Justin Bieber: I'm A Country Boy

The newly minted CMT Music Award winner says he shares his mother's love of the country sound. By Jocelyn Vena





Photo: The Insider




Before he took home the trophy for Collaborative Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday night, Justin Bieber professed his love for all things country on the red carpet.

"I'm really glad to be here," he told CMT, with the guys of Rascal Flatts by his side. "It's great."
It wasn't just an exciting night for him, but also for Mama Bieber, who happens to be a big country music aficionado. "It's great; it's so many people my mother admires, 'cause she loves country music, and I do too," he continued. "So it's really great to be here with Rascal Flatts."
It was on the set for his winning video, "That Should Be Me," that Bieber first cut his hair. In the end, the sacrifice of his trademark locks seemed worth it.
"Some of the fans liked it; some of the fans didn't. They were just upset he cut it," Bieber joked, nodding to Rascal Flatts' Gary LeVox.
The video for "That Should Be Me," a Never Say Never - The Remixes track (which was a reworked version of the song that first appeared on My World 2.0) is a lo-fi, behind-the-scenes, "making of the video" performance clip. But it was good enough to beat out the likes of country music superstars like Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson; Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow; Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow, as well as Aaron Lewis featuring George Jones and Charlie Daniels.
"First of all, I just want to say how honored I am to be here ... with Rascal Flatts," Bieber said while accepting his first country award. "How amazing are Rascal Flatts, everybody? I want to thank my mom. I want to thank my family. And I want to thank Rascal Flatts for even jumping on the song with me."
Would you like to see Justin Bieber try out other genres of music? Talk about it in the comments!



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J.K. Rowling Writing 'A Lot' Since Finishing 'Harry Potter'

At 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2' premiere, author says, 'This feels like a new beginning to me.'By Terri Schwartz, with reporting by Danielle Genet





J. K. Rowling

Photo: MTV News




After more than a decade onscreen, the "Harry Potter" franchise will end July 15. The cast and crew had a big, sob-inducing farewell Wednesday at the London premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2." Amidst the sad goodbyes and constant cheering of fans, MTV UK caught up with "Potter" scribe J.K. Rowling to ask about her experiences turning her novels into films.

"Hundreds of people have been involved," Rowling said. "There's not one of them I don't think was indispensible and phenomenal. The most talented groups of people you could've found, and I just love them. The idea I won't be able to go down to Leavesden and visit anymore is just sad."
Though Rowling joked several times throughout the night that she would return to "Potter" — "You know what? Maybe I'll just write another one," she teased — she also said she has some other projects on the horizon. She was most likely referring to the same one she talked about in February, telling BBC News she was "writing hard."
"I'm writing, and I've done quite a lot since finishing 'Harry,' " she said. "I also felt I wanted the last film out of the way before I made any moves on the publishing front. 'Harry' is so huge and I suppose my involvement with the world has still been quite intense. This feels like a new beginning to me."
Since being released, the books have sold more than 450 million copies, and the films have grossed about $6.37 billion. Rowling told MTV UK she didn't start out writing expecting this sort of success, and that's not the way she measures the success of her books: She measures it by the way it has affected her readers. "Nothing makes me prouder ever than to meet a child or the parent of a child who says he/she never read before 'Harry Potter,' " Rowling said. "Nothing makes me prouder than that."
We're streaming live from the red carpet at the New York premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" on Monday, July 11, at 4:30 p.m. ET. Visit MTV.com to watch interviews with the stars and see the winner of the "Harry Potter" World Cup announced live. Tweet your questions for the cast @MTVNews using the hashtag #AskPotter.
Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.



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Family Photo: Alicia Keys and Boys ? On the Move

The singer shepherds husband Kasseem 'Swizz Beatz' Dean and their adorable son Egypt Daoud, 8 months, into an SUV in New York City on Thursday.

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Beyonce's 4 Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know

Long-awaited album finally hit stores Tuesday.By Jocelyn Vena





Beyoncé's <i>4</i>

Photo: Columbia




Beyoncé's 4 may have leaked weeks ago, but its official release date is finally upon us. It's been a long-churning album that touches on soul, '90s R&B, hip-hop and even '80s adult contemporary. Long before the album even dropped, B promised fans that the album would be eclectic — a promise that was certainly met.
"I have a lot of live instruments that I'm putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music," she said about the album.

On it, she worked with a number of A-listers, including The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Kanye West, Chad Hugo, Ryan Tedder and Diplo, to name a few. She had also been spotted in the studio with indie acts like Sleigh Bells, proving that she wanted to try anything and everything.
"I'm mixing every type of genre that I love and I'm inspired by every type of genre," she told MTV News late last year. "I'm not in a box. It's not R&B. It's not typically pop. It's not rock. It's just everything I love all mixed together in my own little gumbo of music."
Which track on 4 is your favorite? Tell us on our Facebook page.
By the time 2010 was nearing its midway mark, Beyoncé finally debuted "Run the World (Girls)," a girl-power pop tune that samples Major Lazer's "Pon De Floor" and is full of so much bravado that she needed wild animals in the music video.
So why did Beyoncé name the album 4? Well, aside from the fact that it's her fourth album, she explained: "We all have special numbers in our lives, and 4 is that for me. It's the day I was born. My mother's birthday and a lot of my friends' birthdays are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date."
In addition to "Run the World (Girls)," Queen B teased fans with songs like the album's official second single, "Best Thing I Never Had," plus the promotional track "1+1" and the leaked track "Party," featuring Andre 3000.
The songs show the many sides of Beyoncé: playful, heartfelt, flirty, sexy and, yes, sassy. In the end, B wanted fans to hear all those sides of her on the album. "I also gave myself more freedom to really belt out some songs, and bring soul singing back," she explained. "I used a lot of the brassiness and grittiness in my voice that people hear in my live performances, but not necessarily on my records."
What are your thoughts on 4? Tell us in the comments!



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NYC Mayor Bloomberg To Officiate His Chief Policy Adviser's Gay Marriage!

Bloomberg, you are on a roll!
Yesterday, we were SO PLEASED to announce that NYC Mayor Bloomberg would be opening city offices on Sunday July 24 so that gay couples could get married on the day that legalization of gay marriage takes effect.
Now, in another sweet and totally supportive move by Bloomberg, the NYC Mayor has [...]

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Ke$ha - Tik Tok

Tik Tok



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Adele/ Alicia Keys Duet Would 'Make History,' Swizz Beatz Says

'I just thought that, man, this would be a great moment for both of them,' rapper/producer (and Keys' husband) tells MTV News.By Jocelyn Vena





Swizz Beatz

Photo: MTV News




Swizz Beatz seems intent on getting his superstar wife, Alicia Keys, and British pop queen bee Adele into the studio very, very soon. In fact, when MTV News caught up with the rapper/producer, he said it seemed like the twosome would be hooking up sooner than fans might think.

