Sunday, 26 September 2010
Eat Pray Love: Julia Roberts plays most irritating leading lady for years
Some movies are so ghastly that the only way to hang on to one’s sanity is to hope that the people making it were intending to �create a satire.
'Sesame Street' Producer: Katy Perry Clip Was Not Inappropriate
The TV show's executive producer admits that she is surprised by the fuss the clip caused, saying 'We would never produce anything we thought was inappropriate.'
Katharine McPhee Katharine Towne Katherine Heigl Katie Cassidy
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Bitter Obama Aides Skipping Ex-Colleague Peter Orszag's Wedding [Weddings]
Barack Obama's promiscuous ex-budget director Peter Orszag is marrying ABC reporter Bianna Golodryga this weekend! But three senior White House advisors have turned down their invitations, perhaps because they're bitter about a "controversial" (misinterpreted) op-ed he recently penned. Poor babies. More »
Dudes, We're Networking! [Open Caption]
[Jesse Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg), Andrew Garfield (Eduardo Saverin) and Justin Timberlake (Sean Parker) at the after party for the New York Film Festival premiere of The Social Network at The Harvard Club last night. Photo via Getty Images.] More »
Soap Round-Up: Stephanie Collapses on 'Bold and Beautiful' ... and More
Filed under: Reality-Free, RecapsWelcome to the Soap Round-Up, our weekly recap of all the soap action this past week. Each week, we sum up all the best stories from each and every soap, from 'All My Children' to 'The Young and the Restless.'
If you don't want to know what aired already, consider this a SPOILER ALERT. ... Oh, one last thing, please comment and join the conversation.
For instance, on 'The Bold and the Beautiful,' Stephanie's collapse and the revelation that she has cancer was a stunner to me ... what about you?
'The Bold and the Beautiful'
Taylor was upset that Steffy was competing with Hope for Liam's affection. Thomas sided with Ridge by defending Brooke's place in Forrester Creations. Stephanie collapsed after a confrontation with Brooke. Rick urged Jackie to break up with Owen. Stephanie was hospitalized. Jackie assured Owen that her heart belonged to him. Brooke was with Stephanie when she learned she has cancer. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
If you don't want to know what aired already, consider this a SPOILER ALERT. ... Oh, one last thing, please comment and join the conversation.
For instance, on 'The Bold and the Beautiful,' Stephanie's collapse and the revelation that she has cancer was a stunner to me ... what about you?
'The Bold and the Beautiful'
Taylor was upset that Steffy was competing with Hope for Liam's affection. Thomas sided with Ridge by defending Brooke's place in Forrester Creations. Stephanie collapsed after a confrontation with Brooke. Rick urged Jackie to break up with Owen. Stephanie was hospitalized. Jackie assured Owen that her heart belonged to him. Brooke was with Stephanie when she learned she has cancer. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Michelle Branch Michelle Malkin Michelle Obama Michelle Rodriguez
'Mission: Impossible IV' Gets Villain in 'Dragon Tattoo' Actor
Michael Nyqvist, who portrayed journalist Mikael Blomkvist in the Swedish thriller, has been tapped to play one of the bad guys in the upcoming action movie.
Jennifer Lopez Joins 'Idol' for Children, Not Paycheck
The newly-announced judge took the job in order to settle down with her family for at least six months.
Lindsay Lohan Reportedly Aiming For Early Jail Release
But L.A. Sheriff's spokesperson tells People the starlet won't be released until her October hearing.By Mawuse Ziegbe
Lindsay Lohan in custody on Friday (Sept 24)
Photo: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department/ Getty Im
Lindsay Lohan has returned to jail, an increasingly familiar place for the troubled starlet. However, the actress is reportedly trying to leave her new digs as soon as possible. Radar Online reports that Lohan's lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, huddled with Judge Elden Fox and the deputy district attorney on Friday (September 24), hours after the actress was sent to jail for the second time in three months.
"Lindsay's lawyer is asking that bail be set," a Lohan source told the website. "Shawn Chapman Holley contends that Judge Fox must grant Lohan bail pending the probation-violation hearing on October 22."
Lohan was sent back to prison after she admitted to failing a recent drug test. According to the requirements of her release after rehab, a positive drug and/or alcohol test is grounds for additional jail time. Judge Fox denied the "Freaky Friday" actress bail and she was handcuffed and taken into custody. Lohan is expected to remain locked up until her hearing next month.
Lohan's lawyer did not respond to MTV News' request for comment at press time.
Although Lohan's legal muscle is apparently pulling out all the stops to get her released early, authorities maintain the actress won't be sprung until her next court date.
"Ms. Lohan cannot be released early because this isn't a jail sentence," L.A. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore told People. "She's being held by court order until her hearing on October 22. She will be held in the same conditions as her last stay, in a keep-away unit."
She may not be headed for an early exit, but her entrance into prison is similar to her last visit. "She's now being processed through, she's going to go through the same physical and mental evaluation," said Whitmore, who noted that, "for the safety and security of the entire jail system," Lohan will be separated from her fellow inmates.
In July, Lohan served 13 days of a 90-day jail sentence over a probation violation stemming from a 2007 DUI conviction. She followed up the jail time with 23 days in a court-ordered rehab facility, less than a third of her 90-day sentence.
Related Videos
Lindsay Lohan: Crime And Punishment
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Lindsay Lohan Goes To Court
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Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan in custody on Friday (Sept 24)
Photo: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department/ Getty Im
Lindsay Lohan has returned to jail, an increasingly familiar place for the troubled starlet. However, the actress is reportedly trying to leave her new digs as soon as possible. Radar Online reports that Lohan's lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, huddled with Judge Elden Fox and the deputy district attorney on Friday (September 24), hours after the actress was sent to jail for the second time in three months.
"Lindsay's lawyer is asking that bail be set," a Lohan source told the website. "Shawn Chapman Holley contends that Judge Fox must grant Lohan bail pending the probation-violation hearing on October 22."
Lohan was sent back to prison after she admitted to failing a recent drug test. According to the requirements of her release after rehab, a positive drug and/or alcohol test is grounds for additional jail time. Judge Fox denied the "Freaky Friday" actress bail and she was handcuffed and taken into custody. Lohan is expected to remain locked up until her hearing next month.
Lohan's lawyer did not respond to MTV News' request for comment at press time.
Although Lohan's legal muscle is apparently pulling out all the stops to get her released early, authorities maintain the actress won't be sprung until her next court date.
"Ms. Lohan cannot be released early because this isn't a jail sentence," L.A. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore told People. "She's being held by court order until her hearing on October 22. She will be held in the same conditions as her last stay, in a keep-away unit."
She may not be headed for an early exit, but her entrance into prison is similar to her last visit. "She's now being processed through, she's going to go through the same physical and mental evaluation," said Whitmore, who noted that, "for the safety and security of the entire jail system," Lohan will be separated from her fellow inmates.
In July, Lohan served 13 days of a 90-day jail sentence over a probation violation stemming from a 2007 DUI conviction. She followed up the jail time with 23 days in a court-ordered rehab facility, less than a third of her 90-day sentence.
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Lindsay Lohan: Crime And Punishment
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Lindsay Lohan Goes To Court
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Lindsay Lohan
Friday, 24 September 2010
'Dexter' Season 5 Is Here: Catch-Up With Our A-Z Guide
Filed under: Reality-Free, TV Previews, Fall TV
Warning: major spoilers ahead! If you're already a 'Dexter' fan and want to take a trip down TV memory lane (and get a few hints at season 5 action), or you're not already a 'Dexter' devotee, but want to do a quick catch-up before the premiere on Sept. 26 (9PM ET, Showtime), you've come to the right place.
If you want to avoid spoilers until you've had a chance to watch seasons 1-4, um, maybe we can interest you in a nice Fall TV preview? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Warning: major spoilers ahead! If you're already a 'Dexter' fan and want to take a trip down TV memory lane (and get a few hints at season 5 action), or you're not already a 'Dexter' devotee, but want to do a quick catch-up before the premiere on Sept. 26 (9PM ET, Showtime), you've come to the right place.
If you want to avoid spoilers until you've had a chance to watch seasons 1-4, um, maybe we can interest you in a nice Fall TV preview? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
'It was Awkward and Horrible' on 'The Real Housewives of DC'
Cat has finished Inbox Full (in tv time, in real life the book won't be out until December). It's interesting to hear Cat say that her marriage with Charles "not all as rosy and sparkly as it may seem" with the revelation of her recent divorce (two months after filming ended). It would be difficult, as Charles's schedule is so crazy that he only has hours in DC at a time. Speaking of crazy, Michaele is talking about being a Redskins cheerleader again, which is completely unconfirmed. It's an enticing mystery, as Michaele seems to know some of these women at the former cheerleader event. She doesn't seem to know the routine, though. We learned on Watch What Happens Live that the Redskins Organization has confirmed that they have no record of Michaele being a cheerleader. You can buy your way into the alumni association.
'Grey's Anatomy' 7.02 Preview: Cristina Collapses
Something in Cristina's memory storage about the killing spree triggers the body to slump down and freeze during operation.
Gwen Stefani Unveiling Her 'Crazy' and 'Weird' Wax Figure
The mother of three reveals her wax figure for the first time at Madame Tussauds at The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, September 22, calling it 'crazy' and 'weird'.
Kanye West - Ego (Remix)
Ego (Remix)
Artist: Kanye West
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Beyonce, Frank Gatson
Artist: Kanye West
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Beyonce, Frank Gatson
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Kristen Bell and Odette Yustman Ditch On-Screen Fight at 'You Again' LA Premiere
The two were additionally joined by Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis and Betty White to promote their film at the September 22 event.
Kanye West Earns Fans' 'Respect' With 'Runaway'
'The song and performance were refreshing and real,' one reader writes about 'Ye's VMA set.By James Dinh
Kanye West performs at the 2010 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Kanye West took an uncharacteristically modest stance at the 2010 Video Music Awards when he debuted his new track "Runaway." His "toast to the douche bags" around the world garnered mixed reviews from MTV News readers but seemed to earn a lot of fans' respect.
Slimbodygal couldn't help but give props to Yeezy for his seemingly self-deprecating lyrics: "Love this song!!! I have to give credit and have respect for anyone who recognizes when they are all those things he said in the song. At least he is not in denial like most people that are. I have to admit I can be an A hole at times, toasting myself!!!!"
