Friday, December 31, 2010

Lindsay Lohan Inspires New Comedy 'Dogs In Pocketbooks'

Screenwriter Charles Casillo has hired heiress Lydia Hearst Shaw to star as a 'bratty movie goddess ... in trouble with the law.'
By Terri Schwartz


Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan's troubled life and recent scandals don't necessarily seem particularly funny, but screenwriter Charles Casillo apparently is aiming to put a comedic spin on the actress's trials in the new film "Dogs in Pocketbooks." The New York Post reports that Casillo has chosen heiress Lydia Hearst Shaw, in her first Hollywood film role, to play the Lohan-esque character at the center of his movie.

The writer told the Post that Shaw will portray a "bratty movie goddess in and out of rehab, in trouble with the law, and hounded by greedy agents, predatory paparazzi, off-the-wall stalkers and crazed media." TMZ pointed out that the only Lohan-related aspect missing from this picture are "scheming, sponging parents whose lives derail their child," although that might take away from some of the flick's comedic value. The film is set to start shooting in New York and Los Angeles in February.

Casillo emphasized to the Post that "Dogs in Pocketbooks" is "in no way mean-spirited toward Lindsay," adding, "It's the kind of thing she has spoofed about herself in the past. It's more of a satire about the crazy people around her and the situations they generate. It satirizes the obsession with modern celebrity."

Though Shaw has not acted in a feature film before, she is well known for her modeling career — including campaigns for Bottega Veneta, Escada and Lord & Taylor — and dating Jeff Goldblum. She also is the daughter of famous 1970s kidnapping victim Patty Hearst. Casillo said he spent a lot of time trying to find the right woman to play the big-screen version of Lohan, and that Shaw is perfect for the part.

"She's one of the few supermodels who can actually act," he insisted. "She's smart, well-read, charming and very beautiful. We looked at a lot of actresses for this role, and I was really knocked out." The fact that she knows what it's like to be a pursued celebrity probably only helped as well, considering she is the heir to the William Randolph Hearst fortune.

The film also has already cast "Dynasty" actress Joan Collins as the main character's agent. The veteran star told the Post, "The script is a hoot — a satire on the crazed hysteria surrounding show-biz celebrities. I'm playing an aggressive, sexy, powerful woman. For a change."

This month, Lohan has been involved in a scandal where a woman who worked at the rehab facility at which the actress was staying accused her of assault, though charges have now been dropped. She also was recently replaced by Malin Akerman as the star of the Linda Lovelace biopic "Inferno" because Lohan was not going to be out of rehab in time to shoot the movie.

What do you think about "Dogs in Pocketbooks"? Share your opinion in the comments.

Related Photos Related Artists

Sarah Polley Sarah Shahi Sarah Silverman Sarah Wynter Scarlett Chorvat

Photos | Ke$ha Exclusive Photos | MTV Style

Ke$ha Exclusive Photos | MTV Style

Related Artists

Deanna Russo Denise Richards Desiree Dymond Diane Kruger Dido

Oprah Launches Her OWN Network

Oprah Launches Her OWN Network

Believe it or not, this January 1st won't be all about football on TV. New Year's Day also marks the launch of Oprah Winfrey's new network, OWN, at noon ET, on the channel that is currently the Discovery Health Channel.

What exactly awaits you at OWN? If you know anything about Winfrey, then you know that this talk show host/media mogul wants to empower you. She wants to make over all aspects of your life—from your cluttered home to your repressed spirit. She wants you to know yourself, to accept who you are, and then to become even better. The programming on OWN is all more or less geared toward achieving that goal.

Winfrey herself won't appear on every show on the new network, holding your hand through your entire enlightenment process. This is about self-empowerment, people! She can't do everything for you! Besides, she's done that for one hour a day for the last 25 years. But she has promised to appear on 70 hours of programming a year. And rest assured she'll be at the launch, hosting the first show, Oprah's Guide to OWN.

The lineup for that first day of programming features shows that might make you a better parent, inspire you with a successful celebrity's story, help you declutter your home, galvanize you to search for a lost loved one, or get you thinking about miracles. Here's the schedule…and let the self-actualization begin!

12 p.m. ET          Oprah's Guide to OWN: The New Oprah Winfrey Network

 

1 p.m. ET            Kidnapped by the Kids (sneak peek)

 

2 p.m. ET            Oprah Presents Master Class: Jay-Z

 

3 p.m. ET            Enough Already with Peter Walsh (sneak peek)

 

4 p.m. ET            Searching For… (sneak peek)

 

5 p.m. ET            Miracle Detectives (sneak peek)

 

8 p.m. ET            Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes

 

11 p.m. ET          In the Bedroom with Dr. Laura Berman (sneak peek)

 

Which of these shows sounds most enticing to you? Chime in below!

