Kristen Wiig has gotten a musical sendoff on the season finale of "Saturday Night Live" as the versatile cast member makes her exit after seven years.

The first-ever transgender contestant to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant has lost her bid to win the title.

By Rebecca Thomas

THE BRONX, New York -- Female MCs, take note: The Queen wants her throne back. On Friday night (May 18), Lil' Kim strutted into the Paradise Theatre in the BX, and dusted off her '90s hits and some new tracks, too. And if anyone had come expecting just to bathe in shiny suit-era nostalgia, the pint-size rapper made it clear this show was about looking forward.

The Notorious K.I.M. was on the New York leg of her Return of the Queen Tour, and MTV's RapFix got a front seat to the Queen Bee's sound check and pre-show rehearsal. Kim, casual in floral-camo-print drawstring pants, a pink tee and sneakers, kept her sunglasses on as she ran through a selection of song's from the set list, including the blood-curdling classic "Queen Bitch" and a reinterpretation of the reggae-infused "Man Down."

But those were just teasers for the main event, a theatrical affair that saw the Bed-Stuy spitter incorporating a flag-waving K.I.M. army, dancers and more. While there was no Biggie hologram like we'd secretly hoped, Kim made good with some surprising special guests as Missy Elliott and Eve helped make it ladies' night with a performance of Missy Misdemeanor's "Hot Boyz" remix. Then Harlem's own Juelz Santana hit the smoked-out stage for a rendition of "Beamer, Benz or Bentley."

Still, this was Kim's show, and she reminded the hard-core fans who began filing in on Friday around 7 p.m., by dipping into favorites like "Crush on You" and "No Time" from her 1996 debut, Hard Core. Of course, she couldn't resist doing recent tracks as well, including the Nicki-baiting "Black Friday," for which Kim puts her growl to good use. Dipset member Juelz Santana was also on hand to hit the stage.

Check out video via Rap-Up.

By Rob Markman

Mac Miller brought the party to the Jersey Shore on Saturday with an energetic performance at the Bamboozle music festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

"I'm just tryin' to bring a show, man. I want to bring a performance, I want to bring them into the Macadelic experience," Mac told MTV News hours before he took the stage at the Bamboozle music festival in New Jersey.

Skrillex, Mike Posner, Incubus and Miller all took to Bamboozle's main stage on the opening night of the three-day fest, and they didn't disappoint. For Mac's set, which began at 7 p.m. ET, the Pittsburgh MC brought a portion of his Macadelic Tour to concertgoers who had come to see an array of rock, rap and EDM artists.

It was all high-energy when Miller, who was dressed in an "RIP MCA" tee, set things off with the title track from his #1 debut album, Blue Slide Park. From there, EZ Mac launched into "Don't Mind If I Do" from his 2010 breakout tape, K.I.D.S. Always one to represent for his crew, Miller, his DJ, Clockwork, and hypeman Treejay bounced up and down to "My Team," and then turned things up a notch with the rambunctious "Knock Knock," all to the youthful crowd's delight.

While a majority of the Rostrum rapper's catalog is centered on feel-good jams, he does show range on introspective cuts like "Angels (When She Shuts Her Eyes)." Even when he wasn't ping-ponging frantically across the stage, the crowd responded to Miller's more subdued tracks by waving their hands side to side, showing him that they too are capable of more than just getting crunk.

Before he dove into "Best Day Ever," Mac took a bit of a breather while old Miller family home movies played on a big screen. All the teenage girls cooed as they watched baby Mac open birthday presents and sing along to the Sugar Hill Gang's seminal hip-hop track "Rapper's Delight."

"I wanted to represent the music through visuals, I've always been a very visual person," he explained to us before the show. "I wanted to use that to create the aesthetics of the show and show people what all of the songs mean to me and put them into that world."

Miller picked up the mood with the electric "Frick Park Market" and drew immediate crowd participation with the first line. After spitting, "My name Mac Miller," the crowd responded right on time with a thunderous, "Who the f--- are you?"

It was a lesson on how to properly connect with your audience, one that's invested in every word you rhyme. Last year when Miller dropped his now-gold-selling single "Donald Trump," he promised to "take over the world," and despite all of his success he still makes that vow at the end of each and every show. Last night was no different. After a 40-minute set, Mac sealed the deal with a spirited rendition of "Trump" and then marched off to continue to make good on his promise, one stage at a time.

Hollywood star Will Smith slapped a male television reporter who he said tried to kiss him on the lips as he walked down the red carpet for the Moscow premiere of "Men in Black III."

'I'm just tryin' to bring a show, man,' Mac told MTV News just before his high-energy set at Friday's festival kickoff.
By Rob Markman

Mac Miller

Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News

ASBURY PARK, New Jersey — There's only so much partying on Fifth Ave. that a man can do, so on Friday night, Mac Miller hit the Jersey Shore and threw an old-fashioned beach party.