Musictomyears felt the VMA performance was a good first step back into America's hearts: "It was the night's only standing ovation. Strategically, if this doesn't work, I don't know what will. But based on the crowd's reaction, it appears to have done the trick. It was a Kanye lovefest."
Even those who weren't necessarily a fan of "Runaway" said Kanye did a great job of conveying the song's message. "Lyrics were pretty clear to me, sounds like he's calling himself out, saying he screws up like most of us do," MTV News reader Travis wrote. "I would not necessarily call myself a fan but I respect his talent. With the media trying to pit him and Swift against each other, he showed a little refinement. The song and performance were refreshing and real. Maybe even redemption to some."
MTV News reader Angelica had a change of heart about the MC: "This song showed me that he hasn't forgotten who he is and that he doesn't sit on a high horse as we all thought he did. ... Much respect."
But when it came to down West's performance, Flip10 couldn't help compare the rapper's performance with Taylor Swift's performance of "Innocent." Admitting his appreciation for both acts' honesty, he wrote: "Kanye tried too hard. I'm not gonna lie, I can't stand Taylor Swift, but every word to her song was the truth. She speaks her mind, and so does Kanye. I respect that. We need more people like that. I hate the 'cookie cutter' singers."
Fkiawu wasn't satisfied with 'Ye's song: "I'm sorry but this song was just awful! Why the hell would I or anyone else want to make a toast to douche bags, scumbags and a--holes?! If that's the case, we might as well replace President Obama with The Situation. It's just a very stupid idea."
A big-time Yeezy fan was offended that others weren't able to comprehend the song's subject matter, writing, "He has issues and everyone knows that but anyone who possesses a little common sense would see both him and Taylor's performances were in reference to what happened," Makesha wrote. "Did you all listen to what Taylor was saying in her song?? If she could forgive him who are any of you to say anything!"
Do you think "Runaway" conveyed the proper message to fans? Sound off below!
The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.
Related Videos
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Kanye West
Kanye West performs at the 2010 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Kanye West took an uncharacteristically modest stance at the 2010 Video Music Awards when he debuted his new track "Runaway." His "toast to the douche bags" around the world garnered mixed reviews from MTV News readers but seemed to earn a lot of fans' respect.
Slimbodygal couldn't help but give props to Yeezy for his seemingly self-deprecating lyrics: "Love this song!!! I have to give credit and have respect for anyone who recognizes when they are all those things he said in the song. At least he is not in denial like most people that are. I have to admit I can be an A hole at times, toasting myself!!!!"
Musictomyears felt the VMA performance was a good first step back into America's hearts: "It was the night's only standing ovation. Strategically, if this doesn't work, I don't know what will. But based on the crowd's reaction, it appears to have done the trick. It was a Kanye lovefest."
Even those who weren't necessarily a fan of "Runaway" said Kanye did a great job of conveying the song's message. "Lyrics were pretty clear to me, sounds like he's calling himself out, saying he screws up like most of us do," MTV News reader Travis wrote. "I would not necessarily call myself a fan but I respect his talent. With the media trying to pit him and Swift against each other, he showed a little refinement. The song and performance were refreshing and real. Maybe even redemption to some."
MTV News reader Angelica had a change of heart about the MC: "This song showed me that he hasn't forgotten who he is and that he doesn't sit on a high horse as we all thought he did. ... Much respect."
But when it came to down West's performance, Flip10 couldn't help compare the rapper's performance with Taylor Swift's performance of "Innocent." Admitting his appreciation for both acts' honesty, he wrote: "Kanye tried too hard. I'm not gonna lie, I can't stand Taylor Swift, but every word to her song was the truth. She speaks her mind, and so does Kanye. I respect that. We need more people like that. I hate the 'cookie cutter' singers."
Fkiawu wasn't satisfied with 'Ye's song: "I'm sorry but this song was just awful! Why the hell would I or anyone else want to make a toast to douche bags, scumbags and a--holes?! If that's the case, we might as well replace President Obama with The Situation. It's just a very stupid idea."
A big-time Yeezy fan was offended that others weren't able to comprehend the song's subject matter, writing, "He has issues and everyone knows that but anyone who possesses a little common sense would see both him and Taylor's performances were in reference to what happened," Makesha wrote. "Did you all listen to what Taylor was saying in her song?? If she could forgive him who are any of you to say anything!"
Do you think "Runaway" conveyed the proper message to fans? Sound off below!
The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.
Related Videos
VMA All Access
2010 VMAs: Making The Show
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Kanye West
Katharine McPhee Katharine Towne Katherine Heigl Katie Cassidy
Jordin Sparks ?excited? about new American Idol judges
Despite the big changeup at the judge?s table since her season six win, Jordin Sparks is thrilled that Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler are joining the American Idol family. ?I?m really excited to see what it?ll be like,? Jordin, the new Ambassador for Quaker Chewy's Afterschool Rocks campaign, told In Touch on the heels of the announcement that the "Waiting for Tonight" diva and the Aerosmith front man would be the new judges on the hit Fox singing competition series. After having Jennifer as a guest mentor during her 2007 season, Jordin especially feels a close connection to the iconic songstress. ?She was really sweet,? she said. Jordin, who is currently performing in Broadway's In the Heights, believes Jennifer will be compared to former Idol judge ? and fan-favorite ? Paula Abdul. ?I know there are going to be a lot of comparisons drawn because they both dance, and they both act,? she predicted. American Idol host Ryan Seacrest broke the news at a press conference on Wednesday that Jennifer and Steven will replace departed judges Simon Cowell, Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi for the show?s 10th season.
'One Tree Hill' Video: You Can't Play Basketball with One Kidney
Quinn may be OK on One Tree Hill, but Clay is still in a coma and
stuck in his peaceful beachfront purgatory. Will Clay wake up? Unless
the show wants to lose a lot of female viewers, he'd better.
stuck in his peaceful beachfront purgatory. Will Clay wake up? Unless
the show wants to lose a lot of female viewers, he'd better.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
What's On Tonight: Premieres of 'The Defenders,' the ABC Comedies and 'Undercovers'
Filed under: TV Previews
Here's tonight's lineup of new shows and events (all times Eastern). Check your local TV listings for additional information.
* = Series/Season Premiere
** = Series/Season Finale
# = New Day/Time
Night 3 of Premiere Week. Tonight sees the return of the ABC lineup that resurrected the comedy genre last season. There are also premieres for 'Hell's Kitchen,' 'Law & Order: SVU,' and the Jim Belushi-Jerry O'Connell vehicle 'The Defenders.'
8:00 to 9:00
ABC: 'The Middle'* and 'Better With You'* -- Season 2 for 'The Middle'
CBS: 'Survivor: Nicaragua'
CW: 'America's Next Top Model'
FOX: 'Hell's Kitchen'* -- Two hour, season 8 premiere
NBC: 'Undercovers'* -- Yet another series from the prolific J.J. Abrams
DisneyXD: 'Pairs of Kings'
Logo: 'Bump!'
NickToons: 'Hero Factory'
The rest of the schedule and the late night talks shows after the jump.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Here's tonight's lineup of new shows and events (all times Eastern). Check your local TV listings for additional information.
* = Series/Season Premiere
** = Series/Season Finale
# = New Day/Time
Night 3 of Premiere Week. Tonight sees the return of the ABC lineup that resurrected the comedy genre last season. There are also premieres for 'Hell's Kitchen,' 'Law & Order: SVU,' and the Jim Belushi-Jerry O'Connell vehicle 'The Defenders.'
8:00 to 9:00
ABC: 'The Middle'* and 'Better With You'* -- Season 2 for 'The Middle'
CBS: 'Survivor: Nicaragua'
CW: 'America's Next Top Model'
FOX: 'Hell's Kitchen'* -- Two hour, season 8 premiere
NBC: 'Undercovers'* -- Yet another series from the prolific J.J. Abrams
DisneyXD: 'Pairs of Kings'
Logo: 'Bump!'
NickToons: 'Hero Factory'
The rest of the schedule and the late night talks shows after the jump.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Carey Mulligan Excited About Playing Juliet
The girlfriend of Shia LaBeouf is keen to play William Shakespeare's most beloved heroine because she believes she 'won't be able to play Juliet in a couple of years.'
Rachel Weisz Signs Up for Psychosexual Drama '360'
In the new take on Arthur Schnitzler's play 'Reigen', the 'Agora' beauty will reunite with her 'Constant Gardener' director Fernando Meirelles.
Milla Jovovich Minka Kelly Minki van der Westhuizen Miranda Kerr
Just Wright: Formulaic romcom lifted by strong performances
There haven't been many films that have succeeded in combining romcom with sport.
Dave Annable's Real-Life Fiancee Joins 'Brothers and Sisters'
Odette Yustman will be guest starring in an episode as the love interest of Justin Walker, the character played by Annable.
Nicki Minaj Does Not Mind Being Called Bisexual
Playing coy on her sexuality, the female rapper claims, 'I said I don't have sex with women. I don't have sex with men right now either.'
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
British Intelligence Agency Used Semen as Invisible Ink [History]
A new book reveals that a member of MI6, the British spy agency, discovered during WWI that semen makes excellent invisible ink, and often deployed it in the field. The name of the man who discovered this? Mansfield Cumming. More »
Julia Roberts Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award
The 'Eat, Pray, Love' actress was handed the Donostia Award by Javier Bardem at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
'Jersey Shore' High Five Highlights
'Jersey Shore' High Five Highlights
Jim Cantiello runs through his top five highlights of each week's episode.
Jim Cantiello runs through his top five highlights of each week's episode.
MTV News Extended Play: Trey Songz
MTV News Extended Play: Trey Songz
MTV News catches up with Trey Songz on how he's handling fame and what you can expect next from the hip-hop artist.
MTV News catches up with Trey Songz on how he's handling fame and what you can expect next from the hip-hop artist.
Mixtape Daily: Drake, Mack Maine, Fat Joe
Mixtape Daily: Drake, Mack Maine, Fat Joe
Check out the latest news on the mixtape circuit.
Related Artists
Fat Joe
Mack Maine
Drake
Check out the latest news on the mixtape circuit.
Related Artists
Fat Joe
Mack Maine
Drake
In Touch Exclusive: Kim Zolciak?s new song!
A year after her debut single, ?Tardy for the Party,? hit the airwaves, Kim Zolciak is back with a new tune -- ?Google Me?! ?I am so happy to be sharing this song with my fans, and letting everyone get ready for my new music,? the Real Housewives of Atlanta star tells In Touch. Kim?s catchy dance number, produced by Selasi Duse?s Rocksteady Music, will be available on iTunes on October 5. Check out a sample of ?Google Me? here.
