Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony perform during the Western Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center
Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

By midnight, the stage at the Western States Inauguration Ball had seen more canoodling couples than a small-town lovers' lane. At around 11 p.m., Vice President Joe Biden and wife Jill embraced in a ceremonial inaugural dance. Near midnight, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle grooved together on the same floor. But hours earlier, in a surprise guest appearance, Jennifer Lopez cuddled with hubby Marc Anthony on that very same stage.

Tuesday night's celebrations were divided by geographic region, and this party was for all things West — from America's rugged wilderness to chichi California. Hollywood types like director Ron Howard shared the floor with Montana cowboys. One rancher, Brett DeBruycker, was a president himself — of the Montana Cattleman's Association. "There's more people in this room than in my entire state," he laughed.

Held in the cavernous basement of the Washington Convention Center, the ball didn't have much to offer guests by way of entertainment for the long hours leading up to the arrivals of the presidential couples. A shimmying cover band played the hits, lines for cocktails stretched for miles, and some deflated guests slumped on the floor in their voluminous ball gowns.

To the rescue came Anthony, the star performer of the night. Anthony pumped out Latin music, telling the crowd repeatedly, "You know, it's OK to dance." He took a breather with the slow song "You Sang to Me." "I wrote this song for Jennifer about 10 years ago," he said. "It didn't work back then, but eventually ... she got the point."

To prove that point, Anthony's muse herself stunned the crowd when she unexpectedly strutted onstage, wearing a white chiffon asymmetrical dress (a bling-free version of Michelle Obama's dazzling wonder). Crushing rumors about their marriage being on the rocks, Lopez and her husband salsa-ed together during a duet in Spanish and closed the number with a kiss. As the crowd cheered his wife, Anthony couldn't help but gush: "Man, she's cute."

Another gusher was Tyra Banks, who alternately poured out her love for Barack Obama and Nicole Miller, who designed her brown evening gown "from scratch." Obama's decision to appear on her talk show last year personally affected the model, she said. "I was nervous. He validated me as a journalist," she said. "He made me feel proud of my accomplishments."

After the Latin interlude, the army of ball-goers stood at attention for hours, waiting for the brief appearance of the Bidens and Obamas, who were scheduled to pop into each of the 10 official balls that evening. In the packed crowd, more than four people collapsed and at least two had to be removed on a stretcher. A young law student who fainted begged paramedics not to carry her out on a gurney: "It will be so embarrassing!"

Despite some hairy moments, and the dreary tedium of waiting, the appearance of Joe and flame-red-clad Jill Biden got the crowd back on its feet again. Biden's humble comment that "now you're gonna see how I can't dance" didn't stop the thousands of onlookers from cheering as the vice-presidential couple swayed in each other's arms. But it was nothing compared to the response Obama and his wife garnered when they twirled and hugged on the dance floor. Obama's simple "hello" was met with a deafening response, and when his hands lowered to the first lady's hips, oohs and aahs filled the air.

Though he stepped on her train, Obama may have made it up to his wife with his closing comments. Michelle, he said, "Does everything I do, but she does it in heels." With a wave, he turned with one last message to the audience: "Let's go change America."

Watch "Be the Change: Live From the Inaugural" online now, and come back Thursday for the full performances from Kanye West, Kid Rock and Fall Out Boy. Stick with us for wall-to-wall coverage of the inauguration and of the scenes in Washington, D.C., New Orleans and Kenya.

• 'Be The Change: Live From The Inaugural' Full Show
• Jay-Z On The Eve Of The Inauguration: MTV News RAW
• The Presidential Inauguration Of Barack Obama

• 2009 Inauguration Week Events Celebrating Barack Obama
• Barack Obama's Inauguration Ceremony

• Marc Anthony
• Jennifer Lopez

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez (file)
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images

According to People magazine, Jennifer Lopez gave birth early Friday (February 22) to twins, making the pop star and actress a first-time mom.

The babies — a girl and a boy, delivered in that order — were born on Long Island, New York, and weighed in at 5 pounds and 7 ounces, and 6 pounds, respectively. The newborns are husband Marc Anthony's third and fourth children.

Lopez's pregnancy was once a closely guarded, yet poorly kept, secret that provided ample ammunition for rampant online media speculation — that is, until Lopez confirmed her pregnancy back in November, during a concert in Miami. It was the last stop on the couple's joint U.S. tour, and the last of a sold-out three-night stand.

"Marc and I are expecting a baby," she told the crowd at the packed American Airlines Arena. "We didn't want to say anything before because we didn't want to take away from the tour. This is a special time in our lives. And we waited until the last show to tell you." She then added that the couple would now "go away for a while."

According to reports, Lopez's public pregnancy announcement caught her husband off-guard. When the pop star broke the news, she turned to her husband and said, "I hope you don't mind." Anthony reportedly shrugged his shoulders, caressed Lopez's belly and leaned over to kiss it, saying, "No, I don't mind at all. ... I didn't know she was going to talk."

Earlier this month, her father, David Lopez, spilled the beans about the singer expecting twins during an appearance on Spanish-language station TeleFutura's "Escandalo TV."

"Jennifer and Marc are delighted, thrilled and over the moon," Lopez's manager Simon Fields told People. Lopez, 39, and Anthony, 38, were married in 2004.

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

Lindsay Lohan on the cover of <i>New York</i> magazine
Photo: Bert Stern

Lindsay Lohan has done some racy photo shoots in the past, but she takes it to a whole new level in New York magazine to pay tribute to her idol. The recently rehabbed actress re-created Marilyn Monroe's famous "Last Sitting" nude pictorial for the mag's spring fashion issue with the shoot's original photographer, Bert Stein. So was she nervous about getting in front of the camera wearing nothing but a chiffon scarf? "I was comfortable with it," she told New York, though she admitted to doing "250 crunches" the previous night. On set for Lohan's revealing re-creation was a small entourage of her manager; her security guard; a makeup artist and assistant; a hairstylist and assistant; a stylist; a manicurist; a sentry posted to guard the on-loan diamonds; the photographer and his manager; two photo assistants; and the actress' younger sister, Ali. (By comparison, Stern's original shoot with Monroe was just him and his subject). "Here's a woman who is giving herself to the public," Lohan said of the original photos. "She's saying, 'Look, you've taken a lot from me, so why don't I give it to you myself.' She's taking control back." ...

After taking home five Grammys at least week's awards, Amy Winehouse will appear at the Brit Awards in London Wednesday night, her publicist confirmed. The performance will be Winehouse's first appearance on a British television program since she left a London rehab clinic two weeks ago. ...

Indie powerhouse TVT Records, home to rap stars Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins, will file for bankruptcy protection, label head Steve Gottleib announced Tuesday. According to Billboard, the New York company will continue to operate, but a number of staff members have been let go, and several acts, though not confirmed as of press time, will become free agents. The Gottleib-founded TVT rose to prominence in the '80s after releasing rock albums by Nine Inch Nails and made larger strides beginning in the '90s with its roster of hip-hop acts. Recent legal battles with Def Jam Records and Slip-N-Slide over projects by Ja Rule and Pitbull before each gained notoriety zapped TVT of millions of dollars. ... "Dancing With the Stars" typically appeals to an older demographic, but Mario hopes to bring his young fans to the competition. The R&B crooner will join "American Pie" star Shannon Elizabeth, Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, Olympic gold medalist Kristy Yamaguchi and more on the reality show's new season, which kicks off March 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. ...

The producers of "American Idol" have teamed up with Apple's iTunes Store, giving "Idol" fans the chance to purchase music by their favorite contestants before the show's winner is crowned. Starting this week, iTunes will offer downloads of every performance from the top 24 semifinalists, for 99 cents; full videos of the final 12 contestants will be offered for $1.99 beginning March 12. iTunes will also allow customers to pre-order tracks from a given contestant for automatic download the day after "Idol" airs. One-click access to the store is being made available from the show's official Web site. ... "American Idol" victor Jordin Sparks will be the opening act on Alicia Keys' upcoming North American tour, which kicks off April 19 in Hampton, Virginia. The tour concludes June 18 with a performance at New York's Madison Square Garden. ...

They haven't even been born yet, but Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's twins might already be earning some cash. People magazine reportedly shelled out up to $6 million for the first crack at photos of the babies, while OK! struck an exclusive deal for international rights to the pictures, according to AdAge magazine. However, People and the stars' reps denied that these deals are final. ... Heidi Klum to the rescue! According to an AP report, the model and "Project Runway" host wants to help Britney Spears and said she'd be willing to open her home to the troubled pop star while she tries to put her life back together. "She can call me and come live in our house with us for a couple of months," Klum said. "I would help set her straight. I am sorry when a young person gets thrown so off-track. She has, of course, lived an extremely wild life." No word on whether Spears will take her up on the offer. ...

