Ricky Martin

Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Alec Baldwin Give Props To Obama On Same-Sex Marriage

10 May 2012 10:41:51 EDT

'Obama, congratulations on being the first sitting president to support marriage equality,' Gaga tweets.
By Gil Kaufman

While his likely opponent in the fall presidential contest, Mitt Romney, dug in his heels and doubled down on his opposition to same-sex marriage, President Obama continued to earn praise from the entertainment community for his historic support of gay marriage.  After hearing from stars including  Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen DeGeneres, "Modern Family" star Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Kim Kardashian on Wednesday, the list of well-wishers grew to include everyone from Lady Gaga to hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons, Alec Baldwin and political blogger Meghan McCain.

"Obama, congratulations on being the first sitting president to support marriage equality," tweeted Gaga. "Feels like the future, and not the past. #NoFear." Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons simply said "thank you," and singer Michelle Branch gave it a rousing, "YAY Obama!! #EqualityForAll."

Obama, congratulations on being the first sitting President to support marriage equality. Feels like the future, and not the past. #NoFear
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) May 10, 2012

Frequent "Chelsea Lately" panelist and out comedian Ross Matthews could hardly contain his excitement, writing, "OMG, it's official! Obama becomes 1st president to support gay marriage!!! Historic day!" Meanwhile, another out TV personality, Bravo boss and talk show host Andy Cohen, shouted, "THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT."

Singer Ricky Martin offered his props as well, saying, "I applaud President @barackobama for affirming that ALL Americans should enjoy equal rights. Historic!"

CNN talker Piers Morgan called it, "One small step for him ... one giant leap for mankind," while comedian/actress Sandra Bernhard offered up the poetic bon mot, "Viva Obama who has just endorsed gay marriage. Right on time drop a dime blow your mind."

"It Gets Better" founder and "Savage Love" columnist Dan Savage urged action on the back of Obama's announcement, saying, "Gay people better get out there and support the president. If he loses in November, we'll be blamed."

"30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin kept is brief with, "Obama gets it right on gay marriage. Bravo," out blogger Perez Hilton dubbed the announcement, "better late than never" and singer Josh Groban said it was just "historic."

Twitter master comedian Patton Oswalt took the opportunity to have fun with the Obama news in a series of tweets about his upcoming (fake) gay marriage. "Oh my God -- Seal Team Six just broke down my front door and are forcing me to marry @stephenfry! DAMN YOU, OBAMA!!!!!!" That was followed by some more good news in the form of, "Well, I'm now married to @stephenfry. Ceremony was charming, but watching Seal Team Six fight over the bouquet was f---ing INTENSE." Funnyman Michael Ian Black was in a joking mood as well, taunting, "Hey Obama, if you love gay marriage so much, why don't you marry it?"

And in keeping with her maverick streak (not to be confused with her dad's), political blogger Meghan McCain opined, "Even though he did it a little late under political pressure -- very happy to hear the President came out in support of gay marriage." What do you think of President Obama's support of gay marriage? Let us know in comments below.

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Obama Campaign Playlist Includes Wilco, U2, Al Green

10 Feb 2012 17:44:08 EST

Ricky Martin, Bruce Springsteen, Dierks Bentley and Sugarland also in the mix.
By Gil Kaufman

We already know President Obama likes to listen to (and occasionally sing) Al Green songs. And he's told us that his iPod has a bit of Jay-Z and Lil Wayne on it. But with the toughest re-election campaign of his career on the horizon, what music will Obama 2012 be using to pump up crowds at rallies?

Judging by a playlist uploaded to Spotify this week, it looks like a cheerful, noncontroversial mix of classic rock, country, soul and R&B, but, alas, no hip-hop.

Instead, in a clear bid to appeal to the broad middle, Obama chose songs by beloved soul acts like Booker T. & the MG's ("Green Onions"), Earth Wind & Fire ("Got to Get You Into My Life"), The Impressions ("Keep on Pushing") and, yes, Green (the pleading "Let's Stay Together").

From the rock pile, he went with Wilco ("I Got You"), Arcade Fire ("We Used to Wait"), U2 ("Even Better Than the Real Thing") and the new blue-collar recession anthem from Bruce Springsteen ("We Take Care of Our Own"). For those visits to the heartland, he loaded up on country goodness from Sugarland ("Stand Up" and "Everyday America"), Darius Rucker ("This"), Zac Brown Band ("Keep Me in Mind") and Dierks Bentley ("Home").

There are a few oddball picks in there as well, including a deep cut from No Doubt ("Different People"), a very literal AM radio staple from REO Speedwagon ("Roll with the Changes"), a cover of the Band's "The Weight" by Aretha Franklin, some indie rock from Noah and the Whale ("Tonight's the Kind of Night") and a Ricky Martin/ Joss Stone duet ("The Best Thing About Me Is You").

While likely GOP opponent Mitt Romney takes the stage to the rousing strains of Kid Rock's Americana anthem "Born Free," Obama plans to get crowds pumped with the likes of modern R&B master Raphael Saadiq ("Keep Marchin' "), Florence and the Machine ("You've Got the Love") and afro-era prog popsters Electric Light Orchestra ("Mr. Blue Sky").