Christina Milian Christina Ricci Chyler Leigh Ciara Cindy Crawford

Photos | 2009 American Music Award Nominees

2009 American Music Award Nominees

Related Artists

Maggie Grace Maggie Gyllenhaal Majandra Delfino Malia Jones Malin Akerman

Photos | MTV News' 2009 Men Of The Year: #1 Michael Jackson

MTV News' 2009 Men Of The Year: #1 Michael Jackson

Related Artists

Eliza Dushku Emilie de Ravin Emma Heming Emma Stone Emma Watson

Photos | MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Zombie Pop Stars

MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Zombie Pop Stars

Related Artists

Michelle Branch Michelle Malkin Michelle Obama Michelle Rodriguez Michelle Trachtenberg

Beyonce Can't Pick Her Favorite Jay-Z Song

'I can't tell you which one is my favorite. It's just too many,' singer tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


Beyoncé arrives at her "I Am ... World Tour" DVD screening on Sunday
Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Jay-Z is letting fans into his world with two major releases this month. He just published his book, "Decoded," in which he takes a closer look at his career, and on Monday (November 22), Hova is releasing a greatest-hits album, The Hits Collection, Volume 1.

The album features Jay's most memorable tunes, including "Big Pimpin'," "Hard Knock Life," "99 Problems" and his collabo with his superstar wife, Beyoncé, "03' Bonnie & Clyde."

But when MTV News caught up with Bey Sunday at a New York screening for her DVD concert special, "I Am ... World Tour," she admitted that "Bonnie & Clyde" isn't her favorite Jay-Z track.

"God, that's not my favorite, even though I like it," she laughed. "I can't tell you which one is my favorite. It's just too many. You're putting me on the spot!"

While the pair may be releasing fresh products at the same time, the singer insists there is no competition in the Carter-Knowles household.

"No absolutely not, [there is no competition]," she told reporters at the DVD event, going on to praise "Decoded." "That book is unbelievable, and I think we're all really proud of it. And this DVD [out this] Thanksgiving — it's the holiday season of everyone's [material] coming out."

The DVD shows a new, more intimate side of the usually private Beyoncé, and Jay-Z admits that his book also sheds new light on his persona and career. "A lot of people listen to music, but they don't really listen to it," he explained. "You may know the words and you may bop your head to it, but you don't really understand what you're singing."

Open the floodgates! It's Mega-Release Week, with Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Ke$ha, My Chemical Romance and Lloyd Banks all dropping new albums. Stick with MTV News for everything you need to know about the brand-new music.

Related Videos Related Artists

Grace Park Gretha Cavazzoni Gwen Stefani Halle Berry Hayden Panettiere

Photos | MTV News' 2009 Women Of The Year

MTV News' 2009 Women Of The Year

Related Artists

Vinessa Shaw Virginie Ledoyen Vitamin C Vogue Whitney Able

Britney Spears - Do Somethin'

Do Somethin'

Jamie Chung Jamie Gunns Jamie Lynn Sigler Janet Jackson January Jones

Elaine Mellencamp: John Mellencamp?s Wife (Photos & Video)

Meet Elaine Mellencamp. The blonde beauty is John Mellencamp’s wife, but not for long. Here’s another celebrity breakup in 2010. What’s behind the split? Get the deets here plus see photos and a video of Elaine below.





What a year it’s been for celebs calling it quits on their marriages. But [...]

Leelee Sobieski Leighton Meester Leila Arcieri Lena Headey Leonor Varela

Around the Web?

Some stories for your Thursday afternoon: The pros and cons of gender-neutral baby naming ? Jezebel Advice on getting your little ones to sleep at night ? Just the Facts, Kid Myths and facts about C-sections ? Health.com A Maryland hospital bans baby photography until five minutes after birth ? lilSugar Alicia Keys sings about [...]

Paris Hilton Patricia Velásquez Paula Garcés Paulina Rubio Paz Vega

Natalie Portman & James Franco Do ?Entertainment Weekly? Magazine

Newly engaged & pregs Natalie Portman and Academy Awards host James Franco each grace their own cover of this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine. The coverstory for this week’s issue is focused on the Oscar Race for the 83rd annual Academy Awards so Natalie and James, both front-runners for Oscar noms for their work [...]

Michelle Behennah Michelle Branch Michelle Malkin Michelle Obama Michelle Rodriguez

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Photos | 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Premieres Around The World

'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Premieres Around The World

Related Artists

Shiri Appleby Sienna Guillory Sienna Miller Simone Mütherthies Sofía Vergara

Beyoncé - Kitty Kat

Kitty Kat

Laura Harring Laura Prepon Lauren Bush Lauren Conrad Lauren German

Les News, 122910

THIS baby hates EVERYTHING! How well do YOU know Glee‘s Chord Overstreet? Are YOU ready for a whole new season of The Real Housewives of NYC? LeAnn Rimes shows off the new engagement ring she got from fianc�e Eddie Cibrian. James Marsden get ogled in a hot tub on Modern Family. Eminem, Jay-Z and 50 [...]

