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'American Idol' Officially Announces New Judges, So Which Team Is The Best?

Posted 9/22/10 1:30 pm EST by in Music


After months of contract-based turmoil and seemingly countless rumors, the producers of "American Idol" have finally made it official. The next season of the show — which is scheduled to begin airing in January 2011 and will represent the show's 10th go-round — will feature a judges' table that consists of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and actress/pop sensation Jennifer Lopez (in addition to Randy Jackson, the only judge left from the show's first episode).

There has been turnover behind the judges' table before, but it has never been quite as dramatic as this. The show seemed to be humming along well as a trio before the introduction of Kara DioGuardi made the panel into a quartet. Then Paula Abdul exited, clearing the way for Ellen DeGeneres to fill in. But this season, neither DeGeneres nor DioGuardi will be returning, and that's on top of the fact that Simon Cowell — who has been the show's face and guiding hand since its inception — decided to bolt in favor of throwing his weight behind an American version of his hit British competition show "X Factor."

With all that upheaval, that leaves us with Jackson, Tyler and Lopez, all of whom bring distinct personalities to the show. But will they be able to provide enough different kinds of opinions to the table? And what will their chemistry be like? And most of all, who will assume the Cowell role of blunt, stern taskmaster?

All those questions will be answered in a few months, but at the moment, we can speculate plenty. Based solely on the idea of the new trio of judges, how do they match up against the other versions of the panel? Vote for your favorite combination below and let us know why you voted the way you did in the comments.

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Lady Gaga's Meat Dress: Off Her Body And In A Cooler

Posted 9/22/10 12:30 pm EST by in Music


There's been much discussion about Lady Gaga's now infamous Franc Fernandez meat dress, which she wore to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. And while we don't know yet if she has sparked some kind of new fashion trend until the next season of "Project Runway" rolls around (but let's hope not), she certainly has had much of the fashion community buzzing over its meaning, design and construction. While the designer has told us there is no stench to the meat that Gaga wore, we won't ever really know the true nature of it unless put in the same room with it now (which we'll also take a pass on, thank you very much).

We're currently not sure of the location of the dress or its parts, but someone managed to snap a photo of one of its many, meaty pieces backstage the night of the VMAs. A production manager at the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live (where the big show took place) happened to be in Gaga's dressing room post-VMAs and had the gumption to snap a photo of two of the many cuts of choice beef that helped bring Gaga to other-worldly levels of fashionista status.

The photo, which has very graciously been provided to MTV News, is nothing more than two pieces of meat, sitting on some plastic wrap, surrounded by some cool packs in a cooler. Yet, those two pieces of meat are stars in their own right. Gawk at them as you wish, and just remember: Lady Gaga will almost certainly try to top that sooner or later, which is staggering to even contemplate.

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Spotted: My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way Joins Weezer In Hollywood

Posted 9/22/10 11:30 am 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.

For a while, Weezer were a band passed around between hardcore music geeks and whispered about in between spins of Pinkerton. But nowadays, Weezer are the type of group that just about everybody wants to hang out with, which was proven by their concert at the Dunes Inn Motel in Hollywood on Tuesday (September 21). As another entry in the Axe Music "One Night Only" series, the band took the stage in front of a number of celebrity fans (Vanessa Hudgens, Khloe Kardashian) and VIP guests (including "Lost" star Jorge Garcia, whose face graces the band's just-released album Hurley). But perhaps the biggest moment of the night came when My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way appeared on stage to perform "My Name is Jonas" with the band. Way — sporting his new pink locks that just showed up in the trailer for his group's new album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys — has often cited Weezer as one of his favorite bands (and he is a particular fan of their self-titled 1994 debut). Cuomo has often reached out to the younger generation (he performed "Say It Ain't So" with Paramore's Hayley Williams earlier this year), and considering how great a collaborator he is (just ask B.o.B), it made for a killer duet on an awesome tune.