Rounding out the list is obscure jam act AgesAndAges, whose "No Nostalgia" is a handclapping ditty that just begs for a group hug, Jennifer Hudson's "Love You I Do," Ledisi's self-explanatory "Raise Up," James Taylor's feel-good "Your Smiling Face," country duo Montgomery Gentry's small-town homage "My Town" and Ray LaMontagne's tear-in-your-beer lovefest "You Are the Best Thing."

It might sound tame, but don't forget that back in 2008 when he was still just Candidate Obama, the president's taste in music was pretty similar. At the time, the future boomer-in-chief said he listened to everything from Bob Dylan, Elton John, Earth Wind & Fire and the Rolling Stones to Sheryl Crow, Springsteen and a number of jazz and classic giants, including Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Yo-Yo Ma.

What songs would you add to the president's playlist? Let us know in comments below!

Check back for up-to-the-minute coverage of the primaries and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the 2012 presidential election season.

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Nicki Minaj, Ricky Martin To Rep For MAC Viva Glam

25 Jul 2011 16:57:04 EDT

Artists will take the reins from Lady Gaga for the line starting in February 2012.
By Jocelyn Vena

Lady Gaga will be giving up her spot as the leading lady of the MAC Viva Glam campaign. After working with the company for the last two years (in 2010 with Cyndi Lauper and in 2011 on her own), Nicki Minaj and Ricky Martin have been confirmed as the new faces for the makeup line that raises money for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Martin and Minaj's campaign will launch in February 2012, and they are currently hard at work on the photo spreads for it. The stars are shooting with famed celebrity photographer David LaChappelle for the ads in Miami on Monday, a rep for the cosmetics brand confirmed to MTV News.

"Viva Glam Photo Shoot. Ur gonna GAG!!!!!" Minaj wrote on Twitter. "Can't wait for my barbz & ken barbz to wear this new shade of lipstick! Wait til u see it! Sickening!!!! #VivaGlam2012."

Martin and Minaj join an ever-growing list of A-list celebrities who have helped raise money for the MAC AIDS Fund through the sale of lipstick. Fergie, Christina Aguilera, Eve, Mary J. Blige and Lil Kim have all helped sell the lipstick line, which MAC started in 1994, donating every dollar of its sales to help men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS.

"When MAC originally started, it was truly a place for all the misfits of the world, where they could feel comfortable and know that they wouldn't be criticized," James Gager, SVP and creative director of MAC, said earlier this year of the company. "We've always been all about welcoming everyone into our universe."

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Ricky Martin, 'True Blood' Win GLAAD Awards

21 Mar 2011 10:45:37 EDT

Tina Fey was also on hand to accept the Outstanding Individual Episode award for '30 Rock.'
By Jocelyn Vena

Tina Fey, "True Blood" star Denis O'Hare and Patrick Wilson are just of few of the celebrities who gathered at the 22nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards, hosted by Bravo's Andy Cohen on Saturday in New York. The awards honor "fair, accurate and inclusive representations" of the LGBT community in television and journalism.

Big winners of the night included "True Blood," which won for Outstanding Drama Series, and "30 Rock," which won for Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular LGBT character) for its "Klaus & Greta" episode. Entrepreneur Russell Simmons was honored with the Excellence in Media Award.

Ricky Martin took home the Vito Russo Award, which is presented to a "lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality for the LGBT community."

In his speech, Martin credited GLAAD for helping him cope in the wake of his public coming out last year on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." He then went on to push for Latin American gay rights and asked that GLAAD stand up for those who can't in that community. "I just want to be free. I can say today I'm free," he said at the event. "And for that I definitely need to thank my parents for being so supportive, my mother and my dad for their unconditional love, and my friends, my family, my fans. And my partner in crime and my boyfriend Carlos."

That was only the beginning of the accolades for those projects and people nominated, with additional GLAAD awards scheduled to be handed out in Los Angeles on April 10 and in San Francisco on May 14.

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Prop 8 Ruling Celebrated By Ellen DeGeneres, Paris Hilton, More

04 Aug 2010 20:25:45 EDT

Ricky Martin, Kim Kardashian and other celebs hit Twitter after California's gay-marriage ban is overturned.
By Kara Warner

Celebrity tweeters were especially vocal on Wednesday (August 4) after U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker struck down Proposition 8, California's controversial same-sex marriage ban, ruling it unconstitutional.

Prop 8 was a ballot measure that passed in California during the '08 election and was met with a shockwave of surprise and anger from within Hollywood and the country at large.

The overwhelmingly positive reactions to Wednesday's news helped put all that negativity in the past and added up to one giant virtual warm fuzzy.

Ellen DeGeneres wrote, simply: "Equality won!" She later added a link to her personal website, where she deemed the ruling "a huge step forward." DeGeneres' wife, Portia De Rossi, followed with her own happy words: "I am ecstatic that Proposition 8 has been overturned in the state of California," the actress said. "This is an incredibly exciting and historical day and a big step towards equal rights for all."

