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New 'American Idol' Judges: What Does Jim Cantiello Think?

Posted 9/22/10 7:03 pm EST by in Music

Today, the heavens parted and Nigel Lythgoe descended upon a Los Angeles press room to share with the world his plan for "American Idol" season 10. Or, as Randy Jackson kept calling it, "American Idol: The Remix." (Yo, dawg, stop saying that. It's lame with a capital NO.)

Yep, we have confirmed, new judges. (Nice to meet you Jennifer Lopez and the Madame puppet, I mean Steven Tyler.) But in a somewhat surprising twist, Nigel and Ken Warwick also announced a host of format changes that made "Idol" freaks giddy with excitement. And dread.

As is always the case with "Idol," everything comes with a good and a bad. So here's my take on all the announced changes, including the new judging panel.

The Judges
The good: Producers did a good job finding celebs who are crazy enough (and desperate enough) to take the gig. The problem with Ellen was that "Idol" was merely a side job for her. What else is Steven Tyler going to be doing on Tuesday and Wednesday nights next year now that he stopped drinking? (His frank discussion of a recent trip to Betty Ford made me drool with anticipation over what other "TMI" live-TV moments we can anticipate.) Plus, Jennifer Lopez isn't afraid to show her emotions on camera. If she's pissed, she'll let you know. I can only imagine what will happen if a contestant talks back to her. [Grabs popcorn.] Read More...

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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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How I Got Bleeped At The 2010 VMAs!

Posted 9/14/10 2:15 pm EST by in VMAs

Step aside, Andrew "Dice" Clay. There's a new king of VMA censorship in town.

Yep, I got bleeped during the live 2010 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show. But relax, mom — I didn't say "f---" or "s---" or "c---" or "n-----."

So what was my dirty word that triggered an audio drop-out from the standards and practices team? It was two words, actually: "Free Weezy."

It came right after a joke about the year's big collaborations, including Lil Wayne and the police. As is customary in 2010, any reference to Lil Wayne must be followed by a "Free Weezy" proclamation (the same way you might tack on an extra "ella, ella, ella" if you had uttered the word "umbrella" in 2008).

But folks at home didn't hear my "Free Weezy." Instead, they were left wondering, "Did that dorky guy with the yellow bow tie just curse?"

When I found out about my too hot for MTV moment, I died laughing. (The producers of the pre-show were equally flabbergasted and amused.) So I hit up the MTV Standards and Practices department to find out the deal. Did I actually say something objectionable or did their team f--- up?

As it turns out, it was both. "Free Weezy" is a touchy subject around these parts. According to the MTV censors, the network tries to stay out of any "free [convicted celebrity]" endorsements so that they can avoid lengthy discussions with advocacy groups who are quick to accuse the network of actually suggesting convicted criminals be freed. (When you put it that way, it makes sense.) At the same time, my contact at Standards and Practices admitted that I shouldn't have been bleeped in this particular instance, since I was obviously cracking a joke. He chalked it up to an overzealous delay person. Better safe than sorry, of course.

The irony, of course, is that when I was bleeped, my Twitter feed exploded with followers who thought I had just screamed, "F--- the police" live on television.

With one trigger-fingered censor, I was made to look like way more of a rebel than I actually am. And that f------ kicks ass.

Check out my accidental NSFMTV moment below!

The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of 2010 MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.

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Justin Bieber And Kim Kardashian: Why There's Nothing Wrong With Their Elle Photos

Posted 8/25/10 1:30 pm EST by in Music

Am I the only one who thinks the photos of Justin Beiber and Kim Kardashian in Elle aren't that creepy?

It's fantasy, folks. Elle is playing into the notion that the Biebs has the hots for a female pinup. The pictures unfold like a PG-rated soft-focus dream sequence you might see in a teen comedy like "Ladybugs." (I can practically hear the Everly Brothers echoing.) It's not billed as, "On The Beach With Hollywood's Hottest Couple."

If anything, the "Graduate"-inspired photo shoot could have been much ickier. When I was 16 years old and thinking about older female celebrities (Heather Graham, call me!), I wasn't dreaming about frolicking on the beach. Trust me.

So I don't really get why Bill O’Reilly devoted a segment of his show to label these pics inappropriate. (Well, I guess I do get why he spent time talking about Justin Bieber, since I'm now talking about Bill O'Reilly talking about Justin Bieber. Way to go viral, Billy!) The Fox News pundit doesn't understand why a 16-year-old would have a crush on a 29-year-old sex tape star. "[When I was 16] I had a baseball glove, a bat and ice skates. That's what I was doing." (Wait, so he was playing ice baseball? That sounds all sorts of amazing.)

