Hey, remember that punch-up Pete Wentz got into last summer at a SPIN magazine party in Chicago? You don't? Why, we were all over it back then.

Anyway, now the dude allegedly on the receiving end of Wentz's fury -- a gentleman named Andy Kallas -- has filed suit against both the Fall Out Boy bassist and Chicago rock-spot Schuba's Tavern (where the beatdown took place), seeking unspecified damages. In the suit, Kallas alleges that he suffered "serious injuries to his head, mouth, and face" after being attacked by Wentz and as many as ten other individuals, and that said attack was totally unprovoked.

When we first covered the story back in June, one Schuba's patron said that Kallas was "calling Pete a sell-out, asking him 'Where's [girlfriend] Ashlee [Simpson]?' and making fun of his hoodie." Wentz himself said that he only punched Kallas because he grabbed him, and that he was only acting in self-defense.

When contacted for comment on the lawsuit by MTV News today, Wentz would only offer a "no comment."

This in from MTV News digital producer Megan Warner:

Last night I went to a dynamic discussion at the Tribeca Film Festival on the effect user-generated content (UGC) is continuing to have on the media. The focus of the evening was introducing this Saturday’s first annual Pangea Day, a four-hour international online streaming film/performance fest -- a "YouTube" day if you will, that aims to initiate intercultural dialogue. The idea is that people all over the world will watch the program at the same exact time, be it online or on TV. On the panel were Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international correspondent in NY (and one of my She-roes!), filmmaker and Pangea Day founder Jehane Noujaim, and ex-MTV News correspondent Gideon Yago, who has produced extensive youth-focused television on issues from the Iraq war to sexual health.

One interesting moment came when Gideon suggested UGC now has more influence than traditional broadcast-news coverage (aka Amanpour’s territory):

"I think that it’s very exciting…in part because what is getting out there is so impressionistic, is so visceral, is so raw… I defy any one of you guys to type the word ‘war’ into YouTube and compare it to -- no disrespect [looks at Amanpour] -- the things that you’ll see on the nightly news. And even though it will be uncontextualized, and it will be impressionistic, I think it might be closer to the truth [Amanpour rolls eyes, makes a face, and audience laughs]…"

Amanpour didn’t throw down with Gideon -- but she did draw on her incredible background in broadcast journalism to discuss the impact she thinks citizen-made media can have on world leaders. She left the audience with a challenge: “Basically people have a choice,” said Amanpour. “You can either use this media for its destructive or for its positive power.”

But what’s so new about UGC? Are users really continuing to have an impact on how the news is covered -- or was that all part of a transitional moment in the life of the Net? Beyond celebrity gossip, does what you post online have the potential to make waves?

There are just a handful of sure things in life: footage of George W. Bush dancing will always be hilarious; few people will ever be smart enough or tough enough for chessboxing; and Paula Abdul will forever be our girl when it comes to saying and doing the strangest things on “American Idol.”

But in a seven-year career that has included some all-time classics, Abdul’s antics last night took the cake. More addled-looking than usual, the judge with the tongue three sizes too big for her own mouth managed to critique a performance that hadn’t even taken place yet…except perhaps in her alternate Paulaverse [Ed: Trademark!]. Some of you might have checked the ticker on your TiVo to make sure you hadn’t accidentally skipped ahead in time, but the looks on Randy and Simon's faces let you know it was just another classic Abdulawha???

Inspired, we at MTV News put together a list of the former MC Skat Kat dance partner’s Top Five goof-ups. It's all after the jump -- if you dare. Read more...

· New Kids on the Block have just added a slew of new North American dates. Joey!!!

· Portland, Oregon, officials have banned shaving lines into your eyebrows -- as inspired by the always (read: never) classy Soulja Boy -- because of alleged gang associations.

· Vanilla Ice won’t be charged with domestic battery after all: his wife took it back and said there was no physical confrontation.

· Remember how we told you Mya was going to make her sort of dubious Broadway debut in “Chicago”? Guess not: poor girl broke her foot.

Two British teens accused of murdering a 20-year-old British woman because she was a goth were given life sentences this week.

On a very early August morning last year, Sophie Lancaster was walking through a park in Bacup, Lancashire, with her boyfriend Robert Maltby, 21, when they were attacked by a group of five teenage boys, ranging in age from 15 to 17. According to reports, the couple had been targeted in the past because they were goth. Both were so brutally assaulted that they were left comatose. Robert recovered, but Sophie died two weeks later from her serious head injuries.

Brendan Harris, 15, and Ryan Herbert, 16, were sentenced to life, while the other three teens involved will serve 4 to 6 years each.

In delivering his sentence, Judge Anthony Russell stated that "your behavior on that night degrades humanity itself...This was a hate crime against these completely harmless people targeted because their appearance was different to yours."

During the sentencing, a statement by Sophie's boyfriend Robert was read to the court in which he wrote, "I'm finding the whole world a terrifying place."

Judge Russell went on to defend the goth community, calling goths "perfectly peaceful, law-abiding people who pose no threat to anybody."

The latest SoundScan figures are in, and, for a second straight week, the nation’s best-selling LP – by a long shot -- belongs to Miss Mariah. The hilariously named E=MC2, sold nearly 182,000 copies. But, let’s face it -- La Diva’s run at the top will almost certainly be cut short next week, when Madonna’s Hard Candy enters the Top 200. Madge could take on Mariah on the shelves and on the mat.