Paris Hilton chimed in happily: "What a huge historical day for equal rights in this country! They finally overturned Prop 8! There shouldn't be a law on true love. :)"

Other elated celeb reactions included one from "Glee" actress Kristin Chenoweth: "Prop 8 overturned in California! Praise God!"

Ricky Martin expressed his thoughts with exuberant all caps: "YEAHHHHH!!!!! #PROP8UNCONSTITUTIONAL MOVING FORWARD!!!!!!!!"

Shanna Moakler added: "Tonight we celebrate! EQUALITY and LOVE for all! This is so much bigger then marriage, it's about wisdom, compassion and knowing we CAN be heard, action DOES make a difference."

Kim Kardashian weighed in as well: "Prop 8 was struck down! This news is amazing!!!! It's about time! Congrats to everyone!"

What are your thoughts on today's ruling? Join the discussion in the comments.

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Ricky Martin Officially Comes Out

29 Mar 2010 17:53:00 EDT

'I am a fortunate homosexual man,' Martin writes on his blog.
By Jocelyn Vena

Ricky Martin has officially come out of the closet. The Latin pop superstar, who became a father to twin boys in 2008, made the announcement on his blog on Monday (March 29). In the blog post, he writes that he decided to share the truth about his sexuality after he began work on his memoirs.

"A few months ago I decided to write my memoirs, a project I knew was going to bring me closer to an amazing turning point in my life," he wrote. "From the moment I wrote the first phrase I was sure the book was the tool that was going to help me free myself from things I was carrying within me for a long time. Things that were too heavy for me to keep inside. Writing this account of my life, I got very close to my truth. And this is something worth celebrating.




	The Evolution Of: Ricky Martin

"For many years, there has been only one place where I am in touch with my emotions fearlessly and that's the stage," he continued. "Being on stage fills my soul in many ways, almost completely. It's my vice. The music, the lights and the roar of the audience are elements that make me feel capable of anything. This rush of adrenaline is incredibly addictive. I don't ever want to stop feeling these emotions. But it is serenity that brings me to where I'm at right now. An amazing emotional place of comprehension, reflection and enlightenment. At this moment I'm feeling the same freedom I usually feel only on stage, without a doubt, I need to share." In the blog post, he notes that throughout his career he has been advised to not talk about his sexuality. "Many people told me: 'Ricky it's not important,' 'it's not worth it,' 'all the years you've worked and everything you've built will collapse,' 'many people in the world are not ready to accept your truth, your reality, your nature.' Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth," he wrote. "Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage. Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions."

He noted that there are many things that he is more afraid of than "the truth" about who he is. "If someone asked me today, Ricky, what are you afraid of? I would answer the blood that runs through the streets of countries at war ... child slavery, terrorism ... the cynicism of some people in positions of power, the misinterpretation of faith.' But fear of my truth? Not at all! On the contrary, it fills me with strength and courage. This is just what I need especially now that I am the father of two beautiful boys that are so full of light and who with their outlook teach me new things every day," he wrote. "To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where born with. Enough is enough. This has to change. This was not supposed to happen 5 or 10 years ago, it is supposed to happen now. Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment.

"These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed.

"What will happen from now on? It doesn't matter. I can only focus on what's happening to me in this moment. The word 'happiness' takes on a new meaning for me as of today. It has been a very intense process. Every word that I write in this letter is born out of love, acceptance, detachment and real contentment," he wrote. "Writing this is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution."

He then concludes the post by saying: "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."

What do you think of Ricky Martin's announcement? Let us know in the comments below!

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Jay-Z's November Reign? Mogul Takes On Chris Brown, Cassidy, Angels & Airwaves And More, In New Releases

06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

Also due Tuesday: Ashley Tisdale, Bright Eyes, Ricky Martin, Demon Hunter, Plain White T's, Monster Magnet, Grizzly Bear, Sigur Rós.
By Kurt Orzeck

With 55 days left in the year, here's your quintessential guide to new releases this week ...

The Top Five:

Jay-Z's American Gangster: Like Roger Clemens, Jay keeps coming back out of retirement so he can play again — and he decides on his own watch when it's best to do so. While it's not officially connected with the film of the same name, his perfectly timed American Gangster is sure to enjoy some of the runoff from the film's marketing — did you forget that Jay is a businessman? For proof of how much the music mogul's LP has already been talked about, look no further than Jim Jones, who has already put together a mixtape in response, Harlem's American Gangsta. Jay's sweetheart, Beyoncé, joins him on the concept album, as do Diddy, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Pharrell, Beanie Sigel, Jermaine Dupri, Bilal, Nas and more.

Chris Brown's Exclusive: Like Jay, fast-rising R&B singer Brown has also been doubling up on publicity — while his new album drops this week, he's going to be chasing it with the November 21 flick "This Christmas." "I am still going to keep it so my younger fans can continue to listen to my music, but I got a couple of joints on there that's for some of the older people," he previously told MTV News of his intentions for the album. And while that supposed Michael Jackson collaboration didn't make it onto the disc, Lil Wayne, Game, Big Boi, Will.I.Am and T-Pain are on the guest list, with Swizz Beatz, Dre & Vidal, Scott Storch and others lending their production talents too. Don't miss the limited-edition version, which also contains a DVD.