According to The Associated Press, the Spice Girls' tour-bus driver assisted police in the arrest of a Michigan man, who is the chief suspect in a carjacking. Police told the wire service that the bus driver called 911 to report a possible drunk driver weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 75, just outside of Detroit, on Saturday. (The Spice Girls were performing that night in nearby Auburn Hills.) The motorist was arrested and turned over to police in the town of Burton in connection with a carjacking at a gas station. Police did not identify the Spice Girls' bus driver or the man who was arrested. ...

Pink's marriage might be ending, but her movie career is still moving forward. She shot "Catacombs" several years ago, and now the horror film will finally see the light of day — or, at least, the DVD shelf — when it is released in video stores Tuesday (February 19). "It takes place in Paris," Pink told MTV News when she first shot the movie. "I'm an expatriate who moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne, but I dropped out, because I like to party, and my friends run all these underground parties in the Paris tunnels, where they have all these ancient remains of people. And people actually do party underground there. It's all true. It's pretty amazing and intricate, actually." Pink's character then invites her younger sister (played by Shannyn Sossamon) to come and visit, and because her sib is "very high-anxiety, an annoying nervous wreck," Pink decides to invite her to the catacomb parties to "mess with her a little bit. It's all about family ties and how evil we can be to our siblings and what we get for doing that," Pink said. Despite the film's locale, she only shot in the City of Lights for four days, and the rest of "Catacombs" was actually shot in Bucharest, Romania. "It's cheaper," she shrugged. ...

My Chemical Romance have revealed details of their upcoming tour. The trek will feature openers Billy Talent and Drive By, and get under way March 28 in Tempe, Arizona. Dates are scheduled through May 6 in Philadelphia. ... Green Jellÿ, that long-forgotten mock-metal outfit behind the infectious "Three Little Pigs," have reformed and are in the process of booking a national tour for this summer. The band will also re-release 1991's Cereal Killer and 1994's 333 LPs, along with a DVD of all their videos. For now, Green Jellÿ are scheduled to play the new Milwaukee Metalfest on June 7 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ...

Camp Freddy, the cover band featuring Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, ex-Cult bassist Billy Morrison and Velvet Revolver's Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland, will be taking over Los Angeles' Roxy Theatre "every Thursday night during the month of May for our very first residency," the band reports. "Each week we will perform a different set list, and the evening's performance will culminate with two or three songs featuring our very special guests of the night. We will not be advertising these guests in advance. The band will be joined each week by our good friend and longtime Camp Freddy cohort [Sugar Ray's] Mark McGrath." ...

On Saturday, Bury Your Dead guitarist Eric Ellis was attacked by six individuals following the band's performance at the Rave in Milwaukee. Ellis was held at gunpoint while the men hit him multiple times with a baseball bat and hammer. Local police have characterized the incident as a "gang initiation." Despite his injuries, Ellis and the rest of the band will continue on with their tour alongside Hellyeah. "It will take more than this to stop Bury Your Dead," the band said in a statement. ...

Ska-punk act Goldfinger will return April 22 with Hello Destiny, which will be issued by Side One Dummy Records. The album follows 2005's Disconnect Notice and will feature founding guitarist Charlie Paulsen, who parted ways with the band in 1997. ... Portland, Maine, rockers 6Gig will be reuniting for two hometown gigs. The shows are set for April 25 and April 26, at the Big Easy. ... Foxy Shazam will be hitting the road with Portugal. the Man starting March 17 in El Paso, Texas. The trek runs through March 27 in San Francisco. ...

Underoath have tapped Matt Goldman and Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz to produce their forthcoming album, which they've written eight songs for so far and will begin recording in about a month. Meanwhile, the band's "Live" CD/DVD set will hit stores May 13.

2.15.08

Alicia Keys took home four trophies from the NAACP Image Awards, held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium Thursday night. She won the Outstanding Album and Outstanding Female Artist prizes, as well as the top video and song awards. Other honorees included Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, Denzel Washington and Janet Jackson. Washington and his "Great Debaters" co-star Jurnee Smollett won the Best Actor and Actress prizes for film, while Jackson received the Best Supporting Actress honor for her work in "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" ...

As Britney Spears' father extended control over her affairs in Los Angeles on Thursday, a New York attorney attempted to undo them by taking the conservatorship to federal court. Claiming he represents the singer — despite a judge already deciding she's unable to retain counsel of her own just yet — attorney Jon Eardley filed a claim that the singer's conservatorship deprives her of her civil liberties, since she's been denied the right to meet freely with whom she chooses (as her father has the power to restrict visitors); make and receive phone calls (since a restraining order prevents manager Sam Lutfi from contacting her); drive a car (since her father hired security to do that for her); and gain access to money or credit cards (since her finances are being handled by her trust). "She is being confined ... to the private person of her own home," the suit reads. Eardley is represented by Lutfi's publicist, Michael Sands, who claims that the motion moves jurisdiction from Los Angeles Superior Court to the U.S. District Court, and voids the conservatorship: "Britney Spears has no conservatorship!" he said in a press release. However, the Los Angeles Superior Court responded, "This is an issue that will have to be litigated by the parties." ...

Paramore and Jimmy Eat World have rolled out dates for their much-anticipated co-headlining tour. The 20-date outing will take them from San Antonio on April 1 to Atlantic City, New Jersey, on May 2, with stops in California, Iowa, New York and elsewhere along the way. ...

Eddie Vedder has sketched out the itinerary for his first-ever solo tour, which he will stage in support of his Grammy-nominated "Into the Wild" soundtrack, according to Billboard.com. The Pearl Jam frontman will swing through Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 2, after which he'll play a smattering of shows in various California cities: Santa Cruz (April 5), Berkeley (April 7), Santa Barbara (April 10), Los Angeles (April 12-13) and San Diego (April 15). ... The Raconteurs are wrapping up their yet-untitled sophomore effort in Nashville, according to a recent post on their MySpace page. The post wasn't forthcoming with more details, although it did say, "They promise to release [the LP] as soon as they can." ...

U2 frontman Bono and British artist Damien Hirst raised $42 million for HIV/AIDS programs in Africa at a Sotheby's auction in New York on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. The (Red) Auction, co-organized by the Gagosian Gallery, sold pieces from some of the world's top contemporary artists. Sotheby's said model Christy Turlington bought a piece for $170,500. "We got serious about love, and not just the love of art, but the love of our brothers and sisters suffering from AIDS in the poorest places on the planet," Bono said, according to BBC News. ...

Coheed and Cambria, Incubus and Disturbed have been added to the roster for this year's Download Festival in England (June 13-15). They join a lineup that already features Kiss, Judas Priest, the Offspring, Motörhead, H.I.M, Children of Bodom, Rise Against, Lostprophets, Alter Bridge and In Flames. ... Aerosmith are starring in a new edition of "Guitar Hero" called, er, "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith." Due in the summer, the game will feature 30 or so songs by the Boston legends, as well as ones by bands that have opened for Steven Tyler's crew. ...

Chan Marshall — better known as Cat Power — has bulked up her tour schedule in support of her recently released album, Jukebox, according to Pitchfork. Following an April 10 show in Vancouver, British Columbia, she will hit up Seattle the following day and continue playing gigs through an April 20 show at Austin, Texas' South by Southwest fest. Two days later, she'll perform in Houston, after which she'll journey down to Mexico City for an April 23 performance. ... The National — whose last album, Boxer, made many critics' top 10 lists last year — have slipped out a live EP through Rhapsody, Pitchfork reports. The release, called Rhapsody Rocks NYC, contains four songs recorded at New York's CMJ Music Marathon last year. ...

Butch Walker has slapped together a new live album, but in case you're running low on funds these days, don't worry — he's posted the 24-track effort for free download at FriendsorEnemies.com. Devout fans can get the release with bonus tracks for $5.99. ... Portishead have firmed up their first album in 10 years. Third will drop April 29 and feature 11 songs, including "Nylon Smile," "Magic Doors" and "The Rip." ...

Yoko Ono has denied reports that she was planning legal action against singer Lennon Murphy, who has sought to trademark the name of her band, Lennon. In a letter to the technology blog BoingBoing, Ono explained that several years ago, Lennon Murphy sought Ono's permission to perform under her birth name, Lennon Murphy, which Ono did not object to. But later, without Ono's knowledge, the singer reportedly filed an application in the U.S. Trademark Office requesting the exclusive right to utilize the name "Lennon" for musical performances. Ono's attorneys asked Murphy's lawyers and manager to withdraw the registration, offering to cover all costs Murphy had incurred in filing for the trademark. When Murphy went ahead with the registration anyway, Ono said she did not sue Murphy, but had her attorneys notify the trademark office that Ono did not believe it was fair that Murphy be granted the exclusive right to the Lennon trademark for musical and entertainment services. Ono wrote, "I am really hurt if people thought that I told a young artist to not use her own name in her performances and had sought to sue her. I did no such thing. I hope this allegation will be cleared." ...

Borders Books is trying a new method to appeal to music downloaders. According to a press release, the retailer will roll out 14 new concept stores this year featuring "digital centers" that will allow customers to burn CDs and download music and books to most MP3 players, though not to iPods.

