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Spotted: David Archuleta Shares 'Strength' With Fans

Posted 6/3/10 1:30 pm EST by MTV News in Music

Every day a multitude of stars wander through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

Crystal Bowersox has plenty to look forward to. Even though she came in second place behind Lee DeWyze on the just-finished season of "American Idol," the legacy of runner-ups on that show has been pretty excellent. Recent history has shown that Adam Lambert is having quite a satisfying career despite having lost his season to Kris Allen. And it has been two years since David Cook narrowly defeated David Archuleta for the title of "American Idol" in one of the most thrilling seasons in the show's history. But there is still plenty of fervor for Archuleta, as was the case when he visited a Borders in New York City on Wednesday (June 2) to plug his new book "Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song and the Power of Perseverance." The autobiography tells the story of how Archuleta overcame vocal paralysis to make his incredible run on "Idol." At the book event, Archuleta performed for the passionate crowd and also hung out with recent "Idol" contestants Casey James, Didi Benami and Andrew Garcia.

He wasn't the only star out and about on Wednesday, as Paul McCartney partied with President Obama at a concert in the former Beatle's honor and Ke$ha paid a visit to the MTV studios in London. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which features over 350 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, the Jonas Brothers, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Simpson, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga!

Tags photo, Spotted!

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Violence Erupts On The Streets Of Jamaica

Posted 5/26/10 3:50 pm EST by MTV News in Music

By Rahman Dukes

Just two weeks ago, Jamaica Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett lashed out at Drake for his portrayal of the violent culture on the island as depicted in his video "Find Your Love." The clip ends with a kidnapped Drizzy shot to death by his lover on direct orders from her boyfriend played by real life Gullytown native Mavado.

Fast forward to this present day: The island’s capital Kingston has found itself in the midst of a violent war, with government officials fighting against the the towns residents who have armed themselves with assault weapons vowing to die for their local "hero," real life thug Dudus Coke.

After mounting pressure from U.S. officials, last Friday (May 21) Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding ordered the extradition of drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who is a wanted man in New York City on drug trafficking charges that resemble his last name. Coke is infamously known as the heir to the throne of the Shower Posse (a group founded by his father "Jim Brown," who was burned alive in his cell before he too was set to answer drug charges in the States). And just like his dad and a long line of other crime figures in Kingston, the Jamaican don, known to street dwellers in his Tivoli Gardens neighborhood, Coke is highly praised and referred to as the President.

Over the weekend, local troops descended upon Coke's stomping grounds in pursuit of the wanted man but have found themselves at war with residents who've set police stations on fire and barricaded their respective areas with burned cars and refrigerators. The ongoing war has since claimed the lives of 44 people and injured many more.

A local resident of the Jamaica area sent MTV photos from yesterday that show a swarm of police in riot gear storming the West Kingston streets en route to Coke's hideout in the Tivolo Gardens, noting "police stations have been attacked one right after the other and there's been fighting in the streets." The number of shootings have ranged from students in schools fearing for their lives as bullets tear through their classroom windows to hospitals where patients have been instructed to lie on the floor underneath their beds.

(Click here for more photos from the violence in Kingston, Jamaica)

The Prime Minister has declared Jamaica a state of emergency for the next month and President Barack Obama has asked tourists to stay away from the troubled town.

Tags drake, Jamaica, photo

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Justin Bieber's Kim Kardashian Run-In Just The Latest In His String Of Famous Ladies

Posted 5/10/10 2:15 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Music

Last weekend, the biggest headline coming out of the annual White House Correspondents Dinner wasn't Barack Obama's joke-heavy speech to the press but rather the connection made between teenage Canadian pop star Justin Bieber and reality star Kim Kardashian. The two were photographed together and both tweeted about being excited about meeting one another. It was all very tongue-in-cheek and delivered in good fun, but apparently a handful of Bieber's Twitter followers took it a little too seriously and began sending threatening messages to Kardashian.

But what those fans may not realize is that during his brief time in the spotlight, Bieber has found himself in the presence of a number of famous singers, actresses and stars for photo opportunities. In addition to the Twitter photos he has shared with the likes of Celine Dion, Jordin Sparks and Michelle Obama, Bieber has also found himself in the presence of Beyoncé, fellow teen stars Selena Gomez and Miranda Cosgrove, "30 Rock" star Tina Fey (she hosted the episode of "Saturday Night Live" that featured Bieber as the musical guest), Black Eyed Peas member Fergie and chart-topping pop tart Ke$ha.

