Chromeo and Vampire Weekend perform at the mtvU Woodie Awards last week
Photo: MTV News

The 2008 MTVU Woodie Awards taped last week, and the night, as usual, was filled with hot talent. Paramore, All-American Rejects, All Time Low and many others were in attendance — but the focus during the show was on the performances, specifically special collaborations between artists that were organized for the event.

And this year's show did not disappoint with its ambitious team-ups: world-pop outfit Vampire Weekend and dance-rock mavens Chromeo; Swedish chanteuse Lykke Li (who's been covering A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It") with Tribe Called Quest MC Q-Tip; and two rising hip-hop stars (and buds themselves), the Cool Kids and Asher Roth.

We snuck into rehearsals, where Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig told MTV News: "I think we're all excited. This is our first time to play with any other musicians since way back in the day, when we collaborated with John Atkinson of [Brooklyn indie outfit] Aa," apparently forgetting about the show last summer when Andrew W.K. joined the band onstage for a Tom Petty cover.

After the rehearsal, Chromeo's Dave 1 assessed, "It's about 70 percent there. They play with a little different swing than I heard in my head. We still have to work on it — we just put it together now. ... Pete [a.k.a. bandmate P-Thug] and I are going to take our instruments home to practice."

The Cool Kids and Asher Roth had a different approach to rehearsals: The Kids' Chuck Inglish stood onstage and proclaimed, "I don't think we should rehearse it!" while cohort Mikey Rocks added, "Let's just go with it when we get up there — we get the basic premise." The duo met the up-and coming Roth when he came to Chicago to work on some tracks for his upcoming record. "We're the same age and we do dope music," Asher said of what the two artists have in common. "When you do things the way we do, it makes it easy," Inglish added.

But not all of the night's collaborators knew each other ahead of time: the Woodie rehearsals brought together Lykke Li with Q-Tip for the very first time, but Li's covering "Can I Kick It?" during her live sets certainly broke the ice. Q-Tip said he hadn't known who Li was before, but he's "glad it happened and found out who she is — her album is amazing."

All seemed to go well for the pair during the rehearsals, too. "He's like a pro," Li said. "It was real easy — it took one minute to get it all together."

And with rehearsals over and done, the stage was set for the big show.

The 2008 mtvU Woodie Awards will premiere in full on mtvU, mtvU.com and the HD channel Palladia on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET

• Q-Tip And Lykke Li, Vampire Weekend And Chromeo: Odd Collaborations Rule At The mtvU Woodie Awards

• Paramore, All-American Rejects, More Take Home Timber At The 2008 mtvU Woodie Awards

• Q-Tip
• The Cool Kids
• Asher Roth
• Chromeo
• Vampire Weekend

Photo: MTV News

• Gnarls Barkley
• Kid Sister
• Cobra Starship
• Fall Out Boy
• Girl Talk

Radiohead's Thom Yorke on the AT&T stage on Friday
Photo: Gil Kaufman/MTV News

CHICAGO — There are basically two ways to close out the first night of Lollapalooza. You can blast off in a glowing, thumping spaceship like Daft Punk did last year, or you can get all moody and sedate like Interpol did.

Then there's Radiohead. The most anticipated act of the 2008 festival's maiden night, as usual, dug its own path, teasing the sold-out crowd of 75,000 with a mixture of pastoral ambiance and slashing guitars accompanied by a light show that felt like a digital rain shower conjured to replace the threatened storms that never materialized.

After a steamy day that yo-yoed from the Beatles-rave-up-inspired blitz of the Black Lips to Duffy's throwback Welsh Motown soul, CSS' Brazilian dance explosion, the Raconteurs' roach-clip rock, the tangled guitar excursions of Stephen Malkmus and Gogol Bordello's unhinged Gypsy punk, Radiohead's set was the perfect capper for a weary, glassy-eyed crowd who needed a bit of a soft landing.

Drawing from nearly every album in their catalog, Radiohead played a two-hour set underneath a forest of aluminum lighting tubes hanging down over their heads and flashing different LED patterns that morphed from a giant stereo equalizer during "All I Need" to a blizzard of radioactive green snowflakes for "The Gloaming."

Even if you couldn't actually see the waves of heat coming off the tightly packed crowd, which stretched as far as the eye could see, you could feel the intense warmth as you waded through it. And, at times, the band's sound approximated a kind of hothouse mirage, as wave pulses of sound on songs like the neo-Victorian "No Surprises" acted as a kind of audio brain massage for weary fans, many of whom spent the day searching for a nice shady spot to rest their thumping heads. But for every soothing track, there was a squall of feedback and a psychedelic test pattern of lights like the one that rained down during an encore of "Paranoid Android." As a cool, relieving breeze blew in unexpectedly during the closing tune, "Idioteque," you almost had to wonder if Thom Yorke and crew's timing was a bit too perfect, as he sang "ice age coming" and icy blue dots of light trickled down from the lighting rig.

(See images from Radiohead's Friday performance right here. And be sure to read about the injurious Rage Against the Machine set that ended Lollapalooza's second day.)