• Lindsay Lohan
• Amy Winehouse
• Britney Spears
• Spice Girls
• My Chemical Romance

Jessica Sierra
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

After a legal snafu that almost landed her back behind bars, former "American Idol" finalist Jessica Sierra is on her way to a rehab facility in California again. According to Florida Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi, the troubled singer — who was ordered to spend a year in the Pasadena Recovery Center as a result of her recent arrest on disorderly intoxication charges — had her emergency probation transfer order rejected by the California Department of Probation. That resulted in the awkward situation of Sierra, 22, being out of jail but unable to begin rehab. "She was supposed to get on a plane yesterday, but the probation department in California wouldn't accept her transfer on an expedited basis because they take up to 45 days to review requests, so we had the unfortunate situation of a pregnant addict on the streets," Bondi said. Luckily, Sierra was able to get back into court Thursday (January 10), and the judge in the case gave her permission to travel immediately with her dad to Los Angeles and get picked up by a representative from the Center, where she will be allowed to stay until the probation transfer is approved. ...

The fallout from Britney Spears' hospitalization continues, as a Maloof Productions spokesperson confirmed to MTV News that a reality show with former Spears associate Alli Sims is no longer "moving forward." Sims had hoped to do a reality show demonstrating what her daily life is like in Hollywood — including occasional appearances by her cousin, friend and former employer. A source close to the production said nothing had been taped yet, not even a pilot, and that Sims was only in the early stages of talks, with no deal yet struck with the Maloofs, who own the Sacramento Kings and Las Vegas' Palms Casino Resort, a frequent Spears haunt. But right now, the source said, "Britney needs to heal. She doesn't need another reality show." Spears last appeared in the reality program "Chaotic," which featured the early stages of her courtship with Kevin Federline. ...

Mischa Barton has spoken out about her recent arrest for DUI and drug possession. The English actress told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show Thursday morning, "Obviously, I am 100 percent responsible for my actions, and I am really disappointed in myself. I am not perfect, and I don't ever intend to do something that stupid again." The former "O.C." star, who was also arrested for driving without a valid license, added, "I usually try not to get behind the wheel." ... Despite protesting that the case was baseless, Avril Lavigne has reached a settlement with 1970s rock band the Rubinoos over claims that her hit "Girlfriend" plagiarized their 1979 single, "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." The Canadian Press reports that a confidential settlement has been reached with the Rubinoos, who have agreed to drop their claims, but that the settlement does not necessarily indicate an admission of copyright infringement. ...

Here's one for the adults — T.I., the Shins and Daft Punk are among the artists participating in this year's installment of Playboy's Rock the Rabbit. The roster of musicians — which also includes Duran Duran, Iggy Pop and Hot Chip — will appear in the magazine's March issue and help create limited-edition T-shirt designs that will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to Rock the Vote. ... Jennifer Lopez's "Bordertown," which was widely panned by critics who caught early screenings of it, is headed straight to DVD. The film is about a reporter, played by Lopez, who investigates a series of murders of young female factory workers in Mexico. She also produced the movie, which will hit stores January 29. ... Jim Jones, Raekwon, Redman, Green Lantern and Papoose have piled onto Pete Rock's new LP, Billboard reports. The iTunes version of NY's Finest, which is due February 26, will reportedly also have a bonus track featuring Slum Village. Meanwhile, "914" — one of the B-side songs that will accompany the first single, "We Roll" (featuring Jones) — has featured guest spots by Styles P and Sheek Louch. ...

We don't normally report on hairstyles — except when the most famous black beehive in the world suddenly gets chopped and bleached. Pictures are circulating of Amy Winehouse's new 'do, which is a stark change from the style that helped make the soul singer famous. ... "High School Musical" star Ashley Tisdale is slated to make her feature-film debut in a comedy about a group of teens who defend their vacation home from an alien attack. The Hollywood Reporter reports that production on "They Came From Upstairs" will start next month in New Zealand, with a cast that also includes Robert Hoffman ("Step Up 2 the Streets"), Carter Jenkins ("Viva Laughlin") and Austin Butler ("Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide"). ...

On Thursday, MySpace announced the launch of its new MySpace Celebrity hub, which will feature pop-culture news, blogs, videos and events. Among the 300 celebrities who have profiles on the new hub are Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, "Juno" star Ellen Page, Ashton Kutcher, "The Hills" star Audrina Patridge and Hayden Panettiere. ... Radiohead are taking to the airwaves again, this time to fill in on BBC Radio 1 for host Zane Lowe while he's away on holiday, Pitchfork reports. The band, which webcast live studio performances earlier this year, will be on BBC Radio 1 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. U.K. time on January 17. ... Marilyn Manson and estranged bassist Twiggy Ramirez have made up. According to a statement from the group, Ramirez has rejoined Manson for the band's upcoming North American tour, following the split of bassist Tim Skold. ...

Unreleased tune-age from Feist, Bloc Party, Of Montreal, Deerhoof and Muse is scattered across a new charity release benefiting Energy Action Coalition, which helps support and strengthen the youth clean-energy movement in North America. The Green Owl Comp: A Benefit for the Energy Action Coalition, which consists of a CD and DVD, is due April 8. ... The Fader has an unlikely new executive editor in Chris Richards, who was previously a guitarist/singer for post-punk band Q and Not U. He previously covered music for The Washington Post. ... Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds will release their next album, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, on April 8, and have revealed the album's track list. The record will feature 11 songs, including "Night of the Lotus Eaters," "Lie Down Here (& Be My Girl)" and "Jesus of the Moon." ...

Some of late Godfather of Soul James Brown's personal possessions are being appraised for auction to help pay some of the state taxes owed by his estate. The Associated Press reports that attorneys would not say exactly what items are on the block, or how much the estate owes in taxes, but some reports said the rights to some of Brown's songs could be among the items up for bid.

1.9.08

Jennifer Lopez says she was pretty sure people had put two and two together about her pregnancy before she formally announced it. "I was on tour with a bubble gut!" the singer/actress recently told Harper's Bazaar for its February cover story. Lopez, who has a new fragrance on the way, also glowed about husband Marc Anthony, saying, "He made me realize you can be an artist, and have credibility and success, without your life being on public display 24 hours a day." The issue hits stands Tuesday. ...

A parole hearing for Michael Derderian — co-owner of the Station nightclub in Rhode Island, where a fire during a Great White concert claimed the lives of 100 people in February 2003 — was held Wednesday evening (January 9), according to The Associated Press, but a decision won't be handed down until January 16. Relatives of some of the victims reportedly challenged Derderian's possible parole at the hearing, calling him a greedy businessman who put money before safety. "Michael Derderian violated a sacred code of ethics by not providing a safe haven for his patrons. In addition, he has shown absolutely no remorse," said William C. Bonardi, who lost his son in the fire, according to AP. Derderian became parole-eligible after serving 16 months of his four-year prison sentence. The fire was sparked by the show's onstage pyrotechnics, which ignited the venue's flammable soundproofing foam. In September 2006, Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey, pleaded no contest to involuntary-manslaughter charges. Jeffrey Derderian was sentenced to 500 hours of community service and was spared time behind bars. Daniel Biechele, Great White's tour manager and the man who set off the pyrotechnics, was granted parole from his four-year sentence in September and will be released in two months. The parole board plans to meet privately with Derderian in prison before handing down the decision. ...

Prodigy's prison term on a charge of gun possession has been pushed back to allow doctors time to produce records documenting the Mobb Deep rapper's sickle cell anemia, according to New York's Daily News. The MC (real name: Albert Johnson) was supposed to start a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, for which he was indicted in October, on Wednesday, but a New York judge said doctors need more time to gather medical records, Daily News reports. The judge will reportedly talk to state officials about assigning Prodigy to a prison where he would be able to get easy access to medical treatment for sickle cell anemia, which is an incurable blood disorder that can lead to stroke and organ damage. Earlier this month, Prodigy announced plans to issue his second solo album while behind bars. H.N.I.C. Part 2 is due in March. ...

Radiohead will tour North America soon — we just don't know when. All we do know is where. The band's publicist released a list of the cities Radiohead will hit on their tour, but they've yet to issue the stretch's dates or any venue information. The trek will make stops in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Seattle, Philadelphia and San Francisco, among other cities. ... Christina Aguilera will release "Back to Basics - Live and Down Under," a 90-minute DVD chronicling her world tour's stops in Sydney, Australia, in July. The February 5 effort will feature 18 live cuts, including "Ain't No Other Man," "Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" and, of course, "What a Girl Wants." The DVD will also boast interviews with Christina's dancers, husband Jordan Bratman and Christina herself. ...