But perhaps his most notorious run-in with a female star was with Rihanna. Via interviews and Twitter, he openly campaigned for a date with the singer (and even asked her out once). Though she rebuffed his attempts at starting a relationship, she did let him steal a kiss on one occasion.

(Click here for more photos of Justin Bieber with famous ladies, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Tina Fey!)

What female star should Justin Bieber get photographed with next? Let us know in the comments!

Tags Beyonce, Justin Bieber, kim kardashian, photo

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Happy 63rd Birthday, David Letterman!

Posted 4/12/10 4:30 pm EST by MTV News in Television

By Eric Ditzian

Today David Letterman turns 63 years old, closing the book on what might be the craziest year of his three-decade-long career as a TV talk show host. The 62nd year in the life of Dave saw him winning and then losing the late-night ratings war, welcoming a sitting president to a late-night show for the first time ever, experiencing a creative rebirth during the Conan/Leno contretemps and, oh yeah, admitting on air that he'd slept with a co-worker whose ex-boyfriend was attempting to blackmail him. We'd wish Letterman just as exciting an upcoming year, but we fear his quintuple-bypass-afflicted heart couldn't stand it.

Instead, let us tip our hat to arguably the greatest comedian of his generation for a year that veered from achievements to controversies but which was entertaining at every turn.

A month and a half after Letterman turned 62, he received a belated birthday present when his long-time nemesis Jay Leno stepped down from his "Tonight Show" perch. Conan O'Brien jumped in to fill the void, but it didn't matter: Letterman was once again the ratings king of late-night TV.

In the fall, Letterman pulled off another coup: Barack Obama stopped by the "Late Show," becoming the first sitting president in history to appear on a late-night talk show. The pair chatted about health care reform, the fragile economy and the role race plays in his political standing. "I think it's important to realize that I was actually black before the election," the president joked.

It was a good thing Letterman booked Obama when he did, because barely a week later, things got weird and wild for the host. On air, Dave admitted to having sex with one of his employees, whose ex attempted to exhort two million dollars from Letterman in exchange for keeping quiet about the affair.

"The creepy stuff was that I have had sex with women who work for me on this show," Letterman told his audience. "My response to that is, yes, I have. I have had sex with women who work on this show."

For a comedian who'd made a living mocking the sexual transgressions of politicians and celebrities, it was a stunning revelation. Read More...

Tags david letterman, Late Night, Talk Shows

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The Tiger Woods Fiasco Gets Lambasted On 'South Park'

Posted 3/18/10 9:15 am EST by MTV News in Television

In 13 seasons, "South Park" has evolved from the potty-mouthed extremism of the early days into the sharpest-minded piece of satire available on television. Season number 14 kicked off on Wednesday night (March 17) with a take on one of the biggest media stories of the past few months: Tiger Woods. The episode, called "Sexual Healing," sharply sent up the storm of opinion and moralizing the crept up around the revelation that the legendary golfer had a series of extra-marital affairs, leading to an embarrassing incident involving a car accident and a closely-examined public apology. With the recent news that Woods would be returning to the golf course for the Masters in a few weeks, the timing could not have been better.

The main story thread saw most everybody in America (including Barack Obama) trying to stamp out sex addiction. They begin with a scientific experiment involving a chimp, a handful of cash and a whole lot of humping, and by the end of the episode the military is raiding Independence Hall in Philadelphia in search of the alien (who is also a wizard) responsible for infecting the male population with the urge to constantly have sex. It was on-the-nose while still being clever, which is a balance that the makers of "South Park" have mastered brilliantly.

While not all of the gags worked (why was Butters obsessed with pubic hair again?), the jokes mostly landed, and the speech given by the soldier at the end did a nice job at introducing some level-headed pragmatism to the proceedings. In one of the episode's most cutting scenes, Woods attends a sex addiction support group with David Letterman, Bill Clinton, David Duchovny, Charlie Sheen and a host of other celebrities with problematic private lives.

What did you think of the "South Park" take on Tiger Woods? Let us know in the comments!