The day started off with a man who is all about consciousness, education and nonviolence: Somali singer, MC and musician K'naan. Sporting a '70s-looking print shirt and vest and backed by a band of his countrymen, K'naan, while acknowledging he's not really an early morning person (it was before noon), offered a message of peace from a land that hasn't known a lot of it. He exhorted the ever-growing crowd, many of whom it seemed were discovering him for the first time to sing along with him: "When I get older, I will be stronger/ They'll call me freedom, just like a waving flag."

On the other hand, from the cerebral to the ... visceral. A half-hour and 50 yards away, on the AT&T stage, it was "And, do you really want to hold my dirty hands?" "Good morning!" said Jared Swilley, lead singer of Atlanta gutter flower punks the Black Lips, who ripped through an hour of songs that are as fun on the hundredth listen as the first: "Buried Alive," "O Katrina," "Bad Kids" and "Hippie Hippie Hooray."

CSS put on one of the most entertaining sets of all of Lolla day one. It was a full-on dance party, with silver balloons flying and singer Lovefoxx jumping rope with her mic cord in her Sao Paulo-meets-Björk getup festooned with flowers. The four women and two men in the band were joined by their dancer friend in Day-Glo for "Left Behind" and taught the audience a backward hand wave to go along with the song. Then came "Off The Hook," "Music Is My Hot Hot Sex" and "Rat Is Dead."

Hands in the air were called for further down the park too, as Chicago's own Cool Kids ripped through an hour of party-hearty hip hop. Watching the Windy City fellas on a stage with Lake Michigan in the background was quite a sight, as they played tunes from their new album, The Bake Sale, including "Black Mags" and the good-time rhymes of "Bassment Party." The Kids did their city proud and ended Friday on a good note as the giant amoeba of a crowd began its mass exodus toward the south stage to check out Radiohead.

• Livin' Lollapalooza

• Lollapalooza 2008

• Radiohead
• The Cool Kids

Photo: MTV News

• R.E.M.
• The Cool Kids
• Lightspeed Champion
• Vampire Weekend
• UGK

Madonna
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Time to pucker up for Madonna's next album — Billboard.com reports that the singer has settled on the title for it: Licorice. The effort, which will reportedly feature "Candy Shop" and "The Beat Goes On" (featuring Pharrell), is due in late April and will be Madge's last effort for longtime label Warner Bros. Kanye West is said to be a guest on "The Beat Goes On," according to the site, which also reports that Madonna's vintage track "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" will get an update on the new disc. ...

Jessica Sierra pleaded not guilty on Thursday (December 6) to charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest and violating conditions of her parole on earlier felony battery and possession charges, according to The Associated Press. The former "American Idol" finalist was arrested early Sunday morning outside a bar in Ybor City, near Tampa, Florida, after causing an unspecified disturbance while working inside the establishment. Sierra's lawyer reportedly said he is consulting with doctors to map out a comprehensive drug and alcohol plan for the ex-"Idol" contestant, who is currently being held without bail. Sierra is to remain in jail at least until her next hearing on December 20. ...

Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is ... and Relient K will help anchor next year's Warped Tour, according to Alternative Press. Every Time I Die, From First to Last and the Bronx are also among the first 18 bands named for the summer trek, with the dates yet to be announced. ... Speaking of summer fests, Bonnaroo will take place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee, Billboard.com reports. The lineup will be revealed in late January or early February. ... Your chance to download Radiohead's In Rainbows is about to end. The band has announced that the InRainbows.com Web site will close Saturday. But you can still plunk down $80 for the box set at Radiohead's online w.a.s.t.e. store, while supplies last. ...

Ne-Yo and Macy Gray are joining Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and others as they pitch in for presidential aspirant Senator Barack Obama. Ne-Yo and the Goo Goo Dolls will play at an Obama fundraiser in Universal City, California, on Monday, while Gray, Tweedy and others will perform at the senator's Friday event in Obama's hometown of Chicago. On a related note, Wilco will set out for a two-week U.S. tour in February. ... Paris, you've got nothing on Britney — Spears outdid Hilton on eBay in terms of related items sold this year. AP reports that 34,345 Brit-related items were sold, compared with 27,377 for Paris. A mere 8,099 items related to Lindsay Lohan were auctioned, while on the movies front, "Transformers" beat out Harry Potter with 442,342 and 344,825 related items sold, respectively. ...

Indie-rockers, state attorneys general and anti-smoking activists are finding themselves on the same side, oddly enough — some of them are reportedly peeved about an ad for Camel cigarettes that appeared alongside a cartoon-heavy indie-rock feature in the magazine's November 15 issue, Pitchfork reports. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has stopped promotions for its "The Farm" marketing campaign after nine attorneys general sued the company over the ads, according to North Carolina's Winston-Salem Journal. More states are reportedly expected to also sue R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which could face a fine of more than $100 million for violating a 1998 agreement between 46 states and tobacco manufacturers. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement banned the use of cartoons to sell market cigarettes in 1997, effectively killing off Joe Camel. Also being debated, according to Pitchfork, are Camel-sponsored concerts that have featured the Flaming Lips, Band of Horses and the Faint. ...

