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Willow Smith's 'Whip My Hair': Our Five Favorite Mashups

Posted 12/6/10 5:00 pm EST by in Music

Whenever I hear a snippet of Willow Smith's rap/pop single "Whip My Hair," I'm reminded of my MTV News colleague James Montgomery's take on the tune back in October: "A very effective instrument of psychological torture or a smashingly great pop song. Probably both."

The punishingly great song still seems to be everywhere, not just on the radio (nine weeks after its debut, the song is still a radio staple and sits at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100) but often blaring out of your officemate's computer speaker, because "Whip My Hair" has gone viral. The tune has become an Internet meme all its own, inspiring high-profile send-ups and low-tech covers — all available for your workplace procrastination pleasure. Check out our five favorite.

Jimmy Fallon & Bruce Springsteen
Last year, the talk show host donned a floppy hat and a harmonica neck brace for a Neil Young-inspired covered of "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" theme song. In November, Fallon brought his Young impression back to the stage, turning his satiric talents away from Will Smith and toward his precocious daughter. As an added bonus, the Boss showed up midway through as a '70s-era version of himself. Not only was it funny as hell, but it was damn fine music too.

"The Exorcist"
The beauty here is in the simplicity — the head-spinning, hair-thrashing simplicity of mashing up the 1973 horror hit "The Exorcist" with Willow's unrelenting record. At just over one minute long, the video is hard to watch all the way through without experiencing waves of nausea (which, considering all the vomiting in the horror classic, is appropriate).

The Singer-Songwriter
The fine folks over at Jezebel discovered 17-year-old Katie Gavin's strum-tastic cover of "Whip My Hair" on Monday (December 6). Read More...

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Katy Perry Live: Five Things I Learned From Her Roseland Show

Posted 11/9/10 4:30 pm EST by in Concerts, Music

For reasons that I cannot entirely justify, I found myself at Katy Perry's Roseland Ballroom show in New York City on Monday night (November 8th). Neither pop music nor a member of the scene's sexed-up royalty usually falls under my MTV News beat. But there I was at Roseland as Perry kicked off the launch of the new Windows Phone. And, to my pleasant surprise, Perry's set kinda rocked. Honestly, I feel I learned a few things during her hour-long jaunt through hits like "Hot N' Cold," "I Kissed a Girl" and "California Gurls."

(Click here for more photos from Katy Perry's free concert at Roseland Ballroom!)

Katy Doesn't Get Jet Lag
Perry spent Sunday night in Madrid, rocking the MTV Europe Music Awards with a version of "Firework" and taking home the Best Video trophy for "Gurls." One cross-Atlantic flight later, the pop star was in New York to rock the crowd at Roseland. She didn't disappoint.

Sheathed in a purple vinyl dress so tight it seemed to have been tattooed onto her body (cupcake pattern and all), Perry hurdled across the stage with boundless energy. She confessed that mere mortals would probably be more in the mood for breakfast rather than a pop show after spending the past few days in Europe, but the energy and showmanship she displayed was impressive and infectious.

Katy Really Is Kinda Clumsy
I'd always heard that Perry was a bit of a klutz. Read More...

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Conan O'Brien's First Show: Six Things We'll Be Looking Out For

Posted 11/8/10 5:00 pm EST by in Television

OK, OK, congrats and everything to Conan O'Brien, who returns to late-night TV in just a few hours. But we greet TBS' "Conan" with more than a twinge of sadness, because it means saying goodbye to Unemployed Conan.

This is the bearded fellow who transformed a humiliating "Tonight Show" ouster into a creative rebirth. He embraced the glories and terrors of Twitter, making us giggle all the way. He crisscrossed America during his sold-out "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television Tour." He popped off a killer promo effort for his new show — filled with wacky YouTube videos, a 24-hour live "CoCo Cam" and a big, shameless orange blimp — refashioning himself as a kind of renegade presence within the entertainment mainstream.

So we bid adieu to this CoCo and look forward to a fresh, basic cable phase in his career. On that note, with "Conan" about to air tonight on TBS, here are six things we're hoping to have answered about the new show.

