Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Adria Petty
Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce
Xenia Seeberg Yamila Diaz Yvonne Strzechowski Zhang Ziyi Zoe Saldana Zooey Deschanel Aaliyah Abbie Cornish
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Beyoncé - Sweet Dreams
Sweet Dreams
Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Adria Petty
Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce
Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Adria Petty
Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce
Mary J. Blige Dishes On Her 'Crazy' Led Zeppelin Covers
'I've listened to their music since I was a child,' says the R&B diva, who recorded 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love.'By James Montgomery, with reporting by Larry Carroll
Mary J. Blige
Photo: MTV News
You wouldn't peg Mary J Blige as the black-light-and-tapestry sort, but, as has become readily apparent in recent weeks, she absolutely loves Led Zeppelin.
In early February, reports began circulating that Blige had re-recorded Zeppelin's classic "Stairway to Heaven," working with Travis Barker, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and guitarist Steve Vai on the track, which is slated to appear on the international reissue of her Stronger With Each Tear album, due Monday.
But after she had recorded "Stairway," Blige continued to get the Led out, covering another Zeppelin classic — the thunderous "Whole Lotta Love" — for the album too. And when MTV News caught up with her on the Essence Black Women in Hollywood red carpet, she told us all about channeling her inner Robert Plant for the tracks, a process that came much easier than you'd probably imagine.
"I did Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love' — it's crazy," she said. "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I'm not going to say I've been to their concerts, but I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Whole Lotta Love' is just fun."
Blige also said she recorded another new song — a "club record" called "I Can't Wait" — for the re-release. And while it's only slated to hit shelves outside the U.S., she hopes her fans will get a chance to hear all the new songs pretty soon.
"I want y'all to hear it," she laughed.
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Travis Barker
Mary J. Blige
Photo: MTV News
You wouldn't peg Mary J Blige as the black-light-and-tapestry sort, but, as has become readily apparent in recent weeks, she absolutely loves Led Zeppelin.
In early February, reports began circulating that Blige had re-recorded Zeppelin's classic "Stairway to Heaven," working with Travis Barker, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and guitarist Steve Vai on the track, which is slated to appear on the international reissue of her Stronger With Each Tear album, due Monday.
But after she had recorded "Stairway," Blige continued to get the Led out, covering another Zeppelin classic — the thunderous "Whole Lotta Love" — for the album too. And when MTV News caught up with her on the Essence Black Women in Hollywood red carpet, she told us all about channeling her inner Robert Plant for the tracks, a process that came much easier than you'd probably imagine.
"I did Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love' — it's crazy," she said. "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I'm not going to say I've been to their concerts, but I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Whole Lotta Love' is just fun."
Blige also said she recorded another new song — a "club record" called "I Can't Wait" — for the re-release. And while it's only slated to hit shelves outside the U.S., she hopes her fans will get a chance to hear all the new songs pretty soon.
"I want y'all to hear it," she laughed.
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Travis Barker
Katharine McPhee Katharine Towne Katherine Heigl Katie Cassidy Katie Holmes Katy Perry Keira Knightley Kelly Brook Kelly Carlson Kelly Clarkson
Photos | Justin Bieber's VMA Night
Justin Bieber's VMA Night
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BULLSEYE 9/24 Follow-Up: ?Wall Street? draws bank, but ?The Town? stays strong
Given some of the calls I've botched since launching the Bullseye in April, I'm going to go ahead and give myself a pat on the back for this week's results, with a major assist from Flixster. Today's preliminary box office results essentially match my predictions from last Thursday about as close as I could expect [...]
Nicole Richie Nicole Scherzinger Nicollette Sheridan Nikki Cox Nikki Reed Norah Jones Noureen DeWulf Olivia Munn Olivia Wilde Padma Lakshmi
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Photos | 2009 American Music Award Nominees
2009 American Music Award Nominees
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Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, John Paul Jones Unveil Supergroup
Them Crooked Vultures make their debut with a post-Lollapalooza set.By James Montgomery
Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
Officially, Lollapalooza ended Sunday night in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from the Killers and Jane's Addiction. Unofficially, it ended very early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures.
To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of Foo Fighters frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere.
According to some reports, the Vultures actually turned down Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town.
Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called Never Deserved the Future, and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans).
The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.
It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October.
Early Monday, a Crooked Vultures Twitter account, which had previously posted links to the band's official-looking Web site and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a Deserve the Future T-shirt. Cost: $30.
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Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
Officially, Lollapalooza ended Sunday night in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from the Killers and Jane's Addiction. Unofficially, it ended very early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures.
To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of Foo Fighters frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere.
According to some reports, the Vultures actually turned down Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town.
Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called Never Deserved the Future, and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans).
The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.
It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October.
Early Monday, a Crooked Vultures Twitter account, which had previously posted links to the band's official-looking Web site and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a Deserve the Future T-shirt. Cost: $30.
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Sally Menke, Quentin Tarantino's Film Editor, Dies At 56
Her body was found in a Los Angeles ravine after she didn't return home from a hike.By Kara Warner
Sally Menke
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Academy Award-nominated film editor Sally Menke died Monday allegedly from complications suffered while hiking in the extreme heat in Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Menke, 56, and a hiking buddy set out around 9 a.m. to hike a trail in Bronson Canyon, and an hour later, Menke's partner decided to turn back. Menke and her Labrador retriever continued on. When she did not return home, Menke's friends and family alerted local authorities late that afternoon that she was missing.
Shortly thereafter, a search party was sent out that included dogs, an LAPD helicopter and officers from patrol units, who spent hours in Griffith Park searching for her.
Menke's body was found just after 2 a.m. Tuesday (September 28) at the bottom of a ravine near the 5600 block of Green Oak Drive in Bronson Canyon. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, her dog was sitting next to her body, which was about a football field's length from nearby homes.
The cause of death has not been reported, although sources familiar with the investigation told the Times they believe Menke became disoriented and collapsed and the weather conditions contributed to her death.
Menke was a longtime friend and editor for Quentin Tarantino, having edited all his films, as well as "All the Pretty Horses" for director/actor Billy Bob Thornton.
Tarantino, who was scheduled for a roast at the Friars Club on Friday, has reportedly canceled the event due to Menke's death.
Share your well-wishes for Menke's friends and family in the comments.
Sally Menke
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Academy Award-nominated film editor Sally Menke died Monday allegedly from complications suffered while hiking in the extreme heat in Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Menke, 56, and a hiking buddy set out around 9 a.m. to hike a trail in Bronson Canyon, and an hour later, Menke's partner decided to turn back. Menke and her Labrador retriever continued on. When she did not return home, Menke's friends and family alerted local authorities late that afternoon that she was missing.
Shortly thereafter, a search party was sent out that included dogs, an LAPD helicopter and officers from patrol units, who spent hours in Griffith Park searching for her.
Menke's body was found just after 2 a.m. Tuesday (September 28) at the bottom of a ravine near the 5600 block of Green Oak Drive in Bronson Canyon. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, her dog was sitting next to her body, which was about a football field's length from nearby homes.
The cause of death has not been reported, although sources familiar with the investigation told the Times they believe Menke became disoriented and collapsed and the weather conditions contributed to her death.
Menke was a longtime friend and editor for Quentin Tarantino, having edited all his films, as well as "All the Pretty Horses" for director/actor Billy Bob Thornton.
Tarantino, who was scheduled for a roast at the Friars Club on Friday, has reportedly canceled the event due to Menke's death.
Share your well-wishes for Menke's friends and family in the comments.
Poppy Montgomery Portia de Rossi Rachael Leigh Cook Rachel Bilson Rachel Blanchard Rachel Hunter Rachel McAdams Rachel Nichols Rachel Perry Rachel Weisz
VIDEO: Darren Aronofsky talks about making a ?disturbing? ballet film
THR's Matt Belloni talked to Darren Aronofsky up at Toronto about "Black Swan," and you can see that video below the jump.
I saw "Black Swan" up at Telluride and was enraptured by its visually stunning look at female sexual panic. Yes, the dark film polarized audiences a bit, but I definitely hooked into its lurid [...]
I saw "Black Swan" up at Telluride and was enraptured by its visually stunning look at female sexual panic. Yes, the dark film polarized audiences a bit, but I definitely hooked into its lurid [...]
Alice Dodd Alicia Keys Alicia Witt Amanda Bynes Amanda Detmer Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci
Britney Spears' Ex-Bodyguard Defends Lawsuit
Fernando Flores tells TMZ he's 'standing up for what I believe is right.'By Kelley L. Carter
Britney Spears
Photo: David Aguilera/ BuzzFoto/ FilmMagic
A former bodyguard for pop superstar Britney Spears defended his sexual-harassment lawsuit Thursday (September 9), saying he's "standing up for what I believe is right."
Fernando Flores, the bodyguard who alleged earlier this week that the pop singer repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances toward him and exposed her naked or near-naked body to him, gave a quick interview to TMZ outside his lawyer's Orange County office.
Spears, however, denied the allegations, posting a statement on her website saying that she and her attorneys believed the suit would be dismissed. "This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself," the statement read.
To Spears' statement, Flores told the gossip website "if that's what they think, then that's what they think."