Alicia Keys will ring in the new year with a performance on the roof of New York's Rockefeller Center as part of Carson Daly's shindig on NBC, People.com reports. The show, which will air December 31 at 11:35 p.m. ET, will also feature Lenny Kravitz performing in Times Square. Keys will sing two songs from her latest album, As I Am. ... LL Cool J, Rev Run, Petra Nemcova, Brett Ratner and other celebs have ponied up items for an ongoing online charity auction staged by Russell Simmons' Diamond Empowerment Fund. "Diamonds Give" features 15 lots of donated diamond pieces and runs through December 16 on eBay. ...

It sounds like U2 might be going back to the future on their upcoming album. The band, which flirted with dance beats and techno on such albums as 1991's Achtung Baby, is incorporating trance, metal and Moroccan influences on its new disc, according to an interview with Bono in The Independent. The singer said fans will "feel the difference. ... Normally when you play a U2 tune, it clears the dance floor. And that may not be true of this. There's some trance influences." He also said the yet-untitled and unscheduled album has some "very hardcore guitar" and "real molten metal" from guitarist the Edge that doesn't sound "like anything we've ever done before, and we don't think it sounds like anything anyone else has done either." Though he wouldn't categorize the album as "world" music, Bono said its sound was inspired in part by a religious music festival the guys attended in Fez, Morocco, where they were exposed to Sufi music. "It was a real humbling thing for a punk-rock shouter, listening to these people who just close their eyes for 40 minutes and sing the most sophisticated melodies." So far, U2 have recorded enough material for two records, he added. ...

Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson recently hung with locals, bathed in an irrigation ditch in their boxers and visited an orphanage in Peru this week, according to AP. An image that surfaced shows the two, who reportedly stayed at a cheap hotel room that cost less than $50 per night, smiling and waving in Cuzco. Cameron Diaz, Bill Gates and others visited the area earlier this year. ... Courtney Love has a new video on her hands ... kind of. A clip featuring manga character Princess Ai — whose universe of properties was co-created by Love — will premiere at the New York Anime Festival on Saturday. "Princess Ai: Broken Leash," which includes live action, animation and music, will appear as part of a CD/DVD anthology due in fall 2008. ... It's hard to keep old punks down. After their recent reunion tour of England this year, punk grandfathers the Sex Pistols will hit the road again next summer, according to Reuters. Guitarist Steve Jones did not give any specifics about the 2008 tour on his Los Angeles radio show on Wednesday, other than to say that the group might play an upcoming charity show at London's Royal Albert Hall organized by Who singer Roger Daltrey. ...

And the battle over James Brown's estate goes on. According to AP, two former trustees for the late singer's estate say the judge who is handling the disputes made them resign in late November. In recently filed court documents, Buddy Dallas and Alford Bradley reportedly said they want to retract their resignations and that South Carolina Circuit Judge Jack Early used "improper judicial influence." They are also seeking for the appointment of their successors to be overturned.

12.5.07

Unlike Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie, Kiefer Sutherland is not getting off easy with his DUI — the "24" actor has been sentenced to 48 days in a Los Angeles County jail for his September 24 arrest and violating his probation. The actor must start serving his sentence at the Glendale City Jail prior to March 30, UsMagazine.com reports. He has also been sentenced to five years of probation, must finish a year-and-a-half-long alcohol-education program and go to weekly therapy sessions for a half-year. Sutherland, who had a previous DUI before his fall arrest, had been pulled over by police after making an illegal U-turn and reportedly blew twice the legal blood-alcohol level during a breathalyzer test. He issued a statement after entering a no-contest plea in early October, saying, "I'm very disappointed in myself for the poor judgment I exhibited recently, and I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and co-workers on '24' and at 20th Century Fox." ... Contrasting with Sutherland's devastating news, Richie caught a break on Wednesday when her court-mandated anti-drinking program granted the socialite a leave of absence, according to People. Coordinators at the program were reportedly worried for Richie's safety, with her rep saying such leaves of absence are granted to people with medical conditions and that she did not get special treatment. Richie is eight months pregnant and has to complete the 18-month program as part of her DUI plea deal ...

Bad news for Vanessa Hudgens: A Los Angeles judge ruled Wednesday (December 5) that a breach-of-contract suit by her former lawyer can go forward, according to CBS News. Brian L. Schall is suing the "The High School Musical" star for breach of contract, although Hudgens has argued that she was a minor at the time she signed the agreement and therefore isn't bound to it. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Tricia Ann Bigelow said the matter of Hudgens disaffirming her contractual obligations within a reasonable time period is a "factual issue," and that Hudgens' decision to wait until she was 18 years and 9 months old to reject the contract is an issue for either a jury decision or a motion for summary judgment. The next hearing in the case is slated for January 15. ... Lindsay Lohan might be facing another setback too: Raymundo Ortega, the busboy who is seeking $200,000 in damages stemming from Lohan's collision with his van in October 2005, says he has proof the starlet was drinking before the crash, according to The Associated Press. He reportedly filed papers Tuesday. ...

