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Kathy Griffin Strikes A Janet Jackson-Like Pose For OUT 100 List

Posted 11/15/11 8:39 am EST by in comedy, Janet-Jackson


Kathy Griffin has made a career of ribbing celebrities, so it's no surprise that the comedienne is now sending up one of most iconic images in pop music history.

Griffin has been named to the OUT 100, the magazine's annual list honoring the most influential people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community as well as straight allies who support LGBT causes. And yes, that's openly gay "Modern Family" star Jesse Tyler Ferguson helping to keep this picture mostly safe for work.

"To pay homage to their individualism, this year's portfolio is inspired by iconic portraits of the 20th century, from Richard Avedon's image of a shaving Marlon Brando and Robert Mapplethorpe's Patti Smith to Herb Ritts's Madonna and Harry Benson's timeless portraits of the Beatles pillow-fighting," OUT says on its website.

In OUT's portfolio, Griffin and Ferguson recreate Janet Jackson's famous 1993 Rolling Stone cover, which featured Jackson in a simple pair of jeans with her bare breasts being cupped by then-unknown husband Rene Elizondo Jr. Read More...

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Court Finally Rules That All The Legal Hubbub Over Janet Jackson's Nipple Was A Bit Much

Posted 11/3/11 1:02 pm EST by in Janet-Jackson, Justin Timberlake


Janet Jackson

By Zachary Swickey

It’s hard to believe that seven years later we’re still talking about “Nipplegate” – Janet Jackson’s controversial wardrobe malfunction from the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show – but a federal appeals court just ruled that the Federal Communications Commission might have been a bit hasty with their fine for Janet Jackson and CBS over the incident.

The Wrap reports that according to the Philadelphia 3rd District Court of Appeals, the FCC wrongly fined Jackson and the network $550,000 for her performance, which included Timberlake ripping off a scrap of her clothing and accidentally exposing the singers left breast (although if I recall, she covered it up with a tasteful sun-shaped jewel resembling Godsmack’s logo). Of course the government agency wasn’t thrilled with the outcome, but CBS spokeswoman Shannon Jacobs viewed the ruling as the FCC being forced to adhere to the indecency policies they had in place before the incident occurred. As you can see from this handy dandy wiki chart (of course the incident has its own Wikipedia page), the fine-to-complaints ratio was rather askew.

The case has been in legal limbo for years now. In 2008, the 3rd Circuit Court ruled to void the fine, a ruling vacated by the Supreme Court in 2009. The case subsequently returned to the 3rd Circuit once again. Read More...

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Spotted: Janet Jackson And Family Head To Court

Posted 1/7/11 11:30 am 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.

Michael Jackson passed away back in the summer of 2009, but he has remained in the news since then. Just last month, Jackson released a controversial posthumous album called Michael, and this week saw the start of the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, who was Jackson's personal physician who was with the singer when he passed. In a show of support, most of the Jackson clan attended Murray's preliminary hearing at a court house in Los Angeles. Michael's parents Katherine and Joe Jackson were both there, as were siblings LaToya, Randy, Jackie and Janet. The latter looked especially sharp, dressed in a power suit and nearly clean shaven. Evidence in the Murray hearing will continue to be presented today and may go through next week.

The Jackson family weren't the only celebrities taking in the air, as former Oasis frontman (and current Beady Eye singer) Liam Gallagher helped open his own Pretty Green clothing store in Glasgow, Scotland, while Jon Bon Jovi braved the cold in New York City. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which features over 500 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas and the Jonas Brothers!

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Snooki Rings In The New Year In This Week's 'Late Night Lineup'

Posted 1/3/11 9:30 am EST by in Television


It's a new year, which means that the holidays are over and it's time to get a handle on your resolutions. But if one of your goals for 2011 is to get more sleep, there's no help for you here, as all of your favorite talk shows are back from their Christmas breaks and ready to deliver big doses of comedy and celebrity straight to the part of your brain that resists going to bed. It'll be a tough struggle, but you can make it through this.

With everybody back in business, it's sort of impossible to decide where to begin, but "The Late Show With David Letterman" is as good a place as any. The host will welcome the likes of Paula Abdul (Monday, January 3), Shaquille O'Neal and Keri Hilson (Tuesday, January 4), Seth Rogen (Thursday, January 6) and (in a very Jimmy Fallon-esque booking) No Age (Friday, January 7). "The Tonight Show" counters with Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi (Monday), Jamie Foxx (Wednesday, January 5), Hilary Swank (Thursday) and "True Grit" breakout star Hailee Steinfeld (Friday). Snooki will also be making an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Thursday, while Kimmel will also chat with Matt LeBlanc (Tuesday) and "Gossip Girl" star Leighton Meester (Thursday).

In typical "Late Show" fashion, Jimmy Fallon is heavy on excellent music this week, as his show will feature indie-riffic performances from Best Coast (Monday), the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Wednesday) and Iron & Wine (Thursday). Fallon will also joke around with Gwyneth Paltrow (Monday), "Jersey Shore" star DJ Pauly D (Tuesday) and "Blue Valentine" actress Michelle Williams.