A dollar amount isn't cited in the suit -- which is posted on TMZ -- but Flores is seeking damages based on the sexual-harassment incidents and for "intentional infliction of emotional distress." Flores also alleged in the suit that Spears abused her children. In the suit, he said the 28-year-old had sex and engaged in violent arguments in front of her two young sons.
Sources told TMZ that Flores' accusations of child abuse (including an incident where he says Spears allegedly whipped one of her sons with a belt) were declared without merit by the Department of Children and Family Services.
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Britney Spears
Photo: David Aguilera/ BuzzFoto/ FilmMagic
A former bodyguard for pop superstar Britney Spears defended his sexual-harassment lawsuit Thursday (September 9), saying he's "standing up for what I believe is right."
Fernando Flores, the bodyguard who alleged earlier this week that the pop singer repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances toward him and exposed her naked or near-naked body to him, gave a quick interview to TMZ outside his lawyer's Orange County office.
Spears, however, denied the allegations, posting a statement on her website saying that she and her attorneys believed the suit would be dismissed. "This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself," the statement read.
To Spears' statement, Flores told the gossip website "if that's what they think, then that's what they think."
A dollar amount isn't cited in the suit -- which is posted on TMZ -- but Flores is seeking damages based on the sexual-harassment incidents and for "intentional infliction of emotional distress." Flores also alleged in the suit that Spears abused her children. In the suit, he said the 28-year-old had sex and engaged in violent arguments in front of her two young sons.
Sources told TMZ that Flores' accusations of child abuse (including an incident where he says Spears allegedly whipped one of her sons with a belt) were declared without merit by the Department of Children and Family Services.
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Britney Spears - Womanizer
Womanizer
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Zomba Label Group/Jive
Director: Joseph Kahn
Album: Circus
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Zomba Label Group/Jive
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Album: Circus
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Lady Gaga 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Speech 'Resonated' With Maine Crowd
'She wasn't paid to come here and speak; she did it because she felt like she needed to,' one supporter tells MTV News at rally.By James Montgomery
Lady Gaga
Photo: Cliff Kucine/ Getty Images
PORTLAND, Maine — On Monday, thousands packed into Deering Oaks Park to witness Lady Gaga's rather spur-of-the-moment speech in support of the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." Many of them were students at the nearby University of Southern Maine, active in the school's Center for Sexualities and Gender Diversity, and they were understandably amazed that one of the biggest pop stars on the planet had come to their town to speak on their behalf.
But, as MTV News learned in speaking with some of them, the event had a much deeper meaning too. As it turns out, many of them also had a personal stake in the ongoing debate over "don't ask" — which failed to get enough Senate votes on Tuesday (September 21) to spur a formal debate — and to have Gaga in their corner meant more than they could express.
"Her speech really resonated with me because, actually, this summer, I thought about joining the military, but because I'm gay, I can't," USM student Kelly Golek said. "If it's repealed, there's a very good chance I will [enlist]. So I thought this whole event was amazing, because you really don't see something like this. Like, what other pop star would come out and do this? She's very brave, and I was totally moved by that speech."
"It really resonated with me, because I've actually been considering the military, because I took my ASVAB [military aptitude exam], and I got an incredibly high score, so I could basically do anything I wanted to in the Navy," Ellen McDonald said. "But because I'm a lesbian, I'm not able to do that at the moment. So, [her speech] really touched me, because those are my hopes and dreams."
And even those who weren't prohibited from serving openly still felt a personal connection to Gaga's speech, because, the way they see it, she's lending her voice to the voiceless.
"She wasn't paid to come here and speak; she did it because she felt like she needed to. [She said] 'I'm coming to Maine ... be there,' " Chris Johnson said. "It makes you feel like you have a voice, because she takes the issue and says, 'I will be your voice, because I know you're not being heard right now.' She's the voice of this generation that's not old enough to vote, but we have different points of view from the generation that raised us."
"There are celebrities that do things to help humanity, but Lady Gaga really does things," USM student Marepheen Berry said. "She has a way of putting forth her messages. She shocks people, and that's what I like about her: She shocks people, and it really opens up their eyes and turns heads."
Of course, there were also those in the crowd who, while active in the fight to repeal "don't ask," were mainly there to see Lady Gaga. And, really, can you blame them?
"I think it's unbelievable. I was in shock when we first heard. I don't even know how to describe it," USM freshman Joseph Sibley laughed. "When we found out, I was like, 'There's no way, nobody ever comes to Maine, and nobody ever talks to us.' ... And I'm glad I came. It was awesome."
What do you think about Gaga's rally against "don't ask, don't tell"? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Lady Gaga
Photo: Cliff Kucine/ Getty Images
PORTLAND, Maine — On Monday, thousands packed into Deering Oaks Park to witness Lady Gaga's rather spur-of-the-moment speech in support of the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." Many of them were students at the nearby University of Southern Maine, active in the school's Center for Sexualities and Gender Diversity, and they were understandably amazed that one of the biggest pop stars on the planet had come to their town to speak on their behalf.
But, as MTV News learned in speaking with some of them, the event had a much deeper meaning too. As it turns out, many of them also had a personal stake in the ongoing debate over "don't ask" — which failed to get enough Senate votes on Tuesday (September 21) to spur a formal debate — and to have Gaga in their corner meant more than they could express.
"Her speech really resonated with me because, actually, this summer, I thought about joining the military, but because I'm gay, I can't," USM student Kelly Golek said. "If it's repealed, there's a very good chance I will [enlist]. So I thought this whole event was amazing, because you really don't see something like this. Like, what other pop star would come out and do this? She's very brave, and I was totally moved by that speech."
"It really resonated with me, because I've actually been considering the military, because I took my ASVAB [military aptitude exam], and I got an incredibly high score, so I could basically do anything I wanted to in the Navy," Ellen McDonald said. "But because I'm a lesbian, I'm not able to do that at the moment. So, [her speech] really touched me, because those are my hopes and dreams."
And even those who weren't prohibited from serving openly still felt a personal connection to Gaga's speech, because, the way they see it, she's lending her voice to the voiceless.
"She wasn't paid to come here and speak; she did it because she felt like she needed to. [She said] 'I'm coming to Maine ... be there,' " Chris Johnson said. "It makes you feel like you have a voice, because she takes the issue and says, 'I will be your voice, because I know you're not being heard right now.' She's the voice of this generation that's not old enough to vote, but we have different points of view from the generation that raised us."
"There are celebrities that do things to help humanity, but Lady Gaga really does things," USM student Marepheen Berry said. "She has a way of putting forth her messages. She shocks people, and that's what I like about her: She shocks people, and it really opens up their eyes and turns heads."
Of course, there were also those in the crowd who, while active in the fight to repeal "don't ask," were mainly there to see Lady Gaga. And, really, can you blame them?
"I think it's unbelievable. I was in shock when we first heard. I don't even know how to describe it," USM freshman Joseph Sibley laughed. "When we found out, I was like, 'There's no way, nobody ever comes to Maine, and nobody ever talks to us.' ... And I'm glad I came. It was awesome."
What do you think about Gaga's rally against "don't ask, don't tell"? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Usher's VMA-Nominated 'OMG' Inspired By '80s Sci-Fi Character
Director Anthony Mandler wanted to let R&B superstar take viewers 'on a journey, not a ride.'By Jayson Rodriguez
Usher in "OMG"
For a video as forward-thinking as Usher's "OMG" -- with its laser beams and light flashes -- director Anthony Mandler actually looked back for inspiration.
"The original idea was kind of Max Headroom," Mandler told MTV News, citing the animated science-fiction character from '80s British TV. "That's where it came from — the TV flickering on and there's this character. We just wanted to bring it up to date."
"Max Headroom was always in his room," he continued, "this unidentifiable room, '80s shapes. I used that for inspiration."
The formula worked: "OMG" is among the Best Male Video nominees for the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. The clip is up against Drake's "Find Your Love," Jason Derülo's "In My Head," Eminem's "Not Afraid" and B.o.B's "Airplanes." Mandler is a multiple nominee, having also helmed Drake's video.
"OMG" is the first time Usher and Mandler — who has worked with Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and Rihanna — collaborated on a project.
Usher said he knew the video would be a challenge and wanted to make sure the director was up to the task.
"When I first shot the song to him, I was like, 'Are you sure you're gonna be able to catch this one?' And he said, 'I got it,' " Usher explained.
"We wanted to bring Will.I.Am (the song's producer) into my world," he continued. "Obviously, the international sound and look and feel has already been set, but we wanted to do something theatrical, fun and energetic to show us working off of each other and playing off of each other as artists, but the cinematography would be artistic and incredible."
Mandler described the visuals as "Hitchcock-ian." Though the style of the shot was important to the director, he had a simpler goal in mind: to capture Usher in his element. He said the key to the clip was simply letting Usher's talent take over.
"The concept was to create a world where we put Usher in a space where he does what I think he does better than anyone else in the world, which is perform at a level and magnitude of a superstar and take us, the viewer, whether audible or visually, on a journey, not a ride," the director said. "And, in that, I wanted to create an unpredictability, so one set leads to another and another, and you never know what's gonna happen. Along the way, Usher becomes our guide. We're so focused on him, we don't notice the change. The thing is unfolding little by little, and you can't quite see far enough ahead to know what's gonna come next."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through September 12.