Cassidy's B.A.R.S.: The Barry Adrian Reese Story: "It's called B.A.R.S. 'cause I was locked behind bars, I was known for spittin' bars and Barry Adrian Reese is my biological name, so I just felt like it was the perfect title," the rapper recently told MTV News about his new release. Cass already has a club monster on his hands in "My Drink N' My 2 Step" — adding to the album hype, a remix of the track featuring Kanye West, Ne-Yo and Swizz Beatz has also already slipped out, as has the second single, "Innocent Man" (featuring Mark Morrison). John Legend also plays a role on the album, as a guest star on "Celebration."

Angels & Airwaves' I-Empire: That's a lot of hip-hop weight for one week, but repping the rock front is Tom DeLonge's band, which is putting out its second album this week. With an album cover resembling some '80s space movie for kids and a title that already feels outdated, but as DeLonge insisted to MTV News, the band has a "grand vision." A&A fans might want to head over to Best Buy to pick up the package — the version the retail chain is selling has bonus acoustic versions of "Do It for Me Now" and "Everything's Magic."

Bright Eyes' Motion Sickness: Live Recordings: The lauded folk-rock group has issued every one of its releases through Saddle Creek, an indie label out of Omaha, Nebraska, that owes its very existence to the band. But Conor Oberst decided to release their new concert effort on the Team Love label he co-founded in 2003. The 15-track CD — the sixth one Team Love has put out so far — overviews Bright Eyes' early-2005 tours in support of I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and features a pair of noteworthy cover songs, of Feist's "Mushaboom" and Elliott Smith's "The Biggest Lie."

Five Face-Offs:

Nas and Nazareth: The rapper's controversial new album is still more than a month away, but fans can whet their appetite this week with Greatest Hits, which has two new tracks: "Less Than an Hour," the theme to "Rush Hour 3"; and "Surviving the Times," which features Cee-Lo. But while Nas is going to have to elbow past Jay-Z and Cassidy this week, he should beware another opponent who isn't a rapper: cheesy hard-rock vets Nazareth, whose Hair of the Dog - Live album is getting reissued this week in remastered form.

Ashley Tisdale and the Who: If you never see Nas and Nazareth mentioned in the same sentence, try this one on for size: both the "High School Musical" star and the classic-rock vets are telling tales this week. "There's Something About Ashley: The Story of Headstrong" traces Tisdale's growth from when the writing process for her debut album began through its release and her subsequent tour with the "HSM" gang. "Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who" follows the band throughout its entire career and features interviews with not just the bandmembers but with fans U2, Eddie Vedder and others as well. Fittingly, the Who's two-DVD set runs just slightly longer than Tisdale's: It's 237 minutes long, while hers is roughly an hour.

Ricky Martin and Imani Coppola: Ricky Martin has an interesting strategy this week. He's putting out three versions of his Live: Black & White Tour concert set — a CD, a DVD and a combined CD-plus-DVD package — and yet, according to the Sony Music store, the standalone DVD actually retails for four bucks more than the CD-plus-DVD edition. Curiously, singer/violinist Imani Coppola drops The Black & White Album this week via Mike Patton's Ipecac label (she toured with his Peeping Tom collective). And, believe it or not, the Hives' Black and White Album drops next week.

Demon Hunter and Monster Magnet: One heavy-rock band is battling evil creatures this week while the other is attracting them. Storm the Gates of Hell, the fourth album by Christian metal band Demon Hunter, features a DVD and two bonus tracks on select editions — "No Reason to Exist" and "Grand Finale" — while MM's 4-Way Diablo has 13 doses of slabby goodness.

Kasper Bjørke and Kim Hiorthøy: Two artists with strokes in their names releasing albums the same week? Who woulda thunk it?

Song Title of the Week:

"Candy Sun Smiles" from Oh Astro's Champions of Wonder

Album Cover of the Week:

Kasper Bjørke's In Gumbo

New Releases:

· 60 Watt Kid - 60 Watt Kid (Absolutely Kosher)
· Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire (Geffen) [Buy Now]
Read: "Angels & Airwaves' Revolution Has Begun — Just Wait 29 Years, Tom DeLonge Insists"
· Arp - In Light (Smalltown Supersound)
· Barenaked Ladies - Talk to the Hand: Live in Michigan (enhanced; Shout! Factory) [Buy Now]
· Bear in Heaven - Red Bloom of the Boom (Hometapes)
· Kasper Bjørke - In Gumbo (Plant Music / Defend Distribution)
· Black Swans - Change (digipak; La Société Expéditionnaire)
· Mike Bones - The Sky Behind the Sea (The Social Registry)
· Bottomless Pit - Hammer of the Gods (Comedy Minus One)
· Bright Eyes - Motion Sickness: Live Recordings (Team Love) [Buy Now]
· Chris Brown - Exclusive (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Jive) [Buy Now]
Read: "Pharrell, Will.I.Am Joining Chris Brown's Exclusive Club"
· Buckethead - The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock (TDRS) [Buy Now]
· Jimmy Buffett - Live in Anguilla (two CDs and one DVD; Mailboat) [Buy Now]
· By the End of Tonight + Tera Malos - Complex Full of Phantoms (Temporary Residence)
· Captain & Tennille - The Secret of Christmas (Retroactive Entertainment)
· Cassidy - B.A.R.S.: The Barry Adrian Reese Story (enhanced; RCA) [Buy Now]
Read: "Cassidy Talks About Car Crash, Fatal Gunfight — And Explains Why He's Better Than Ever"
· Citay - Little Kingdom (Dead Oceans)
· The Classic Crime - Seattle Sessions (EP; Tooth & Nail)

