in concert, complete with electric guitar and Oprah shout-outs. "We got a whole lot of money, but still pay rent/ 'Cause you can't buy a house in Heaven/ There's only three men I served my whole life/ It's my dad and Nebraska and Jesus Christ," she sang, debuting some new "You and I" lyrics. The performance seemed to please Depp, who was sitting next to Oprah clapping as Gaga performed. After she was done, she got off the stool and shared, "We designed the outfit, but my sister, who's 19 years old, she's a fashion student and she created this structure of a high heel and I made it into a piano, so surprise!" Gaga later tweeted about the latest version of "You And I," saying that it would be included on Born This Way, set to drop on May 23. "I performed on OPRAH today the album Version of Yoü and I," she wrote. "Also performed by Haley on AmericanIdol last night!" What did you think of Gaga's "Oprah" performance? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Report Card: Haley Reinhart Eclipses The Competition Posted: 05 May 2011 09:06 AM PDT Find out who else made the grade and watch 'Idol Party Live' for more of our performance analysis.
It's all been building to this, we suppose, an episode of "American Idol" so chock-full of judges' clichés and producers' out-of-nowhere talking points that the show almost became a parody of itself. Suddenly and jarringly on Wednesday, the focus was on nothing but what type of recording artist each singer might become, at nearly the complete expense of critical performance evaluation. And goodness — the reality-show gibberish! All the night, the talk was about who's in it to win it, who's leaving it all up onstage, who's just having fun up there, who's not broke and thus not in need of fixing. Steven Tyler said "it's a beautiful thing" so many times, the phrase almost transcended its own vapidity and became a commentary of "American Idol" itself.
Yet all this is just background noise (however grating it is to hear) and shouldn't distract us from the main attraction: Haley Reinhart owned it last night. Boom! We'd end our "Idol" report card right there, giving her two "excellents" and the rest of the competition incompletes. But that's not the way things work around here. Nor is it the way things work out there in the land of finicky "Idol' voters. Everyone must stand up and be judged (even if the judges themselves don't understand that). Excellent Haley Reinhart, "The House of the Rising Sun": We'll get to the mind-boggling critique of her first song in a second, but for now let's just salute Haley for bouncing back and giving arguably her finest performance of the season with this Animals tune. As the song rose from gentle a cappella intro to full-throated emotional release, the human-hear-me-roar aggression in her voice gave us goose bumps. It was too good for even the judges to slam. Haley Reinhart, "You and I": Here's the thing: This may have been a Lady Gaga song, but this was certainly not a Lady Gaga performance. And in the judges' insistence that Haley was attempting to reinvent herself as Gaga Lite, we saw the absurdity of their insistence to make the entire show about what kind of recording artist everyone will be. Haley was doing no such thing. If anything, she infused some heavy Janis Joplin into this beautiful and jazzy performance, bringing out Gaga's inherent bluesy-ness in the process. The judges should be ashamed of themselves for this one. Good Lauren Alaina, "Flat on the Floor": We're reluctant to say anything as formulaic as, "She's back, baby!," but it's hard to ignore how much more confident Lauren was on Wednesday, compared to her performances over the last month. She was in her country comfort zone with Carrie Underwood's song, stomping around the stage like a cowgirl, and sounding darn good doing it. Scotty McCreery, "Gone": Look at good ol' Scotty getting his swagger up! This was a more hard-charging performance than we've ever seen from him. He jumped, he skipped, he engaged in a fun call-and-response with his backup singers. What is there to say about his vocals? Not much, since they're always on point. Lauren Alaina, "Unchained Melody": While this familiar tune didn't outdo her first performance, it was very well done. She dropped the country twang and sang a straightforward ballad, hitting the notes she needed to but not reaching for ones outside her vocal range. And the judges? The judges threw up their hands, abdicated their responsibility and fawned over Lauren like she was one part Carrie Underwood, one part Jesus of Nazareth. Satisfactory Scotty McCreery, "Always on My Mind": We couldn't expect Scotty to get semi-experimental twice, could we? For his second song, he was back in familiar territory. Elvis Presley, again. We probably wouldn't complain if the song weren't so