"We're looking good, we're looking good, we're looking good," he told MTV News quite emphatically in his green room at the Sounds Like Paper Concert at the House of Vans in Brooklyn, New York.
The rumor of a possible collaboration between the two divas was actually started by the Haute Living rapper himself last month, and he appeared to get an enthusiastic co-sign from his lady love. While Swizz is quite adamant about making something happen with these two ladies, he's not quite sure what that something should sound like. Since both ladies are famous for soulful-leaning pop, it seems like a natural fit.
"I just know that you know greatness when you see greatness, and teaming two greats up together, it makes history," he explained. "And I don't even have to produce the track; I just want it to happen. She can produce the track, somebody else can produce the track."
Why is Swizz so amped up to make this happen? "I just thought that, man, this would be a great moment for both of them, because they have amazing styles and they both respect each other," he said. "They're fans of each other. So let's make this good for music."
Would you like to hear an Adele/Alicia duet? Let us know in the comments below!



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Michael Jackson's Legacy, Two Years Later, By the Numbers

Legendary singer's impact continues to blossom in the two years since his death; MTV News breaks down the figures.By Gil Kaufman





Michael Jackson

Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage




Like Elvis, Bob Marley, Notorious B.I.G. and Frank Sinatra before him, Michael Jackson's influence has continued, and grown, since his untimely death on June 25, 2009.
On the second anniversary of the King of Pop's passing, MTV News took a look at the enduring appeal of MJ's music, videos and imagery, which continue to fascinate and attract fans across the globe thanks to a series of posthumous albums, a movie, video games and two upcoming Cirque du Soleil live shows.
Where Were You Two Years Ago When You Heard the News? Tell Us on Facebook
$72 million: According to Box Office Mojo, Jackson's posthumous concert film, "This Is It," has grossed more than $72 million to date domestically and $189 million in foreign markets for a worldwide take over more than $261 million. It ranks as the #2 music documentary of all-time behind Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never." The film has also generated nearly $45 million in DVD sales in the U.S.
16: In May, Jackson lodged his first #1 on the Billboard magazine Dance/ Club Play Songs chart in 16 years with the latest single from his posthumous Michael album, "Hollywood Tonight."
2: Number of posthumous albums that have been released since Michael's death in June 2009. Last year's Michael has sold just over 510,000 copies to date, while the This Is It collection has moved nearly 1 million copies to date in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
15,000: The number of videos submitted by fans since March for the crowdsourced video for "Behind the Mask." After they were edited down by a five-person team over two months, the resulting clip used submissions from more than 1,600 participants from 103 countries.
3 million: The amount of copies sold of the Ubisoft "Michael Jackson: The Experience" video game worldwide.
$57 million: The reported cost of Cirque du Soleil's traveling MJ show, "The Immortal World Tour, which is slated to kick off on October 2.
$1 billion: That gaudy figure is the reported amount the Jackson estate had generated by last June on the first anniversary of the singer's death. According to Billboard, the revenue was generated by a combination of music sales ($429 million), film/TV revenue ($392 million), music publishing ($130 million), licensing ($35 million) and a $31 million recording contract. (A spokesperson for Jackson's estate declined to provide updated figures for this story.)
$310 million: The amount of gross earnings reported by the executors of the estate in a December 2010 court filing detailing the progress made in paying off the $400 million in debt run up by the spendthrift singer during his lifetime.
16.1 million: MJ was always a big singles artist. Yes, Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time, but even in death, fans can't resist cherry-picking some of Michael's best songs. That explains why he's sold more than 16 million digital tracks since June 28, 2009, the first sales week following his passing, according to Nielsen SoundScan. To put that in perspective, from the time Nielsen began counting digital tracks in 2004 until the week before Jackson's death, the singer had sold just over 8.1 million digital tracks, a figure that has doubled in just the past two years.
2013: The projected launch for a second, non-touring Cirque show celebrating Jackson. The yet-untitled show is slated to open in the spring of 2013 at a new theater being built at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
$25 million to $50 million: That's how much Jackson's estate takes in on an annual basis thanks to his stake in the half-million-song Sony/ATV catalog, which includes titles by Elvis, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Beyoncé and Bob Dylan.
Share your memories of Michael Jackson in the comments.



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'Transformers' Stars Reveal Tricks Behind Filming Building-Escape Scene

'We all felt 12 again, sliding down the side of this building, shooting, screaming,' Tyrese Gibson tells MTV News.By Kara Warner





Shia LaBeouf in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Photo: Jaimie Trueblood




For those who've seen "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," there is so much going on in the film that one could spend the next 12 months breaking down all the dirty details. We've already tackled the nods to "Star Trek" and the "Transformers"-specific Easter eggs, so today we turn our attention to one of the film's most impressive action sequences: the part when evil Decepticon Shockwave sends his massive, spinning, snakelike destroyer after our protagonists, who become trapped in the upper stories of a tall building. The Transformer proceeds to cut the building in half, leaving our heroes no option but to jump out of the windows and slide down the outside of the building to safety.

MTV News had the scene's stars, Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Tyrese Gibson, explain how they managed to pull off that sequence.
"The building comes up on what I can only describe as a crane," Whiteley explained of the rig used to support and move the specific set piece. "It tilts to about a 40-degree angle. It's built to look like the outside of a skyscraper," she said. "Shia, myself, Tyrese, the Marines, we all set at the top, Mike [director Michael Bay] would scream 'Action!' and then we would slide down this thing," she recalled. "And then flower pots, chairs, paper and fake glass, tennis balls, every office supply you could possibly think of would get thrown down after us."
Despite the gravity of that particular scene, it turns out that the boys thought of the tilting skyscraper set piece more like a ride at a county fair.
"This thing had to be 150 to 200 feet in the air. It was like a huge slide," Gibson said. "We all felt 12 again, sliding down the side of this building, shooting, screaming, doing everything we had to do in those scenes.
"It was scary stuff," he added with a smile. "It was scary with the idea that we are about to be eaten, eaten alive."
"We shot that for three weeks or so," LaBeouf said. "You're basically pulling yourself on rope to get to the top of the thing. It's like a big slide, you know those slides they have at fairs where you get the little brown bag? Brown bag slides, sort of like that."
Huntington-Whiteley added that in the midst of all the fun had while sliding, she learned very quickly to pay attention to her landing and get out of the way when she reached the bottom of the set piece. "I'd always hit the bottom first. It took one time to realize if I didn't get out of the way really quick, I was going to get flattened by a 300-pound man coming quite quickly after me!"
Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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Ke$ha - Take It Off

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BumpWatch: Ali Landry Poses at the Pump

Ali Landry gets snapped while stopping for gas on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

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Milla Jovovich's daughter Ever attends her first fashion show ? Jean Paul Gaultier ? during Haute Couture Week in Paris.