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Usher in "OMG"
For a video as forward-thinking as Usher's "OMG" -- with its laser beams and light flashes -- director Anthony Mandler actually looked back for inspiration.
"The original idea was kind of Max Headroom," Mandler told MTV News, citing the animated science-fiction character from '80s British TV. "That's where it came from — the TV flickering on and there's this character. We just wanted to bring it up to date."
"Max Headroom was always in his room," he continued, "this unidentifiable room, '80s shapes. I used that for inspiration."
The formula worked: "OMG" is among the Best Male Video nominees for the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. The clip is up against Drake's "Find Your Love," Jason Derülo's "In My Head," Eminem's "Not Afraid" and B.o.B's "Airplanes." Mandler is a multiple nominee, having also helmed Drake's video.
"OMG" is the first time Usher and Mandler — who has worked with Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and Rihanna — collaborated on a project.
Usher said he knew the video would be a challenge and wanted to make sure the director was up to the task.
"When I first shot the song to him, I was like, 'Are you sure you're gonna be able to catch this one?' And he said, 'I got it,' " Usher explained.
"We wanted to bring Will.I.Am (the song's producer) into my world," he continued. "Obviously, the international sound and look and feel has already been set, but we wanted to do something theatrical, fun and energetic to show us working off of each other and playing off of each other as artists, but the cinematography would be artistic and incredible."
Mandler described the visuals as "Hitchcock-ian." Though the style of the shot was important to the director, he had a simpler goal in mind: to capture Usher in his element. He said the key to the clip was simply letting Usher's talent take over.
"The concept was to create a world where we put Usher in a space where he does what I think he does better than anyone else in the world, which is perform at a level and magnitude of a superstar and take us, the viewer, whether audible or visually, on a journey, not a ride," the director said. "And, in that, I wanted to create an unpredictability, so one set leads to another and another, and you never know what's gonna happen. Along the way, Usher becomes our guide. We're so focused on him, we don't notice the change. The thing is unfolding little by little, and you can't quite see far enough ahead to know what's gonna come next."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through September 12.
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Black Metal Goes Surfing Emperor Style
A YouTube user who calls himself MrMeddled has posted an outrageously amazing surf rock version of Emperor's black metal song 'I am the Black Wizard.' Almost as entertaining as the interpretation/transformation is the accompanying text, which reads in part:
"In 1959, Chip Ihsahn and Rocky Samoth met on the beach in California. They shared a love [...]
"In 1959, Chip Ihsahn and Rocky Samoth met on the beach in California. They shared a love [...]
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?Let Me In? Premieres In LA
Last night the cast and crew of the new horror/suspense film Let Me In (which is an American remake of the Swedish 2008 film L�t Den R�tte Komma In, which translates to Let The Right One In) made their way out to the Bruin Theater in Westwood, CA for the Hollywood premiere of their film. [...]
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Adam Lambert Recalls Lady Gaga, Madonna Career Advice
'You just have to count on yourself and go for it,' Lambert says Gaga told him.By Jocelyn Vena
Adam Lambert
Photo: Kevin Parry/ WireImage
Adam Lambert has managed to speed through every stage of fame during his brief time as a celebrity. He's been loved by his fans, hated by his critics, released an album and hit the road for his first headlining tour. And Lambert has managed to deal with all the pressures of fame thanks to some great advice he's gotten from two very famous ladies.
"She told me about the previous three years. She worked really, really hard before she made it. She told me there's no glamour, you don't get a lot of sleep, you don't get a lot of stability in your social life — you just have to count on yourself and go for it. It was a good pep talk," Lambert told Australia's news.com.au about his pal Lady Gaga's advice. "And she was right."
Like Gaga, Madonna, has warned Lambert about some of the negative sides of fame, including all those haters. "She told me that you can't get wrapped up in all the media and message boards, that everyone's going to have an opinion. People will criticize you, especially when you're doing it well. You can't do much better than getting career advice from Madonna," he said. "She's the queen, right? I've [learned] there are plenty of challenges, but if you work hard enough you can arrive. You find a spot for yourself and get to communicate with your art and hopefully inspire people. That's what I'm working towards."
Like both those iconic women, Lambert has become a bit of a face for the gay community. But he doesn't want that to be the only thing he's known as.
"I'm very comfortable with my sexuality and I have no qualms talking about it," he said. "It's important for me to be bold about it. There are not a lot of examples of that in pop culture. I'm happy to fill that role.
"But I did an interview the other day and every question was a sensationalized question about being gay and the gay lifestyle. There's a fine line," he continued. "As open as I am to mentioning it, I'm not a gay spokesman. I'm a singer. I'm an entertainer who happens to be gay. I'm going to work hard with the next album to make that the message. When the first line is 'Openly gay singer Adam Lambert ...' it gets a little frustrating. The singer part should definitely come first. That's what I do."
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Photo: Kevin Parry/ WireImage
Adam Lambert has managed to speed through every stage of fame during his brief time as a celebrity. He's been loved by his fans, hated by his critics, released an album and hit the road for his first headlining tour. And Lambert has managed to deal with all the pressures of fame thanks to some great advice he's gotten from two very famous ladies.
"She told me about the previous three years. She worked really, really hard before she made it. She told me there's no glamour, you don't get a lot of sleep, you don't get a lot of stability in your social life — you just have to count on yourself and go for it. It was a good pep talk," Lambert told Australia's news.com.au about his pal Lady Gaga's advice. "And she was right."
Like Gaga, Madonna, has warned Lambert about some of the negative sides of fame, including all those haters. "She told me that you can't get wrapped up in all the media and message boards, that everyone's going to have an opinion. People will criticize you, especially when you're doing it well. You can't do much better than getting career advice from Madonna," he said. "She's the queen, right? I've [learned] there are plenty of challenges, but if you work hard enough you can arrive. You find a spot for yourself and get to communicate with your art and hopefully inspire people. That's what I'm working towards."
Like both those iconic women, Lambert has become a bit of a face for the gay community. But he doesn't want that to be the only thing he's known as.
"I'm very comfortable with my sexuality and I have no qualms talking about it," he said. "It's important for me to be bold about it. There are not a lot of examples of that in pop culture. I'm happy to fill that role.
"But I did an interview the other day and every question was a sensationalized question about being gay and the gay lifestyle. There's a fine line," he continued. "As open as I am to mentioning it, I'm not a gay spokesman. I'm a singer. I'm an entertainer who happens to be gay. I'm going to work hard with the next album to make that the message. When the first line is 'Openly gay singer Adam Lambert ...' it gets a little frustrating. The singer part should definitely come first. That's what I do."
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sumo star Hakuho lifts trophy, then Stallone
Mongolian sumo wrestler Hakuho achieved a stunning 15-0 victory clean sweep at the autumn sumo tournament in Tokyo on September 25, taking his tally of victories to 62 straight -- the second-longest run ever -- before tossing around Hollywood actor Sly Stallone that same evening. read more
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Ke$ha Breaks Through To The Big Time: A VMA Cheat Sheet!
'Tik Tok' singer/nominee racked up massive digital downloads, opened for Rihanna and survived 'SNL' on road to Video Music Awards.By James Montgomery
Ke$ha
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images
Ke$ha is, without question, one of the biggest breakout stars of 2010. A slurring, whirling, hard-partying pop oddity (who may also be a genius) with a #1 album and a boatload of hit singles to her name, not to mention more than a few enemies. She even has under her star-spangled belt, her very own, very public WTF debacle in the form of a rather, uh, divisive "Saturday Night Live" performance.
Ke$ha
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images
Ke$ha is, without question, one of the biggest breakout stars of 2010. A slurring, whirling, hard-partying pop oddity (who may also be a genius) with a #1 album and a boatload of hit singles to her name, not to mention more than a few enemies. She even has under her star-spangled belt, her very own, very public WTF debacle in the form of a rather, uh, divisive "Saturday Night Live" performance.
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Will Tom Cruise Join 'Mountains'? Guillermo Del Toro Weighs In On Casting Rumors
I honestly feel a little sorry for Guillermo del Toro whenever he sits down for an interview with MTV News. We're absolutely relentless in our pursuit of casting scoops, and the Mexican-born director is such a freakin' nice guy, it's tough to watch him squirm.
For a while we were pestering del Toro about the actor [...]
For a while we were pestering del Toro about the actor [...]
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Photos | Lady Gaga Performs On The 'Today' Show
Lady Gaga Performs On The 'Today' Show
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Usher - Lil Freak
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Lady Gaga Mourns Loss Of Her Grandfather
Joseph Germanotta, to whom the singer dedicated a song at a concert earlier this year, passed away on Friday.By James Dinh
Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Lady Gaga's grandfather, Joseph Germanotta, died on Friday at the age of 88. Germanotta reportedly suffered a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
On Sunday, Gaga remembered her late grandfather via Twitter, writing, "Having a Perfect Manhattan, for my perfect guy. Love you Giuseppe." ("Giuseppe" is the Italian name for Joseph.)