An interview with T.I. that was conducted prior to his October arrest on gun charges appears in the December/January issue of Rap-Up magazine, which features him and Nicole Scherzinger on alternate covers. The rapper said he has a new urban-clothing line on the way — called "A King of Oneself" — and also revealed his interest in a different type of endeavor: commercial construction. "I want to build a Home Depot or a Wal-Mart, shopping centers," he told the mag. Tip cited Tupac as the rapper who had the most influence on him growing up — and called out some other big names for keeping him out of trouble. "Sometimes I be wildin' out, then [Suge Knight says,] 'Man, you got too much going on, you can't do that. It ain't like the old days,' " said the rapper, who is currently under house arrest. "[Jay-Z] will tell me the same thing, [Diddy] tell me the same thing, Kevin Liles — everybody trying. Wyclef is another one. People, I guess, just care." ...

For her part, Nicole Scherzinger named Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson as the singers she admires the most. She also talked about someone else you may have heard of — Kanye West — and why the tracks he produced for her solo debut didn't make the cut. "I wasn't able to really finish them in time," said the singer, whose Her Name Is Nicole LP is due January 29. "When I have the right time and the right album, I wanna finish those songs. There was talks of putting Common on one of them." Scherzinger also talked about shooting her "Whatever U Like" video with the other Rap-Up cover artist, T.I. "When we did the video it was crazy 'cause we were all up in each other's grills, like [director] Paul Hunter really made us go there, but it was great. He's a professional. Paul was making us tug on each other; we were hard-core for a hot second." ...

Jay-Z celebrated his 38th birthday with Beyoncé in Paris on Tuesday, according to People.com. The couple reportedly holed up in a hotel suite, took a drive around the city, ate at L'Avenue restaurant and caught a cabaret show. ... Pete Wentz, Chris Brown, the Jonas Brothers and Corbin Bleu all made Teen magazine's list of the 50 Hottest Guys in Hollywood — but Zac Efron takes the cake by topping the bunch. ... Keira Knightley stripped down for the revealing cover of the latest issue of Interview magazine. "How does that always happen?" the "Atonement" actress asked herself, in the interview, of taking off her clothes. "Because I say yes, I suppose." ...

Styles P, Hurricane Chris and Fabolous will bring some yuletide cheer to Russell Simmons and Rev Run's eighth annual Youth Holiday Party in New York on Tuesday, with MTV News' own Sway acting as one of the emcees. For the festivities, the Simmons brothers and their Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation will turn the Fillmore at Irving Plaza into a winter wonderland, raffling off prizes like an Xbox 360 and tickets to a taping of "106 & Park." Kids will also get Target gift cards. ...

Journey are counting a new singer among their ranks: Arnel Pineda. The Filipino crooner, who previously covered the band's songs with his group the Zoo, is the third Journey singer in two years — he follows Jeff Scott Soto, who left the fold earlier this year after filling in for Steve Augeri, who split with the band in 2006 due to medical reasons. "I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like 'the voice,' " Pineda said in a statement, referring to yet another former Journey singer: Steve Perry. "But that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world." "Arnel doesn't sound synthetic and he's not emulating anyone," added guitarist Neal Schon, who discovered the singer's Zoo clips online. "I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him ... but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter." ...

Deerhunter, Black Dice, Fischerspooner and others have chipped in unreleased new songs for Living Bridge, a two-CD collection of songs by bands who have previously recorded at Brooklyn, New York's Rare Book Room Studio. The 25-song package will hit stores February 26 and christen Rare Book Room Records, a new label. ... The Breeders will be back in '08 with a new disc hitting stores April 8. Mountain Battles will arrive six years after the band's previous effort, Title TK, which the band took nine years to put out following its most successful album, 1993's Last Splash. The Pixies-affiliated group is also due to tour throughout the year, hitting up South by Southwest and Coachella along the way. ... Peaches will sweeten up New Year's Eve this year by counting down the clock in downtown Los Angeles as part of Hard NYE's bash. She will also perform, as will Justice. ...

Paula Abdul was a "disaster" on "Saturday Night Live" when she hosted the show two years ago — so says Tina Fey in the January issue of Playboy. "I was pregnant at the time and probably a little moody, but I remember thinking, 'She's a disaster!' " Fey said. ... Vivica A. Fox booked herself on Wednesday on charges of driving under the influence, TMZ.com reports. A judge ordered on Monday that the actress be booked or face a bench warrant. ... Charges were dropped against Jonathan Rhys-Meyers after he apologized for creating a drunken fracas at an airport in Ireland earlier this year. The actor, who faced two charges of public drunkenness and breach of peace, said through his lawyer that he intends to make a donation to an unspecified charity. ...

