I'm not quite sure how to best introduce this next piece of footage, so I'll keep it brief.

We have this guy here at MTV News called CJ. We love him. He's awesome. But CJ has a problem. He walks funny. There's really no way to describe it apart from the fact that he walks like he's possessed. Even if its just a few steps or a couple of blocks, CJ walks everywhere like he's being chased by a serial killer or worse. Arms flail, his mop-hair bounces and people stop and stare. We've all kind of become immune to it here at MTV News, but for CJ's own sake, we felt that something had to be done.

When J. Alexander — also known as Miss J, the runway coach and judge from hit reality show "America's Next Top Model" — stopped by the MTV Newsroom for an interview (he's promoting his new book "Follow the Model: Miss J's Guide to Unleashing Presence, Poise, and Power"; stay tuned for more from the interview later in the week), MTV News' Rya Backer and I decided to stage an intervention for our friend CJ.

Miss J has made a career out of teaching girls how to strut on "Americas Next Top Model" and has helped some of the world's most iconic models develop signature walks. But we knew that this was going to be his most daunting task yet. Could Miss J help CJ unleash his own poise and power? Check out the video below to find out.

Wednesday night's "I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" was the first Speidi-less episode, and sadly, the magic was missing. Without the MTV stars hogging the spotlight, Janice Dickinson stepped up as the attention whore, and her shenanigans weren't anything I hadn't already seen on "America's Next Top Model" or "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency." Over it. Plus, you know producers are desperate when they devote 20-plus minutes to a John Salley/ Janice Dickinson argument about whether she spilled water in his boot. No, thank you. (Not to mention that John's subsequent meltdown/apology after calling Janice a filthy word was just plain depressing.)

The show wasn't a complete wash, however. Aside from Speidi's bizarre return (more on that later), I must admit that I'm still delighted by watching "celebrities" forced to degrade themselves on television. The food challenge involved the stars sticking their hands in a hole filled with different creepy crawlies (tarantulas, earthworms in cow dung, and, uh, frogs?) in order to blah, blah, blah, not important. All you need to know is that Lou Diamond Phillips' arm got chewed off by rats, and then after he got fixed by the medics, he compared his experience on the show to that of the brave men and women who fought in the Vietnam War! Say what?!!

Also, Daniel "Black Sheep" Baldwin joined the cast, much to the delight of Janice, who saw the addition as an opportunity to get more screen time. She's already announced that she plans on seducing Stephen's brother. Gross. But Daniel's debut was upstaged by ... Read more...

Hi guys - sorry I'm late. I was busy talking to Paula Abdul on the red carpet. SERIOUSLY. More on that later…

But for now, it's time to live-blog the "American Idol" finale! Yay!

8:01 pm - Seacrest is introducing the judges with fun little montage that reminds us why they're the worst judges on television. Also, Randy Jackson borrowed a bow-tie from (Mrs.) J. Alexander on "America's Next Top Model."

8:06 pm - What's the worst part about being an "Idol" finalist? Having to sing songs about mountains and hurricanes or being forced to wear all white on the finale? At least Adam's wearing space boots.

8:06 pm - Mikalah Gordon is in Conway, Arkansas. This is the first time they've seen a real live drag queen. It's a night of firsts!!

8:07 pm - Carly Smithson is in San Diego. Oh no! Has Carly already become Mikalah Gordon-famous?

8:08 pm - The top 13 (remember that?!) are singing Pink's "So What." Although they edited out all the lyrics about ex-husbands and liquor. Also, if you mute your telelvision you can hear all of America saying "Oh yeah, remember Jorge and Jasmine?"

8:10 pm - Dear Michael Sarver, stop being a camera-whore. You're not the one we're tuning in for.

Read more...

By Kathleen Newman-Bremang

Covering an album-release party isn't as glamorous as it may sound. Sure, there's a red carpet, screaming fans and flashing photographers, but there's also the inevitably long wait time for the guest of honor.

In last night's case, there were five guests of honor, and the boys of Day26 made sure to turn up fashionably late — it was their party, after all.

The celebration shindig for the quintet's sophomore album, Forever in a Day, was held at the Ed Hardy store in New York. The small venue forced fans to wait outside in the rain, pleading and bargaining with bouncers to let them into the party. While fans were trying to talk their way inside, I found my place on the press line alongside photographers from various outlets. I even got to fool some of the professional photogs into thinking I was a real MTV News writer (and not just a lowly intern). Read more...

Resident "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello brings you a minute-by-minute recap of every episode right here! Keep checking for updates throughout the show, and don't miss out on his previous live blogs and other "Idol" news.