According to an obituary at NJ.com, Germanotta was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, before relocating to other cities in the Garden State including Elizabeth and Montville. He was a World War II veteran and also worked as a self-employed businessman. Gaga was reportedly spotted just two days prior to his death visiting him at a nursing home in New Jersey.
Instead of flowers, the Germanotta family is accepting donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research as well as the St. Pius X Church in Montville.
In May, Lady Gaga opened up to fans about her then sick grandfather during her Monster Ball Tour show in Nottingham, England. "I don't always talk about my personal life but my grandpa's sick," she revealed. "And I'm really close with my grandpa and he's really sick and he's in the States and my dad's with him. So I was, like, crying all day, really sad. So I thought I might just be honest and tell you that's what's going on."
But in true Gaga fashion, the singer put her emotions into her music by dedicating her ballad "Speechless" to Germanotta. "So it's been one of those tough things that my grandpa's too old to come to my show, but I suppose if we sing loud enough, he'll be able to hear us. So this one's for you Grandpa," she said after breaking down in tears.
Express your words of sympathy for Lady Gaga and her family in the comments.
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Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Lady Gaga's grandfather, Joseph Germanotta, died on Friday at the age of 88. Germanotta reportedly suffered a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
On Sunday, Gaga remembered her late grandfather via Twitter, writing, "Having a Perfect Manhattan, for my perfect guy. Love you Giuseppe." ("Giuseppe" is the Italian name for Joseph.)
According to an obituary at NJ.com, Germanotta was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, before relocating to other cities in the Garden State including Elizabeth and Montville. He was a World War II veteran and also worked as a self-employed businessman. Gaga was reportedly spotted just two days prior to his death visiting him at a nursing home in New Jersey.
Instead of flowers, the Germanotta family is accepting donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research as well as the St. Pius X Church in Montville.
In May, Lady Gaga opened up to fans about her then sick grandfather during her Monster Ball Tour show in Nottingham, England. "I don't always talk about my personal life but my grandpa's sick," she revealed. "And I'm really close with my grandpa and he's really sick and he's in the States and my dad's with him. So I was, like, crying all day, really sad. So I thought I might just be honest and tell you that's what's going on."
But in true Gaga fashion, the singer put her emotions into her music by dedicating her ballad "Speechless" to Germanotta. "So it's been one of those tough things that my grandpa's too old to come to my show, but I suppose if we sing loud enough, he'll be able to hear us. So this one's for you Grandpa," she said after breaking down in tears.
Express your words of sympathy for Lady Gaga and her family in the comments.
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Monday, September 27, 2010
Britney Spears' Ex-Bodyguard Defends Lawsuit
Fernando Flores tells TMZ he's 'standing up for what I believe is right.'By Kelley L. Carter
Britney Spears
Photo: David Aguilera/ BuzzFoto/ FilmMagic
A former bodyguard for pop superstar Britney Spears defended his sexual-harassment lawsuit Thursday (September 9), saying he's "standing up for what I believe is right."
Fernando Flores, the bodyguard who alleged earlier this week that the pop singer repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances toward him and exposed her naked or near-naked body to him, gave a quick interview to TMZ outside his lawyer's Orange County office.
Spears, however, denied the allegations, posting a statement on her website saying that she and her attorneys believed the suit would be dismissed. "This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself," the statement read.
To Spears' statement, Flores told the gossip website "if that's what they think, then that's what they think."
A dollar amount isn't cited in the suit -- which is posted on TMZ -- but Flores is seeking damages based on the sexual-harassment incidents and for "intentional infliction of emotional distress." Flores also alleged in the suit that Spears abused her children. In the suit, he said the 28-year-old had sex and engaged in violent arguments in front of her two young sons.
Sources told TMZ that Flores' accusations of child abuse (including an incident where he says Spears allegedly whipped one of her sons with a belt) were declared without merit by the Department of Children and Family Services.
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Photo: David Aguilera/ BuzzFoto/ FilmMagic
A former bodyguard for pop superstar Britney Spears defended his sexual-harassment lawsuit Thursday (September 9), saying he's "standing up for what I believe is right."
Fernando Flores, the bodyguard who alleged earlier this week that the pop singer repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances toward him and exposed her naked or near-naked body to him, gave a quick interview to TMZ outside his lawyer's Orange County office.
Spears, however, denied the allegations, posting a statement on her website saying that she and her attorneys believed the suit would be dismissed. "This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself," the statement read.
To Spears' statement, Flores told the gossip website "if that's what they think, then that's what they think."
A dollar amount isn't cited in the suit -- which is posted on TMZ -- but Flores is seeking damages based on the sexual-harassment incidents and for "intentional infliction of emotional distress." Flores also alleged in the suit that Spears abused her children. In the suit, he said the 28-year-old had sex and engaged in violent arguments in front of her two young sons.
Sources told TMZ that Flores' accusations of child abuse (including an incident where he says Spears allegedly whipped one of her sons with a belt) were declared without merit by the Department of Children and Family Services.
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Michael Jackson - Liberian Girl
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Ryan Reynolds Likens Filming 'Buried' To 'A Fever Dream'
'I would have been a fool to not pursue this with everything I had,' he tells MTV News.By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Ryan Reynolds
Photo: MTV News
Props to Ryan Reynolds for stepping out of his standard zany comedy and blockbuster action film roles and into the intense — and claustrophobia-inducing — thriller "Buried." The entire film takes place inside a wooden coffin buried under the sand of the Iraqi desert. Reynolds plays Paul Conroy, a desperate man trying to escape, and he is the only actor shown onscreen.
When we caught up with Reynolds and his "Buried" director, Rodrigo Cortes, we wondered what kind of prep the "Green Lantern" actor did to get ready to be in that box for so long.
"This is the only film I've ever done where I did not rehearse a moment of it before stepping onto the set," Reynolds said. "I just don't know if you could. Who wants to? It would be awful to try and rehearse this at home and try to express all of these different kinds of emotions in a close-up.
"It's just something you've gotta do when you're out there, and then it will feel like a fever dream," he continued. "And that's what it was. I walked away thinking it felt like I had a weird nightmare."
So would Reynolds rather get back in a box for a sequel or do another "Van Wilder" movie?
"Gosh, that's a good question," he said. "I'll take another film in a box, because the reward is pretty great doing a film like this."
Speaking of rewards, Reynolds' director had nothing but the highest praise for his star.
"[Ryan is] an actor able to develop very deep and very committed emotions with very small things, in a very organic way," Cortes said. "It's impossible to catch him lying. He never acts; he always is. It's amazing. It's so heartbreaking."
He went on to compare Reynolds to one of the most memorable actors in Hollywood history: Cary Grant.
"He has an alien sense of timing. I haven't seen anyone like that since Cary Grant, so it's a gift for a director," Cortes said. "So from the very first moment, he was a long shot, he was going to say no, it was between 'The Proposal' and 'Green Lantern,' so come on, is he going to come to Barcelona to our little box? But for some reason, he said yes. I still wonder why."
A humbled Reynolds seemed flattered by the compliments. "That is high praise. I've taken it with a grain of salt or a crate of Valium," he laughed. "It was a unique opportunity, and I would have been a fool to not pursue this with everything I had. It was just such an amazing script with an amazing filmmaker and something that had never, ever been done before."
Watching "Buried" with an audience, Reynolds said, is as unique as filming the project. "I've never been a part of a film where you walk into the theater and everybody takes a deep breath before the credits start rolling and you don't exhale until the end," he said. "It's just amazing."
Check out everything we've got on "Buried."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Props to Ryan Reynolds for stepping out of his standard zany comedy and blockbuster action film roles and into the intense — and claustrophobia-inducing — thriller "Buried." The entire film takes place inside a wooden coffin buried under the sand of the Iraqi desert. Reynolds plays Paul Conroy, a desperate man trying to escape, and he is the only actor shown onscreen.
When we caught up with Reynolds and his "Buried" director, Rodrigo Cortes, we wondered what kind of prep the "Green Lantern" actor did to get ready to be in that box for so long.
"This is the only film I've ever done where I did not rehearse a moment of it before stepping onto the set," Reynolds said. "I just don't know if you could. Who wants to? It would be awful to try and rehearse this at home and try to express all of these different kinds of emotions in a close-up.
"It's just something you've gotta do when you're out there, and then it will feel like a fever dream," he continued. "And that's what it was. I walked away thinking it felt like I had a weird nightmare."
So would Reynolds rather get back in a box for a sequel or do another "Van Wilder" movie?
"Gosh, that's a good question," he said. "I'll take another film in a box, because the reward is pretty great doing a film like this."
Speaking of rewards, Reynolds' director had nothing but the highest praise for his star.
"[Ryan is] an actor able to develop very deep and very committed emotions with very small things, in a very organic way," Cortes said. "It's impossible to catch him lying. He never acts; he always is. It's amazing. It's so heartbreaking."
He went on to compare Reynolds to one of the most memorable actors in Hollywood history: Cary Grant.
"He has an alien sense of timing. I haven't seen anyone like that since Cary Grant, so it's a gift for a director," Cortes said. "So from the very first moment, he was a long shot, he was going to say no, it was between 'The Proposal' and 'Green Lantern,' so come on, is he going to come to Barcelona to our little box? But for some reason, he said yes. I still wonder why."
