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Weekly Twama Roundup: Rihanna's Thug Life, Tracy Morgan's Gonna Live And Demi Lovato Takes A Break

Posted 1/27/12 3:03 pm EST by in Demi Lovato, Rihanna, Tweet Beat, Twitter


With millions of inane tweets being pumped out every day, it can be hard to keep track of actual celebrity gossip, feuds and random observations that make Twitter so much fun. So we’re rounding up the week in Twitter drama – or Twama for those of you not yet sick of cutesy word combos!

By Kara Klenk

<i>Rihanna, Twitter</i>

Rihanna, Twitter

Rihanna Is The Girl With The Thug Life Tattoo
Can we all agree that Rihanna is the pop star we’d most like to party with? RiRi is clearly a work hard/play hard type of chick and she smokes ‘em if she gots ‘em. So it wasn’t that shocking when the pop princess tweeted pics of herself with fresh “Thug Life” tattoos on her knuckles this week. What was shocking was people thinking they could tweet their opinions about the tats to her and that she might actually agree/care/not rip you a new one. Remember, Rihanna is the honeybadger of the pop world, she doesn’t give a f*$%!

She calmly swatted away shade on Twitter and went on with her day. Plus it’s not like it’s her first trip to the parlor! I’m just hoping the other photo she tweeted of herself getting some “posterior” ink wasn’t her making the “We Found Love” video (more of) a reality.

Read on for more! Read More...

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'30 Rock' Set To Tackle Tracy Morgan's Anti-Gay Rant In Upcoming Episode

Posted 1/12/12 9:34 am EST by in Television


Tracy Morgan

It's easily the most self-referential show on television, so it should come as no surprise that "30 Rock" is set to tackle head on the controversy that erupted last summer after star Tracy Morgan made a series of violent homophobic comments during a Nashville comedy show.

During a June 3 standup comedy show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, Morgan proclaimed that he would stab his own son if he were gay, criticized the media for promoting a gay agenda, said lesbians were just women who were angry at men and dismissed the wave of anti-gay bullying, which was at the time making headlines following a series of teen suicides, "insignificant."

Following a massive public backlash, the comedian apologized, saying, "I want to apologize to my fans and the gay and lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville," Morgan said. "I'm not a hateful person and don't condone any kind of violence against others. While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context." Soon thereafter, Morgan teamed up with GLAAD for its "Amplify Your Voice" anti-bullying public service campaign, met with gay teens at New York's Ali Forney Center, the nation's largest organization serving homeless LGBT youth, and traveled to Nashville to apologize to audience members offended by his rant.

Now, rather than pretend nothing ever happened, "30 Rock" creator Tina Fey is set to incorporate the incident into an upcoming episode, according to MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, who makes a cameo appearance on the show. "Well, you know how a lot of their episodes mirror their lives. They've incorporated [Morgan's rant] into the Tracy Jordan storyline," Roberts, who is openly gay, told the Huffington Post of the episode. "Liz Lemon writes Tracy's apology on the show and says he's not a homophobe, he's an idiot. That offends idiots, so while NBC is being picketed by the LBGT community, now it's also being picketed by idiots led by Denise Richards. She's the leader of the idiots."

It's a tricky subject for the very-meta "30 Rock" to tackle, but we have faith in Fey, who was as outraged as everyone else by Morgan's comments. Read More...

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A Brief Recent History Of Celebrities Saying Anti-Gay Things Then Apologizing On Twitter

Posted 6/23/11 4:15 pm EST by in Activism, Gay Rights, Twitter


Chris Brown is the latest celebrity to issue a Twitter mea culpa to the LGBT community after using a gay slur. On Tuesday, the singer lashed out at photographers in Los Angeles after getting a ticket for parking illegally, saying, "Y'all n***as is weak. Did you call them to try and film me. Y'all n***as is gay!"

He joins The Voice judges Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton, both of whom have had to do that same thing in the last month or so.

In his apology, Brown said, “I have total respect for gay community and my intention was not to insult anyone in it.” We might even almost believe Brown if we hadn’t been down this road with him before. In late December, Brown attacked former B2K singer Raz-B on Twitter after he made a critical comment, saying, “N***a you want attention! Grow up n***a!!! D**k in da booty ass lil boy.”

He apologized then too, and all was forgiven. Whatever.

Because there’s no more modern way to convey that you didn’t mean to reinforce hate and encourage violence against an entire segment of the population like a 140-character or less explanation of your actions, the Twitter apology is the new thing. Read More...

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Behind The Scenes With Rick Ross, Ghostface And Ludacris At 'Hip-Hop Honors' Rehearsal

Posted 9/23/09 2:52 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, Music


By Hillary Crosley

Who knew a record label started in a New York University dorm room could become so successful? Apparently Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin. The two created Def Jam Records 25 years ago, and it's become one of hip-hop's premiere labels, housing some of the brightest stars, with Nas, LL Cool J, etc etc among the artists in its legendary catalogue. So it's no surprise that "VH1's Hip Hop Honors" is celebrating the storied label this year.

MTV News checked out the rehearsal for the big show, which tapes on Wednesday night (September 23) at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and airs on October 13. For the third year in a row, Tracy Morgan will serve as host. Morgan's comedy skits appear between behind-the-scenes interviews with Jay-Z, Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman Antonio "LA" Reid, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin and former Def Jam executives Lyor Cohen, Julie Greenwald and Kevin Liles.

Public Enemy, the Roots and Street Sweeper Social Club (comprised of Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello and the Coup's Boots Riley) practiced for their performance first. Ashanti followed, reuniting for two jams with her longtime partner-in-crime Ja Rule. Rule looked and sounded just as he did in 2001. Ashanti even helped out Rule on one song, rapping his lyrics in a faux-gravely voice to a giggling set full of dancers.

Up next, Warren G and Trey Songz performed a remix of one of Warren's biggest hits (which we can't reveal). During their performance, Ghostface was sitting at a table taping a segment called "What Would Ghostface Do?" where MCs stop by and ask Ghost for advice. As he wrapped up a session with Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes, Ghost spotted Warren G and gave him a big hello. Meanwhile, Travis went back to hosting a VH1 trivia segment where all of the performers are quizzed on their Def Jam history. Who knows their hip-hop math? Let's just say that Rick Ross might be the subject's star pupil.

Back on the stage, Ludacris (who'd just gotten off a plane) hopped on stage with Southern rap legend Scarface for two cuts that you haven't heard in awhile. Read More...

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Tracy Morgan Says Michael Jackson Was A Big '30 Rock' Fan

Posted 7/13/09 5:28 pm EST by in Music


Over the weekend, MTV Movies editor Josh Horowitz sat down with former "SNL" castmember Tracy Morgan to talk about his new movie "G-Force." Morgan was wearing a Michael Jackson tribute shirt during the interview, and Morgan admitted that while he never met Jackson, he felt he had connected with him. "I felt like I was this close to meeting him. I'm quite sure I made him laugh," Morgan said. "I heard that he used to watch '30 Rock' religiously." Morgan added that Jackson wasn't the only famous fan he's encountered. "Diddy wants to be on [the show]," he said. So when might we see Mr. Combs joining Salma Hayek, LL Cool J and Oprah? "You have to talk to Tina. It's not my show!"

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