sleepy. He just plodded along, a bit drearily, a bit tenderly. After the top-notch first performance, this one was a letdown. Jacob Lusk, "Love Hurts": Love, much like this performance, can be painful. There was something borderline schizophrenic about the way his vocals slipped and slid from one end of the musical scale to the other. And while the judges applauded the way he brought the song to a conclusion, we'll just say this: We're not sure what happened at the end of "Love Hurts," but it didn't correspond to recognizable human activity. James Durbin, "Without You": This was a big improvement over his earlier performance, which we'll address below. We always like James better when he's going slow and sensitive. What we're unsure about is all that Lusk-like emotion he displayed during the performance. Is he laying it on too thick, or are we just being cynical? Perhaps both. What we are certain about is there's not a sharp note the judges can't dismiss with empty talk about artistry and emotion. Unsatisfactory James Durbin, "Closer to the Edge": In a word: weird! James' vocals began weak and low, then graduated to a sort of pitch-dizzy warbling. This was Adam Lambert with strep throat. We do, however, think 30 Seconds to Mars is a good artistic fit for James. Nonetheless, this performance just didn't work, even if Randy Jackson insisted that, yes, James is in it to win it. Jacob Lusk, "No Air": As he has all season, Jacob struggled with his phrasing and his dance moves during "No Air." He was shouty, he was pitchy and his diva boogying — which, honestly, we've done our best not to comment on all season — was out of control as he undulated like one of those flailing inflatable men looming over used car dealerships. Thank goodness for Randy, who offered up a reality-based critique after Jennifer Lopez hailed the performance. Jacob, it's been a blast watching you each week, but I think even you can agree, it's time to pack your bags and head home. Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Jennifer Lopez Calls Lil Wayne 'An Interesting Artist' Posted: 04 May 2011 11:24 PM PDT J.Lo's video for her track 'I'm Into You,' featuring the MC, premieres on Thursday on BET's '106 & Park.'
Jennifer Lopez certainly isn't a newbie when it comes to hip-hop collaborations (Diddy, Fat Joe, Ja Rule), so when it came time to find the perfect guy to get on her track "I'm Into You," she knew that Lil Wayne was the MC with whom she had to work. "He really is unique. He's so not what you would think or what you would think him to be," she explained to MTV News. "Like when I got on the phone with him to talk about the record, I thought he was going to be like, 'Hey, what's up, J.Lo?' and instead he was like, 'Yes, ma'am.'
"I was like, 'Are you going to be able to do this record? I need it done this week and do you want to do it?' and he was like, 'Of course I do. Yes, ma'am. I'll get it done this week, ma'am,' " she added, laughing. "I've always found him an interesting artist, and the things he says and the way he says them, and I just thought he wasn't the obvious choice for this record, but for me he was the only choice." Earlier this week, J.Lo premiered a video for "I'm Into You," from which Wayne was noticeably absent. She confirmed that a version of the clip "definitely" featuring the hip-hop star will drop on Thursday (May 5) on BET's "106 & Park." adding, "He's definitely in the video." As for the scenes in the video that show Lopez cavorting in Mexico, she said those were a blast to shoot. "I mean, I love [the director] Melina [Matsoukas] ... With this we wanted it to be kind of soft and beautiful," J.Lo explained. "We had a beautiful location and we were going to shoot by the water and just make it like one of those old kind of Herb Ritts-style videos. "The first day we shot at the pyramids, which was just me by myself," she continued. "It was a kind of empowering feeling on the pyramid with the dress blowing ... it was kind of amazing. It gave the video kind of an epic feel. [It] was all very earthy and epic and big." Will you be into watching J.Lo's "I'm Into You" video featuring Lil Wayne? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Casey Abrams Had To 'Translate' Online Haters During 'American Idol' Posted: 05 May 2011 02:51 AM PDT 'You take away the swear words ... and you read what they're actually trying to say,' he tells MTV News of nasty comments.
You might be surprised to learn that, when he wasn't slapping the bass or battling colitis, recently departed "American Idol" hopeful Casey Abrams enjoyed nothing more than kicking back, stroking his beard, and diving headfirst into the sea of comments fans of the show had written about him. And, unlike pretty much everyone else in "Idol" history, he preferred them to be as nasty as possible.