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Katy Perry Stands By Her Man

I told you yesterday about Russell Brand being arrested after allegedly getting into an altercation with a paparazzo. Here are the pictures of Russell and Katy Perry arriving at the airport before the scuffle broke out.
And here's what Katy had to say on twitter about the incident:
If you cross the line & try an put a lens up my dress, my fianc� will do his job & protect me. #standbyyourman #don'tf**kwiththeBrands.
If it's true that the paparazzo was trying to get a picture under Katy's skirt, then the paparazzo is the one who should've been arrested! Talk about crossing the line. And I've heard of paparazzi trying to do that, so it doesn't sound so improbable to me.
Hopefully this will be resolved without too much fuss.
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Jenna Jameson Loses Legal Battle Over A Blue Ball

Adult superstar, Jenna Jameson, has been sued!
Scheduled to autograph over 200 copies of her book, How To Make Love Like A Porn Star, and interact with fans at theaters in Illinois, Jenna called in sick, saying she was unable to attend.
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Lea Michele?s Big Apple Al Fresco Lunch Date

Enjoying the local fare, Lea Michele was spotted out at Sant Ambroeus restaurant in New York City yesterday (July 6).
Joined by her boyfriend Theo Stockman and her mother Edith, the ?Glee? girl looked lovely as she dined on delicious eats outside the West Village establishment.
Miss Michele recently returned from some international dates on the Glee Live tour, having performed in London, England and Dublin, Ireland.
Over the weekend, she tweeted, ?I can?t believe the Glee tour is over! It was such an incredible experience? Thank you so much to everyone involved:) I love you all!?

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Star Snapshots: Family Fun

Jessica Alba and Honor relax in Malibu! Plus: See more photos of celebs spending time with their loved ones!

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Beanie Sigel Says Jay-Z Wouldn't Let Him Out Of Record Deal

With an offer from 50 Cent on the table, Beans tells 'Rap Fix Live' his old pal and onetime boss said, 'I can't let you go.'By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway





Beanie Sigel on "RapFix Live"

Photo: MTV News




Beanie Sigel put his entire career in retrospect on Wednesday's (July 6) "RapFix Live." Once an intergal part of Jay-Z and Damon Dash's Roc-A-Fella Records, Beanie Sigel — like most of the label's roster — was suddenly on the outside looking in once the label split.

Not only was Beans left in limbo, the Philadelphia MC was in the midst of legal troubles at the time. Upon his release from prison in 2005, Sigel secured a deal with 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. And according to Beans, all he needed was a release from his Def Jam contract from Jay-Z, who happened to be the label president at that time.
"When I first got out of jail, I had a meeting, a situation that was already lined up and set up where I could've had [a deal] over there," Sigel said of an agreement 50 Cent put on the table for him. "He wanted to give me a label, a whole label deal ... and a whole lot of money too."
Feeling what he described as a sense of loyalty, Sigel went to meet first with Jay, who hadn't communicated with the rapper during the year he was locked up. "Coming where I came out from, that situation with Roc-A-Fella, I was like, 'Let me go holla at my man and see what he got for me before I jump over there.' "
Sigel said he was hoping that Jay would release him from his Def Jam contract in a move that would free the State Property rapper up to do business with 50. Sigel admitted, however, that while he told Jay he had a pending offer, he didn't reveal to Jay that it was from G-Unit.
"I told him I had to roll. 'If you can't make that situation happen for me, I gotta leave. I gotta go,' " he recalled telling Jay. "I asked him to just let me go — from Def Jam, not from Roc-A-Fella — because he was the president of Def Jam. 'I want to leave Def Jam, I'm out. You're the president, you can push that button. Let me get my release papers.' "
But Hov didn't fulfill his old running mate's request. "I went to Jay like, 'Let me get this [record deal] situation,' and he was like, 'I can't let you go.' He was like, 'No.' He was like, 'Nah, let me see what I could do.' That 'see what I could do' turned into another two years."
In the end, Sigel never signed with G-Unit, and by 2009, Beans was launching dis rhymes at Jay after hearing what he interpreted as a subliminal attack against him on Jay's The Blueprint III album. Despite all that has gone down, Beans reiterated on "RapFix Live" that he was appreciative of the opportunities Jay-Z and Dame Dash had given him while signed to Roc-A-Fella.
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Katy Perry Closing In On Michael Jackson's #1 Singles Record

If 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)' tops Hot 100, Perry's Teenage Dream will tie MJ's mark of five #1s from a single album.By James Montgomery





Katy Perry

Photo: John Parra/ WireImage




Katy Perry's unstoppable Teenage Dream album continues to churn out hits ... and now, it might just make history too.
If Dream's fifth single, the just-released "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", continues its climb to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 (it currently sits at #4, jumping 27 spots from last week), Perry will not only become the first female artist to ever have five #1 songs off one album, she'll be the first artist of any gender to accomplish the feat since Michael Jackson had five chart-topping singles off his Bad album in 1987 and 1988.
Perry's previous #1s from the Dream album are, of course, "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Firework" and "E.T." Jackson's five #1s from the Bad album are "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana."
Perry has already shattered the Hot 100 record for most consecutive weeks with a single inside the Top 10 (48, a number previously held by Swedish popmeisters Ace of Base), then kept that momentum going by spending an entire year in the chart's upper echelon. More incredibly, that streak is still active, as two of Perry's singles — "T.G.I.F." and "E.T." — sit at numbers 4 and 5, respectively.
What's more, "T.G.I.F" currently sits atop the Billboard Digital Songs chart, and may soon be her sixth single to pass the 4 million mark in digital sales, joining "E.T.," "California Gurls," "Firework," and from her One of the Boys album, "Hot N Cold" and "I Kissed a Girl." No other artist has even had four songs pass the 4 million download mark ... Perry's closest competitors in that regard are Lady Gaga and Rihanna, both of whom have had three 4 million-sellers.
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Photos | Ke$ha, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez And Many More At Wango Tango 2011

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Usher - Fed Up (featuring Usher, Young Jeezy, Drake, Rick Ross)

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Prince Albert & Charlene Wittstock Wed: Celebrity Couple of the Week

The highly anticipated wedding of Monaco’s Prince Albert to Charlene Wittstock, a South African former Olympic swimmer, occurred over the weekend. The civil ceremony took place on Friday, with the religious ceremony presiding on Saturday. We’ve got full details of their wedding including some photos and video highlights. In honor of their nuptials, they are our Celebrity Couple of the Week. The bride wore a silk Duchesse Giorgio Armani Priv� off white dress and looked absolutely stunning! The dress was adorned with Swarovski crystals with flower embroidery. The Prince wore the cream summer uniform of Monaco’s palace guards. Three medals could be seen on his uniform – the French Legion of Honor, Order of Saint Charles and the Order of Grimaldi. As he made his way to the altar, the Prince was all smiles as he winked at the several friends and family members who were there to witness the royal nuptials. Princess Charlene looked nervous as she walked down the aisle, escorted by her father, Michael Kenneth Wittstock. Who can blame her, really, as all eyes were on the pretty blonde, about to say her ‘I Do’s’ in front of European royalty and celebrity guests. They said their vows [...]

