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On Wednesday, Plain White T's stopped by the MTV Newsroom to talk about their upcoming new album (Wonders of the Younger, which is due in October), their brand new single ("Rhythm of Love," whose video just premiered and which debuted in the Billboard Hot 100 this week) and everything else in between. We'll be talking about the present and the future soon, but before we got to the new stuff, we wanted to take a look at the recent past.

Back in 2005, Plain White T's put a song called "Hey There Delilah" on their album All That We Needed. It was a sweet if unremarkable little pop tune about a distance runner named Delilah DiCrescenzo, and it sat at the end of the album while Plain White T's toured the country. Then something strange happened: It started to catch on. The band re-released the track as a bonus track on their follow-up album Every Second Counts, and it continued to ascend to the upper echelon of the Billboard Hot 100, finally settling into the top spot for two weeks during the summer of 2007, a full two years after the song's initial release. It was an amazing journey for the band, who were amazed that the track resonated as much as it did.

"Somehow it struck a chord with people," Tom Higgenson told MTV News. "I was just trying to write a song to impress this girl. I wasn't thinking 'What's the demographic?' It was a song about a girl that happened to resonate with the entire world."

Tim Lopez told MTV News that the long-distance relationship angle played into a lot of the feedback they got. "We had a lot of military people come up to us and say it was their song," he said.

Was "Hey There Delilah" your song? What do you think of the band's new single? Let us know in the comments!

Tags plain-white-ts, video

In the world of media, three is a trend. As of last night, you can officially consider me trendy. After both Brandy and NKOTB member Jordan Knight have suggested that I should have my own TV show, it seems that the Jonas Brothers are the latest celebs to pitch me as the next Oprah Winfrey (no, really, it could work).

How did this happen? Well, it all went down at Wednesday night's "Camp Rock 2" red carpet premiere, where I caught up with the guys on the red carpet at Lincoln Center in New York City. Without any provoking from me, Joe and Kevin suggested that perhaps they could make me a star. As I was handing the brothers Jonas the microphone, Joe and Kevin kind of off-handedly mentioned how they could put me on TV. Of course, I was humbled by the offer. (Yes, I felt humbled. Hard to believe, right?)

However, this isn't a bad idea. I think a Jonas/Jocelyn-helmed talk show could be fantastic. I could see us doing cooking segments, funny animal segments, stuff with clowns and all types of celebrity interviews. I think we could really bring something fresh to the morning show circuit. Move over Martha, because here comes Jocelyn Vena and the Jonas Brothers. Of course, we'd have to come up with a catchier title. But hey, if Regis and Kelly can have a talk show, I don't see why we can't. Right?

Want to see how business happens? Check out the video below!

Tags Camp Rock 2, the-jonas-brothers, video

"I wanted to call it Teenage Dream because, really, there's a song on the record ... I wrote that song in Santa Barbara and it was a really pure moment for me because that's where I'm from. And it was where I started my creative juices, and it kind of exudes this euphoric feeling like everyone remembers what their teenage dreams were. All the girls that were on your poster walls ... and I want to continue to be one of those ... teenage wet dreams."

-Edgy pop star Katy Perry, commenting on why her new album Teenage Dream has that title. In a conversation with MTV News' Sway, Perry talked about how refreshing it was to escape her hectic lifestyle in Los Angeles and be able to work in Santa Barbara. "Going to Santa Barbara, which isn't very far from L.A., it was just like it brought me back home and it took me out of this fast-paced L.A.," she told MTV News. "Everybody climbing on top of each other to get to that next step on the ladder ... sometimes L.A. can get exhausting."

"Teenage Dream," which is currently sitting in the fifth position on the Billboard Hot 100 (and seems destined to climb to the top spot, just as "California Gurls" did), not only shares its title with the album but is also the record's centerpiece. "That song is kind of like feeling that way when you were a teenager: really emotional, really invested," she said. "It's intense being in love and being a teenager. That's what 'Teenage Dream' is about."

Teenage Dream hits stores this Tuesday, August 24.

Tags Katy Perry, Quote

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are only a few weeks away. The biggest party of the year features nominated clips by Lady Gaga, Eminem, Jay-Z, Ke$ha and Katy Perry and will feature performances by Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, B.o.B and Florence and the Machine (with many more to be announced). In order to properly prepare yourself for what's to come, every day the MTV Newsroom Blog will deliver a classic moment in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards. Today's installment: Who is the real Slim Shady?

In today's chapter of "30 Days of VMA," we take a look at one of the greatest single performances in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards. Plenty of VMA performances are top-shelf, but there are only a select few that could only be considered iconic. Madonna's writhing around on the stage at the first VMAs in 1984 certainly ranks up there, along with the incredible three-way dance between Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Madonna (again) at the 2003 show. One greatest-of-all-time performance that doesn't involve Madonna is the one that Eminem delivered 10 years ago.

