Adam Sandler in "You Don't Mess with the Zohan"
Photo: Columbia Pictures

I think my favorite moment is the Catty Sack scene, in which an unfortunate feline is festively booted around a room from one foot to another. Then again, the squalling toddler instantly subdued by a nerve-pinch to the neck is pretty wonderful, too. It's hard to decide. "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," the new Adam Sandler movie, has an abundance of daffy visual gags and some pungent lines of the most politically incorrect sort (although swaddled in thick faux Middle Eastern accents). The picture is also a goofy satire of Arab-Israeli relations, and already there's been earnest media whining about this — the playing of such a combustible subject for laughs. Too bad for the whiners that the picture is so funny.

"Zohan" is a first-time alignment of three top comedy stars: Sandler, here in his least infantile and thus most appealing mode, cowrote the script with his old bud Judd Apatow, the reigning master of box-office gross, and Robert Smigel, best known as the man with his hand up the butt of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. (Smigel has appeared as an actor in several previous Sandler films, and he appears in this one, too.) The plot is predictably ridiculous. It's about a celebrated Israeli military assassin named Zohan (Sandler), whose expertise in the violent arts ranges from catching bullets in his nostrils to disabling bad guys by tying them into pretzel knots. But Zohan, a disco stud at heart, is weary of terminating Arab terrorists and longs for a more peaceful life as a hairstylist. (He's the last living fan of the '80s feather cut.) After faking his own death in a showdown with a notorious Palestinian jihadi called the Phantom (John Turturro), he lights out for New York to pursue his dream.

In Manhattan, Zohan finds a job at a small salon run by a beautiful Palestinian woman named Daria (Emmanuelle Chriqui, of "Entourage"). The shop is on a street populated by Arab immigrants on one side and Jews on the other; and while it must be admitted that the movie does find Arabs to be a little funnier than their desert brethren, the laughs generally go both ways. (A Jewish-run electronics store that's actually called Going Out of Business offers cheap cell phones "with free HBO.") Zohan is inspired by the sight of such peaceful coexistence; soon, however, he's ID'd by an angry Arab taxi driver (Rob Schneider, in one of his less wearying performances), who puts in a long-distance call to the Phantom ("What's the area code for Amman?"), who in turn hops on a plane to New York, intent on taking out his nemesis once and for all.

There's lots of dumb sex humor in the movie, much of it hilarious. Zohan carries around what UPS would call a very large package; and his hair-styling technique — an instant hit among the horde of old ladies who are soon lining up for it — includes a post-cut carnal top-up in a back room. ("You are an angel," he purrs to one satisfied senior. "An angel with the flexibility of a circus freak.") There's also a Hacky Sack tournament at which Mariah Carey turns up to sing the national anthem (and contribute some non-sequitur Blu-Ray observations), and an unusual amount of hummus consciousness. (Who knew the pasty treat was so useful for both hair-washing and tooth-brushing?)

A subplot about an evil construction mogul who's trying to evict Daria from her hair salon fails to be quite as funny as just about everything else going on around it. But since just about everything else going on around it really is funny, it would be churlish to gripe about this. Will "Zohan" bring peace to the Middle East? Well, nothing else has worked. And as one character puts it, "They've been fighting for 2000 years. It can't be much longer."

Check out Kurt Loder's review of "Kung Fu Panda" right here.

Check out everything we've got on "You Don't Mess With the Zohan."

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

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Joel Madden in "Head Case"
Photo: MTV News

Joel Madden needs to see a shrink — in an upcoming episode of the new Starz comedy "Head Case," that is. The Good Charlotte frontman and new dad will appear on the February 13 episode of the show, which revolves around a judgmental psychotherapist (Alexendra Wentworth) who sees celebrity clients when she isn't out shopping. If you're already psyched for the show, go to Amazon.com's Unbox section to check out the original short-form episodes that launched it. ...

Thank your lucky stars — the Grammy Awards ceremony will go on this year as planned, according to an interim agreement announced Monday (January 28), The Associated Press reports. While the Grammy telecast was still good to go following last week's announcement that the striking Writers Guild of America would not protest it, the interim agreement means content for the show will be written under a WGA contract. "In the interest of advancing our goal of achieving a fair contract, the [WGA West] Board felt that this decision should be made on behalf our brothers and sisters in the American Federation of Musicians and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists," WGA West President Patric Verrone reportedly said in a statement. "Having our talented writers on the team further ensures the highest level of creativity and innovation, something our audience has come to expect every year," Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow reportedly said in a statement of his own. ...

Miley Cyrus' Saturday show in New Orleans had a bit of a hiccup when the singer otherwise known as Hannah Montana announced that she wasn't feeling well and left the stage, according to a video posted on TMZ.com. Cyrus returned to finish her set, albeit in a seat, and dad Billy Ray sang with her. ...

Rivers Cuomo, Adam Sandler, Tony Hawk, baseball player Nomar Garciaparra and Andy Samberg kicking around a soccer ball together on a Saturday afternoon? According to ESPN.com, that was the scene over the weekend when the celebs took the field at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, for Garciaparra and wife/ ex-soccer pro Mia Hamm's charity Celebrity Soccer Challenge. Cuomo scored his team's first goal, and he later reportedly said, "It was a dream come true. Passing with [the L.A. Galaxy's] Landon Donovan and going against Mia Hamm — it's just unreal. I was terrified, but I was so excited that the excitement overcame the terror." Milo Ventimiglia, Elisabeth Shue, Seth Meyers and others also participated in the event, the proceeds of which went to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. ...

