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The Day Emmanuelle Chriqui Took Over My Dressing Room

Posted 7/24/09 5:35 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, Television


As a fan of "Entourage," the last few weeks here at MTV have been a lot of fun. Adrian "Vinny Chase" Grenier and Kevin "Eric" Connolly stopped by just last week to make an appearance on "It's On with Alexa Chung." Although I've been looking forward to seeing both Turtle and Johnny Drama here in the building, there is someone else who I've been looking forward to just a little more.

It was just a regular day — or so I thought. As usual, I headed down to my dressing room to get ready for a shoot and as I opened the door I got one of the best surprises ever. Sitting there in my dressing room eating lunch was Emmanuelle Chriqui.

I have to be honest, I didn't immediately recognize the young actress who is perhaps best known for her role as the glamorous Sloan on "Entourage." She was dressed casually cute in jeans, a sweater and some hot red shoes and was as nice as she looks. Now, here in the MTV Newsroom there are a lot of "Entourage" fans, and Emmanuelle is, understandably, a firm favourite amongst our boys — namely producers Steven Roberts and Nick Neofitidis.

As I walked upstairs I ran into Nick and told him who I had just met, and literally five minutes later he had an interview with her booked for right after the show. I gladly stepped in to do the interview (of course!). I tried for a couple of spoilers about the show, but she's sworn to secrecy by the show's producers. She did let us know that we're going to see the boys do some growing up — yes, even Drama. As for her and E, we're going to have to wait and see, but she did promise the relationship goes through it's ups and downs.

We spoke about the possibility of a "Zohan 2" as well as her new movie "13." She's also heavily involved with a charity organization called "Raise Hope for Congo." The actress is planning on taking some time out to travel to the Congo to help raise awareness and aid for women living there. I wont go into detail here on the blog (there isn't enough space to do it justice), but I just spent the last hour reading up on the plight faced by women in the Congo and its an incredible cause. Check out the website for more information.

And Emmanuelle, if you read this: You're welcome to stop by my dressing room any time!

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'American Idol' Vet Anoop Desai Gets A Present

Posted 7/24/09 5:08 pm EST by in Music, Television


Sure, Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and Danny Gokey have especially — how do I say this politely? — devoted fans, but only one recent "American Idol" contestant has a following so hardcore that some have dedicated entire blog posts just to his shoe size.

Anoop Desai sent fans into a tizzy when he tweeted the size of his shoe in response to a question. His size — a fairly unremarkable 10.5, if you ask me — quickly turned into a talking point on "Idol" blogs and message boards. Yeah, I don't get it either.

So congrats Anoop! You win the prize for causing the weirdest subculture on the Internet since little kids started smoking Smarties.

But a simple blog won't cut it. An auspicious occasion like this one deserves something ... sartorial. My first instinct was to create custom-designed sneakers, but I have no idea how to go about doing that. So I relied on my fallback fashion: T-shirts! I created a limited edition one-of-a-kind tee and gave it to Anoop when we recently caught up at the "American Idols Live!" tour in Los Angeles.

It was the least I could do considering he had just given me free "air-grinding" lessons a couple minutes earlier.

And while I had him there, I figured maybe he could shed some light as to why he thinks his fans have a foot fixation. Turns out Anoop was just as perplexed as the rest of us. "It was really bizarre. Like, 'What's your shoe size?' 10.5! And then it just went from there," Desai laughed. But it's all good with 'Noop Dogg who added, "Yay fans!"

I wonder how big Adam Lambert's feet are? Yikes, I need a vacation.

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Swizz Beatz Is Alive And Well: The MTV Quote Of The Day

Posted 7/24/09 4:59 pm EST by in Music


I seen something on the cover of the XXL: 'The Death of the Super-Producer?' It was on the cover. I was like, 'I hope the f--- they not talking about me.'"

-Producer/rapper/painter Swizz Beatz, assuring the world that his career hasn't fallen off. In fact, he's the busiest he's been since the early days of the Ruff Ryders, as lately he's been working with megastars like Whitney Houston, Jay-Z and 50 Cent, in addition to producing his own solo album Life After the Party. Swizz is a veteran, and even he admits that he sometimes forgets just how long he's been in the game. "I'm starting to feel like a senior citizen. I have people coming to me, saying, 'I started to listen to you when I was 9.' But I gotta remember: I started when I was, like, 16, 17."

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Phish Finalize 'Festival 8' Details, So Here Are More Musical Costume Suggestions

Posted 7/24/09 4:22 pm EST by in Music


After a few weeks of rumors and nail-biting, Phish have announced that they are returning to the festival game with an event they are simply calling "Festival 8," which will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California (the same venue that houses the annual Coachella festival). Over three days this Halloween weekend, the band will play a total of eight sets, and one of those sets will be another grand Phish tradition: The "musical costume," where the band plays a set that consists only of a classic album in its entirety.