Justin Timberlake, Johnny Depp and Katherine Heigl came away with People's Choice Awards on Tuesday in a pre-taped program hosted by Queen Latifah. JT nabbed three trophies, while Jack Sparrow earned the Favorite Male Movie Star prize and the "Grey's Anatomy" actress landed the Favorite Female TV Star honor. As for the show itself, it absolutely tanked — 5.3 million fewer viewers tuned in this year than last. ... T-Pain, former Pretty Ricky singer Pleasure, Jazze Pha and Mannie Fresh have lent their skills to Dem Franchize Boyz's second effort, Da Point of No Return. The disc drops March 25 and is preceded by its first single, the wackily titled "Talkin' Out Da Side of Ya Neck!" ...

Kanye West posted a still image of the next video from Graduation, "Flashing Lights," on his blog Tuesday. In the post, 'Ye didn't give many details about the video, though he did write that he recently returned from Denmark, where he met with the director, whom he didn't name. ... Chicago MCs Lupe Fiasco and Rhymefest debated the merits of Democratic presidential hopeful Illinois Senator Barack Obama online recently. In an interview with SOHH.com, Fiasco expressed his dismay over the voting system and revealed that he wasn't going to vote in the upcoming election. If he did, however, he said he would punch his ballet for New York Senator Hillary Clinton. "Obama doesn't really impress me like that," Lupe said. 'Fest countered that his colleague was being irresponsible with his comments. He posted on his MySpace blog that the skateboarding rapper should be a bit more informed when speaking publicly about elections. "Please, do not let your arrogance be the fuel for your ignorance," Rhymefest wrote. ...

Silverstein — who count only vegetarians among their ranks — have been named Best Animal-Friendly Band in peta2's second annual Libby Awards. Scary Kids Scaring Kids, who have previously teamed with peta2; Rise Against; record labels Victory and Epitaph; and the Vans Warped Tour were also recognized for their various furry efforts. ... A pair of Pantera fans are trying to get a life-size statue commemorating late guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott erected in Texas. The Dime Statue in Dallas Foundation has already pulled in more than a grand for the project — go here for more info. ...

PJ Harvey just put out a new studio LP, White Chalk, in October, but that's not stopping the chanteuse from slapping together another one for release this year. She is reconvening with English multi-instrumentalist and songwriter John Parish for a yet-untitled effort that will be the follow-up to their joint 1996 disc, Dance Hall at Louse Point. Harvey has also sketched out five performances in Australia and New Zealand in February, as well as a March 9 show in Rome. ... Broken Social Scene have broken out their plans for a globe-trotting trek that will take them from New Zealand to Australia, Japan, Singapore and, finally, England. In the latter country, the crafty Canucks will play May 16 at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that is being curated by Explosions in the Sky. ...

Yellowcard have been enlisted to perform for U.S. soldiers stationed in the Persian Gulf. The rockers' first-ever tour with the United Service Organizations also sees them signing autographs and hanging out with the troops. "This tour isn't just a treat for them but also for us," frontman Ryan Key said in a press release. ... Less Than Jake want to make sure you haven't forgotten about some of their early releases. The ska-punk band — which has full control and ownership of its back catalog — has formed its own label, Sleep It Off, and plans to re-release a bunch of titles March 18: two albums (1995's Pezcore and 1996's Losers, Kings, and Things We Don't Understand), a rarities comp (2002's Goodbye White & Blue) and a DVD (2004's "The People's History of Less Than Jake"). ... Punk band Anti-Flag have set an April 1 release date for their next album, The Bright Lights of America. The album was helmed by producer Tony Visconti (T. Rex, David Bowie), and it marks Visconti's first foray into punk production. ...

Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones concert flick finally has a name and new release date. "Shine a Light," which had previously been due in late August, will now roll into theaters April 4. ... Forty years ago, Johnny Cash made music history at Folsom Prison. Now, an upcoming tribute hailing the late icon has received the death penalty. Less than 48 hours after promoters announced plans to honor the Man in Black's legacy with a concert marking his Folsom anniversary, the show has been scrapped. Citing security and recording-rights concerns, officials at the California prison shot down the idea Monday night. The event had planned to feature several members of the backing band from 1968's At Folsom Prison, regarded by some as the greatest live album ever recorded.

• Jessica Sierra
• Amy Winehouse
• Avril Lavigne
• The Rubinoos
• Ashley Tisdale

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez announce Lopez's pregnancy onstage in Miami, Florida on Wednesday
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

The second-worst-kept baby bump in music has finally been confirmed. Just a week after Christina Aguilera spilled the beans on her long-rumored pregnancy, Jennifer Lopez 'fessed up to her own impending motherhood, breaking the obvious news that she and husband Marc Anthony are expecting their first child together. The announcement came during a gig at Miami's American Airlines Arena Wednesday night, according to The Associated Press, in the middle of the final show on the couple's joint U.S. tour.

"We didn't want to say anything before because we didn't want to take away from the tour, but Marc and I are expecting," Lopez, 38, told the crowd on the last night of a sold-out three-night stand.

Lopez did not say when she is due, but speculation has been stirring for months about her growing belly. Last month, designer Robert Cavalli seemingly inadvertently confirmed the pregnancy when asked a question by People magazine about the types of clothing he designs for celebrities. "Well, Jennifer Lopez, at this moment, she requests something very special because she is waiting for the baby," he said. "It is so complicated because every week she is getting bigger."

While fans probably weren't shocked about the announcement, it seemed to catch Anthony, 39, a bit off-guard, according to reports. After Lopez broke the news, she turned to her husband of three years and said, "I hope you don't mind."

Anthony shrugged his shoulders, caressed Lopez's belly and leaned over to kiss it, saying, "No, I don't mind at all. ... I didn't know she was going to talk."

One concertgoer told People that "the whole arena went insane" when she broke the news. Lopez thanked the crowd for their support, added, "We are happy too," then turned sideways to show off her new profile.

"This is a special time in our lives," Lopez said from the stage, People reported. "And we waited until the last show to tell you." Now, she added, the couple will "go away for a while."

• Baby Bump Watch: J. Lo, Christina, Gwen, More

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

Jennifer Lopez (file)
Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Want to make Jennifer Lopez cry? Sing to her. That's what a group of schoolchildren in New York's Bronx borough discovered on Tuesday when the singer and her husband, Marc Anthony, popped by PS 36 Unionport School in Castle Hill to kick off their upcoming joint tour, which starts Friday. To welcome the singers to the school — which was across the street from where Lopez grew up on Blackrock Avenue — the children serenaded the couple, who were overtaken with emotion at the gesture.

"I was like, 'Did you see me?' I was crying like a baby," Lopez laughed. "We were both crying like babies."

"I was a hot mess," Anthony said.

"He had glasses on, but me? I was like, 'Eeeee,' " Lopez said. "I was trying to hold it back, too."

Lopez and Anthony are donating part of the proceeds from their 19-date trek to ING's school-fitness program for kids, Run for Something Better, with funds to go to select schools with high Latino enrollment. The couple also tied orange shoelaces around their wrists to demonstrate they're "tied" to supporting fit kids, and fighting obesity and diabetes.

"We look at you and we see ourselves," Lopez told the children. "I can remember doing little songs at school and being onstage and dreaming of great things. And seeing all of you so full of beauty and life and energy, and knowing how far you can go, it still touches my heart."

Lopez is trying to go even farther herself — to begin with, by going on tour. In all her years of recording, this marks her first outing. "I've tried to plan a tour so many times," she previously told MTV News in 2005, when she announced she was gearing up for a trek (which didn't materialize). "Because of the fact that I work in film, it's been hard. It's been hard to map out that amount of time to really do it right."

Doing it right — or doing it well, as she sings in her new single — means balancing her new album, Brave, out October 9, with her back catalog.

"I'm going to do a couple of new songs, obviously from this album, and also from my Spanish album [Como Ama una Mujer], and then of course my old, kinda standard hits," Lopez said. "This is the first time, so a lot of my fans haven't gotten to see me at all perform these songs, so I'm going to try to pick all the best ones that they want to see. But you never know."

"It's just a monster show," Anthony said. "As we creep up to it, just in a couple days, that's when I'm getting the magnitude of this, you know what I'm saying? I sit back and watch her set, and it's exciting. I'm so proud of her."

"Just for us to be able to do this together, to both be separate artists who have our own kind of, like, songs and repertoire, or whatever you want to call it, our own thing going on, to come together like this, everything takes on a different meaning," Lopez said. "Like what he said about rehearsals, in the numbers, in the lyrics of the songs, all of a sudden, everything's heightened. I don't think we even expected it. As we were putting it together, it was this intangible thing, like, 'What's happening here?' I just can't wait for people to see it. It's going to be intense."

