Network Marketing Today: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Haley Reinhart Has 'A Lot Of Faith' In Post-'American Idol' Career

'I'm really, really lucky to have some strong women that have powerful voices that are coming back into the scene,' she tells MTV News.
By Gil Kaufman

Haley Reinhart
Photo: MTV News

Haley Reinhart had a memorably bumpy ride on the just-completed 10th season of link type="content" id="1486475">"American Idol." She fell down during her final performance night, got dinged by judge Randy Jackson on a number of occasions in an otherwise-sunshiny season of high praise for most of the top finishers and almost had to take the stage at the last minute as a finale sub when eventual runner-up Lauren Alaina suffered a vocal-cord malady on the last performance night.

So is Haley bitter about her seesaw season or worried that her third-place finish means her sultry blues sound didn't click with America?

"I'm really, really lucky to have some strong women that have powerful voices that are coming back into the scene ... that's very inspiring, because that's what I've wanted to do for a while," she told MTV News on Tuesday (May 31), mentioning such icons as Amy Winehouse, Corinne Bailey Rae, Grammy-winning jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding, Duffy and Janelle Monáe as her inspirations.

"All these chicks have a really, really cool, unique sound, and I'm really thankful that this is coming about, because it's the right time for me right now. It's happening, and I have so much throwback that's come along with me, and it seems like it might be a stretch to get there, but especially now with this new wave coming through, with this raw, refreshing good musicality being provided, I have really good feelings and a lot of faith."

Reinhart is already looking ahead to the time after this summer's "Idol" tour, when she hopes to put out some of the funky, R&B/soul style of music she likes to write. "I never wrote anything with the real rock there, so I would like to touch on that," she said, promising that her debut album will be a mix of sultry soul and rock.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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'Fright Night' Star Liked Playing 'Something Evil, Dark'

Christopher Mintz-Plasse speaks after MTV Sneak Peek Week screening.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Craig Gillespie
Photo: MTV News

At MTV's first official Sneak Peek Week movie Monday night (May 30), a group of lucky filmgoers were treated to a special preview screening of "Fright Night," Craig Gillespie's re-vamped telling (pun intended) of the 1985 horror comedy classic, starring Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

During the post-screening Q&A, special guests Mintz-Plasse and director Gillespie addressed the seemingly ever-present question of why and how vampires are so popular these days. "There's always vampires," Gillespie said. "Over the last couple of decades, there's 'The Lost Boys,' vampire Lestat [from 'Interview with the Vampire']. They go in and out, but they're always around. It's a funny thing about vampires, somebody was saying, 'Vampires are sexy; werewolves aren't sexy.' "

When asked if playing a vampire was something Mintz-Plasse had on his actor wish list before signing onto "Fright Night," he said he had so much fun that he now understands why so many people enjoy donning fangs and sucking blood onscreen. "It was awesome to do," Mintz-Plasse said. "Now I get it why people play vampires."

That is, everything but the intense make-up job he apparently had to endure. "The [make-up] was kind of a pain in the ass," Mintz-Plasse revealed. "Four hours a day sitting in a chair, getting that stuff done. It was cool to play something evil and dark, have this rasp to your voice and hate Anton [Yelchin, who plays Mintz-Plasse's character's former BFF], which is hard to do, he's a sweet guy, but it's cool to play that character."

Mintz-Plasse, Gillespie and "Fright Night" are just the beginning of our Sneak Peek Week lead into the Movie Awards. The five-day mini film fest is a week of special screenings designed to keep building the excitement for our annual, unpredictable and always-entertaining event.

Tuesday's screening is "The Art of Getting By," followed by a Q&A with stars Emma Roberts, Elizabeth Reaser, Michael Angarano and director Gavin Wiesen. Wednesday night, we'll screen "Horrible Bosses," with Jason Bateman and director Seth Gordon. Thursday night is "The Help," with Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard; and Friday is "30 Minutes or Less" with Aziz Ansari, Michael Pena and Ruben Fleischer.

Will vampires and werewolves own the 2011 MTV Movie Awards? Can wizards or dream thieves steal the Golden Popcorn? Find out June 5, when the 20th annual show airs live at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Sneak Peek Week, starting May 30, is five days of exclusives and interviews with the casts of "Fright Night," "Horrible Bosses" and more. Check out everything there is to know about Sneak Peek Week and the Movie Awards at MovieAwards.MTV.com!

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Beyonc� - Halo

Halo

Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Philip Andelman
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1236911&vid=332332

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Ke$ha - My First Kiss

My First Kiss

Artist: Ke$ha
Label: Photo Finish Records
Director: Isaac Ravishankara

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=3213641&vid=523194

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Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror

Man In The Mirror

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic Records
Director: n/a
Album: Moonwalker

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1102&vid=206759

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Michael Jackson's 'Thriller': Story Behind The 'Glee' Cover

MJ classic is mashed up with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 'Heads Will Roll' for post-Super Bowl episode.
By Aly Semigran

"Glee"
Photo: FOX

Madonna, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and now, finally, Michael Jackson. The cast of "Glee" has covered plenty of icons during their first two seasons, but it's taken 33 episodes to get around to the King of Pop.