In past years, the group has taken on epics like the Beatles' White Album, the Velvet Underground's Loaded and the Who's Quadrophenia. We've already made a handful of suggestions about what the group could tackle this year (it'll remain a mystery until they play the first note on Halloween night), but here are a few more ideas.

U2, The Joshua Tree
Trey Anastasio probably wouldn't be able to handle Bono's vocals, but the rest of the band would be able to capture the grandeur of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and Larry Mullen, Jr.'s rhythms would be excellent fodder for expert skinsman Jon Fishman.

Jimi Hendrix, Axis: Bold As Love
Anastasio has borrowed a lot of his guitar technique from Jimi (who hasn't?), so it only seems right that he pay homage to the man. The bluesy runs on "Little Wing" would probably melt a face or two.
Read More...

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Backstreet's Back? Alright!

Posted 7/24/09 3:31 pm EST by in Music


The new Backstreet Boys song has definitely gone "Straight Through My Heart." And that's a good thing.

The fast-paced track hearkens back to the days of Millennium, which is still quite possibly the best boy band album of the '90s. Their new song, which may be the first single of their forthcoming album, is fun and catchy. Even though the lyrics are oddly reminiscent of Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" (yes, there's bleeding involved in this one as well), it is the combination of the pulsing beat and the guys' signature voices that makes it really enjoyable.

The guys still have game, and this song proves it. It's a track they could have easily released in 1999 and taken straight to the top of the charts. The guys have never really stopped making music, and they have released several albums of unadulterated, unapologetic pop music in their post-pinnacle days. This new song is as BSB as any of their previous releases like "The One" and "As Long As You Love Me," but perhaps with a little more sass thrown in. Needless to say, it's nice to see the guys are still making quality pop music on their own terms. We can't wait for the fall to hear what else they have up their sleeves.

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Jay Sean And Lil Wayne's 'Down' Debuts

Posted 7/24/09 3:03 pm EST by in Music


By Akshay Bhansali

After a few glimpses, a set visit teaser, and a Tim Kash sit down interview on the subject, newly-signed Cash Money Records R&B crooner Jay Sean dropped his U.S. debut video (featuring Lil Wayne) this week.

"Down" was shot on location in the English countryside and Miami, and originally had plans for a cameo by Bollywood bombshell Priyanka Chopra, who sadly couldn't make it due to a scheduling conflict. This would have supported a possible Jay Sean tradition: Indian screen siren Bipsha Basu was the subject of his video for previous album hit single, "Stolen." Revelations? Well, homeboy has been hitting the gym, as the opening shot of the video pronounces. Cash Money label head Birdman makes in appearance, observing his domain with a champagne glass in hand. The final sequence sees Weezy displaying a communist shirt for all to see. Oh Wayne! You so crazy! What would Karl Marx say?

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Kristen Stewart's New Look: The Oh Snap! Poll

Posted 7/24/09 2:54 pm EST by in Movies, Poll


So far, this year's San Diego Comic-Con has been full of buzz: James Cameron has been talking about "Avatar," Peter Jackson revealed some secrets about "District 9" and there are all kinds of details emerging about the sequel to "Tron." But by far the biggest buzz has surrounded "Twilight" (specifically the upcoming installment "New Moon"). And an even bigger story emerging from yesterday's "Twilight" press conference? Kirsten Stewart's clothes. She appeared with co-stars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner wearing tight black jeans, Converse sneakers and a Minor Threat T-Shirt. Her hair is also in a permanent black shock so that she looks more like the 1978 version of Joan Jett.

Needless to say, it sparked a lot of debate on ye olde Internet, so we took to the streets to ask today's burning question: What do you think of Kristen Stewart's new look?

The (highly unscientific) numbers don't lie: 84% of the people we talked do gave Stewart's "Runaways" threads a thumbs down (and even the 16% of people who thought she was pulling it off weren't terribly committed). She should be allowed a little slack: It's difficult to do press for the tween-centric "Twilight" movies while also working on another project, and her commitment to the role has been admirable (she's been hanging out with Jett and has been spotted at several rock shows). But if it gets some kids into old-school punk bands and helps to make the Runaways biopic (starring Stewart as Jett) a success, then it can't be all bad.

What do you think: Does Stewart look good embracing a dirty punk look or was she better off in Bella Swan's more traditional look? Let us know in the comments or head over to Your.MTV.com and make your voice heard!

