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Sunday night (September 26) marked the return of a handful of excellent TV shows, including "Eastbound and Down," "Dexter," "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy." But none of those shows had a bigger guest star than "The Cleveland Show," as Kanye West made his second appearance on the Seth MacFarlane-produced animated hit. The rapper returned as "Kenny West," an old friend of lead character Cleveland Brown's who found himself homeless. In the episode's best exchange, West tries to get Cleveland to stop talking about the h-word in front of his daughter. "I told her cars were homes and homes were cars, so now she just thinks we're carless," he explains.

In an effort to prove that he can accomplish something in his life (just like his old nemesis Barack Obama), Cleveland takes in West and his daughter.

Just as he did the first time he appeared on "The Cleveland Show," West stole most of the episode with his willingness to go with it. West becomes a cable installer, then grows a mustache and eventually devolves into Cleveland himself. When he finally decides to break back into the rap world, he isn't so sure of himself. "I've been out of the game for six days," he frets. "Lil Wayne has dropped 30 mixtapes since then!" Cleveland becomes West's manager and helps him stage a benefit concert for a girl who is trapped down a well. The song the pair perform, of course, pretty strong. "Turns out all I needed was some inspiration/ Like Mr. Miyagi but a lot less Asian," he rhymes about Cleveland on the track "Be-Cleve in Yourself."

Along the way, West manages to lampoon a handful of West's key moments, including his snafus at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2005 telethon for Hurricane Katrina. In the end, West fires Cleveland and goes about his business of being famous, while Cleveland returns home slightly defeated with the help of President Obama, who returns to school him on the basketball court.

Tags Kanye West, The Cleveland Show, video

First, a bit of business: After not getting very much information for a while, we now know a whole lot more about Conan O'Brien's upcoming return to late night. A few weeks ago we learned the title of his new show ("Conan" or "Conaw," depending on your sense of humor) and over the weekend it was confirmed that Max Weinberg will not in fact be coming back as the band leader (that job will fall to guitarist Jimmy Vivino, who regularly filled in for Weinberg whenever he was on vacation or touring with the E Street Band).

Of course, we still have to wait until its November premiere before we know what "Conan" will be like, which is why we must make do with the hosts we have now until then. Luckily, this week is a fine stretch to lose sleep over late night laughs. It all begins on "The Late Show With David Letterman," which will welcome Jon Stewart in a rare guest appearance on Tuesday (September 28th). Music-wise, Letterman will throw to performances from Runner Runner (Monday, September 27), N.E.R.D. (Tuesday) and Drake (Friday, October 1). There will also be an appearance by "The Social Network" star Jesse Eisenberg on Wednesday (September 29), marking one of the many, many interviews the cast of that movie will give in a push for its release this week.

If you're really hungry for information on "The Social Network," you should stay glued to "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon' this week. He'll have stars Andrew Garfield (Monday), Justin Timberlake (Wednesday) and Jesse Eisenberg (Thursday, September 30) as well as writer Aaron Sorkin (Friday). Fallon will also welcome performances by the Temper Trap (Monday), Teenage Fanclub (Tuesday), Belle and Sebastian (Wednesday) and the Vaselines (Thursday).

Jay Leno doesn't have any "The Social Network" cast members on "The Tonight Show," though he will have performances by Train (Tuesday), Seal (Wednesday) and Kenny Chesney (Friday). Jimmy Kimmel's slate of shows this week includes Maroon 5 (Tuesday), Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (Wednesday) and the Avett Brothers (Thursday).

"The Daily Show" will have a killer week, beginning with Bill O'Reilly (Monday) and ending with Timberlake (Thursday). And if you have any energy in the morning, you can catch the entire cast of "The Social Network" on "The View" on Friday (with Sorkin as a teaser on Wednesday).

Who are you most looking forward to seeing on talk shows this week? Let us know in the comments!

