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Ellen's 'Haters Are Her Motivators,' Star Addresses Conservative Boycott Controversy

Posted 2/8/12 4:04 pm EST by in Celebrity, Gay Rights


Well, that settles that.

Ellen DeGeneres used her daytime talk show today to address the controversy that erupted after conservative group One Million Moms urged a boycott of J.C. Penny after it signed DeGeneres as its new celebrity face.

The good-time girls from One Million Moms are very upset that J.C. Penny went with Ellen. The group, a project of the American Family Association, which according to GLAAD has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, just doesn't know what to do with itself now that a lesbian, gasp, will represent their favorite mid-priced clothing purveyor.

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In a statement on its website, the group said it would urge people not to shop at the retailer because hiring DeGeneres revealed that it does not share the same "values." Yawn.

Ellen hit back, explaining that her own values included "honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people they way you want to be treated and helping those in need."

"To me, those are traditional values," she added.

Related:
>>> Conservative Group Upset That Ellen DeGeneres Is New Face Of J.C. Penny
>>> What Are Your Thoughts On Schweddy Balls? One Conservative Group Doesn't Like Them One Bit

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Conservative Group Upset That Ellen DeGeneres Is New Face Of J.C. Penny

Posted 2/2/12 3:08 pm EST by in Activism, Gay Rights


Ellen

Ugh.

The good-time girls from the conservative group One Million Moms are very upset that Ellen DeGeneres, beloved talk show host and least offensive person on the planet, is the new face of J.C. Penny. The group, a project of the American Family Association, which according to GLAAD has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, just doesn't know what to do with itself now that a lesbian, gasp, will represent their favorite mid-priced clothing purveyor.

"Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families," reads a statement on One Million Moms' website. "DeGeneres is not a true representation of the type of families that shop at their store. The majority of JC Penney shoppers will be offended and choose to no longer shop there."

We're sure they will.

It's not really all that surprising that these kill joys are behind the anti-Ellen campaign. After all, they were clutching their pearls when Ben & Jerry's announced last year that they'd created a flavor called "Schweddy Ball," in honor of the famous "Saturday Night Live" skit featuring Alec Baldwin as Pete Schweddy, who makes up a fictional treat called "Schweddy Balls" for the ladies of the fictitious National Public Radio program "Delicious Dish."

Naturally, they tried to boycott the flavor. These people. Read on for more and to watch "SNL's" "Scweddy Balls" skit, you know, just because. Read More...

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Ellen DeGeneres Gives $50,000 Scholarship To Homeless Science Genius

Posted 1/20/12 11:52 am EST by in Charity, Television


By Zachary Swickey

As we all know, Ellen DeGeneres is one of the most loved and adored personalities in the entertainment industry and she’s well-known for her constant charitable work. Her latest moment of philanthropy involves 17-year-old Samantha Garvey – an aspiring marine biologist who has managed to become one of the 300 semi-finalists for the annual Intel Science Talent Search – a friendly science competition between high school seniors that grants over $1.25 million in awards and scholarships every year – despite living in shelters with her homeless family.

Garvey has spent two and a half grueling years on her project, which finds her conducting studies on aquatic ecosystems, specifically the effects of the Asian short crab on the mussel population in a salt marsh on Long Island. The 40 finalists are expected to be announced at the end of January.

It’s pretty heartbreaking to hear her talk about her situation, saying it “motivates me to do the work I do. I want a better life. I want a home. I want to show other people that even though you’re going through something bad, there’s a brighter side to everything.”

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Now, Ellen has stepped in with the help of AT&T and bestowed Garvey with a $50,000 scholarship to the school of her choice. Read More...

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Spotted: Taylor Swift And Ellen DeGeneres Party For CoverGirl

Posted 1/6/11 12:30 pm EST by 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.

For a girl who grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania and is based in Nashville, Taylor Swift seems to have an awful lot of famous friends. Her bond with Paramore singer Hayley Williams is at least partially geographical (Williams lives in nearby Franklin, Tennessee), but there are plenty of other stars who consider Swift a pal who are as Hollywood as Hollywood gets. For example, she has a big fan and confidante in talk show host and dance enthusiast Ellen DeGeneres, and the two women got a chance to catch up on Wednesday night (January 5) at the BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood where CoverGirl was celebrating its 50th anniversary. The star-studded party also included actress and musician Queen Latifah and longtime CoverGirl spokesface Drew Barrymore.

They weren't the only stars getting all dressed up for a night out on the town, as "Jersey Shore" star DJ Pauly D helped celebrate John Legend's birthday at RdV Lounge in New York and a huge cavalcade of celebrities — including Katy Perry and Selena Gomez — celebrated the People's Choice Awards. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which features over 500 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Eminem, Rihanna, the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Simpson, Madonna, Jay-Z and Kanye West!