Jim Jones is reissuing his Harlem's American Gangster mixtape, hosted by Dame Dash and featuring the Byrd Gang crew, February 19. Fans are already familiar with the tape, which was previously available in limited form, but it has since been remixed, remastered and bolstered with new tracks, including "Rockefeller Laws." "Some people do soundtracks to the movies about Harlem," he said in a statement. "We do soundtracks to the streets of Harlem, which made us who we are today." His new studio LP will drop in the summer. ...

Modest Mouse and the National have something special to jot down on their calendars: opening dates for R.E.M. The tour will launch after the release of Michael Stipe and the gang's April 1 album, Accelerate. The cities are as follows: Vancouver, British Columbia (May 23); Los Angeles (May 29); Berkeley, California (May 31); Morrison, Colorado (June 3); Chicago (June 6); Toronto (June 8); Raleigh, North Carolina (June 10); Columbia, Maryland (June 11); Mansfield, Massachusetts (June 13); Wantagh, New York (June 14); Philadelphia (June 18); New York (June 19); and Atlanta (June 21). ... Hot Chip, Spank Rock, Peaches and others are liberally reworking classic tracks by the Pharcyde, Masta Ace, Tone Loc and others for a new collection, Delicious Reimagined, due early this year. Raunchy electro-clash singer Peaches — who has collaborated with everyone from Pink to Iggy Pop — remixed Loc's "Wild Thing" almost 20 years after the song originally came out, adding her own new vocals along the way. ...

Hayden Panettiere spoke about the warrant for her arrest — which she was slapped with in the fall after confronting Japanese fishermen to protest the hunting of dolphins — at a related demonstration in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. According to The Washington Post, the "Heroes" actress and Save the Whales Again! Campaign spokeswoman told a crowd, "I was wearing a wetsuit and shoes. I was like, if I'm going to jail, I ain't going to jail in a bikini." ... peta2 has a few new friends you might know: MTV News' own John Norris, as well as the stars of "Rob & Big." Norris stars in a new online video for the youth animal-rights organization that explains why he went vegan, while Rob Dyrdek and Chris "Big Black" Boykin appear in an ad with their dog, Meaty, along with the statement "Have the Balls to Spay or Neuter Your Dog." ...

Black Lips have drooled out an exclusive iTunes Live Session EP that the so-called "flower punk" band recorded over the summer in San Francisco. The Lips are also in the running for Yahoo's User's Choice program, the winner of which will play a performance in the company's studio in Santa Monica, California. And they've also lined up a run that will start February 4 in Seattle and end March 22 in Atlanta. ... The second half of Thrice's four-disc concept album will be in stores in the spring. The Alchemy Index, Vols. III & IV: Earth & Air, is scheduled for release April 15. ... From Autumn to Ashes drummer Jeff Gretz recently suffered two broken bones in his foot and will be forced to sit out the band's tour for the next few months. Flood of Red's Graham Griffith will fill in for Getz for most of the tour's remaining stops. ...

New Kids on the Block fans are going to have to keep "Hangin' Tough" — despite reports over the weekend, the old-school boy band is not planning to stage a comeback. While the once-hugely popular teen heartthrobs' Web site has apparently relaunched, bandmember Danny Wood wrote on his MySpace page on Monday morning, "I wanted to address the rumors of the NKOTB Reunion Tour. There has been no talk of this and you are getting it from the source directly. ... You can't believe everything you read." Still, he added, "Never say never!" Let's keep our hopes up.

1.25.08

Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Whoopi Goldberg and Jessica Biel are among the celebs captured in a new Disney installment of work by esteemed Vanity Fair photographer Annie Leibovitz. In the images, Lopez is portrayed as Jasmine and Anthony as Aladdin in a "Whole New World" scene, while Biel is dressed as Pocahontas, running through a forest. "I was a huge Disney fan growing up as a kid, and Cinderella, Snow White, Pocahontas, Ariel — all those characters were huge for me," Biel said in a statement. The "Disney Dream Portrait Series" will be featured throughout the year at Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida. ...

Gnarls Barkley don't have a release date or name yet for their second album, but it's nearing completion, according to Billboard.com. Danger Mouse is busying himself with other projects in the meantime, including lending production to the Black Keys' Attack & Release; Martina Topley-Bird's The Blue God; and Shortwave Set's new LP, which is tentatively titled Replica Sun Machine. ...

Mary J. Blige recently spoke with MTV Base about the ongoing New York steroid probe in which she was recently named. "I really don't want to clear anything up, because I've been spoken about for so many years — rumors I'm pregnant, I'm a man, I'm this, I'm that, why? At the end of the day, I have nothing to prove to anyone. I am Mary and that's that." A report that surfaced in the Times Union last week claimed Blige was among tens of thousands of people who might have used or received prescribed shipments of steroids and injectable human-growth hormone in recent years, although law-enforcement officials said they don't have any evidence that laws were violated. ...

Krist Novoselic, the former Nirvana bassist who has been politically active in Seattle in recent years, has voiced his support for a 2008 presidential candidate, and it's ... Ron Paul? Novoselic alluded to the Republican long-shot candidate in his Seattle Weekly column earlier this month, saying, "The Internet is already doing this with campaign phenomenon like Howard Dean in 2004, and this year with Ron Paul." The Web site PoliticalBase.com shows that he made a $250 contribution to the candidate in mid-September. ...