Monday, 20 September 2010
How White Is Your Neighborhood? [Urban Anthropology]
Photographer Eric Fischer's color-coded maps of racial segregation are captivating, particularly once you find your own neighborhood. A look at his work follows after the jump, courtesy of Fast Company's Cliff Kuang. More »
Lindsay Lohan's Failed Drug Test Doesn't Surprise Expert
But her admission to the positive test is 'very encouraging,' Robert J. Lindsey tells MTV News.By Gil Kaufman
Lindsay Lohan
Photo: David McNew/ Getty Images
There may be some unfortunate consequences for Lindsay Lohan in light of her failed drug test, but even with a slip in her sobriety so soon after leaving rehab, the fact that the actress fessed up to her indiscretion is a positive sign, an addiction expert told MTV News.
"From what I've heard, the tone with which Lindsay talked about the fact that she tested positive was very encouraging," said Robert J. Lindsey, president and CEO of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency. "She really recognized that what this is is a relapse into active addiction, and she is very committed to making sure that she gets back on track."
Over the weekend, Lohan admitted to failing her recent drug test. Hours after reports surfaced Friday that the "Mean Girls" actress didn't pass her latest test, the troubled starlet conceded she was still struggling with addiction.
"Regrettably, I did in fact fail my most recent drug test and if I am asked, I am prepared to appear before judge Fox next week as a result," Lohan tweeted late Friday night. "Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn't go away over night. I am working hard to overcome it and am taking positive steps forward every day. I am testing every single day and doing what I must do to prevent any mishaps in the future. ... This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences."
Lindsey, who has no firsthand knowledge of Lohan's case, said her admission points to the value of doing drug tests. "Someone who is living in active addiction may not necessarily be able to tell you accurately what they have or have not done," he explained.
After wrapping up 13 days in prison and roughly three weeks in rehab, the actress was required to submit to random drug and alcohol tests, among other requirements, in order to avoid more jail time. According to the conditions of her post-rehab release, the actress could return to prison for 30 days if she fails a drug and alcohol test.
Another encouraging factor in Lohan's response to her positive test is the tone she took, which is quite different from the one she had in a recent Vanity Fair cover story, in which she appeared to be downplaying her addiction and deflecting blame for her troubles.
"The individual path to recovery varies for everyone," Lindsey said. "There are plenty of people who go into treatment and then NA or AA, and from that moment on, they never drink or use again. But the reality is that, for some people, they relapse back into active use, and it can be in some ways the best thing that ever happened. What it does is make very clear the fact that, 'I can't drink or use even a little bit without finding myself back in trouble again.' It can be a very powerful motivator for someone to become reinvested in treatment and recovery."
Related Videos
Lindsay Lohan: Crime And Punishment
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Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan
Photo: David McNew/ Getty Images
There may be some unfortunate consequences for Lindsay Lohan in light of her failed drug test, but even with a slip in her sobriety so soon after leaving rehab, the fact that the actress fessed up to her indiscretion is a positive sign, an addiction expert told MTV News.
"From what I've heard, the tone with which Lindsay talked about the fact that she tested positive was very encouraging," said Robert J. Lindsey, president and CEO of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency. "She really recognized that what this is is a relapse into active addiction, and she is very committed to making sure that she gets back on track."
Over the weekend, Lohan admitted to failing her recent drug test. Hours after reports surfaced Friday that the "Mean Girls" actress didn't pass her latest test, the troubled starlet conceded she was still struggling with addiction.
"Regrettably, I did in fact fail my most recent drug test and if I am asked, I am prepared to appear before judge Fox next week as a result," Lohan tweeted late Friday night. "Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn't go away over night. I am working hard to overcome it and am taking positive steps forward every day. I am testing every single day and doing what I must do to prevent any mishaps in the future. ... This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences."
Lindsey, who has no firsthand knowledge of Lohan's case, said her admission points to the value of doing drug tests. "Someone who is living in active addiction may not necessarily be able to tell you accurately what they have or have not done," he explained.
After wrapping up 13 days in prison and roughly three weeks in rehab, the actress was required to submit to random drug and alcohol tests, among other requirements, in order to avoid more jail time. According to the conditions of her post-rehab release, the actress could return to prison for 30 days if she fails a drug and alcohol test.
Another encouraging factor in Lohan's response to her positive test is the tone she took, which is quite different from the one she had in a recent Vanity Fair cover story, in which she appeared to be downplaying her addiction and deflecting blame for her troubles.
"The individual path to recovery varies for everyone," Lindsey said. "There are plenty of people who go into treatment and then NA or AA, and from that moment on, they never drink or use again. But the reality is that, for some people, they relapse back into active use, and it can be in some ways the best thing that ever happened. What it does is make very clear the fact that, 'I can't drink or use even a little bit without finding myself back in trouble again.' It can be a very powerful motivator for someone to become reinvested in treatment and recovery."
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Lindsay Lohan
Yes Minister! Classic sitcom is back as a West End show
It has been more than 20 years since Sir Humphrey Appleby, with his voice scary with sarcasm, last uttered the words 'Yes, Minister' and then 'Yes, Prime Minister'.
Natalie Portman Natalie Zea Natasha Bedingfield Natassia Malthe
Justin Bieber Sings For Fans At Hooters In Canada
Singer makes a surprise appearance at a mall in Edmonton.By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber (file)
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
Justin Bieber is living the life. The 16-year-old superstar was spotted and photographed with a bevy of Hooters waitresses after he stopped by the restaurant's local outpost at the West Edmonton Mall in Canada on Saturday, the Edmonton Sun reports. He was in town for a stop on his My World tour.
Not only did Bieber and his entourage, including four of his backup dancers, stop by for a quick visit, he also serenaded everyone at the restaurant. One of the servers at the restaurant, Tania Biggar, explained, "We were talking about deep-fried pickles. Then they said they would sing to me for free deep-fried pickles. The manager said if they sang for the whole restaurant, he'd pay for their entire meal. They serenaded the girls. They were actually super-polite. They were just awesome people to serve. They weren't demanding or anything like that."
The impromptu performance had fans in a frenzy. "Everybody that was sitting around them went over to talk to them. They told them they did an awesome job of singing," she said.
Biggar further explained that while the Hooters girls did get a photo with Bieber, they didn't get much one-on-one time with him. "None of the [servers] really got to talk to him. He was surrounded by his fans," she said. "That's how we knew he was coming in — it was all 14-year-old girls. And they all kind of move as one."
YouTube footage of the Hooters visit shows Bieber, dressed in a black jacket and black hat, walking through crowds of people. Despite all the fans trying to catch a glimpse of the star, it seems things remained relatively more low-key than past Bieber mall appearances.
The restaurant's manager, Sonny Verma, confirmed the blink-and-you'll-miss-him appearance of the "U Smile" singer to the Edmonton Journal. "We probably had a row six people deep and 10 people long at the window. It was pretty cool," he said. "I was told about 10, 15 minutes he came in here. It was really quick. He came in, took a quick picture and took off."
Related Artists
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber (file)
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
Justin Bieber is living the life. The 16-year-old superstar was spotted and photographed with a bevy of Hooters waitresses after he stopped by the restaurant's local outpost at the West Edmonton Mall in Canada on Saturday, the Edmonton Sun reports. He was in town for a stop on his My World tour.
Not only did Bieber and his entourage, including four of his backup dancers, stop by for a quick visit, he also serenaded everyone at the restaurant. One of the servers at the restaurant, Tania Biggar, explained, "We were talking about deep-fried pickles. Then they said they would sing to me for free deep-fried pickles. The manager said if they sang for the whole restaurant, he'd pay for their entire meal. They serenaded the girls. They were actually super-polite. They were just awesome people to serve. They weren't demanding or anything like that."
The impromptu performance had fans in a frenzy. "Everybody that was sitting around them went over to talk to them. They told them they did an awesome job of singing," she said.
Biggar further explained that while the Hooters girls did get a photo with Bieber, they didn't get much one-on-one time with him. "None of the [servers] really got to talk to him. He was surrounded by his fans," she said. "That's how we knew he was coming in — it was all 14-year-old girls. And they all kind of move as one."
YouTube footage of the Hooters visit shows Bieber, dressed in a black jacket and black hat, walking through crowds of people. Despite all the fans trying to catch a glimpse of the star, it seems things remained relatively more low-key than past Bieber mall appearances.
The restaurant's manager, Sonny Verma, confirmed the blink-and-you'll-miss-him appearance of the "U Smile" singer to the Edmonton Journal. "We probably had a row six people deep and 10 people long at the window. It was pretty cool," he said. "I was told about 10, 15 minutes he came in here. It was really quick. He came in, took a quick picture and took off."
Related Artists
Justin Bieber
The Avatars of Second Life The Pussycat Dolls Thora Birch Tila Tequila
Randy Quaid and Wife Arrested for Squatting in California [Squatters]
Actor Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi were arrested in Santa Barbara, California yesterday for allegedly squatting in their old house, which they had sold over three years ago. Talk about falling on hard times. Damn. More »
Joanna Krupa Joanne Montanez Jodi Lyn O\\\'Keefe Jolene Blalock
First Look: Disney Movie 'Tangled'
Here's the first look at Disney's new movie, 'Tangled.' It's the story of Princess Rapunzel who falls in love with a bandit. Mandy Moore is the voice for Rapunzel while 'Chuck' star Zachary Levi is the voice of Flynn Ryder.
Looks like a good movie to take the kids to :)
Looks like a good movie to take the kids to :)
Sunday, 19 September 2010
2010 VMA Pre-Show Uncensored
2010 VMA Pre-Show Uncensored
Check out these raw clips of Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, 30 Seconds to Mars and more, straight from the VMA white carpet.
Check out these raw clips of Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, 30 Seconds to Mars and more, straight from the VMA white carpet.
FDA Won't Require Label Identifying Genetically Modified Frankensalmon [Labels]
Like us, you're probably dying to try AquAdvantage� salmon, right? Well, the FDA won't make its producers label the fish as genetically modified! Good, because according to a guy from the Biotechnology Industry Organization, "Extra labeling only confuses the consumer." More »
AnnaLynne McCord Anne Marie Kortright April Scott Arielle Kebbel
An Explanation of the Jewish Holiday of Yom Kippur by Someone Who Is Barely Jewish [Know Your Jews]
Hey, everyone. Are you guys having a good Yom Kippur? Wait? You don't know about Yom Kippur? The Jewish day of atonement? Let this ignorant Jew try to explain without even using Wikipedia. More »
Roman Polanski Honored at San Sebastian International Film Festival
The moviemaker's sex charge did not affect his ability to impress critics with his work as he was selected by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) as the best release of the year.