The 2000 MTV Video Music Awards saw the show beam live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City and was full of killer moments, including a blistering performance by Rage Against the Machine, Britney Spears' flesh-colored bodysuit, Macy Gray's pink afro and the tag-team between Christina Aguilera and Fred Durst. But by far the biggest moment was when Eminem hit the stage to perform "The Real Slim Shady" (which later won Video of the Year). Shady began his performance in the street outside Radio City Music Hall surrounded by "clones" — dozens of other guys dressed exactly like him. The army stormed the theater while Em made his way to the stage to finish "The Real Slim Shady" and bust into a savage "The Way I Am." In the performance's best moment, he hit the lyric about sitting next to Carson Daly and Fred Durst just as he was walking past their seats in the aisle. It was, as Mick Foley would say, great TV.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

Tags Eminem, video-music-awards, VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are fast approaching, which means that in only a few weeks you'll be treated to an excellent night of performances and appearances by the likes of Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence and the Machine, B.o.B and Deadmau5 (who will serve as the house DJ at the show). While people tend to remember the classic performances and the unhinged moments, the coveted Moonman is the reason why people show up and tune in. This year, there are 16 categories wherein some of the biggest music stars in the universe will compete for the coolest trophy in awards shows. Today, we take a look at the nominees in the Best Direction category.

Music videos have often been a proving ground for film directors, who then go on to direct features and win awards hand over fist. Though the artists in the clips are at the forefront of the category, the Moonman has provided a boost for a handful of accomplished directors. Past winners of the prize for Best Direction at the MTV Video Music Awards include David Fincher (who won two years in a row for Madonna's "Express Yourself" in 1989 and "Vogue" in 1990; he later made modern classics like "Se7en," "Fight Club" and "The Curious Case for Benjamin Button"), Tarsem Singh (scored a Moonman for R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" in 1991 and later directed "The Cell" and "The Fall"), Spike Jonze (scored for Weezer's "Buddy Holly" in 1994 and later created "Being John Malkovich" and "Where the Wild Things Are"), Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (won two Moonmen for direction for Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight Tonight" in 1996 and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Californication" in 2000) and "Nightmare on Elm Street" director Samuel Bayer (who won for Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dream" in 2005 and Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" in 2007).

This year's crop of nominated directors is an excellent mix of newcomers and veterans. In the latter category, you've got Hype Williams (nominated for Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind"), Francis Lawrence (Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance") and Dave Meyers (Pink's "Funhouse"). The (relative) newcomers include Bartholomew Cubbins (the pseudonym used by Jared Leto, who directed his band 30 Seconds to Mars' "Kings and Queens") and Rich Lee (who directed Eminem's "Not Afraid" and who has less than 10 years in the game.

The criteria for great direction is sort of vague, but for sheer accomplishments, the MTV Newsroom Blog thinks Leto might have the upper hand. "Kings and Queens" is gorgeous and epic, and was clearly logistically complicated. But all of the videos nominated are deserving.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

Tags Better Know a Category, video-music-awards, VMAs

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.

Last night's red carpet premiere for "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam" (which airs September 3 on the Disney Channel) brought out all of the biggest stars of the new film. The Jonas Brothers were there (with fourth brother Frankie "Bonus" Jonas as well), as was Demi Lovato, who met up with old pals Mickey and Minnie Mouse (certainly the only stars bigger than her and the Jonas' at the party) on the red carpet. The Mouse family has been good to Lovato, as she has had a great deal of success on "Sonny With a Chance" and the original "Camp Rock." The buzz over the sequel is palpable, which should keep Lovato surfing the wave of success well past her 18th birthday (which happens to be this Friday, August 20).

Lovato wasn't the only star out in public, as the men of Plain White T's went bowling in New York to assist in a benefit for VH1's Save the Music Foundation and several cast members of "The Expendables" (including Sylvester Stallone, Terry Crews, Dolph Lundgren and Jason Statham) rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which features nearly 500 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Jay-Z, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Jessica Simpson, Adam Lambert, Madonna, Rihanna and Shakira!

Tags Demi Lovato, photo, Spotted!, the-jonas-brothers

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards had a city (Los Angeles), a date (Sunday, September 12), a time (live at 9 p.m. Eastern), nominees (lead by Lady Gaga) and a handful of performers and presenters (including Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake and B.o.B). But up until late last night, the show didn't have one of its most important elements: A host. But that all changed when "Chelsea Lately" host Chelsea Handler announced that she would be hosting this year's version of the show. Handler is only the second woman in history to host the VMAs by herself (Roseanne Barr took the reins in 1994; Bette Midler shared hosting duties with Dan Aykroyd at the very first VMAs) and is — amazingly — the latest best-selling author to helm the show.

Handler's three comedic memoirs — 2005's My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands, 2008's Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea and this year's Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang — have all made their way onto the New York Times Best Seller List, with two of them hitting the top spot. The run of Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea has been particularly impressive, with a print run of 350,000 and counting.

The late night host doesn't share a whole lot in common with actor and comedian Russell Brand (who hosted the VMAs in 2008 and 2009), but Brand also has a New York Times best-seller to his name. His 2008 memoir My Booky Wook also found its way onto the list. That makes three consecutive years that have seen a best-selling author host the Video Music Awards.