With a huge catalog of Jackson songs, the singing, dancing students of McKinley High paid homage to the late singer with one of his biggest staples (and, arguably, the greatest music video of all time) with their take on "Thriller."

The groundbreaking single from Jackson's best-selling album of the same name was mashed up with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Heads Will Roll" for the post-Super Bowl episode (titled "The Sue Sylvester Bowl Shuffle"), featuring a zombie-fied "Glee" cast.

Bound to become a smash all over again (though with its nonstop rotation at Halloween parties and wedding receptions until the end of time, it's never truly gone away), here's a brief history of the dance/pop classic.

Released on January 23, 1984, "Thriller" was the seventh, and final, single to be released from Jackson's smash record. According to the RIAA, the album (released by Epic Records) has gone gold 29 times, narrowly edging out the Eagles' Greatest Hits 1971-1975 for the title of best-selling album of all time.

In 2009, MTV News estimated that the Thriller album was poised to go triple diamond, meaning 30 million records sold in the U.S. alone.

After Thriller's other singles (including "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and "Wanna Be Startin' Something") dominated the charts, it was time for the spooky, undeniably original track to take over. The song "Thriller" also appeared on many of Jackson's other albums, including the compilations HIStory and Number Ones.

Clocking in at a little under six minutes (though the radio edit was closer to four-and-a-half), the song features pop-music mainstays like synthesizers but shakes things up with its spooky sound effects, including creaking floors, howling and thunder.

The song was produced by Quincy Jones and written and composed by Rod Tempterton and spent 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #4.

But it's the music video for "Thriller" that truly made it the phenomenon it was in the '80s and continues to be today. Less a music video than a mini-motion picture, the video (over 13 minutes long and directed by John Landis) won three MTV Video Music Awards and has been named the best music video of all time by many outlets, including VH1 for the special "VH1: 100 Greatest Videos."

The chiller features Jackson in that iconic red leather jacket on a date with his girlfriend (played by Ola Ray) before things go terribly awry. After all, as Jackson (whose disclaimer at the start of the video reads, "This film in no way endorses a belief in the occult") sings in the opening line, "It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark." Cue werewolves, zombies, Vincent Price's soliloquy and one of the most memorable dance sequences ever.

The video was (no pun intended) a monster hit. As the Los Angeles Times notes, "At the height of the song's popularity, MTV would run the 14-minute 'Thriller' video twice an hour."

Choreographed by Jackson and Michael Peters (who, as the LA Times also reported, appears in the video as one of the zombies) and with makeup by Oscar-winner Rick Baker (also an undead "Thriller" extra) was made with a huge budget of an estimated $500,000.

Still, the efforts paid off. Landis (who told the "Today" show back in 2009 that no one wanted to give them the funds to make the risky vid) made the accompanying 45-minute documentary about the venture, called "The Making of Thriller." Featuring the behind-the-scenes wizardry, as well as the music video in full, it would go on to move more than 10 million copies.

Since then, the signature song and video have seen their share fair of tributes in movies (notably in the 2004 comedy"13 Going on 30") and TV ("South Park," "Family Guy," "30 Rock," among others), not to mention the countless flash mobs that have gone viral. (Remember the prisoners in the Philippines who became overnight phenomenons on YouTube?)

Even with the "Glee" number, this likely won't be the last incarnation of "Thriller." Billboard reported in October that a "Thriller" film is in the works. With a plot allegedly revolving around Price's narration, Kenny Ortega, who directed Jackson's last effort, "This Is It," will reportedly helm the project.

Since Jackson's untimely passing on June 25, 2009, the song and video's legacy continue to live on. In the week following Jackson's death, "Thriller" was the best-selling track in the U.S., with sales of 167,000 copies on the Billboard Hot Digital Singles chart.

Then, in December 2009, "Thriller" was the first music video to ever be inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. It seems "no mere mortal can resist ... the thriller" after all.

What did you think of the "Thriller" mash-up on "Glee"? Let us know in the comments!

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Monday, May 30, 2011

'Hangover Part II': Can It Break $125 Million At The Box Office?

'Our prediction was $129 million, and that's looking like a real possibility,' BoxOffice.com editor Phil Contrino says.
By Eric Ditzian

Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis in "The Hangover Part II"
Photo: Warner Bros.

For the last few days, Hollywood has been abuzz over the idea that "The Hangover Part II" could pull over $125 million into its boozy box-office wake over the extended five-day Memorial Day holiday. Could an R-rated comedy really do such boffo biz?