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Britney Spears' 'I Wanna Go': A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet

From 'Crossroads' to seashells, here's a look at the references in Britney's latest video.By James Montgomery





Britney Spears in her music video for "I Wanna Go"

Photo: Jive




Britney Spears' new "I Wanna Go" video is, like some of her past clips, an all-out affront to the pesky paparazzi that follow her every move. But, unlike any video she's done previously, this one tackles the issue with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

See, "Go" is essentially one long dream sequence — instigated by the rote questions Spears is forced to endure by members of the media — and, as such, it's packed with pop-culture nods to film and television (and whistling dogs too). And that fact not only makes it pretty funny, but it sets it apart from most of Brit's other work. And though we've done pop-culture cheat sheets for her other videos, rarely have they been as much fun as they were this time out.
So, without further ado, alphabetized and cross-referenced for your perusing pleasure, here's our "I Wanna Go" cheat sheet:

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Paris Hilton Accepts Plea Deal

Paris Hilton does it again. E! News reports that the celebutante has accepted a plea deal that includes pleading guilty to misdemeanor drug possession and obstructing an officer.
In return, she avoids being charged with felony cocaine possession and gets two consecutive six-month jail sentences suspended. Translation: Paris won't have to spend a night in jail.

"We fashioned a resolution which would give us complete control over her future," Clark County District Attorney David Roger told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "If she does not toe the line and stay out of trouble, she will do one year in the Clark County Detention Center."
Paris reportedly will enter her plea on Monday. She will be on probation for one year, have to complete a drug abuse program, pay a fine of $2000, and complete 200 hours of community service (brace yourself for those pictures- LOL).
Does this sound fair to you or do you want to see Paris serve some time? Honestly, I think you could stick Paris in jail for five years, and it wouldn't change a thing.
Photos by FAME

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Michael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray's Trial To Be Televised

Judge rules that camera will be allowed in the courtroom for manslaughter case.By Gil Kaufman





Conrad Murray

Photo: AFP/ Getty Images




For what promises to be one of the most bizarre and riveting legal proceedings in years, a Los Angeles judge ruled on Monday that a television camera will be allowed in the courtroom when Michael Jackson's doctor goes on trial for involuntary manslaughter.
Reuters reported that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, approved the presence of a camera in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray as long as it does not interfere with the proceedings in the closely watched case.
The judge asked for the "absolute least-intrusive placement" of a TV camera in the courtroom, but blocked cameras from documenting jury selection.
Pastor also announced that he would bump up the opening date of the trail by four days to March 24, at which point jury selection will begin. Murray, who faces up to four years in prison if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the trial is expected to last around six weeks.
Cardiologist Murray was hired to be Jackson's personal physician in the run-up to the King of Pop's planned 50-date comeback series of shows at London's O2 arena in the summer of 2009. The doctor told police that he provided Jackson, 50, with sedatives and the surgical anesthetic propofol in order to combat the singer's chronic insomnia. He said he did so on the morning of June 25, 2009, when Jackson died of what a coroner deemed acute propofol poisoning.
TMZ reported on Tuesday (February 8) that Murray's lawyers plan to argue that Jackson was already in weak health before he died and that it's unfair to blame propofol for his passing. Unnamed sources close to the case told the gossip site that at the time of his death, Jackson's body was already failing him in part because concert promoter AEG Live had "driven [him] over the edge" with a rigorous rehearsal schedule for the shows.
Murray's lawyers reportedly plan to call witnesses to say that Jackson was not showing up for rehearsals and when he did he showed "clear signs" of frail health. They also reportedly plan to argue that it was Jackson who administered the final, fatal dose of propofol to himself while Murray was out of the room.



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Comedy Central Is Planning To Roast Charlie Sheen

Comedy Central has hit the jackpot with the announcement that Charlie Sheen will be the guest of honor at their next celebrity roast. In previous years, Comedy Central has roasted Pamela Anderson, David Hasselhoff, Joan Rivers and others. But this Fall, they’ll be roasting the very trainwrecky Charlie Sheen … and get this … the [...]

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'Harry Potter' World Cup: Muggles Target Robert Pattinson

Keep voting over on the MTV Movies Blog to determine the best 'Potter' character of all time.By Eric Ditzian





Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"

Photo: Warner Bros.




The second round of MTV News' "Harry Potter" World Cup — the fan-voted tournament to pick the greatest character in the fantasy franchise — is already under way, but we'd like to pause for a minute to say how damn impressed we are. We offered up this momentous task to you, and you came through in a big way over the first round, voting more than 1.2 million times to make sure your favorite wizards and witches, heroes and villains, owls, elves and werewolves made it through to the next round.

Magical stuff! And it's only just beginning. Round two is shaping up to deliver us some blowouts, some neck-and-neck competitions and one upset that could have fans of another supernatural series up in arms.
On that last point, we're talking about Mr. Robert Pattinson. Before RPattz got mixed up in the "Twilight" madness, he took on the role of Cedric Diggory, a wizard who was only featured in "Goblet of Fire" but whose death changed the course of Hogwarts history and earned the character a #3 seed in our tournament. Cedric coasted through the first round and seemed to have a path cleared for him in future rounds by "Twilight" fans, who knocked Luna Lovegood out in a shocking round-one defeat.
Yet "Potter" fans seem to be fighting back in round two. Cedric now finds himself in a fierce battle with Narcissa Malfoy, the Dark Lord ally who squeaked by Lovegood in round one and could make it two upsets in a row. As of this writing, Narcissa leads the voting 53 percent to Cedric's 47 percent. All this makes for one of round two's most exciting matchups.
And a lot can happen before voting ends July 1 at 12:01 p.m. ET. Will the throw-down between brother/sister tandem George and Ginny Weasley, for example, go down to the wire? Right now, they're locked in a virtual tie. And can Professor Minerva McGonagall, the head honcho of Gryffindor, maintain a razor-thin margin of victory over timid-yet-ultimately heroic Neville Longbottom? Don't count that dude out yet.
Other matches seem already decided. Ron Weasley holds a commanding lead over Quidditch top dog Oliver Wood. Ron's gal pal Hermione and best friend Harry Potter, meanwhile, have each also raced out to nearly impossible-to-overcome leads. Big shock there, right? The big three are going to coast safely into the Sweet 16.
There they'll no doubt greet Severus Snape, the is-he-really-bad-or-maybe-kinda-good wizard who is deservedly a fan favorite. He's far ahead in his face-off with itty-bitty Professor Flitwick. We'll go ahead now and call it: Snape for the win! And let's cross our fingers that Dobby the House Elf, he of the adorable voice and self-sacrificing worldview, maintains his hefty lead over Kingsley Shacklebolt, who honestly is on borrowed time after a round-one upset of Mad-Eye Moody.
So that's where we stand about halfway through the second round. Don't let your personal fave pull a Mad-Eye Moody. Make sure he, she or it gets your support. With millions of votes coming through, it's up to you to vote and vote and vote. And then vote some more before we anoint the greatest character of all time in MTV News' Harry Potter World Cup.
Who is the best "Harry Potter" character of all time? The "Harry Potter" World Cup will find out! Voting is going on now over on the MTV Movies Blog, and you can also get the debate going on Twitter with the hashtag #mtvpottercup.