The one guy who seemed kind of charmed by Borat's antics in last year's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" has joined the parade of people suing the fake Kazakh reporter. According to Reuters, driving instructor Michael Psenicska's suit against the film's makers and star Sacha Baron Cohen claims that he was tricked into participating in a film that he was led to believe was a "documentary about the integration of foreign people into the American way of life." Psenicska said he was paid $500 in cash to give Borat a driving lesson and described the experience as "surreal," saying Cohen drove erratically down residential streets, drank alcohol and yelled to a female pedestrian that he would pay her $10 for "sexy time." Psenicska is seeking $100,000 in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages for being misled, and for the emotional harm he allegedly continues to suffer. Psenicska said if he had known the true nature of the film, he never would have participated. The studio behind the flick said the suit had no merit and that Psenicska was a willing participant in the film. ...

Eddie Vedder is making his first video appearance since his spot in Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" clip 15 years ago. Mr. Ed is supporting his soundtrack to "Into the Wild" with a video for "Guaranteed." ... Saosin can't get enough of the road — the band, which toured for most of 2007, has rolled out a new 2008 itinerary. The California rockers will take Armor for Sleep and the Bled along for their jaunt, which starts January 21 in Tucson, Arizona, and ends February 14 in Chico, California. ... The sounds made by the creepy creatures in Will Smith's new movie "I Am Legend" might seem familiar to Faith No More fans — Mike Patton is the one behind them. The always-busy musician, who previously lent his voice to video games like "The Darkness" and "The Portal," is also delving into the film world with "A Perfect Place," a noirish short film for which he composed the music. ...

The family of Justin Barker, the white student who was allegedly beaten by six black classmates last year in Jena, Louisiana, has filed a civil lawsuit against the teens, their parents, the local school board and a seventh student who was not charged in the case, USA Today reports. The lawsuit claims that the attack on Barker was of "such extreme nature so as to require emergency medical care and treatment for the harm inflicted by the attack, and resulting in extensive and permanently disabling injuries." The suit, filed Thursday, also alleges that employees of the LaSalle Parish School Board were not adequately supervising students or maintaining discipline. ...

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will flex his rock muscle on Friday at a fundraising show featuring Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy performing solo alongside buzz band the Cool Kids, Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins, Jill Sobule and local indie bands the Changes and Canasta. The "Change Rocks" show will take place at the Riviera Theatre in Obama's hometown of Chicago, with tickets ranging from $50 to $500 apiece. ... Hillary Clinton's campaign has had a change of heart. Less than a month before the Iowa caucuses, Clinton has dropped her controversial campaign theme song, "You and I" by Celine Dion, and replaced it with "Blue Sky" by Colorado 1990s college faves Big Head Todd and the Monsters, according to ABC News. ...

We can see now why comedian Dave Chappelle might have walked away from that $50 million Comedy Central deal: He'd rather be doing stand-up. Chappelle broke his own endurance record on Sunday with a set at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, California, that lasted six hours and 12 minutes, besting his previous mark, set in April, by a good five minutes. Club owner Jamie Masada told AP that Chappelle was on a mission. "Dave was determined to keep his record because he recently heard that Dane Cook was planning on trying to break [his] record," Masada said. ... R&B singer Avant has signed to Capitol Records to release his next album, due in the summer. The multiplatinum crooner was previously signed to MCA, before the label folded into Geffen Records, through which he released four albums and a string of hit singles, including his breakout "Separated." Avant's yet-untitled next album is expected to include production from Rodney Jerkins and Mr. Collipark, among others.

• Madonna
• Gym Class Heroes
• Alicia Keys
• Radiohead
• The Academy Is...

Kiefer Sutherland
Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/ Getty Images

Unlike Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie, Kiefer Sutherland is not getting off easy with his DUI — the "24" actor has been sentenced to 48 days in a Los Angeles County jail for his September 24 arrest and violating his probation. The actor must start serving his sentence at the Glendale City Jail prior to March 30, UsMagazine.com reports. He has also been sentenced to five years of probation, must finish a year-and-a-half-long alcohol-education program and go to weekly therapy sessions for a half-year. Sutherland, who had a previous DUI before his fall arrest, had been pulled over by police after making an illegal U-turn and reportedly blew twice the legal blood-alcohol level during a breathalyzer test. He issued a statement after entering a no-contest plea in early October, saying, "I'm very disappointed in myself for the poor judgment I exhibited recently, and I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and co-workers on '24' and at 20th Century Fox." ... Contrasting with Sutherland's devastating news, Richie caught a break on Wednesday when her court-mandated anti-drinking program granted the socialite a leave of absence, according to People. Coordinators at the program were reportedly worried for Richie's safety, with her rep saying such leaves of absence are granted to people with medical conditions and that she did not get special treatment. Richie is eight months pregnant and has to complete the 18-month program as part of her DUI plea deal ...

Bad news for Vanessa Hudgens: A Los Angeles judge ruled Wednesday (December 5) that a breach-of-contract suit by her former lawyer can go forward, according to CBS News. Brian L. Schall is suing the "The High School Musical" star for breach of contract, although Hudgens has argued that she was a minor at the time she signed the agreement and therefore isn't bound to it. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Tricia Ann Bigelow said the matter of Hudgens disaffirming her contractual obligations within a reasonable time period is a "factual issue," and that Hudgens' decision to wait until she was 18 years and 9 months old to reject the contract is an issue for either a jury decision or a motion for summary judgment. The next hearing in the case is slated for January 15. ... Lindsay Lohan might be facing another setback too: Raymundo Ortega, the busboy who is seeking $200,000 in damages stemming from Lohan's collision with his van in October 2005, says he has proof the starlet was drinking before the crash, according to The Associated Press. He reportedly filed papers Tuesday. ...