Weezer weren't the only stars turning it up last night, as Shakira lit up Madison Square Garden and Courtney Love worked the red carpet at the New York premiere of the film "Nowhere Boy." 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, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Madonna, Rihanna, the Jonas Brothers and Diddy!

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Happy Birthday, Joan Jett!

Posted 9/22/10 10:30 am EST by in Music


Put some black frosting on a cupcake and wear your jeans a little extra low in honor of Joan Jett, who celebrates her birthday today. Though her first band the Runaways were essentially a prefabricated collective (though to be fair, so were the Sex Pistols), Jett's fingerprints are all over the history of punk rock. The Runaways produced incredible, volatile music that introduced the world to Jett's gritty, muscular guitar work. Later, she produced the first (and only) album by fascinating Los Angeles punk band the Germs and collaborated with Sex Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook on her early solo work.

And then, something crazy happened. Unable to find a label, Jett established Blackheart Records and released a self-titled solo album in 1980 (an album that contained songs that would later become seminal in Jett's catalog, including "Bad Reputation" and her cover of "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)"). A year later, she formed a band called the Blackhearts and dropped I Love Rock n' Roll, whose title track shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and turned Jett into a mainstream rock star. The video picked up a ton of airplay on the just-born MTV network, and the album went on to sell millions of copies.

While Jett would never get back to the plateau of having a number one single in the country, she has continued to churn out excellent music. Her combination of savage originals and playful takes on covers kept her well anchored in the rock world, and she eventually became a hero for female guitar players (her chops are exceptional) as well as girls who want to express themselves loudly (as she has regularly lent her voice to progressive social causes).

Though Jett was thrust back into the spotlight with the release of the biopic "The Runaways" earlier this year (which saw "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart play Jett), the rocker hasn't put out any new music since 2006, when she dropped Sinner (which, in truth, was mostly a re-released of a Japan-only release from 2004 called Naked). It has some killer songs, including a cover of Sweet's "A.C.D.C.," which contains everything that makes Jett stellar: A killer riff, a playful look at sexuality and Jett's sharp vocal chops.


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The 'Dancing With The Stars' Situation: David Hasselhoff Packs It In

Posted 9/22/10 10:00 am EST by in Television


The latest season of "Dancing With the Stars" features perhaps the most truly star-studded cast in the history of the program, including two homegrown MTV stars: "The Hills" breakout Audrina Patridge and "Jersey Shore" centerpiece Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino. It's the latter the MTV Newsroom Blog is most excited about, so while you can check out full recaps and analysis over at the main MTV News page, this space will be dedicated to tracking the advancement of New Jersey's favorite new philosopher.

After a somewhat disastrous first night on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars," Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino found himself with a mere 15 points (out of a possible 30) and tied for last place with comedian Margaret Cho and multimedia phenom David Hasselhoff. Despite his seemingly limitless supply of ironic popularity and charm, it was Hasselhoff who got the boot during the first elimination (proving that hipster types who own "Don't Hassle The Hoff" T-shirts don't actually watch "Dancing With the Stars"). That's good news for the Situation, who will live to dance another day.

But he is obviously not out of the woods yet, as he was declared "in jeopardy" along with Hasselhoff, Disney Channel star Kyle Massey and Super Bowl XXXIV MVP Kurt Warner. He'll have to dance his way past those other two in order to keep pace with the rest of the pack, but on the bright side, he does have unbridled enthusiasm and limitless charm at his disposal. He just got through by the skin of his teeth this week, which means the Situation will have to kick everything up a notch the next time around. Luckily, that happens to be what the Situation does best.

What do you think of David Hasselhoff's elimination from "Dancing With the Stars"? Should somebody else have gone home? Let us know in the comments!