It's looking increasingly like it can. Wednesday's midnight screenings of "Hangover" pulled in $10.4 million, a record for an R movie. Thursday followed suit, with a final gross of $31.6 million — another R-rated record for biggest opening day ever. Many schools and colleges are now on break, audiences have been giving the flick an A- CinemaScore and not even tepid critical reviews can seem to stop the inevitable.

"We think it will crack $125 million," BoxOffice.com editor Phil Contrino said. "Our prediction was $129 million, and that's looking like a real possibility. These movies appeal to anyone who has ever greeted the morning with dry mouth and a splitting headache. But the films also have heart underneath all the raunchiness. They are about all the mixed feelings that people have before getting married. Do I like my spouse's family? Do I really want to stop having fun?"

Other industry experts are not as convinced. David Poland of Movie City News is taking a wait-and-see approach while noting that anything over $100 million during the extended weekend would be considered a huge success. "The swing, with numbers this big, is $25-plus million in five days," he said. "There's no way to know how much of the must-see-or-die audience has been served by this huge Thursday. We can all guess, but we're just guessing."

Poland compared the "Hangover" sequel's opening to the second "Matrix" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" films: The originals were surprise blockbusters and the follow-ups received a "mega-opening in response." Helping spur audience excitement, he also noted, was a top-notch marketing campaign including exceptional TV spots. "I've seen the film and they make me want to see it again," he said. "They do exactly what a sequel wants to do — click into the characters you love and promise more."

All of this makes "The Hangover Part III" seem less like just a possibility than an unavoidability. Even last year's "Due Date," which director Todd Phillips shot between "Hangover" flicks, grossed $212 million worldwide. The guy can do no wrong for his studio. As Contrino put it, "He will be in a league of his own after this movie. Warner Bros. would let him film an adaptation of the phone book at this point just to keep him happy."

So while the filmmaker continues to keep his studio bosses and audiences delighted, it doesn't seem like he'll start to give a hoot what critics — those who love him as well as those who hate him — think. "He knew that the nasty reviews for this were coming," Poland said. "He doesn't get the amount of space from critics that, for instance, Judd Apatow gets. So maybe that will be his secret goal, though I believe him completely when he says that he won't start making other kinds of movies or adjusting what he thinks is funny just to get the critical love he wants. No 'Funny People' coming from Todd."

Check out everything we've got on "The Hangover Part II."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Justin Bieber's Grammy Performance Will Be 'A Crossover,' Usher Says

The 'O.M.G.' singer looks forward to sharing the stage with his protégé on Sunday night.
By James Montgomery

Usher
Photo: Amanda Edwards/ Getty Images

HOLLYWOOD — At Sunday's 53rd Grammy Awards, Usher will be pulling double duty as both a nominee and a performer. Of course, given the massive year he just completed — with the success of his smash single "O.M.G." and as a mentor to rising phenom Justin Bieber — Ush's Grammy plans seem rather fitting.

Especially since he'll be performing with Bieber (and Bieber's pal Jaden Smith), a move that's just as much about celebrating Usher's successes as it is the successes of his young protégé.

"Having been through [the Grammys] so many times, you couldn't want for anything more than for your young protégé to have the opportunity to have one, so, in support of him having his moment, I wanted to be here," Usher told MTV News on Thursday, hours before his performance at the (Belvedere) RED launch party in Hollywood. "And also to be there to perform, to kind of tell the story of how we came together. This music business has definitely been good to both of us, and this year we have a lot to be happy for."

And just how will the dynamic duo tell that story? Well, Usher wasn't about to reveal all the details, but he did say that he's hoping their performance will show another side of Bieber ... a side most tend to overlook.

"The performance will be fun," Usher explained. "We want to get up there and just do what we do. Be comfortable, and have a great time. ... This is kind of a crossover for Justin. Having performed on so many different stages, this is the way that I wanted him to be seen and an opportunity to show the industry — a lot of the industry, that didn't believe [in him] — some of his other talents. He's going to play acoustically, and also, we'll get down a little bit."

And though Ush is up for a pair of Grammy awards on Sunday — Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album for Raymond v. Raymond — he's most looking forward to sharing the stage with Bieber and giving fans a look at where the young artist will be heading next.

"I'm very proud, man. I definitely saw it from the beginning, but thanks to the team that we have around us, it was made to happen. And that story has only just begun," Usher said. "The story of Justin Bieber doesn't stop with screaming girls; we need screaming fans all around the world ... a cultural experience that's much more than just fanfare. And that's what this is. That's what the Grammys will be; that's what my next phase for Justin is. This is the way I found him: I found him with a guitar in his hand, so I want him to be seen that way."

Don't miss "Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys," a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!

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Michael C. Hall & Jennifer Carpenter Surface On The SoCal Set Of ?Dexter? Season 6

Dexter co-stars Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter were spotted in Long Beach, CA this week filming their first scenes together for upcoming 6th season of their show. As you may recall, MCH and Jen –who play brother and sister on the show — announced the end of their short marriage after the last season [...]