"I'm just tryin' to bring a show, man. I want to bring a performance, I want to bring them into the Macadelic experience," Mac told MTV News hours before he took the stage at the Bamboozle music festival in New Jersey.

Skrillex, Mike Posner, Incubus and Miller all took to Bamboozle's main stage on the opening night of the three-day fest, and they didn't disappoint. For Mac's set, which began at 7 p.m. ET, the Pittsburgh MC brought a portion of his Macadelic Tour to concertgoers who had come to see an array of rock, rap and EDM artists.

It was all high-energy when Miller, who was dressed in an "RIP MCA" tee, set things off with the title track from his #1 debut album, Blue Slide Park. From there, EZ Mac launched into "Don't Mind If I Do" from his 2010 breakout tape, K.I.D.S. Always one to represent for his crew, Miller, his DJ, Clockwork, and hypeman Treejay bounced up and down to "My Team," and then turned things up a notch with the rambunctious "Knock Knock," all to the youthful crowd's delight.

While a majority of the Rostrum rapper's catalog is centered on feel-good jams, he does show range on introspective cuts like "Angels (When She Shuts Her Eyes)." Even when he wasn't ping-ponging frantically across the stage, the crowd responded to Miller's more subdued tracks by waving their hands side to side, showing him that they too are capable of more than just getting crunk.

Before he dove into "Best Day Ever," Mac took a bit of a breather while old Miller family home movies played on a big screen. All the teenage girls cooed as they watched baby Mac open birthday presents and sing along to the Sugar Hill Gang's seminal hip-hop track "Rapper's Delight."

"I wanted to represent the music through visuals, I've always been a very visual person," he explained to us before the show. "I wanted to use that to create the aesthetics of the show and show people what all of the songs mean to me and put them into that world."

Miller picked up the mood with the electric "Frick Park Market" and drew immediate crowd participation with the first line. After spitting, "My name Mac Miller," the crowd responded right on time with a thunderous, "Who the f--- are you?"

It was a lesson on how to properly connect with your audience, one that's invested in every word you rhyme. Last year when Miller dropped his now-gold-selling single "Donald Trump," he promised to "take over the world," and despite all of his success he still makes that vow at the end of each and every show. Last night was no different. After a 40-minute set, Mac sealed the deal with a spirited rendition of "Trump" and then marched off to continue to make good on his promise, one stage at a time.

Are you hitting Bamboozle this year? Let us know in the comments!

Related Artists

• Mac Miller

Hollywood star Will Smith has slapped a male television reporter who tried to kiss him before the Moscow premiere of "Men in Black III."

Country music legend Loretta Lynn is three years older than she has led people to believe, an age change that undermines the story she told of being married at 13 in "Coal Miner's Daughter," documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

Christian youths in the Philippines are continuing to protest against Lady Gaga's upcoming concerts despite organizers' assurances that her performances will not threaten morality.

Best-selling author Dan Brown made a rare public appearance in New Hampshire on Friday, saying very little about his next novel other than he's well into the writing process.

'I responded to him and I told him, 'Let's work,' ' Fif tells MTV News of a Twitter collabo request from Wiz.
By Nadeska Alexis, with reporting by Ade Mangum

50 Cent

Photo: MTV News

50 Cent was admitted to the hospital earlier this week when he began to suffer from severe stomach pains, but by the time he was released Thursday, the G-Unit CEO had already put plans into motion for a new collaboration with Wiz Khalifa.

MTV News caught up with Fif at his G-Unit offices in NYC after his release, and he explained that a tweet from Wiz gave birth to the collaboration. The tweet in question: "I Gotta Song I Wanna Put @50Cent On."

"While I was sitting in the hospital, I saw Wiz Khalifa send a tweet out saying he got something, and he felt like it would be cool if I was actually on a record with him," 50 said. "So I responded to him and I told him, 'Let's work.' I'm feeling good, I was feeling better by the time that tweet went through, so I said, 'Send it,' and I spoke to him a later on.

"Stay tuned to hear what happens next because it's gonna go down," he added, confirming that the collaboration is for real. Fif's guest verse is likely to pop up on the Taylor Gang MC's upcoming LP O.N.I.F.C., which is set to debut August 28. It would mark their first collaboration together. Thus far, Wiz has revealed that features on his Rolling Papers follow-up will include Pharrell, Cam'ron, Curren$y and the Weeknd.

50 Cent has made a full recovery since his release from the hospital, and next Tuesday, he will drop The Lost Tape, hosted by DJ Drama.

During his stay in the hospital, the Queens mogul received a phone call from longtime friend and collaborator Eminem, who had a few firm words for him. "He goes, 'Yo, Fif, you were shot nine times, man, if you die over a burger, this sh-- ain't gonna go right,' " 50 told MTV News just hours after his release. " 'People ain't gonna be feelin' this.' "

Stay tuned to MTV News' Mixtape Daily for more on 50 Cent and DJ Drama's The Lost Tape.

