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Voices From Haiti: 'Think Of Us, Take Care Of Us'

Posted 1/22/10 12:22 pm EST by in Haiti


Alison Smith is a medical student at Tulane University who is posting frequent reports from Haiti to the MTV Newsroom blog this week. Today she offers us some more voices from the patients she has treated at Port-au-Prince's General Hospital.

Thelemazque Rickenson, 31
"During the earthquake, I was at home. My house collapsed and my three children died. My wife was saved. I want to tell the U.S. that there's no life for me here. I'm not safe."

Hony Faner, 35
"I was at home and I felt trembling. I ran for my life. My mom and two children died. There's nothing left for me. Help me get a place to live. The government can't support us. Find us a better place to live."

Antoine Eddy, 31
"I was at home with my mom and she died. I've had the courage to come to the hospital to help the people even though I cry about the loss of my family. But I want to help the injured people. I want Americans to help us … we have nothing."

Cecil, 9
"I want to go to school. I don't know if my friends are okay. We can't communicate."

Jean Renel Guillame, 38
"My house collapsed. My sister died. I'm on the street with no clothes. This country is poorer than before. No hope. Many people are lost. Please feed me and get me a job."

Darlene, 12
"Thank you, thank you for all the help because you are taking good care of us. Keep helping. Please don't get discouraged. Thank you."
Read More...

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Wale Raises Money For Haiti At Howard University Concert

Posted 1/22/10 11:55 am EST by in Music


By Sandra Segura

On Thursday night (January 21), Washington, D.C. rapper Wale rocked the party in the name of charity and good will at last night's Hands for Haiti Benefit Concert at Howard University. 1,500 people crammed into Crampton Auditorium for the MC's extra-boisterous blend of hip-hop that, for at least one night, was delivered in the spirit of charity. Because of the desperate need for resources and aid in Haiti, 100 percent of the proceeds from the concert — a grand total of over $15,000 — will go toward the Haiti Relief Fund.

Wale's set was the centerpiece, but there was also dancing, singing, rapping, and spoken-word pieces performed by students, alumni and local D.C. artists, highlighted by the solemn, moving performance by spoken-word artist and Howard alum Messiah. With every break in the program, students danced in the aisles and waved Haitian flags in support of earthquake victims on the island.

When Wale took the stage in the headlining spot and did not disappoint. His stage presence alone brought everyone up to their feet and rushing to the front of the theater. He clearly thrives in intimate venues like this, as he hopped off the stage to perform top tracks like "Nike Boots," "90210" and "Beautiful Bliss" amidst a sea of singing, arm-waving fans. Everybody walked out happy, not only because they saw an excellent night of music and song but also because they did their bit to reach out to disaster victims in Port-au-Prince.

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Paramore's Hayley Williams Joins Weezer On Stage For 'Say It Ain't So'

Posted 1/22/10 11:08 am EST by in Music


When MTV News spoke to Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo on Wednesday night, just before the band took the stage at Florida State University for their first show since the bus crash that sidelined Cuomo for a month, the singer let us know that because some of his injuries were still nagging him, he wouldn't be able to do "the full David Lee Roth routine."

Always one to keep a surprise or two in store, Cuomo reached out for some band-fronting assistance in the form of Paramore singer Hayley Williams. She joined the band on stage to share vocal duties on their classic hit "Say It Ain't So." The pair swapped vocal lines and harmonized on the chorus, and the live crowd in Tallahassee, Florida ate it up.

As is her wont, Williams narrated the experience via her Twitter account. She expressed her excitement about traveling to meet the band and also posted a photo of the giant glowing "W" that the group uses as a backdrop on stage.

Following the performance, she was thoughtful and ecstatic. "Rocked out with my ... brown striped socks out," she wrote. "That show was ridiculous. Won't ever forget the first time I sang in 2010 was with Weezer." Williams wasn't the only special guest, as the band also welcomed Jermaine Dupri to the stage to tag-team on "Can't Stop Partying."

The rest of Weezer's show went off without a hitch, and though Cuomo wasn't as manic as he sometimes is on stage, he looked no worse for the wear and didn't appear to be in any profound pain while he and his bandmates plowed through a set of old favorites as well as tracks from their latest album Raditude. The group will take a bit more time off but plan to return in force soon with more singles from the album and more tour dates in the future.