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MTV Movie Awards: A Peek Inside The Gift Bag

'Twilight' styling brushes will greet celebrities at June 5 show.
By MTV News staff

The 2011 MTV Movie Awards gift bag
Photo: Ter`rece Walker/MTV

If it's not enough to know that all of your favorite stars will be attending, presenting or performing at this year's MTV Movie Awards — which they will be — MTV News will be all over the event: behind the scenes, front and center, everywhere, to bring you the most exclusive insider information.

Here, we have a sneak peek at the official 2011 Movie Awards gift bag, which will be presented to celebrities at the show. This year's gift bag features a bevy of products from name-brand companies including Starbucks, Casio, Murad, Mattel, Ralph Lauren Fragrances and Lacoste.

There are too many goodies to name, but a few of the highlights include a $50 Starbucks card, Ralph Lauren Fragrances' Big Pony Collection scents for men and the Romance & Summer Romance for women, a Kobo eReader loaded with 100 books, a Casio TRYX camera, and a two-night stay and specially designed bag from Andaz 5th Avenue.

"Twilight" fans might be excited to learn that Pro Beauty Tools is gifting celebrities with a bunch of their professional hair-styling tools, the standout being the styling brush used on the set of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn."

"The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" leads the Golden Popcorn nominations this year with eight nods — including Best Movie, Best Fight and Best Kiss — narrowly besting the dream thieves of "Inception" (seven nods) and the wizards of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" (six nods). All three films have been nominated for Best Movie and will compete with "Black Swan" (four nods) and "The Social Network"(five nods) for the night's top prize.

The list of presenters on the show keeps growing too, currently including Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Steve Carell, Emma Stone, Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel, Patrick Dempsey, Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, Nicki Minaj, Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy, with more appearances and performers to be announced soon.

The 2011 MTV Movie Awards will be hosted by actor/comedian Jason Sudeikis and will be broadcast live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California, on Sunday, June 5, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.

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The 2011 MTV Movie Awards Gift Bag

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1664688/2011-mtv-movie-awards-gift-bag.jhtml

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Ke$ha - Tik Tok

Tik Tok

Artist: Ke$ha
Label: RCA
Director: Syndrome
Album: Animal [Clean]

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=3213641&vid=445445

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Britney Spears - Break the Ice

Break the Ice

Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Jive/Zomba Label Group
Director: Robert Hales
Album: Blackout

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=215555

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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Robert Plant And Alison Krauss Win Grammy Album Of The Year

Raising Sand, from Led Zeppelin vet and bluegrass superstar, wins five Grammys on Sunday night.
By James Montgomery with MTV News staff

Alison Krauss and Robert Plant accept the award for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

"I'm bewildered," Robert Plant said onstage as he accepted the Grammy Album of the Year award with Alison Krauss on Sunday night. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday."

He was probably one of the few who were surprised, because Raising Sand, which won five trophies at Sunday night's show, is in many ways the perfect Grammy album. It features two respected veterans, a critically lauded producer, some sandpaper-and-velvet vocals and a baker's dozen of time-tested standards.

You're probably familiar with Robert Plant from his Led Zeppelin days, and you might be aware of producer T-Bone Burnett's work on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack (it won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002). And if you don't know who Alison Krauss is, she possesses a haunting set of pipes and is one of the meanest fiddle players in the world. Oh, and she's won 21 Grammys, more than any other female artist and the seventh-most in history.

Really, she's the key to Sand's success, and not just because of her voice (or her fiddle playing). She and Plant first met in 2004, at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to legendary bluesman Leadbelly, and the former Zeppelin man was amazed by her knowledge of American Roots music — so much so that they began kicking around the idea of recording an album together. Three years later, Sand was released.

And while Plant possesses the more famous voice, the album's finest moments radiate from Krauss. Whether she's getting bluesy on Little Milton's "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson" or entwining with Plant's husky voice on songs like "Please Read the Letter" and Roly Salley's winsome "Killing the Blues," she more than carries her end of the bargain.

And perhaps that's also due to producer Burnett, who handpicked the 13 songs the duo cover on Sand. His arrangements are sparse — giving the two voices ample room to breathe — yet dense, warm and crackling at the same time. It's a testament to his work that he's often given just as much billing as Plant and Krauss on the project ... and it's certainly justified.

To date, Sand has sold more than 1 million copies, heaped tons of acclaim and actually earned a Grammy last year — "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" took home the award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.

One expert was surprised not by the album's success, but by the fact that it's actually quite a good album.

"At first, the album seemed like a vanity project. ... Two names, clearly a one-off record, didn't have to be any good, you know?" New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica said. "Led Zeppelin fans would buy it because of Robert Plant, Alison Krauss would get a check. But it actually turned out to be a really thoughtful, really good record. So when you combine all that with the fact that the Grammys love to lionize one of their own, I could really see it taking home some awards."