Ehrinn Cummings Elena Lyons Elisabeth Röhm Elisha Cuthbert Eliza Dushku

SIGHting

Spotted: Angelina Jolie with daughters Zahara and Shiloh grabbing coffee at a Barnes & Noble book store in Springfield, Missouri.
The family reportedly came to town on Tuesday to visit Brad Pitt's relatives who are from Missouri.
It's unbelievable how much this family travels! Those children have seen more cities before the age of 5 than [...]

January Jones Jennie Finch Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Gareis Jennifer Garner

Magnolia Shorty Mourned By Lil Wayne, B.G., More At New Orleans Funeral

Fans and supporters gather outside Fifth African Baptist Church to honor late Cash Money MC.
By Gil Kaufman, with additional reporting by Akshay Bhansali


Renetta "Magnolia Shorty" Lowe
Photo: Cash Money Records

As fellow Cash Money affiliates Lil Wayne, B.G., Juvenile, Mack Maine and Baby made their way into the Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans on Thursday morning (December 30), hundreds of fans gathered outside the church to pay tribute to fallen hometown rapper Magnolia Shorty.

In addition to Weezy and his crew, a number of other local bounce artists made their presence felt at the funeral, including Partners-N-Crime, Kilo G, DJ Jubilee, Big Freeda and Ms. Tee, who was the first female artist to sign with Cash Money, followed by Shorty in 1995, who was the label's second, and last, female member.

The closed funeral began at 11 a.m., and while more than 1,000 friends and relatives packed into the brick house of worship, the street outside was overflowing with nearly 1,500 fans paying tribute to the bounce legend. Many were wearing shirts in praise of Shorty (born Renetta Lowe), 28, with messages such as "R.I.P. Magnolia Shorty" and "We Love You Renetta," as well as buttons that read "Forever 'Shorty.' "

Wayne, Birdman and Mack Maine tweeted their condolences in the wake of Shorty's murder last week, but on Thursday, it was former Cash Money rapper and Hot Boyz member B.G. who remembered his fallen comrade after the funeral.

"Magnolia Shorty was like a sister to me and it ain't just what she meant to me; it's what she meant to Louisiana, it's what she meant to New Orleans," B.G. told MTV News, noting that he was the one who brought Shorty into the Cash Money fold when she was just 12 years old. "She was the queen of bounce. She was someone you loved to be around. She was the best at what she do. I'm really speechless right now, but it ain't sunk in yet. ... She owned this city, but she was this close to ownin' the world."

The program for the service featured a photo of Shorty under the headline "A Homegoing Celebration for a Phenomenal Queen." Shorty was gunned down last Monday alongside an unidentified man in a vehicle that crashed near a New Orleans East housing complex. Her murder came seven years after the November 2003 killing of another New Orleans rapper, James "Soulja Slim" Tapp, whose original stage name was Magnolia Slim and who grew up with Shorty in the Magnolia housing projects and gave her the Magnolia Shorty stage name.

The funeral was to be followed by a traditional New Orleans second line celebration in which her casket was be paraded down the street accompanied by musicians, friends, family and supporters.

Share your memories of Magnolia Shorty in the comments.

Related Photos Related Artists

Brittny Gastineau Brody Dalle Brooke Burke Brooke Burns Busy Philipps

Usher - OMG

OMG

Melissa Sagemiller Mena Suvari Mia Kirshner Mía Maestro Michael Michele

THG Presents: The Year in Videos


What a wild year it's been. From hit songs to LOL moments, meltdowns and bombshell scandals, some videos won't be forgotten anytime soon.

As 2010 draws to a close tonight, here are some of the videos that defined the year in Hollywood news, entertainment and celebrity gossip ...


Tiger Woods Apology Speech

Tiger Woods apologizes: In the wake of his shocking sex scandal, Tiger came clean with a marathon, extremely stiff media mea culpa.


Mel Gibson Tape #4: I'll Burn The House Down!

I'll burn the house down! The Mel Gibson tapes made for one of '10's most remarkable stories. Here's one of his most remarkable rants.


Eminem - Love the Way You Lie (feat Rihanna)

Eminem returns: With Rihanna on the chorus, the rapper's single about domestic abuse struck a harrowing note and was an instant hit.


Justin Bieber - U Smile

U Smile, he melts UR heart: Any Justin Bieber video is likely to elicit squealing amongst the masses. This one perhaps more than most.


Willow Smith Whip My Hair Music Video

Whip your hair back and forth: With her first hit, Willow Smith lived up to the hype as the next Michael Jackson. Okay, maybe not yet.


Sarah Palin Shoots Caribou

Caribou killer: Anything Sarah Palin does makes news and gets people riled up, but this reality show caribou kill took it to a new level.


Brett Favre Messages to Jenn Sterger

Sext machine: Brett Favre sent some images of his junk to Jenn Sterger. He also hollered at her repeatedly, which you can listen to here.