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Foreman Beats Frazier In Jamaica: Wake-Up Video

Posted 1/22/10 10:05 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


There was a time when boxing was the most significant and talked-about sport on the American landscape, rivaling baseball for the predominant focus of attention in the world of athletics. Too many championship belts and scandals (along with the rise of other fight sports, especially mixed martial arts) have knocked boxing down a few pegs, but there is still fervor surrounding the biggest match-ups. For example, the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao promised to be one of the biggest events of all time (until it was undone by drug testing minutiae).

In fact, it may have rivaled one of the biggest fights in history. On this date in 1973, George Foreman knocked out the heavily-favored Joe Frazier in under five minutes to win the heavyweight championship. Though Foreman was four inches taller and slightly heavier than Frazier, the boxing world didn't give Foreman much of a chance, especially considering the champ had never lost a professional fight. Frazier was supposed to plow through Foreman and then fight a rematch with the legendary Muhammad Ali.

But Foreman wasn't having it. He came roaring out of his corner, immediately pounding Frazier with uppercuts and hooks, knocking him down multiple times in the very first round. By the second, Frazier was staggered, and by the time the final shot lifted him off the mat, the referee called for the bell and awarded Foreman the championship via TKO. Foreman went on to fight Ali in Zaire in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle," where Ali handed Foreman his first professional loss and regained his heavyweight title. In honor of these titans of pugilistic poetry, we salute them with the Bouncing Souls' "Fight to Live."

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MTV News Team In Haiti: Boots On The Ground

Posted 1/22/10 9:15 am EST by in Behind The Scenes, Haiti


MTV News has a team of reporters in Haiti to chronicle the recovery effort in the wake of last week's devastating earthquake. We are following their journey via e-mails, tweets, BBMs and video in the lead-up to Friday night's "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" telethon, which will air on MTV and dozens of other networks at 8 p.m.

Suchin Pak, 6:35 p.m. Thursday (January 21): "We have finally landed in Haiti. We arrived on a helicopter filled with MREs (meals ready to eat), but with barely any seats. It's controlled chaos here. I've talked to soldiers who have been moving medical supplies all through the night: gauze, medicine and tools.

"While the operation to distribute water and MREs halts when the sun goes down because of security concerns, the medical units work through the night. We were allowed into the surgical tent and saw first hand what an injury looks like when it has gone untreated for days. Thousands have undergone amputations like this one, and as the surgeon says, 'It's a loss of limb, but not a life.' A large helicopter filled with nurses arrived moments ago and they were told to grab water and find a patch of grass for the night.

"It looks like we'll be sleeping under the stars tonight — or more specifically, on a tarmac at a busy airport. Even water is scarce at this point, so we're conserving as much as we can. I spoke to a young captain in charge of distributing aid via airlifts who arrived last Saturday and he stressed the need for donations of money, not supplies, as it takes more effort to distribute those materials. We go out on our first mission in Haiti tomorrow at first light."

Akshay Bhansali, 7:35 p.m. Thursday: "After a chopper ride to the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Bataan to pick up more MRE's for the troops to hand out, we were on our way to Port-au-Prince. As soon as we hit the Haitian capital's airspace, I found myself harnessed and holding onto my camera for dear life, shooting out of an open bay of the chopper overlooking the city.

"The first thing that struck me was the smell of burning and oxidized structures and ... life. It brought me right back to September 11, 2001, as I made my way out of Tribeca, New York after the towers fell. But this scene surpasses 9/11 in scale by far. Entire sections of residential neighborhoods are leveled. Plumes of smoke are visible from the air and dump trucks and debris-clearing machinery are moving along the roadways. Landing at the airport made me realize just how much energy is being put into the relief efforts here. Three and four helicopters with relief goods and supplies take off at a time. One chopper pilot said they are flying close to 290 flights a day now."

Head here to learn more about what you can do to help with earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti, and for more information, see Think MTV. Join George Clooney and Wyclef Jean for MTV's "Hope for Haiti" telethon, airing commercial-free Friday, January 22, at 8 p.m. ET.

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An Open Letter To Conan O'Brien: Come To MTV!

Posted 1/22/10 8:33 am EST by in Television


Dear Conan O'Brien,

I should probably get this out of the way right off the bat: I have absolutely no authority to make the proposal I'm about to make. But I've been such a big fan for such a long time that I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't extend a hand to you.

It's a real bummer about your show, man. Back when you were awarded "The Tonight Show," it seemed like an exciting bridge into a whole new realm of late night comedy. But unfortunately, you've become the victim of corporate shortsightedness and the utter decomposition of NBC. Just remember that it's not your fault, and that so many of the things you've done on "The Tonight Show" — from "Twitter Tracker" to your moody vampire assistant to the recent "Bugatti Veyron Mouse" bit — have become instant classics in my mind.