Tags Conan O'Brien, Late Night, Talk Shows

It's something of a bittersweet birthday for Lil Wayne today, as he turns 28 years old while still confined to a cell at Rikers Island. Still, there is a silver lining, as he is nearing his release date (he only has about a month left before he breathes free air again) and today also marks the release of his latest album I Am Not a Human Being (the digital release is out today, while the physical version will be out on October 12).

If Weezy's age seems surprisingly low, it's only because he has been in the music business since he was 15 years old (when he appeared alongside Juvenile, Turk and B.G. on the Hot Boys' debut album Get It How U Live! in 1997). In the 13 years hence, Weezy has rarely been off the radar. His early work with the Cash Money crew was promising (especially his 1999 solo debut Tha Block Is Hot), but it wasn't until he expanded his sound on 2005's Tha Carter II that he really started to blossom into the staggering lyrical superstar we know him as today (owing mostly to the fact that Cash Money's in-house producer Mannie Fresh had exited the label). With a new sonic palette at his disposal, Weezy began to let his style wander into bold new territories, and his passion for trying new things has lead to an incredible cycle of output over the past few years. Some of Wayne's mixtapes are among the best music made in the past decade (most notably 2006's Dedication 2 and 2007's Da Drought 3).

I Am Not a Human Being represents Weezy's best work since his 2008 album Tha Carter III. With an impeccable selection of beats, a great roster of guest stars (including several drop-ins by Drake) and Wayne's greatest lyrical focus in a while (the pressure of checking into Rikers clearly got his adrenaline flowing), I Am Not a Human Being is destined to be in the pantheon of Weezy's greatest work and is among the finest hip-hop releases of the year.

In honor of Wayne's big day, check out the (strangely literal) clip for "I'm Single," from his 2009 mixtape No Ceilings.

Tags Birthday, Lil Wayne, video

Back when the Dave Matthews Band first made a splash on the national music scene, who would have thought that they would eventually blossom into the stadium-packing powerhouse they currently are? Not only did DMB develop a rightfully-earned reputation for being a killer live act (blending together elements of rock, jazz, funk and borrowed bits of rhythmic influences from around the world), but they also managed to become a modern rock radio-ruling juggernaut with a boatload of big singles and a healthy dose of chart-topping albums. Their rise to the top of the commercial ladder began on this day in 1994, when their first studio album Under the Table and Dreaming was released.

Produced by Steve Lillywhite, Under the Table and Dreaming managed not only to capture the band's effervescent live presence but also harnessed Matthews' impressive skills as a songwriter. People flocked to Under the Table and Dreaming because the melodies were sweet and easy and the choruses were begging to be shouted out loud. Tracks like "What Would You Say" (the first single and the hit that gave them a foothold on radio and MTV), "Satellite" and "The Best of What's Around" had an easy energy, buoyed by Matthews rugged acoustic guitar work, a steady rhythm section and the clever interplay between the violin and saxophone (provided by Boyd Tinsley and the late LeRoi Moore, respectively).

The band never stopped grinding out hits. Their follow-up album, Crash, was an even bigger hit, spawning singles like "Crash Into Me" and "Too Much." And despite occasional solo albums and side projects, they've managed to stay together (they had a chart-topping album in 2009 with Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King). But it all got started with Under the Table and Dreaming, which contained one of the band's biggest hits and also a live staple in "Ants Marching."

Tags Dave Matthews Band, video

It has been quite a week here in the MTV Newsroom. We watched Lindsay and Paris in court, sat down with Tony Yayo for a heart-to-heart, argued about the new judges on "American Idol," watched a ton of television and watched a classic indie rock band in the middle of a crazy-ass lightning storm. All that activity has left us sort of run down, which is why it's time to hop into the hot tub and enjoy a little leisure time. You should do the same, but not before you take a stroll through the links below to catch up with anything you might have missed this week.

» "American Idol" has two new judges in Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, who join Randy Jackson as the show's new adjudication trio.