Amber Portwood Goes Off On Gary Shirley

When Teen Moms attack: Amber Portwood was charged with three felonies for beating her baby daddy on MTV. Here's one such fight.


Angelina Pivarnick: I'm Hot (Full, Terrible Song)

She's hot: Okay, not really. At all. But Angelina Pivarnick's rap debut may go down as the worst in history, and that's saying something.


Hold My Hand Full Video: Akon & Michael Jackson

From beyond the grave: Michael Jackson teamed up with Akon on "Hold My Hand." Akon also recently collaborated with Lonely Island.


Kanye West Insane Concert Rant in NYC

Kanye goes nuts: As crazy videos go, take your pick with Kanye West. We particularly liked this lengthy live rant (about previous rants).


Rex Ryan's Wife Michelle in a Foot Fetish Video

Foot fetish: Those words alone make one cringe, but this video featuring N.Y. Jets coach Rex Ryan's wife was pretty vanilla. Odd, though.


Miley Cyrus Bong Video

Puff all night long: Saving the best for last, nothing sparked outcry quite like the Miley Cyrus bong video. It was just salvia, okay?! God.

Mýa Nadine Velazquez Naomi Watts Natalie Imbruglia Natalie Portman

2010 Box Office Winners & Losers: Which Flicks Helped Domestic B.O. Earn $10.556 Billion?

Movies like "Avatar," "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" contributed to 2009's record-breaking $10.6 billion domestic box office total, and it doesn't look like 2010's crop of flicks will be able to outdo that.
Hollywood Wiretap reports that 2010 has fallen just short of 2009's record-breaking box office intake, finishing [...]

Connie Nielsen Cristina Dumitru Daisy Fuentes Dania Ramirez Danica Patrick

Photos | The 2010 Soul Train Awards Nominees

The 2010 Soul Train Awards Nominees

Related Artists

Trista Rehn Tyra Banks Uma Thurman Vanessa Hudgens Vanessa Marcil

ShowBiz Minute: Box Office, Witherspoon, Rimes

Annual box office down a bit from 2009 record; Reese Witherspoon announces plans for 2nd marriage; LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian to wed.

Monica Keena Monica Potter Monika Kramlik Moon Bloodgood Mýa

Photos | Albums That Sold 1 Million Copies In The First Week

Albums That Sold 1 Million Copies In The First Week

Related Artists

Amanda Bynes Amanda Detmer Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti

Carol Channing: Kennedy Center Honors ? Fashion Fail! (PHOTOS)

Carol Channing hit the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors this week, and committed a code 5 Fashion Fail! See photos of the infraction, and give us your two cents below.




As you may know, we here at Right Celebrity offer up a heaping plate of heck for those who dare dress too ridiculously?and no [...]

Monica Potter Monika Kramlik Moon Bloodgood Mýa Nadine Velazquez

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Elton John Talks About Becoming A New Parent

'We feel so blessed and lucky,' he tells UsMagazine.com.
By Terri Schwartz


Elton John
Photo: Tim Boyles/Getty Images

Elton John received a better Christmas present than most on Saturday when he and his husband, David Furnish, became proud parents of an adopted baby boy they named Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John. The "Benny and the Jets" singer has now spoken with UsMagazine.com about how it feels to have his longtime desire to become a father come true.

"For many years we have talked about fulfilling one of our greatest wishes by becoming parents," he said. "And now this wish has been granted to us, we feel so blessed and lucky."

While many celebrities are ringing in the New Year with engagement news, John and Furnish celebrated Christmas with the arrival of the 7-pound, 15-ounce baby, which was delivered by an unidentified surrogate. This is the first child for John, 63.

A joint statement released by John and Furnish on Monday announced, "Zachary is healthy and doing well. [We are] overwhelmed with happiness and joy at this very special moment."

John and Furnish had attempted to adopt an HIV-positive 14-month-old boy from the Ukraine last year, but were prevented by government officials because of the pop icon's age and marital status. But that didn't turn the British singer away from his dream to become a father. He and Furnish hired a surrogate for the pregnancy, though they are keeping those details private.

This may be the couple's first child, they are no strangers when it comes to kids. John and his husband serve as godparents to a combined six children, including John Lennon's son Sean, Elizabeth Hurley's son Damien, and David and Victoria Beckham's sons Brooklyn and Romeo.

Want to congratulate John and Furnish? Send your well-wishes to them in the comments.

Related Photos Related Artists

Bianca Kajlich Bijou Phillips Blake Lively Blu Cantrell Bonnie Jill Laflin

Boobie Prize Supplies!


Boobie Prize Supplies!, originally uploaded by Karyn Bosnak.

Tina Fey Tricia Helfer Tricia Vessey Trista Rehn Tyra Banks

Ke$ha - Your Love Is My Drug

Your Love Is My Drug

  • Artist: Ke$ha
  • Label: RCA
  • Director: Honey

Ashley Tisdale Asia Argento Aubrey ODay Audrina Patridge Autumn Reeser

Chris Hemsworth Marries Elsa Pataky

Another hottie off the market. Thor’s Chris Hemsworth marries Spanish flame Elsa Pataky! Find out more exciting details on their nuptials and see photos and a video right here!