Rachel Blanchard Rachel Hunter Rachel McAdams Rachel Nichols
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Vincent Piazza Retraces a Gangster's Footsteps for 'Boardwalk Empire'
Filed under: Reality-Free, Celebrity Interviews, Fall TV"If you have a lot of what people want and can't get, then you can supply the demand and shovel in the dough." Those words -- spoken by Charles "Lucky" Luciano, considered the father of modern organized crime (a real-life Godfather, if you will) -- perfectly sum up the story of HBO's ambitious new drama, 'Boardwalk Empire,' which premieres Sun., Sept. 19 at 9PM ET.
Actor Vincent Piazza, who plays Lucky Luciano, matched the show's attention to detail with in-depth research on his character. He even hung out in at De Robertis Pasticceria in Manhattan's East Village, a cafe that Luciano himself once frequented.
Piazza invited TV Squad to the former gangster haunt to talk about Luciano's legend, the historical precision of 'Boardwalk Empire and working with Martin Scorsese (who produces and directed the pilot). Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Actor Vincent Piazza, who plays Lucky Luciano, matched the show's attention to detail with in-depth research on his character. He even hung out in at De Robertis Pasticceria in Manhattan's East Village, a cafe that Luciano himself once frequented.
Piazza invited TV Squad to the former gangster haunt to talk about Luciano's legend, the historical precision of 'Boardwalk Empire and working with Martin Scorsese (who produces and directed the pilot). Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Kanye West To Return To 'The Cleveland Show'
Lindsay Lohan and John Mayer get called out in some preview rhymes from season-two premiere.By Jayson Rodriguez
Kanye West and Cleveland Jr. on "The Cleveland Show"
Photo: FOX
Kanye West is set to reprise his role as Kenny West on "The Cleveland Show" in the show's season-two premiere.
According to Entertainment Weekly, West's character is down on his luck after being a rapper on the rise and the title character, Cleveland Brown, is attempting to help the high school artist make a comeback. The animated pair work on a track titled "Be-Cleve in Yourself" that will supposedly mark Kenny West's comeback.
"Not long ago, I was lower than Lohan," he raps. "No plan, a lost man, raising my little girl in a Cadillac Brougham/ My quest success, but my life was a mess/ Poor Kenny West, no zest, and he depressed/ Not dressed to impress/ Matter fact, more stress than John Mayer waiting on his AIDS test."
In May, Kenny West first popped up on "The Cleveland Show" at a rap battle. His character was a hot shot who butted heads with Cleveland Jr. over West's girlfriend. The two traded cheap shots, and their feud came to a head at the big dance when they directed lyrical barbs at each other.
"It's Kenny sippin' Henny/ Rhymes slicker than Teflon," West boasted. "The school been high, I'm the black Zac Efron/ And when I meet a shorty, you know we going backwards/ Pulling more tail than my man John Edwards/ Lumpy, chunky, boogie-eating chump, B/ Acting out of place like Hootie singing country/ Leave my girl alone and get your own tender 'Roni'/ Come on, who are we kidding?/ You're used to being lonely."
Junior fired back, though, with a takedown rap of his own. "Mess with me, homeboy, you don't wanna risk it," he spits. "I run you like Mrs. Freemon's god-awful brisket." In trademark fashion, à la "Family Guy," the show cut away to Mrs. Freemon holding a trayful of brisket. "Well, that was uncalled for," she says.
Kanye West's guest turn on "The Cleveland Show" is scheduled for September 26 on Fox.
Are you happy Kenny West is back on "The Cleveland Show"? Let us know in the comments!
Related Artists
Kanye West
Kanye West and Cleveland Jr. on "The Cleveland Show"
Photo: FOX
Kanye West is set to reprise his role as Kenny West on "The Cleveland Show" in the show's season-two premiere.
According to Entertainment Weekly, West's character is down on his luck after being a rapper on the rise and the title character, Cleveland Brown, is attempting to help the high school artist make a comeback. The animated pair work on a track titled "Be-Cleve in Yourself" that will supposedly mark Kenny West's comeback.
"Not long ago, I was lower than Lohan," he raps. "No plan, a lost man, raising my little girl in a Cadillac Brougham/ My quest success, but my life was a mess/ Poor Kenny West, no zest, and he depressed/ Not dressed to impress/ Matter fact, more stress than John Mayer waiting on his AIDS test."
In May, Kenny West first popped up on "The Cleveland Show" at a rap battle. His character was a hot shot who butted heads with Cleveland Jr. over West's girlfriend. The two traded cheap shots, and their feud came to a head at the big dance when they directed lyrical barbs at each other.
"It's Kenny sippin' Henny/ Rhymes slicker than Teflon," West boasted. "The school been high, I'm the black Zac Efron/ And when I meet a shorty, you know we going backwards/ Pulling more tail than my man John Edwards/ Lumpy, chunky, boogie-eating chump, B/ Acting out of place like Hootie singing country/ Leave my girl alone and get your own tender 'Roni'/ Come on, who are we kidding?/ You're used to being lonely."
Junior fired back, though, with a takedown rap of his own. "Mess with me, homeboy, you don't wanna risk it," he spits. "I run you like Mrs. Freemon's god-awful brisket." In trademark fashion, à la "Family Guy," the show cut away to Mrs. Freemon holding a trayful of brisket. "Well, that was uncalled for," she says.
Kanye West's guest turn on "The Cleveland Show" is scheduled for September 26 on Fox.
Are you happy Kenny West is back on "The Cleveland Show"? Let us know in the comments!
Related Artists
Kanye West
Shannyn Sossamon Shiri Appleby Sienna Guillory Sienna Miller
Sarah Palin Will Attend the 'DWTS' Premiere
According to TMZ, Dancing with the Stars will have a very special guest at Monday night's premiere episode. Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and current mother of contestant Bristol Palin, plans to be in attendance.
Mel Gibson Gives Up Rights as Executive Producer to Oksana Grigorieva's Work
The 'Braveheart' actor is reportedly relinquished all rights to his ex-lover's music and signed the legal documents to make it official in August.
Taylor Swift, Kanye West Have Critics Debating VMAs Again
The media weighs in on what 'Innocent' and 'Runaway' are saying about last year's incident. By Paul Cantor
Taylor Swift and Kanye West at the 2010 Video Music Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images/ WireImage
Oscar Wilde once wrote, "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." Taylor Swift definitely got that memo. At the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, she seemed to be forgiving someone, maybe Kanye West, as she crooned, "Who you are is not what you did. ... You're still an innocent."
Kanye, who apologized to Swift via Twitter earlier this month, seemed to be acknowledging his wrongdoing in the lyrics of his new song, "Runaway."
Though the pair didn't appear onstage together on Sunday night, as some hoped, many in the media took the opportunity to weigh in on whether the evening's performances had settled the score between them.
"She seems to have forgiven him," Jennifer Armstrong wrote in Entertainment Weekly. "She looked gorgeous, as she is wont to do, but, um, the actual song was a pretty opaque."
Kanye's performance was looked upon more favorably. "It was a complete victory," EW's Brad Wete wrote, "addressing his character flaws and acknowledging public opinion without relinquishing any of his power."
Spin's Steve Kandell thinks the two stars reluctantly met somewhere in the middle. "Kanye implored a toast to the douche bags and jerkoffs, among whom he undoubtedly counts himself, albeit with reservations," he wrote. "She thinks he isn't what he did, but he's putting the lie to that — no, I am that, it's just a shame you got in the crossfire. But, to paraphrase another great poet of the VMA era, he's not that innocent."
Over at The New York Times, Jon Caramanica wrote of West, "Wearing a red suit, he looked amateurish and vulnerable, and also affecting. At the end, Mr. West's knowing, bombastic humility won." With respect to Taylor Swift, Caramanica continued, "Ms. Swift — a victim, but no naïf — performed a new song, 'Innocent,' directed at Mr. West, an extremely savvy insult masquerading as the high road. She performed it with minimal accompaniment, barefoot, and with an unsteady relationship to pitch."
Many critics seemed to feel that Swift's song made the VMA interruption incident into something much deeper than it really was.
"The spectacle of an insanely wealthy 20-year-old singer using the phrase 'who you are is not what you did' to describe not a reformed criminal or a family member who grievously erred and must be forgiven," NPR's Linda Holmes wrote. "[B]ut to describe someone she doesn't really know whose only misdeed is rudeness at an awards show is just jaw-droppingly self-involved, and adding 'you're still an innocent,' with its implications of purity, borders on the creepy. Moreover, this entire attempt to psychoanalyze someone who's essentially a stranger, trying to find the internal pain that leads to every incident of acting out in public, suggests she doesn't yet know how being drunk works."
Perhaps Megan Friedman at Time summed it up best: "In reality, they're both winners — even if one of their performances was a disaster, they could console themselves by taking a swim in their pool full of money."
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.
Related Videos
VMA All Access
2010 VMAs: Making The Show
VMA 2010: Most Talked About Moments
VMA 2010: Performances
Related Artists
Taylor Swift
Kanye West
Taylor Swift and Kanye West at the 2010 Video Music Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images/ WireImage
Oscar Wilde once wrote, "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." Taylor Swift definitely got that memo. At the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, she seemed to be forgiving someone, maybe Kanye West, as she crooned, "Who you are is not what you did. ... You're still an innocent."
Kanye, who apologized to Swift via Twitter earlier this month, seemed to be acknowledging his wrongdoing in the lyrics of his new song, "Runaway."
Though the pair didn't appear onstage together on Sunday night, as some hoped, many in the media took the opportunity to weigh in on whether the evening's performances had settled the score between them.
"She seems to have forgiven him," Jennifer Armstrong wrote in Entertainment Weekly. "She looked gorgeous, as she is wont to do, but, um, the actual song was a pretty opaque."
Kanye's performance was looked upon more favorably. "It was a complete victory," EW's Brad Wete wrote, "addressing his character flaws and acknowledging public opinion without relinquishing any of his power."