Who Won the First Show Poll?
Last month, O'Brien announced the identity of his guests for the first show (Seth Rogen, Jack White, plus Lea Michele), but left unnamed the winner of his "First Guest Poll." Fans had the honor (and the awesome responsibility) of selecting the very first guest, choosing among folks like Justin Bieber, Pope Benedict XVI and Vladimir Putin. Recently, Conan narrowed the field to Jack Nicholson, the Sultan of Brunei and Arlene Wagner, who opened the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum.

So who will it be? Well, Nicholson apparently hasn't appeared on a late-night show since Nixon's first term. And TMZ is reporting Wagner will get the honor. Nothing's official yet. And listen, no one wants to see Nicholson plop down on Conan's couch more than us. Yet as a pure production matter, it just doesn't make any sense, no matter how cool it'd be. O'Brien's already got a full slate of guests, and Nicholson's return to late-night is the sort of once-in-a-pop-culture-lifetime event that would easily require three full segments. That's just not gonna happen with Rogen, Michelle and White waiting in the wings. One day, God willing, Jack will be seen again on late-night TV, but it seems like we're all going to have accept the fact that Conan's mystery guest will have him chatting about big wooden dolls that break nuts with their teeth.

Where Will Andy Be?
We loved seeing Andy Richter, Conan's long-time "Late Night" sidekick, back in the mix when O'Brien shifted to "The Tonight Show." There was, however, always something a little odd about Andy relegated to a podium on "Tonight," rather than bantering back-and-forth from his familiar spot on CoCo's couch.

According to an Ain't It Cool News reader, though, Andy has been joining Conan on the couch for guest interviews during TBS test shows. Read More...

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'Jersey Shore' Finale By The Numbers: Fake People, Real Fights And Frogs' Legs

Posted 10/22/10 10:30 am EST by in Television

Has it all been in vain? We've been following — nay, obsessing over — the language of the "Jersey Shore" kids this entire season, but when it came to their final fight on Thursday night (October 21), we were stumped as to what it was all really about.

Someone called someone else fake. Another person pleaded for everyone to be real. There was talk of a few head nods that seemed to carry great importance. People yelled, veins popped, Snooki sobbed.

Why, though, was everyone so ticked off? We're mystified. Suffice to say the roomies got super pissed but squashed their various beefs with enough time left to nosh some bacon and sausage before heading off to the airport. Let's leave it at that.

As far as the rest of the episode was concerned, nobody smashed. Nobody threw any punches. Nobody mentioned the words "gym" or "laundry." What's going on? Somebody lay down some straight-forward truth for us, OK? Vinny, can you help us out?

"Say no to hos," he declared midway through the finale, casting a vote in favor of loving relationships, rather than meaningless threesomes with sketchy ladies in dark clubs.

The Situation was not as discerning, happily stepping in and sucking face with those eager women. Nor was he terribly judicious when it came to all the frog legs he munched in the Everglades, leaving him emptying his lunch of the side of the road. Hey, from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

Perhaps the lesson all along has not been to understand exactly what's going on and why in "Jersey Shore," but to let the crazy wash over you. So let us sit back and take in the season two finale with the very last installment of "Jersey Shore by the Numbers."

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Kanye West Delivers Another Great Team-Up, This Time With La Roux

Posted 10/13/10 10:30 am EST by in Music

Kanye West dominates the pop culture conversation at home, but lately he has been making his mark across the pond. Last week he was in London to premiere his 35-minute film "Runaway" at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. It was an occasion one MTV UK reporter simply called "a mad event."

This week, he moves from Brit art on the big screen to Brit tunes for your headphones. West laid down a guest spot on a remix of La Roux's "In For The Kill," which Entertainment Weekly debuted on Tuesday (October 12). The rejiggered tune has a more full sound than the original, ditching the almost video game-esque beeps and boops for a heavy back beat synthesized orchestration.

"I'm going in and Ima go hard/ I mean, what's the point if there ain't no scars?" West raps on the track. "A little teeth marks/ Blood on the collar/ that's real loving."

"How could you love someone that hurts you, plays you, smokes you, provokes you?" he continues. "How could you love someone that burns you, turns you into a werewolf?"

West's tune with La Roux isn't the hip-hop star's first hook-up with British artists. He and Estelle dropped "American Boy" in 2008. That song ended up being a top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit and won the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. West has also worked with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin ("Homecoming," from Graduation) and protege Mr. Hudson ("Paranoid," from 808s & Heartbreak).