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?Dexter? Season 6 Releases A Teaser Promo Video

Yesterday we got to see the first photos of current co-stars (and ex-marrieds) Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter on the SoCal set of Dexter and today we get to see a teaser video trailer for the upcoming 6th season. Now, if you’re a fan of Dexter then you’ve prolly seen the previous 5 seasons [...]

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Photos | 2011 Pre-Grammy Celebrations

2011 Pre-Grammy Celebrations

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Britney Spears - Radar

Radar

Artist: Britney Spears
Label: RCA, Jive, Zomba Label Group
Director: Dave Meyers
Album: Circus

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=410008

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Photos | 2011 Billboard Music Awards

2011 Billboard Music Awards

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Chris Cornell Filling In For Robert Plant On Led Zeppelin Tour? That's News To Him

'I have not been approached to fill in for Robert Plant on the Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be,' singer says.
By Chris Harris

Chris Cornell
Photo: MTV News

Former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell has spoken out for the first time about rumors that he's been asked to fill in for Robert Plant on a proposed Led Zeppelin reunion tour. The trek would feature original guitarist Jimmy Page, original bassist John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham taking over on drums for his late father, John Bonham.

Cornell has been mentioned — along with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, White Stripes mastermind Jack White and Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy — as a potential Plant fill-in. Plant has already said that he wouldn't take part in the tour.

"I have not been approached so far to fill in for Robert Plant on the upcoming Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be," Cornell told MTV News. "I've heard that from about 200 people now, and it might be one of those situations where it's just an online rumor or it might be true. But if you see anyone from Led Zeppelin around, let me know. I think I should actually fill in for Jimmy Page on the Robert Plant/ Alison Krauss tour."

Cornell's denial comes just a day after Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford confirmed reports that frontman Steven Tyler recently met with Zeppelin for an impromptu jam session. "They did it for fun," Whitford said during an appearance on the syndicated show "Todd N Tyler Radio Empire." "I actually think Jimmy wanted Steven to come over and play a little bit because I think he was trying to light a fire under Robert."

Rumors of a Zeppelin reunion tour have abounded since the iconic band played a single reunion set last year at London's O2 Arena. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider added fuel to the fire last month when he revealed that the group was thinking of touring, with or without Plant.

According to Snider, the rest of the band told Plant, " 'We're all rehearsed, we're ready to go. Here's a gazillion dollars on the table. If you don't do it, we're going out with this kid [Myles Kennedy].' "

"And he can sing the sh-- out of Zeppelin," Snider added. "They're going to hope that Robert, at the last minute, will go, 'OK,' and step in."

In a recent interview, Jones told BBC Radio Devon that a new singer was being sought to take over for Plant. "We are trying out a couple of singers," he said. "We want to do it. It's sounding great, and we want to get on and get out there."

But Jones insists that he, Page and Bonham aren't interested in finding a Plant clone. "It's got to be right," he said. "There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band. There would be a record and a tour, but everyone has to be onboard."

Of course, even if Zeppelin were to approach him, Cornell might be too busy to take over vocals for the band. His upcoming Timbaland-produced solo LP, Scream, will be released within the next few months. Cornell told MTV News last month that some of his fans might consider Scream something of a departure, but he doesn't see it that way.

"It makes me happy that there's this perception that I have a group of fans that I'm now sort of throwing a curve at and what their reaction will be," he said. "But I've been in this situation so many times already. When I put out [1999's] Euphoria Morning, my main goal was to create an album that sounded like nothing I'd done in Soundgarden, and I did that. I also had that with Temple of the Dog, where I showed up with songs that weren't necessarily riff-based. And then, of course, the pairing of me and members of Rage Against the Machine had everyone sort of speculating about what that would sound like.

"It feels like I've done this so many times that when it's presented to me as being a departure, I feel that's a misconception," he added. "I feel like that's my theme at this point."

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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Beyonc� - Diva

Diva

Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Melina
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1236911&vid=333569

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Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner Meet MTV Movie Awards Host Jason Sudeikis

'SNL' star gets a little creepy with the nominees in new promos for the show.
By Eric Ditzian

Kristen Stewart
Photo: MTV

Ever since "Twilight" sank its fangs into the pop-culture landscape, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner have played major roles at the MTV Movie Awards. For the past few shows, they've appeared in movie spoofs, introduced exclusive franchise footage, kissed their co-stars and even accidently dropped a Golden Popcorn onstage.

For the 2011 Movie Awards, the actors decided to get involved in the action a little bit earlier. Not that they had a choice in the matter, as two new promo spots make clear. Host Jason Sudeikis follows up on his desire to meet the nominees before showtime (he's already shared face time with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Stone and Leighton Meester), and the "SNL" funnyman surprises the "Twilight" stars in some unlikely places.