What a beautiful weekend for a wedding…and wedding bells rang for the new Mr. Chris Hemsworth! Be sure to check out pictures and videos [...]

Cat Power Catherine Bell Chandra West Charisma Carpenter Charli Baltimore

New Led Zeppelin On The Way? Jason Bonham Hints At 'Jam' Sessions With Jimmy Page -- But Not Robert Plant

Drummer admits he doesn't know what will come of 'new material.'
By Chris Harris


Jason Bonham
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images

On Friday morning, mere hours before he was due to take the stage with classic rockers Foreigner at Detroit's GM Renaissance Center, drummer Jason Bonham — the son of late Led Zeppelin kitman John Bonham — told Jim Johnson and Lynne Woodison of local rock station 94.7 WCSX that he'd be an ex-member of Foreigner as of September 1. But that's not the only thing he said.

Much to the delight of Led Zeppelin fans everywhere, Bonham revealed that he's been meeting up with Led Zep guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones in recent months and that they've been "trying to do some new material and writing."

It was the first time since Led Zeppelin announced they would re-form for a single performance (which happened late last year at London's O2 Arena, in honor of the late Ahmet Ertegün, who signed the band to Atlantic Records in 1969) that anyone connected to the band has confirmed publicly that new music could be on the horizon for the iconic rockers. While the bandmembers have stopped short of definitively ruling out such a reunion, singer Robert Plant insisted in the wake of last year's show that he intended to focus on promoting and touring behind his critically lauded album with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss, Raising Sand.

Not that Bonham knows what — if anything — will happen with the new material he's been working on with Page (who collaborated with pop singer Leona Lewis on an uneven version of Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" at the Olympic closing ceremonies in Beijing on Sunday night) and Jones. He said he just shows up and takes his seat behind the kit.

"I've been over [to England] a couple of times," Bonham said. "I've been working with Jimmy and John Paul and trying to do ... some new material and some writing. I don't know what it will be, but it will be something. At the moment, all I know is I have the great pleasure to go and jam with the two guys and start work on some material. When I get there, I never ask any questions. If I get a phone call to go and play, I enjoy every moment of it. Whatever it ends up as, to ever get a chance to jam with two people like that, it is a phenomenal thing for me. It's my life. It's what I've dreamed about doing."

He said it's still too early to tell what will become of these "jam" sessions, but admitted that the "possibility of doing something is in the cards. I really felt it was in the cards from the moment we walked offstage at the O2." Bonham also explained that, before there could be a Led Zep LP, "lots of politics [would need to] get ironed out," but added that recording with Zep is "something I've always wanted to do."

Bonham noticeably didn't mention frontman Plant's name during the discussion. A spokesperson for Page's management had no comment on the matter, and a spokesperson for Jones' management could not be reached by press time.

Related Artists

Ali Campoverdi Ali Larter Alice Dodd Alicia Keys Alicia Witt

Sarah Jessica Parker & Fam Enjoy A Fun Snow Day

While many New Yorkers are suffering under the weight of all the snow that has been dumped on them in the past few days, others have found ways to turn the Snowpocalypse into something fun. Sarah Jessica Parker, her hubby Matthew Broderick and their eldest son James Wilkie got out of the house yesterday and [...]

Amanda Detmer Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti Amanda Swisten

Why Is Kelsey Grammer Rushing to the Altar?

Why Is Kelsey Grammer Rushing to the Altar?

Kelsey Grammer is determined to marry his fiancee Kayte Walsh as soon as possible -- even though he's still married to his wife Camille Grammer! Kelsey, 55, filed for divorce from Camille, 42, shortly after meeting the 29-year-old British stewardess on a plane. The Grammers' divorce has yet to be finalized, since there's a six-month waiting period under California law. According to TMZ, Kelsey is trying to bypass the legalities and make the divorce official immediately so he can marry Walsh on New Year's Day. And the former Frasier actor confirmed to People that, yes, he wants to get remarried ASAP.

"Kayte and I are marrying because we are engaged, and we are engaged because we are in love and see no reason to postpone our happiness any longer," says the actor, who is currently starring in the musical La Cage Aux Folles on Broadway. "We are planning something we wish to be a private affair among several of our friends."

If Kelsey succeeds in getting his quickie divorce, there's a major catch: the money issues will still have to be settled in court at a later date. Because the couple never signed a prenup, Camille is entitled to half of Kelsey's earnings during their thirteen years of marriage. That money reportedly totals more than a whopping $100 million -- meaning Camille could walk away with half, unless Kelsey wants to drag out the proceedings with a nasty legal battle.