"What you have to do is kinda, you have to translate it. If they're saying negative things about you, you take away the swear words and like 'I hate you' and you read what they're actually trying to say," he told MTV News. "And, if [they wrote] 'Casey sucked this performance, he sounded like a dog,' I take it as 'Casey, stop growling so much.' And if I see more than, like, 10 comments like that, I'm going to take it as a sign, and I'm going to try to ease up on the growling." So Abrams used fan comments much in the same way he did the input of the "Idol" judges: He weighed their value against his instincts and acted accordingly (he certainly didn't stop growling). Like he told us previously, it's all "jelly beans in a jar." And though he read plenty of nasty things about himself, he let them all roll off his back — except for one thing. Seems you can call Abrams whatever you want, just don't equate his performances to jazz. "The jazz thing [bothered me]," he said. "I didn't see a lot of negative comments, but I saw that, like, it fell flat, and I'm OK with that. When I first listened to jazz, I didn't like it at all, I hated it, and then I had to play it to really get what it meant, so every single negative comment, I get where they're coming from, so it's all good." Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Go Inside '30 Minutes Or Less' With Jesse Eisenberg And Danny McBride Posted: 05 May 2011 02:38 AM PDT Nick Swardson tells MTV News his and McBride's schemers are 'simple dudes.'
Late last August, I fled the humid concrete confines of Times Square and arrived in the dusty heat of a junkyard in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Next to a giant tangle of rusted-out cars, Danny McBride and Nick Swardson were busy blowing up watermelons and shouting expletives far too dirty to reprint.
It was a strange and hilarious sight to behold, but it all made sense: I was on the set of "30 Minutes or Less," and what I was witnessing was the unlikely glamour of major studio moviemaking. McBride and Swardson play low-life criminals with a simple plan: strap a bomb to a pizza delivery boy and force him to rob a bank in less than nine hours, lest the kid become an unwitting suicide bomber. "They're kind of simple dudes. They're not very learned," Swardson said during a break in the action. "But they're not robots. At the core, they are actually very nice people." Added McBride, "They just want to be loved, whether it takes a bomb or a bank robbery to get there." What happens after they hatch their scheme, test their explosives on watermelons and then strap them to Jesse Eisenberg's pizza boy forms the bulk of the action and the comedy in "30 Minutes," which hits theaters on August 12. With Eisenberg in trouble, he enlists the help of his best friend (played by Aziz Ansari), even though they've had an earlier falling-out resulting from Eisenberg's sexual conquest with his friend's sister. But there's nothing like a life-threatening situation to bring two pals together. On set, both guys were having a blast. During some downtime, Ansari cracked that he and Eisenberg were making plans to reboot the "Fast and Furious" franchise and take over the roles of Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. Eisenberg, for his part, was having a blast being a madman behind the wheel during stunt-driving exercises. "I live in New York City and ride a bicycle, so I never drive ever, so I've been given the opportunity and a cool car," he said with a sly smile. "Every time I drive, I get yelled at by the crew, but the stunt drivers always wink at me and say, 'Nah, that was good, man. Keep doing it.' I've been subtly and subversively encouraged to be very dangerous in the car." Check out everything we've got on "30 Minutes or Less." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Johnny Depp Surprises 'Oprah' Crowd With 'On Stranger Tides' Tickets Posted: 05 May 2011 03:22 AM PDT 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star stops by for Winfrey's final Harpo Hookup show.
With "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" out in less than a month, some lucky guests at "The Oprah Winfrey Show" were fortunate enough to hit those strange tides before anyone else.
Leading man Johnny Depp visited Oprah on Thursday (May 5) to promote his upcoming "Pirates" film. As part of her last Harpo Hookup show, Oprah brought Depp to the show to give one big Disney surprise: All the attendees at the taping received free passes to his new movie. "This is the fourth one," he said with a laugh, "so I can keep going." "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" teams Depp up with Penélope Cruz on the search for the Fountain of Youth. Captain Jack Sparrow is forced to unite with old enemies and clash with new foes in order to recapture the Black Pearl and bring back his beloved crew. Joking about his schizophrenia in going back and forth between himself and the character of Jack Sparrow, Depp said he was looking forward to Oprah's audience being the first people to see his latest transformation. Lady Gaga was also on Thursday's "Oprah," performing a new version of her Born This Way track "You and I." "It boils down to story, script and filmmaker," Depp told The Hollywood Reporter about the new movies. "It's not something where I would say, 'Let's shoot it next month to get it out by Christmas 2012.' We should hold off for a bit. They should be special, just like they are special to me." Depp has been sailing into a lot of new ports in recent days thanks to a whole lot of "On Stranger Tides" promotion. A new clip following Captain Jack on a daring escape hit Yahoo! on Monday, and MTV News delivered a brand-new still of our favorite pirate sailing the high seas earlier this week. Check out everything we've got on "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Lady Gaga's 'Judas' Video Hits The Net Posted: 05 May 2011 09:45 AM PDT The clip, set to premiere tonight on E!, leaked early ... and, as Gaga put it, it's 'a celebration of faith.'