Spin's Steve Kandell thinks the two stars reluctantly met somewhere in the middle. "Kanye implored a toast to the douche bags and jerkoffs, among whom he undoubtedly counts himself, albeit with reservations," he wrote. "She thinks he isn't what he did, but he's putting the lie to that — no, I am that, it's just a shame you got in the crossfire. But, to paraphrase another great poet of the VMA era, he's not that innocent."
Over at The New York Times, Jon Caramanica wrote of West, "Wearing a red suit, he looked amateurish and vulnerable, and also affecting. At the end, Mr. West's knowing, bombastic humility won." With respect to Taylor Swift, Caramanica continued, "Ms. Swift — a victim, but no naïf — performed a new song, 'Innocent,' directed at Mr. West, an extremely savvy insult masquerading as the high road. She performed it with minimal accompaniment, barefoot, and with an unsteady relationship to pitch."
Many critics seemed to feel that Swift's song made the VMA interruption incident into something much deeper than it really was.
"The spectacle of an insanely wealthy 20-year-old singer using the phrase 'who you are is not what you did' to describe not a reformed criminal or a family member who grievously erred and must be forgiven," NPR's Linda Holmes wrote. "[B]ut to describe someone she doesn't really know whose only misdeed is rudeness at an awards show is just jaw-droppingly self-involved, and adding 'you're still an innocent,' with its implications of purity, borders on the creepy. Moreover, this entire attempt to psychoanalyze someone who's essentially a stranger, trying to find the internal pain that leads to every incident of acting out in public, suggests she doesn't yet know how being drunk works."
Perhaps Megan Friedman at Time summed it up best: "In reality, they're both winners — even if one of their performances was a disaster, they could console themselves by taking a swim in their pool full of money."
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.
Related Videos
VMA All Access
2010 VMAs: Making The Show
VMA 2010: Most Talked About Moments
VMA 2010: Performances
Related Artists
Taylor Swift
Kanye West
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Friday, 17 September 2010
Lindsay Lohan Scores Saturday Night Live Gig
She?s been hoping desperately to make a career comeback and now it looks like Lindsay Lohan may well be on her way.
The ?Mean Girls? actress has been officially announced as the host of ?Saturday Night Live? for the December 4th episode.
An inside source told Radar, ?Yes, it?s true, she?s confirmed to host.? The last time she did the show back in 2008, LiLo had a blast and was a hit with the cast and audience.
This announcement comes after Lindsay had a quick and hilarious skit on the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards with Chelsea Handler. Things are looking up for Miss Lohan.
The ?Mean Girls? actress has been officially announced as the host of ?Saturday Night Live? for the December 4th episode.
An inside source told Radar, ?Yes, it?s true, she?s confirmed to host.? The last time she did the show back in 2008, LiLo had a blast and was a hit with the cast and audience.
This announcement comes after Lindsay had a quick and hilarious skit on the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards with Chelsea Handler. Things are looking up for Miss Lohan.
Anna Paquin AnnaLynne McCord Anne Marie Kortright April Scott
The Dancers Dish on Their Celebrities
Ballroom Fantasy recently caught interviews with professional dancers Mark Ballas, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Tony Dovolani, Derek Hough, Chelsie Hightower, Anna Trebunskaya and Louis Van Amstel. A bonus interview with Bristol Palin, attending the ballroom celebration for no obvious reason, appears as well.In addition to your standard ballroom banter, each of the pro-dancers offered commentary with regard to their celebrity partners. While most gave an extensive listing of each partner's merits (or lack thereof), some highlights deserve special mention.
When I Was 17 | Ep. 18 | Usher, B.o.B, Ne-Yo
When I Was 17 | Ep. 18 | Usher, B.o.B, Ne-Yo
Take a look back at the teenage years of Usher, B.o.B and Ne-Yo on this episode of 'When I Was 17.'
Take a look back at the teenage years of Usher, B.o.B and Ne-Yo on this episode of 'When I Was 17.'
Ozzy Osbourne Has Been 'in Agonizing Pain' Before Scrapping German Show
Tommy Clufetos reveals that the rock star is in so much pain so that he has to pull out of German show, revealing 'He's had back trouble for the last two or three weeks, where he's in agonizing pain.'
Melissa Joan Hart Melissa Rycroft Melissa Sagemiller Mena Suvari
Kanye West Is Singing About Himself In 'Runaway,' Fans Say
MTV News asks Jay-Z and Eminem fans at Yankee Stadium what they thought of 'Ye's VMA performance.By Mawuse Ziegbe
Kanye West performs during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
NEW YORK -- Kanye West drops some choice insults in his latest song, which he debuted at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.
"I always find, yeah, I always find something wrong/ You been putting up with my sh-- just way too long/ I'm so gifted at finding what I don't like the most/ So I think it's time for us to have a toast," 'Ye rhymes in "Runaway." "Let's have a toast for the douche bags!/ Let's have a toast for the a--holes!/ Let's have a toast for the scumbags!"
The chorus has nods to an array of "bags," however, fans believe the MC is, in a very un-hip-hop move, taking swipes at himself.
MTV News caught up with a bunch of hip-hop heads at Jay-Z and Eminem's Home and Home Tour stop at Yankee Stadium on Monday night (September 13), and many felt that Jigga's "little brother" was using the track to air out his insecurities.
"That was a funny song," Steve Bananti said. "I liked the song a lot. It was good. I feel like he was making fun of himself."
Jamal Hairston said Yeezy's lyrics reference "the stuff that he does" including the Taylor Swift 2009 VMA controversy.
"I don't think he was trying to insult [Swift]. I think it was self-deprecating. He was maybe talking about himself," Hairston said, adding that the track is "a toast for the people who mess up." "[He's] trying to find some redemption, maybe."
Brian Bennett, who didn't like the track, said 'Ye was simply dropping insults for shock value.
"I just thought that he was trying to get the crowd going crazy because he said the word 'douche bag,' " he said. "I just feel like he was trying to get the crowd stirred."
Todd Read said he wasn't feeling the track at first but might get into it after a few listens.
"I'm a big Kanye fan but ... I gotta hear the track un-performed. Maybe I'll like it then. His music grows on me like that," he said. Read, however, did enjoy West's performance: "I liked to see him playing with the MPC and everything. I see he's bringing it back to the real hip-hop roots, so I appreciated that."
Christian Contreras agreed that 'Ye's VMA set, which was low on props but big on impact, was another singular moment from the Chicago superstar.
"I actually liked the song. I [liked] the whole performance; it was different. It's definitely something that I wasn't expecting, but Kanye always comes out of left field with everything," he said. "The little toast to the douche bags, it's cool."
Contreras speculated that 'Ye's track was not merely about how he feels, but rather how he's been perceived by the media and fans alike.
"All those names that he said -- douche bag, a--hole, all that stuff -- people have actually made that connection with him," he observed. "I'm sure he got those names called to him a couple times. Maybe it was a little stab to the industry, talking about himself and how he's changed."
What do you think Kanye West's new song is about? Let us know in the comments!
The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.
Related Videos
VMA 2010: Performances
VMA 2010: Most Talked About Moments
Related Photos
VMA 2010: Performers
Related Artists
Kanye West
Kanye West performs during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
NEW YORK -- Kanye West drops some choice insults in his latest song, which he debuted at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.
"I always find, yeah, I always find something wrong/ You been putting up with my sh-- just way too long/ I'm so gifted at finding what I don't like the most/ So I think it's time for us to have a toast," 'Ye rhymes in "Runaway." "Let's have a toast for the douche bags!/ Let's have a toast for the a--holes!/ Let's have a toast for the scumbags!"
The chorus has nods to an array of "bags," however, fans believe the MC is, in a very un-hip-hop move, taking swipes at himself.
MTV News caught up with a bunch of hip-hop heads at Jay-Z and Eminem's Home and Home Tour stop at Yankee Stadium on Monday night (September 13), and many felt that Jigga's "little brother" was using the track to air out his insecurities.
"That was a funny song," Steve Bananti said. "I liked the song a lot. It was good. I feel like he was making fun of himself."
Jamal Hairston said Yeezy's lyrics reference "the stuff that he does" including the Taylor Swift 2009 VMA controversy.
"I don't think he was trying to insult [Swift]. I think it was self-deprecating. He was maybe talking about himself," Hairston said, adding that the track is "a toast for the people who mess up." "[He's] trying to find some redemption, maybe."
Brian Bennett, who didn't like the track, said 'Ye was simply dropping insults for shock value.
"I just thought that he was trying to get the crowd going crazy because he said the word 'douche bag,' " he said. "I just feel like he was trying to get the crowd stirred."
Todd Read said he wasn't feeling the track at first but might get into it after a few listens.
"I'm a big Kanye fan but ... I gotta hear the track un-performed. Maybe I'll like it then. His music grows on me like that," he said. Read, however, did enjoy West's performance: "I liked to see him playing with the MPC and everything. I see he's bringing it back to the real hip-hop roots, so I appreciated that."
Christian Contreras agreed that 'Ye's VMA set, which was low on props but big on impact, was another singular moment from the Chicago superstar.
"I actually liked the song. I [liked] the whole performance; it was different. It's definitely something that I wasn't expecting, but Kanye always comes out of left field with everything," he said. "The little toast to the douche bags, it's cool."
Contreras speculated that 'Ye's track was not merely about how he feels, but rather how he's been perceived by the media and fans alike.
"All those names that he said -- douche bag, a--hole, all that stuff -- people have actually made that connection with him," he observed. "I'm sure he got those names called to him a couple times. Maybe it was a little stab to the industry, talking about himself and how he's changed."
What do you think Kanye West's new song is about? Let us know in the comments!
The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.
Related Videos
VMA 2010: Performances
VMA 2010: Most Talked About Moments
Related Photos
VMA 2010: Performers
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Kanye West
Jennifer Lopez Joins the 'American Idol' Judges for the Low, Low Price of $12 Million
After weeks of negotiations, Jennifer Lopez has agreed to a deal with Fox to serve as a judge on the upcoming season of American Idol. Lopez's deal comes only after intense negotiations centered on the singing and acting star's contractual demands. With no additional perks reported in the final deal, Lopez will have to console herself with a mere $12 million.
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Fox and J.J. Abrams Headed to 'Alcatraz'
Filed under: TV NewsWhat happens when you take an eager network, a respected TV creator and America's most notorious prison? 'Alcatraz' happens.
Earlier this month we reported on the project from J.J. Abrams and Elizabeth Sarnoff, an executive producer on 'Lost,' but now it's found a home on Fox. According to Variety, the network has given the project a pilot commitment.