In Stewart's clip, she has just settled in to get her hair cut, when Sudeikis pops into her dressing room. "You're not my hairdresser," she tells him. "Good eye!" he responds. But the two quickly hit it off, and it's not long before he's plopping a bowl on her head and snipping away. Say goodbye to Bella Swan's long locks!

In the other spot, Lautner hails a New York City cab, only to realize Sudeikis is behind the wheel, though he admits to being "a terrible driver." Lautner tries to escape, but the Movie Awards host locks the doors. "That's weird," the Twi-werewolf tells him. Weirder still is that Sudeikis confesses he stole the taxi, and as the police sirens swirl in the background, he leaves poor Taylor locked in the car plaintively crying, "Jason!"

Hopefully, he'll find his way out by June 5, when the 2011 MTV Movie Awards air live at 9 p.m. ET from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Voting in all categories, from Best Villain to Best Line from a Movie, is now under way at MovieAwards.MTV.com. Voting is set to close on June 4. But voting for Best Movie will stay open through the show itself, meaning you have the chance to affect the night's biggest winner up until the very last minute.

Will vampires and werewolves own the 2011 MTV Movie Awards? Can wizards or dream thieves steal the Golden Popcorn? Find out on June 5, when the 20th annual show airs live at 9 p.m. ET/PT. To get into the magical movie mood, we're kicking off a Sneak Peek Week starting on May 30 — five days of exclusives and interviews with the casts of "Fright Night, "Horrible Bosses" and more. Check out everything there is to know about Sneak Peek Week and the Movie Awards at MovieAwards.MTV.com!

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Last week we saw a very Beast-ly clip from the upcoming prequel film X-Men: First Class … today we get to see another clip from the film that features the young X-Men training in order to learn how to master their mutant powers. Every action film needs a training montage scene … click below to [...]

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Britney Spears' Next Femme Fatale Single Is 'I Wanna Go'

Spears fan site Breathe Heavy announces the latest release.
By Jocelyn Vena

Britney Spears
Photo: Jive

While there's been lots of speculation about Britney Spears' next single, on Tuesday (May 10), it was announced that Spears would release "I Wanna Go" next from Femme Fatale.

The announcement about the track, produced by Max Martin and Shellback ("3," "If U Seek Amy"), came via Spears fan site Breathe Heavy. "BreatheHeavy.com can officially announce Britney's third music video off Femme Fatale is 'I Wanna Go,' " the post reads. "The shoot will take place May 25-26 in Los Angeles."

"I Wanna Go" is a funky dance track about going out, letting loose and having a great time, regardless of the consequences. On the song, Spears coos, "Lately I've been stuck imaginin'/ What I wanna do and what I really think, time to blow out/ Be a little inappropriate 'cause I know that everybody's/ Thinkin' it when the lights out/ Shame on me/ To need release/ Un-uncontrollably."

A rep for Spears had not responded to MTV News' request for confirmation by press time.

This single follows "Hold It Against Me" and "Till the World Ends" (both the album cut and Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha-fied remix), as Spears readies to hit the road this June with Minaj.

"I feel like Britney kind of has her own genre: If you look at songs like 'Toxic' and 'Piece of Me' and 'Oops! ... I Did It Again,' they all were sort of influential and led the way," Dr. Luke, who worked with Spears on Femme Fatale, recently told MTV News. "She wanted to keep on with that and do stuff that was forward-thinking [for this album]. So we put some dubstep stuff in there, in bridges; snuck it in different places."

Are you happy "I Wanna Go" is the next single? Let us know in the comments!

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Britney Spears Drops Official 'Till The World Ends' Remix

New track with Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha follows leaked version, plus Brit tweets single's cover art.
By Jocelyn Vena

The "Till the World Ends" Femme Fatale remix
Photo: Jive

Just days after it was leaked on Friday, Britney Spears and her femme fatales, Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha, dropped their official remix of "Till the World Ends."

The new version of the song was produced by Dr. Luke and Dream Machine. Brit half-whispers " 'Till the World Ends' remix" before the beat kicks in and Nicki hits her verse hard. She spits fierce lines like, "Sniff, sniff, cries/ I done slayed your whole entire f---ing life."

Then Britney's sex-kitten vocals kick in for the song's first verse. "That's Britney, bitch! I'm Nicki Minaj and that's Ke$ha," the Queens MC declares before K sings the chorus. The beat is harder, the loops are sassier and the song is grimier than the original version, which was the second single from Femme Fatale. The newly added dubstep portion takes the one from "Hold It Against Me" to a new level by adding in bass-heavy synths.

Ke$ha, of course, wrote the track for Britney, and the ladies certainly don't seem to mind sharing the spotlight with each other. The official track isn't much different than the version that leaked over the weekend, though Spears did have something brand-new to share with her fans just as the song dropped on iTunes and streamed on her website.