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Michael Rapaport Eyes Roots, De La Soul For Next Docs

A Tribe Called Quest doc director says he'd do another hip-hop film 'if things lined up.'By Rob Markman, with reporting by Kara Warner





Michael Rapaport

Photo: MTV News




The controversy surrounding the documentary "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest" has not killed director Michael Rapaport's hip-hop jones. The film has received rave reviews, and if given the chance, Rapaport told MTV News that he has his eye on a few other rap acts that he'd like to turn his lens on.

"I would love to document De La Soul," he said looking directly in the camera making his best pitch.
Another group which Rapaport has interest in is Philadelphia hip-hop band the Roots. While the group has had a rotating cast since their 1993 debut, Organix, band leader and drummer ?uestlove, along with MC Black Thought and keyboardist Kamal have been mainstays. Multi-platinum producer Scott Storch was a one-time member, as was rapper Malik B. The Roots have released 10 studio LPs since the early 1990s, and of course, the Grammy-winning group are enjoying success as the in-house band for "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon."
"I would love to document the Roots; I think they have an interesting story," Rapaport said. "I have a curiosity about them. Their musicality and their live performances I think would be great, and I have a feeling that there are stories behind each one of them."
After filming A Tribe Called Quest for his current work, Rapaport has went back and forth with group member Q-Tip. In light of the experience, when he visited "RapFix Live" in March, Q-Tip urged other rappers to tell their "own stories," a concept that confused Rapaport. "I don't know if he meant, 'We're from hip-hop, it should be a hip-hop director,' " the actor-director admitted to MTV News. "I don't know who would go under the auspices of being a hip-hop director. Or if it was a racial thing like, 'We're black and shouldn't have a white director.' It was confusing to me."
As of now, Rapaport isn't looking to do another rap film in the near future, but he wouldn't turn it down if the opportunity presented itself.
"Right now I'm taking a break from hip-hop documentaries," he said. "But I would do it if things lined up."
Would you support a Michael Rapaport-directed Roots documentary? Tell us in the comments!



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Lady Gaga Calls Japan Bracelet Lawsuit 'Misguided'

Suit claiming singer profited from inflated shipping and sales tax is 'without merit,' rep says.By Gil Kaufman





Lady Gaga

Photo: Ian Gavan/ Getty Images




Just days after a Michigan-based law firm filed suit against Lady Gaga over claims that the singer's charity overcharged fans for the shipping costs of her Japan-boosting bracelets and made money on the earthquake relief effort, a spokesperson for Mother Monster said the legal action was "misguided."
The suit from 1-800-LAW-FIRM alleges that the $5 bracelets — which Gaga rushed out shortly after the devastating March earthquake and tsunami — had an unnecessary $3.99 shipping cost and sales tax added on and that Gaga made money on them after promising that all proceeds would go to benefit disaster victims.
"I Designed a Japan Prayer Bracelet. Buy It/Donate here and ALL proceeds will go to Tsunami Relief Efforts. Go Monsters," Gaga tweeted on the day the earthquake struck.
According to E! Online, Gaga's publicist issued a statement on Tuesday responding to the claims.
"This misguided lawsuit is without merit and unfortunately takes attention away from the kind deeds of the fans around the world who are supporting the people of Japan," read the statement, which was issued days after Gaga performed in MTV Japan's concert
to raise funds for earthquake relief. "The entire $5 donation made with the purchase of each bracelet is going to support the disaster relief. No profit is being made on shipping costs. Sales tax charges were made in accordance with local legal requirements. Lady Gaga has personally pledged her own funds to this cause and continues to support the victims of the disaster."
By the end of March, Gaga — who unveiled her new panda-inspired look while visiting Japan this week — announced that she had donated more than $1.5 million from the sale of the bracelets to video game maker Zynga's relief effort fund.
The lawsuit is seeking class-action status and possible refunds for fans who bought the bracelets.



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Soap Dish: Remembering ATWT?s Anthony Herrera

This week?s Soap Dish is devoted to the amazingly talented Anthony Herrera who we learned yesterday passed away last week. Anthony?s portrayal of the evil James Stenbeck on the CBS soap opera As The World Turns was one of the reasons I watched the show for years. Yesterday it was announced that Herrera had lost his battle with cancer. He died on June 21st in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1997 Anthony was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma that had been in remission for 10 years. However that did not keep him from doing what he loved. Along with continuing to bless the world with his fabulous acting skills Herrera wrote a book called The Cancer War, which is exactly what it sounds like a book about his war with cancer. If you have not read it I highly suggest you do because it is one of the best books I ever read. The very talented actor had a 40 year career in the business that spanned movies, TV movies and of course daytime soap operas. He was on a total of four shows, Search For Tomorrow, The Young and The Restless, Loving and As The World Turns. He [...]

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Beyonce Runs The BET Awards Stage From Abroad

Superstar songstress belts 'Best Thing I Never Had' and 'The End of Time' from Glastonbury gig.By Mawuse Ziegbe





Beyoncé performs at the Glastonbury festival on Sunday

Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images




Beyoncé didn't even have to be in the building to run things.
The "Run the World (Girls)" songstress wasn't able to attend the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 26) but that didn't stop the diva from rocking the crowd remotely by performing via satellite from her headlining gig at the Glastonbury festival in England.

Following an introduction from Ne-Yo, Bey started off with her 4 track "Best Thing I Never Had." Sporting a dark leotard under a sequined belted jacket and ankle booties, the superstar belted the power ballad in front of a packed audience waving international flags.
Bey then segued into another spankin' new 4 cut, the Afrobeat-powered jam "The End of Time." The hitmaker worked some Motherland-inspired grooves to the dancefloor-ready track, pumping her elbows and flinging her curls about, flanked by a quartet of similarly fierce dancers with big hair and snug leotards. After some muscled-up male dancers joined the party, the songstress kicked up the energy, leading the crew through a hip-twisting dance breakdown. Bey closed the uptempo set with a screen of pyro that rained onto the stage.
Earlier this month, when tracks from the star's highly anticipated album 4 hit the Web prematurely, Bey explained the inspiration behind her booty-jiggling anthems.
"When I record music I always think about my fans singing every note and dancing to every beat. I make music to make people happy and I appreciate that everyone has been so anxious to hear my new songs."
What did you think of Beyoncé's performance at the BET Awards? Let us know in the comments!