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony tour dates, according to her publicist:

· 9/28 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Trump Taj Mahal
· 9/29 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Trump Taj Mahal
· 10/3 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
· 10/5 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
· 10/7 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
· 10/8 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
· 10/10 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
· 10/12 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
· 10/14 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
· 10/17 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion
· 10/19 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
· 10/20 - Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
· 10/24 - San Diego, CA @ Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl
· 10/26 - Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
· 10/30 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
· 10/31 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
· 11/2 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
· 11/3 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
· 11/4 - Orlando, FL @ Amway Arena

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

Tommy Lee (file)
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

We saw round one of the fight between Tommy Lee and Kid Rock at the VMAs, but what if they really got in the ring? Boxing promoter Bob Arum is hoping to get a legitimate fight off the ground between the two rockers in Las Vegas, according to TMZ. And to sweeten the pot, a $5 million purse will go to the winner. "I will make sure this fight happens no matter what the cost," Arum said. ...

On Thursday in Philadelphia, Bono will be presented with the Liberty Medal by former president George H.W. Bush in recognition of his work to combat poverty and disease in Africa. The medal — and the accompanying $100,000 prize — is being presented by the National Constitution Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the ideas and values of the U.S. Constitution. The ceremony, being held at the National Constitution Center in Philly, will be webcast live starting at 7 p.m. ET at LibertyMedal.org. ...

Ahh, the celebrity life. After Jennifer Lopez's husband Marc Anthony confessed his love for KFC to "Access Hollywood" ("I can't eat anything else after a concert"), the fast-food chain offered up its services to the star couple. "We would like to offer you, your entourage and a few VIP guests an 'all access' pass to the KFC location of your choice," KFC President Gregg Dedrick wrote in an open letter to the pair, according to People magazine. The couple, whose North American tour kicks off September 29 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, didn't immediately respond to the offer. ... What do you buy your pop-star girlfriend who has everything? A Mercedes, of course. Hilary Duff's hockey-player boyfriend, Mike Comrie, surprised the singer/actress with an early present for her 20th birthday. "I opened the garage, and I was just like shocked, just standing there," Duff told People. The New York Islanders player decided on a Mercedes-Benz G-class SUV for Duff. "I've driven it tons," she said of her birthday present. "When I called him I was like, 'You're crazy! It's perfect!' " ...

Apparently, former CBGB owner Hilly Kristal, who died last month, was reportedly worth $3.7 million, according to a story in the Village Voice, and his family members, who thought he was broke, are allegedly at odds over the fortune. The story claims that Kristal's son, Dana, is upset about the way his sister, Lisa Kristal Burgman, allegedly encouraged his mother, Kristal's ex-wife Karen, to sign away her rights to the CBGB corporation in 2005 at a time when she was showing signs of senility and may not have realized what she was signing. Dana was left $100,000 in a trust and Lisa was named co-executor of the will and left all of Kristal's property, the paper reported. ...

Jurors in the Phil Spector trial got back to work Friday (September 21) with a new set of instructions. The judge offered the panel new scenarios Thursday of how Spector might have killed actress Lana Clarkson — including one where the music producer forced Clarkson to put the gun in her own mouth. The defense argued against the new instructions, which came after jurors were deadlocked 7-5. ... Alicia Silverstone's revealing new People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals TV ad has been pulled in Houston, Texas. The vegetarian actress is nearly naked in the commercial, in which she urges people to consider a meatless diet. The spot was directed by Dave Meyers, who has directed more than 180 music videos, including Missy Elliott's "Work It" and "Control Yourself." ...

Seal wrote the song "Wedding Day" for his supermodel wife, Heidi Klum, and now she's returning the favor — by contributing vocals to the song on Seal's new album, System, the singer's rep confirmed to People. The LP is due October 30. ... Gucci Mane will release his third album, Trap-A-Thon, on Tuesday, which includes the original version and remix of the Atlanta rapper's 2006 "Freaky Gurl" and an bonus DVD called "The Glockumentary," which chronicles his 2006 murder trial and beef with Young Jeezy. ...

As if buying tickets to your favorite concerts weren't expensive enough, now it appears some fans are resorting to buying pass codes to fan clubs so they can get in on presale ticket opportunities offered to fan club members, according to the Wall Street Journal. The practice, which includes fan-club members selling the pass codes on eBay and Craigslist for anything from $4 to $20, has angered the people who run the fan clubs, who say it undercuts their attempts to make sure fans have first dibs on tickets.

09.20.07

Snoop Dogg struck a plea deal on Thursday (September 20) in his weapon-possession case stemming from an arrest at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, in September 2006, The Associated Press reports. The rapper (real name: Calvin Broadus) was sentenced to 160 hours of community service and three years' probation, and ordered to make a $10,000 charitable donation. In the September incident, Snoop was found carrying a collapsible baton — while he claimed it was for a video shoot, authorities considered it to be a dangerous weapon. If he doesn't violate the law again, his felony conviction will be reduced to a misdemeanor after one year. "We are very pleased with the outcome," his attorney Donald Etra told AP. "He wants to get on with his life." ...

Game (real name: Jayceon Taylor) was given a conditional discharge on Thursday in the case involving the rapper allegedly impersonating a police officer in New York in November, AP reports. Per Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Marc Whiten's order, if Game is not arrested again within six months, the misdemeanor criminal-impersonation charge will be dismissed. Claiming innocence, Game had rejected previous plea deals that would have kept him out of jail in exchange for a guilty plea. He was arrested after allegedly telling a cab driver he was an undercover cop and instructing him to run red lights, but Game denied that claim and instead argued that the driver decided to run the red lights on his own. Game's lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, pointed out Game's facial tattoo and said it was doubtful the driver would have believed the rapper to be a police officer. "I've never seen a cop with writing all over his face," Game said. ...

First Dr. Dre makes an appearance at the VMAs, and now he's got an interview in the latest issue of GQ — maybe Detox really is on the way. The notoriously reclusive producer appears in the 50th anniversary issue of the men's magazine and, for the first time, goes on record about the rift between his Aftermath artists 50 Cent and Game. "It was definitely a conscious thing," he said of his decision to not speak up in the past about the feud. "This is something that's between labelmates. I've said, 'When you guys are ready to make some music, let's get down. Let's get in the studio.' All that other stuff, that's not for me. This is something they created, so it's something they have to handle. I don't feel like I have to choose a side." Dre also revealed that, at the behest of Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine, he once asked Game not to dis 50 during a New York show. "I knew that this one wasn't gonna go away," he said. "I know these guys, and I know nobody is gonna back down." ...

Gerard Way had some kind words to say to the University of Maine's campus newspaper, The Maine Campus, about Bon Jovi — his band, My Chemical Romance, will open for the rock legends October 25-26 as part of the christening of Newark, New Jersey's Prudential Center. "I grew up as a Bon Jovi fan. Whenever you're dealing with Bon Jovi or Springsteen, it's just a great honor and at that point; it doesn't really matter what genre you play. It really just kind of matters that you're all from New Jersey." Way also had a thing or two to say about MCR being labeled "emo," although his words on that subject weren't so kind. "Emo bands were being booked while we were touring with Christian metal bands because no one would book us on tours. I think emo is f---ing garbage, it's bullsh--. I think there's bands that unfortunately we get lumped in with that are considered emo and by default that starts to make us emo. All I can say is anyone actually listening to the records, put the records next to each other and listen to them and there's actually no similarities. I think emo's a pile of sh--." ...

Yung Joc will perform at the 100th anniversary of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity's Cornell University chapter, according to the campus' paper, The Cornell Daily Sun. The October 12 concert, to be held at the Zeta Beta Tau house, will serve to benefit the Children's Miracle Network, an alliance of hospitals for children. ... Jennifer Lopez has a new album on the brain — Brave, which drops October 9 — but that hasn't stopped her from hooking up with Carlos Santana for a new slice set to be featured on the rock icon's Ultimate Santana collection, due October 16. Baby Bash also surfaces on "This Boy's Fire," which was partly produced by Sean Garrett. Two more previously unreleased collabos — "Into the Night" with Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and "The Game of Love" with Tina Turner — also beef up the best-of disc. ...

Missy Elliott posted a teaser on her Web site announcing that she's back in the lab cooking up a new album that she hopes to release in the spring. No other information was given on the album, which would be her first since 2005's The Cookbook. ... As huge as the Kanye West/ 50 Cent album showdown appeared to be, LP sales are still down 9 percent compared to the same week last year, Billboard reports. ... Tired of seeing Kanye West all over the place? Too bad. The recent Gradu-ee will perform September 29 on "Saturday Night Live." Spoon will play on the show the following week. ...

Sammy Hagar says he wouldn't have toured with the reunited Van Halen without founding bassist Michael Anthony, who has been replaced with Eddie Van Halen's son, Wolfgang Van Halen, for the band's reunion tour with singer David Lee Roth. According to the Web site for Internet radio station KNAC, Hagar said, "I wouldn't do it without Mike. ... If Eddie wants to play with his son, fine. I love my son too, but I got him a different job. ... I just think the fans are gonna walk away with a little bit of a disappointment because Mike's a big part of that band." ... In related news, Van Halen have tossed three more California dates onto their much-anticipated reunion tour, which kicks off September 27 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The band will hit Fresno on November 29, Anaheim on December 18 and will now bring the jaunt to a close in Oakland on December 22. ...

