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The Elle Magazine 'American Idol' Contest Winners!

Posted 12/8/09 5:01 pm EST by in Music

When MTV News decided to hold a "Dress As Your Favorite 'Idol' Contestant" contest in honor of the December issue of Elle magazine, we were expecting the diehard fans to deliver the goods. And boy did they!

Fans paid tribute to the styles of stars Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta in really fun and creative ways, and we received entries from all over the world. Who knew there were Kris fans in Malaysia?

While there can only be one winner (for each "Idol" contestant), some of these pictures are too fun not to share. So take a gander at some of the great submissions from our contest, in addition to the grand prize winners. (Each of the winners will receive a signed copy of Elle magazine from their fave contestant.)

MTV.com user PriscillaF paid tribute to Kris Allen's patented "stank" face with a hilarious level of accuracy. She even has his Southern "chucking the deuce" hand gesture down. As we learned from my first sit-down interview with Kris, the dude is "pretty crunk." PriscillaF proved that she could hang with Kris' plaid shirt gang, too.

Ellelee said her closet lacked any "Glamtastic" clothes so instead, she opted to remake Lambert's campy album cover. Clever workaround! Speaking as someone who once attempted to re-crate Adam's CD artwork, the stickler in me has to point out that Ellelee's head tilt is all wrong. Their body language might be off, their hearts are in the right place. Gold stars all around!

JamieLambert's wallpapered bedroom reminds me of MTV's old (awesome) show "FANatic," where a lucky fan got the chance to interview the object of their obsession. Jamie, if "FANatic" was still on TV, you'd win hands down. Your bedroom shrine is epic.

Penny and Pam Pagona get a shout-out for "Best Accessory." Look closely and you'll see a snake wrapped around their thighs, just like Adam's Rolling Stone cover. Ha!

And now for the big winners!
Read More...

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Kris Allen On Twitter, Brazilian Food And His Height: The Outtakes!

Posted 11/25/09 11:51 am EST by in Music

Kris Allen is seriously funny. He didn't really get a chance to show off his sparkling wit while on "American Idol." It's not the forum for that. (See Danny Gokey's unintentionally vicious Matt Giraud impression for proof.)

So anytime the "Idol" winner stops by for an interview, I try my best to get Kris' snarky side to come out to play. Doing press is never fun for a celeb. (Imagine being asked the same three questions 80 times in one day.) Why not shake things up with a few offbeat topics or a quip about Brazilian cuisine? Kris appreciates the variety, and I appreciate the laughs he sends in my direction.

In our previous interviews, Kris wasn't allowed to share much information (the 19 Entertainment folks keep their talent on a leash tighter than the ones Adam Lambert uses on his backup dancers). They left us with no choice but to goof around during our interview.

But with his self-titled album now in stores he's finally allowed to gab. And boy did he! (Have you watched our in-depth interview yet?) Luckily for Krim fans, that didn't keep us from joking around with each other.

Here's nearly six minutes of random leftovers the fans have demanded to see. Find out how Kris Allen feels about his mom's Twitter habits, what superhero power he wishes he had and which Alaskan troubadour he's looking to for career advice.

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Adam Lambert's Other Options (Now That 'GMA' Is Cancelled)

Posted 11/24/09 3:47 pm EST by in Music

Adam Lambert fans have had an exhausting 36 hours. First, they had to defend their man's salacious (and pitchy) display at the American Music Awards Sunday night. Then word spread early this morning that "Good Morning America," ABC's morning show, had pulled the plug on Lambert's upcoming appearance. (An ABC spokesperson said, "Given his controversial live performance on the AMAs, we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning.")

Lucky for Adam fans hoping to catch the Glittery One live in NYC, CBS stepped up immediately and announced that they will be hosting the Lambert performance on "The Early Show" tomorrow morning. Hope you like glam pop, Julie Chen!

All this back-and-forth got us thinking: If Adam Lambert did end up stuck without a high-profile gig to promote his just-released CD For Your Entertainment, here are five other media appearances we'd kill to see happen. Looking for controversy, Adam? Try one of these on for size!

Adam Lambert at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Picture this: Adam and his band rocking "If I Had You" on a giant glittery float slowly moving down Fifth Avenue, passing by creeped-out families who trekked in from New Jersey for the day. And think of the creative ways Adam could use a giant Dora the Explorer float in his act!
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Adam Lambert's AMA Performance: The 'Idol' Experts Weigh In

Posted 11/23/09 3:07 pm EST by in Music

Adam Lambert exploded onto the music scene at last night's American Music Awards with a rough-and-tumble performance of "For Your Entertainment." Unfortunately — and it pains me to say this — the results were mixed at best.

If Adam Lambert's goal was to simply rile America, then he succeeded. The in-your-face sexuality was bold, brave and totally groundbreaking. (Whether it was "appropriate" for a major network awards show is another discussion entirely.) I applaud Adam and his team for not pulling any punches or watering down his or his single's rawness.