In his "For the Kill" guest spot, West mixes riffs on U.S. pop culture with references to his European surroundings and, as you might expect, odes to his own talents

"Hannibal Lector, my American psycho/ An iller version of Ike/ The 'Thriller' version of Michael," he raps. "My recital was as bright as the lights up at the Eiffel/ A werewolf up in Paris, I'm living off your vitals."

What do you think of Kanye West's remix of La Roux's "In for the Kill"? Let us know in the comments!

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Randy Moss' Return To The Vikings And Other Pop Culture Homecomings

Posted 10/6/10 6:46 pm EST by in Television

Minnesota Viking fans and Brett Favre fantasy footaball owners rejoiced on Wednesday (October 6) when the NFL squad traded for wide receiver Randy Moss. The move brings the future Hall of Famer back to his original team, after years spent with the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots.

It'll be quite a homecoming for Moss, though he's never played alongside Favre before (in 2004, Moss' last season with the Vikings, Daunte Culpepper was under center for the team and Favre was throwing TDs for the Green Bay Packers).

Nonetheless, a merry homecoming it shall be. And being the pop culture wackos that we are here at MTV News, we immediately thought of other memorable homecomings. From top bands to hit shows, here are some of our favorite second acts.

Jay Leno & "The Tonight Show"
Who would have imagined that when Leno left the most iconic post in late-night TV, he'd be gone for less than a year? After his primetime show flopped and Conan O'Brien's "Tonight Show" struggled in the ratings, Leno executed something of a bloodless coup. NBC execs gave O'Brien a seriously golden parachute and now Jay can be seen back where he always wanted to be: on TV at 11:35 p.m.

David Lee Roth & Van Halen
Drama! It would take almost as many words as are housed in the Oxford English Dictionary to fully tell the tale of Van Halen's intra-band dysfunction. So let's just discuss lead singer David Lee Roth. Following a string of hits like "Jump," he and Eddie Van Halen were at each other's throats. Eddie kicked him out of the band and hired Sammy Hagar in 1985. Over a decade later, Roth rejoined the group for a studio session for their band's greatest hits record. The band then appeared together at the '96 MTV Video Music Awards. If Van Halen fans got their hopes up, though, they were sorely disappointed. Weeks later, Roth was once again outta the band. Draaaaama!

Read More...

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Jon Stewart Ridicules CNN's Rick Sanchez Over 'Jew-Baiting' Comments

Posted 10/5/10 1:13 pm EST by in Television

Monday night at 11 p.m. couldn't come soon enough. It'd been days since former CNN personality and Jewish-media-control conspiracy theorist Rick Sanchez unleashed a barrage of mushy-minded commentary on a satellite radio show, and finally "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart — whom Sanchez tagged a "bigot" — was back on the air.

Stewart did not disappoint. Positively gleeful during the show's opening segment, he broke into a few bars of "I'm So Excited," doctored an image of himself to look like a variation on Little Lord Fauntleroy, and rolled in a video package comparing Sanchez's most groan-worthy TV moments to Steve Carell's buffoonery on "The Office."

It was Jon Stewart at his best, alternating between feigned hurt feelings and subtly incisive reasoning, cut through at all times with his trademark, juvenile-meets-grad-school humor. It was hardly a fair fight, to be sure, as even before Sanchez declared TV networks are run by Jews, Stewart had routinely and successfully made the CNN host look silly. This time, though, Stewart was at the top of his game…and he buried the guy, going so far as to patronize Sanchez's pink-slip-worthy comments by calling them "intemperate statements and some banal Jew-baiting."

Higher road, taken. Enjoy!

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'Jersey Shore' By The Numbers: Pajamas, Punches And Canada

Posted 10/1/10 10:32 am EST by in Television

Surely following the hoary example of MTV News' "Jersey Shore by the Numbers," Snooki conducted her own list-based language assessment on Thursday night’s episode. Now we know what that little bundle of poof-haired joy wants, and doesn’t want, in a guy: yes to juiceheads, fist-pumpers and romantical dorks; no to party poopers, fame whores, and smelly people.