An interview with T.I. that was conducted prior to his October arrest on gun charges appears in the December/January issue of Rap-Up magazine, which features him and Nicole Scherzinger on alternate covers. The rapper said he has a new urban-clothing line on the way — called "A King of Oneself" — and also revealed his interest in a different type of endeavor: commercial construction. "I want to build a Home Depot or a Wal-Mart, shopping centers," he told the mag. Tip cited Tupac as the rapper who had the most influence on him growing up — and called out some other big names for keeping him out of trouble. "Sometimes I be wildin' out, then [Suge Knight says,] 'Man, you got too much going on, you can't do that. It ain't like the old days,' " said the rapper, who is currently under house arrest. "[Jay-Z] will tell me the same thing, [Diddy] tell me the same thing, Kevin Liles — everybody trying. Wyclef is another one. People, I guess, just care." ...

For her part, Nicole Scherzinger named Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson as the singers she admires the most. She also talked about someone else you may have heard of — Kanye West — and why the tracks he produced for her solo debut didn't make the cut. "I wasn't able to really finish them in time," said the singer, whose Her Name Is Nicole LP is due January 29. "When I have the right time and the right album, I wanna finish those songs. There was talks of putting Common on one of them." Scherzinger also talked about shooting her "Whatever U Like" video with the other Rap-Up cover artist, T.I. "When we did the video it was crazy 'cause we were all up in each other's grills, like [director] Paul Hunter really made us go there, but it was great. He's a professional. Paul was making us tug on each other; we were hard-core for a hot second." ...

Jay-Z celebrated his 38th birthday with Beyoncé in Paris on Tuesday, according to People.com. The couple reportedly holed up in a hotel suite, took a drive around the city, ate at L'Avenue restaurant and caught a cabaret show. ... Pete Wentz, Chris Brown, the Jonas Brothers and Corbin Bleu all made Teen magazine's list of the 50 Hottest Guys in Hollywood — but Zac Efron takes the cake by topping the bunch. ... Keira Knightley stripped down for the revealing cover of the latest issue of Interview magazine. "How does that always happen?" the "Atonement" actress asked herself, in the interview, of taking off her clothes. "Because I say yes, I suppose." ...

Styles P, Hurricane Chris and Fabolous will bring some yuletide cheer to Russell Simmons and Rev Run's eighth annual Youth Holiday Party in New York on Tuesday, with MTV News' own Sway acting as one of the emcees. For the festivities, the Simmons brothers and their Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation will turn the Fillmore at Irving Plaza into a winter wonderland, raffling off prizes like an Xbox 360 and tickets to a taping of "106 & Park." Kids will also get Target gift cards. ...

Journey are counting a new singer among their ranks: Arnel Pineda. The Filipino crooner, who previously covered the band's songs with his group the Zoo, is the third Journey singer in two years — he follows Jeff Scott Soto, who left the fold earlier this year after filling in for Steve Augeri, who split with the band in 2006 due to medical reasons. "I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like 'the voice,' " Pineda said in a statement, referring to yet another former Journey singer: Steve Perry. "But that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world." "Arnel doesn't sound synthetic and he's not emulating anyone," added guitarist Neal Schon, who discovered the singer's Zoo clips online. "I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him ... but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter." ...

Deerhunter, Black Dice, Fischerspooner and others have chipped in unreleased new songs for Living Bridge, a two-CD collection of songs by bands who have previously recorded at Brooklyn, New York's Rare Book Room Studio. The 25-song package will hit stores February 26 and christen Rare Book Room Records, a new label. ... The Breeders will be back in '08 with a new disc hitting stores April 8. Mountain Battles will arrive six years after the band's previous effort, Title TK, which the band took nine years to put out following its most successful album, 1993's Last Splash. The Pixies-affiliated group is also due to tour throughout the year, hitting up South by Southwest and Coachella along the way. ... Peaches will sweeten up New Year's Eve this year by counting down the clock in downtown Los Angeles as part of Hard NYE's bash. She will also perform, as will Justice. ...

Paula Abdul was a "disaster" on "Saturday Night Live" when she hosted the show two years ago — so says Tina Fey in the January issue of Playboy. "I was pregnant at the time and probably a little moody, but I remember thinking, 'She's a disaster!' " Fey said. ... Vivica A. Fox booked herself on Wednesday on charges of driving under the influence, TMZ.com reports. A judge ordered on Monday that the actress be booked or face a bench warrant. ... Charges were dropped against Jonathan Rhys-Meyers after he apologized for creating a drunken fracas at an airport in Ireland earlier this year. The actor, who faced two charges of public drunkenness and breach of peace, said through his lawyer that he intends to make a donation to an unspecified charity. ...

