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Lady Gaga Joins A Long List Of Musical Icons To Appear On 'The Simpsons'

Posted 8/24/11 2:45 pm EST by in Lady Gaga, Television

Lady Gaga

By Zachary Swickey

Sure, Lady Gaga may have plenty of Grammy Awards, number one hits and a Weird Al parody to boot, but there is one pivotal milestone that she has yet to achieve – a voice appearance on Fox’s “The Simpsons." Well, that’s finally about to change – this week, Mother Monster recorded her lines for an episode titled “Lisa Goes Gaga” that is set to air next spring.

Gaga talked with Entertainment Weekly about how excited she was to be a part of the iconic show, saying, “I make music, but I don’t do voice-overs every day of the week, and their characters are so awesomely convincing and sincere and wild and funny, I had to remind myself constantly of the sincerity of the humor.”

Series creator Matt Groening had nothing but praise for Gaga. “Since the very beginning, I’ve always wanted to have the most iconic personalities of our time, and she’s it.” He continued, “It’s very hard to top reality with her, but I’m sure we’ll come up with something that is going to be as improbable as her usual wardrobe.”

If you aren’t aware how big a deal it is to appear on the classic animated show (currently in its astounding 23rd season), then take a gander at this list and see what other musicians have stopped by Springfield.

Paul McCartney
The living legend appeared alongside his wife Linda (three years before her death in 1998) in an episode appropriately titled “Lisa the Vegetarian.” It was the perfect vehicle for the Beatle – for those unaware, McCartney is a vegetarian and staunch animal rights activist. The star’s condition for appearing was that Lisa remain a vegetarian for the rest of the season, and the show obliged. (Seriously though, who would say no to Paul freaking McCartney?)

Britney Spears
At the peak of her early career, Spears appeared on the program in 2000 during the 11th season in an episode titled “The Mansion Family.” Her likeness – donning classic pigtails and a tube top – hosts the Springfield Pride Awards, and after awarding a character the title of “Oldest Man in Springfield,” the star accidently kills him with her “kiss of death” when she presents the award.

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From Breaking Grammys To Crashing Cars: Our Favorite Stories From This Week's 'When I Was 17'

Posted 8/22/11 11:33 am EST by in MTV News, Television

You know, when we were 17 our lives consisted of school, never-ending phone convos and the occasional unsupervised party. We were living it up, or so we thought until we watched the season premiere of "When I Was 17" on MTV this Saturday featuring Bow Wow, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Colbie Caillat. From breaking Grammy Awards to crashing cars, each star shared outrageous stories from their teen years that totally put our own ones to shame. But which star's teen tales were the most memorable? Keep reading below to find out our top three favorites below.

3. Bow Wow Fails His License Test...Three Times!: Most teens can't wait to get behind the wheel, but few look forward to the driver's license exam they have to take to get there. Bow Wow was no different. At 17 he was already a star, and more than ready for his first set of keys. Unfortunately, he failed his driver's license exam...not once, but three times. In the series, Bow Wow reveals that the only reason he eventually passed the test was because a sympathetic DMV worker broke the rules to help him out. Wisely, he didn't name her. Otherwise, we're sure teens everywhere would be flocking to her booth.

2. Colbie Caillat Breaks Her Father's Grammy: When we attended raucous high school parties the most that got destroyed was the carpet. But at 17, Colbie's out-of-control house party resulted in a much more valuable casualty: her father's Grammy Award. The trophy was knocked over and split in two after a fight broke out at her house. Luckily for the singer though, she went on to win two of her own Grammys in the following years. We're guessing at least one of them went straight to her dad.

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Kat Von D Loses Job, Wins Back Beau: A Playlist!

Posted 8/19/11 11:11 am EST by in Celebrity, Television

Kat Von D

It's been an interesting couple of weeks for Kat Von D. After announcing that she and Jesse James called off their engagement late last month, the tatted reality starlet and her man announced they have decided to give it another try. However, the news is a bit bittersweet since it comes the same day that word came down that her TLC reality show, "LA Ink," has been canceled. Wah wuh.

OK, as we learned on a certain beloved 1980's sitcom, "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and what do you have? The facts of life." So, if you're feeling a bit low about being unemployed, snuggle up with Jesse James (we mean someone has to) and blast these tunes. They're guaranteed to make you feel a little better. Read More...