Not much information has been released about the project besides a logline The Live Feed reports as: "A show about mysteries, secrets and the most infamous prison of all time: Alcatraz." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Earlier this month we reported on the project from J.J. Abrams and Elizabeth Sarnoff, an executive producer on 'Lost,' but now it's found a home on Fox. According to Variety, the network has given the project a pilot commitment.
Not much information has been released about the project besides a logline The Live Feed reports as: "A show about mysteries, secrets and the most infamous prison of all time: Alcatraz." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez Grace Park Gretha Cavazzoni
Exclusive: Nas Talks Lost Tapes: Vol. 2
Esco says he's focused on 'owning the streets again' and reveals to MTV News that hotly anticipated sequel is due December 14.By Shaheem Reid
Nas
Photo: C. Flanigan/ Getty Images
Esco, let's go. Nas isn't the most prolific on Twitter, but he sent out a big blast on Wednesday (September 15), leaving a message all of his fans will love.
"It's coming... LOST TAPES VOLUME TWO!!!" Nas posted on his page
@nas.
The Queens native is finally following up his 2002 classic compilation, The Lost Tapes. That record was a potent mix of his tracks left on the cutting-room floor over the years. On Wednesday afternoon, MTV News got word from Nas' camp that The Lost Tapes: Vol. 2 will be released on December 14.
Speaking to us exclusively, Nas revealed he was feeling inspired these days and the Lost Tapes sequel is just a small taste of what's to come. He's about to hit the blocks with a barrage.
"I'm unloading records I want the streets to hear," the Queens rapper said in an e-mail. "Cleaning out my hard drives. Gonna do this, then start fresh. I'm dropping my solo LP before the summer of 2011. I love the energy the world has been giving me over the last two years. But now it's time to focus on owning the streets again."
Just earlier this month, Nas and DJ Green Lantern put out "Last Real N---a Alive, Part 2" for the mixtapes. The vocals from that record were recorded back when Nas was making his last album, Untitled.
"Cars with police radars/ On highways bopping/ Bullpen therapy/ Cell-block dodging/ Pissy stairways," he raps. "Miss them days, not when/ They shut down stores when I'm shopping," Nas raps over the trumpet-laden track. "Used to be pop-locking, train-hopping/ Face covered in stocking/ Six-pack Bud-drinking gambler/ F--- them cameras/ In front of the man, sing the hustla's mantra/ Hands are luck/ More hits than Gamble and Huff."
"[Nasty Nas] never left," Nas told MTV News when the verse leaked. "I recorded the song in my hometown of New York City. I was feeling the vibe of the streets and sewers, [which] helped me get in that zone"
Since the legendary MC first promised to deliver out new material, he has been back in the lab and talking to Wu-Tang Clan's the RZA about producing tracks
"Escobar is one of the best MCs to ever bless the mic," RZA said about Nas on the VMA white carpet on Sunday. "We're still trying to figure our schedule out. We both got a lot of big life ahead of us. But we're getting in. We're gonna make that classic. You know what it is. Last time, Nas did a verse for me that was on 'Verbal Intercourse.' That was a classic. To get back in and make another classic like that would be real good."
Are you excited for Nas' Lost Tapes sequel? Tell us in the comments!
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Nas
Photo: C. Flanigan/ Getty Images
Esco, let's go. Nas isn't the most prolific on Twitter, but he sent out a big blast on Wednesday (September 15), leaving a message all of his fans will love.
"It's coming... LOST TAPES VOLUME TWO!!!" Nas posted on his page
@nas.
The Queens native is finally following up his 2002 classic compilation, The Lost Tapes. That record was a potent mix of his tracks left on the cutting-room floor over the years. On Wednesday afternoon, MTV News got word from Nas' camp that The Lost Tapes: Vol. 2 will be released on December 14.
Speaking to us exclusively, Nas revealed he was feeling inspired these days and the Lost Tapes sequel is just a small taste of what's to come. He's about to hit the blocks with a barrage.
"I'm unloading records I want the streets to hear," the Queens rapper said in an e-mail. "Cleaning out my hard drives. Gonna do this, then start fresh. I'm dropping my solo LP before the summer of 2011. I love the energy the world has been giving me over the last two years. But now it's time to focus on owning the streets again."
Just earlier this month, Nas and DJ Green Lantern put out "Last Real N---a Alive, Part 2" for the mixtapes. The vocals from that record were recorded back when Nas was making his last album, Untitled.
"Cars with police radars/ On highways bopping/ Bullpen therapy/ Cell-block dodging/ Pissy stairways," he raps. "Miss them days, not when/ They shut down stores when I'm shopping," Nas raps over the trumpet-laden track. "Used to be pop-locking, train-hopping/ Face covered in stocking/ Six-pack Bud-drinking gambler/ F--- them cameras/ In front of the man, sing the hustla's mantra/ Hands are luck/ More hits than Gamble and Huff."
"[Nasty Nas] never left," Nas told MTV News when the verse leaked. "I recorded the song in my hometown of New York City. I was feeling the vibe of the streets and sewers, [which] helped me get in that zone"
Since the legendary MC first promised to deliver out new material, he has been back in the lab and talking to Wu-Tang Clan's the RZA about producing tracks
"Escobar is one of the best MCs to ever bless the mic," RZA said about Nas on the VMA white carpet on Sunday. "We're still trying to figure our schedule out. We both got a lot of big life ahead of us. But we're getting in. We're gonna make that classic. You know what it is. Last time, Nas did a verse for me that was on 'Verbal Intercourse.' That was a classic. To get back in and make another classic like that would be real good."
Are you excited for Nas' Lost Tapes sequel? Tell us in the comments!
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Nas
RZA
Celebs love lia sophia!
Lia sophia will launch their latest high-end jewelry assortment, the la belle rose collection. The always anticipated and favored jewelry line will be revealed in Canada at the Toronto International Film Festival at the Windsor Arms Hotel on September 10, and in the U.S. on September 13 at the swanky new The Empire Hotel in New York City during Fashion Week, to the elite group of fashion editors, stylists, celebrities and VIPs. Celeb fashionistas like Kate Beckinsale, Eva Longoria Parker and Ashley Greene all love their lia sophia baubles!
Celebs love lia sophia!
Lia sophia will launch their latest high-end jewelry assortment, the la belle rose collection. The always anticipated and favored jewelry line will be revealed in Canada at the Toronto International Film Festival at the Windsor Arms Hotel on September 10, and in the U.S. on September 13 at the swanky new The Empire Hotel in New York City during Fashion Week, to the elite group of fashion editors, stylists, celebrities and VIPs. Celeb fashionistas like Kate Beckinsale, Eva Longoria Parker and Ashley Greene all love their lia sophia baubles!
Photos | MTV News' 2009 Men Of The Year: #7 Kanye West
MTV News' 2009 Men Of The Year: #7 Kanye West
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Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Kanye West's VMA Finale Sets Twitter Ablaze
Yeezy debuts 'douche bag'-inspired new track and generates 4,300 tweets per minute at 2010 Video Music Awards.By Terri Schwartz
Kanye West performs at the 2010 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
It shouldn't be too big of a surprise that Kanye West's closing Video Music Awards performance, during which he debuted his new song, "Runaway," got MTV viewers talking on Twitter. West easily topped MTV's Twitter Tracker, generating more than 4,300 tweets a minute and making it clear his appearance was one of the biggest moments of the night.
Even after the awards show ended, the Nokia Theatre crowd could be heard chanting West's name.
Gabezacchaeus tweeted, "thank you @kanyewest for making a song about me," referencing West's ode to all the jerks in the world.
"Kanye West = genius," JagneShaw added.
Jay_West_FSG tweeted, "I toast my fellow a--holes in the name of Kanye West," and JayClarkSOD kept it simple with "Kanye west is da sh-- #thatisall."
West took to his own Twitter account at noon on Sunday (September 12), writing, "I wish my Mom was here but I know she's looking down. I want to make her so happy today."
Mj_obsessed_xo responded to that post after Kanye's performance, tweeting, "You have my heart again .
Kanye West performs at the 2010 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
It shouldn't be too big of a surprise that Kanye West's closing Video Music Awards performance, during which he debuted his new song, "Runaway," got MTV viewers talking on Twitter. West easily topped MTV's Twitter Tracker, generating more than 4,300 tweets a minute and making it clear his appearance was one of the biggest moments of the night.
Even after the awards show ended, the Nokia Theatre crowd could be heard chanting West's name.
Gabezacchaeus tweeted, "thank you @kanyewest for making a song about me," referencing West's ode to all the jerks in the world.
"Kanye West = genius," JagneShaw added.
Jay_West_FSG tweeted, "I toast my fellow a--holes in the name of Kanye West," and JayClarkSOD kept it simple with "Kanye west is da sh-- #thatisall."
West took to his own Twitter account at noon on Sunday (September 12), writing, "I wish my Mom was here but I know she's looking down. I want to make her so happy today."
Mj_obsessed_xo responded to that post after Kanye's performance, tweeting, "You have my heart again .
China Chow Chloë Sevigny Christina Aguilera Christina Applegate
Edwin Newman, Veteran NBC Newsman, Dies at 91
Filed under: TV NewsEdwin Newman, who spent decades as a newsman at NBC, has died. The veteran TV journalist, who was 91, passed away Aug. 13 in Oxford, England, though his death was only just announced by outlets including the New York Times so his family could have time to grieve privately.
Newman first joined NBC's ranks in the early 1950s and served as a correspondent, anchor, commentator, documentary host and theater critic over his three-decade tenure. He was known for his dry wit, stark eyebrows and love of plainspoken English.
In a statement, former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw said, "Ed Newman was an early role model for my generation of NBC News correspondents. Worldly, erudite and droll, qualities that were enriched by his pitch perfect use of the English language." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Newman first joined NBC's ranks in the early 1950s and served as a correspondent, anchor, commentator, documentary host and theater critic over his three-decade tenure. He was known for his dry wit, stark eyebrows and love of plainspoken English.