» While people do seem enthusiastic about the new judges, it appears nobody will ever top the show's original three-way of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Jackson.

» Justin Bieber isn't joining the cast of "American Idol," but he was on TV this week. He made his television acting debut in the season premiere of "CSI."

» You know where else Bieber was this week? Hooters!

» "Dancing With the Stars" kicked off this week, though "Jersey Shore" star the Situation stumbled a bit with his cha cha.
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Tags American Idol, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, dancing with the stars, Glee, Jack-Johnson, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, sesame-street, Taylor Swift, Will.I.Am.

Gwen Stefani is set to make Las Vegas her home. Or at least her wax statue is. On Wednesday (September 22) at the Venetian Hotel's Madame Tussaud's, the No Doubt singer was on hand to unveil the latest famous celebrity mold, done in her likeness.

Wearing white skinny jeans, combat boots, Stefani's signature midriff-baring top and a lime green bra, the wax statue bears a remarkable likeness to the singer (circa the Tragic Kingdom era). Stefani rocked a halter-style printed dress, tights and heels at the event and judging by her reaction seemed genuinely surprised about how well they capture her in wax. According to People, the statue cost $300,000 and took 500 hours to sculpt. "That is so me," she told the crowd before sharing with her pals. "That is so weird. I can't believe it. Can you believe it?

"It is so realistic it's mind-blowing. I think [my kids] King and Zuma would be freaked out if they saw that!" she said about the statue. "Everybody that I worked with through the whole process was just so enthusiastic. I think the hardest part was figuring out how to stand. It was a tough pose cause I was on one leg a lot. I think it turned out really cool. I think it summed me up."

Stefani joins the ranks of huge celebrities who have been immortalized in wax, from Kim Kardashian to the Jonas Brothers to Miley Cyrus to more old-school celebs like Bette Midler, Michael Jackson and Madonna.

What do you think of Gwen Stefani's was sculpture? Do you think it's accurate? Let us know in the comments!

Tags gwen stefani, video

On Thursday night (September 23), the cast of "Jersey Shore" took over late night television. Snooki chatted about her droopy boobs on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" while the Situation paid a visit to "Lopez Tonight" to promote his current stint as a competitor on "Dancing With the Stars." That got me thinking: Doesn't it seem like these kids are on talk shows a lot?

Here's a crazy figure for you: Since the premiere of the very first episode of "Jersey Shore" in December of 2009, the cast has been on late night TV a whopping 32 times. (And that's not including daytime appearances on stuff like "Ellen" and "The View.")

With that in mind, how is it that the Situation isn't a total pro at chatting up talk show hosts, considering he has made nearly a dozen appearances on said shows himself? And why was his spot on "George Lopez" so excruciatingly dull?

Look, I get it. "The Situation" on "Jersey Shore" is different than Mike in real life. However, I like the "Jersey Shore" version of the man a lot better. Sure, he's arrogant, misogynistic and often obnoxious, but he's also laugh-out-loud funny. If I wanted to see a timid, humble dude talking about being "blessed," I'd watch Philip Seymour Hoffman discuss craft with Charlie Rose. No thank you!

So here's hoping the Situation gets himself some coaching and blossoms into a top-shelf late night guest (and anything is possible — even Robert Pattinson figured out how to do it). I never thought I'd say this, but I have to give the cast of "The Hills" some credit. I mean, at least they were consistent — boring on the show, and boring in real life.

What did you think of the Situation's appearance on "Lopez Tonight"? Let us know in the comments!

Tags Jersey Shore, video

"We shot 'Fancy,' and to be honest with you, it was done and I watched it and I just had a way better idea. And that's why the video hasn't come out yet. And to follow up 'Find Your Love' and 'Miss Me,' I really wanted to do something different, conceptually, and so I had this amazing idea and now I'm debating whether I should reshoot it or go straight to 'Show Me a Good Time.' But there should be a new Drake visual in the next little bit."