A humbled Reynolds seemed flattered by the compliments. "That is high praise. I've taken it with a grain of salt or a crate of Valium," he laughed. "It was a unique opportunity, and I would have been a fool to not pursue this with everything I had. It was just such an amazing script with an amazing filmmaker and something that had never, ever been done before."
Watching "Buried" with an audience, Reynolds said, is as unique as filming the project. "I've never been a part of a film where you walk into the theater and everybody takes a deep breath before the credits start rolling and you don't exhale until the end," he said. "It's just amazing."
Check out everything we've got on "Buried."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Chris Brown's BET Awards MJ Tribute Was 'Spectacular,' Jermaine Jackson Says
'He deserves to perform, because it's healing for him,' Michael Jackson's brother tells 'Extra.'By Gil Kaufman
Chris Brown performs during the 2010 BET Awards on Sunday
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Chris Brown wasn't the only one getting misty-eyed at Sunday night's BET Awards during his tribute to Michael Jackson. The King of Pop's older brother, Jermaine, told "Extra" that he was also overcome with emotion during the dance routine, in which Brown paid homage to some of MJ's most famous moves and then attempted to sing "Man in the Mirror" before being overcome with emotion and weeping onstage.
"To see [Chris'] performance, it was very emotional for me, because it was an acceptance from his fans from what has happened to him and also paying tribute to my brother," Jermaine said. "It was just a spectacular moment."
Fans and critics have been split on the performance, which some saw as the bursting of an emotional dam for the singer, making his first major public appearance since he pleaded guilty to felony assault in his assault of former girlfriend Rihanna last June. Others speculated that Brown may have manufactured the tears to gain sympathy from fans who abandoned him in the wake of the Rihanna attack.
Jermaine Jackson said he thought Brown — a longtime devotee of Michael's and, at one point, considered a modern heir to the R&B throne — had every right to pay homage to his brother. "He deserves to perform, because it's healing for him," Jermaine said. "How can he learn from his mistakes if you don't give him a chance? He needs that. I love Rihanna, and I'm not supporting what he did, but I support him [as a singer] 100 percent. ... I'm just very emotional just knowing what has happened. Chris Brown is a human being, and we all make mistakes. We can't condemn him for what has happened. We hope he has learned from it."
Brown hasn't made any public statements since the BET performance, but on Monday, he did tweet, "My fans are my world," a follow-up to a message earlier in the day when he wrote, "I Love you ... (ever single one of #teambreezy)."
What did you think of Chris Brown's emotional performance? Let us know in the comments.
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Chris Brown performs during the 2010 BET Awards on Sunday
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Chris Brown wasn't the only one getting misty-eyed at Sunday night's BET Awards during his tribute to Michael Jackson. The King of Pop's older brother, Jermaine, told "Extra" that he was also overcome with emotion during the dance routine, in which Brown paid homage to some of MJ's most famous moves and then attempted to sing "Man in the Mirror" before being overcome with emotion and weeping onstage.
"To see [Chris'] performance, it was very emotional for me, because it was an acceptance from his fans from what has happened to him and also paying tribute to my brother," Jermaine said. "It was just a spectacular moment."
Fans and critics have been split on the performance, which some saw as the bursting of an emotional dam for the singer, making his first major public appearance since he pleaded guilty to felony assault in his assault of former girlfriend Rihanna last June. Others speculated that Brown may have manufactured the tears to gain sympathy from fans who abandoned him in the wake of the Rihanna attack.
Jermaine Jackson said he thought Brown — a longtime devotee of Michael's and, at one point, considered a modern heir to the R&B throne — had every right to pay homage to his brother. "He deserves to perform, because it's healing for him," Jermaine said. "How can he learn from his mistakes if you don't give him a chance? He needs that. I love Rihanna, and I'm not supporting what he did, but I support him [as a singer] 100 percent. ... I'm just very emotional just knowing what has happened. Chris Brown is a human being, and we all make mistakes. We can't condemn him for what has happened. We hope he has learned from it."
Brown hasn't made any public statements since the BET performance, but on Monday, he did tweet, "My fans are my world," a follow-up to a message earlier in the day when he wrote, "I Love you ... (ever single one of #teambreezy)."
What did you think of Chris Brown's emotional performance? Let us know in the comments.
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Ne-Yo Calls Potential Lady Gaga Collabo 'Intriguing'
'Would I jump into her world? Would I pull her into mine?' he says to MTV News.By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash
Ne-Yo
Photo: Kim Schier / MTV News
While Lady Gaga has worked with everyone from RedOne and Akon to Teddy Riley and Rodney Jerkins, she sticks to a pretty tight-knit group of collaborators when it comes to her albums, including the forthcoming Born This Way. But that doesn't mean singer/songwriter Ne-Yo hasn't been trying to get in the studio with the "Bad Romance" songstress.
"We've been talking to Gaga's people about some stuff," he said. "Gaga's very difficult to get a hold of as of late, for obvious reasons. She's very busy. We've been talking to her people about doing some stuff."
Ne-Yo is best known for working with artists like Rihanna and Beyoncé and crafting pop-influenced R&B tunes. So how would he apply his hitmaking formula to the dance queen's music? "I have no idea! That's kind of the intriguing thing that I have no idea what that song would sound like," he said. "Like, would I jump into her world? Would I pull her into mine? I don't know, but I feel like it would be interesting to see. Maybe we should get a camera crew over when that happens."
While a Gaga collabo isn't a sure thing, Ne-Yo has confirmed that he's working with Beyoncé on her next album.
"The thing about working with Beyoncé is that she definitely has her own agenda," the "Irreplaceable" songwriter said. "She's an artist that knows exactly what she wants to do.
"She's going to give you directions [like] 'Here's where I'm going, so here's where I need you to be,' " Ne-Yo explained. "And, you know, I'm a person that follows direction well. [And she'll be like], 'So this is the sound, this is the vibe; make it happen.' And I write and she likes it or she doesn't. And in this case she did, and there you have it."
Would you like to hear a Ne-Yo and Gaga collabo? Let us know in the comments!
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While Lady Gaga has worked with everyone from RedOne and Akon to Teddy Riley and Rodney Jerkins, she sticks to a pretty tight-knit group of collaborators when it comes to her albums, including the forthcoming Born This Way. But that doesn't mean singer/songwriter Ne-Yo hasn't been trying to get in the studio with the "Bad Romance" songstress.
"We've been talking to Gaga's people about some stuff," he said. "Gaga's very difficult to get a hold of as of late, for obvious reasons. She's very busy. We've been talking to her people about doing some stuff."
Ne-Yo is best known for working with artists like Rihanna and Beyoncé and crafting pop-influenced R&B tunes. So how would he apply his hitmaking formula to the dance queen's music? "I have no idea! That's kind of the intriguing thing that I have no idea what that song would sound like," he said. "Like, would I jump into her world? Would I pull her into mine? I don't know, but I feel like it would be interesting to see. Maybe we should get a camera crew over when that happens."
While a Gaga collabo isn't a sure thing, Ne-Yo has confirmed that he's working with Beyoncé on her next album.
"The thing about working with Beyoncé is that she definitely has her own agenda," the "Irreplaceable" songwriter said. "She's an artist that knows exactly what she wants to do.
"She's going to give you directions [like] 'Here's where I'm going, so here's where I need you to be,' " Ne-Yo explained. "And, you know, I'm a person that follows direction well. [And she'll be like], 'So this is the sound, this is the vibe; make it happen.' And I write and she likes it or she doesn't. And in this case she did, and there you have it."
Would you like to hear a Ne-Yo and Gaga collabo? Let us know in the comments!
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Britney Spears - If U Seek Amy
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Sunday, September 26, 2010
Photos | Behind-The-Scenes: Ke$ha At 'SNL'
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Justin Bieber Says 'Girlfriends Are Trouble'
Pop star admits he doesn't have much time for dating right now.By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash
Justin Bieber at the VMAs on Sunday
Photo: Rachel Goldner/ MTV News
Now that Justin Bieber properly took over the VMAs, lined up a bunch of projects and even announced the release date for his forthcoming 3-D movie, one might think he would want to find that special someone to share his days with. But just moments after winning his Best New Artist VMA on Sunday, the 16-year-old megastar explained that he's too busy for love right now.
"I mean, girlfriends are trouble at this age," he explained to MTV News. "Girls are fun to hang out with but, like, having that one steady girl ... we're constantly traveling and one girl's not gonna really [work]. You can't really have one girl. I don't really have any crushes at the moment."
With so much going on in his life, the "U Smile" singer is just trying to balance his career and personal life. "Right now, the best thing is [that we're] just teenagers having fun doing what we love," he explained. "We're just staying ourselves and remaining humble."
With his "Never Say Never" collaborator Jaden Smith by his side, Bieber revealed that he and the Smith family may work together again in the future, with Bieber possibly working with Will Smith on his next project. However, Bieber kept the details sparse, saying, "We're trying to figure something out."
In addition to trying to re-team with pal Jaden and family, Bieber said that for his next album, he wants to work with his friend and fellow Canadian Drake. "[It'll] probably [come out] fourth quarter next year," he said. "Drake is gonna be on that album. I'm not sure [who else]. I'm gonna ask him if he can get [Lil] Wayne on there."