Whenever we hear stories like this one -- i.e. famous man abruptly leaves the mother of his children for a much younger woman -- our first instinct is to side with the wronged wife. Surely, Camille deserves $50 million for what he did to her, right? But Camille made the major P.R. error of joining the cast of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, outing herself as a thoroughly unpleasant person. After just two months on the air, Camille Grammer is being called the most hated Housewife in the show's history, edging out mental cases Danielle Staub and Michaele Salahi. Just goes to show you -- sometimes it's not so easy to pick the villain in a tabloid break-up.

Do you think Camille Grammer deserves a huge divorce settlement? Chime in below!

Cindy Crawford Cindy Taylor Cinthia Moura Claudette Ortiz Coco Lee

Usher, Ke$ha And More Help Dance Music Go Pop In 2010

But is it here to stay? Our music-industry experts weigh in.
By Akshay Bhansali


Ke$ha
Photo: Andreas Rentz/ Getty Images

In 2010, pop princesses, R&B icons and chart-dominating newcomers all danced to the same beat. Not only did dance music go pop, but pop music caught the club-music bug.

Between Katy Perry's "Firework," Ke$ha's "We R Who We R," Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)," Enrique Iglesias' "I Like It," Usher's "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" and "OMG" and countless other singles, established artists definitely looked to dance beats for surefire hits. And two of this year's biggest success stories in music were Jason Derülo and Taio Cruz; could there be a soul left in this country who hasn't heard "Dynamite" or "In My Head"?

The love went both ways, with dance music's biggest stars finding mainstream success this year. Dance-music maestro deadmau5 took up house-artist duties at this year's VMAs, and Swedish House Mafia and Usher teamed up for a medley of their gems at the American Music Awards.

So how did this happen? We caught up with some music-industry experts to get their takes.

"You definitely saw tempos go up this year," Jon Caramanica of The New York Times told MTV News. "And I think what you had are a lot of producers who are really familiar with nightclub stuff. They are familiar with Europe. Things are happening on a more global scale now."

"I think everything from Europe, and sometimes even Asia, it comes to America, and we just adopt things a little bit slower," said Jared Eng of JustJared.com. "I think it was just a change. People like different types of music at different times. And dance was of this moment."

Noah Callahan of Complex magazine added: "I think 2010 saw the merging of the pop and dance genres. Pop artists realized that there were best practices that could be borrowed from dance music. And, ultimately, [all] pop music that has been made in the past 20 years had ended up being remixed for the club by dance artists. I think they basically just cut out the middleman and went straight there."

Dance music being introduced into the hip-hop and R&B realms was particularly notable this year.

"I think David Guetta kind of at the end of last year and the beginning of this year spearheaded it," said freelance writer Julianne Escobedo Shepherd. "He produced a lot of tracks. I think as trends go, people revile 'unst-unst.' But it's just coming back around. Big-room techno was a way for people to get decadent in a year that no one could get decadent."

"You have someone like will.i.am, who's like, 'Well, I spent all this time in Ibiza, and this is what they are doing,' and he wants to find a way to bring that into his music," Caramanica said of the Black Eyed Peas mastermind. "R&B especially became dance music. And especially with your Jason Derülos, Taio Cruzes. Guys like that would have literally been blocked at the border two years ago. That would not have made it through customs. And now all of a sudden they have #1 songs. I think will.i.am had a lot to do with that last year."

Elliott Wilson of RapRadar.com added: "It's actually even affected hip-hop. I was talking to Q-Tip, and his next record, I feel like that's gonna kind of go in that vein. I know that was also Jay-Z's thought process with Blueprint 3 at first, that he wanted to make a little bit more of a world music [vibe], a little more dancey. I think the kids today want to go to the clubs. They wanna have a good time. They wanna dance. So I think the artists of today are trying to kind of feed that audience."

"I think it's caught on this year because the people who've done it have been successful," offered Clover Hope of Vibe magazine. "Like 'OMG,' with usher, he didn't have success until he made a dance record. He had 'There Goes My Baby' and these really, like, adult-contemporary records that didn't really catch on. And then once you see that everybody is doing it and that people are liking it, they are like, 'OK, let me just try this out.' It's like Auto-Tune. Like, 'Let me see what I sound like on a record by David Guetta.' They end up liking it and doing more of it."

So does the club-music trend have staying power. According to our tastemakers, not so much.

"I do think it's a blip," Caramanica said. "I don't think that's gonna be something that lasts in America. I think this is gonna be a moment we'll all look back on and go, 'Wasn't that weird when Jason Derülo and Taio Cruz had #1 records?"

"At some point, these R&B artists will get kind of sick of it and be like, 'Let me go back to my soul background,' " Hope said. "When you actually have to say something, dance doesn't really lend itself to substance. And I think that R&B artists, they really want to talk about love and in a deep way, and to do that, you need to do, like, a soul or a traditional R&B record. I want to say that it's kind of a fad."

"I think music is very cyclical," Eng offered. "So I think dance music might be here for a little bit, but I'm sure it will phase out at some point."