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Gwyneth Paltrow Talks Jay-Z Collabo; Plus Hilary Duff, 'American Idol,' John Mayer, Arcade Fire, Velvet Revolver & More, In For The Record

09 Aug 2007 20:51:00 EDT

Duff lines up fashion-crafts line; 'Idol' hopeful goes into labor during audition; Mayer on for 'Austin City Limits.'
By MTV News staff

Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't so into the initial idea of singing onstage last year with Jay-Z at London's Royal Albert Hall, she admitted to W magazine for its September issue. "Jay was playing at the Albert Hall on my birthday, and he said, 'Will you sing on this song?' " the actress told the mag. "At first I didn't want to do it!" Paltrow also talked a little about her husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who was also onstage for the strange collabo. "When Chris gets home, we're not going to do anything other than what any regular couple does," she said. ...

A day after Amy Winehouse canceled two European festival dates following a trip to a London hospital to deal with what her label termed "severe exhaustion," a spokesperson for the singer said doctors have ordered Winehouse to rest in bed. For now, she's still expected to perform at the Virgin Festival in Toronto on September 8 as well as a string of U.S. dates in September. Winehouse's spokesperson would not comment on British tabloid reports that said the collapse that led to the singer's hospitalization was possibly drug-related. ...

Ciara is making her directorial debut with a video for Paula Campbell's "Ain't Nobody Stupid," and she will premiere the clip Monday at the 20th Century Fox Studio Lot in Century City, California. Los Angeles area fans can go here for details on how to get into the free Nissan Live Sets event. See snaps from the "Ain't Nobody Stupid" photo shoot right here. ...

Jamie Foxx portrayed Ray Charles and Andre 3000 is set to play Sammy Davis Jr., so you'd probably expect another big name to be taking on the lead role in the long-in-the-works Notorious B.I.G. biopic, right? Not necessarily. An open casting call will be held to determine who will play Biggie, and actors and non-actors alike are being allowed to try out for the part. Audition videos can be sent here beginning Sunday at 3 a.m. ET. In 1995, Fox Searchlight Pictures acquired the rights to the movie, which is being produced by Biggie's mother Voletta Wallace and two of his former managers. ...

A woman is peeved that no one from Britney Spears' camp has contacted the woman about her car, which the singer was seen driving into earlier this week in Studio City, California. Kim Robard-Rifkin told CelebTV.com on Wednesday that, "It was simply like my car didn't matter to her, my inconvenience didn't matter to her." Robard-Rifkin, who filed a police report Thursday (August 9), added, "I'm not asking for money. I'm not asking for a new car. ... I simply want my car fixed, the same as I would fix somebody's car if I had done that." ...

Hilary Duff is branching out. The singer/actress has partnered with Michaels stores for Stuff by Hilary Duff, a new fashion-crafts line that includes bracelets, necklaces, charms, patches and more. All Michaels stores will host in-store demonstrations of the products on August 26 from 1-3 p.m. local time. ... An "American Idol" hopeful went into labor during her audition on Monday at Texas Stadium and had contractions as she was singing, People reports. After that, Antoria Gillon, who was taken to a local hospital, gave birth to a healthy son. She will be on the next round of the show. ...

John Mayer has been confirmed for the upcoming season of "Austin City Limits," Pitchfork reports — but the program will be heavily weighed toward indie-rock acts too. Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Decemberists, Regina Spektor and Wilco have also been booked for the PBS series, which will start airing in October. ... The lineup for the first-ever Monolith Music Festival, to be held September 14-15 at Denver's historic Red Rock Amphitheatre, will include the Flaming Lips, Kings of Leon, the Decemberists, Editors, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Spoon, Cake, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Das EFX and many more acts. ...

Thrice have pegged October 16 as the release date for The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II - Fire & Water, the first two parts of a four-volume concept effort. The other two chapters, Vols. III & IV - Earth & Air, will be released in the spring. Both sets will be issued by Vagrant, the new label the band calls home after parting ways with Island in June. Earlier this year, frontman Dustin Kensrue called the Alchemy project "daunting" in an interview with MTV News. ... If you've been exchanging MySpace messages with Chris Cornell in recent weeks, chances are you were dealing with an imposter. The real Cornell logged onto his MySpace page on Wednesday to clear up matters. "Over the past several months, several incidents have taken place where others felt the need to engage in activities pretending to be me," he wrote. "I have been wanting to make a clear statement to fans, friends and anyone this may concern." He added the confounding remark, "Under no circumstances, under any name or address, do I or have I ever communicated or corresponded with anyone online or otherwise." ...