It's time to live-blog another "American Idol" performance show. But it's a Wednesday! Usually we watch a performer's dreams get crushed on Wednesday. Thanks to our "Idol"-hating President, we're going to watch ten singers (well, nine singers and one blind dude) compete tonight instead. This is the second time that Obama has toyed with our beloved "Idol" schedule this season. Economy my ass! Doesn't he understand that we like watching "Idol" to forget that we have no money? He would have been better off leaving "Idol" alone and issuing a press release. Or better yet - I can't believe I'm about to say this - he should have taken a page from the Bush II presidency and just appeared on "Idol!"

Tonight will feature the music of Motown, which is an absolute minefield. For every amazing "Misery" by Barrett Strong there are three obvious stinkers like "Sugar Pie Honeybunch" waiting to take down a contestant. Provided "Idol" didn't severely limit the song list, there's no excuse for anyone to sing a classic we've heard 400 times before on this show. I swear to Seacrest, if anyone sings "Aint No Mountain High Enough" I think they should automatically be booted. Even if it's my girl Megan Joy (Corkrey).

Before I get to live-blogging, a quick shout-out to MTV.COM user Trixie who had me rolling with her comment on last week's live-blog: "Was it ugly ass jacket night? WTH Danny and Anoop?" Let's face it though, if ever there was a time to wear an ugly jacket on "Idol," wouldn't it be on Grand Ole Opry night?

But enough about the past! Let's look to the present! Motown Night live-blogging begins NOW.

7:55 pm - Did you miss last week's Alexis Grace shocker? You still have time to check out the latest "Idol in 60 Seconds" recap here before we dive in to tonight's episode.

7:58 pm - "Now That's What I Call Power Ballads?" Now that's what I call hell.

7:58 pm - OMG you guys I'm so excited. I'm going to Disney World with Team Detox this weekend for a quick, random impromptu getaway and I'm totally going to try the new "American Idol" ride/show/attraction thingamajig that just opened. CANNOT WAIT!

8:00 pm - And so it begins. The top 10 looks miserable on stage during Ryan's dramatic intro. I know they're trying to look "tough" and "serious," but instead they all look like they're about to vomit. Wait, maybe they all caught Megan's bird flu from last week.

8:02 pm - The judges are all kissing Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson's butts while Seacrest is asking them questions. Hey guys, remember how you're supposed to be on television right now? [Slaps forehead.]

8:04 pm - Spoiler alert: The Funk Brothers dummer died yesterday.

8:05 pm - "Idol" Road Trip!! They went to Detroit to visit Motown's HQ, and the screaming fans are all there to greet them. Woah, Detroit "Idol" fans are not an attractive bunch.

8:07 pm - Trip's over, back to work. Smokey Robinson is coaching this week. I would not do well under his tutelage. I'd be constantly distracted by his tight face and green eyes.

8:08 pm - Matt Giraud's doing "Let's Get It On." This is either going to be really awesome or really icky.

8:09 pm - He's playing the piano and things are going well.

8:10 pm - Uh oh. The band kicked in and now he's walking around the stage. Holy tight pants alert! Dude, we don't need to actually be able to see that you wanna get it on, if you catch my drift. Matt's pants are to dangly bits what Megan's previous dress were to breasts.

8:10 pm - Matt just sang this line to a super-young girl in the audience: "There's nothing wrong with me loving you." It depends on the state, buddy.

8:11 pm - It was okay, but I wish he kept it focused at the piano. Once he stood up, it was a little cheeseball.

8:12 pm - The judges loved it. Paula likened his performance to a pair of "great, worn in jeans." She noticed his tight pants, too, evidently.

Read more...

By Rya Backer

We don't know if you heard, but on Saturday, thousands of young women came to Manhattan to try out for a very special "America's Next Top Model" — it was the Temple of Tyra's iteration of the show specifically catered to women 5'7" and under. Some of the ladies had even arrived the night before to ensure a good place in line. But Saturday morning, a car made the terrible mistake of overheating on the very same block where the hopefuls were assembled. Smoke began to emanate from the car, which escalated the situation to a bomb scare. The crowd parted like a human sea of reeds, leaving six people injured and three arrested. No word yet on rescheduling the tryouts, so it's my pleasure to declare that all of the women are still in the running towards becoming America's Next Top Model.

Oh no she didn't!!!

On Tuesday, my old friend Tyra Banks gave me a little shout-out on her talk show. When I heard that I'd been mentioned, I thought, Could this be about successful "America's Next Top Model" alums? News reporters? MTV on-air correspondents? Modeling? Why is Tyra talking about me again?!

And then it came to me with a rush of "shockingly predictable": The show was called "Straight Girl, Gay Crush" and asked the question, "Is everybody a little bit gay?"