Spears tweeted the artwork for the single, which features the original press photo of Spears along with separate photos of Nicki on the left and Ke$ha on the right. Spears wrote, "@NickiMinaj @Keshasuxx Too much fierceness for one cover! Thanks for lending your voices girls... #TTWEREMIX — Brit"

Spears and Minaj have been hanging out a lot in the lead-up to their summer tour. They hung out at the Factory nightclub on Friday night after Minaj's show in Los Angeles. Spears later wrote, "Early rehearsal after a late night with my girl @NickiMinaj. Can't WAIT to get out on the road with you."

What do you think of the "Till the World Ends" remix? Tell us in the comments!

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Promo For The 38th 11th Season Of Degrassi!

Because we doubt this show will ever get canceled…
Check out the just released promo for the upcoming 11th season of Degrassi, which is set to premiere July 18th, and featuring the song Steal Your Heart by Augustana (above)!
Pretty much the usual, standard fare by this point…heartbreak, romance, buttloads of drama…and a GUN?!
Didn't they already do [...]

Source: http://perezhilton.com/2011-05-27-degrassi-season-11-promo

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Friday, May 27, 2011

Robert Pattinson In 'Cosmopolis': First Look!

RPattz and co-star Sarah Gadon appear to be in the back of a cab in photo from David Cronenberg movie.
By Eric Ditzian

Robert Pattinson and Sarah Gadon in "Cosmopolis"
Photo: Caitlin Cronenberg's Twitter

Robert Pattinson spent eight months on the set of "Breaking Dawn" and was immediately pulled from the set to begin his whirlwind press duties for "Water for Elephants" last month. After perhaps just enough time to take a quick nap, RPattz is now back on a new set: "Cosmopolis," director David Cronenberg's adaptation of the slim Don DeLillo novel.

With production under way, Cronenberg's daughter has posted the first look at Pattinson and Sarah Gadon in character. The photo appears to capture the duo in a cab, though the great majority of the action, or lack thereof, in the book takes place in a limousine. Pattinson plays Eric Packer, a young and rich asset manager who, over the course of one day, manages to lose millions of dollars yet remain oddly detached from it all as his limo plods through horrendous New York City traffic. Gadon portrays Elise, a rich and beautiful heiress who is married to Packer but who doesn't seem to care for him very much at all and who certainly won't sleep with him.

"I had read the script about eight months ago and thought, 'Wow, this is something that hasn't been made in a long time,' "Pattinson told MTV News in March. "Which I think, like 'Water for Elephants' as well, I'm just trying to find that kind of stuff, because what else is the point? There's so much generic, everything's the same. So you might as well attempt to try something different."

When we caught up with him again in April, Rob revealed that he'd been working with a dialect coach to achieve a "very specific accent." But he still hadn't spoken with Gadon about the upcoming project. "I've seen a couple of things she's done," he said. "She's really good."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Michael C. Hall Is A Parking Meter Feeder

When actor Michael C. Hall isn’t busy working on his Showtime series Dexter or partying with my BFF Darion on his birthday, he is going about town here in LA taking care of various errands … making sure that he remains free of parking tickets. MCH was spotted doing the mundane task of feeding his [...]

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'American Idol' Finale Reportedly To Feature Lady Gaga, Beyonce Performance

Carrie Underwood, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez also rumored to be taking the stage.
By Gil Kaufman

Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

As "American Idol" fans sweat out the final hours before they find out whether Scotty McCreery or Lauren Alaina will be crowned the new people's champ, more details have emerged about who will perform on the season 10 finale on Wednesday night (May 25).

As always, producers have kept a tight lid on what surprises are in store for the two-hour finale — and a spokesperson for "Idol" did not return requests for comment at press time. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, a pair of this year's mentors will be back to celebrate the coronation.

Citing unnamed production sources, the trade magazine reported that in addition to U2's Bono and The Edge performing with castmembers from the troubled Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," Beyoncé and Lady Gaga will take the stage.

The story claimed that both pop divas, who helped mentor this year's finalists, will team up with all-time "Idol" champ Carrie Underwood to perform a group medley with judge Steven Tyler and title contenders McCreery and Alaina. There is also unconfirmed talk that fellow judge Jennifer Lopez will also take the stage for a command performance.

In addition, bearded season 10 growler Casey Abrams will take the stage with "Kung Fu Panda 2" funnyman Jack Black.

Don't miss a special edition of "Idol Party Live" Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, finale red-carpet coverage and the last "Idol in 60 Seconds" of season 10. Get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Selena Gomez, Kat Graham Reveal Fave Britney Spears Tunes

Victoria Justice, Christina Milian and more pick a range of Brit classics like 'Slave 4 U' and new-school bangers like 'Till the World Ends.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias

Selena Gomez
Photo: MTV News

On Wednesday night in Los Angeles, Britney Spears' supporters gathered to help the star raise funds for the St. Bernard Project. The Louisiana-based nonprofit helps those affected by Hurricane Katrina to rebuild their homes and their lives. And while much of the talk focused on the good the charity does, MTV News also asked the celeb guests which of Spears' songs would make the final cut on their playlists.