Tags South Park, Tiger Woods

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Crystal Bowersox, Justin Bieber, 'Dancing With The Stars' And Sarah Palin: This Week's Deep Cuts

Posted 3/5/10 5:30 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Deep Cuts

The week is done, but that doesn't mean the work is. This Oscar weekend, be sure to stay tuned to MTV News, MTV Movies Blog and Hollywood Crush, all of which will be bringing you wall-to-wall coverage of the red carpet, the show, the after parties and everything in between. Meanwhile, keep thinking about who else needs to go home on "American Idol" and be sure to get your submissions in for our big 311 contest.

In between doing all that, check out everything you might have missed on the MTV Newsroom Blog this week, including stories about Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, "The Tonight Show," "Dancing With the Stars" and Ke$ha.

» The top headline of this week belonged to Crystal Bowersox, who was nearly disqualified from "American Idol" after having to go to the hospital. But then she staged one of the greatest musical comebacks of all time.

» The week opened with the end of the 2010 Winter Olympics, and we got an exclusive report from one of the dancers who performed during the closing ceremony. We miss you already, Olympics. See you in London in 2012.

» The new cast of "Dancing With the Stars" was announced this week, and though the producers didn't take any of our advice, they still managed to draft an interesting group of people. Of course, we're rooting for Buzz Aldrin.

» It was a big birthday week, as Ke$ha blew out some candles on a cake.

» Justin Bieber turned 16 years old on Monday, so we laid out the 16 reasons why we love him.

» And because Ke$ha and Bieber share a birthday, we decided to mash the two up.
Read More...

Tags American Idol, britney spears, Crystal Bowersox, dancing with the stars, Gang Starr, Jay Leno, Justin Bieber, Ke$ha, OK Go, sarah palin

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Jay-Z, Beyoncé Meet President Obama During White House Visit

Posted 3/5/10 10:50 am EST by MTV News in Music

By Rahman Dukes

It was the president of rap meeting the President of the United States. During the Washington, D.C. leg of his trek in support of The Blueprint 3, the Carter administration (including Jay-Z, wife Beyoncé, her mom, tourmate Trey Songz and manager Kevin Liles) visited President Barack Obama at the one and only White House.

In the past, Hov has bragged in his raps that he he frequently chats with Obama "on the text" and recently told the media the commander in chief works out to his latest album, but nothing was more evident of their relationship when a few photos of Jay, B and company made its way to the Internet.

One of two photos depicts the cast sitting around a table awaiting Obama's arrival. Ironically, Jay sits in a chair directly underneath the Presidential seal that hangs slightly over his head. (Is that Obama's seat? Doesn't Jigga sort of look right in that spot?)

The kid from Flushing Avenue in Marcy has come a long way to the great lawn at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Rap beefs and bullies — nah, he's off that. Rick Ross rapped about being in the White House, but Jay has made a note about his lyrics throuhgout his career that he really lives it. Eat your heart out, Ross.

Tags Barack-Obama, Beyonce, Jay-Z, photo, trey songz

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Jennifer Hudson's Fiancé David Otunga Makes His Debut On 'WWE NXT'

Posted 2/24/10 10:50 am EST by Kyle Anderson in Television

The 2010 Winter Olympics soldiered on Tuesday night (February 23), with figure skating, hockey and giant slalom skiing grabbing most of the headlines. But there was another athletic competition that made its debut that likely drew a slightly different audience. Wrestling fans tuned into SyFy to see the premiere of "WWE NXT," the new show that pairs up current superstars (like Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho and former MTV reality star Mike "The Miz" Mizanin) with up-and-coming talent looking to break into the top level in the world of professional wrestling.

One of those up-and-comers is David Otunga, who some will recognize as "Punk" from the VH1 reality series "I Love New York 2" but who more will remember as former "American Idol" contestant and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's fiancé. Otunga has been training to be a professional grappler and has been wrestling in the WWE's developmental league Florida Championship Wrestling since singing a development deal with them in 2008.

On the debut episode of "WWE NXT" (which replaces "ECW" in the WWE television lineup), Otunga introduced the world to his personality, which is half Hollywood and half Harvard (he holds an actual degree from Harvard Law School). In fact, his combination of star power, brains and brawn has lead to him proclaiming himself as "the Kanye West of the WWE." They showed photos of him with Hudson as well as shots of him with Barack Obama and Jesse Jackson.