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Sway: Jay-Z's 'Run This Town' Delivers

Posted 7/24/09 2:00 pm EST by in Music


It's really interesting to observe one of the music industry's most celebrated artists navigate his way through uncharted territories in his rap career. Other than LL Cool J and Nas, there hasn't been an artist in the rap game who has been able to sustain his peak level of relevance as long as Jay-Z. As hip-hop fans, we tend to critique a little harder the longer an artist survives and the older they get. I grew out of that a long time ago — if the music feels good today, then I roll with it. I don't compare it to your past work or factor in your region or how long you've been in the game.

Jay's "D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)" struck a chord with me in a good way because it had substance. When an artist like Jay-Z or Eminem takes a stance on record, it's always electrifying, even if I disagree with the viewpoint. It raised my level of anticipation for the next strategic song placement leading to The Blueprint 3.

So now we have "Run This Town" featuring Rihanna and Kanye West. This song is an event — one of the most anticipated (Jay-Z), the most talked-about (Rihanna) and the most celebrated (Kanye) all on the same track. I get the feeling that these three are ready for battle when listening to this song. It's not so much that they have anything to prove, but it's almost a reminder that "We do this!" Kanye has been very detailed in his lyrical performances for a while, whereas I tend to hang on words for every two bars. It's a very unified collaboration. My curiosity is piqued: What direction is Jay going to take? How will Rihanna re-enter the scene? What kind of experimentation will Kanye do next? All in all, it's a good song that doesn't fully answer all of my questions as a fan, but it definitely excites me to want to know what's next for all three artists.

What do you think: Does "Run This Town" deliver or do you think Jigga could have done better? Let me know in the comments.

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Video: Blink-182 Roll Out 'Feeling This' In Las Vegas

Posted 7/24/09 1:07 pm EST by in Concerts, Music


Last night at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Blink-182 awoke from a four-year slumber to launch their big comeback tour. MTV News was on the ground all day yesterday, talking to fans, tweeting and taking it all in. Later today, MTV News' James Montgomery will be sitting down with the boys from the band to discuss the reunion, their plans for their new album and what it feels like to be back together after so long. Stay tuned to MTV News for more.

But last night's show featured an excellent set filled with old hits, fan favorites and plenty of potty-mouthed banter. MTV News had the cameras rolling and caught the band's explosive performance of "Feeling This," the lead single from their 2003 self-titled album. The performance saw the band sharp and in good voice (drummer Travis Barker's neck-snapping drum fills were particularly impressive).

"Feeling This" (and the self-titled album as a whole) represented a slight departure for the band, moving away from their bratty pop-punk sound into something that was deeper and more layered than anything they had produced in the past. Rumors are that their new album takes a lot of cues from that record, which means that "Feeling This" could be the road map that leads fans to the new songs. If fan reaction is an accurate barometer, the band's new record will be embraced immediately.

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Kristen Stewart Reveals Her New Favorite Band At Comic-Con

Posted 7/24/09 12:40 pm EST by in Movies, Music


Without a doubt, the event that stirred up the most ruckus so far at this year's San Diego Comic-Con was the panel featuring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, the three stars of the ubiquitous "Twilight" movie franchise. One of the major headlines coming out of yesterday's presser was the fact that Stewart appears to be fully embracing her current role as Joan Jett in the biopic about the Runaways. She showed up to the event in her Jett hair and wearing a T-shirt that said "Minor Threat" on it.

But what is Minor Threat? Glad you asked. They were a short-lived hardcore punk band based out of Washington, D.C. The group was lead by Ian MacKaye, who later went on to form Fugazi, one of the most important and influential hardcore acts in punk's second wave. MacKaye was a punk's punk who believed that punk rock wasn't just a movement but an entire lifestyle. In fact, the Minor Threat song "Straight Edge" essentially invented the ethos of the same name, wherein punk fans forgo smoking, drinking and premarital sex for the sake keeping the mind sharp. Later in their bried career, they proved that hardcore didn't have to be just three chords and shouting, as tracks like "Salad Days" used acoustic guitars and ended up being one of the more definitive tracks of the era.

Though Minor Threat only released a single full-length album (along with three EPs), the group's influence remains strong. The label they established, Dischord, remains one of the most respected independent labels in the U.S., and has put out music by Fugazi, Scream, Rites of Spring and the Faith. MacKaye established Dischord and also produces dozens of other bands, while Lyle Preslar ran Caroline Records (which jumpstarted the careers of Peter Gabriel, Ben Folds and Smashing Pumpkins).

Stewart is clearly doing her research and embracing the era during which Jett became a force, so it'll be interesting to see what other shirts she rolls out. In the meantime, check out the Minor Threat back catalog (especially their self-titled EP, a blast of youthful aggression and razor-sharp execution).

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