The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of 2010 MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.
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Now that Justin Bieber properly took over the VMAs, lined up a bunch of projects and even announced the release date for his forthcoming 3-D movie, one might think he would want to find that special someone to share his days with. But just moments after winning his Best New Artist VMA on Sunday, the 16-year-old megastar explained that he's too busy for love right now.
"I mean, girlfriends are trouble at this age," he explained to MTV News. "Girls are fun to hang out with but, like, having that one steady girl ... we're constantly traveling and one girl's not gonna really [work]. You can't really have one girl. I don't really have any crushes at the moment."
With so much going on in his life, the "U Smile" singer is just trying to balance his career and personal life. "Right now, the best thing is [that we're] just teenagers having fun doing what we love," he explained. "We're just staying ourselves and remaining humble."
With his "Never Say Never" collaborator Jaden Smith by his side, Bieber revealed that he and the Smith family may work together again in the future, with Bieber possibly working with Will Smith on his next project. However, Bieber kept the details sparse, saying, "We're trying to figure something out."
In addition to trying to re-team with pal Jaden and family, Bieber said that for his next album, he wants to work with his friend and fellow Canadian Drake. "[It'll] probably [come out] fourth quarter next year," he said. "Drake is gonna be on that album. I'm not sure [who else]. I'm gonna ask him if he can get [Lil] Wayne on there."
The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of 2010 MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.
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Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
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East Timor's first soap opera, 'Suku Hali,' mends fences with melodrama
Check out the trailer for "Suku Hali."
Forget Australian caravan park and U.S. hospital dramas: ?This is a story about Timorese life,? says 21-year-old Timorese actor Asala de Jesus, who will soon debut on the small screen in "Suku Hali," East Timor?s first soap opera.
?When you come from the mountains you face many problems. It?s a true story, not just something the writers are saying.?read more
Forget Australian caravan park and U.S. hospital dramas: ?This is a story about Timorese life,? says 21-year-old Timorese actor Asala de Jesus, who will soon debut on the small screen in "Suku Hali," East Timor?s first soap opera.
?When you come from the mountains you face many problems. It?s a true story, not just something the writers are saying.?read more
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Usher - Spotlight
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Label: Warner Bros. Records, Asylum, Mizay Ent
Director: Benny Boom
Album: The State vs. Radric Davis
Artist: Usher
Label: Warner Bros. Records, Asylum, Mizay Ent
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Britney Spears Responds To Sexual Harassment Suit
Statement on Spears' website claims bodyguard is trying to 'make a name for himself.'By Kyle Anderson
Britney Spears
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
On Wednesday, a bodyguard named Fernando Flores, formerly in the employ of Britney Spears, filed a lawsuit against the singer alleging that she not only sexually harassed him but also abused her two young sons Sean Preston and Jayden James. Eager to clear the air, Spears responded to the suit and the allegations today via her official website.
"This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself," the post reads. "The Department of Children and Family Services conducted a proper investigation surrounding Mr. Flores' accusations and have closed the case without any further action. Ms. Spears and her attorneys have every expectation that this matter will be dismissed by the courts."
Prior to the formal lawsuit (which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday), Flores had previously filed a complaint with the Department of Children and Family Services that accused Spears of physically abusing her two young sons in the bodyguard's presence, including one incident where she supposedly struck one of them with a belt.
Kevin Federline, Spears' ex-husband and father to both Sean Preston and Jayden James, also denied the child abuse accusations put forth by Flores. Through his attorney, Federline declared the allegations "baseless," according to The Associated Press. Spears — who at one point lost custody of her two kids — now shares joint custody with Federline.
Flores, who claims Spears would often expose herself to him and engage in sexual acts while in his presence, is seeking damages for the alleged sexual harassment.
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Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
On Wednesday, a bodyguard named Fernando Flores, formerly in the employ of Britney Spears, filed a lawsuit against the singer alleging that she not only sexually harassed him but also abused her two young sons Sean Preston and Jayden James. Eager to clear the air, Spears responded to the suit and the allegations today via her official website.
"This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself," the post reads. "The Department of Children and Family Services conducted a proper investigation surrounding Mr. Flores' accusations and have closed the case without any further action. Ms. Spears and her attorneys have every expectation that this matter will be dismissed by the courts."
Prior to the formal lawsuit (which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday), Flores had previously filed a complaint with the Department of Children and Family Services that accused Spears of physically abusing her two young sons in the bodyguard's presence, including one incident where she supposedly struck one of them with a belt.
Kevin Federline, Spears' ex-husband and father to both Sean Preston and Jayden James, also denied the child abuse accusations put forth by Flores. Through his attorney, Federline declared the allegations "baseless," according to The Associated Press. Spears — who at one point lost custody of her two kids — now shares joint custody with Federline.
Flores, who claims Spears would often expose herself to him and engage in sexual acts while in his presence, is seeking damages for the alleged sexual harassment.
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Usher's OMG Tour To Launch In November
Usher's 25-date arena tour will start on November 10 in Seattle.By Gil Kaufman
Usher
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ WireImage
Usher will reward his fans' patience in November when he finally kicks off the long-awaited tour in support of his platinum Raymond v. Raymond album. Though it won't feature Chris Brown as recently rumored, Usher is promising a major show for the 25-date North American arena tour that kicks off on November 10 in Seattle.
"Songs like 'OMG,' 'DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love,' 'There Goes My Baby,' 'Papers,' 'Daddy's Home,' 'Lil Freak' with Nicki Minaj and 'Hot Tottie' with Jay-Z have dominated the airwaves since last February," said Randy Phillips, president & CEO of AEG Live, the promoter behind the tour. "Now is the time for one of our greatest entertainers to go live and we are thrilled to be part of the ultimate Usher experience. Usher is bringing his fans an evening they will not soon forget. This will be the 'Must See' concert tour of 2010!"
The singer, who is on tap to perform at Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards, will be on the road through late December, hitting major cities from Las Vegas and Los Angeles to Dallas, Detroit, Chicago and Boston, wrapping things up on December 18 with a show at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
Tickets will go on sale beginning September 17, with more information on opening acts and tour details available at Usherworld.com.
Dates for the OMG Tour:
» November 10 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena » November 12 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arenabr » November 13 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Baybr
» November 14 - Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center » November 17 - San Diego, CA @ Sports Arena » November 18 - Los Angeles, CA @ STAPLES Center
» November 19 - Phoenix, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
» November 23 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center » November 24 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center » November 26 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center » November 27 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center » November 29 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre » November 30 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre » December 2 - Detroit, MI @ TBD » December 3 - Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena » December 5 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena » December 7 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum » December 8 - Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena
» December 10 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center » December 11 - Norfolk, VA @ Scope Arena » December 13 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden » December 14 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden » December 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center » December 17 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center » December 18 - Hartford, CT @ XL Center
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Photo: Michael Caulfield/ WireImage
Usher will reward his fans' patience in November when he finally kicks off the long-awaited tour in support of his platinum Raymond v. Raymond album. Though it won't feature Chris Brown as recently rumored, Usher is promising a major show for the 25-date North American arena tour that kicks off on November 10 in Seattle.
"Songs like 'OMG,' 'DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love,' 'There Goes My Baby,' 'Papers,' 'Daddy's Home,' 'Lil Freak' with Nicki Minaj and 'Hot Tottie' with Jay-Z have dominated the airwaves since last February," said Randy Phillips, president & CEO of AEG Live, the promoter behind the tour. "Now is the time for one of our greatest entertainers to go live and we are thrilled to be part of the ultimate Usher experience. Usher is bringing his fans an evening they will not soon forget. This will be the 'Must See' concert tour of 2010!"
The singer, who is on tap to perform at Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards, will be on the road through late December, hitting major cities from Las Vegas and Los Angeles to Dallas, Detroit, Chicago and Boston, wrapping things up on December 18 with a show at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
Tickets will go on sale beginning September 17, with more information on opening acts and tour details available at Usherworld.com.
Dates for the OMG Tour:
» November 10 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena » November 12 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arenabr » November 13 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Baybr
» November 14 - Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center » November 17 - San Diego, CA @ Sports Arena » November 18 - Los Angeles, CA @ STAPLES Center
» November 19 - Phoenix, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
» November 23 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center » November 24 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center » November 26 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center » November 27 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center » November 29 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre » November 30 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre » December 2 - Detroit, MI @ TBD » December 3 - Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena » December 5 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena » December 7 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum » December 8 - Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena
» December 10 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center » December 11 - Norfolk, VA @ Scope Arena » December 13 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden » December 14 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden » December 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center » December 17 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center » December 18 - Hartford, CT @ XL Center
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China iPhone 4 launches tomorrow
As part of Apple's now rapid push into mainland China, the company announced this week that it will begin selling the long-awaited iPhone 4 in China tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 25 from 8 a.m. The release comes on the heels of the recent iPad China launch.read more
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Lady Gaga, Eminem Top VMA Nominations
The pop queen vies for a record 13 nods at the show, airing September 12.By Jocelyn Vena
The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards will feature yet another epic battle: Lady Gaga leading the nominations, with 13, followed close behind by Eminem, who has eight nods. And on September 12 at at 9 p.m ET, the pop diva and the Detroit MC will go head to head for the coveted Video of the Year Moonman.