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'Glee' Season Two Premiere Embraces Hip-Hop Via Jay-Z And Travie McCoy

Posted 9/22/10 9:30 am EST by in Music


All the concerns over a sophomore slump seemed to be put to rest on Tuesday night (September 21) when the second season of "Glee" officially kicked off. Not only was the episode an excellent re-entry into the world of McKinley High, but it also served several purposes: Reintroducing all your favorite characters, smoothly extending the story lines of the first season, debuting a handful of new characters (including a new sparring partner for Sue Sylvester in Coach Beiste and the new Vocal Adrenaline coach Dustin Goolsby) and, most importantly, rolling out some smashing musical performances. In the lead-up to the second season, all the talk seems to have been centered around the hotly-anticipated Britney Spears-centric episode (which is coming next week). But as the second season premiere of "Glee" proved, it can turn the music up a notch even without a gimmick.

Last night's selections were sharp and well-presented (especially the funny run through "Telephone" and Lea Michele's haunting take on "What I Did For Love," a tune from "A Chorus Line" that ranks as one of the best torch songs in the history of Broadway), but the headline-grabbers were the two forays into hip-hop. Rap music isn't exactly a natural fit on "Glee," but they made it work, as any awkwardness during the delivery of Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" was eclipsed by the choreography. In the cast of the second rap tune of the night (Travie McCoy's "Billionaire"), the performance was saved entire by Kevin McHale's unusual swagger. It's a testament to the actors on the show that they can pull these things off, and it's also a tribute to "Billionaire," which is an awesome song that was almost entire overlooked in this year's summer jam derby (McCoy has Eminem and ex-girlfriend Katy Perry to thank for that). So here's to Artie, and to the future of rap on "Glee."

What was your favorite musical number from the season two premiere of "Glee"? Let us know in the comments!

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Cat Power Flies To The Moon: Wake-Up Video

Posted 9/22/10 8:30 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


On Monday (September 20), the Newsroom Blog took a look at Liz Phair's underrated second album. Today, we celebrate another esoteric indie singer-songwriter with deeply personal lyrics and who regularly battles stage fright. On this day in 1998, Cat Power released Moon Pix, which, while not quite as aggro as Phair's Exile in Guyville or Sleater-Kinney's Dig Me Out, still stands as a vital entry in the universe of female-based indie rock.

Cat Power (real name Chan Marshall, pronounced "Sean") grew up in the south and received an early exposure to blues music via her session pianist father. After dropping out of high school, she started gigging and further developing her version of minimalist blues buzz. She moved to New York and hooked up with Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley, who encouraged her to record her early material and also served as her drummer and producer. (Ironically, Shelley first spotted Marshall while opening for Phair.) Her first three albums — 1995's Dear Sir and 1996's Myra Lee and What Would the Community Think — are all sparse, haunting meditations on relationships. But Moon Pix was the album that began her transition from kooky minimalist to a more adventurous persona. That transition would complete itself with 2000's The Covers Record, but Moon Pix shows all the nods toward a groovier, more soulful sound.

The key track on Moon Pix is "Cross Bones Style," a gorgeous little blues shuffle that really shows off Marshall's unusual vocal talents. The video is even better, as it is an homage to (no kidding) Madonna's "Lucky Star."

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'Glee' Star Mike O'Malley Remembers His 'Guts' Days

Posted 9/21/10 6:30 pm EST by in Television


I'm not going to lie: I'm super-stoked for the second season of "Glee," premiering tonight at 8 p.m. Will the show suffer a sophomore slump a la "The O.C." or will it stay fresh a la ... actually, I can't think of any hit teen show that stayed awesome in season two. (And don't you dare say "Dawson's Creek" — those Jack and Abby story lines were a mess.)

But I digress.

I got to cover the "Glee" red carpet a few weeks ago and spoke to most of the cast, including Mike O'Malley. Teenagers might only know Mike as Kurt's father (or, if you live in the tri-state area, as the guy who is constantly telling you how great Time Warner Cable is), but I know him as the fast-talking host of Nickelodeon's kids-as-gladiators athletic competition "Guts," which he helmed in the early '90s. I devoured it every Saturday night. It was the perfect pre-"Snick" appetizer. (Fun fact: It was also the only televised sports I ever watched regularly.)