-Hip-hop superstar Drake, discussing the upcoming visual element that will accompany his next single "Fancy." The 23-year-old Canadian sensation spoke with MTV News during the opening date of his new tour in Miami. No matter what he decides to do next, he is 100 percent engaged in it. "It's something to look forward to," he said. "I'm excited by it."

Though he hasn't been on the radar for much more than a year, Drake has made quite an impact with his music video choices. His breakthrough single "Best I Ever Had" featured a much-talked-about Kanye West-directed clip that starred Drake as the hapless coach of a sexy ladies' basketball team. He has followed up that big splash with choice cuts like the bombastic clip for "Forever," the moody video for "Over" and the deeply cinematic "Find Your Love." He can currently be seen in the clip for "Miss Me," which was directed by Anthony Mandler (who has not only become Drake's go-to guy for videos but has also directed clips for Jay-Z and Rihanna).

Tags drake, Quote

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.

"Jersey Shore" star Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino didn't fare terribly well in his "Dancing With the Stars" debut earlier this week. Though he gamely attempted his opening number and seemed enthusiastic and eager to learn, the judges were still unimpressed with his performance. His showing left him tied for last place, though he did manage to skirt elimination (that dubious honor went to David Hasselhoff). The Situation swore he was going to do his best to try harder and get more things right next week, though he clearly allowed himself some time off from the dance studio to do a photo shoot for Men's Fitness magazine. It's a nice fit, as the Situation's abs are perhaps the most famous muscles in all of television, and before he became a modern philosopher, he made a living as a personal trainer and a fitness model. He was in fine form at the photo shoot, and hopefully he'll be able to keep showing off his assets on "Dancing With the Stars" (though if all else fails, there's already a third season of "Jersey Shore" in the can and ready to rock).

The Situation wasn't the only star taking in the air, as Lindsay Lohan appeared in court in Los Angeles and Ne-Yo stormed Times Square for a free concert. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which features over 500 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Eminem, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Madonna, the Jonas Brothers, Adam Lambert, Miley Cyrus and 50 Cent!

Tags Jersey Shore, photo, Spotted!, The Situation

If you woke up this morning and felt like life as you had previously known it was somehow different, that the ground beneath your feet had undergone some slightly seismic shift and the air was heavy with the effervescent tingle of change, it wasn't because of some paranormal event (or the drugs). Rather, it was probably because Lil X decided to change his name.

Yes, X — who has directed high-profile videos for the likes of R. Kelly, Jay-Z and Rihanna — has announced (via a rather hyperbolic press release) that he will henceforth be known simply as "Director X," a change made "to stay firmly entrenched in the hip-hop world, while bringing his visionary energy to other projects, such as commercials for McDonald's." He even has a brand-new Web site (which, at the time of this writing, is still under construction) and an artfully minimal new press photo to go along with his new handle, too. The world, it would seem, is forever changed.

It bears mention that, at various points during his career, the man born Julien Christian Lutz has also been known as "Mr. X" and simply "X," but this time, something just feels different. There's a finality to his new name (unless he decides to change it to "Director Z"). And while we've spent all morning trying to come to grips with the news, we are still reporters, so we put our personal feelings aside and managed to dig up a list of other names X might have been milling over before going with the decidedly more proletariat "Director X."

We've posted that list below, in the hopes that it will somehow help you cope with this sudden news. Remember, change is inevitable. And we'll all get through this together. Somehow.

"Racer X"

"Mr. E (Think About It)"

"Professor Charles Xavier"

"Guy Who Directed John Mayer's 'Clarity' Video X"

"Mega Man X"

"Director X-tremely Good At Directing"

"105.9 The X, Pittsburgh's Home For Modern Rock"

"Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf "

"It's Cool, People Confuse Me With Hype Williams All The Time X"

"Megalomaniac X"

Tags Director X, Lil X