Granted, O'Reilly does have one point I can (sort of) understand. He pointed out that if the gender roles were reversed, the male celeb would be in "big trouble" for a similarly-themed photo shoot. (Although, technically, the actor wouldn't be in actual trouble unless the photo shoot involved, you know, actual sex.)

I guess I'm just old-fashioned, you guys. In order for me to get creeped out buy a pop star in a magazine, a family member needs to be in the pics with them, a la Miley Cyrus' Vanity Fair pics with Billy Ray or Britney's Rolling Stone shots with her older brother.

What do you think? Is Bill O'Reilly overreacting? Do you like the Bieber/Kardashian pics? Leave a comment below! And for more pop culture ramblings, follow me on Twitter @jambajim.

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Five 'American Idol' Contestants Who Could've Used The 'X Factor' Auto-Tune

Posted 8/24/10 5:00 pm EST by in Music

With news that producers on the British version of "X Factor" used Auto-Tune software to help sweeten the voices of a few contestants, I can't say I'm that surprised. Like "American Idol," Simon Cowell's "X Factor" aims to find the music industry's next big superstar. If the singers on "X Factor" and "Idol" are going to have to compete with contemporary pop acts — many of whom barely do an interview without a little audio sweetening in post-production — can you blame producers for a little tweaking here and there to polish their product?

In fact, I wonder if Cowell's old show might have gained a bit of shine from some tuning enhancements in the past. Here's my pick for five "American Idol" contestants who would have benefited from some minor pitch-correction.

Nikki McKibbin
If the stripy-haired single mom rocker had a little pitch help during the show's inaugural season, then her outlasting Tamyra Gray wouldn't have been so hard to swallow.

Sanjaya Malakar
Thanks to zany hairstyles and a strange ability to make pre-pubescent girls weep on command, Sanjaya was a pop culture force to be reckoned with during season six. While his less-than-stellar vocals helped make him fodder for late night talk show hosts, it would have been killer TV if he had been hooked up with ProTools the week he was eliminated. Manufactured drama is apparently what "X Factor" producers are after, so what would have been no better send-off than letting Sanjaya have the last laugh? (Even if said laugh was digitally enhanced?)

Danny Gokey
Don’t get me wrong: The season eight third-placer very rarely had pitch problems. But how badass would his "Scream On" moment have been if it was T-Pained out?
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Fantasia Tears Down MTV Headquarters With The Power Of Her Voice ... During Soundcheck

Posted 8/24/10 2:30 pm EST by in Music

Say what you will about Fantasia's recent drama (and trust me, judging from your comments on MTV News articles, I know you all have very strong opinions on the matter), there's no denying that the girl blew the roof off of MTV Headquarters at 1515 Broadway on Monday afternoon (August 23).

It was a special show for MTV/VH1 employees, taped for VH1.com's awesome "1515 Live" series. Typically, the performances are of the acoustic variety (it's filmed in the small reception area of the 20th floor of the building — seriously), but Fantasia brought a six-piece band and her signature pipes. She was ready to make a grand statement.

I have heard a lot of cynics crying foul over the "convenience" of a headline-grabbing suicide attempt happening just weeks before her first album in four years is about to drop. (Her manager’s icky post-suicide statement that crudely promoted said album didn't help, either.) But damned if Fantasia's struggles weren't real and on full display during her brief-but-powerful four-song set.

I snuck down to the 20th floor early and caught her soundcheck. She looked healthy in a short mushroom bob wig that she jokingly called "T-Boz." After a couple half-hearted vocals just to check levels, I saw Fanny swell up with emotion. It was during "Free Yourself," from her debut album, where things got deep. "You're playin' games/ If you don't want me then don't talk to me/ Hey, go ahead and free yourself."

The band transitioned seamlessly into her current hit single "Bittersweet." Five minutes in, the song became a gospel sermon, with 'Tasia emotionally riffing, "I just got to let it go/ I just got to let it be." Cue Fantasia's tears. "I sing it from deep down inside/ I'm tired of the liars/ I'm tired of the lies,” as the backup singers continued, "Just got to let it go/ Just got to let it be."

And that was just soundcheck. The cynics might insist her theatrics are all for show. But would she have gone through the trouble of a "performance" for a soundcheck where cameras weren't rolling and the only eyeballs watching were a small VH1 crew and a ninja "Idol" geek hiding behind a column?