Having Mike in my clutches, I had to ask: Does he keep in touch with Mo, his British co-host who looked fab in a Foot Locker uniform and who purred facts and figures from the leaderboard?

"Do I keep in touch? You mean, [were] we in touch this afternoon? Yeah! Break it here! Don't tell my wife," the comedic actor joked.

O'Malley then riffed on one of my favorite childhood shows for a well over a minute. I won't spoil what he said here in this blog. You just need to watch the video and laugh your ass off. Be warned: You'll never think of the Aggro Crag's actuators the same way ever again.

What are your favorite "Guts" memories? Would the world implode of Ryan Murphy cast Mo as a potential love interest for Kurt’s dad on "Glee"? Sound off in the comments below!

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OK Go Premiere 'White Knuckles,' Save Dogs And Videos In The Process

Posted 9/21/10 5:30 pm EST by in Music


If there was one thing missing from last week's 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, it was the presence of OK Go, who made arguably the most talked-about video of the past year with "This Too Shall Pass." Fully committed to the video form (and still with an exceptional album to promote), the band just unveiled their latest clip (which premiered on Monday's episode of "Ellen"). It's called "White Knuckles," and much like the rest of their videos, it totally rules.

In keeping with OK Go tradition, the clip is shot entirely in one shot (or at least gives the illusion of a single shot). Unlike the "This Too Shall Pass" clip, the camera stays completely still while the band floats in and out of frame with the help of some furry friends. Yes, the band is accompanied by a team of dogs who run around, jump, pull off tricks and do complicated synchronized movements. The band went through four pounds of dog treats a day in order to get their co-stars to play along, and they will continue to help pooches well after the premiere — they've teamed with the ASPCA to raise funds for the Rural Rescue Dog Fund.

But back to the video: It features leaping dogs, a very cool ramp trick and an extremely elaborate closing sequence that features all four band members plus a bunch of dogs all working in tandem (it had to have been exhausting to shoot). Also working for it? The song "White Knuckles" happens to be the best Prince song written since about 1987, and it's one of the many high points on Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (producer Dave Fridmann's touches are especially evident on its psychedelic funk fuzz). OK Go may not be moving units at the top of the charts, but they're having a pretty stellar year.

What do you think of OK Go's new video? Let us know in the comments!

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50 Cent Forms Twitter Account For His Dog, Travels Down The Rabbit Hole

Posted 9/21/10 4:30 pm EST by in Music


By Jenny McCoy

Dogs are tough work, and in 2010 their demands have only increased. Just ask 50 Cent. In addition to holding down his rap career, he also has to worry about his pooch. Food, water, walks and ... Twitter updates?

Yes, today we introduce you to one of Twitter's newest users and the lady who has stolen our attention one update at a time this afternoon: 50 Cent's dog, Oprah.

First of all, how incredibly awesome is it that 50 Cent even has a dog named Oprah? But perhaps more importantly, it's extra amazing that 50 would go out of his way to give his pet a virtual voice. And she's pretty active, too: In just 24 hours on Twitter, 50's foul-mouthed pup has already revealed quite a lot to her more than 7,000 followers. To wit:

» She may have a broken leg and her owner is possibly responsible.

» She'd prefer a new owner.

» She's not keen on doing tricks in exchange for treats.

» She doesn't enjoy listening to 50's music at full blast and doubts he'll make another hit.

» She has been to the vet this morning (documented by two Twitpics).

» She relieved herself both before and after her vet visit.

Everything about these developments is entertaining. The fact that 50 has a dog named Oprah is magical, and the fact that not only does she tweet but she also doesn't particularly like her owner is a truly amazing meta gag. The possibilities for future updates are endless, but we know 50, err, Oprah, will keep us entertained.

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