You're walking away with a big check, and as of this weekend you won't have a job anymore. I know Fox wants you real bad, but here's a modest proposal for you: Come to MTV.

Seriously! We've had talk shows before, so you can join the ranks of titans like Jon Stewart and Tom Green. But we don't want you to stop there. If you've got a whim for a show, MTV can make it happen. Want to get the cast of "Jersey Shore" back together for a second season featuring you as "The Solution"? That can be arranged. Want to spend all your quality time with Rob Dyrdek on "Fantasy Factory"? Consider it done. Perhaps you'd rather compete for prizes on "The Real World/Road Rules Challenge" or spend your days gossiping with Kristin Cavallari on "The Hills." We can do all these things for you. In fact, the latter might look a little something like this.

(Check out more photos of Conan O'Brien on MTV shows, including "Jersey Shore," "The Osbournes" and "America's Best Dance Crew"!)

As I said, I don't have the authority to actually make you any offers, and MTV probably can't afford the sort of money you're worth anyway. (Little known fact: "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello gets paid in Papa John's gift certificates.) But I'm sure we can sweeten the deal somehow. You can have your pick of any office at 1515 Broadway, and we could expand the hours at the Lodge to suit your eating schedule. Plus, you'd get to hang out with Sway, which would instantly up your street credibility. And Fridays in the Newsroom are Backstreet Boys Fridays, so there's always dancing to look forward to at the end of the week.

So think it over, Coco. And even if you decide MTV isn't for you, just know that I'll be watching wherever you end up (as long as it isn't on Fuse).

Best,

Kyle Anderson
Editor, MTV Newsroom Blog

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What Should Neil Young Play On The Last 'Tonight Show' Of The Conan Era?

Posted 1/21/10 5:20 pm EST by in Music, Television


Well, it's now super-official: Friday night (January 22) will be Conan O'Brien's final hour as the host of "The Tonight Show." According to a statement released by NBC, the host will be officially released from his contract on September 1, 2010, after which time he'll be able to do whatever he wants with his time. In the meantime, he's walking away with a settlement worth $32 million, with an additional $12 million going to cover his staff (many of whom relocated from New York to Los Angeles when Conan relocated). Following the Olympics, everything will return to the status quo: Jay Leno will host "The Tonight Show" at 11:35, followed by programs by Jimmy Fallon and Carson Daly.

Even though the deal wasn't hammered out until late last night, O'Brien has been treating this week as his final farewell, regularly tearing into NBC, looking back on his seven months at the helm and inviting old friends on the show for a proper goodbye. On Wednesday night's episode alone, O'Brien mocked NBC throughout his monologue, put together a sketch with no jokes that cost the network $1.5 million (due to the purchase of a Bugatti Veyron and the licensing of a Rolling Stones track), brought out all the hamsters that have been born since he took over "The Tonight Show" (in a sideways jab at Leno) and generally looked like he was hellbent on burning as many bridges as he could before he was shuffled off the air. And, irony of ironies, the ratings are up 50 percent.

Friday night's lineup is set, with Will Ferrell, Tom Hanks and Neil Young booked as guests. Ferrell and Hanks both appeared on the first week of "The Tonight Show" back when Conan started, so there's a certain poetic symmetry to their appearances on the show. As for Neil Young, Conan's a big fan (Young did a week-long residency on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" back in 2005). Will Conan facilitate the first duet between Neil Young and Jimmy "Neil Young" Fallon as his final exit? Or will Young simply drop in, raise hell and end the show on a high note? And what song should he perform? Since Pearl Jam acted as Conan's first musical guest on "The Tonight Show," why not bring them back for a team-up on "Rockin' in the Free World"? Should he whip out something poetic like "Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)"? Or perhaps the tone will be more solemn ("Heart of Gold" would make for an awfully melancholy but gorgeous exit).

What do you think? What Neil Young song should end the Conan O'Brien era on "The Tonight Show"? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @mtvnews!

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Jason Derulo Is Grateful His Uncle Made It Out Of Haiti: The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 1/21/10 3:55 pm EST by in Music


"He went there for vacation and he just went there at the wrong time. Three days with no food and no water and a whole week without being under a roof sleeping outside. Just madness. He was telling my mother about the stench and how it smells of death on the streets. It's just a terrible catastrophe."