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Why Kanye West's Teeth Are So Important

Posted 10/20/10 8:15 am EST by in Music


A few years ago, Spin magazine took a look at Marilyn Manson and wondered if he was the last rock star left (which is, of course, a laughable suggestion today). Ever since the grunge era, the idea of being a "rock star" (in the cliché sense of the phrase) became something that somehow became uncool. Nobody wanted their lead singers to yell and curse and break stuff the way Robert Plant and Axl Rose used to. In fact, the most public outbursts of rock star behavior tended to be sternly condemned (Scott Weiland) or dragged into court (Kid Rock). But as the continuing success of Mötley Crüe has proven, the public still aches for rock star attitude and behavior that is a little dangerous and a lot ostentatious.

Luckily, we have Kanye West, who chatted at length with "Ellen" host Ellen DeGeneres on Tuesday (October 19) about his new album, his short film "Runaway," his self-imposed banishment after the Taylor Swift incident and his latest rock star twist: His diamond teeth.

"There are just some things it seems rock stars are supposed to do," West told DeGeneres, who was thrown off by the fact that West's lower chompers were legit and in fact not just covered up by a grill.

Here's the thing: Musically, West's teeth are meaningless. They aren't going to have any effect on his output one way or another. But Kanye understands how important public perception is (in fact, he maybe understands too well) and he knows that he is able to project a certain persona to the outside world — a persona that will keep him on the lips of fans, followers and haters alike (Kanye also knows there's no such thing as bad publicity).

West is an extremely talented artist, but he's also a hell of a sociologist, and he knows that the public demands extreme behavior from their rock stars. They want to be able to graft their own desires on these larger-than-life individuals and let them play out our darkest desires. That's the whole reason why we fell in love with rock music in the first place. If the rest of the music world isn't going to step up, then West is more than happy to oblige and play that role. What's so important about Kanye West's new teeth? Everything.

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The Original 'American Idol' Judges Voted Best In A Landslide

Posted 9/23/10 2:30 pm EST by in Music


Starting in January, "American Idol" will open up on a new era. When the show returns to the airwaves, the judges' table will look entirely new, as Jennifer Lopez and longtime Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler will be joining Randy Jackson as the new adjudicators of talent on the hit show. (The producers also announced a bunch of other changes for next season, including the elimination of theme weeks and a permanent position for music business mastermind Jimmy Iovine.)

Tyler and Lopez certainly lend the show a healthy dose of star power (they each have a long history of success on stage, in the studio and out among the people), it will be interesting to see exactly what kind of vibe and chemistry they bring to the table. They have an uphill battle ahead of them, as according to the results of yesterday's poll, the original three judges (Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul) are by far the most beloved of any combination the show has ever had. That trio took home just about 70 percent of the vote, blowing away the nearest competition. Second place went to the new lineup (which at least bodes well for the show compared to the most recent seasons), grabbing 16 percent. The team of Cowell, Abdul, Jackson and Kara DioGuardi got eight percent, and bringing up the rear is season nine's combination of Cowell, Jackson, DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres (they took home a mere six percent).

Of course, we won't know how well Tyler and Lopez perform until the cameras roll on their work and the shows are broadcast. But even though they haven't been a team in several seasons, that original trio remains on a pedestal. At least people seem to be more interested in the new team than last year's squad, which gets them off on the right foot.

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Christina Aguilera's Tour, 'Transformers 3' Casting And Ellen's Record Label: Three To See

Posted 5/26/10 1:10 pm EST by in Music


Every morning, MTV News delivers the top news stories in music, movies and pop culture hot and fresh for your reading and watching pleasure. We then bring together a trio of the biggest headlines for "Three to See," the daily digest of the top stories making noise on our site and across the Internet. This morning, stories on Christina Aguilera's postponed tour, "Transformers 3" casting and Ellen DeGeneres' new record label lead the way.

Christina Aguilera Writes Letter To Fans About Canceled Tour
Following the announcement that Christina Aguilera was postponing the planned summer tour in support of her new album Bionic, she posted an open letter to fans about why she had to call off those dates. "I am truly sorry to those of you who had purchased tickets and have been disappointed by the news," Aguilera wrote. "Immediately after wrapping production on 'Burlesque,' I went directly back into the studio and then quickly started the promotional process for Bionic. With both the album press and film press, I am booked the entire summer and need time to focus on the work at hand."

Victoria's Secret Model Cast In "Transformers 3"
Only a few days after the controversial exit of Megan Fox from the cast of "Transformers 3," it appears as though her replacement has been found. Victoria's Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley beat out fellow models Sarah Wright and Brooklyn Decker in the competition for the role. The Michael Bay-directed "Transformers 3" is set to begin filming soon for a July 2011 release.