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Janet Jackson Thrills Fans With Greatest Hits, Michael Tribute At Radio City

Singer covered songs ranging from classic 'Pleasure Principle' to 2008's 'Feedback' at New York show.By Vaughn Schoonmaker





Janet Jackson (file)

Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images




NEW YORK — Often imitated, never duplicated, Janet Jackson's outbursts of meticulous choreography, sassy exclamations and smoldering gazes into the audience kept them on their feet for the entire two-hour set of her greatest hits at Radio City Music Hall. Monday night marked the last of three sold-out shows at the historic venue on her monumental Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour.
Up-and-coming boy band Mindless Behavior opened the show with songs including "#1 Girl," "Future" and their debut single, "My Girl." With their Usher-esque dance moves and shouts like "Where the ladies at?" the boys brought the tween girls out of hiding, judging by the shrill screams escaping various corner of the music hall.
At 9:00 sharp, the lights went down and Janet's fans were on the edge of their seats, watching music videos for "The Best Things in Life Are Free" and "Rhythm Nation" projected on big screens across the venue. A small shadow drifted toward center stage, and when the colorful lights came up, Jackson, wrapped in a shoulder-padded catsuit, complete with slick short hair, blasted into "The Pleasure Principle," dancing as hard and intensely choreographed as she did when the song first came out in the 1980s.
With barely a spare second between songs, Janet dazzled her way through her biggest hits, including "Miss You Much," "All for You" and "Nasty," and more recent hits like 2008's "Feedback."
Videos displayed during Jackson's costume changes included vintage clips from "Diff'rent Strokes," a funny scene from "Poetic Justice" where Jackson slyly rejects the advances of Tupac Shakur's character, and a rather heavy scene, as Jackson's character in "Why Did I Get Married" destroys her husband's house with a golf club, screaming hysterically.
Considering the tough couple of years the Jackson family has faced, the dark moments in the video seemed fitting, and everyone was beside themselves with bittersweet joy when Michael Jackson's face popped up on the big screen and she performed their hit single "Scream."
Janet emerged for her encore in a tight white one-piece disco suit, and performed "Diamonds," "Make Me" and "Together Again," which appeared to be the biggest hit of the evening. As Jackson graciously bowed out, her straight face transitioned into a smirk, suggesting that despite the hard times she has experienced recently, we can expect to see this singing and dancing pop legend shine far into the future.
"Its amazing!" Janet fan Elena Mercantini gleamed afterward. "It's like she's still 20 years old!"
"She's hot, she's amazing and she's still got it after all these years" added Alison Klinger of Long Island. "Best concert I've ever been to!"



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Common Reveals Warner Bros. CEO Invited Him To Label

Lyor Cohen approached rapper, who departed Universal Music in 2009.By Alvin Blanco





Common

Photo: Chris Weeks/ Getty Images




Last week, Chicago rapper Common revealed that he is taking his rhyme talents to Warner Bros. Records. Surprisingly, the "Universal Mind Control" rapper tells MTV News that he had been a free agent since December 2009, when he departed from his longtime Universal Music recording home.

The rapper and actor, currently shooting an AMC television series called "Hell on Wheels" that will premiere in the fall, released his last album, Universal Mind Control, in December 2008. The album was met with mixed reviews and didn't reach the same gold sales of his previous two projects, the critically acclaimed Be and Finding Forever.
But a certain record executive didn't lose faith in the veteran rap lyricist. "Point blank, I got a call from [Warner CEO] Lyor Cohen," Common told MTV News. "He was like, 'Look, man, I know who you are. I always told you, you was one of my favorite MCs, and I really meant that.'
"I felt the sincerity in what he was saying. He didn't tell me, 'We're going to do this, do that.' He was more like, 'I know how we can do your record, and I want to work this. I want this to be on my roster.' "
The Warner music chairman knows a thing or two about talent. Through the years, "the check writer" has had a hand in the careers of star MCs such as Run-DMC, LL Cool J and Jay-Z. Before getting the call from Cohen, Common had been toying with the idea of going the indie-label route to release his music.
"I felt like, man, it would be good because it's so much ... we do have a lot going on," Common explained. "I am doing these acting projects. I do have my foundation. I do have a daughter and a life, too. So it's all these things I want to take care of, I felt like I didn't want to have an independent label that I felt like you gotta be there for everything, every decision. I'd rather have a team that's already in place that's really confident in what I'm doing."
Although G.O.O.D. Music recently inked a worldwide label agreement with Island Def Jam Music Group, Common is still affiliated with Kanye West's label. "It's still G.O.O.D. Music all day and night," he said.
Common's ninth album, The Dreamer, The Believer, is due out in November.
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Mary Margaret's First Flight

So I'm at O'Hare right now getting ready to fly back to New York with my babies. Bev and Mary Margaret are in one bag together.

Earlier there was some cuddling, but now I hear a bit of growling. Mary Margaret has a tendency to terrorize poor Beverly...

The big thing I'm afraid of, however, isn't the growling—it's that Mary Margaret will poop in her bag. If she does poop, I've decided that I'm going to poop too, because me shitting myself will totally trump her shitting herself, right?
That's gross... girls shouldn't talk about poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
Anywho... I'll check in later to tell you how it goes. The flight is delayed right now, which just makes the possibility of pooping more likely. For me and her.
(I know, I know... girls shouldn't talk about poop.)

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Justin Bieber Won't 'Limit' Himself On Next Album

'I just want to make music,' he tells MTV News.By Jocelyn Vena





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Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images




It's been a minute since Justin Bieber released new music, and it sounds like the waiting game continues for Beliebers. The singer is currently in the planning and recording stages for his next record and has not set any deadlines for himself. At the moment, Bieber said, he's still creating.

"I want to work a lot with myself," he told MTV News about any plans to expand his collaboration résumé, after working with artists like Chris Brown, Kanye West, Ludacris and Rascal Flatts. "And [I want to] write a lot myself. I will be working with a lot of other producers and stuff like that, but I'm just writing a lot, writing on tour."
So what is Bieber focusing on in this new batch of songs? "[I'm] writing about how I feel and producing. I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer," he said. "I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge."
It may be a while until new stuff comes out, but it's not like fans don't already have plenty of Bieber music to listen to in the meantime. Only a couple of years into his career, Bieber has already managed to release the chart-topping albums My World, My World 2.0, Never Say Never — The Remixes and My Worlds Acoustic. He's also dabbled in a number of genres, like pop, hip-hop, R&B and, yes, even country. With so many interests in so many different sounds and so much to draw from, Bieber said he's not boxing himself in on his next release.
"I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's gonna have that vibe," he explained. "I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music, and genre — I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is different. My voice is not meant for any style. I just want to make music."
Are you excited for Bieber's next album? Tell us in the comments!