-Singer, Lady Gaga opening act and Haitian-American Jason Derulo, talking about his uncle Carrefour Fequidre, who was visiting Haiti when the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake shook the island nation last week. Fequidre was visiting Port-au-Prince when the quake hit, and Derule says the experience has changed his uncle profoundly. "He just came into the States and he cannot stop crying," he told MTV News' Jocelyn Vena via telephone earlier today. "He's back in Miami now and my mom said he cannot stop crying. He's fine, but he's seen so much — to see children lying dead on the floor, it must be horrific, unexplainable."

Since the tragedy, Derulo has been actively raising money for UNICEF with a handful of club shows and is grateful not only for his uncle's safety but also the outpouring of support for Haiti. "I'm really proud how the celebrities have kind of come together, especially Wyclef. I mean, he's always been very, very instrumental in charities for Haiti, but he has really, really stepped up," he said. "I mean, going there and carrying dead bodies personally, it says so much about a person. He deserves to be looked up to — that's a heroic act."

Head here to learn more about what you can do to help with earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti, and for more information, see Think MTV. Join George Clooney and Wyclef Jean for MTV's "Hope for Haiti" telethon, airing commercial-free Friday, January 22, at 8 p.m. ET.

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Spotted: Snooki Prepares For The End Of 'Jersey Shore'

Posted 1/21/10 3:21 pm EST by in Television


Every day a multitude of stars wanders through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

As the cliché goes, all good things must come to an end. The Beatles had to break up, Conan O'Brien had to get shuffled off of television, the "Harry Potter" series had to come to a conclusion and the presidential run of Franklin Delano Roosevelt had to wrap up some time. Tonight sees the end of another thing that has brought us a great deal of joy over the past several weeks, as the finale of "Jersey Shore" airs tonight at 10 p.m. on MTV (with the reunion show airing directly thereafter). It's been a rocky but eventful trip for the show's cast members, especially breakout star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi. She has visited the MTV Newsroom, appeared on both "The Jay Leno Show" and "The Tonight Show" and poked fun at herself via viral video. On Wednesday night, she hung out at Greenhouse in New York, rolling in the VIP with bottle service. Snooki's immediate future is uncertain, but she told Conan O'Brien that she wanted to start a dating show called "Snookin' for Love," and we can safely say that said show would have at least seven or eight viewers here in the Newsroom.

There were plenty of other stars who hit the streets, the clubs and the shows last night in New York, Los Angeles and all points in between. Click here for these photos as wel as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which contains over 300 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Madonna, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Adam Lambert, Jessica Simpson, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, the Jonas Brothers, Shakira, Mariah Carey and Miley Cyrus!

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Aziz Ansari Shares His Hilarious Run-Ins With Kanye West

Posted 1/21/10 2:03 pm EST by in Music


Even if Aziz Ansari isn't given a late-night talk show like we think he should, he should be comfortable in the knowledge that his stand-up game remains on point. This past weekend saw the premiere of his new Comedy Central special "Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening," and it's full of everything that makes Ansari one of the top comedic talents working right now. (His album of the same name is also available now.)

By far the highlight of the special is when he takes seven minutes to talk about his relationship with Kanye West. Ansari began as little more than an enthusiastic fan of the rapper/producer/provocateur, but they eventually spent quite a bit of time hanging out. The first time the two hung out, Ansari met West at a club where Jay-Z was also partying. "Jay-Z was drinking vodka he makes. How baller is that? Jay-Z's on the tab, and the money went back into his own pocket."

Later on in the bit, Ansari talks about visiting West at his house and finding him enjoying his own album 808s and Heartbreak. "I was like, 'Are you listening to your own album in your own house bopping your own head?' He was like, 'Yo, these beats are dope.'"

Later on that same evening, West insisted that Ansari tell some jokes in his living room. The comedian initially resisted, but West's pleading got the better of him. He found himself doing a gig for 30 people at West's house. "My favorite part was when every once in a while, somebody would be in the kitchen making a drink and they'd make a little noise, and Kanye would jump up and yell, 'Yo! Shut the f--- up! Homey's over here trying to tell some jokes!' Which is the best thing anybody has ever yelled at a comedy show."

The bit (and the whole special, really) just drives home the fact that Ansari is everything we need in a comedian: A little bit of nerdiness, a little bit of street cred and a whole lot of impeccable comic timing. We'll hold out hope for a show (or we'll just watch "Parks and Recreation"), but in the meantime, at least we can enjoy his mixtape, which is coming soon.

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