Want to get up close and personal with Velvet Revolver? You can get your chance for $250, thanks to meet-and-greet packages being offered for the hard-rock group's Tuesday gig at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The package includes a VIP laminate, personal photograph with the band, exclusive 8x10 color poster and autograph. ... Alice in Chains's Unplugged CD and DVD are being packaged together for a revitalized version of the release due September 18. ...

Expect to catch an eyeful of U2 rehearsing songs from their new album in "Here It Is," a documentary about the band's longtime producer Daniel Lanois that is set to debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, RollingStone.com reports. The feature film captures Lanois and the band in a studio in Morocco, with Billy Bob Thornton, Willie Nelson and others making guest appearances. ... Ricky Martin wants to start creating "a family of many colors" this year by adopting "one [child] from each continent," the singer told reporters Wednesday in his Puerto Rico homeland. The 35-year-old Martin is not married. ...

A fifth woman will be allowed to testify that Phil Spector threatened her with a gun, the judge in the music producer's trial ruled Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reports. Former Spector employee and girlfriend Devra Robitaille was expected to testify Thursday after jurors returned from a tour of Spector's mansion in Alhambra, California, where he allegedly killed actress Lana Clarkson. The defense — which on Wednesday called to the stand a neuropathologist who said the way Clarkson's body was found was consistent with a suicide — objected strongly to the decision to let Robitaille testify.

08.08.07

Kevin Federline's lawyer filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday (August 8) for primary physical custody of his two sons with Britney Spears, People reports. Less than two weeks ago, the couple's divorce was finalized, at which point they agreed to joint custody of Sean Preston and Jayden James. Federline, who previously resisted the 50/50 custody agreement, has been worried Spears has been exposing the boys to unnecessary risk, a source told the magazine. ...

Zac Efron may be showing off his assets in his revealing Rolling Stone cover shot, but he's more modest when it comes to talking about his star-making turn in "High School Musical." "I didn't even sing on the first album," he told the magazine. "It wasn't my voice in the movie. Even though I wanted to do it. So what do you do when the entire cast is supposed to accept an award at the Billboard Awards and your voice is only on the album in a select few lines. I felt extremely guilty." He also explained why he refused to go on the "High School Musical" tour: "If I had to hear the 'High School Musical' songs anymore, I probably would have jumped off something very tall," he said. ...

Fresh from her slightly tardy performance at last weekend's Lollapalooza, Amy Winehouse was hospitalized on Wednesday for "exhaustion." According to a press release from the 23-year-old "Rehab" crooner's U.S. label, Universal Republic, "Amy Winehouse was admitted to [University College London Hospital] this morning, suffering from severe exhaustion. Amy was discharged from the hospital this afternoon and has been advised to take complete rest. Scheduled performances in Norway and Denmark this week have been canceled." ...

Jennifer Lopez has a new flick in theaters and an album on the way too, but her purse is getting even heavier thanks to a court decision awarding her almost $545,000 in a lawsuit against her first husband, The Associated Press reports. Lopez had filed the breach-of-contract lawsuit over Ojani Noa's plans to publish a tell-all book in which he was expected to claim the singer/actress had multiple affairs. The court-ordered arbitrator who made the Monday decision also decided that Lopez should be awarded a permanent injunction barring Noa from criticizing or disparaging her. In other J. Lo news, she'll shoot a video for her new single "Do It Well" in Los Angeles on August 16-17. ...

Beyoncé is turning up all over the place — ads for the singer's new Emporio Armani Diamonds fragrance are appearing in September issues of magazines. The scent is available at Macy's exclusively in August and will hit ot

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For The Record: Quick News On Foxy Brown, Nicole Richie, Justin Timberlake, 'American Idol,' 'Borat' & More

16 Feb 2007 18:17:00 EST

Brown arrested at Florida beauty shop; Richie charged with misdemeanor DUI; JT's clothing brand expands.
By MTV News staff

Foxy Brown was arrested at a Pembroke Pines, Florida, beauty-supply store on Thursday, The Miami Herald reports. Police said Brown — who was booked on charges of battery and resisting arrest and was held overnight on $1,500 bond — spat on and threw hair glue at Hayssam Ghoneim, an employee of Queen Beauty Supply, who asked the rapper to leave the store as it was closing for the night. Authorities tracked down Brown, who had left the shop by the time police responded to the store's 911 call, and asked her to return to the store as part of a criminal investigation. Brown refused, according to the report, and struggled with an officer. No injuries were listed on the police report, but Ghoneim plans to press charges, according to the Herald. The rapper was sentenced in October to three years probation and mandatory anger-management classes in connection with a 2004 altercation at a New York nail salon. ...