Björk has nixed her planned appearance at the Big Day Out on Friday night (January 25) in Sydney, Australia. "Doctors have advised Björk to rest due to swelling of the vocal cords," Ken West and Vivian Lees, who produce and direct the festival, said in a statement posted on the Icelandic singer's Web site. "This is a great disappointment to Björk, who is on her first tour of Australia in 12 years." She is slated to rejoin Big Day Out on Monday for a show in Melbourne, followed by performances February 1 in Adelaide and February 3 in Perth. ...

The Reminder (Feist), Kala (M.I.A.), Neon Bible (the Arcade Fire), Cross (Justice) and Sound of Silver (LCD Soundsystem) have all made the cut as finalists for the Shortlist Music Prize. Also in the running are In Our Bedroom After the War (Stars), Sky Blue Sky (Wilco), Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Spoon), Businessmen and Ghosts (Working for a Nuclear Free City) and Untrue (Burial). The winner will be announced in February. ... Dem Franchize Boyz will bounce back on April 1 with their third effort, Da Point of No Return, which is anchored by the first single, "Talkin' Out Da Side of Ya Neck." Also look for featured appearances by Mannie Fresh on "Mr. Feel Good" and Blaze on "Turn Heads." ...

Marvel Studios is the latest company to reach an agreement with the striking Writers Guild of America, it was announced Friday. "Marvel Studios' signing of an interim agreement with the Writers Guild is more good news for our membership," WGA East President Michael Winship and WGA West President Patric Verrone said in a joint statement. "Marvel is committed to fairly compensating their writers and now they can move forward with their planned production schedule." ... Yes! Will Ferrell has received the James Joyce award in Ireland, where he has been traveling with his dad and brother to trace their family roots, according to The Associated Press. The "Blades of Glory" actor accepted the award — which has been given to Jesse Jackson and others in the past — on Wednesday night and addressed more than 1,000 students at the University College Dublin. "As I perused my leather-bound volumes of 'Ulysses,' 'Finnegans Wake,' 'Dubliners,' 'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,' standing in my mahogany library, a lot of feelings ran across my mind. Like: 'Damn, I should have read these books,' " he reportedly said. ...

My Morning Jacket — who sold out their June 20 show at NYC's Radio City Music Hall in just over 20 minutes — have arrived at a title for their new album. Evil Urges, the band's fifth LP, is due June 10. ... Bono hailed Bill Gates on Friday when the Microsoft chairman announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will spend $306 million on environmentally friendly technology and farming techniques to help aid millions of impoverished Africans. "It's a very special moment in time, I think, for Davos, and people here," Bono said in the Swiss city, according to The Associated Press. "This is Bill Gates' last trip to Davos as Microsoft leader, and I think it is an extraordinary thing that this man has not just changed the world once, but has now set aside the next act of his life to change the world again, and I think we should just mark this moment." ...

The summer music-festival scene just got a bit less crowded. Less than two months after announcing their plan to host a three-day camping music festival on a 500-acre farm in Vineland, New Jersey, the forces behind Lollapalooza (C3 Presents) and England's Reading Festival (Festival Republic) have announced that they've pulled the plug on the event. Originally scheduled for August 8-10, the Vineland Festival, which never announced a lineup and had faced considerable opposition from area residents concerned about noise and traffic, will now attempt to launch in 2009. Organizers cited "overall festival traffic in the Northeast"— apparently referring to the just-announced All Points West Festival, which is scheduled for the same weekend in Liberty State Park, New Jersey, and is being coordinated by the people who bring you Coachella every year. Organizers also noted big bands touring the area around the same time as the reason for scrapping the event. ...

Heads up, straight-edge hardcore fans: Ex-Minor Threat drummer Jeff Nelson has thrown up for auction on eBay a bunch of rare and unique items from the band and other hardcore acts. Items include fliers, posters, 7-inches and more. ... Want your name to appear in a Saosin release? The band is launching a contest with mobile marketing company Mozes that will give fans the chance to have their name featured in the credits of the booklet that will accompany their forthcoming "Saosin Live" DVD/CD package. Interested? Text SAOSINDVD to 66937 and join the band's mobile list and follow the prompt. ... UB40 might want to rename themselves "UB39," at least for the time being: The British group, which was huge in the '80s, has lost its frontman. "No words can express how upset I feel today that I have been forced to make this decision," Ali Campbell wrote in a Friday post on his Web site. UB40 said in a statement of their own that they will continue without Campbell, a founding member of the band.

• Joel Madden
• Good Charlotte
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• Black Lips
• Rivers Cuomo

Nelly arrives at the premiere of "The Longest Yard"
Photo: Getty Images

HOLLYWOOD — Hollywood Boulevard got a shot of testosterone Thursday when dozens of football players and one hulking California governor joined the nearly all-male cast of "The Longest Yard" for the movie's premiere.

(Click here for photos from the premiere.)

"It's not a big lesbian movie at all, but if you like men, this movie's for you," Chris Rock joked as he surveyed the red carpet, where Michael Irvin was putting former Dallas Cowboys teammate Emmitt Smith in a headlock.

Rock and co-stars Adam Sandler and Nelly were dwarfed by professional athletes as they entered Grauman's Chinese Theatre, but according to some of the football players in the movie, the actors were more physical than they look.

"A lot of these actors went to [practice twice a day] for a couple of weeks ... and they did all right," said linebacker-turned-actor Brian Bosworth.

"I walked on the set one day and we were shooting baskets," recalled Irvin, in a pinstripe suit. "I was like, 'Oh, there's Nelly, I'm gonna go show this hip-hop guy what an athlete really looks like.' And Nelly actually won the game. There's no doubt in my mind he could've played in the NFL, and I'm not joking. He's that much of a talent."

