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Spotted: The Jonas Brothers And Demi Lovato Hit Rock Star Poses In Central Park

Posted 5/21/10 2:05 pm EST by in Music


Every day a multitude of stars wander 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.

There are a handful of ways to tell whether or not it's summer. Is the sun out? It might be summer, but it could still be spring. Is it after Memorial Day yet? Sure, it could be, but sometimes it's still cold in June. Are there hot young pop stars drawing fans in the wee hours of the morning in the middle of New York's Central Park for killer sets live on TV? That probably means the Summer Concert Series on "Good Morning America" has begun, and that means that summer is officially here. The annual concert slate kicked off on Friday morning (May 21) with a performance by the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, who are about to spend their summer on the road touring in support of the upcoming Disney Channel movie "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam." Despite the early hour, the Brothers and Lovato put on a typically excellent performance, full of energy and guitarist Kevin Jonas' awesome rock star poses.

They weren't the only stars out in the great wide open, as the Script performed live on NBC's "Today" in New York and Jennifer Lopez was a guest at the amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS gala in Antibes, France. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which features over 350 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Adam Lambert, Beyoncé, Madonna, Jessica Simpson, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Eminem!

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Keri Russell Knows About Time Travel, Doesn't Know Much About 'Lost'

Posted 5/21/10 1:00 pm EST by in Television


I figured since "Felicity" had that uber-interesting flashback during the series finale back in 2002, the show's star, Keri Russell, may have some insight into what J.J. Abrams might have in store for "Lost" when it ends forever this Sunday, May 23.

It seems that with all the time travel that has been done on "Lost," Abrams might pay homage to the "Felicity" finale by continuing with the theme of time travel in this finale. (Yes, there was time travel on "Felicity." You should watch it. It was an amazing show.)

But, back to Keri and "Lost." It seems that, much like me, Keri doesn't really know much about "Lost."

Will Arnett, who was there with Keri to promote their new show, "Running Wilde" (which premieres this fall on Fox), didn't have much else insight to add to this whole experiment. In fact, when he chimed in part way through the conversation he seemed more intrigued that the conversation would veer back towards "Felicity." This has led me to believe that he was a fan. Then again, who wasn't? That show rocked. Anyways, it didn't veer towards "Felicity" or "Lost." But I did learn that J.J. is a cool guy. Keri told me.

And, in case you forgot, I also tried to get "Fringe" stars Joshua Jackson and John Noble to explain "Lost" to me at the same event. So far, I'm 0 for 2. I guess I won't be watching this weekend and I will be breaking out the "Felicity" DVDs instead. Thanks for nothing, Hollywood. Thanks. For. Nothing.

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Seeing 'Shrek Forever After' This Weekend? Prepare With Panic! At The Disco And Wolfmother

Posted 5/21/10 11:50 am EST by in Music


You have no shortage of wacky options at your local cinema this weekend. Today marks the release of a handful of eye-catching films, especially the "Saturday Night Live"-born spoof actioneer "MacGruber" and the Michael Douglas comeback vehicle "Solitary Man." But if there is one movie that can unseat "Iron Man 2" at the top of the box office chart, it's "Shrek Forever After," the fourth (and theoretically final) adventure for the animated green ogre voiced by Mike Myers. In this incarnation, the titular Shrek accidentally wishes himself into an alternate reality where his heroism never happened, his kind is hunted and all of his friends — including Donkey, Puss in Boots and Princess Fiona — don't know him (which sort of makes it like the parallel universe on this season of "Lost," or like any "Twilight Zone" episode ever). Shrek needs to steel himself one last time to defeat the villainous Rumpelstiltskin and reset reality (we do not suggest he detonate a nuclear device).

In order to get yourself into the right "Shrek Forever After" frame of mind, we suggest you indulge in the video playlist below. It's chock full of tunes about hideous beasts (Abandoned Pools' "Monster," Meg & Dia's "Monster," Lordi's "Would You Love a Monsterman?"), fairy tales (The Killers' "Dustland Fairytale," Tori Amos' "A Sorta Fairytale") and Shrek's homeland of Far Far Away (Wolfmother's "Far Away," Deftones' "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)").

But as we do with all things, we begin with Panic! at the Disco's "That Green Gentleman," which isn't actually about Shrek but might as well be the dude's theme song.

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Want To Work For MTV? Here's An Awesome Opportunity!

Posted 5/21/10 11:05 am EST by in Music


Can't get enough of your favorite stars? Obsessed with the Internet? Got a jones for social media and interactive technology? Want to do all that for a living, and do it for MTV? Then there is an awesome employment opportunity awaiting you.

MTV is looking for a social media enthusiast for an awesome employment opportunity at the worldwide headquarters in New York City. If you have a passion for pop culture and can't live without Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and/or your blog, we want you!