Well, it's here ... eight hours ahead of schedule. On Thursday morning (May 5), Lady Gaga's hotly anticipated "Judas" video premiered, though probably not in the way that Mother Monster (and the folks at E!) had hoped it would: It leaked. Originally set to be unveiled on the network during prime time on Thursday (and then again at 11:30 p.m.), "Judas" got a bit of an advance screening, quickly making the rounds on the Internet while the Little Monsters squealed with delight (or, alternately, expressed their outrage at its leaking). And despite pretty much everything Gaga had said about the video — that it was "a motorcycle Fellini film," that it portrayed "a betrayal of a prophecy fulfilled" — it is very much a pure pop clip, albeit one that looks great and is sure to earn the ire of a few folks on the religious right. An arty reimagining of the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot, the video sees Gaga as Mary Magdalene, riding along with Christ and his apostles, who are decked out in studded leathers and set atop roaring motorcycles. They cruise through — as Gaga put it — "a modern-day Jerusalem," with Judas tellingly racing ahead of the pack. At one point, they stop at an "Electric Chapel," where Gaga attempts to warn Christ — who, with his cornrows and golden crown of thorns, is far from traditional — of his apostle's impending betrayal. Whether or not he chooses to listen is largely up to the viewer, as the clip then segues into an extended sequence rife with religious iconography ... and, of course, dance. And though it remains to be seen if the highly touted "uncut" version of "Judas" — which will still premiere tonight on E! at 7 p.m. ET — contains more controversial material, it's difficult to see why some people would have a problem with the video: Sure, Jesus looks different, and Gaga is playing Magdalene (certainly one of the most controversial figures in the Bible), but its imagery isn't nearly as sacred/profane as that of the "Alejandro" clip (Gaga does not, to the best of our knowledge, ingest rosary beads here), and in fact, with its artistic interpretations of foot washing and Boticelli's "The Birth of Venus," it's almost more of a tribute to the pop sensation's Catholic upbringing ... a fact she hit on when she said the video "[is] meant more to celebrate faith than it is to challenge it." Leave it to Gaga to push the boundaries while remaining faithful to the source material. "Judas" is, at its sacred heart, an artistic explosion contained within the confines of a traditional pop clip. And if it's meant to be a celebration, well, you should probably start celebrating ... before the clip gets pulled, of course. Have you seen Gaga's leaked "Judas" video and, if so, what do you think? Share your opinions in the comments. Related Artists |
| Katy Perry Holds Off Adele, Britney Spears Atop <i>Billboard</i> Hot 100 Posted: 04 May 2011 11:14 PM PDT For the fifth time in six weeks, Perry's 'E.T.' is #1 on the singles chart, but Adele and Britney are closing in.
Katy Perry finds herself in a rather familiar position on the brand-new Billboard Hot 100 chart: on top — though for how long remains to be seen. For the fifth time in six weeks, Perry's Kanye West-ified reworking of "E.T." is #1 on the Hot 100 singles chart, holding of a hard-charging Adele, whose "Rolling in the Deep" sits at #2. "E.T." remained atop the chart thanks in no small part to its dominance on Billboard's Radio Songs and Digital Songs lists, where it also sits at #1 (for the second and sixth consecutive weeks, respectively).