And sports and music apparently aren't his only talents. "The Longest Yard," a remake of a 1974 movie starring Burt Reynolds (who also stars in the new version and came out for the premiere), is the rapper's first big-screen movie (following the direct-to-video "Snipes"), but his co-stars said he came off like a seasoned veteran.

"He has some heavy scenes in the movie and he kicked ass on 'em," said Sandler, casually dressed in a jacket and T-shirt. "And every time it gets to him in the movie, girls scream! Besides being a great actor, he's the greatest guy to hang with. He knows so much about sports."

"The kid's definitely got chops," "Saturday Night Live" alum Tracy Morgan added.

	"Dave Chappelle Reportedly In Mental Health Facility." Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, interviews, trailers and more. Related Photos Nelly, T.I., Adam Sandler, Molly Simms, More At The Premiere Of "The Longest Yard" Related Artists Nelly T.I. Adam Sandler Chris Rock ]]> http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1502711/20050520/story.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1502711/20050520/story.jhtml 20 May 2005 06:45:00 EDT Jack Osbourne DJs at the Axe Touch Dark Party on Thursday Photo: Edelman Justin Timberlake is preparing to sue the British tabloid News of the World over claims that he cheated on girlfriend Cameron Diaz with model Lucy Clarkson. Timberlake's attorney characterizes the story as bogus, and is drafting letters to the tabloid asking for a retraction, an apology and a financial settlement, otherwise they'll sue. ... Paris Hilton and Backstreet Boy Nick Carter called it quits on Thursday, according to the hotel heiress' rep. "This is the time of my life," Carter told People magazine. "I'm back in the studio ready to go on tour with the guys. I want to be free to date other people and I got tired of all the rumors [of trouble with the relationship]." ... DMX's court appearance scheduled for Friday (July 23), where he was to face drug and weapons charges stemming from an incident last month at New York's JFK Airport, was adjourned to September 21. The rapper faces up to seven years in jail if convicted in Queens County criminal court. ... "Russell Simmons Presents: Hip-Hop Justice," a one-hour documentary that explores the link between the law and hip-hop artists, will air on Court TV October 6. Simmons, founder of Def Jam Records, will look into cases involving C-Murder, Tupac Shakur and Irv Gotti's the Inc. Records. ... Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne took a day off from Ozzfest to visit wounded Operation Iraqi Freedom soldiers, airmen and Marines in the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. In addition to listening to stories of war and recovery from 30 service members, Ozzy gave autographs to the troops, one of whom said he would get his made into a tattoo. ... Meanwhile, Sharon and Ozzy's spawn Jack was at Thursday night's Axe Touch Dark Party in New York. Between chilling with Cameron Douglas and hanging with various Penthouse Pets, Jack took a turn DJing, much to the delight of fellow partygoers Mekhi Phifer, Mila Kunis and "TRL" host Hilarie Burton. ... While many artists dabble in writing political lyrics, Everclear frontman Art Alexakis is about to show and prove that he's the real deal when it comes to politics. As the elected delegate for the third congressional district of Oregon, Alexakis will represent at the Democratic National Convention in Boston on Monday. ... Rob Zombie will produce an animated film based on "El Superbeasto," the comic he created for Spookshow International. Zombie will write the story and will executive produce the film, which is based on the crime-fighting adventures of a washed-up wrestler. In addition, Zombie will appear at the Comi-Con comic convention on Saturday in San Diego, along with his wife, Sheri Moon, and others involved in his "House of 1000 Corpses" sequel, "The Devil's Rejects," including Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Ken Foree, Leslie Easterbrook and Wayne Toth. ... Alicia Keys wants to publish her diary, but a legal snafu may hold up the book from being published. Her now-former literary agent Noah Lukeman sold the book to Bantam Dell for more than $1 million, but then another agent, David Vigliano, started shopping the project around as if it were new. He then sold the project to Putnam Books for a million-dollar, multiple-book deal, in which they would also publish a book of poems by the singer. Lukeman is now suing Keys for breach of contract. ... Did Lil' Romeo play fair on Game Time? The young rapper is being sued in Federal Court in Houston by a writer claiming to have penned six songs on Romeo's second album without receiving credit or pay. ... Who do Voodoo? This year it will be the Beastie Boys, Velvet Revolver, the Pixies, Green Day and the Killers, among many others, performing at the sixth annual Voodoo Music Experience Festival, set for October 16 and 17 in New Orleans. ... Grammy winner Warren Zevon, who passed away in September, is being honored with a tribute album featuring such artists as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, the Pixies and even Adam Sandler, who will be covering one of Zevon's best-known songs, "Werewolves of London." The LP, produced by Jorge Calderone, is slated to be released this fall. ... The Donnas are taking a break from working on their new album to rock out at the Sunset Junction Street Fair in Los Angeles' Silver Lake neighborhood, on August 21 and 22. Other performers include L.A. punk legends X, Ben Kweller, Ima Robot and Camper Van Beethoven. The event will raise money for local youth programs. ... Coldplay, the Shins, Iron and Wine and Simon and Garfunkel have contributed to the soundtrack to "Garden State," the film by "Scrubs" star Zach Braff. The soundtrack is available August 10 on Epic Records. The film opens July 28. ... The Soundtrack of Our Lives are going back to the beginning for their fourth album. Origins, the follow-up to 2002's Behind the Music, is scheduled for a February release. A U.S. tour is expected to begin early next year. ... This year's Locobazooka! festival will include performances by Helmet, Clutch and Kittie. The event will take place September 25 and 26 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, at the Municipal Airport. Last year's concert featured Staind, Shinedown and Powerman 5000, among others. ... 