The one guy who seemed kind of charmed by Borat's antics in last year's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" has joined the parade of people suing the fake Kazakh reporter. According to Reuters, driving instructor Michael Psenicska's suit against the film's makers and star Sacha Baron Cohen claims that he was tricked into participating in a film that he was led to believe was a "documentary about the integration of foreign people into the American way of life." Psenicska said he was paid $500 in cash to give Borat a driving lesson and described the experience as "surreal," saying Cohen drove erratically down residential streets, drank alcohol and yelled to a female pedestrian that he would pay her $10 for "sexy time." Psenicska is seeking $100,000 in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages for being misled, and for the emotional harm he allegedly continues to suffer. Psenicska said if he had known the true nature of the film, he never would have participated. The studio behind the flick said the suit had no merit and that Psenicska was a willing participant in the film. ...

Eddie Vedder is making his first video appearance since his spot in Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" clip 15 years ago. Mr. Ed is supporting his soundtrack to "Into the Wild" with a video for "Guaranteed." ... Saosin can't get enough of the road — the band, which toured for most of 2007, has rolled out a new 2008 itinerary. The California rockers will take Armor for Sleep and the Bled along for their jaunt, which starts January 21 in Tucson, Arizona, and ends February 14 in Chico, California. ... The sounds made by the creepy creatures in Will Smith's new movie "I Am Legend" might seem familiar to Faith No More fans — Mike Patton is the one behind them. The always-busy musician, who previously lent his voice to video games like "The Darkness" and "The Portal," is also delving into the film world with "A Perfect Place," a noirish short film for which he composed the music. ...

The family of Justin Barker, the white student who was allegedly beaten by six black classmates last year in Jena, Louisiana, has filed a civil lawsuit against the teens, their parents, the local school board and a seventh student who was not charged in the case, USA Today reports. The lawsuit claims that the attack on Barker was of "such extreme nature so as to require emergency medical care and treatment for the harm inflicted by the attack, and resulting in extensive and permanently disabling injuries." The suit, filed Thursday, also alleges that employees of the LaSalle Parish School Board were not adequately supervising students or maintaining discipline. ...

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will flex his rock muscle on Friday at a fundraising show featuring Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy performing solo alongside buzz band the Cool Kids, Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins, Jill Sobule and local indie bands the Changes and Canasta. The "Change Rocks" show will take place at the Riviera Theatre in Obama's hometown of Chicago, with tickets ranging from $50 to $500 apiece. ... Hillary Clinton's campaign has had a change of heart. Less than a month before the Iowa caucuses, Clinton has dropped her controversial campaign theme song, "You and I" by Celine Dion, and replaced it with "Blue Sky" by Colorado 1990s college faves Big Head Todd and the Monsters, according to ABC News. ...

We can see now why comedian Dave Chappelle might have walked away from that $50 million Comedy Central deal: He'd rather be doing stand-up. Chappelle broke his own endurance record on Sunday with a set at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, California, that lasted six hours and 12 minutes, besting his previous mark, set in April, by a good five minutes. Club owner Jamie Masada told AP that Chappelle was on a mission. "Dave was determined to keep his record because he recently heard that Dane Cook was planning on trying to break [his] record," Masada said. ... R&B singer Avant has signed to Capitol Records to release his next album, due in the summer. The multiplatinum crooner was previously signed to MCA, before the label folded into Geffen Records, through which he released four albums and a string of hit singles, including his breakout "Separated." Avant's yet-untitled next album is expected to include production from Rodney Jerkins and Mr. Collipark, among others.

12.4.07

A lot of 25-year-olds still aren't sure what to do with their lives, but the superstars on Forbes' 20 Richest Stars Under 25 are already set for retirement. A quartet of athletes tops the list, with hoops heavyweight LeBron James landing at #1, followed by NFL rookie Reggie Bush, tennis star Maria Sharapova and golf prodigy Michelle Wie. A few other notable appearances: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen come in at #5 with $17 million each; "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe is at #6 with $15 million; Hilary Duff is at #7 with $12 million; Avril Lavigne is at #8 with $12 million; Carrie Underwood is at #11 with $7 million; Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah Montana) is at #17 with $3.5 million; and Lindsay Lohan is at #18 with $3.5 million as well. ...

Speaking of year-end lists, the never-ending dramas of Britney Spears landed the pop star at the top of the 10 most-searched items on Yahoo in 2007 once again. According to a Reuters report, Spears has topped the list every year for the past seven — except in 2004, when Paris Hilton beat her out. Hilton was at a lowly #5 before bumping up to #3 this year thanks to her brief jail sentence this summer for a traffic violation, while Lindsay Lohan's driving habits boosted her from #10 up to #6. The #2 spot was held down once again by World Wrestling Entertainment, with much of the interest centered on the murder-suicide of Chris Benoit. Beyoncé moved up two spots to #5, Fergie crashed the top 10 at #9, and Jessica Alba squeaked in at #10. The list was rounded out by Japanese manga series "Naruto" (#4), online game RuneScape (#7) and fantasy football (#8). Meanwhile, Jessica Simpson, Pamela Anderson, Shakira, Chris Brown and "American Idol" all fell out of the top 10. ...