In a statement, former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw said, "Ed Newman was an early role model for my generation of NBC News correspondents. Worldly, erudite and droll, qualities that were enriched by his pitch perfect use of the English language." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Soon You Won't Even Be Able to Smoke Outdoors in New York City [Vices]
Mayor Bloomberg is proposing a ban on smoking in public parks, beaches, and other areas, like the pedestrian walkways in Times Square. Where do they expect everyone to smoke now? How long before cigarettes are outlawed altogether? Five years? Ten? More »
David Foster Wallace's Unfinished Novel Given Release Date [Coming Soon]
The Pale King, the unfinished novel by the late David Foster Wallace, will be released April 15. More »
Katy Perry's Teenage Dream: Track By Track
Katy Perry's <i>Teenage Dream</i>: Track By Track
The pop starlet breaks down various tracks of her infectious new album.
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AnnaLynne McCord Anne Marie Kortright April Scott Arielle Kebbel
The Al Sharpton Show Will School You [Media Crack]
In your educational Tuesday media column: Al Sharpton launches a TV show about schooling; the Washington Post pimps space on its front page; and magazines bleed even more rich readers. More »
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Christina Applegate: 'Anchorman' Cast Are All Up for Sequel
Though the movie's actors are eager to film the second movie, Applegate once again affirms the fact that the project depends on the finances.
Photos | Historic VMA Arrivals
Historic VMA Arrivals
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Where's the Fury Over Obama's School Speech This Year? [Education]
Last September, Barack Obama addressed the nation's schoolchildren to start the new academic year, and conservatives went insane. Many parents worried that Obama would "indoctrinate" their children with Marxism. So where's the angry chorus for this year's same speech? More »
'The Vampire Diaries' Video Preview: Caroline at the Carnival
After a shocking season 2 premiere that ended with Katherine turning Caroline into a vampire, The Vampire Diaries is about to get crazy with a Mystic Falls carnival where the star attraction is Caroline going crazy.
Tupac Remembered By Rick Ross, Paul Wall, Zaytoven
' 'Pac was our prophet,' Gorilla Zoe tells MTV News 14 years after iconic MC's death.By Shaheem Reid
Tupac Shakur
Photo: Steve Granitz/ Wireimage
It's one of the moments you just don't forget. Most hip-hop fans can remember exactly where they were when they heard Tupac Skakur died, 14 years ago on September 13. While celebrating the 2010 VMAs in Los Angeles over the weekend, some of your favorite artists took time out to remember one of music's biggest icons.
"I'm from Carol City, and in Carol City we got a park [where] if somebody passes away, we go to the park," Rick Ross told MTV News. "So if something happen, we split up, go to the park. So I'll never forget: I was coming home and riding by the park. I saw all my homies, Chevys lined up. I was like, 'Damn, somebody died.' "
Ross said he had just been at the park a week prior mourning the loss of a childhood friend, Little Pete, who was killed in a vehicular accident. The day 'Pac died, Ross had déjà vu.
"I see everybody there again; I'm like, 'Damn, what done happened?' I pull up, people crying."
Thoughts raced through Ross' mind. " 'Who this finnin to be now?' " he recalled wondering.
"The way my homies was there, and everybody I knew was there, I just knew one of my closest homies was dead. That's when I realized the influence this man had on this generation," Ross said of the Death Row MC. "These people were crying like they were the week before when one of my best friends I knew since first grade died. The same amount of people were there for Tupac and had never met him a day before in their life. That's when I realized what Tupac meant to the people. I'm pretty sure I've never witnessed anything like this before in my life."
"When Biggie died, I was on the way to church," Paul Wall said of 'Pac's onetime adversary. "When 'Pac died, I had came out the gym, hoopin'. Me and Chamillionaire, we was in the ride together. We heard on the radio Tupac had passed away. We both were trippin'." (Interestingly, Wall's major-label debut, The People's Champ, was released on September 13 in 2005.)
Back in 1996, producer Zaytoven was living in San Francisco when he heard about Tupac's passing. 'Pac had spent some of his younger years in Oakland, California, and the Bay had extra love for Shakur.
"All we was listening to was 'Pac out there," Zay said. "I was going to basketball practice. My mom had heard [the news] on the radio and called me about it. That was a downer for me, really the whole [West] Coast.
"Everybody was trippin'. We used to walk around with portable radios on our shoulders playing him," Zay added. "That's how hard we was rocking with 'Pac. It was devastating to the whole Bay Area.
Rapper Gorilla Zoe said that he, like many fans, initially refused to believe that Tupac had been killed.
" 'Pac was Superman to us," Zoe explained. "Homes had been shot before [in 1994]; he always bounced back. When we found out he was shot [a week before his death] but wasn't dead, we was like, 'OK.' Then when we found out he was dead, nobody believed that. I didn't believe that. For years we were like, 'Homes on an island somewhere, chillin'.'
"He was our prophet," Zoe continued. "In the South, wasn't nothing else: It was 'Pac. 'Pac was heavy in the South. We wouldn't have had a movement like we got if that door wasn't open. Homes opened the door for the real, for the soldiers. 'Pac was our prophet."
Share your memories about Tupac and his music in the comments below.
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Photo: Steve Granitz/ Wireimage
It's one of the moments you just don't forget. Most hip-hop fans can remember exactly where they were when they heard Tupac Skakur died, 14 years ago on September 13. While celebrating the 2010 VMAs in Los Angeles over the weekend, some of your favorite artists took time out to remember one of music's biggest icons.
"I'm from Carol City, and in Carol City we got a park [where] if somebody passes away, we go to the park," Rick Ross told MTV News. "So if something happen, we split up, go to the park. So I'll never forget: I was coming home and riding by the park. I saw all my homies, Chevys lined up. I was like, 'Damn, somebody died.' "
Ross said he had just been at the park a week prior mourning the loss of a childhood friend, Little Pete, who was killed in a vehicular accident. The day 'Pac died, Ross had déjà vu.
"I see everybody there again; I'm like, 'Damn, what done happened?' I pull up, people crying."
Thoughts raced through Ross' mind. " 'Who this finnin to be now?' " he recalled wondering.
"The way my homies was there, and everybody I knew was there, I just knew one of my closest homies was dead. That's when I realized the influence this man had on this generation," Ross said of the Death Row MC. "These people were crying like they were the week before when one of my best friends I knew since first grade died. The same amount of people were there for Tupac and had never met him a day before in their life. That's when I realized what Tupac meant to the people. I'm pretty sure I've never witnessed anything like this before in my life."
"When Biggie died, I was on the way to church," Paul Wall said of 'Pac's onetime adversary. "When 'Pac died, I had came out the gym, hoopin'. Me and Chamillionaire, we was in the ride together. We heard on the radio Tupac had passed away. We both were trippin'." (Interestingly, Wall's major-label debut, The People's Champ, was released on September 13 in 2005.)
Back in 1996, producer Zaytoven was living in San Francisco when he heard about Tupac's passing. 'Pac had spent some of his younger years in Oakland, California, and the Bay had extra love for Shakur.
"All we was listening to was 'Pac out there," Zay said. "I was going to basketball practice. My mom had heard [the news] on the radio and called me about it. That was a downer for me, really the whole [West] Coast.
"Everybody was trippin'. We used to walk around with portable radios on our shoulders playing him," Zay added. "That's how hard we was rocking with 'Pac. It was devastating to the whole Bay Area.
Rapper Gorilla Zoe said that he, like many fans, initially refused to believe that Tupac had been killed.
" 'Pac was Superman to us," Zoe explained. "Homes had been shot before [in 1994]; he always bounced back. When we found out he was shot [a week before his death] but wasn't dead, we was like, 'OK.' Then when we found out he was dead, nobody believed that. I didn't believe that. For years we were like, 'Homes on an island somewhere, chillin'.'
"He was our prophet," Zoe continued. "In the South, wasn't nothing else: It was 'Pac. 'Pac was heavy in the South. We wouldn't have had a movement like we got if that door wasn't open. Homes opened the door for the real, for the soldiers. 'Pac was our prophet."
Share your memories about Tupac and his music in the comments below.
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John Mayer Quits Twitter
He had amassed more than 3.7 million followers on the site.By Kelley L. Carter
John Mayer
Photo: Mat Szwajkos/ Getty Images
John Mayer is losing a lot of friends.
A spokesperson for the singer said Mayer has shut down his Twitter account now that he's done with his Battle Studies Tour. He continues to communicate with his fans via his blog, the rep said. The singer had amassed more than 3.7 million followers on Twitter.
His exit from the micro-blogging site comes months after he dealt with a bit of controversy. Back in February, Mayer had an interview with Playboy in which he talked about intimate relations with former girlfriend Jessica Simpson and used the N-word.
The whole issue became a hot Twitter topic, and Mayer tweeted an apology to his followers: "Re: using the 'N word' in an interview: I am sorry that I used the word. And it's such a shame that I did because the point I was trying to make was in the exact opposite spirit of the word itself. It was arrogant of me to think I could intellectualize using it, because I realize that there's no intellectualizing a word that is so emotionally charged.
"And while I'm using today for looking at myself under harsh light, I think it's time to stop trying to be so raw in interviews. ... It started as an attempt to not let the waves of criticism get to me, but it's gotten out of hand and I've created somewhat of a monster."
He also tweeted: " I wanted to be a blues guitar player. And a singer. And a songwriter. Not a shock jock. I don't have the stomach for it. Again, because I don't want anyone to think I'm equivocating: I should have never said the word and I will never say it again."
Will you miss John Mayer on Twitter? Let us know in the comments.
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John Mayer
Photo: Mat Szwajkos/ Getty Images
John Mayer is losing a lot of friends.
A spokesperson for the singer said Mayer has shut down his Twitter account now that he's done with his Battle Studies Tour. He continues to communicate with his fans via his blog, the rep said. The singer had amassed more than 3.7 million followers on Twitter.
His exit from the micro-blogging site comes months after he dealt with a bit of controversy. Back in February, Mayer had an interview with Playboy in which he talked about intimate relations with former girlfriend Jessica Simpson and used the N-word.
The whole issue became a hot Twitter topic, and Mayer tweeted an apology to his followers: "Re: using the 'N word' in an interview: I am sorry that I used the word. And it's such a shame that I did because the point I was trying to make was in the exact opposite spirit of the word itself. It was arrogant of me to think I could intellectualize using it, because I realize that there's no intellectualizing a word that is so emotionally charged.
"And while I'm using today for looking at myself under harsh light, I think it's time to stop trying to be so raw in interviews. ... It started as an attempt to not let the waves of criticism get to me, but it's gotten out of hand and I've created somewhat of a monster."
He also tweeted: " I wanted to be a blues guitar player. And a singer. And a songwriter. Not a shock jock. I don't have the stomach for it. Again, because I don't want anyone to think I'm equivocating: I should have never said the word and I will never say it again."