For more authorship, you have to go back to 2003 with Chris Rock (who also hosted in 1997 and 1999 and had a successful book with 2000's Rock This!). There was also Ben Stiller (hosted in 1998; co-wrote Feel This Book: An Essential Guide to Self-Empowerment, Spiritual Supremacy, and Sexual Satisfaction) and Dennis Miller (hosted in 1995 and 1996; wrote several books with the word "rant" in the title).

So who will be the next author to host the MTV Video Music Awards? Perhaps Dan Brown — he can talk Masonic practices with members of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Tags books, Chelsea Handler, Russell Brand, video-music-awards, VMAs

In a move that couldn't possibly have surprised anyone, veteran NFL quarterback Brett Favre announced that he will be returning to the Minnesota Vikings for a 20th season. Favre already owns most of the National Football League's quarterback-related records, but Favre only has one Super Bowl victory to his name and would like to tack on a second. He returns to a Vikings team that went toe-to-toe with the New Orleans Saints in the conference finals, a game undone by an ill-timed Favre interception (and the Saints, of course, went on to win the Super Bowl). He returns to a Vikings team that is largely the same and should be considered a favorite in the NFC (along with the Packers, Saints and Giants).

Favre, of course, seems to threaten retirement at every opportunity. His indecision always seems to throw people into a tizzy, but the reality is that Favre is no better than a lot of musicians who have often threatened to hang it up (or who actually have) only to get back in the ring for one more round.

Jay-Z
Jigga's 2003 release The Black Album was supposed to be his send-off from the rap world so that he could concentrate on other things. But he kept showing up in guest appearances and eventually came back to the game full-time with 2006's Kingdom Come.

Mick Jagger
One of the best moments of Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones concert film "Shine a Light" was a piece of interview footage with Mick Jagger, who claimed that his band probably only had one more year in them. The twist? They had only been around for two years at the time. While Jagger never claimed retirement, it seems like his band has spent most of its career about to pack it in — only to make another comeback later.
Read more...

Tags bow-wow, Brett Favre, kiss, the-rolling-stones

Plenty of celebrities can be considered "dangerous." George Michael seems hazardous to the health of most people. Same goes for Ted Nugent. But which celebrities pose the biggest threat to your computer? According to Internet security service McAfee, searches for "Knight and Day" and "Shrek Forever After" star Cameron Diaz — one of the most popular and bankable actresses in Hollywood — will give you the best chance to lead your computer on the road to ruin.

(Click here to see the rest of the most dangerous stars to search, including Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise!)

According to the just-released report, searches for Diaz's name (as well as variations like "Cameron Diaz photos" and "Cameron Diaz videos") have a 10 percent chance of infecting your machine with a virus, spyware and adware and could leave you open for phishing and identity theft. (Whenever the word "screensavers" is introduced into a search, the danger doubles.) Cybercriminals tend to hide dangerous code in otherwise benign-seeming links, pictures and videos that are celeb-related, opening up your unsuspecting computer to all sorts of nastiness.

Diaz displaces Jessica Biel from the top of the pile (Biel was dubbed "Most Dangerous" last year). But she is still a hazard, as she currently sits in the number three spot. Rounding out the top three is ubiquitous "Eat Pray Love" star Julia Roberts, whose overall threat level is nine percent.

Women tend to dominate the list, though Brad Pitt checks in at number five and Tom Cruise shows up at number eight. Models also pose quite a threat, as both Gisele Bundchen and Adrianna Lima both have spots in the top 10. And since "True Blood" is everywhere, it's no surprise that the list is rounded out by star Anna Paquin.

So remember: Poking around the Internet for photos, videos, wallpaper and screensavers of your favorite stars can be treacherous, so approach with caution (just like you do with Roberts' films).

(Click here to see the rest of the most dangerous stars to search, including Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise!)

Which entry on the list is most surprising? Let us know in the comments!

Tags brad-pitt, Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, photo, Tom Cruise

Despite the opinions of a handful of pigeons in St. Louis, Kings of Leon have established themselves as one of the predominant American rock bands of the moment (along with the likes of Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and Red Hot Chili Peppers). Their 2008 album Only By the Night proved to be their big breakout (mostly on the back of massive singles "Use Somebody" and "Sex on Fire"), but they had been gradually building a following for nearly a decade before the mainstream came calling, and on this day in 2003, they took a giant step forward when they released their debut full-length album Youth and Young Manhood.

The highly-anticipated album followed the release of the band's debut EP Holly Roller Novocaine, which featured five tracks (four of which later appeared on Youth and Young Manhood). Back when they first broke, Kings of Leon were originally billed as "the Southern Strokes," which was a little pedantic but somewhat understandable. They took a number of American rock styles and twisted them into a style that was punchy, soulful and muscular. Though the sound on Youth and Young Manhood is pretty raw, you can clearly see the direction the band would head in.

Youth and Young Manhood is a strong album, but the centerpiece is undoubtedly "Molly's Chambers." An incredibly blunt, terse three minutes of searing rock, the track is built around one of the more underrated riffs of the past decade. (The live version sounds even more unhinged and loud — it essentially morphs into Nirvana's "Breed.") And the shaggy-sleek video certainly doesn't hurt.

Tags kings of leon, video