07.22.04 Xzibit has signed on to play an arms dealer in Ice Cube's new flick "XXX: The State of the Union." On the music front, X has finished his next solo album, Weapons of Mass Destruction, which will be released in October. ... Lindsay Lohan has been dating Wilmer Valderrama ("That '70s Show") for a while now, but she wasn't public about it until her birthday party earlier this month, when she turned 18. The actress told People magazine that Valderrama made the first move. "A girl should never do that," she said. "He's a great guy. Seriously, I think he's one of the best guys any girl could be with. He's really sweet." ... While Shar Jackson was giving birth on Tuesday, her son's soon-to-be-stepmom, Britney Spears, was spotted purchasing flowers while barefoot in Los Angeles. Her fiancé, Kevin Federline, was not present for the birth, but visited the hospital afterward. ... Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor didn't have the time to write music for the video game "Doom 3," so Id Software did the next best thing — it recruited former NIN drummer Chris Vrenna to take the reins for the game's theme song. "Doom 3" is scheduled for release August 3. ... The Ice Cream line of sneakers that Pharrell Williams is developing for RBK is ready to roll. The shoes are due to hit retail stores in mid-September. ... Modest Mouse have added 11 dates to their North American tour in July and August, including dates in Toronto, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Denver. The Walkmen will open most dates on the trek. ... Hip-hop's straight-up menace is finally putting out his next album. MC Eiht has signed on with Native Records to release Veterans Day this fall. ... Heavy metal forefathers Judas Priest will drop their first album in 14 years with singer Rob Halford on board on December 28. The as-yet-untitled album marks the band's 30th anniversary. A world tour will follow the release. ... Rock and Rock Hall of Famers David Crosby and Graham Nash, whose musical collaboration began 35 years ago (ask your parents about it), have entered the presidential race as "Joint Presidents" on the "Party Party" ticket. The two will campaign for their cause (which includes the platform promise of free money) when not touring this summer with Crosby, Stills & Nash. ... Having returned from her European travels, Grammy-hoarding pianist/singer Norah Jones has altered the itinerary for her upcoming North American tour. With diminishing ticket sales affecting numerous summer tours, Jones seems to be following the trend, with several venues downsized from amphitheaters to smaller theaters. ... Saves the Day will release an album of odds and ends called Ups and Downs: Early Recordings and B-Sides on August 24. The 19-track disc will include "Sell My Old Clothes, I'm Off to Heaven," "The Art of Misplacing Firearms" and live and studio versions of "Jessie & My Whetstone." ... Andy Dick disclosed during Howard Stern's show on Monday that he's dating one of the female contestants from "The Assistant." His publicist confirmed the news and said that the couple started going out after the show wrapped. On the show, Dick is picking from a dozen people who want to make it in the entertainment industry, with the winner getting a new wardrobe, new car and an entry-level job. ... Backstreet's back — to tour China. The Backstreet Boys are heading to Asia in September, according to the company promoting the tour. It's one of a number of Chinese events being pushed by Emma Entertainment, which is also backing a Sunday Whitney Houston concert in Beijing as well as the September China Tennis Open. ... Playwright Josh Frank's proposed upcoming biography on the Pixies, "Fool the World: An Oral History of the Pixies," has been sold to St. Martins Press. It's slated for release in 2005. ... The Bonnaroo festival, known for its eclectic mix of music, is giving fans the opportunity to download EPs from many of the artists who performed there last month, including Kings of Leon, the Dave Matthews Band, Primus and My Morning Jacket. Now you can enjoy all the rock-show sounds, at Livebonnaroo.com, without having to sleep in the dirt next to old hippies only there for the Dead. ... Heart have released their latest album, Jupiters Darling, simultaneously through retail and file-sharing services — the first rock band to do so. The Distributed Computing Industry Association said that the album is being sold via the secure Weed format, which is distributed through peer-to-peer software programs such as Kazaa and Grokster. ... Related Artists Justin Timberlake DMX Ozzy Osbourne Alicia Keys Rob Zombie ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1489667/20040723/timberlake_justin.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1489667/20040723/timberlake_justin.jhtml 23 Jul 2004 05:16:00 EDT He takes us on a tour of his filthy new album and the recording studio where he gets away from with it all. Photo: MTV News Related Artists Adam Sandler ]]> http://www.mtv.com/bands/s/sandler_adam/news_feature_040712/index.