Meanwhile on cable, Conan O'Brien will ring in the new year by talking to the likes of Christina Aguilera (Monday), the Kardashian sisters (Wednesday) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Thursday). That leaves Janet Jackson (Monday), Denzel Washington (Wednesday) and Jamie Foxx (Thursday) as the highlights of "Lopez Tonight," while Chelsea Handler's "Chelsea Lately" will feature Kevin Spacey (Wednesday) and Tim McGraw (Thursday). And if you really can't get enough Snooki, she'll be on the couch on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Wednesday.

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Spotted: Taylor Swift Speaks (And Sings) On 'Today'

Posted 10/26/10 1:00 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.

Taylor Swift isn't one to let criticism get her down. Despite the fact that she faced some hefty criticism at the Grammy Awards earlier this year, she did not let that stop her from continuing to perform on high-profile broadcasts (and continuously improving and killing it in the process). In the months since, she delivered a stellar song during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, performed a great set during Monday night's (October 25) "Speak Now: Taylor Swift Live From New York City" and was great on Tuesday morning's (October 26) edition of "Today." She performed a trio of songs, including the new tracks "Mine" and "Speak Now" as well as "Love Story."

She wasn't the only star getting the job done, as Janet Jackson walked the red carpet at the New York premiere of the new Tyler Perry film "For Colored Girls" and Jessica Simpson paid a visit to the Maria Shriver Women's Conference at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which features over 500 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Eminem, the Jonas Brothers, Rihanna, Shakira and Mariah Carey!

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Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner, Janet Jackson Celebrate Ladies Night On The Hot 100: Wake-Up Video

Posted 10/25/10 8:30 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


The record books established to track the Billboard Hot 100 are littered with female solo artists. Mariah Carey has the most number one singles of any solo artist in history (yes, even more than Elvis Presley) and Madonna isn't that far behind her. But it took a few decades before three female solo artists moved into the top three spots on the chart. On this day in 1986, that all changed, as Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," Tina Turner's "Typical Male" and Janet Jackson's "When I Think of You" occupied the first, second and third places (respectively) on the Billboard Hot 100.

Jackson's "When I Think of You" came from her third (and breakout) album, 1986's Control. Co-written with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jackson took R&B, disco influences, funk and traditional pop and infused it with the noise and energy of hip-hop (which was quickly making the transition from underground sensation to commercially viable pop property). "When I Think of You" was the third single following the hugely popular "What Have You Done For Me Lately" and "Nasty," both of which landed her in the top five on the Hot 100. "When I Think of You" was also Jackson's first chart-topper, having spent the previous two weeks in that spot.

"Typical Male" was the first single from Turner's 1986 album Break Every Rule, which was her follow-up to the massively successful Private Dancer. Though Break Every Rule was not as big a hit as its predecessor, it still spawned a handful of hits, including "Typical Male" and "What You Get Is What You See."

But the top of the chart on this day in '86 belonged to Lauper, whose "True Colors" (from her 1986 album of the same name) began a two week run in that spot. It was Lauper's second trip to the top of the Hot 100 (she had previously scored a number one with "Time After Time") and her fifth single in the top five.


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Estelle Narrowly Beats Beyoncé And Keri Hilson As Kanye West's Best Female Collaborator

Posted 10/14/10 5:00 pm EST by in Music


It has been two days, but Kanye West's drop-in on the remix of La Roux's "In for the Kill" remains at the top of the regular rotation in the MTV Newsroom. It's a killer track that deftly combines each of their skill sets for a swirling, banging track. It represents yet another triumph for West as a collaborator, and it further expands his resume of huge hits and genre-bending experiments.

But is "In for the Kill" Kanye's best tag-team with a female artist? That's the question we asked in a poll on Wednesday (October 13). With such an impressive lineup of possibilities, it was going to be a difficult decision for everybody, and after thousands of responses, the margin of victory for the first place vote-getter ended up being razor thin.

Who sat on top of the pile? That would be Estelle, whose success with West on "American Boy" earned her 31 percent of the total vote in the poll. But it was hardly a runaway victory, as Keri Hilson (and her "Knock You Down") was just behind her nipping at her heels with 30 percent. Not to be outdone, Beyoncé (with "See Me Now") came in a close third, nailing down 29 percent of the total vote. With three top-shelf divas and three smashing tunes, it's not surprising that the final vote tally was so tight.

After Beyoncé, there was quite a gap between the top three and the bottom three. La Roux and Janet Jackson each grabbed five percent, while Kid Sister brought up the rear with a paltry two percent (not surprising considering "Pro Nails" was probably the least successful single in the poll, even though it absolutely rules). Statistically, these numbers don't really resolve the question about who Kanye's best female collaborator is, but one thing is for certain: If Kanye West touches a song, it tends to turn to greatness.