The problem I had with the performance is that Adam Lambert is better than just being a lightning rod for controversy. With his Mariah-esque range, his effortless-yet-controlled wail and emotional delivery, Lambert has the potential to go down in history as one of the most technically-gifted rock vocalists of all time. Adam had a gigantic platform to show the non-"American Idol" viewing public what us Idol Freaks have known since February: He can sing his face off!

But that talent was barely on display last night. Read More...

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Kris Allen Helps Me Eat A Cake

Posted 11/20/09 1:45 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, Music

A week ago, a group of David Archuleta fans surprised me (and my co-workers) with a stream of goodies, from flowers to gourmet cupcakes to Kenny G Christmas albums.

Kris Allen fans decided to take a page from "Teen Witch" and play "Top That," metaphorically speaking. The result was a delicious early birthday cake that read "Happy Birthday Jim! #KrimForever."

Since Krim (the nickname Kris Allen gave our little tag team) was about to have another playdate in the form of an interview, I figured I should wait for Mr. Allen's arrival before I dug in. This caused a lot of angry sighs from my mooching co-workers (who now act way too entitled when it comes to tasty treats from "Idol" fans, if you ask me).

After Kris spoke about his fantastic new CD (in stores now), it was time to indulge! Now if only we had silverware.

Watch the video below to watch Krim devour the cakey goodness in a particularly animalistic way.

Thanks again Kris Allen fans! Archie fans need to step up their game if they want to be back in the running for the "Sweetest Ever" title! (Just kidding! You all win! Please stop sending gifts! Save your money for "Idol" CDs!)

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Kris Allen Reveals Why He Changed His Twitter Name

Posted 11/20/09 11:39 am EST by in Music

November 4, 2009. A date that will forever live in infamy — at least for "American Idol" winner Kris Allen's 100,000 Twitter followers. That's the fateful day when Kris' Twitter name changed from the endearingly sassy "@KrisAllen4Real" to the simple, direct "@krisallen."

When Kris Allen (for real) stopped by earlier this week to chat about his major label debut (in stores now), I wanted to get to the bottom of Kris' online switcheroo. Is he fake now? Is it some elaborate "Paul is Dead"-esque hoax that will reveal itself in trippy songs and future album covers? Does his online persona feel like a five character weight has been lifted from his shoulders?

What follows is a funny discussion of why "4Real" existed in the first place, an analysis of the "other" Kris Allen rocking out in cyberspace and a glorious gifting ceremony in which MTV News gives Kris a little token so he'll never forget how "4Real" he is. In your face, J. Lo!

Do you miss Kris Allen's old Twitter name? Would you like to see a Kris Allen supergroup featuring Southern Thunder and a sax player? And yikes, should we have gotten him a size small instead? Leave a comment below.

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Want An Autograph From Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Or Allison Iraheta? Enter MTV News' New Contest!

Posted 11/20/09 10:00 am EST by in Music

Attention all Kradison fans! Want your favorite Season 8 "Idol" star's autograph? MTV News and Elle magazine can hook you up!

In honor of the December issue of Elle — which features a three-page spread starring Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta — MTV News is holding a contest to find the #1 fan for each contestant. How can you show your level of fandom?

Easy! Pick up a copy of Elle, read Joey Zee's "A to Zee" column about each contestant's sense of style and do your best to replicate your fave's fashion in your own photo!

Are you gaga for Glambert? Flat-iron your hair, bust out the eyeliner and squeeze into your tightest leather pants. Are you a Krisbert? Rock the plaid and unbutton your shirt to dangerous depths. Or is Allison Iraheta your #1? You'll need a fiery red mane and an aura of general awesomeness.

Keep in mind we're not looking for exact copies of the photos in the Elle spread. Be creative! Whoever captures the essence of their favorite singer will be handsomely rewarded.

With what you ask? Three winners (one for each contestant) will each receive a copy of Elle signed by their favorite "Idol." The Kris fan will get a John Hancock from Kris, the Adam fan will get a signature from the Fierce One and the #1 Allison follower will get a copy signed by Her Royal Rockness.

Here's how you enter: Go to Your.MTV.com, create an account (if you haven't done so already) and then upload your photo! The deadline for submission is November 30, 2009 at Noon EST. I'll be going through the pics and selecting a winner personally, so make them fun, friends!

The contest is officially underway, so Kradison krazies, get your dress-up on now!

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Dear Adam Lambert: I Do Not Want To Tickle You

Posted 11/19/09 1:43 pm EST by in Music

Dear Adam Lambert,

I am so sorry about last night. My co-worker, Larry Carroll, asked if you were ticklish on the Us Weekly "Hot Hollywood" red carpet. And then things got awkward. It's all my fault.

Here's what happened.

Yesterday afternoon, my boss emailed me to say that you and Kris Allen were scheduled to walk the Us Weekly red carpet event, and that I should send Larry some questions. Given that you and I are scheduled for a sit-down interview next week (can't wait, by the way!) I didn't want to give Larry all my questions, so I jokingly emailed, "Ask Adam if he's ticklish. I'm just kidding. Don't really ask that."