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Britney Spears' 'I Wanna Go' Director Breaks Down Cheeky Clip

Chris Marrs Piliero explains the video's 'Half Baked' and 'Terminator' homages, but what about those elusive seashells?By Kara Warner





Britney Spears in her "I Wanna Go" music video

Photo: Jive




Britney Spears' video for "I Wanna Go" — a dream-sequence-y, pop-culture-reference-packed tongue-in-cheek attack on the paparazzi — is so fun, it's quickly becoming one of our favorites. And because we can't get enough of it, MTV News sought out the vid's creative mastermind, director Chris Marrs Piliero (who also directed Ke$ha's "Blow"), to explain it to us, frame by frame.

"This opening scene poked fun at the ridiculous rumors that surround Britney," Piliero said of the clip's opening press conference, during which Britney tells off a room of reporters. "That is our homage to 'Half Baked.' I was really stoked that we were able to include that little parody homage in the video and that Guillermo Diaz, who is the guy [in the scene] giving the thumbs up, is from the movie."
After strutting out of the press conference and squeezing the butt of an autograph-seeking fan (played by one of her dancers), Spears strolls down the street, passing by a baby in a stroller who whistles at her.
"We were actually going to have three babies," Piliero revealed. "But the other two were just crying and crying. and I was like, 'F--- it, get 'em outta there.' And the one baby, he ruled and was supercute, so we went with him."
Spears' next saucy move is to flash a bunch of guys on the street: a young boy, his dad, a male driver getting a ticket and the cop writing it.
"That little kid was awesome," Piliero said of the young redheaded boy. "If you look closely, he's actually squeezing his juice box all over this shirt. The cop is another one of Britney's dancers. You might recognize him from the 'Hold It Against Me' video, he had blue hair."
Next up, Spears encounters a paparazzo on the street and grabs his camera and throws it to the ground.
"That was a very genuine performance from Britney," Piliero said of the scene. "I felt like she was letting out her inner emotion toward paparazzi. It was also really cold. I think she just went for it."
Cut to Spears on top of a taxi, microphone in hand with a long cord, which she uses to take out the various photographers who have surrounded her.
"A lot of people think this was inspired by 'Kill Bill,' because I'm a huge Quentin Tarantino fan. I would totally own up to that if it was true," he admitted. "But I actually intended for her to always having her performance with the microphone [throughout the video] for her performance setup, so I thought that was a good way to tie it all together and I didn't want to give her a real weapon."
But Piliero was making an intentional pop-culture reference with the wording on the movie theater marquee in the background of the scene that reads "Crossroads 2: Cross Harder." "I've always thought that 'Die Hard 2: Die Harder' is one of the most ridiculously awesome titles for a sequel," he said. "And I needed to put something in the marquee, and I thought it would be a really fun Easter egg for fans."
Now something odd happens with the paparazzi who've been hit by Spears' microphone weapon — they are revealed to be robots or androids. "I love pop culture and this whole video is kind of a dream sequence," Piliero said. "I think it's natural to have fantasies and dreams with stuff inspired by pop culture, so that's why the robot guys kind of have a 'Terminator'-ish feel."
Before the "Terminator" 'bots can move in on Spears, Diaz drives up in a sports car and whisks her away, where he celebrates by pouring a carton of milk all over himself.
"Guillermo kills it in the scene with the milk, he's hilarious," Piliero enthused. "And I love Britney's reaction there; both her reactions where she's laughing are so good. A lot of people ask about the milk and what the deal with it is, a lot of people have theories too. I don't need to say what the point is, because I love hearing what people say, so I'll leave it at that. Same goes with the seashells too."
Cut to the final scene, where we realize that it was all a dream. Spears is at the press conference, shaken out of a daze when Guillermo steps in and tells the reporters, "No more questions," then hands Spears a handful of those seashells that Piliero won't explain. He looks back at the camera at the last moment and we see his eyes are robot red, an obvious nod to Michael Jackson's zombie-green eyes in the last shot of "Thriller."
" 'Thriller' is one of my favorite music videos ever," Piliero said. "I remember watching it when I was 5, that was what inspired me to become a music video director so I wanted to pay homage to it."
What do you think the milk and the seashells signify in "I Wanna Go"? Share your theories in the comments below.



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Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber Turn CMT Awards Into Crossover Celebration

Kid Rock hosted the show, which featured everyone from Ludacris and Jason Aldean to Sheryl Crow.By Gil Kaufman





Sheryl Crow and Justin Bieber at the 2011 CMT Music Awards

Photo: Getty Images




You might have done a double-take when you saw the list of winners and guests at Wednesday night's CMT Music Awards, which included trophies for Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber as well as performances that featured Ludacris and a cover of Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie."

But, yes, this was a country music event. It's just that some of the hardware handed out at the show hosted by Kid Rock tipped its 10-gallon hat to the ongoing popularity of the pop-infused sound.
The biggest example of that cross-over success, Swift, took home one of the top honors, Video of the Year, for her clip "Mine." She accepted the prize from a stage in Wisconsin, her latest tour stop.
"I just want to say thank you and hi to everybody back at the CMT Music Awards," she said. "I wish I could be there, but I'm hanging out with 15,000 of my closest friends in Milwaukee. I want to thank so many people — all the little kids who are in the video and their families for bringing them to Maine and being in the video. ... I don't know what I did to deserve you guys, but you've made so many amazing things happen to me in my life."
Male Video of the Year honors went to "The Voice" judge Blake Shelton for "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking," while the female video winner was his wife, Miranda Lambert, for her emotional tune "The House That Built Me."
One of the more unusual names on the winners list was Bieber, who snagged Collaborative Video of the Year for his hookup with Rascal Flatts on the tune "That Should Be Me."
"First of all, I just want to say how honored I am to be here ... with Rascal Flatts," Bieber said while accepting his first country award. "How amazing are Rascal Flatts, everybody? I want to thank my mom. I want to thank my family. And I want to thank Rascal Flatts for even jumping on the song with me."
Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus thanked Bieber right back for bringing the group the "great song," adding, "It was an honor to be in this video with you. What a talented guy. We appreciate it so much."
Lady Antebellum, another group that has surfed the more country side of the crossover wave, scored Group Video of the Year for "Hello World." And the Band Perry, an act that many mainstream listeners were first introduced to thanks to "American Idol" runner-up Lauren Alaina, took the USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year prize for "If I Die Young," as well as the 2011 Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award.
Of course, it wasn't all awards and honors, there was also a hilarious opening bit in which Swift and Shania Twain killed it in a three-minute "Thelma & Louise" parody. In the clip, the two jump in their convertible and run into a perv played by comedian Ron White, practice shooting their guns and run into "Glee" star Chord Overstreet, who plays the shirtless Brad Pitt character. In addition to a gratuitous Donald Trump cameo, the video also featured Kenny Rogers singing his hit "The Gambler" by the roadside and host Rock hopping into the car with the ladies after getting kicked off his tour bus for partying too hard.
There were other highlights, including someone tossing a pair of ladies' underwear at Rock and Sheryl Crow later admitting she flashed hers while getting up from a stool after performing with the rapper-turned-heartland-rocker.
"I'm just gonna address the elephant in the room, because people all over America are tweeting that I was wearing a really short skirt when I sang with Kid Rock — and that when I got up off the stool, I showed my underwear," Crow joked. "Well, at least you were wearing underwear," co-presenter Sara Evans said.
There was further drama when Twain came out to introduce the male video winner and took a major tumble on a too-slick floor while walking to the stage. She got up quickly and regained her composure, later laughing, "I don't need a stunt double."
In addition to Rock opening the show with a bit of his hard-hitting "Bawitdaba" (which was cut off in favor of a more country-safe tune named "Till My Dying Day" that he wrote for Wynonna Judd), Ludacris hooked up with Jason Aldean for "Dirt Road Anthem," the Band Perry played "Love the Way You Lie," and Lady Antebellum did a bit of Prince's "Kiss."
"Idol" winner Scotty McCreery was on hand with Alaina to introduce a performance by Sugarland as well.
Other winners included Sugarland (Duo Video of the Year for "Stuck Like Glue"), Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett (CMT Performance of the Year for "Margaritaville") and Shelton (Best Web Video of the Year, "Kiss My Country Ass.")