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Rolling Stone's 'True Blood' Cover Continues A Legacy Of Naked Stars

Posted 8/18/10 10:30 am EST by in Music


The ultra-sexy, somewhat disturbing cover of Rolling Stone featuring the nude, bloody stars of "True Blood" hits newsstands today, and like any ultra-sexy magazine cover, it's sending shockwaves and grabbing headlines. The image on the cover features very little copy along with "True Blood" stars Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgard and Stephen Moyer covered in little more than grimaces and fake blood.

It's not the first time somebody has shown up on the cover of Rolling Stone in a birthday suit. In fact, Stone has matched Vanity Fair blow-for-blow as the go-to magazine when stars want to get their gear off. Their cup of bare flesh runneth over, but here are the five greatest moments in Rolling Stone's long, nude history.

Lady Gaga
Though she recently appeared on the cover of the magazine mostly naked (save for a complicated machine gun bra), Gaga's first cameo on the cover of Rolling Stone featured the singer clad in little more than some well-placed bubbles.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Though the magazine has gone to the naked well fairly often in recent years, their roots run deep. Way back in 1968, the cover featured John Lennon and Yoko Ono baring their buttocks to the camera. It wasn't the first time Lennon got his gear off for Jann Wenner's rock mag, either — there was also this cover.

Janet Jackson
This one is sort of a cheat, as Janet is obviously wearing jeans in this classic cover. But the image of her breasts being covered by a pair of anonymous hands became instantly iconic.

Red Hot Chili Peppers
While the men of RHCP have never been strangers to taking off their clothes, but they took it all off for a cover that featured little more than their smiles and their strategically-placed hands covering their junk. It should also be noted that there are only three of them on the cover because they were in between guitarists (as they typically are).

Christina Aguilera
What do you get when you cross an edgy pop star with a pair of boots, a guitar and nothing else at all? Greatness.

Honorable Mention: Blind Melon
Yes, this actually happened.

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'Alejandro' Video Preview: Lady Gaga Tips Her Hat To Madonna And Janet Jackson

Posted 6/2/10 10:30 am EST by in Music


Tuesday night's (June 1) episode of "Larry King Live" — which saw the venerable host interview Lady Gaga — featured a handful of notable moments, including discussions about Gaga's cocaine use, her feelings about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and a prolonged discussion about the definition of the word "freak." But the true highlight had nothing to do with the interview and everything to do with the brief preview of the video for Gaga's latest single (and newly-crowned summer jam) "Alejandro."

The singer told King that the video is "a celebration of my love and appreciation for the gay community," but it appears as though the clip will also be a celebration of Madonna's "Vogue." The 15 seconds or so that we could see during Tuesday night's show was shot in the stark black-and-white of the Material Girl's 1990 David Fincher-directed clip (Madonna's first multi-platinum single) and also borrows many of the hair styles and fashion choices of that same clip. (A strange-to-think-about fact: "Vogue" came from I'm Breathless, the album Madonna recorded to coincide with the release of "Dick Tracy," the definitive summer blockbuster of 1990.)

Based on the brief preview, "Alejandro" seems to also borrow from Janet Jackson's iconic clip for "Rhythm Nation," the clip that sent Jackson into the stratosphere as an envelope-pushing pop star. "Rhythm Nation" also used sharp black-and-white and muscular dance moves. Like us, Gaga appears to have a weak spot for the early '90s, and while nostalgia for the sake of nostalgia is dangerous, she is tapping into an era when music videos truly mattered and they were treated as art for the first time. Is a tribute to Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" or "Under the Brige" by Red Hot Chili Peppers be far behind?

What do you hope to see in the new Lady Gaga video? Let us know in the comments!

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Janet Jackson Says Lady Gaga Is 'A Sweetheart': The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 4/1/10 4:30 pm EST by in Music


"I really love Gaga, yeah, and she's a sweetheart. It's not always the case when you meet them. You can enjoy their work, but it's not always such a — so pleasant when you get to know their personality, and she truly is a sweetheart. She's definitely doing something different and I love that."

-R&B icon and "Why Did I Get Married Too?" star Janet Jackson, remarking to MTV News about how much she not only enjoys Lady Gaga's work professionally but also thinks she's a fine human being. Jackson admires Gaga's style and work ethic and hopes that her alarming levels of early fame don't get her too run down. After all, that's something Jackson knows a thing or two about. "I worry about her," Jackson told MTV News. "She works so hard, and I told her I think she needs to slow down just a little bit, take some time out for herself."

"Why Did I Get Married Too?" is the latest project from superstar director Tyler Perry and is the sequel to his 2007 hit "Why Did I Get Married?" (which also starred Jackson). Janet's acting performance isn't her only contribution to "Why Did I Get Married Too?" — she also recorded a new song for the soundtrack called "Nothing." The Jermaine Dupri-produced track represents the first song she has put out since her single "Make Me" came out to accompany her greatest hits album last year. She's keeping busy, as she also has written a self-help book called "True You" that is scheduled to hit stores soon.

Is Janet Jackson a better actress or musician? Let us know what you think in the comments!

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