In other legal news, Nicole Richie was charged Friday (February 16) with misdemeanor driving under the influence, The Associated Press reports. The charges stem from her December 11 arrest after 911 callers reported her car heading in the wrong direction on a Los Angeles freeway. She was found alone in her SUV, stopped in a car-pool lane and was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. In addition to the single count, the case contains an allegation that Richie had a prior misdemeanor DUI conviction in June 2003. The California vehicle code specifies that if convicted of DUI twice within 10 years, a person can be sentenced to between 90 days and a year in jail; fined between $390 and $1,000; and have driving privileges suspended. The complaint alleges Richie was under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and an unspecified drug when she was arrested. Arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday. ...

Justin Timberlake is expanding his William Rast clothing line. The label's new collection for women will now include outerwear, dresses, silk tops and cashmere sweaters, while the new men's line will add outerwear, blazers and leather to the established denim collection. "To be affiliated with this clothing line means a lot to me," Timberlake said in a statement. "We are taking the William Rast label to the next level and will continue to deliver excellence." ... Don't set your TiVo for a Michael Jackson episode of "American Idol" just yet. According to "Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe and a spokesperson for the singer, reports that Jackson will appear on the talent competition are inaccurate. "It's not true, is what I can say, just not true," Lythgoe said in an interview with Television Weekly. So what is really in store for "Idol" fans? The producer hinted that "the biggest thing that's happened to 'Idol' in five years" was a couple of weeks away, but would only explain that "it does include 'American Idol,' and it does include America." ...

A Los Angeles judge has granted 20th Century Fox's request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two fraternity brothers featured in the film "Borat" on the grounds that the film is protected as free speech based on matters of public concern, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The suit, filed by two South Carolina students in November, alleged that the filmmakers provided the plaintiffs with alcohol and tricked them into making racist and sexist comments. The men sought damages, claiming their actions on camera caused embarrassment. An earlier motion by the plaintiffs to cut their scene from the film was denied. ... Ricky Martin headlined George W. Bush's presidential-inauguration ball back in 2001, but the singer has apparently changed his mind about the U.S. leader, delivering a one-finger salute while singing his name in the song "Asignatura Pendiente" at a concert in San Juan, Puerto Rico, last Friday. "My convictions of peace and life go beyond any government and political agenda," Martin explained in a e-mailed statement on Thursday, "and as long as I have a voice onstage and offstage, I will always condemn war and those who promulgate it." ...

Cameron Diaz has been awarded "substantial" damages from the publishers of The National Enquirer, according to an AP report. Diaz sued British-based American Media Inc. after the tabloid printed stories in May 2005 that the actress had been spotted in a "smooching session" with a married producer working on her MTV show "Trippin'." At the time, Diaz complained about the article, and photographs claiming to be evidence of the affair were removed from the Enquirer's Web site. The lawsuit has now been settled out of court, and the terms of the agreement are confidential. In a statement read in London's High Court on Friday, the magazine "apologized unreservedly" for making the claims, and "entirely accepts that the allegations were without foundation and ought never to have been published." ...

Federal agents removed boxes of belongings from the Orlando, Florida, home of Lou Pearlman, best known as the manager behind Backstreet Boys and 'NSYNC, on Thursday. AP reports that the former boy-band mogul, now a restaurateur who owns an entertainment complex in Orlando, has had three of his companies overtaken by a court-appointed receiver earlier this month. Florida's Office of Financial Regulation alleges that Pearlman has been milking millions from investors while running a bogus savings program for 15 years. ... The word karaoke may mean "empty orchestra" in Japanese, but a South Korean woman turned it into something quite substantial while setting a new world record this week. Picking up the mic to encourage her husband during his battle with a brain tumor, Kim Seok-ok, 52, sang for 59 hours and 48 minutes, exceeding the previous German record by 36 minutes. Afforded a five-minute break each hour, Seok-uk refused to sit while singing, claiming that true karaoke singers would never accept a chair. More than 1,000 songs later, she dropped to the floor a record-holder on Valentine's Day. "Life may be painful," Kim told AP, "but face the challenge." ...

Ian Astbury has announced that he'll no longer be working with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of the Doors, and will instead focus all of his energies fronting his own band, the Cult. Astbury toured with the surviving members of the Doors, under the moniker Riders on the Storm, for the last four years, and just wrapped up a sold-out European tour. "I have decided to move on and focus on my own music and legacy," he said in a statement. "I have enjoyed performing and sharing the stage with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger immensely. I have learned a great deal from the both of them, and it certainly has expanded my abilities as a performer. This has been a difficult decision to make but I feel I would be holding them back as well as myself if I did not depart at this time." There's no word yet on what this means for the future of Riders on the Storm.

02.15.2007

Former WorldofBritney.com fan site webmaster Ruben Garay posted a message on his site ThatOtherBlog.com wondering about Britney Spears' ex-assistant Felicia Culotta. He got his answer — the singer's former employee responded with a letter expressing concern that Brit's headed for a big fall. "We (as in her family and nearest and dearest — all of whom are not on the payroll anymore!!) are doing everything in our power to get help for Britney," she wrote in the letter. Culotta, who has relocated to Mississippi, said she hopes that any drop is followed by a resurgence for Spears. "When she does indeed hit rock bottom, she'll stand up and walk away from this whole fiasco a new, confident, changed, career-driven Britney like we all knew and loved." A spokesperson for Spears' label, Jive Records, could not be reached for comment. ...