The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards will feature yet another epic battle: Lady Gaga leading the nominations, with 13, followed close behind by Eminem, who has eight nods. And on September 12 at at 9 p.m ET, the pop diva and the Detroit MC will go head to head for the coveted Video of the Year Moonman.
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Lindsay Lohan Booked, Mug Shot & Jailed . . . Again
So … in the past few hours since we learned that Lindsay Lohan was denied bail by Judge Elden Fox and was immediately remanded into jail for the next 30 days — with NO HOPE for early release — until her next court hearing on October 22, Lindsay has been pretty bizzy. But before we [...]
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Britney Spears' Ex-Bodyguard Must Prove Ongoing Harassment, Expert Says
Attorney Michael Bononi explains that the burden is on Fernando Flores to prove his hostile work environment.By Mawuse Ziegbe
Britney Spears
Photo: Pacific Coast News
After mounting a successful comeback and maintaining a relatively low profile in the press for the past year, Britney Spears is now dealing with another bout of disturbing claims regarding her personal life.
On Wednesday, Spears' former bodyguard, Fernando Flores, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit alleging that the singer made multiple unwelcome passes at him, exposed herself on numerous occasions and engaged in sex in front of her two young sons. A post on Spears' site denied the allegations.
The accusations are harsh, however, according to a legal expert, it's up to Flores to provide the evidence.
"What he's gonna have to show in making these allegations is that he was subjected to a hostile work environment, and it's gonna have to be hostile in two ways: one, that a reasonable person similarly situated would have been offended by the conduct and secondly that he was actually offended by the conduct," Michael Bononi, a partner at Bononi Law Group in Los Angeles, told MTV News.
Bononi, who has worked for castmembers of "Desperate Housewives," is not involved in Spears' case, though has represented both sides in sexual harassment cases. He said juries typically look for material evidence, in the form of official complaints or concerns voiced to friends, that indicates wrongdoing on the defendant's part.
"What courts and what juries look [for] is: Did he act consistently with the way you would expect someone to act who was actually offended by this type of conduct? In other words, did he make complaints? Did he tell her to stop? Did he talk to his friends and colleagues?" Bononi said. "Is there corroboration that at the time this was happening it was actually bothering him, and are people going to come forward and be able to testify that at the time this stuff was transpiring, he was talking to them about it, talking about how offended if, at all, he was?"
The suit states that Flores reported an incident in which Spears called him up to her room "for no other purpose or reason than to expose her naked or near naked body to Plaintiff." According to the suit, Flores' supervisor, Josh McMahan, shrugged off the incident, saying, "You know you liked it." Flores also apparently voiced his issues several times, but "his complaints were ignored or mocked, and no action was taken to rectify the situation."
Bononi described California's sexual harassment laws as "employee-friendly," noting that there is no cap on punitive damages. However, the onus is still on Flores to demonstrate the extent to which his experience with Spears affected him.
"That's the big hurdle that he's gonna have to get over: How offensive was this to him?" he said. "From what I've read ... if it's that she's walked around him nude a few times and similar things, I haven't read anything where she's demanding sex or anything along those lines."
Bononi also noted that as member of a superstar's security detail, Flores was likely prepped for challenging and intense situations. "As far as the salacious nature of these allegations, he's a bodyguard ... how offended was he if the conduct that he's talking about is truthful. How injured is he? It's hard to believe that he's scarred from seeing her in her room a few times."
Bononi mentioned that Spears' celebrity may work against her if she has actually crossed any boundaries. The high-profile nature of the case would likely spur others to come forward if the singer has a history of inappropriate behavior with her employees.
"The celebrity status, where it can really have an impact on these cases, is if she has engaged in similar sort of conduct with other people in the past, this provides ... an avenue for them to come forward and say, 'Look what happened to me,' " Bononi said. "The celebrity status really does encourage people to come forward that have seen some of this or have experienced similar sort of stuff in the past from Britney if she has in fact done it."
While Spears' past troubles may inform public opinion, Bononi said her previous personal issues or the fact that she makes a living touring the world, touting an ultra-sexy image, shouldn't factor into the sexual harassment case.
"There's nothing in her past that I'm aware of that has anything to do with sexual harassment of employees," Bononi said. "It should not be held against her. It makes her an easy target for these types of allegations."
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Britney Spears
Photo: Pacific Coast News
After mounting a successful comeback and maintaining a relatively low profile in the press for the past year, Britney Spears is now dealing with another bout of disturbing claims regarding her personal life.
On Wednesday, Spears' former bodyguard, Fernando Flores, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit alleging that the singer made multiple unwelcome passes at him, exposed herself on numerous occasions and engaged in sex in front of her two young sons. A post on Spears' site denied the allegations.
The accusations are harsh, however, according to a legal expert, it's up to Flores to provide the evidence.
"What he's gonna have to show in making these allegations is that he was subjected to a hostile work environment, and it's gonna have to be hostile in two ways: one, that a reasonable person similarly situated would have been offended by the conduct and secondly that he was actually offended by the conduct," Michael Bononi, a partner at Bononi Law Group in Los Angeles, told MTV News.
Bononi, who has worked for castmembers of "Desperate Housewives," is not involved in Spears' case, though has represented both sides in sexual harassment cases. He said juries typically look for material evidence, in the form of official complaints or concerns voiced to friends, that indicates wrongdoing on the defendant's part.
"What courts and what juries look [for] is: Did he act consistently with the way you would expect someone to act who was actually offended by this type of conduct? In other words, did he make complaints? Did he tell her to stop? Did he talk to his friends and colleagues?" Bononi said. "Is there corroboration that at the time this was happening it was actually bothering him, and are people going to come forward and be able to testify that at the time this stuff was transpiring, he was talking to them about it, talking about how offended if, at all, he was?"
The suit states that Flores reported an incident in which Spears called him up to her room "for no other purpose or reason than to expose her naked or near naked body to Plaintiff." According to the suit, Flores' supervisor, Josh McMahan, shrugged off the incident, saying, "You know you liked it." Flores also apparently voiced his issues several times, but "his complaints were ignored or mocked, and no action was taken to rectify the situation."
Bononi described California's sexual harassment laws as "employee-friendly," noting that there is no cap on punitive damages. However, the onus is still on Flores to demonstrate the extent to which his experience with Spears affected him.
"That's the big hurdle that he's gonna have to get over: How offensive was this to him?" he said. "From what I've read ... if it's that she's walked around him nude a few times and similar things, I haven't read anything where she's demanding sex or anything along those lines."
Bononi also noted that as member of a superstar's security detail, Flores was likely prepped for challenging and intense situations. "As far as the salacious nature of these allegations, he's a bodyguard ... how offended was he if the conduct that he's talking about is truthful. How injured is he? It's hard to believe that he's scarred from seeing her in her room a few times."
Bononi mentioned that Spears' celebrity may work against her if she has actually crossed any boundaries. The high-profile nature of the case would likely spur others to come forward if the singer has a history of inappropriate behavior with her employees.
"The celebrity status, where it can really have an impact on these cases, is if she has engaged in similar sort of conduct with other people in the past, this provides ... an avenue for them to come forward and say, 'Look what happened to me,' " Bononi said. "The celebrity status really does encourage people to come forward that have seen some of this or have experienced similar sort of stuff in the past from Britney if she has in fact done it."
While Spears' past troubles may inform public opinion, Bononi said her previous personal issues or the fact that she makes a living touring the world, touting an ultra-sexy image, shouldn't factor into the sexual harassment case.
"There's nothing in her past that I'm aware of that has anything to do with sexual harassment of employees," Bononi said. "It should not be held against her. It makes her an easy target for these types of allegations."
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Britney Spears - If U Seek Amy
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Friday, September 24, 2010
Usher Remembers Being A 'Pizza Face' On 'When I Was 17'
'I had really, really bad acne ' he admits in Saturday's episode. By Mawuse Ziegbe
Usher on "When I Was 17"
Photo: MTV News
He's known as one of the smoothest R&B sensations to grace the stage, but when Usher was 17, he grappled with a far less flattering image.
"I went through this phase where I had really, really bad acne," the singer admits on the latest episode of "When I Was 17," premiering Saturday at 11 a.m. Usher, who was 17 in 1995, reveals with a grin that his nickname was "Pizza Face."
"His acne was so horrible," recalled one of Usher's more blunt friends, Keith. "His face was so jacked up."
Music mogul and producer Jermaine Dupri remembered how the entertainer's spotty complexion led him to shy away from the spotlight.
"He didn't want to go out. He wanted to stay in," Dupri says. "He was a little ashamed of what was going on with his face."
The singer went to extreme, and ultimately unsuccessful, lengths to disguise his breakouts.
"As a dude, you're not gonna put makeup on your face, right?" Usher said. "I tried that, it didn't even work."
He may have experimented with cosmetics and spent a few more nights at home but the multiplatinum star didn't let his acne hold him back from wooing the ladies. "I was 17, so I would still try to talk to girls [and] get past it," Usher reasoned.