Throughout soundcheck (and later during her taped performance which should be up on VH1.com later this week), Fantasia had a lot of anger towards her man. Most of her riffs revolved around who we could only assume is Antwaun Cook. The singer went out of her way to call her recent relationship "a damn lie." She's been slammed in blogs as a homewrecker, but in front of VH1 cameras, Fantasia painted herself as a victim of deception, eager to shake off a no-good man who did her wrong. Even if her words might be bending the truth, the emotions bubbling to the surface were as raw and honest as they come.

Until I saw her break down three feet in front of me, I too was skeptical about her motives. Why is she in full promo mode two weeks after trying to kill herself? Shouldn't she take some time and heal? Why didn't her team cancel all her appearances and get her in full-time therapy?

But then it hit me. Fantasia's music is her therapy, and she needs it now more than ever.

What do you think of Fantasia's new album? What do you think of her performance? Let us know in the comments!

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Maroon 5 Tourmate Ry Cuming Shares Portraits Of Life On The Road

Posted 8/20/10 4:49 pm EST by in Music

Armed with a guitar and a vintage Polaroid camera, Australian singer/songwriter Ry Cuming documented his brief stint as opening act for Maroon 5 with a collection of casual snapshots that catch him and his good pals enjoying life on the road. And he decided to share them with us right here!

Cuming told MTV News that scoring a supporting slot on Maroon 5's latest tour was a blast. "Getting to walk out and play for 10,000 people, and people being really excited to hear you straight off the bat, it was pretty wonderful," Cuming gushed.

Ry, currently promoting his self-titled debut album, was first introduced to the Maroon men almost eight years ago through a mutual friend. Their love of music and surfing bonded them instantly. Or as Ry puts it, "We just became bros."

Their continuing bromance is evident in Ry's off-the-cuff tour pictures. One portrait captures keyboardist Jesse Carmichael backstage in a silly hat trying to light up a honey pot. "He was pretending like he was an old school settler with his pipe," Cuming explained.

Another pic shows frontman Adam Levine post-show, gesturing toward the camera with the hand-written caption "Gimme some" scribbled underneath. "He was standing in front of me, and I was just trying to snap a candid without him realizing, and then he turned around and gave me that [pose]. It's just that energy after you get offstage." Cuming said.

Ry also had a good time rocking out with Maroon 5's other tourmates, Guster. (You'll notice Guster singer Ryan wearing a Maroon 5 T-shirt in Ry's photo collage.) "It was really nice to be on the road, playing with a group of people [where] every night you're [as] excited to get offstage so you can hang with everybody as much as be onstage."

(Ry's photos and more tour stories, after the jump!)
Read More...

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Clay Aiken And Ruben Studdard's 'Timeless' Tour: Medleys, Exorcisms And Borscht Belt Comedy

Posted 8/12/10 12:30 pm EST by in Music

On Wednesday night (August 11), Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard brought their joint "Timeless" tour to New York's Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center. Well, it was supposed to be at Hammerstein, but at the last minute it was moved to some secret ballroom on the seventh floor, which had the decor (and odor) of an untouched 1970s wedding reception hall.

It turns out the venue switch (due to low ticket sales) worked brilliantly for Clay and Ruben, since their show played like a long-lost Carol Burnett/Julie Andrews variety special. (With less of a budget.)

The setlist is set up like the tagline of Terri Garr's favorite radio station: Featuring the hits of the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and today! Except scratch the "today" part. The only songs from this decade were their debut schmaltzy "Idol" singles, performed in an opening "battle" mash-up that winked at the fan-wars that erupted after Ruben won the second season of "Idol." (They didn't even perform their post-"Idol" hits — I guess Clay's "Invisible" and Ruben's "Sorry (2004)" were deemed too musically adventurous for this tour.)

"Timeless" is wall-to-wall decade medleys. I counted 69 different songs represented in the two-hour show. And most of them are tracks you'd find on one of those cassettes your parents used to buy at a car wash: "Harper Valley PTA," "Turn the Beat Around," "When I See You Smile," "Caribbean Queen," "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Basically Every Song That's Ever Appeared On A Time-Life Compilation And/Or '80s Movie Soundtrack."

In between sets, Clay and Ruben delivered their finest stand-up material, whether it was bantering about 1960's race relations (!!), joking about Clay's sexuality (!!!) or performing endless sketches about "Pastor Ruben" curing Clay's "lack-of-rhythmitis." (!!!!!!!!!!!)