Will you miss John Mayer on Twitter? Let us know in the comments.
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Monday, 13 September 2010
Grown Ups review: It's enough to make a grown man weep
If you thought writer-producer-actor Adam Sandler would never stoop lower than Little Nicky, here's the unwelcome proof that you were wrong.
Will This Comical Anti-Masturbation Lady Win a Senate Primary? [Meet Your Candidates]
The GOP is getting tired of these Tea Party candidates putting their expected Senate pick-ups in jeopardy. Christine O'Donnell, a weird anti-masturbation lady running for the Republican Senate nomination in Delaware, is the latest example. The party wants her gone. More »
Travie McCoy Remembers Tupac Shakur's Death 14 Years Later
McCoy was still in high school, but he vividly remembers the sad day.By Shaheem Reid
Travie McCoy
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Monday (September 13) is the 14th anniversary of the death of Tupac Shakur. Pac died in 1996, after succumbing to gunshot wounds he suffered a week prior when leaving a Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas.
Travie McCoy still vividly remembers the day. He said he did not believe the news at first.
"I was still in high school," McCoy recalled at the VMA Radio Forum on Friday in Los Angeles. "I was a freshman. I got to school and kids were crying. Kids were upset. I was like, 'What's going on?' I hadn't heard the news. I thought somebody in the school had died. They was, 'Nah — Tupac didn't make it.' My jaw immediately dropped. My school took it upon themselves to play R.E.M.'s 'Everybody Hurts.' It was pandemonium. Everybody burst in tears, in pieces. It was a sad day. He was a fallen soldier to say the least."
Like so many others, McCoy loved Shakur's music but he also respected the rap legend as a person.
"I came up on Pac. I think I might have given [my cousin] Tyga his first Pac record," Travie said. "I just got tingles thinking about that day. Thinking about hearing one of the saddest songs played over the loudspeaker in school when he got killed. It's a shame. But his music lives on. I was listening to All Eyez on Me three days ago."
Meanwhile, veteran rapper-producer David Banner also recently commented about Pac's passing. In an MTV News interview Friday, Banner said, "It was bigger than the death of a rapper. It was the death of an icon for young people ... Pac was deeper than music."
Share your memories of the day Tupac died in the comments below.
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Travie McCoy
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Monday (September 13) is the 14th anniversary of the death of Tupac Shakur. Pac died in 1996, after succumbing to gunshot wounds he suffered a week prior when leaving a Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas.
Travie McCoy still vividly remembers the day. He said he did not believe the news at first.
"I was still in high school," McCoy recalled at the VMA Radio Forum on Friday in Los Angeles. "I was a freshman. I got to school and kids were crying. Kids were upset. I was like, 'What's going on?' I hadn't heard the news. I thought somebody in the school had died. They was, 'Nah — Tupac didn't make it.' My jaw immediately dropped. My school took it upon themselves to play R.E.M.'s 'Everybody Hurts.' It was pandemonium. Everybody burst in tears, in pieces. It was a sad day. He was a fallen soldier to say the least."
Like so many others, McCoy loved Shakur's music but he also respected the rap legend as a person.
"I came up on Pac. I think I might have given [my cousin] Tyga his first Pac record," Travie said. "I just got tingles thinking about that day. Thinking about hearing one of the saddest songs played over the loudspeaker in school when he got killed. It's a shame. But his music lives on. I was listening to All Eyez on Me three days ago."
Meanwhile, veteran rapper-producer David Banner also recently commented about Pac's passing. In an MTV News interview Friday, Banner said, "It was bigger than the death of a rapper. It was the death of an icon for young people ... Pac was deeper than music."
Share your memories of the day Tupac died in the comments below.
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Prince William & Kate: Another Rumored Wedding Date?
People Mark your calendar – again. Prince William and Kate Middleton will wed in June 2012, it is now claimed.Two weeks ago the hunches were that the great event would take place in 2011. The latest in the race to name the date for the long-standing couple's nuptials has them tying the knot at Windsor's St George's Chapel in 2012, the same year the Olympics come to Britain and William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, marks the diamond jubilee of her reign.Discussion: Showbiz Spy - Celebrity Gossip
Dr. Dre Avoided Court by Paying Studio Bill in Full
The rapper was sued by Paramount Recording Studios which later released a statement that Dre had paid them the amount for studio time.
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Jennifer Aniston and Matthew McConaughey Have Sexiest Beach Body
Aniston beats Jessica Biel and Kim Kardashian, while McConaughey wins over Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and David Beckham.
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Rihanna Says Eminem 'Understands' Her VMA Miss
Rihanna won't be hitting the stage with Eminem for this year's VMAs but says the emcee understands her absence.
Photo: Getty Images
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Fidel Castro: I Meant 'Exactly the Opposite' of What The Atlantic Printed [Miscommunications]
The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg has posted a series of funny interviews with Fidel Castro, and in one he swears Castro told him, "The Cuban model doesn't even work for us anymore." Castro says he meant "exactly the opposite." Hmm. More »
Fox News' Cavuto Interrupts Michelle Obama's Speech to Call Barack a 'Nobody' [911]
Fox News' Neil Cavuto decided Michelle Obama had been given enough precious 9/11 airtime for her speech in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, so he interrupted the live broadcast to say of Barack Obama, "nine years ago this day, he was a nobody." More »
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When I Was 17 | Ep. 15 | Enrique Iglesias, Kelly Rowland, Stephanie Pratt
When I Was 17 | Ep. 15 | Enrique Iglesias, Kelly Rowland, Stephanie Pratt
<b>**Episode Returns September 14**</b>Take a look back at the teenage years of Enrique Iglesias, Kelly Rowland and Stephanie Pratt on this episode of 'When I Was 17.'
<b>**Episode Returns September 14**</b>Take a look back at the teenage years of Enrique Iglesias, Kelly Rowland and Stephanie Pratt on this episode of 'When I Was 17.'
Melissa George Melissa Howard Melissa Joan Hart Melissa Rycroft
Swizz Beatz Could 'Get Used To' Performing At The VMAs
Swizz is set to perform 'Fancy' with Drake and Mary J. Blige Sunday night.By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Sway Calloway
Swizz Beatz
Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage
LOS ANGELES — Celebrated party-starter Swizz Beatz will have a very different vantage point at the MTV Video Music Awards this year. Swizz will be a performer at the show rather than his usual position as spectator.
"I'm used to seeing people perform my music on the VMA stage while I sit back and watch like a proud dad and a fan," he said Friday in his dressing room at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Swizz and Mary J. Blige will take to the stage as Drake's special guests to perform "Fancy" on Sunday night. "But to actually be on that stage during rehearsal, it was like, 'I can get used to this.' This is probably where I need to be next year ... by myself. So it was super-inspiring to rock with Drake and to have Mary out there. It's gonna be fun."
Also on Friday, Drake revealed that his performance was inspired by Frank Sinatra and his legendary homies. "I watched the Rat Pack live at the Copa Room," Drake recalled. "It was just so relaxed. They were smoking cigarettes and drinking Jack. It was women everywhere. It wasn't, 'Let's just rap and be epic and be huge.' They were like, 'I really run this. Me and Sammy and Dean.' I wanted to get up there and look fly."
The song "Fancy" has its own interesting story. The record was originally supposed to be on Mary J. Blige's 2009 Stronger With Each Tear, but did not make the cut due to scheduling. Swizz Beatz was going to hold it for his own LP, but after talking to Drake about collaborating for Thank Me Later, he handed the tune over to the 23-year-old.
" 'Fancy' has been well-traveled," Swizz Beatz said over the summer in New Orleans. "It started off as a Swizz record. Then I got Mary [J. Blige] on it. It was supposed to be on her [Stronger With Each Tear], but we missed the deadline. Then I pulled it back for my [upcoming] record. Then five o'clock one morning, on the phone speaking with Drake, he's in a different time zone, we're trying to figure out what he needs [for his album]. He's like, 'Yo, I just need a record for the ladies.' I'm on my computer playing him joints over the phone. Then I played him 'Fancy.' I was like, 'You want something like this?' But I was playing it as a reference."
"He was like, 'That's the record I need,' " Swizz continued. "I said, 'OK, I'll make you that.''
And as history shows, Drake didn't want something like "Fancy," he wanted "Fancy."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. 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 Sunday.
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Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage
LOS ANGELES — Celebrated party-starter Swizz Beatz will have a very different vantage point at the MTV Video Music Awards this year. Swizz will be a performer at the show rather than his usual position as spectator.
"I'm used to seeing people perform my music on the VMA stage while I sit back and watch like a proud dad and a fan," he said Friday in his dressing room at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Swizz and Mary J. Blige will take to the stage as Drake's special guests to perform "Fancy" on Sunday night. "But to actually be on that stage during rehearsal, it was like, 'I can get used to this.' This is probably where I need to be next year ... by myself. So it was super-inspiring to rock with Drake and to have Mary out there. It's gonna be fun."
Also on Friday, Drake revealed that his performance was inspired by Frank Sinatra and his legendary homies. "I watched the Rat Pack live at the Copa Room," Drake recalled. "It was just so relaxed. They were smoking cigarettes and drinking Jack. It was women everywhere. It wasn't, 'Let's just rap and be epic and be huge.' They were like, 'I really run this. Me and Sammy and Dean.' I wanted to get up there and look fly."
The song "Fancy" has its own interesting story. The record was originally supposed to be on Mary J. Blige's 2009 Stronger With Each Tear, but did not make the cut due to scheduling. Swizz Beatz was going to hold it for his own LP, but after talking to Drake about collaborating for Thank Me Later, he handed the tune over to the 23-year-old.
" 'Fancy' has been well-traveled," Swizz Beatz said over the summer in New Orleans. "It started off as a Swizz record. Then I got Mary [J. Blige] on it. It was supposed to be on her [Stronger With Each Tear], but we missed the deadline. Then I pulled it back for my [upcoming] record. Then five o'clock one morning, on the phone speaking with Drake, he's in a different time zone, we're trying to figure out what he needs [for his album]. He's like, 'Yo, I just need a record for the ladies.' I'm on my computer playing him joints over the phone. Then I played him 'Fancy.' I was like, 'You want something like this?' But I was playing it as a reference."
"He was like, 'That's the record I need,' " Swizz continued. "I said, 'OK, I'll make you that.''
And as history shows, Drake didn't want something like "Fancy," he wanted "Fancy."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. 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 Sunday.
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