Wilson called dance music "the sound of today. I think that people want more aggressive, faster beats, and I think that that probably has legs until at least next summer."

What do you think? Is dance music here to stay? Let us know in the comments!

Related Videos Related Artists

Rhona Mitra Rihanna Robin Tunney Rosario Dawson Rose Byrne

Photos | Justin Bieber's 'Never Say Never': Alternate Movie Titles

Justin Bieber's 'Never Say Never': Alternate Movie Titles

Related Artists

Lauren German LeAnn Rimes Leeann Tweeden Leelee Sobieski Leighton Meester

Photos | 'Forbes' Top Earning Celebrities Of 2010

'Forbes' Top Earning Celebrities Of 2010

Related Artists

Tara Reed Tara Reid Taryn Manning Tatiana Zavialova Taylor Swift

Usher Shows Off Fancy Footwork At AMAs

Swedish House Mafia join Ush for an electronic mash-up.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Usher performs at the American Music Awards on Sunday
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images/DCP

Usher's protégé, Justin Bieber, scored more hardware than the "OMG" singer on Sunday night (November 21) at the 2010 American Music Awards, but the veteran superstar was far from a step behind the teen sensation.

With his fleet footwork, Usher teamed up with dance-world superstars Swedish House Mafia to ignite the stage with a mash-up of his "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" and their "Miami 2 Ibiza" and "One" that certainly qualified as one of the evening's high points. Decked out in black military garb and sporting a starter mohawk, Usher partied and pranced around onstage to his club-happy single.

"I feel like a zombie gone back to life," Usher sang. "Hands up, and suddenly we all got our hands up/ No control of my body/ Ain't I seen you before?/ I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes."

Usher and his gang of dancers showed off moves that would have tripped up teen stars. At one point, his backup dancers launched him into the air and Usher landed and jumped right into his next step.

A full explosion followed behind him and he carried the energy into the hook.

" 'Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again," he crooned. "Yeah, baby tonight/ The DJ got us falling in love again/ So dance, dance, like it's the last, last night of your life, life."

After picking up an award earlier in the evening, Usher acknowledged his veteran status. The 32-year-old thanked his supporters, plugged his OMG Tour with Trey Songz and shouted out longtime fans. "I been doing this 18 years," he said.

What did you think about Usher's performance? Tell us in the comments!

Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists

Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci

Carol Channing: Kennedy Center Honors ? Fashion Fail! (PHOTOS)

Carol Channing hit the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors this week, and committed a code 5 Fashion Fail! See photos of the infraction, and give us your two cents below.




As you may know, we here at Right Celebrity offer up a heaping plate of heck for those who dare dress too ridiculously?and no [...]

Maggie Gyllenhaal Majandra Delfino Malia Jones Malin Akerman Mandy Moore

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Lady Gaga Dishes On Born This Way During London Show

During her concert on Friday, the pop star said her upcoming album 'doesn't have a bunch of rock ballads,' confirmed that it will feature 'You and I.'
By James Dinh


Lady Gaga (file)
Photo: Derek Storm/ Splash News

Throughout the year, Lady Gaga has not only talked up her forthcoming album, Born This Way, but she's also previewed a few new tracks that may or may not appear on the release. On songs like "You and I" and "Living on the Radio," Gaga strays from her usual dance-hit formula to explore a more Elton John-esque sound. However, during her recent Monster Ball Tour stop at London's O2 Arena on Friday, the pop star told the roaring audience that the project won't be full of too many piano-driven ballads.

After asking concertgoers if they wanted to hear a new song, Mother Monster said, "Want to hear 'You and I'? This one is going to be on Born This Way. It's one of my favorites. The album doesn't have a bunch of rock ballads or anything, but this is one of them."

Following her chit-chat with the audience, Gaga launched into tune, which finds the singer recalling a reunion with a lover.

"There's something, something about this place/ Something about lonely nights and my lipstick on your face/ Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy/ Yeah something about/ Baby you and I," she sang while pounding away on her piano.

In the midst of her "You and I" performance, the songbird took time to give herself props for the originality and creativity she puts into her material.

"Now I don't know if you know this, but for those of you who don't know, I write all my own music," she announced. "Every single lyric, melody and note was created by me. I am not manufactured. I'm a bad cat and coming for you 'cause I believe in you and I."

Later on in the song, she added, "It's not that I don't like to be humble, it's just that pop music has a pretty bad rap," before indulging in some of her usual impulsive piano antics.

Gaga's Little Monsters can expect to hear even more new tunes as early as February. Just a few weeks ago, she told fan site Lady-Gaga.net that the lead single from Born This Way will be released that month, while comparing the album to "bad kids going to church, having fun on a high level."

What kind of tracks are you looking forward to hear on Born This Way? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Related Photos Related Artists

Brittany Lee Brittany Murphy Brittany Snow Brittny Gastineau Brody Dalle

Photos | Celebs Get 'Dolled' Up

Celebs Get 'Dolled' Up

Related Artists

Scarlett Chorvat Scarlett Johansson Selita Ebanks Shakara Ledard Shakira

Adam Lambert's 'Whole Lotta Love': The Story Behind The Cover

Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.
By Gil Kaufman


Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox

Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."