The inaugural Girlfrenzy concert scheduled for October 27 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, California, has been postponed. Though organizers have not given any reason for the show's cancellation, they said in a post on the show's MySpace page that it will be rescheduled for 2008. The show was to feature Avril Lavigne, Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow and Colbie Caillat. ... After three years, Scratch magazine is calling it a day. The hip-hop mag's final issue features 50 Cent and Timbaland on the cover and is due out at the end of September. No reason was given for the magazine's shuttering. ...

The 10th anniversary edition of Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp will get an extra dose of power this year with appearances from Slash, Who singer Roger Daltrey, Vince Neil and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh. Also on the roster for the event, to be held November 7-11 in Las Vegas, are Cream bassist Jack Bruce, as well as members of Iron Maiden, Yes, Steely Dan, Bad Company, Megadeth and Winger. ... Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will give Asbury Park, New Jersey, fans a sneak preview of their upcoming tour in support of their upcoming album Magic, which is due October 2. The Boss has scheduled a pair of benefit shows for Monday and Tuesday night at the Asbury Park Convention Hall, with the $100 tickets selling out almost immediately when they went on sale Thursday morning (September 20), according to the promoter. ...

Gene Simmons, glam-rocker, reality-TV star, magazine entrepreneur and ... science-fiction author? You read it right — the Kiss frontman has penned the first installment of a planned sci-fi series, "Zipper," for release in November. The heavily illustrated book tells the story of a drone soldier from another planet who "begins to question his purpose and contemplate his autonomy ... he realizes his own capacity for individualism and wishes to explore it further," according to Simmons' Web site. ... Hardcore heroes Snapcase are getting back together for a one-off show to benefit Callum Robbins, the son of Jawbox's J. Robbins who is suffering from spinal muscular atrophy. The gig will go down at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York, on November 24 and also feature 108 and Triple Threat. The show is being organized by 108 member and author Norman Brannon, whose "The Anti-Matter Anthology: A 1990s Post-Punk & Hardcore Reader" — a tome revolving around the defunct fanzine — is due in stores November 6. ...

Gina Gershon can't stop the rock. The "Showgirls" actress, whose 2004 reality show chronicled her attempted crossover into the world of rock and roll, will preview songs from her upcoming album In Search of Cleo during a residency at the New York club the Box every Sunday and Monday night in October. Backed by a five-piece band and three dancers, Gershon will unveil the suite of songs — all of which she wrote or co-wrote — that tell the true story of the search and recovery of her lost cat, Cleo. According to a press release, the 10 songs focus "on the literal and metaphoric experience of the search, not just for Cleo, but for love," using "biting humor, country, blues and jazz-influenced singing and a splash of sexy."

• Kid Rock And Tommy Lee Have It Out!

• Pamela Anderson And Tommy Lee's Whirlwind VMA Weekend
• Paris Hilton, Diddy, Timbaland, Janet Jackson, More Hit The Vegas Party Scene
• Adrian Grenier, Nelly, Shia LaBeouf, Britney And More Stars Spotted In Vegas
• Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, More At The Premiere Of "El Cantante"

• Bono
• Tommy Lee
• Kid Rock
• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Let the fiesta begin — Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have rolled out dates for their En Concierto trek. The spousal celebration will hit Atlantic City, New Jersey (September 29); Uncasville, Connecticut (October 3); Washington, D.C. (October 5); New York (October 7); Toronto (October 10); Chicago (October 14); San Jose, California (October 17); Los Angeles (October 19); Anaheim, California (October 20); San Diego (October 24); Las Vegas (October 26); Dallas (October 30); Houston (October 31); and Miami (November 2). In related news, Lopez is firing back at critics of "El Cantante," her new film with Anthony, the Los Angeles Times reports. Speaking at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday, she insisted that the film is an accurate portrayal of salsa legend Hector Lavoe. "I don't know what movie [the critics] want to see, because this is the truth," she said. ...

Lindsay Lohan checked into a drug and alcohol treatment center in Sundance, Utah, over the weekend, according to a CBS News radio report. Lifestyle magazine Town & Country recently named the center, Cirque Lodge, one of the best substance-abuse facilities in the country. Lohan, who is due in court in Santa Monica, California, on August 24, has been to rehab twice before. ...

Gwen Stefani recently admitted to U.K. newspaper The Observer that meeting up with her No Doubt bandmates was a bit uncomfortable. "It would be ridiculous to say there was no tension," she said. "Because my solo career has been going on and on. It was never supposed to be this long." Beyond the No Doubt reunion, the singer also revealed what else is on the horizon — acting roles "are the last thing on my list," she said; instead, her focus is "make babies, make music." "I'm on repeat mode," she added. Stefani also opened up about her ongoing "mad love affair" with Gavin Rossdale. "Time goes by and you get the rocky times then you get the intense love times, then you get the reward of having the baby," she said about her relationship with her husband. "It's just this ongoing saga. ... I'm interested to see what's going to happen next, you know?' " ...

The organizers behind "A Concert for Virginia Tech" are coming to the defense of Nas, whose lyrics have stirred up controversy over his participation in the event. "Nas is a positive force in hip-hop," read a statement issued by Red Light Management, which manages Dave Matthews Band and is helping the group organize the event. "Over the course of his albums, many of which have included storytelling about the violence of inner-city life, he has evolved into a spokesman for change. His actions stand out as a true lesson in how conflict can be resolved with words." ...

Many U.S. music retailers are yanking import copies of Amy Winehouse's 2003 debut, Frank, from their shelves after receiving a letter from Universal Republic that threatens legal action and claims the label has exclusive rights to distribute her recordings Stateside. The label is planning to issue the album domestically for the first time November 7. ... Backstreet Boys are unveiling their new single "Inconsolable" Monday night (August 6) on New York's Z-100 radio. The track will surface on the group's yet-untitled new album, due October 30. ... Speaking of big returns, the Black Crowes have finished recording their new album, which will be mixed in September and street in the spring. The disc spotlights new touring keyboardist Adam MacDougall and North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson, and was produced by the band and longtime collaborator Paul Stacey. ...

A New Zealand mayoral candidate is trying to put Ice Cube in hot water. Political hopeful Len Brown, who is vying for the mayor's seat in Manukau City, issued a press release Monday morning calling for the rapper's August 22 visit to Auckland to be canceled. "Ice Cube brings a gangsta message to our community via his gangsta rap," the statement read. "This message promotes gangs, gang violence and drugs. We don't want this in our homes. We don't want it on our streets." ... LL Cool J highlighted the New York leg of the Microsoft Zune BBQ concert series in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday. The veteran rapper stormed through tracks that spanned his entire career, including his latest, "Queens." Grand Puba, the LOX, Clipse, the Boot Camp Click, Large Professor and Joell Ortiz also performed at the community-based event. UGK and Mos Def performed at previous stops in Chicago and Los Angeles. ...

Don't bet the family farm on it just yet, but Van Halen's reunion tour is reportedly back on, sources tell Billboard.com. The outlet reports that a press conference will be held in Hollywood next week, during which the band will announce a 50-date arena tour to start in early October. The hard-rock legends had originally planned to set out on an amphitheater tour this summer, but it was scrapped, and guitarist Eddie Van Halen entered rehab. The reunion tour will reportedly feature Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Eddie's son Wolfgang and David Lee Roth. ... Gene Simmons was forthright, to say the least, about his feelings toward former Kiss mates Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in a recent interview with TVGuide.com. "They were thrown out of the band because they were drug addicts and alcoholics," said Simmons, who has a strong aversion to drugs and alcohol. "They're damaged. ... You're talking about 30 years of abuse. Everybody cares about Ace and Peter. I love them to death. But I don't want them to die on tour." ...

There's a new wrinkle in Madonna's adoption of a Malawian boy. The court-appointed official who was assigned to the case is not being allowed to travel to Britain to evaluate the suitability of the singer and her husband, Guy Ritchie, to be the adoptive parents of David Banda, Reuters reports. The official, Penstone Kilembe, had been appointed to travel to Britain twice, after which he has been expected to testify in a hearing next year whether Madonna's adoption of the child should be formalized. Kilembe is being accused of getting a plane ticket and money directly from Madonna, without the approval of the Malawian government, but he has dismissed claims that he asked the singer for the ticket. ... Two more people have been identified as James Brown's children, The Associated Press reports. While many DNA tests have come back negative and others are pending, two people claiming to be the late singer's offspring are indeed telling the truth, longtime Brown adviser Buddy Dallas said Friday. While Dallas refused to identify the two people, a 45-year-old retired flight attendant is thought to be one of them. ...