Well, Larry apparently took me seriously, because he opened his interview by saying "Jim Cantiello wants to know if you're ticklish."

"That's a little creepy, Jim," you said. "I think it's a private fantasy of his. I'm unaware of it."

If you need me, I'll be crawling into a hole and dying.

Dude, I assure you I'm not a creep. I don't have tickle fantasies.

In any case, I can't wait to talk to you about your excellent new album next week. And I promise that you will realize as soon as you meet me again that I'm not a psycho, and that this whole tickle thing was a big, silly misunderstanding.

Best of luck at the American Music Awards this Sunday. And whatever you do, do not watch this episode of "Tweet Beat."

Professionally,

Jim Cantiello
MTV News "American Idol" Expert

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Adam Lambert's 'For Your Entertainment' Video: The First Photos!

Posted 11/16/09 2:17 pm EST by in Music

If you were in Hollywood yesterday and saw more leather chaps than usual, don't panic — it was just Adam Lambert's music video shoot. No big deal.

Actually, yes big deal. Massive deal! So much so that paparazzi came out of the woodwork to snap some photos that should help shed some light on the treatment behind the clip for Lambert's first official album music video, "For Your Entertainment."

Here's what we knew before the photos leaked: the video was directed by Lady Gaga collaborator Ray Kay, and would be shot at the Alexandria Hotel in Los Angeles.

What did we learn from the photos? Adam Lambert is fully embracing the S&M lyrics featured in his single. Greased up dancers are dolled up in leather, dog collars, nipple clamps (zoinks!) and platform boots. He's not kidding when he asks in the song, "Push the limit/ Are you with it?" This video shoot looks like it's pushing boundaries well past the mountains and hurricanes Adam had to sing about on the "Idol" finale.

Hooray!

"American Idol" blogger MJ gathered a bunch of intel from eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen a "destroyed ballroom" set featuring Buddhist statues, champagne and lawn chairs. From the sound of it, it could be a genius mash-up of Nine Inch Nails "Closer" video with the slick excess of late '90s hip hop videos.

I'm downright giddy that Lambert (and his team) are fully embracing his wild side. One of the highlights of this past summer's "Idol" tour was Lambert's in-your-face sexuality and swagger. Judging from these leaked photos (which have the rocker in head-to-toe leather holding a gold cane), they're letting Lambert unleash the fierce in a bold way. In other words, those of you disappointed with the lack of makeup in the "Time for Miracles" clip should have nothing to gripe about now. He's going there. Awesome.

What do you think of these photos? How excited are you for Adam's new video? How much do you think MTV will have to edit in order to play it on the channel? And how in the world is he going to dramatize the lyric, "I'ma work ya 'til you're totally blown?" Comment away below!

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David Archuleta Fans Deliver Birthday Flowers And Cupcakes To MTV News

Posted 11/13/09 5:06 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, Music

This morning, I casually Tweeted that I'd be celebrating my birthday tonight. My actual birthday isn't until November 22 — the day Adam Lambert will be stealing the show at the American Music Awards — so I was a tad confused when the mailroom called me to say I had to sign for some flowers.

"Uh, you have the wrong number," I said.

"Are you the Jim Cantiello who sits on the 29th floor?" the mail room dude asked.

I slowly said, "Yes."

"Well, then come downstairs and pick up your flowers." Click.

During the elevator ride down to the lobby, I scanned through my mental Rolodex of people who would send me flowers two weeks before my birthday. "Hmm, Shakira seemed to really enjoy our interview together on Tuesday. Maybe she wanted to say thanks?" "I gave a cab driver a 40 percent tip the other day." "Perhaps my grandparents are losing it and forgot my date of birth?"

It turns out a group of David Archuleta fans had banded together and wanted to wish me a happy early birthday by sending me flowers and a giant balloon! The card read, "You made us happy with your support of our 'homey' @davidarchie!"

Wow! I knew the Christmas carol segment I did was popular with his fan base, but I never imagined it would inspire such thoughtfulness! They even quoted the "Archmas" joke, writing in the card, "Last part of your Archmas gift includes an early HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!"

How sweet is that? Although the "last part" reference confused me. Would there be more on its way?

As I was writing this very blog I got another phone call. "You have a delivery from a bakery downstairs."

Bwah?!

The same four fans had also sent me cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery! (Brooke White would be so jealous right now.) This time the card was a poem! "Another part of your Archmas treat. Thanks again, we'd love a Tweet!"

Another part? Is there going to be more? My head's going to explode!

So to @momJulee, @sofansmom, @ClaudiaNRR and @janey79: Thank you for the nicest early birthday gift ever. (My co-workers who helped me devour the delicious cupcakes also send you kisses.) I will definitely sing "Touch My Hand" at my karaoke party later tonight in your honor.

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