It looks like the NBA All-Star Game might not be the hottest event in Vegas this weekend. Heiress/ reality-TV star/ wannabe singer Paris Hilton will celebrate her birthday on Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Sin City. Some of Hilton's famous friends — including Fergie, Snoop Dogg, Nicole Richie and Fat Joe — will help her blow out the candles, according to a press release. Also, one of her musically minded pals will perform a surprise concert for guests. ... Is there any reality in the rumor that Mariah Carey honored a request by producers to fly coach to the set of her drama "Tennessee" — only she bought out the entire economy class to keep it to herself? "No, it's not true," Carey told MTV Europe. "That is probably one of those things that is going to haunt me for the rest of my life, but that would be pretty funny if somebody was stupid enough do that. I took my tour bus down because I wanted to be in the environment, like experience what it would be like to live in the area where we are filming and just go to real places to eat and meet people along the way and stuff like that." ...

Jennifer Lopez was presented with an Artist for Amnesty award in Berlin on Wednesday, honored by Amnesty International for her film "Bordertown," which chronicles the serial murders of women in Ciudad Juarez, on Mexico's border with the U.S. Amnesty International estimates that more than 400 women and girls have been killed in the area since 1993. Lopez, who produced "Bordertown" and stars as a journalist reporting on the killings, described the murders as "one of the world's most shocking and disturbing, underreported crimes against humanity" while accepting the award. The film premieres Thursday (February 16) at the Berlin International Film Festival. ...

The Arctic Monkeys were big winners at Wednesday night's Brit Awards in London, taking prizes for Best British Group and Album for their debut, Whatever P

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Should Justin Timberlake Be Worried About A SexyBacklash?

13 Oct 2006 06:00:00 EDT

Ubiquitous single-turned-catchphrase might send singer into 'U Can't Touch This' territory.
By Corey Moss

The following headline recently appeared on a Web site whose name will be withheld to protect its dignity: "Metropolitan Brings Sexy Back to Opera."
OK, when the Metropolitan Opera is bringing sexy back, it's gone too far — that's if it hadn't already.
"If I hear one more idiot friend of mine say they are bringing sexy back, I may have to slap them," confirmed JoJo Wright, an on-air personality for KIIS-FM in Los Angeles. "They have even taken it to the next level and made their own personal versions such as 'I'm bringing ugly back' or 'I'm bringing stupid back.' "
"I've heard 'I'm bringing blogging back,' " added master celeb blogger Perez Hilton. "That's why that catchphrase works is 'cause you can really appropriate it and make it your own."
To his credit, Justin Timberlake has apologized for, well, bringing sexy back.
"I definitely didn't think it would become the most worn-out joke of 2006," he said recently. "It just sounded like a nice opening to the song. I mean, I definitely didn't know it was going to start what it started.''
With "SexyBack" — which has been #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks, by the way — Timberlake has turned his lyrics into lingo and topped "hips don't lie" as the catchphrase of 2006.
The question now is, is that a good or bad thing?
Snoop only heightened his ultra-cool status by coining "drop it like it's hot," but the same can't exactly be said for Tag Team ("Whoomp! (There It Is)"), Sir Mix-A-Lot ("Baby Got Back") and MC Hammer ("U Can't Touch This" or "2 Legit 2 Quit").
Then again, Ricky Martin launched his career by livin' la vida loca, Britney Spears solidified hers by doing it again — oops — and Kelis rescued hers by bringing all the boys to the yard with her milkshake.
"It depends on the artist," music journalist Steve Baltin said. "Queen had a catchphrase with 'Another One Bites the Dust,' and that's certainly not what they're remembered for now. For a one-hit wonder like Hammer or Tag Team, that catchphrase relegates them to a one-hit wonder punch line. But for someone like Justin, who's proven himself to his fans, there should be no regrets because he'll likely outlast that line."
"For an established artist, it's a good thing simply because they are known first and foremost as an artist," added Wright, whose KIIS has "SexyBack" on heavy rotation. "For a new artist, they run a higher risk of being forever known as the group that sang, 'I'm too sexy for my shirt.' Although as long as they got paid, I guess that's not so bad."
So far, Timberlake is seeing no backlash, as FutureSex/LoveSounds' second single, "My Love," has already climbed to #13 on the Hot 100.
"Some songs are written to be gimmick songs, and some songs are just good and they become catchphrases," Hilton said. "I still like to hear 'SexyBack,' but I don't ever want to hear 'Who Let the Dogs Out' again."
With all the jokes, though, won't even he eventually get tired of "SexyBack"? "So long as he's sexy," Hilton said. "Maybe when he's 60, 'SexyBack' will get retired."
Maybe. Now take it to the bridge ...

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