Britney fanatic Selena Gomez said, "Oh goodness! 'Slave 4 U,' that will always be, 'cause that was when it was like, 'Oh, she's not a girl anymore, she's a woman.' The controversy, I loved it!"

Christina Milian preferred one of Brit's more heartfelt songs. " 'Everytime,' it's emotional, and she's beautiful," Milian told us on the event's red carpet, where we saw a number of stars, including Kim Kardashian and Kellan Lutz. "She sang it great."

Spears' "Crossroads" co-star Taryn Manning knew Spears way back when, but her favorite song is a more contemporary Britney tune. " 'Till the World Ends' is incredible," she dished. "I think it's seriously one of her best songs, probably the reason why she went platinum like that."

Sabi, Spears' "(Drop Dead) Beautiful" collaborator, who's set to hit up some Femme Fatale Tour shows this summer, said, "Really, my favorite song had to be 'Toxic' or Slave 4 U. It's between those two. I just think those two are like so sexy, badass songs."

Hilary Duff found it hard to narrow it down. "I like everything," she said. "I liked the whole 'Toxic' thing. I really liked 'Womanizer'."

When Victoria Justice listens to Spears, she likes to kick it old school. "I'm a really big fan of her older stuff," she told us, "So, like, 'Overprotected' and 'Lucky'."

"Vampire Diaries" star Kat Graham enjoys both old and new Britney Spears. "I like 'Hold It Against Me,' I must say. I'm just kind of in with the times right now," she said. "But '... Baby One More Time' is always a classic."

What's your all-time favorite Britney song? Let us know in the comments!

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Ke$ha - Your Love Is My Drug

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Label: RCA
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Thursday, May 26, 2011

?True Blood? Season 4 Releases A New Promo Poster

A couple of weeks ago we got our first look at the first full-length trailer for the upcoming 4th season of True Blood on HBO and then about a week later we got to see a second trailer that introduces the new witch characters that will be featured on the show. Today we get to [...]

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Photos | Britney Spears Performs During 'Good Morning America'

Britney Spears Performs During 'Good Morning America'

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Photos | The 2010 Soul Train Awards Nominees

The 2010 Soul Train Awards Nominees

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Scotty McCreery
Photo: Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — Country fans were out in full force at the Nokia Theater on Wednesday night (May 25) for the "American Idol" finale, a showdown between country kids Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina. L.A. is a ways from Nashville, but you wouldn't know it from the cowboy boots clomping into the theater and the biggest cheers of the night coming for Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood.

The support for eventual winner Scotty McCreery was especially apparent in the house. Following the final surprise performance of the night, from judge Steven Tyler, a row of Scotty fans stood with their heads in their hands for the entire commercial break leading up to the results. They didn't come up for air till their boy was announced season 10 Idol, and they erupted in cheers.

The enthusiastic crowd had some other favorites: Early castoff Pia Toscano's first appearance garnered the biggest cheers aside from the top two, and the last-minute arrivals of season-seven winner David Cook and season-eight runner-up Adam Lambert sent the devoted "Idol" fans into a tizzy.

There had been rumors leading up the finale that Lady Gaga would perform, and they were confirmed for the crowd when Gaga's creative director, Laurieann Gibson, walked down the aisle during a commercial break and got behind the sound board to steer the "Edge of Glory" spectacle. Speaking of the theatrical performance, the overtly sexual routine between Mother Monster and a backup dancer had audience members saying, "Um, wow!" But they forgot all about the bump-and-grind when the duo descended into the stage at the end, with fans gasping audibly at their fall.

A couple of other on-the-scene observations:

» Beyoncé has a lot of songs about girl power, but she really lived it when she walked the ladies of the top 13 offstage, holding their hands and celebrating their medley performance.

» Some of the audience members apparently hadn't gotten the memo that U2's Bono and The Edge were going to perform a song from Broadway's "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." When the two Spider-Men got in their positions in the rafters to dive into the aisles and kick off the performance, one fan cracked, "I hope this doesn't go down as badly as the Broadway musical." Um, this is the Broadway musical.

» During the finale's requisite "biggest train wrecks" package, viewers were reminded of one mom who really didn't want the cameras to follow her daughter any longer post-audition, swearing up a storm and pushing the lens out of her face. As that mom made her way out of Nokia (yes, she was in the house), one man tapped her on the shoulder and said, "We had your back." The woman responded, "I had to protect my baby!"

» After the show wrapped, Ryan Seacrest called the cameras over for one last order of business. With the confetti still falling and all the "Idol" finalists gathered onstage, the host told fans that this could all be theirs next season. "It's worth it, isn't it?" Seacrest asked a still-dazed Scotty. "You better believe it," McCreery smiled.

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