His entrance was particularly electric, mostly because he had WWE star R-Truth (who raps as part of his gimmick) as his hype man. He then came out and dominated fellow cast member Darren Young with an elbow, a kick, a clothesline and a one-handed spinebuster that he calls "The Verdict." (You can check out his entire performance at WWE's official site.)

WWE is clearly banking on Otunga being one of the huge breakout stars of the show (along with indie veteran Bryan Danielson, who is wrestling on "WWE NXT" under the name Daniel Bryan, for some reason). He does have the total package: An impressive physique, athletic skills and unending fountains of charisma.

Did you catch David Otunga on "WWE NXT" on Tuesday night? What did you think of his performance? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Tags David Otunga, jordin-sparks, Wrestling, wwe

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Jay Leno, Sad Robots, Chickens And Betty White: The Best Ads From Super Bowl XLIV

Posted 2/8/10 8:30 am EST by Kyle Anderson in Television

The door has closed on another NFL season, and the New Orleans Saints have walked away as champions for the first time in the franchise's oft-troubled existence. Sunday night's (February 7) Super Bowl was an exciting back-and-fourth affair that hinged on a tiny mistake by normally surgical Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning.

But the main event — Super Bowl commercials — was the weakest in recent memory. In a down economy, apparently companies are less willing to invest the $3 million it sets them back for 30 seconds of ad time during the biggest television event of the year. A number of notable regulars sat out this time around (most notably Pepsi) and the sense of playfulness and fun that normally surrounds Super Bowl ads was largely absent, replaced by a lot of spots that actually had the gall to try to sell things (this means you, foreign car companies).

Still, there were a handful of ads that managed to raise some eyebrows and call forth some chuckles. Here are the top five.

Oprah's Super Bowl Party
For: "The Late Show with David Letterman"
Synopsis: David Letterman sits on a couch and complains about how terrible his Super Bowl party is. Oprah Winfrey tries to talk him down, then the camera reveals that Jay Leno is also sitting on the couch. "It's because I'm here," says Leno.
Impact: After spending a month taking shots at one another on their respective shows, Letterman and Leno have apparently buried the hatchet enough to spend time on a sound stage to shoot an ad. Had they gotten Conan O'Brien to make a cameo, it really would have turned heads. Still, we'll take any sort of comment on the late night wars where we can get it.

Betty White Gets Laid Out
For: Snickers
Synopsis: Everyone's favorite "Golden Girl" plays a game of pickup football and gets laid out by a much larger dude. Only the power of a candy bar can shape-shift him back to an actual human being (turns out he's just a dude who's hungry).
Impact: White is funny in just about everything, and the stinger at the end — featuring Abe Vigoda — added an extra bit of hilarity. Plus: Violence!
Read More...

Tags Ads, Betty White, Commerce, Doritos, Snickers, Super Bowl

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Barack Obama, Mikhail Gorbachev And Six Other Unusual Grammy Winners

Posted 1/29/10 2:18 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys, Music

This Sunday, the Grammy Awards will be given out for the 52nd time. Over their lifespan, nearly 8,000 tiny Victrolas have been given out to all manner of artists. This weekend's show is one of the more youth-driven and star-studded in recent memory, with Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Dave Matthews Band and the Black Eyed Peas among others performing and competing for awards.

No awards show gets it right every single time, and considering the number of awards they hand out every year, Grammy Awards history is littered with bizarre winners and strange victors. Take a look below at some of the more unusual names with Grammys on their shelves (some of whom have multiple victories). And this list doesn't even count the head-scratching upsets (like Steely Dan winning Album of the Year in 2001).

Barack Obama: Yes, in addition to being President of the United States and a Nobel Peace Prize, Obama also has two Grammy Awards (one each for Best Spoken Word Album for the audio versions of his two books).

Tia Carrere: She may have been a metalhead in "Wayne's World," but Tia Carrere has actually been nominated twice for Best Hawaiian Music Album (with one victory in 2009).

Hillary Clinton: She can't sing, but Clinton certainly can read, and her performance of her book "It Takes a Village" got her an award in 1997 for Best Spoken Word Album. Husband Bill caught up with her a few years later, when he won back-to-back Spoken Word awards in 2004 and 2005.
Read More...

Tags Barack-Obama, bill-clinton, Grammy Awards, Grammys, Tia Carrere, Zach Braff

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