If you're interested, please email the following information to mtvshowcasting@mtvstaff.com:

Subject: Employment Opportunity (Social Media)
Name:
Age:
Location:
Twitter name:
Facebook link:
Other Web sites:

We can't wait to hear from you, and good luck!

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Jakob Dylan And The Wallflowers Saddle Up Their Horse: Wake-Up Video

Posted 5/21/10 10:00 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


Growing up is difficult for everybody, no matter who your parents are. So imagine that you have to grow up with a father who is famous. Not only is he a celebrity, but he's a huge rock star. And it goes beyond the fact that he's a musician; in fact, he's an American icon, a representative of a time and place that will be forever etched into the fabric of the history of the country. Such was the case for Jakob Dylan, whose father is the great Bob Dylan. One would assume that Jacob would become an accountant or something, simply to avoid comparisons between himself and his dad. And yet, Jacob made a bold move, assembled a band called the Wallflowers and, on this day in 1996, released the group's breakout album Bringing Down the Horse.

Comparisons to his dad were inevitable, especially considering the tone and timbre of their voices was so similar (though Jakob's diction remains far superior). But rather than traffic in political allegories or blues shuffles about dusty one-horse towns, Jacob's brand of rock crossed country sensibilities, arena riffs and good old-fashioned pop hooks for a brew that was distinctly his own. The group became an instant player in the splintered modern rock scene of the middle part of the 1990s, scoring a big hit with the single "Sixth Avenue Heartache." It didn't hurt that Jakob was a natural video presence, and his piercing blue eyes made him an instant heartthrob.

The Wallflowers were never able to replicate the success of Bringing Down the Horse (though their follow-up, 2000's (Breach), remains painfully underrated — just listen to "Some Flowers Bloom Dead" for proof), though they continue to release albums. Jakob has had even more success as a solo artist, having put out two well-received albums (including the recent Women and Country). However, Jakob's definitive contribution to the music landscape remains the Wallflowers' "One Headlight," a punchy, organ-driven pop tune.

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'The Office' Star Creed Bratton Offers MTV News Interns Some Advice

Posted 5/21/10 9:00 am EST by in Television


By Joel Hanek

While Thursday night's (May 20) season finale of "The Office" may have been a little uneven, it's still difficult to part with your best friends from Dunder-Mifflin for a whole summer. (Well, that is unless you're unaware of Hulu or Netflix or perhaps the Internet in general.) But one sin last night's episode did commit was the fact that it had way too little of the show's true unsung hero: Creed Bratton. Luckily, we've got a tasty piece of video to satisfy your Creed fix and get you through your post-finale tristesse.

Creed Bratton (the man) stopped by MTV News as Creed (the character) a little while back to give our interns some career advice. Topics covered in Creedisms 101 include: Networking, finding work, and once finding work how to avoid actually doing said work. Creed even revealed his dark origins and the sordid tribulations that got him into a cubicle in sleepy Scranton, Pennsylvania in the first place.

And while "The Office" may be home to at least one fake music group, Creed (the man) is actually an accomplished musician in real life. In fact, he just released his new album Bounce Back with his band Creed Bratton and the 3DVB's. Stick around to the end to watch Creed Bratton perform an acoustic version of "Rubber Tree," a tune the man refers to as "Creed's theme song."

Thanks again to our amazing interns George, Sujay, Chad, Dana and Jessie! Clearly with their experience at MTV News coupled with Creed's advice, we have prepared you for the real world. Well done, sir.

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The Jonas Brothers Get Caught In An Elevator, Which We Wouldn't Mind

Posted 5/20/10 5:30 pm EST by in Music


In many ways, the Jonas Brothers lead a charmed life. They get to travel the world, meet interesting people and have the privilege of playing their excellent songs in front of hundreds of thousands of fans. But even with the best of luck and support staff, sometimes things go awry. For example, after a show in Hollywood last Saturday (May 15), the trio got stuck in an elevator for 45 minutes. "It went from, 'Okay, this is hilarious, we're stuck in an elevator, okay press the button,' to 'This is crazy, okay, I can't breathe, this is insane,'" Joe Jonas explained to People magazine. The whole ordeal ended with the fire department breaking their way into the elevator with axes, freeing the brothers and the other people in the elevator (which included their security guard, their chef and their official photographer, who captured the entire ordeal on film).

We can certainly think of worse things than being stuck in an elevator with the Jonas Brothers. In fact, if we have to be confined to a small space with a pop group, the Jonas Brothers would almost certainly be the group we would pick. However, there are plenty of famous people we definitely would not want to be stuck in an elevator with, if only because it would be supremely awkward. For instance, we probably wouldn't have a whole lot to say to Jackie Earl Haley (Freddy Krueger scared us as tiny children, and he scares us more now), nor would the conversation with Roman Polanski be very smooth (though we probably would be saved pretty quickly by law enforcement officials looking for him). And could you imagine if you happened to wander into an elevator at NBC headquarters eight months ago with both Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien? Now that's awkward.