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We Love You, But Don't Quit Your Day Job: 5 Celebs Who Shouldn't Pursue Rap Careers

Posted 8/18/11 9:13 am EST by in Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, rap, Television

Anne Hathaway

By Kara Warner

Inspired in large part by actress Anne Hathaway's Lil Wayne-style rant rap that she performed for Conan O'Brien, we got to thinking about all the other famous faces we've heard rap in public and/or via YouTube whose vocal talents "shine better elsewhere," so to speak.

In no particular order, here are five individuals whose lyrical stylings, while at times courageous, unique and sometimes really cute, shouldn't be repeated. With ONE surprise exception.

Joaquin Phoenix
Who can forget the actor-turned-rapper-turned-trickster's hoax during which he had some folks convinced he was giving up acting in order to become a legit rap artist? It was all very confusing, even when he announced that his year of extraordinary eccentric behavior was part of filming the mockumentary, "I'm Still Here." Of all those on this list, Phoenix's attempts at rapping were the most unsettling.

Britney Spears
When you think of Ms. Spears, there are visions of squeaky-clean, bubble-gum humble beginnings on Disney's "Mickey Mouse Club." Or the still-innocent-but-semi-scandalous Catholic school girl outfit she sported in the video for "Baby One More Time." Both interesting and excellent moments for a pop star - not a rapper. The evidence: Spears' impromptu ill-suited attempt filmed during an early episode of MTV's "Punk'd" with Ashton Kutcher (Hint: it's at the 4-minute mark). Read More...

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Joel McHale Expresses Love For 'The Jersey Shore' And 'Beavis And Butt-Head'

Posted 8/9/11 5:45 pm EST by in Television

By Kara Warner

Aside from the lucky individuals who grace the casts of our fabulous MTV shows, you will find no bigger cheerleader for our reality programming than Joel McHale, host of E!'s "The Soup" and star of NBC's "Community."

Behold, our encounter with the funnyman at the Teen Choice Awards, wherein he thanks us for our hard work and dedication, but mostly for providing "The Soup" with so much content.

"Talk about award-winning," McHale said when asked about his thoughts on our current slew of reality TV shows. "You guys should win all of them," he said with a smile.

"I miss 'Date My Mom.' What happened to 'Date My Mom'? What happened to 'My Super Sweet 16'? What happened to 'Tequila Tequila: A Shot of Love' [we know he meant 'A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila']? This is ridiculous, MTV," he said in mock protest. "You need to step-up and put some of these certifiably insane people back on the air." Read More...

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'Jersey Shore' In Italy: Our Hopes And Dreams For Season Four

Posted 8/4/11 8:58 am EST by in Jersey Shore, Television

To the profound events in the history of Italy (the construction of the Colosseum, the Black Death), we must now add two simple words: “Jersey Shore."

The Situation, Snooki and their pals journeyed to Europe's only footwear-shaped country earlier this year, and now the fist-pumping, fight-having fruits of their labor will hit the small screen when the newest season of the reality show kicks off on Thursday (August 4) at 10 PM ET. Italy, we're quite sure, will never be the same.

What will go down when Seaside Heights goes buck wild in the land that gave rise to Romeo, Juliet and Vito Corleone? Here are our five "Jersey Shore" hopes and dreams. Read More...

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TeenNick Vs. 'TRL' And 'Making The Video': Interns Weigh In

Posted 7/28/11 12:00 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, MTV News, Television

By Matt Goodhue

Sure, '90's Nickelodeon played a key role in shaping our childhood. Doug and Patty provided us with fashion sense. Kenan and Kel made us fond of orange soda. “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” encouraged us to use a nightlight. These shows were crucial in the development of our young, innocent brains, but it was the radical movement of MTV that really had an impact on how we are today.

As young interns for MTV News, we can't ignore the influence certain programs had on us. It's one of the reasons we wanted to come here in the first place. So, while Nickelodeon’s re-airings of hits like “Doug” and “Clarissa Explains It All” are thrilling our slightly older MTV News colleges, we're hoping MTV will be inspired and re-play our favorite classics from the late '90s and early 2000s.

“Celebrity Deathmatch,” 1998-2002 – Matt Goodhue
In a time when WWF ruled my Monday nights, I needed another program to meet my wrestling needs during the week. “Celebrity Deathmatch” was the missing link. Not only could I watch claymation characters kick each other's asses in brutal ways, the matches featured celebrities and historical figures that I would have loved to see square off in the ring. Beavis vs. Butt-head. The Backstreet Boys vs. The Beastie Boys. Busta Rhymes vs. William Shakespeare. Pure genius. With commentators Johnny Gomez and Nick Diamond giving the play-by-play, “Celebrity Deathmatch” provided endless entertainment and a copious amount of blood and physical injury. Bring back the clay!