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/bands/s/sandler_adam/news_feature_040712/index.jhtml 12 Jul 2004 10:00:57 EDT The Roots (file) Photo: Appio Turns out the lull in record releases following the Fourth of July weekend was just the calm before the storm. The Roots have been taking hip-hop to the next level for years, with a focus on live music and a full band backing up rapper Black Thought onstage and in the studio. This week, they release The Tipping Point, an album that borrows its title from Malcolm Gladwell's 2000 book of the same name, which explains how trends "tip" and become mainstream sensations, spreading like viruses. Bringing the funny to this week's batch of new releases is Adam Sandler with his newest comedic effort, Shhh ... Don't Tell, his first release since 1999's Stan and Judy's Kid, which featured the second installation of the "Chanukah Song." The Polyphonic Spree's latest, Together We're Heavy, (a title that is both literal, weight-wise, and ironic, sound-wise) hits stores this week. Meanwhile, They Might Be Giants release The Spine, their eighth full-length studio album. KRS-One is back after just a year between albums. He releasesKeep Right this week, the follow-up to 2003's D.I.G.I.T.A.L. Dancehall star Beenie Man takes it Back to Basics on his new LP. Jimmy Buffett gets even more laid back this time around, but it's OK: He has the proper documentation to mellow out for a while. The "Margaritaville" singer is releasing License to Chill. Blues Traveler, on the other hand, get a little more active with their live disc, Live on the Rocks. Some other notable releases this week include Lars Frederiksen & the Bastards' Viking, Widespread Panic's Über Cobra, Dr. John's N'Awlinz: Dis, Dat, or D'Udda, the Fiery Furnaces' Blueberry Boat, Quincy Jones and Bill Cosby's The New Mixes, Volume One and Sparta's Porcelain. Honorable mentions for creativity this week ... For best band name/concept: the George W. Bush Singers with Songs in the Key of W, an album of songs based on the president's speeches. For best album title: the Texas Thieves with Killer on Craig's List. Out Tuesday, July 13: A Perfect Murder - Unbroken (Victory) Ancient - Night Visit (Metal Blade) Joan Armatrading - Live! All the Way from America (SLG/Denon) Beenie Man - Back to Basics (Virgin) Regina Belle - Lazy Afternoon (Peak) Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, Steve Swallow and Billy Drummond - The Lost Chords (ECM) Blues Traveler - Live on the Rocks (Sanctuary) Buy Now: Live on the Rocks (Sanctuary) Jimmy Buffett - License to Chill (RCA Nashville) C.AARMÉ - C.AARMÉ (Burning Heart) Candiria - What Doesn't Kill You (Type A) Carbon Leaf - Indian Summer (Vanguard) Cattle Decapitation - Humanure (Metal Blade) The Cinch - Shake If You Got It (Punk Rock Dirtnap) Darlington - Euthanize Me (Disaster) DJ Clever - Troubled Waters (Gigantic) Dr. John - N'Awlinz: Dis, Dat or D'udda (Blue Note) The F Ups - The F Ups (Capitol) Ricky Fanté - Rewind (Virgin) The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat (Sanctuary/ Rough Trade) Michael Franti - Songs From the Front Porch (Boo Boo Wax/ iMUSIC) Lars Frederiksen & the Bastards - Viking (Hellcat) Von Freeman - The Great Divide (Premonition/ Koch) Funeral for a Friend - Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation (Atlantic) The George W. Bush Singers - Songs in the Key of W (True Believer/Oglio) Otis Gibbs - One Day Our Whispers (Benchmark) Gioia - Expose This (Koch) Dave Grusin - Now Playing: Movie Themes (GRP) Guttermouth - Eat Your Face (Epitaph) Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen - Heavy Juice (Concord) Jesse Harris and the Ferdinandos - While the Music Lasts (Blue Thumb/ Verve) Ezekiel Honig - People Places and Things (Gigantic) Charlie Hunter Trio - Friends Seen and Unseen (Ropeadope/ Artemis) Incapacity - Ninth Order Extinct (Metal Blade) Indian Summer - Carbon Leaf (Vanguard) Quincy Jones and Bill Cosby - The New Mixes, Volume One (Concord) Klement Julienne - Panamerican (Dreyfus) Junior Jack - Trust It (Nettwerk America) Kool Keith & Kutmasta Kurt - Break U Off (Dmaft/ Oglio) KRS-One - Keep Right (Grit/ Inebriated Rhythm) Joe Maneri, Barre Phillips and Mat Maneri - Angles of Repose (ECM) Märtini Brös - Love the Machines (Poker Flat) Mutual Admiration Society - Mutual Admiration Society (Sugar Hill) Nanook of the North - The Täby Tapes (Hidden Agenda) Only Crime - To the Nines (Fat Wreck Chords) David Pack - Unborn (Oglio) Joshua Payne - Your Love, My Home (Blue Thumb) Guy Pearce - Soundtrack to "A Slipping-Down Life" (Koch/ Commotion) Amanda Perez - I Pray (Virgin) The Polyphonic Spree - Together We're Heavy (Hollywood) Rescue - Flamingo Minutes (Slowdance) Chris Richards - Tumblers & Grit (Lake Effect/ Emergent/ RED) Rogue Wave - Out of the Shadow (Sub Pop) The Roots - The Tipping Point (Geffen) Buy Now: Tipping Point (Geffen) The Roots of Orchis - Crooked Ceilings (Slowdance) The Saint - Grown Folk Music (Uncle Junior/ 7 Heads) Adam Sandler - Shhh ... Don't Tell (Warner Bros.) Buy Now: Shhh...Don't Tell (Warner Brothers) Nikola Sarcevic - Lock-Sport-Krock (Burning Heart) Sheetal - Love of Ages (Artemis) Snapper - The Connect (Thump) Sparta - Porcelain (Geffen) Steel Pulse - African Holocaust (Sanctuary/ Ras) Ken Stringfellow - Soft Commands (Yep Roc) Tack Fu - 85 Decibel Monks (Rosemary) The Texas Thieves - Killer on Craig's List (Dr. Strange) They Might Be Giants - The Spine (Idlewild/Rounder) The U.N. - U.N. or U Out (W.O.R.L.D./ 456) Voetsek - The Castrator Album (Six Weeks) The Waxwings - Let's Make Our Descent (Rainbow Quartz) Widespread Panic - Über Cobra (Sanctuary) Various artists - 2XH Vs. HHR Vol. 1: Where Is My Robotic Boot? (Hydra Head) Various artists - Confuse Yr Idols: A Tribute to Sonic Youth (Narnack) Various artists - Jimmy Martin: A Tribute to the King of Bluegrass Vol. 1 (Koch Nashville) Various artists - The Blackest Album 4 - An Industrial Tribute to Metallica (Cleopatra) Various artists - Tranquility: Music for Yoga & Meditation (Vanguard) Various artists - Soundtrack to "A Cinderella Story" (Hollywood) Various artists - Soundtrack to "My Architect" (Koch) DVD: "Latino Freak Show Volume 1" (Music Video Distributors) July 20: Faces - Five Guys Walk Into a Bar (Rhino) Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives (Interscope) Read: "Hives Album Preview: Out Of The Garage, Into The Laboratory" Ashlee Simpson – Autobiography (Geffen) Buy Now: Autobiography (Geffen) Read: July 27: Kevin Lyttle - Kevin Lyttle (Atlantic) Old 97s - Drag it Up (New West) Pearl Jam - Live at Benaroya Hall (Ten Club/BMG) August 3: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Live (Vanguard Records) Cherie - Cherie (Lava) Marc Broussard - Carencro (Island) Related Artists The Roots Adam Sandler Beenie Man The Polyphonic Spree KRS-One ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1489352/20040712/roots.