But considering the events of the past 24 hours, we think it would be most awkward to be stuck in an elevator with Megan Fox.

(Click here for more photos of people who would make us uncomfortable in elevators!)

While the idea of being confined with a woman as lovely as Fox is nothing to complain about, how would that conversation go? "So, how about those robots?" Eek.

Who would you not want to be stuck in an elevator with? Let us know in the comments!

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Jay Sean Invites MTV Into A Private Studio Session

Posted 5/20/10 5:10 pm EST by in Music


By Akshay Bhansali

Last week, we brought you the news that Jay Sean, Cash Money Records' chart-topping pop-R&B singer, has chosen not to release more singles from his commercially successful debut album, All Or Nothing (the disc that brought you "Down" (featuring Weezy) and "Do You Remember" with Lil Jon and Sean Paul). The singer dished that he has completed roughly 75 percent of his next album and the guests thus far include Lil Wayne, Pitbull and Mary J. Blige.

Sean was kind enough to invite MTV News' Tim Kash, Adam Murphy, Kyle Williams, Nuzhat Naoreen, and yours truly into one of his writing sessions at the New York Studio of the Orange Factory (the production outfit behind most of All or Nothing) for a sneak peak at just how he cooks up his hits. Orange Factory producers Jeremy and Rob, manager Thara Natalie (a prolific artist in her own right who has recorded songs with Sean, John Legend, Fatman Scoop and Rupee) and writer Makeba Riddick (whose writing credits include Beyoncé's "Deja Vu," Rihanna's “Rude Boy" and T.I.'s "Live Your Life") were all in the house.

Sean wouldn't give us the title of the song just yet, as the track hadn't been completed. But he did say the words "home video" and "movie" over the course of his chat with Tim Kash, so we'll see what shakes out. He did confirm that this song will most likely going to be on his as-yet-untitled next album. In the coming weeks, Jay Sean will be heading down to Miami to finish principal production on the project.

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Rooney Nabbed 'Little Mermaid' Animator For 'I Can't Get Enough' Video

Posted 5/20/10 4:30 pm EST by in Music


Sonically, Rooney have always favored the retro vibe of SoCal pop rock. On their latest single "I Can't Get Enough," which will be featured on their new album Eureka that will be out on June 8, the band definitely kept that spirit alive. For the video, the guys decided to embrace that old-school feel. How? By going roller-skating and even having some vintage-style animation.

In the slightly retro clip, the band worked with director Marcus Herring, who lead singer Robert Schwartzman described as a "really cool dude" with "really good taste." The band's frontman admitted that they wanted to work with Herring because he's a "post-production wizard" and that experience really gave the video the right look and feel for the song. "Whenever I heard the song I imagined singing and movement," he continued. "I don't know. I thought roller-skating was a cool subject for the video. It's really kind of more about the animation."

Bandmate Louie Stephens continued, "One of the guys ... When we were shooting and there was a guy standing there who introduced himself, said he was a fan and that he was going to do a bunch of animation. And somebody was like, 'Yeah that guy a lot of animation on 'The Little Mermaid.' He did the seagull [Scuttle] on 'The Little Mermaid.' And that's when I knew this video, we were covered. We were in good hands."

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Travis Garland Is 'Authentic,' Says Perez Hilton: The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 5/20/10 4:00 pm EST by in Music


"What's special about Travis Garland is, he's not only a great singer and a great dancer, but he's also a songwriter. He also plays piano. He also produces, and he's just a real, authentic artist. And that's what people want nowadays."

-Celebrity blogger and music impresario Perez Hilton, discussing new artist Travis Garland. Hilton spoke to MTV News about the origins of his discovery of Garland while the singer rehearsed for his appearance on Wednesday night's (May 19) results episode of "American Idol" (where he performed his track "Believe"). Like many of his discoveries, Hilton credits the technological wonder you are currently enjoying. "I became aware of Travis thanks to the Internet," Hilton said. "Over a year ago, I started working with Travis. Around that time, he did a reworking of Justin Timberlake's song 'Dead and Gone' with T.I., and I loved Travis' version so much. I was like, 'Wow, this is different.' And it felt real and dangerous and edgy and raw, and I was like, 'I need to meet this kid.' I was really blown away."

Garland got his start in a boy band called NLT, a group that also featured "Glee" star Kevin McHale. When they broke up, Garland struck out on his own and found his way to Hilton's doorstep. "I'm so excited to be working with Travis, because he's the first artist that I found [and] have been involved with every step of the way," Hilton said. "And we're at this amazing moment now, and it's exciting to see it already working. And that's just the beginning of the beginning."

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