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TeenNick's 'The '90s Are All That' Block Takes MTV Newsers Back To The Good Old Days

Posted 7/26/11 5:00 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, listicle, Television

By Stefan Doyno and John Mitchell

The ‘90s are back, and so are your favorite shows. Last night, TeenNick premiered "The ‘90s Are All That," a statement anyone in their twenties or early thirties will most certainly agree with. Twitter has been burning up with love for the classic shows that made Nickelodeon the channel it is today. Shows like "iCarly," "Drake and Josh" and "Victorious" are wildly popular with the younger generation, but it was shows like "All That," "The Amanda Show," "Rugrats," “Clarissa Explains It All” and "Doug" that paved the way and still have a special place in our hearts.

The two-hour run of shows, which air weeknights from midnight to 2AM, is not just a block of programming, it’s a movement. Viewers can "Watch. Discuss. Obsess." on Facebook and Twitter. You can also join the ongoing conversation, keep up with the evolving schedule and catch all of your favorite clips and episodes on 90sareallthat.com.

In honor of this momentously awesome occasion, the staff here in the MTV Newsroom decided to unleash our inner tween and think back on our favorite Nick shows of the 1990s. You see, unlike the kiddies catching these shows for the first time on TeenNick, we were there the first time around. Sigh. Read More...

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On The Scene: Cee Lo Green Rocks Out At The 'Today' Show

Posted 7/22/11 2:30 pm EST by in Music, Television, VMAs

By Danielle Genet

As the massive heat wave burned on in New York City, many may have been too concerned to trek outside to watch Cee Lo Green perform on “Today” this morning in Rockefeller Plaza.

However, Cee Lo’s die-hard fans knew they couldn’t miss the live show spectacle. “If you love this town and came early to have a good time, that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” he told the cheering crowd. Cee Lo and his band didn’t disappoint as he swayed along to the music and hyped up his audience. Dripping with sweat but filled with energy and excitement, the crowd was amped to sing along to hits like “F**k You,” “Bright Lights Bigger City” and “Crazy.”

Cee Lo sported dark shades and rocked the stage dressed in an all-white ensemble. His all-female band also came dressed for the occasion, preferring to ditch their shirts and expose their black bras underneath their white jackets. Cee Lo has been on top of his game lately, including numerous ventures like coaching on “The Voice”; starting his own talk show on Fuse TV, titled “Talking to Strangers”; preparing for his upcoming Las Vegas stint “Lo Barachi,” which he announced to Matt Lauer during their brief interview, and promoting his 2010 album, The Lady Killer.

Cee Lo was recently nominated for a 2011 Video Music Award for Best Male Video for his single “F**k You,” but faces stiff competition from Justin Bieber (“U Smile”), Kanye West (“All of the Lights”), Eminem (“Love the Way You Lie”) and Bruno Mars (“Grenade). Read More...

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Justin Timberlake And Jimmy Fallon Revisit Hip-Hop In ‘History Of Rap 2’

Posted 7/20/11 1:00 pm EST by in Justin Timberlake, Television

Justin Timberlake

From MTV RapFix:

Late night host Jimmy Fallon and singer-turned-top billed actor Justin Timberlake already thrilled fans of NBC's “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” with their first rendition of the “History Of Rap” backed by the Philadelphia Hip Hop house band The Roots back in September, with the video going viral on the Internet. The pair joined forces again last night with a new version of the famous rap songs mash-up, “History of Rap 2” – and according to many happy fans around the Web, it appears the fellas have another smash clip on their hands.

Opening with a brief cover of Kurtis Blow’s infamous “The Breaks” track, the pair ripped through classics from everyone to Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock, Vanilla Ice, N.W.A., Public Enemy, Black Sheep, Salt-N-Pepa, and even 50 Cent before ending with a crowd-rocking version of Biz Markie’s “Just A Friend” with the studio audience joining in. On Twitter, the video of Fallon and Timberlake running through a bevy of hip hop’s best has been posted numerous times since the wee hours of the morning with nearly nothing but positive comments.

Check it out after the jump. Read More...

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