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1489352/20040712/roots.jhtml 12 Jul 2004 08:03:00 EDT But prior commitments keep Snoop off the team. By Corey Moss Adam Sandler (file) Photo: Phillip Caruso CULVER CITY, California — In what is likely to be the smallest backfield former NFL linebackers Brian Bosworth and Bill Romanowski have ever faced, Nelly will play the running back to Adam Sandler's quarterback in the upcoming remake of "The Longest Yard." Fortunately, Sandler's team of inmates, who take on a team of prison guards, will have an NFL star of their own in former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin, as well as quite a few studs from another sport. "A lot of wrestlers — [Bill 'Extreme'] Goldberg, Steve Austin, Kevin Nash — [will face off against the prison guards]," Sandler said Friday at the office of his Happy Madison production company. "I'd say 98 percent of the cast can beat the sh-- out of me. Cloris Leachman is the only one I could take." Veteran actress Leachman, who also co-stars in Sandler's other upcoming movie, "Spanglish" (see "Adam Sandler Has A Hard Time Talking 'Spanglish' "), will play the secretary for the prison's sadistic warden, played by James Cromwell. "Do you know who's awesome who's in it?" Sander adds. "David Patrick Kelly from 'The Warriors' — the guy who clicks the bottles." Chris Rock also joins Sandler and Nelly on the prisoner's team, which Burt Reynolds, who played the Sandler part in the 1974 original, is coaching. "He was nice enough to say, 'Go ahead, young man, throw a football,' " Sandler said. Snoop Dogg was also hoping to co-star (see "Snoop Dogg In Talks To Star With Adam Sandler In 'Longest Yard' Remake"), but will be on the road with Linkin Park and Korn during filming. The cast, which also includes Terry Crews ("White Chicks") and William Fichtner ("Pearl Harbor"), is convening next week in New Mexico to shoot the movie under the guidance of "50 First Dates"/"Anger Management" director Peter Segal. "The Longest Yard" will be released Memorial Day weekend in 2005, Sandler said. Meanwhile, Sandler's production company is midway through shooting the sequel to Rob Schneider's "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo," tentatively titled "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo." "There's a lot of titles being tossed around, 'Deuce Bigalow: The Passion of the Mangina' is one," Sander said. "Schnieder's over in Amsterdam right now, hopefully not eating too much hash and making his movie." Sandler's fifth album, Shhh ... Don't Tell, will be released this week. The first single, the techno song "Secret," is climbing the dance music charts. "In Florida, they play that stuff a lot and I was visiting my mom and dad and I was driving in the car and listening to that style of music," Sandler said. "I called my machine and I said, 'Gotta do a song like this.' " Visit MTV Movies for more from Hollywood, including news, interviews, trailers and more. Related Artists Nelly Adam Sandler Chris Rock Snoop Dogg ]]> http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1489358/20040712/story.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1489358/20040712/story.jhtml 12 Jul 2004 04:52:00 EDT After that film, he'll drop new album, start work on 'Longest Yard.' By Corey Moss Adam Sandler Photo: MTV News CULVER CITY, California — Adam Sandler fittingly gets a little tongue-tied in explaining "Spanglish," his next movie. "It's hard to describe. I really can't tell you what it's about," Sandler said during a recent break from shooting on the Sony Studios lot. "I'm gonna let Jim Brooks say what it's about, and then I'm gonna steal how he presents it, 'cause I really don't know how to say it." "Jim" Brooks to the rest of us is James L. Brooks, the writer/director/producer behind the classics like "As Good as It Gets," "Broadcast News" and "Terms of Endearment." In his first directorial project in seven years, he's working with Sandler and Tea Leoni for what is seemingly a romantic comedy, due at the end of the year. "When people ask me [what 'Spanglish' is about], I just say, 'You gotta just see it,' I don't know, 'Here's the script, why don't you read it?' " Sandler continued. "It's a family ... it's about a family ... it's about a woman from Mexico and her journey to America. And she's a mom and she ends up working at my family's house, and it's just everybody's lives intertwined. It's very cool." Similar to his role in Paul Thomas Anderson's "Punch-Drunk Love," another hard-to-explain movie from an acclaimed director, Sandler is taking "Spanglish" seriously. "It's a pretty intense, cool movie and ... hopefully I'll deliver, 'cause Jim Brooks is a great man. I don't wanna let him down," Sandler said. "So I'm working hard on that." Sandler is midway through shooting "Spanglish," after which the comedian will take some time to promote his fifth album, Shhh ... Don't Tell, due in mid-July. He's been recording the album on the Sony lot in between shooting. "I don't know how the hell we did it," Sandler said. "I have a lot of people come up to me and say, 'When's the next album?' And I got tired of saying, 'I don't know. I don't know.' So me and my buddies started writing the stuff here." Later in the summer, Sandler will start shooting a remake of the 1974 film "The Longest Yard," about a retired quarterback in prison who captains a team of inmates in a game against their guards. Chris Rock is co-starring, along with Burt Reynolds, who played the Sandler part in the original, and possibly Snoop Dogg (see "Snoop Dogg In Talks To Star With Adam Sandler In 