Ellen DeGeneres Launches Record Label With YouTube Sensation Greyson Chance
The "American Idol" season may be ending, but Ellen DeGeneres will still be focusing on music. The talk show host has set up a new record label called eleveneleven, and her first signing is 12-year-old Greyson Chance, who scored some fame by playing Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" on YouTube.

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Simon Cowell Sees An 'American Idol' Winner In Lee DeWyze: The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 5/25/10 4:05 pm EST by in Music


"If you'd asked me five or six weeks ago, 100 percent, I would have said Crystal [Bowersox]. But now I've changed my mind. I think Lee's going to win. But you know what? The last two years, I've got it completely and utterly wrong. I don't think anyone's listening to me anymore. It's just a hunch. There's something about him, the fact that he's worked in a paint shop, he's talented. He hasn't had any real breaks in his life, and this has given him a shot. I like that."

-"American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, speaking to fellow judge Ellen DeGeneres on the latter's daily talk show on Tuesday (May 25). Cowell and DeGeneres will both preside over the season finale of the ninth season of "American Idol," which kicks off tonight with performances by finalists Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze. Cowell's comments represent the general consensus among "American Idol" fans and followers, as while Bowersox seemed like the clear frontrunner for most of this season, it now appears as though the competition is DeWyze's to lose.

It will be an extra-meaningful finale for Cowell, who is departing the show after nine seasons to launch the American version of his British hit "The X Factor." While DeGeneres lamented Cowell's exit, the Brit said he was anxious about having everything come to an end for him. "I'm feeling a bit sad now, because we're nearly there [at the end]," Cowell told DeGeneres. "But at the same time, do you remember the last three weeks of school when you couldn't wait to get out? It's a little bit like that."

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'American Idol' Judges Poll Results: Paula Abdul Comes Out On Top

Posted 3/18/10 6:00 pm EST by in Music, Television


On Wednesday (March 17), we posed a question: Which "American Idol" judge has been the best of all time? The question came up because there is still no replacement lined up for Simon Cowell (though we have submitted more than a few suggestions) and because Kara DioGuardi has strangely elevated herself to the position of best judge on the show.

With that in mind, we got thousands of responses to the poll question, and lo and behold, Paula Abdul came out on top by quite a large margin. She took home 65 percent of the total vote, which drives home the fact that even though we're two months into the new season of the show, everybody still misses Abdul.

The departing Simon Cowell came in second place with 26 percent. That's a pretty large gap between first place and the second spot. That means that the remaining three judges — Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres — scored less than 10 percent combined (DeGeneres stood a distant third with four percent, followed by Jackson with three percent and DioGuardi bringing up the rear with two).

Though obviously the results of these polls don't have anything to do with science, "American Idol" could be in a lot of trouble if this poll represents a microcosm of the rest of the "Idol"-watching universe. Considering that the people voting prefer a judge who isn't there and one who is leaving at the end of this season over the three who will be left behind, that puts the onus on Cowell's replacement to really make a splash to keep the show (or at least the judging portions of it) completely afloat. Perhaps the "Idol" producers should just hire back Abdul and let her run the show?

What do you think of the results of the poll? Let us know in the comments!

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In 'American Idol' History, Who Has Been The Best Judge?

Posted 3/17/10 4:50 pm EST by in Music, Television


There is no shortage of drama on the "American Idol" stage during the ninth season of the show. Did Andrew Garcia peak too early? Is Aaron Kelly too young? Will Crystal Bowersox keep the lead? Can Siobhan Magnus make a run to the top? The field seems wide open, which is fueling plenty of speculation and making the competition the most even it has been in years.

The drama doesn't stop there, though, as there is a narrative unfolding at the judges' table as well. Before this season started, alpha dog Simon Cowell announced he would be leaving the show after this season is complete in order to fully commit himself to the American version of his U.K. hit "X-Factor." This season also represented the introduction of Ellen DeGeneres, who sits on the panel as the voice of the fan and has brought some much-needed professional comedy to the proceedings.

The combination of Cowell's impending exit, former judge Paula Abdul's notable absence, Ellen's new role and Kara DioGuardi's sudden ascension to alpha dog status has created an unpredictable energy in the judges' chairs and has also fueled a ton of speculation about the future of the show.

A few weeks ago, we asked how Ellen was doing, and an equal number of people thought of her as the best judge the show had ever seen and someone who should be fired and replaced by Abdul. With DioGuardi's constant improvement, it made us wonder: In the nine season history of the show, which judge is the best of all time? Vote below and leave your argument in the comments.

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