Chris Rock and his wife Malaak said in a statement issued Monday that he is not the father of a 13-year-old boy whose mother, Kali Bowyer, attempted to file a paternity suit against the comedian in March. According to the statement, DNA testing has ruled out Rock as the father of the child. "After multiple lies, including that Chris refused to establish paternity and after finding out that Ms. Bowyer has an extensive criminal record, we personally asked the court to help us establish paternity so that we could put this harassment to rest. ... We have spent a tremendous sum to litigate this case and are asking our attorney to pursue all legal remedies against her." ... Eddie Murphy has confirmed that he is the father of Melanie Brown's child, but the Spice Girl is still upset — her lawyer Gloria Allred said Saturday that the actor "has not indicated ... that he plans to visit the baby," AP reports. Murphy issued a statement Friday saying, "He acknowledges paternity of the child Angel and has paid child support to Ms. Brown, as well as covering the expenses of her pregnancy." But Allred said Brown's chief concern is that he "see his child, spend time with her, hold her, love her and bond with his daughter." ...

Record label Kill Rock Stars is giving away free downloads of Elliott Smith's "Angel in the Snow" on Monday in commemoration of what would have been the late singer/songwriter's 38th birthday. Go here for details. ... If Iggy Pop's performance with the Stooges at Lollapalooza on Sunday has you salivating for more, mark September 18 on your calendar — a new Pop DVD, "Live San Fran 1981," drops that day. The concert features Ig being backed up by Blondie drummer Clem Burke and future David Bowie guitarist Carlos Alomar, and two unreleased songs he recorded with Ric Ocasek of the Cars are also included in the package. ...

Lee Hazlewood, who wrote "These Boots Were Made for Walkin' " — Nancy Sinatra's hit from the '60s that Jessica Simpson reworked for "The Dukes of Hazzard" — has died of cancer, BBC News reports. The singer/songwriter, whose songs were covered by a wide range of artists including Nick Cave and Primal Scream, was 78.

08.03.2007

Seven families of victims of the Virginia Tech shootings are outraged that Nas is scheduled to take part in "A Concert for Virginia Tech," The Washington Post reports. The families say the rapper's lyrics are too violent for a show that is being held in the wake of the April tragedy. Nas' lyrics "are indicative of the moral decay in our society that contributes to acts of violence," Vincent J. Bove, a spokesman for the families, told the paper. "For a university official to condone it or to be clueless of what this person's track record is, it's unconscionable beyond belief." University officials responded by saying the announcement of the concert has been getting overwhelmingly positive feedback and that the lineup will not be changed. ...

Lindsay Lohan's words are coming back to haunt her. An Elle interview conducted shortly before the actress was involved in her first DUI, over Memorial Day weekend, is being brought to light in the magazine's September issue. In the conversation, Lohan insisted she wouldn't drive drunk. "I wouldn't violate ... I'm much more responsible than that. I would not do that," she said. She also alluded to drunk driving when asked what it's like to be surrounded by paparazzi: "It's scary ... they're looking for me to, like, trip, so they can be like, 'Oh, Lindsay's wasted and driving drunk,' " she said. ...

Another day, another corporate tour. Ludacris, the All-American Rejects, Queens of the Stone Age and more are taking part in Samsung and AT&T's free Summer Krush series, Billboard.com reports. The artists are playing individual shows from August 13 through mid-September: Luda (Atlanta), the Rejects (New York), QOTSA (Los Angeles), Plain White T's (San Francisco), Big & Rich (Dallas), the Bravery (Chicago) and Kinky (Miami). Each concert — which will also serve to attract attention to AT&T Wireless' music-download service through its eMusic partnership will include an hourlong performance and feature kiosks where new devices by the companies can be sampled. Tickets will be made available through radio promotions, contests and at AT&T outlets. ... The Spice Girls probably didn't think it was too funny that Baghdad, Iraq, was ranking high on their online fan poll to determine where the group should play a special show as part of its reunion tour. Well, the Girls can relax — Toronto has won the honor instead. The "Spice City" show, one of 15 gigs on their worldwide tour, will be held in January. ...

Do you dream of sailing off into the sunset with John Mayer? Now here's your chance. Following in the footsteps of the Flaming Lips and, er, the String Cheese Incident, the singer/songwriter is the latest artist who will be taking part in a musical ocean cruise. What's been dubbed the "Mayercraft Carrier" will set sail from Miami on February 1, hit the Bahamas and return February 4, with Mayer and other artists of his choosing performing intimate gigs during the trek. Tickets range from roughly $500 to $1,100 per person (with taxes) — go here for more ticket info. In other Mayer news, he recently crooned — very offhandedly — an a cappella version of "Chocolate Rain," originally performed by YouTube sensation Tay Zonday, for "Best Week Ever." Check it out here. ...

Lionel Richie is speaking out about his embattled daughter Nicole, telling UsMagazine.com that she has "made some mistakes" but that she also "has not blamed others for her problems and is growing up very quickly, albeit in the heat of the media spotlight." ... A dog caretaker died at the home of Ving Rhames after being mauled by two mastiffs Friday morning (August 3), The Associated Press reports. The actor was not at home when the attack took place. Animal services took four mastiffs from the property, although several more dogs were reportedly left there. "Two of those dogs appeared to be responsible for the tragic death," Jason Lee, a Los Angeles police officer, told the news outlet. ...

A trailer for an Ol' Dirty Bastard documentary has leaked online. The flick, titled "Ason Unique," was shot and directed by the late rapper's brother Raison Allah and features vintage footage of ODB. Also to be included is a clip of director Quentin Tarantino popping up at a Wu-Tang Clan concert; interviews from Wu members Method Man, RZA, Raekwon and Ghostface; and anecdotes and stories from ODB's parents, friends and affiliates. Check out the trailer right here. ... Lupe Fiasco performed at the Staple Design 10th anniversary party at the Xchange in New York on Thursday night. Bun B of UGK was in attendance and Bobbito Garcia and DJ Soul manned the ones and twos at the Mountain Dew/ Green Label Art-sponsored shindig. ... Paris Hilton wants you to have a kick with her — the heiress will launch a new footwear line early next year. The Paris Hilton Footwear collection, to be licensed by the Antebi Footwear Group, will feature stilettos, platforms, flats, wedges and sport shoes. "My goal is to create a stylish and fun fashion line from head to toe," Hilton said in a statement. ...

Foo Fighters are cracking open their new single "The Pretender" at the Summer X Games, which are airing on ESPN, Friday. The track — set to appear on the band's September 25 LP, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace — will be available for download Tuesday. ... Klaxons are going from the clubs to New York's Madison Square Garden quicker than cops shutting down a rave. The band will open for Björk at the famed venue on September 24 after headlining a much smaller show the previous night at Boston's Paradise Rock Club. After that, the fluorescent fiends will hit clubs across North American from September 26 through October 10. ...

Pearl Jam got their chops loose for their Sunday night Lollapalooza performance with a cozy fans-only show at Chicago's Vic Theatre on Thursday night, Billboard.com reports. Eddie Vedder — who will sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" Friday during the Cubs/ New York Mets game at Wrigley Field — kicked things off with solo covers of Tom Waits' "Picture in a Frame" and Cat Stevens' "Trouble." After that, the band barreled through 24 mostly obscure songs — the B-side "Education," "Rats" and "All or None" among them. Ben Harper joined the band for a rendition of "Indifference" while drummer Matt Cameron belted out a cover of Kiss' "Black Diamond." ...

The first installment of This Is Next, the indie-rock answer to the Now That's What I Call Music! series, will drop August 21. Look for slices from Bloc Party, Spoon, Bright Eyes, the Shins, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more. The series will be revisited biannually and is being assembled by an assortment of labels in the Alternative Distribution Alliance. ... Stevie Wonder is set to tour nationally for the first time in 12 years, kicking things off with a show August 23 in San Diego, AP reports. The stirring singer will also serve as the grand marshal to the California Speedway's Sharp AQUOS 500, which takes place Labor Day weekend. ...

A prosecution rebuttal witness alleging to be deceased actress Lana Clarkson's longtime best friend contradicted previous testimony by a defense witness on Thursday in the Phil Spector trial, AP reports. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler admitted a letter brought to court by Nili Hudson that was written by Punkin Pie Laughlin, who had previously testified that Clarkson was depressed before she died. "My Lana, my best friend, my sister, my right arm, was violently taken from me at the hands of Phil Spector," reads the letter, which was written a year after Clarkson's death, according to Hudson. ... Billboard has revamped its Hot 100 chart to include streamed and on-demand music, incorporating data from Yahoo! and AOL. In February 2005, the chart began to embrace digital songs tracked by the Nielson SoundScan — that resulted in a greater shift than what is expected from this more recent change, which will account for only about 5 percent of the chart's total points. Billboard.com announced Thursday that Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" has topped the Hot 100 in its first week with the new formula.

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony
• Lindsay Lohan
• Gwen Stefani
• Nas

Matt Damon and Julia Stiles in "The Bourne Ultimatum"
Photo: Universal Pictures

He's a Harvard alumnus and an Oscar-winning screenwriter, but Matt Damon's "Bourne" movies prove he's also one of the biggest (if most unlikely) action stars on the planet, an extraordinary everyman back for thirds with "The Bourne Ultimatum," presumably the last in a series of genre-redefining action films that have influenced everything from "Casino Royale" to "Batman Begins."