Kanye West got a little help from a friend on Sunday night during his show in Manchester, England, according to the Liverpool Echo. Midway through the show, Jay-Z strolled onstage to perform "Encore" with West as the crowd went wild. ... Usher's wife, Tameka Foster — and the mother of his newborn baby, Usher Raymond V — has taken a lot of heat from bloggers and overly possessive fans since she first started dating the R&B superstar. In a new interview with Essence, the stylist opens up about the haters. "Unfortunately many people live for negativity and are brainwashed by the misinformation of bloggers, rumors, haters and speculators," she tells the mag. "They don't want to believe the truth because the negative stories have more appeal to them. Friends tell me about some of it and we'll laugh, but honestly, I don't pay attention to the gossip on the day-to-day." ...

Veteran Bay Area rapper Spice 1 is in stable condition after being shot Monday, according to his manager, Six. "He was only shot once," Six told MTV News. "I'm not sure where the reports are coming from that he was shot multiple times. He was in critical condition, but now doctors are watching him. They're trying to remove a bullet, but they aren't giving out too many details. They said he should be good, but they're being precautions because the bullet was so close to his heart." BallerStatus.com originally reported the shooting, in which the Hayward, California, native was shot after he fell asleep in his car outside his home. When the rapper awoke, an armed stranger attacked him. It is unclear whether it was a robbery or a premeditated threat to the rapper's life. He's being treated at the Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, California. ...

Chalk this one up to one giant Missundaztood-ing? According to TMZ.com, artist Scratch (real name: Kyle Jones) has filed a civil suit against Pink, claiming he was featured on "Respect," a track on her 2001 Missundaztood CD, but was never paid. The performance was also featured on Pink's "Live in Europe" DVD. He's seeking $717, 600 in back pay and damages. ... When Snoop Dogg appeared with his daughter Cori on Tuesday's "Ellen DeGeneres Show," the 8-year-old was quick to say that her dad wasn't that strict. But Snoop does lay down the law in one area. "You say I'm not strict," the rapper said. "Tell Ellen how old you have to be before you can have a boyfriend." Cori's answer? "Seventy-seven." ...

MySpace is launching a new program called "Transmissions" that will allow musicians to perform their songs live in a studio, then screen and sell the videos of the performances immediately on the site, at a price of their own choosing. The New York Times reports that James Blunt will be the first artist to participate in the initiative, introducing five songs, including his new single, on the site today. ... According to TMZ.com, Dennis Quaid and wife Kimberly Buffington have sued Baxter Healthcare, makers of the drug Heparin, claiming that a near-fatal overdose of the anticoagulant given to their newborn sons was the result of improper labeling. They claim that the look and packaging of the 10 IU/mL is too similar to the 10,000 IU/mL vial of the same drug. Three children in Indiana have reportedly died from similar mistakes. As of Tuesday (December 4), no suit has been brought against the hospital, Los Angeles' Cedars Sinai. ...

Nokia, the world's top cell-phone maker, has announced a deal with Universal, the world's biggest music group, to offer free 12-month access to music by artists on the Universal roster for people who buy Nokia's music phones. According to Reuters, the "Comes With Music" offer could be joined by several similar deals with other labels by the time the Universal program kicks off in the middle of 2008. In a switch from similar deals currently being offered, Nokia users would be allowed to keep all the music they download during the 12-month period. ... Speaking of Universal, it looks like Colbie Caillat accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the label's new Web policy. In a recent e-mail to fans, Caillat explained that from now on her MySpace page will only feature 90-second clips of songs instead of full-length ones. "Every artist signed to a Universal label has to comply immediately," she wrote. According to Wired News, though, the policy actually went into effect a few months ago and requires all Universal labels to limit the length of music posted on third-party sites to 90 seconds, unless the site has a contract with Universal that allows them to stream the full song on-demand. ...

You didn't think System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan was just going to sit around while his band was on hiatus, did you? Dolmayan's online comic-book store, Torpedo Comics, is running a scavenger-hunt-style contest whose grand prize is a free trip to Las Vegas, complete with a tour of the "gigantic" Torpedo warehouse led by Dolmayan himself. Fans have to find four specific comic books hidden within the "Monolith" section of TorpedoComics.com, with the first three books offering clues that will lead to the fourth, which will have a secret code.

• "Borat"

• T.I.
• Wilco
• The Cool Kids
• Miley Cyrus
• Journey

Eminem, Flaming Lips, More Get Freaky At 2009 Voodoo Festival In New Orleans

• Eminem
• The Flaming Lips
• Wolfmother
• Janelle Monae
• Silversun Pickups

Jay-Z, Coldplay, More At All Points West 2009

• Jay-Z
• Coldplay
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• MGMT
• Vampire Weekend

The Roots, Gnarls Barkley, More Rock Philly

• Gnarls Barkley
• The Roots
• Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
• The Cool Kids