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'SYTYCD' Recap: Season 8, Episode 11

Yesterday: Kristin Chenoweth requested that some doors be closed. She was pretty insistent about it, so if I were you, I'd get on that. The opening group dance has Melanie front-and-center, which is something I approve of. I flip-flop between Sasha and Melanie, so they're my co-favorites. It's a refreshingly unencumbered dance.
The outfits are simple and grey, and there aren't any props to wave around. There might not even be a story. It's just some limber kids hopping around to music from The Incredibles. Very pleasant. Good work, Michael Rooney.
CLICK TO READ THE FULL RECAP

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Photos | Ke$ha, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez And Many More At Wango Tango 2011

Ke$ha, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez And Many More At Wango Tango 2011

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Pop References In Britney Spears' 'I Wanna Go' Video

From 'Crossroads' to seashells, here's a look at the references in Britney's latest video.





Photo: Jive








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Britney Spears Hosts As Ke$ha, Jennifer Lopez, More Bring Wango Tango To L.A.

Pitbull, Matthew Morrison, Selena Gomez, Far East Movement and others filled the Staples Center on Saturday night.By Matt Elias





Britney Spears hosts KIIS FM's Wango Tango 2011 on Saturday

Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images




LOS ANGELES — Britney Spears makes headlines at concerts, even when she's not performing. That's probably why Los Angeles radio station KIIS FM tapped the pop princess to guest-host their annual Wango Tango music festival along with Ryan Seacrest on Saturday night at the Staples Center.

The bill was a balance of pop and hip-hop, with acts like Ke$ha, Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Selena Gomez, "Glee" 's Matthew Morrison, Lupe Fiasco, T-Pain, Jason Derülo, Far East Movement, New Boyz, Cobra Starship and newcomer Cody Simpson.
Backstage, the media room went into a frenzy when Spears arrived in a red, geometric-print dress and a beaming smile. Owning her "femme fatale" moniker, Spears worked the carpet for a few moments while all of the cameras in the room were pointing at her. It was the second red carpet appearance by Brit this week, after her Beverly Hills benefit on Wednesday night for the St. Bernard Project.
Check out photos from Wango Tango 2011.
Spears' Femme Fatale collaborator Ke$ha, who was returning to the festival for the second time, said that an onstage collab between to the two would have to require one thing.
"That would have to include me finding her and attacking her," Ke$ha told MTV News, with the best intentions. "I'm planning on pouncing her."
While that never happened, at least not onstage, Ke$ha delivered on her promise of a set heavy on her glitter gun. And she assured us she knew the dos and don'ts of handling that kind of firepower.
"Do not spray yourself in the face with it," she said. "Do spray everybody else with it. That's pretty much it."
While Joe Jonas wasn't performing at the show, he took a break from recording his solo debut to catch up with almost everyone backstage.
"I didn't see Britney backstage, just said 'hello' to a couple of my friends," Jonas said. "Backstage is always [full of] people, especially having it at the Staples Center this time, I think compared to all the way out in the desert, it changes everything."
Also happy to have Wango Tango in Los Angeles were locals Far East Movement.
"Man, we grew up literally a few blocks away from here, and you can only imagine basketball games being played here," Kev Nish said. "So to come in here as performers, to be able to do our songs in this arena is a little crazy. We used to pass out CDs a few blocks [away], so we're very thankful. And the lineup is nuts, so we're extremely excited to be a part of this lineup."
Were you at Wango Tango? Share your experience in the comments below!



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Taylor Swift, Rihanna Dress To Impress At Billboard Awards

Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha, Selena Gomez also make fashion splash on red carpet, as showgirl style rules at the Las Vegas event on Sunday night.By Jocelyn Vena





Taylor Swift at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards

Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images




On Sunday night, some of the biggest names in the music industry hit up the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas and decided that sparkles and sequins make for the perfect additions to any red carpet get-up. Well, it is Sin City after all.
Taylor Swift always seems to bring some of that Nashville sparkle to any red carpet. She arrived at the show in a pale-hued, sequined Elie Saab gown. Nicki Minaj showed off her signature sense of style in her baby-blue, body-hugging spandex Mark Fast catsuit.
Selena Gomez turned up the style dial in a sexy, cut-out black Dolce & Gabbana gown that she paired with red strappy sandals with sparkly bow detailing. Like Gomez, Ke$ha opted for some cut-out detailing in her sparkly, slate-gray dress with tulle skirt. Rihanna looked white hot in her men's tailored Max Azria suit, which she kept sexy and feminine by not buttoning her shirt all the way.
Fergie went S&M chic in her little black bandage-type dress by Hervé Léger. Nicole Kidman also wore black. She paired a casual braid hairstyle with a long black gown and Keith Urban. British pop cutie Kyle Minogue looked funky in her little black lacey dress. Inside the show, Britney Spears sat in the audience wearing a skimpy black dress of her own, her hair in loose curls, with little-to-no accessories.
While some stars kept the color scheme low-key, Keri Hilson decided to stand out in her billowy little yellow dress paired with a turquoise-colored belt. Kelly Rowland showed off some of her best assets in a body-hugging, bright pink bandage dress.
The fellas also looked tight on the carpet. Joe Jonas wore all black with white sneakers, Ne-Yo paired his periwinkle suit with a Yankees cap and Justin Bieber wore black tuxedo pants with a gold-lamé tuxedo jacket.
Which stars' styles caught your eye at the Billboard Music Awards? Tell us in the comments.



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