On my season of "ANTM," I had a somewhat brief (depending on how much you know) fling with a girl named Sarah Rhoades, a self-proclaimed straight girl. So, naturally, Tyra was using our notorious limo kiss as an example of a straight girl getting involved with a gay girl — so surprising, considering the three times I was on the Tyra show were centered around my apparently very exciting sexuality. Oh great!

Still, though. I'm a sucker for Tyra, so I'll bite.
Read more...

Resident "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello brings you a minute-by-minute recap of every episode right here! Keep checking for updates throughout the show, and don't miss out on his previous live blogs and other "Idol" news.

Live-blogging "American Idol" time! The final week of "Idol" semi-finals is upon us, and I am happier than Adam Lambert on Fire Island. (In case you haven't visited a blog in the past few days, dude's been sucking face with other dudes in pictures. Have fun swallowing that, homophobes!) We have 6 out of the 12 finalists selected, and by the end of the week, thanks to Thursday's mysterious Wild Card show, we'll flesh out the rest if the singers worthy of our votes. It will also reveal 18 people whose dreams are crushed thanks to "Idol" making the show 8000 times harder thanks to a frustrating and inane semi-finals, where they lumped a crapload of singers together each week. (Poor Mishavonna Henson. That girl was robbed! And don't even get me started on my girl Megan Corkrey...)

So, after this week, the blur of a Top 36 will be behind us, and then we'll get to the weekly shriekfest of Adam Lambert, who, as MTV.COM user Peggy Sue's 15 year old son astutely pointed out, would be better suited playing Judas in "Jesus Christ Superstar." I agree. I don't know how to love him. (Great, now that score is stuck in my head again. "Tables, chairs and oaken chests would have suited Jesus best..." GAHHHHH!)

Enough with the show-tune quotations. Let's live-blog "Idol!"

7:55 pm - Miss last week's episodes? Catch up real quick with my "Idol in 60 Seconds" recaps here!

8:00 pm - This...is American Idol! Judging from the Brady Bunch staircase formation, Lil Rounds is going last. Are we not surprised?

8:02 pm - My favorite part of the show: where the contestants awkwardly walk up the stairs and wave! Scott MacIntyre has a seeing eye man. That's nice of "Idol" producers. (Will he have him for choreography in tomorrow night's group number?)

8:03 pm - Von Smith is up first, and in his interview package he promises viewers that he won't scream at us. Not since Michael Phelps hosted "SNL" and said, "We have a great show tonight" have I scoffed so hard at a television.

8:04 pm - Von is wearing Pee Wee's gray suit. Instead of shouting, he's breathily moaning into a microphone. Upgrade?

8:05 pm - Okay, he's not doing so bad...except he looks like he's reallllly focusing on not shouting.

8:06 pm - Kara DioGuardi likes the tamed down Von. "It's not about how high you can go and what you can do, it's about doing it when it has meaning." This coming from a woman who flipped her wig over ADAM LAMBERT. Hypocrite!

8:07 pm - Simon: "You remind me of Clay Aiken." Von doesn't know how to react. Well, buddy, it means you'll have a following of delusional 49 year-old shut-ins. Get ready to pimp your CD on QVC. [Go ahead and rip me apart, Claymates. Leave a comment or 200 below.]

Read more...

By Rachel Josue

This "25 Things" Facebook chain letter has jumped the shark, now that the mainstream media has started writing about it (Thanks, USA Today!). Sure, I posted mine in my abundant free time, but do you really care that I like fish, both sushi and goldfish crackers? No. However, we thought maybe you'd like to know 25 things about our daily life here at MTV News. Then, maybe this whole trend will go away by next week.

1. The MTV newsroom overlooks Times Square.

2. Current and former MTV News correspondents number 17 in all. How many can you name?

3. Tim Kash used to be the MTV UK correspondent.

4. Kim Stolz was a contestant on "America's Next Top Model."

5. Kurt Loder will celebrate his 21st MTVersary on February 19.

6. Do you love "Detox"? Guess what, it shoots in our newsroom! (And it's really, really loud.)

7. Speaking of "Detox," host Jim Cantiello originally worked in MTV's tape-dubbing facility until he was discovered by an MTV News executive producer who read Jim's brilliant and elaborate entry in a company-wide year-end top 10 albums list. The rest is history. Read more...

In a pre-Super Bowl interview with President Obama, Matt Lauer pointed out that the new president was "[taken] out of Us Weekly's cover shot of his wife and daughters in order to make room for last week's hot topic, which was Jessica Simpson's weight.

In reaction, Obama dryly commented on Jessica being "in a weight battle, apparently." As a result, blogs and magazines and talk shows are asking if the president is making fun of Jessica's weight. Really, guys? From watching the video, it seems clear that Obama's dryness is poking fun at media coverage, rather than Jessica's weight.
Read more...