'Longest Yard' Remake"). "Snoop is busy, he's doing a tour, so we don't know if he can do it, but we want him to do it," Sandler said. "I do love Snoop. He was funny on 'SNL.' ... So if he can fit it in, he's gonna do it." The remake will follow the same basic story, but with more humor than the original. "It's gonna be a comedy, hopefully. I know Rock's gonna be funny in it," Sandler said. "It's gonna be everything. It's a great movie, and we're just gonna try to do it justice." Sandler has been preparing for the role with his Happy Madison production team, who made the 1998 football comedy "The Waterboy." "We're all psyched and we're all throwing passes, and I'm throwing my arm out terribly," Sandler said. "I suck. I haven't played football in a long time. But it's gonna be a good, cool movie." For more on Sandler, check out the Q&A "Sex, Dating And Bacon" and check back with MTVNews.com in July for an in-depth interview about Shhh ... Don't Tell. Check out MTV Movies for more from Hollywood, including news, interviews, trailers and more. Related Photos "Spanglish" photos Related Artists Adam Sandler ]]> http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1488256/20040608/story.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1488256/20040608/story.jhtml 8 Jun 2004 09:00:00 EDT Lindsay Lohan's 'Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen' runs distant second. By Gil Kaufman Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler in "50 First Dates" Photo: Darren Michaels Despite a bevy of new releases, audiences didn't forget about the Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore amnesia comedy "50 First Dates" over the weekend. The comedy lost nearly 50 percent of its audience but managed to hold onto the #1 spot for a second week while bringing in $21 million, according to studio estimates. The second hit pairing of Sandler and Barrymore has already banked $72.3 million in its first 10 days. (Click for photos from "50 First Dates.") Its biggest competition came from the debut of Lindsay Lohan's comedy "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen," which came in a distant second with an estimated $9.2 million. (Click for photos from "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.") None of the week's other new releases were able to match up, including "Everybody Loves Raymond" star Ray Romano's big-screen starring debut, "Welcome to Mooseport," which limped into #4 with $7 million. The film co-stars Gene Hackman as a former president running against plumber Romano for mayor of their small town. Also debuting flat was the raunchy teen road comedy "Eurotrip," which came in at #5 on an estimated $6.6 million. The week's biggest flop, however, belonged to Hollywood's former golden girl, Meg Ryan, whose boxing film "Against the Ropes" barely made it into the top 10 on an anemic $3 million. With a story inspired by the most successful female boxing manager ever, Jackie Kallen, "Ropes," which came in at #8, waited on the shelf for a year and was plagued by lukewarm reviews. The Kurt Russell hockey drama "Miracle" slipped a spot to #3 in its third week but continued to do strong business, grossing an estimated $8 million. Theaters should get a shot in the arm this week when Mel Gibson's controversial "The Passion of the Christ" opens on Ash Wednesday. The $25 million graphic retelling of the final 12 hours in the life of Jesus was financed by Gibson and is expected to debut in more than 3,000 theaters, the largest opening ever for an independent religious-themed film. Rounding out the top 10 are "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" at #6 with $6.3 million; "Mystic River" at #7 with $3.1 million; "The Butterfly Effect" at #9 with $2.9 million and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" at #10 with $2.8 million. The weak debuts contributed to a serious down week overall, with the top 12 movies grossing $75.1 million, 21 percent less than the same weekend a year ago. Related Artists Adam Sandler Lindsay Lohan ]]> http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1485250/20040223/story.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1485250/20040223/story.jhtml 23 Feb 2004 11:44:00 EST Related Artists Adam Sandler ]]> http://www.mtv.com/shared/movies/interviews/s/sandler_dates_040204/ News Article http://www.mtv.com/shared/movies/interviews/s/sandler_dates_040204/ 5 Feb 2004 11:12:23 EST Adam Sandler - Walk On The Wild Side Walk On The Wild Side Artist: Adam Sandler Label: n/a Director: Benefit For The Autism Coalition Album: A Night With Lou Reed ]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=509208&vid=310747 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=509208&vid=310747 1 Jul 1991 12:00:00 EDT Diary of Adam Sandler Related Artists Adam Sandler ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1469851 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1469851 22 Apr 2004 12:00:00 EDT "50 First Dates" Photos Related Artists Adam Sandler ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1484713 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1484713 30 Jan 2004 12:00:00 EST 2003 Video Music Awards Top Moments Related Artists Britney Spears Madonna Christina Aguilera Chris Rock 50 Cent ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1477738 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1477738 29 Aug 2003 02:16:27 EDT 'Anger Management' Photos Related Artists Adam Sandler ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1471013 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1471013 3 Apr 2003 06:18:54 EST "Eight Crazy Nights" Photos Related Artists Adam Sandler ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1458686 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1458686 14 Nov 2002 12:59:04 EST "Mr. Deeds" Photos Related Artists Adam Sandler ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1455484 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1455484 28 Jun 2002 03:25:20 EDT