Snickers is one smart cookie: she realizes that the only way to understand "Jersey Shore"-style craziness is to put everything into print — hopes, dreams, actions and reactions — and study hard.




We’ve been studying damn hard since the first episode of the season, though, and we’re still a little stumped. Who knew a guy could pick out pre-sex pajamas for his new date before they even go out for the evening? Apparently, the Situation did, and his Canadian gal pal was totally psyched, vowing to make the PJs "look hot."

Nor did we suspect Angelina would really leave the house...a second time...in a thunderstorm of punches, accusations of fakery, and an actual suitcase rather than those memorable trash bags from last season. Yes, for all of the Situation’s international tomfoolery and Snooki’s odes to all things juiceheaded and gorilla-rific, this episode was all about departures.

Angelina's friend left, JWoww’s boyfriend left, and then Angelina left. No one was upset to see the tampon-dropping terror quit once again. She started off fighting with Sitch and went a full three rounds with a pink pantie-wearing Snooki. None of this was a pretty sight, and now Angelina is no more.

Let's pour one out for one of Staten Island’s finest, as we dedicate this week’s "Jersey Shore by the Numbers" to the foul-mouthed honor of our dearly departed castmember.

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'Jersey Shore' By The Numbers: Banging, Smashing And Getting It In

Posted 9/24/10 10:30 am EST by in Television

Whether you call it banging, smushing, smashing or getting it in, sex was on the mind of everyone on "Jersey Shore" on Thursday (September 23). Even more so than usual, if such a thing is possible.

Angelina declined to bang José, even though she smushed Vinny last episode. The Situation found a girl who was down to smash, only to lose her at the club and find her the next day (thanks to a classy note pasted on the gate outside their crib). JWoww and her boyfriend were in the midst of getting it in, when Snooki decided to play footsie with them. And so on.

Call it what you will, this episode was all about S-E-X. That's the first thing our latest "Jersey Shore by the Numbers" graph tells us. It also informs us Angelina has a bit of a hygiene problem ("Pad/tampon"), JWoww and Snooki take their cuticles super seriously ("Nail appointment") and the boys have no end of creative lingo (and catchy singalongs) for their pre-club wardrobe routine ("T-shirt time").

What else went down? There was GTL and there was DTF. Boobs were exposed, flowers were re-gifted, Angelina was declared "a loosey goose" and bedroom matinees were vigorously enjoyed. And one woman at the laundromat left us with the unforgettable phrase, "No ropa for Situation."

"If you don't do laundry, you ain't got no clothing," Senor Situation declared. Indeed. And if you don't obsesses over the cast's favorite words and phrases, well, you're missing out.

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'Jersey Shore' By The Numbers: An Uncle, A Sandwich And Two Of The Rarest Roses

Posted 9/17/10 10:30 am EST by in Television

Let us all hail Uncle Nino! All season we've been analyzing the "Jersey Shore" crew's rather eccentric way with words, but it took Vinny's wine-swilling, JWoww-ogling relative to reveal the central truth we've been circling: It's not what you say, it's how you say it.

As Vinny explained, Uncle Nino spits out a slurry stream of verbiage that only manages to make sense when he utters the final two, clear words. And it's this hilarious way with language that allows Nino — he of the wandering eye and bulging belly — to come off as charming rather than crass, a guy you want to sit next to at a family dinner rather than one you avoid at all costs.

The creative use of words to try and get away with crazy behavior — that's what the "Jersey Shore" is all about. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it's always entertaining to watch. Take Vinny on Thursday's (September 16) episode. He couldn't find the words to ask out the girl of his dreams and resorted to some truly embarrassing begging. And it worked. Until it didn't, and she stood him up. Or take Pauly D, who became the sweet-natured counterpoint to the Situation's aggressive playa, and ended up bedding his lady. Or take Angelina, who bad-mouthed Vinny only to sleep with him, then convinced her boy-toy Jose that she and her roommate smooched, rather than smushed.

It was a special episode indeed, filled with romantic dates, man grenades and Italian sausage. Vinny's mom cooked up a feast, Snooki found herself a man, and Ronnie and Sammi continued to have the most cringe-worthy relationship on reality TV. And, of course, we were introduced to Uncle Nino. In honor of the original guido, we present another edition of "Jersey Shore by the Numbers."

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