Of course, Katy and Kanye's grip on that Digital Songs chart may be coming to a close: "Deep" is nipping at their heels, landing at #2 by a margin of, according to Billboard, roughly 500 downloads — the tightest race on the chart since Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" and Eminem's "When I'm Gone" tied atop the Digital list in December 2005, with each song selling approximately 41,000 downloads. But the dynamic duo don't only have to keep tabs on Adele because, thanks to a star-studded remix of her own, Britney Spears is quickly climbing into the Hot 100 race. Her new version of "Till the World Ends," featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha, leaps from #11 all the way up to #3 — its highest position on the chart to date — and made a similar climb on the Digital Songs chart as well, selling more than 246,000 downloads (a 102 percent increase) to jump from #12 to #3. The remix of "World" is the third reworked track to make a big Billboard move in recent weeks. Aside from the Perry/West version of "E.T.," Rihanna's remix of "S&M" — which, coincidentally, also featured Spears — topped the Hot 100 two weeks ago. Related Artists |
| Lil B, Freddie Gibbs Deny Beef After <i>I'm Gay</i> Comments Posted: 05 May 2011 12:16 AM PDT 'I ain't never had no vendetta against Lil B,' Gibbs tells MTV News after he was heard disparaging B's album title at a concert.
Not everyone is feeling the Based God. While performing at a show in Brooklyn on April 27, recently signed CTE rapper Freddie Gibbs expressed his displeasure with Lil B and the idea behind his upcoming album, I'm Gay. "No f----t sh--, this ain't no Lil B Based God or no f----t a-- sh-- like that up here," he said to the crowd.
A few days later, Lil B responded via Twitter, "MAN I GOT LOVE FOR FREDDIE GIBBS AND MYSOON AND NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY PEOPLE DESERVE THERE OPINION LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK! -- Lil B." The "MYSOON" reference in B's tweet was directed toward New York rapper Mysonne who threw shots at the former Pack member on his song "F--- Lil B and XXL." As for Gibbs, he told MTV News when we caught up with him over the weekend that he agreed with B's tweet. "He expressed something that I've been tryin' to express to the rap community for a minute," Freddie said. "Just 'cause I comment on your music or comment on your subject matter don't mean that I'mma come beat yo ass when I see you. "I ain't never had no vendetta against Lil B. He's a young Black man doin' what he gotta do to support his family." Lil B, in true Based God fashion, kept the positive vibe going, continuing to downplay any beef with Gibbs or Mysonne when he appeared on MTV's "RapFix Live on Wednesday. "I got love for ... Fred and the other dude. I got love because they dope artists," Lil B said. "This is hip-hop and love; I got respect for both of those cats." What do you think of Lil B's response to Freddie Gibbs? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'The Beaver' Director Jodie Foster Talks Mel Gibson, Puppet Co-Star Posted: 05 May 2011 12:57 AM PDT Foster says 'it was interesting to see how people changed' when Gibson talked to them while controlling the beaver hand puppet.
For those of us who grew up on kid-friendly, puppet-centric shows like "Sesame Street" and "The Muppet Show," our association with the fuzzy, frequently funny creatures is mostly a positive one. Therefore, anytime a puppet is featured in a commercial or film, we're sort of trained to expect them to be lovable. In "The Beaver," the new film starring Mel Gibson, Anton Yelchin and Jodie Foster (who also directed the flick), one of the supporting players is a beaver hand puppet that Gibson's character uses as a therapeutic tool to help him recover from a crippling case of depression. This particular puppet isn't entirely warm and fuzzy all the time, although it did make for a unique filmmaking experience for cast and crew, including chief puppeteer Gibson.
When MTV News caught up with Yelchin and Foster during a recent press day for the movie, we asked them to explain how different a puppet the Beaver is, and how filming with a puppet affected them. "I think there is that sort of comic aspect to puppets, and you tend to sort of react to them as though it's sort of a toy or a plaything or whatever," Yelchin explained. "The script, at first, it just seems kind of funny, you know, and just seems kind of silly. And then you do really realize how delusional this man is, and how it's not a joke and it's not just something that's sort of a gimmick to appear funny in the film. It's a really sick man. So I think that transition is very powerful in the script and in the film." Foster, meanwhile, spoke about the effect the puppet had on everyone when Gibson was controlling it — both off camera and off set. "When he drags the puppet around and talks through it, you know, it really changes how people approach him and his connection with them," she said. "You can't help but snicker and you can't help but feel uplifted and kind of joyful and full of life. So, he did a little bit of that at the dry cleaner and at the prop truck and it was interesting to see how people changed." "The Beaver" opens in a limited number of theaters on Friday, and will receive a wide release on May 20. Check out everything we've got on "The Beaver." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
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