Shaky cameras, quick edits, bleached-out colors — the gritty documentary style of the "Bourne" movies works because it completely matches its subject, an amnesiac man of action unsure of his past.

One thing it doesn't match is the flick's seeming prospects, which appear anything but shaky at the box office. Two movies in, the "Bourne" series has already racked up an impressive half-billion dollars in worldwide ticket sales, including nearly $300 million for 2004's "The Bourne Supremacy." Scoring $52.5 million in its first weekend, "Supremacy" did nearly double the business as "The Bourne Identity" in the same number of days. The folks behind "Ultimatum" would be hard-pressed to match that increase, but it's a fool's gamble to bet against Bourne. He could kill you with a napkin — seriously.

Which, coincidentally, is exactly what we need to wipe away the tears (of joy? Of sadness?) that we know are coming with the weekend release of "Bratz," a girl-power extravaganza based on a popular, if somewhat controversial, line of pre-teen toys that is incidentally among the world's most popular gifts.

Not as in-demand — judging, at least, by the reception it got when we tried — is the type of gift advocated by Andy Samberg in his famous "SNL" skit alongside Justin Timberlake. He can put a "Di-- in a Box," but can he put a dent in the box office? He'll get his first shot with "Hot Rod," a comedy opening in 2,500 theaters.

But these movies aren't my kind of thing, you say. Never fear, "Underdog" is here! Starring Jason Lee as the voice of the caped canine, the live-action version of the popular animated television show debuts in 2,800 theaters.

Also opening this weekend in limited release is "El Cantante," a biopic of legendary Latino salsa singer Hector Lavoe that stars Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony; "Becoming Jane," the story of legendary author Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) in her early years; and "The Ten," a comedic compilation based on the Ten Commandments that stars Paul Rudd, Winona Ryder, Adam Brody, Jessica Alba and Gretchen Mol.

So will this weekend's box office be "Bourne" again, or does the presence of so many competitors mean Matt Damon's latest flick is "Bourne" under a bad sign? We asked our experts.

The Predictions: Bourne faces off against an unsavory adversary in "Ultimatum," so we thought it only fitting that this week we do as well — and boy is our opponent "Ugly." Ana Ortiz, the (quite beautiful, actually) star of "Ugly Betty," made a bold prediction in saying "Bourne" will make $100 million. Do our writers agree? Find out below.

What's the #1 flick? How much will it rake in?

Josh Horowitz, MTV Movies editor: "The Bourne Ultimatum" ($60 million)
"Must. Resist. Bourne. Puns! Sorry, I'm just not strong enough. Mr. Damon's awesome new action flick was 'Bourne' to be #1 at the box office. It's also intended to be the last 'Bourne' flick, depending on who you believe. One thing's for sure: With that hefty haul sure to come in this weekend for the superspy, I wouldn't count out a fourth go-'round."

Larry Carroll, MTV News writer: "The Bourne Ultimatum" ($55 million)
"While Jason Bourne's memory might not be too great, mine is sharp enough to remember that 2004's 'Bourne Supremacy' opened with a $52 million weekend. Factor in the box-office juggernaut known as David Strathairn and this could be the biggest flick yet in the hard-charging spy series. My prediction is that the movie takes in $55 million, which would be quite bratty to the 'Bratz' and leave 'Rod' feeling not-so-hot."

Ana Ortiz, "Ugly Betty" star: "The Bourne Ultimatum" ($100 million)
"It's going to be 'Bourne Ultimatum.' No question. I'm a huge fan and so excited [to go see it]. It's going to bring in $100 million."

Check out everything we've got on "The Bourne Ultimatum," "Bratz," "Hot Rod," "Underdog" and "El Cantante."

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Want trailers? Visit the Trailer Park for the newest, scariest and funniest coming attractions anywhere.

• Matt Damon Is 'Bourne' Again
• J. Lo And Marc Anthony Wedded To Flick, Tour

• "The Bourne Ultimatum"
• Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, More At "Bourne Ultimatum" Premiere
• "Bratz"
• "El Cantante"
• "Hot Rod"

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

Jennifer Lopez
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — You would think Jennifer Lopez would shy away from co-starring opposite her famous husband in a film but, "Gigli" be damned, she goes for it with "El Cantante," set for release August 3. Marc Anthony takes center stage in this ambitious biopic of the iconic Latino salsa singer Hector Lavoe. Playing Lavoe's wife, Puchi, Lopez takes some dark turns as an actress. Those turns aren't surprising in the context of the film, however, considering the tragedies that befell the influential singer and his wife.

We caught up with Lopez to talk about the film, working with Anthony and why she can't wait to hit the road in the fall for the first time in the States.

(See Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony talk about rolling out their pet project "El Cantante" and joint tour.)

MTV: There are some obvious parallels between yourself and Puchi. You both are Puerto Ricans from the Bronx, New York, married to famous singers. What did you make of the similarities?

Jennifer Lopez: This role was such a challenge because I felt like her life was so different than mine. Those are obvious things we have in common ... but the truth is their lives were so different from ours. It was a real challenge. It was a super-hard role. I had to go to places I had never been and experience things I had never experienced. They had a lot of pain and tragedy.

MTV: Do you view it as a different kind of role for you? It's a pretty dark character.

Lopez: It's different. The last time I had a feeling like this was when I did "Selena," and that's because I think it was a real person I was playing. I had different types of material to research, her own voice on tape, 11 CDs of her speaking, things like that. It's a different set of pressures, but at the same time, it also gives you more material to work with as an actress.

MTV: You wanted Marc to star in this for years. Tell me about finally acting alongside him.

Lopez: I always thought he'd be great in the role. I was right. It was great watching him do the role. We helped each other a lot. We knew what the mission was. And the mission was, this is an important story for our culture but it's also an important story for the world, to expose people to who this artist was, this music and this important time in musical history. They created this amazing sound called "salsa." They were like the underground cool. Other musicians like Miles Davis would come and watch them. It was great for us to have that mission and say, "We want to tell this in the right way, in an intense way, in exactly the way they lived." I'm very proud of what we did.

MTV: You two have collaborated musically and now on the big screen. Does it feel like a natural progression?

Lopez: Marc and I don't really plan things in that way. It's always things happening organically. I was in the studio with him while he was recording his album and he said, "This song is better for Jennifer. Jennifer, you sing this song." And all of a sudden I'm in the booth, and that was the first song for my Spanish album. It's not like, "Let's do a Spanish album together! This will be great!" Or, "Let's do this movie together." Five and a half years ago I got this script, and Marc was in a different place in his life, and so was I. I called him. I just knew he was the person to play this role. Puerto Rican singer. Glasses. The whole thing. [She laughs.] You know what I mean?

MTV: This fall you two will be touring together. What can we expect?

Lopez: I'm very excited. First of all, because I've never toured the United States. I've been on tour with Marc twice since we've been married, and I've always been on the sidelines. I think they thought, "Well, Jennifer has two albums coming out this year. She's going to be there anyway." [She laughs.] "You think she'll do it?" We talked about it, and he was like, "Let's do it." It's going to be great. I think people can expect an exciting show. If you've ever seen Marc live, he's amazing.

Check out everything we've got on "El Cantante."

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Want trailers? Visit the Trailer Park for the newest, scariest and funniest coming attractions anywhere.

• J. Lo And Marc Anthony Wedded To Flick, Tour

• "El Cantante"
• Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, More At The Premiere Of "El Cantante"

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Rolling Stones, More At "Shine A Light" Premiere

• The Rolling Stones
• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Rihanna, Pharrell, More At Gucci's UNICEF Benefit

• Rihanna
• Alicia Keys
• Pharrell Williams
• Diddy
• Gwen Stefani

Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, More At The Premiere Of "El Cantante"

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

"El Cantante"

• Marc Anthony
• Jennifer Lopez

Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Brad And Angelina, More Arrive At 64th Annual Golden Globes

• Justin Timberlake
• Beyoncé
• Mary J. Blige
• Jennifer Lopez
• Diddy

Nick Lachey, Shakira, 50 Cent, Fall Out Boy, More Arrive At The 2006 VMAs

• Shakira
• Fall Out Boy
• AFI
• Danity Kane
• New Found Glory

Who's Who In Hollywood: The 'Vanity Fair' Post-Oscar Party

• Three 6 Mafia
• Lindsay Lohan
• Madonna
• John Legend
• Ludacris

Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda And Wanda Sykes Hit The Red Carpet At The Hollywood Premiere Of "Monster-in-Law"

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony

47th Annual Grammy Awards Winners

• Maroon 5
• Black Eyed Peas
• Ben Harper
• Marc Anthony
• Los Lonely Boys

VMA '04 Red Carpet Fashion

• Usher
• Jessica Simpson
• Ashlee Simpson
• Ryan Cabrera
• Nick Lachey