That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.

The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.

For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.

Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.

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

Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists

Jules Asner Julia Stiles Julianne Hough Julie Benz Julie Berry

Ke$ha - Your Love Is My Drug

Your Love Is My Drug

  • Artist: Ke$ha
  • Label: RCA
  • Director: Honey

Stacy Keibler Summer Altice Summer Glau Sunny Mabrey Susan Ward

Witherspoon and Rudd Honored to Work With Jack

Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd reveal the excitement they felt when they found out that they would be working with Jack Nicholson on their movie 'How Do You Know.'

Kelly Carlson Kelly Clarkson Kelly Hu Kelly Monaco Kelly Ripa

Photos | Justin Bieber's AMA Night

Justin Bieber's AMA Night

Related Artists

Jordana Brewster Josie Maran Joss Stone Jules Asner Julia Stiles

Beyoncé - If I Were A Boy

If I Were A Boy

Trista Rehn Tyra Banks Uma Thurman Vanessa Hudgens Vanessa Marcil

Justin Bieber Causes Mall Frenzy On Boxing Day

'Of course i had to join in on Boxing Day....Im Canadian!' he tweets after hectic shopping day.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber (file)
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ AMA2010/ FilmMagic

If Justin Bieber thought he could hit up his local mall on Boxing Day without stirring up a frenzy, he was wrong. When Bieber decided to partake in the post-Christmas holiday on Sunday, hoardes of teenage girls took notice ... and freaked out.

According to Canada's Record, when Bieber arrived at the Fairview Park Mall in Kitchener, Ontario, the day after Christmas, he couldn't fly under the radar while trying to shop. "There were vases being broken and people climbing over other people and a lot of screaming," Bieber fan Taylor Inder told the newspaper. The fan added that there was lots of "chaos" and "screaming, screaming and more screaming."

Bieber first made a stop at a jeans store in the mall and then went to check out sunglasses, when he was followed by hundreds of female fans. Police officers also followed Bieber and his entourage. Bieber hails from Stratford, Canada, near the mall.

"I thought, 'My God it's a 16-year-old boy who's shopping; what's the big deal here?" Sunglass Hut manager Sarah Pelletier recalled about being asked to shut down for the pop star's arrival. "I was concerned because there were hundreds of girls out there and three police officers at my glass doors, and I'm like, 'I don't think this is a good mix.' "

She explained that she wanted to get Bieber in and out as quickly as possible. "I'm glad he supports his local economy, and he said he keeps some of his money in Canada," she added.

While many Bieber fans delighted at the chance to catch a glimpse of the star, Bieber himself tweeted: "Of course i had to join in on Boxing Day....Im Canadian."

Related Photos Related Artists

Elisha Cuthbert Eliza Dushku Emilie de Ravin Emma Heming Emma Stone

Michael Jackson - Hold My Hand

Hold My Hand

Katherine Heigl Katie Cassidy Katie Holmes Katy Perry Keira Knightley

'Never Say Never' Director Was 'Nervous' About Justin Bieber Flick

'[It's] always scary when you try to show someone the story of their life,' Jon Chu tells MTV News of screening for teen star.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: John Shearer/ WireImage

In February fans will finally get the chance to see Justin Bieber's long-awaited "Never Say Never." And the flick's director, Jon Chu, recently dished to MTV News that things are coming along fine as he puts the finishing touches on the February 11 release.

"Oh, we stand pretty tall. It's nuts! This is a world that I have never experienced before," he laughed to MTV News about the 3-D film. Chu, who was promoting the DVD release of "Step Up 3D," said getting the fans' support has been invaluable.

"Again it's like dance, where music tells the story. It's really interesting and his fans have been amazing, shooting him in 3-D in Madison Square Garden, exploring his life, going to his hometown. We're almost done with our cut right now and I'm really proud of it. I think people are going to be surprised about the story that they're going to get. Something is really special."

Bieber tweeted about seeing the film recently and gave it his seal of approval. And Chu admitted to us that he's feeling the pressure now to make the best possible film.

"I mean, I'm always nervous. We're always trying to make our movies better," he explained. "We're never done with it though. I just keep going until they tell me I've run out of time. So [Justin] got to see it this week, which was really exciting and he loved it, which is always scary when you try to show someone the story of their life, but he's been very supportive, he and his family and his team. I'm excited to share it with the world and show another side of 3-D. With 'Step Up 3D,' we learned a lot of lessons and we discovered a lot of things, and it's just the beginning."

Are you excited to see Justin's "Never Say Never" movie next year? Tell us in the comments!

Related Photos Related Artists

Marisa Tomei Marla Sokoloff Marley Shelton Mary Elizabeth Winstead Megan Ewing