He even had some smooth lines to drop when he wanted to draw attention away from his skin. " 'Don't look at that, look at my eyes, baby. I'm trying to say something real serious to you right here,' " Usher recalled, reenacting his complexion-deflecting dating moves. "I know I have pizza face, I don't care."
In the end, his skin cleared up and the singer said it was just a matter of riding out a rite passage that many teens are forced to endure.
"This is something that all 17-year-olds have to deal with," Usher said. "You can't run away from it."
— this week featuring B.o.B, Usher and Ne-Yo — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV
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Photo: MTV News
He's known as one of the smoothest R&B sensations to grace the stage, but when Usher was 17, he grappled with a far less flattering image.
"I went through this phase where I had really, really bad acne," the singer admits on the latest episode of "When I Was 17," premiering Saturday at 11 a.m. Usher, who was 17 in 1995, reveals with a grin that his nickname was "Pizza Face."
"His acne was so horrible," recalled one of Usher's more blunt friends, Keith. "His face was so jacked up."
Music mogul and producer Jermaine Dupri remembered how the entertainer's spotty complexion led him to shy away from the spotlight.
"He didn't want to go out. He wanted to stay in," Dupri says. "He was a little ashamed of what was going on with his face."
The singer went to extreme, and ultimately unsuccessful, lengths to disguise his breakouts.
"As a dude, you're not gonna put makeup on your face, right?" Usher said. "I tried that, it didn't even work."
He may have experimented with cosmetics and spent a few more nights at home but the multiplatinum star didn't let his acne hold him back from wooing the ladies. "I was 17, so I would still try to talk to girls [and] get past it," Usher reasoned.
He even had some smooth lines to drop when he wanted to draw attention away from his skin. " 'Don't look at that, look at my eyes, baby. I'm trying to say something real serious to you right here,' " Usher recalled, reenacting his complexion-deflecting dating moves. "I know I have pizza face, I don't care."
In the end, his skin cleared up and the singer said it was just a matter of riding out a rite passage that many teens are forced to endure.
"This is something that all 17-year-olds have to deal with," Usher said. "You can't run away from it."
— this week featuring B.o.B, Usher and Ne-Yo — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV
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First Footage From 'Scream 4' Set Emerges
If you caught yesterday's Twitter-Wood, you know that Wes Craven proudly proclaimed "a wrap on 'Scream 4.'" Well, the first glimpses of action on the set have now emerged in an "Entertainment Tonight" set visit confirming that Ghostface will return, Neve Campbell will walk on a roof and Courteney Cox's character will be as frantic [...]
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'Wall Street 2': The Reviews Are In!
Critics are divided, but one praises Oliver Stone sequel as 'urgent and strangely necessary.'By Eric Ditzian
Michael Douglas in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
Twenty-three years ago, Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" finished third at the weekend box office, losing out to "Throw Momma From the Train" and "Three Men and a Baby."
Times, and tastes, have changed. Stone's sequel, "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps," is likely to nab this weekend's top b.o. slot. No matter that critics have not exactly been kind to the film since its Cannes opening in May, after which Stone was said to have headed back into the edit room in search of a new cut. What he found there should be enough to dispatch the animated owls of "Legend of the Guardians" and secure Stone his first #1 opener since 1999's "Any Given Sunday."
Here's what the critics are saying:
The Story
"Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas, sly and purry as ever) walks away from jail in the movie's 2001 opening scene, brick-like cellphone in hand. Seven years pass and he's back on top, with a new book ('Is Greed Good?') and untold millions. But the money can't buy what he wants: a relationship with his estranged daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan). She lives with her boyfriend Jake (Shia LaBeouf), an up-and-coming young trader who hears Gekko speak and is enamored by his message. Drawn into Gekko's orbit — the older man hopes to use the younger as a conduit to Winnie — Jake gets caught up in the world of deal making, not necessarily to his benefit." — Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times
The Performances
"Douglas is terrific, and he's joined by fellow heavyweights Josh Brolin, Eli Wallach and Frank Langella as rival financial titans. But the movie belongs to LaBeouf. Stone loves to show us the convoluted world through the lens of a young striver still clinging to antiquated ideals. LaBeouf's shark-in-training manages to keep all of the balls in the air with a winning performance that balances moral wranglings with love and ambition." — Clint O'Connor, The Cleveland Plain Dealer
The Director
"Using an ingeniously layered visual design, split screens and sinuous mobile cameras that move through scenes like the human sharks who inhabit them, Stone here proves that he's still a director of bold muscularity. If some of his references hit too squarely on the nose — the shot of a child's soap bubble standing in for the metaphoric financial version, for example, or the vaguely fascist corporate insignia of a malign CEO played by Josh Brolin — Stone has a knack for pacing, detail and atmosphere that manages to feel authentic and fancifully allegorical at the same time." — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
The Dissenters
"This time around, the team does show occasional flourishes of the original's snap and urgency. However, it's nearly impossible to stay invested in a narrative stuffed with pliable characters whose actions fail to stay true to their natures. That's particularly glaring in a climax that ties everything up with a hunky-doryness that should have been liquidated faster than a risky hedge fund." — Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News
The Final Word
"The movie's punch-drunk energy can't quite make up for what, without giving away any plot points, I can only describe as a third-act lapse into maudlin sentimentality. By the film's last frame, Gordon Gekko has gone from evil to sympathetic to ambiguous so many times that we no longer trust any twist involving him. But thanks in no small part to Michael Douglas' evident joy in playing the role, Gekko has now become one of those characters, like 'The Big Lebowski' 's Dude, who no longer needs a movie to sustain him. Oliver Stone's account of the events of 2008 is as unsubtle in its charms as Gordon Gekko himself. But like Gekko, the film also feels urgent and strangely necessary." — Dana Stevens, Slate
Check out everything we've got on
"Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Michael Douglas in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
Twenty-three years ago, Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" finished third at the weekend box office, losing out to "Throw Momma From the Train" and "Three Men and a Baby."
Times, and tastes, have changed. Stone's sequel, "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps," is likely to nab this weekend's top b.o. slot. No matter that critics have not exactly been kind to the film since its Cannes opening in May, after which Stone was said to have headed back into the edit room in search of a new cut. What he found there should be enough to dispatch the animated owls of "Legend of the Guardians" and secure Stone his first #1 opener since 1999's "Any Given Sunday."
Here's what the critics are saying:
The Story
"Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas, sly and purry as ever) walks away from jail in the movie's 2001 opening scene, brick-like cellphone in hand. Seven years pass and he's back on top, with a new book ('Is Greed Good?') and untold millions. But the money can't buy what he wants: a relationship with his estranged daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan). She lives with her boyfriend Jake (Shia LaBeouf), an up-and-coming young trader who hears Gekko speak and is enamored by his message. Drawn into Gekko's orbit — the older man hopes to use the younger as a conduit to Winnie — Jake gets caught up in the world of deal making, not necessarily to his benefit." — Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times
The Performances
"Douglas is terrific, and he's joined by fellow heavyweights Josh Brolin, Eli Wallach and Frank Langella as rival financial titans. But the movie belongs to LaBeouf. Stone loves to show us the convoluted world through the lens of a young striver still clinging to antiquated ideals. LaBeouf's shark-in-training manages to keep all of the balls in the air with a winning performance that balances moral wranglings with love and ambition." — Clint O'Connor, The Cleveland Plain Dealer
The Director
"Using an ingeniously layered visual design, split screens and sinuous mobile cameras that move through scenes like the human sharks who inhabit them, Stone here proves that he's still a director of bold muscularity. If some of his references hit too squarely on the nose — the shot of a child's soap bubble standing in for the metaphoric financial version, for example, or the vaguely fascist corporate insignia of a malign CEO played by Josh Brolin — Stone has a knack for pacing, detail and atmosphere that manages to feel authentic and fancifully allegorical at the same time." — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
The Dissenters
"This time around, the team does show occasional flourishes of the original's snap and urgency. However, it's nearly impossible to stay invested in a narrative stuffed with pliable characters whose actions fail to stay true to their natures. That's particularly glaring in a climax that ties everything up with a hunky-doryness that should have been liquidated faster than a risky hedge fund." — Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News
The Final Word
"The movie's punch-drunk energy can't quite make up for what, without giving away any plot points, I can only describe as a third-act lapse into maudlin sentimentality. By the film's last frame, Gordon Gekko has gone from evil to sympathetic to ambiguous so many times that we no longer trust any twist involving him. But thanks in no small part to Michael Douglas' evident joy in playing the role, Gekko has now become one of those characters, like 'The Big Lebowski' 's Dude, who no longer needs a movie to sustain him. Oliver Stone's account of the events of 2008 is as unsubtle in its charms as Gordon Gekko himself. But like Gekko, the film also feels urgent and strangely necessary." — Dana Stevens, Slate
Check out everything we've got on
"Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Usher - Fed Up (featuring Usher, Young Jeezy, Drake, Rick Ross)
Fed Up (featuring Usher, Young Jeezy, Drake, Rick Ross)
Artist: Usher
Label: We The Best, E1 Music
Director: Gil Green
Artist: Usher
Label: We The Best, E1 Music
Director: Gil Green
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