But the most interesting thing about next week’s chart, though, has to be Atmosphere, whose latest set, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S--- Gold, enters the chart at #5. Considering the Minneapolis hip-hop duo’s still on the fringe, it was surprising to see that their record sold 36,400 copies in its first week -- not shabby at all for MC Slug (above) and producer Ant, who’ve thrived on their underground cred since getting together back in the mid-90’s.

Maybe their hipster cred has finally reached a boiling point? Or maybe it’s the guest-vocal props from Tom Waits and TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe? Then again, Atmosphere’s long been a slow burn -- they’re one of the best-selling indie hip-hop acts of the last decade, rebuffing a few major-label offers in their day. Or maybe it’s Slug’s completely tripped-out lyrics.

What do you think helped Atmosphere break through?

Check out Slug talking about the making of the album, after the jump. Read more...

Remember all that talk about how offering music at pay-what-you-want prices was the wave of the future? Sorry -- Radiohead now say it was a one-time-only deal.

Thom Yorke told The Hollywood Reporter, “I think it was a one-off response to a particular situation…It was a moment in time.”

All of Williamsburg is weeping.

So what was the problem with pay-what-you-want? Does this mean that the numbers for In Rainbows weren’t as healthy as reported? And what effect will this have on other name-brand artists who have been experimenting – or considering experimenting – with new models? Will this discourage Metallica, who said they were inspired by Radiohead, from going down that road? What about Trent Reznor, who’s been releasing new NIN material for free? For chrissakes, even the none-too-cutting-edge boys of Coldplay are giving away their single.

Thom Yorke, we don’t understand!!

A few thoughts about Paula's “Idol” debacle last night:

Before people get too carried away with the whole “rigging” thing, let’s take a step back for a moment and analyze just a bit.

It may be that what was ultimately revealed last night is that Paula, who’s been more lucid this season than in recent years, has help in formulating her feedback/comments.

All one has to do is watch the show on a regular basis to know that if Randy has anyone helping him with his comments, he or she should be fired immediately. He literally says the same thing, almost verbatim, week after week. “It’s like I say, if you can sing, you can sing anything DAWG!” As for Simon? Come on. Does anyone really think that Simon Cowell is a puppet? Is he going to let others speak for him? No way.

In the end, the best argument against the rigging theory is last week’s results. The judges praised Carly. And she went home. That’s not an anomaly. The public will do what the public will do.

And as for the producers orchestrating a David vs. David finale? The public doesn't need much encouragement to that end. It’s an absolute inevitability having nothing to do with the judges’ commentary and everything to do with the performances they’ve delivered and the followings they’ve built.

What do you think? Is the show rigged? Or was Paula just totally out of it?

· Justice, Band of Horses, TV on the Radio, and Vampire Weekend lead the Monolith fest lineup.

· The search is over! Roger Waters’ pig has landed…at a very upscale location.

· Scarlett Johansson made a music video for one of her Tom Waits covers, and in it Salman Rushdie nuzzles her neck. No, really, you just read that.

· You can still get tickets to the Rainforest Foundation Fund’s benefit show at Carnegie Hall. Brian Wilson, Feist, Sting, and loads of others are on this year’s bill.

(by Sarah Muller)

We here at Newsroom have learned how intense Madonna fans can be. So we were not surprised to find hardcore devotees of La Dance Diva lined up in the rain for the chance to see her shake her frighteningly toned booty. That's what you get when Madonna is not only performing, but she’s giving a free performance of Hard Candy (out today) -- tomorrow night at NY's Roseland Ballroom. It's her “way of saying thank you” to fans yadda yadda, and the tickets are first-come, first-serve starting 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.

So, obviously, lifers are taking no chances.

Dana Spera, the first person in line, arrived outside of the club Monday at 10 a.m. -- that's right: Monday. Others arrived soon thereafter. As of 2 p.m. this afternoon, the line wrapped around the corner of 52nd and Broadway.

Armed with food, clothes, camping gear, flannel blankets, plastic tarps, trash bags, and anything to keep them warm on this freakishly wintry day (though thankfully no leg warmers or bows, because that would be so mid-80s), the crowd came prepared to wait...and wait…and wait...

But they weren’t expecting the cops who arrived to hassle them after neighbors complained. Jack Murray, numero dos in line, says the police made them take down a self-made tent covering the barricades while it was pouring outside. So mean, NYPD!

Despite the crappy weather, the group remains united in their mission to see Madonna. They’re helping each other out by holding spots if someone needs to get out of line for a few minutes to grab food or find an available bathroom. Though, one man -- let’s just call him “Russell Jones” -- said he was a little bummed out. He hasn’t been able to buy the new album yet because he’s been holding a spot near the front of the line. Russell politely refused to be identified for fear of being “reprimanded” by work for playing hookie. For chrissakes, it's Madge!

Others played it safe. Chris Barone from Connecticut took three days off from work. That's three vacation days. To him, the chance to see Madonna is priceless. “Too much time has been invested,” said Chris.

Um, we're not sure if he means love hours or actual wait time.

More pics of the Madonna devotees straining their sanity after the jump. Read more...