Feast on these sample exchanges:
Read More...

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Kris Allen Outtakes: Falling Notes, Malicious Bus Wheels, The Band And E.T.

Posted 8/2/10 4:30 pm EST by in Music

Any time I interview Kris Allen, things eventually get silly. Whether he's claiming to be a "gangsta" from Little Rock or we're geeking out over German board games, I can always count on returning to the office with tape that's not news, per se, but with tidbits that are too fun not to share with his devoted fans.

Hence, the outtakes.

In the latest edition, held over from when I interviewed Kris and his band at Yankee Stadium, the former "Idol" champ waxes poetically about tour bus wheel massages and chews me out for dropping my notes not once, not twice but three times during our interview. "You need a clipboard," said an amused Allen. Well, Kris, you need a set of "Harry Potter" books, since you seemed totally confused by my harmless "Chamber of Secrets" reference.

However, most of our sidebar conversations revolved around a plush E.T. mascot that lives on the Kris Allen tour bus. (At some gigs, the little bugger even plays tambourine on stage.) The fans demanded I ask Kris about the mascot so I hit that topic hard. Who does E.T. sleep with at night? Why does he ride shotgun? And how the heck does he tweet? (Yep, E.T. Mills, named after band-member Cale Mills, has his own Twitter account. But Allen confirmed that he has "no idea" who created and maintains the account.)

Just whatever you do, don't call E.T. a toy. "He's real, Jim!" said a horrified Allen. Later in the interview, E.T.'s papa Cale insisted, "He's not a doll."

Whatever you say, boys.

Enjoy the outtakes, Allen Nation! Come for the banter, stay for Kris' E.T. impression.

What do you think of Kris and Cale's "E.T. is real" talk? Is it an on-the-road inside joke taken to extreme lengths or have these two Arkansas boys legitimately lost it? Leave a comment below and give me a shout-out on Twitter @jambajim!

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Why The 'American Idol' Age Limit Change Is A Bad Idea

Posted 6/21/10 5:00 pm EST by in Music

Earlier today, "American Idol" announced that they were lowering their age limit to allow 15-year-olds to audition. Well that makes sense, since season nine's youngsters — Aaron Kelly, Haeley Vaughn and Katie Stevens — all exuded professionalism and mega-talent under pressure. (Rolls eyes.)

I don't mean to slam Aaron and Katie personally. In fact, both of those recent contestants have knocked my socks off post-"Idol." Aaron displayed some legitimate songwriting chops and Katie's vocals during the finale were as good — if not better — than her co-star Christina Aguilera. But during the competition, both of those contestants received criticisms from the judges that suggested they should have honed their craft and experienced life for a few more years before standing center stage in front of 30 million people. It's hard to get judged when you're 25, and it's a hundred times harder when you're a sensitive 15-year-old.

"But Jim," you might argue, "some of the show's most-beloved contestants were only 16 years old when they auditioned! What's another year?" You speak the truth. However, for every Jordin Sparks, David Archuleta and Allison Iraheta (who flourished on the show despite their youth), there were two dozen Kevin Covaises, Paris Bennetts, Lisa Tuckers and John Stevens who choked in front of the bright lights and TV cameras. (See also: Will Makar, David Radford, Ayla Brown, Janay Castine, Leah LaBelle, Alaina Whitaker and literally countless others.)

The last time "Idol" tweaked its age range was season five, where they upped the limit to 28 years old. The result? Taylor Hicks, a dude who looked 58, ended up winning. So if "Idol" is going the opposite route, does that mean America might be crowning a 15-year-old who looks seven come next May? In a year, will America be tired of pop stars who look like zygotes?

Given the recent mega-success of Justin Bieber, I can understand why the producers of "Idol" are tempted to discover the next great talented ninth grader. But it's important to note that Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube covering contemporary pop and R&B hits, songs that "Idol" theme weeks rarely allow. (Would Usher and Justin Timberlake have noticed the Biebs if he had been crooning "Mandy" by Barry Manilow? Doubtful.) If "Idol" wants to make a change to help make the show become relevant again, they might do better by making the song choices and theme weeks younger, rather than the talent pool.

But what do you guys think? Was this a good choice? Are you more likely to tune in if there are 15-year-old contestants? What other changes would you like to see in season 10? Leave a comment below and for more "Idol" insanity, follow me on Twitter @jambajim!

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