Related Artists

• 50 Cent
• Wiz Khalifa

'The Avengers,' 'The Vow,' Katy Perry and Adele also land multiple nods.
By John Mitchell

Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder in "The Vampire Diaries"

Photo: CW

The nominations for the 2012 Teen Choice Awards have been announced, and the CW's hit drama "The Vampire Diaries" snagged a leading six nominations, with "American Idol" and Justin Bieber following close behind with five each.

"Diaries" earned nominations for Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi nods for both Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, and Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi nominations for Nina Dobrev and Kat Graham. Somerhalder is also vying for Choice Male Hottie against Bieber, multi-nominee Ryan Gosling, Liam Hemsworth and Robert Pattinson.

The Choice Female Hottie contest pit pals Katy Perry and Rihanna against Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and model Kate Upton.

Among the other top TV nominees are "Pretty Little Liars," "Gossip Girl," "Supernatural" and, oddly, "Bones," and HBO's racy "True Blood," which is up for Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi and Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi for Anna Paquin.

All of the usual candidates are among the top film nominees, with "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" scoring nominations for Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy for both Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner (who is also up for Choice Movie Actor: Action for "Abduction"), and Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy for Kristen Stewart.

They face stiff competition in the Sci-Fi categories against "The Hunger Games," which landed nominations for Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy and acting nominations for leads Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, and "The Avengers," which along with its Choice Movie nominations scored individual acting nods for Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson.

Among the other top film nominees are "The Help" (Choice Movie: Drama and Choice Actress: Drama nominations for Emma Stone and Viola Davis), "The Vow" (Choice Movie: Drama, Choice Actress: Drama for Rachel McAdams and Choice Actor: Drama for Channing Tatum, who is also up for his comedic performance in the much-nominated "21 Jump Street") and, inexplicably, the released-today comedy "What to Expect When You're Expecting," which earned four nods, for Choice Movie: Comedy, Choice Actor: Comedy for Chris Rock, and Choice Actress: Comedy nods for both Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez.

On the music side, the Choice Single by a Female Artist nominees are "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele, "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson, "Dance Again" by Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull, "Part of Me" by Perry and "Eyes Open" by Taylor Swift. On the guys' side are Bieber ("Boyfriend"), Drake ("Take Care"), Flo Rida ("Good Feeling"), Bruno Mars ("It Will Rain") and Pitbull ("Give Me Everything [Tonight]").

Many of the same artists will vie for Choice Male Artist (Bieber, Drake, Mars, Pitbull and Blake Shelton) and Choice Female Artist (Adele, Lopez, Perry, Rihanna and Swift).

The genre-by-genre breakdown of the nominations mean there are a lot of Teen Choice Award contenders. For a full rundown of the nominees, visit the Teen Choice Awards website, where you can also vote for your favorites.

The Teen Choice Awards air live on Sunday, July 22, at 8 p.m. ET.

T. Mills chills while planning his Bamboozle domination this weekend!

We already really want to be T.Mills (we're very aware that we say that about everyone we talk about here), but seeing the MTV Push Artist chillin' like NBD before joining other acts performing at Bamboozle in New Jersey this weekend pretty much seals the deal -- bro is CON.FI.DENT! We want hang with T. so some of that tough guy ish rubs off on us. BRB, gonna draw some tattoos of his name on our face so we earn his affection.

The "Vans On" singer was snapped lounging like a boss in New Jersey likely counting down the seconds until he blows our minds during his Bamboozle performance this Sunday. Or maybe he's envisioning who'd he'd "gently like to woo" while wearing his Vans this weekend? But it's probably neither -- we bet he's thinking of all the new numbers he's gonna get after he JUMPS OUT OF AN EFFING AIRPLANE and skydives into the festival -- true story! Like we said, bro is BAD ASS.

Oh, and not to brag or anything, but T.'s hanging out with Buzzworthy all weekend. Not to be a tease, but more on that in the coming days...

Photo credit: @mtvbuzzworthy

By Rob Markman (@RobMarkman) , with reporting by Ade Mangum (@HollywoodAde)

50 Cent was hospitalized earlier this week when he began to suffer from severe stomach pains, and during his stay in the hospital the G-Unit CEO--notorious for surviving 9 gunshots-received a call from Eminem who had a firm message for his longtime friend and collaborator.

"I'm in a dead serious moment like, 'Damn, I don't believe this is happenin' right now,' " Fif said recalling the moments before Slim Shady phoned him. "He goes, 'Yo Fif, you were shot nine times man if you die over a burger, this sh-- ain't gonna go right. People ain't gonna be feelin' this.' "

On Wednesday, Fif tweeted a picture of himself in a hospital bed and sent a public message to his boxing friend Floyd Mayweather that read: "I don't want to go into surgery."

Lucky for him, he didn't have to. When MTV News checked up on 50 at his NYC G-Unit office on Thursday, just hours after he was released from the hospital, he said he was able to avoid going into surgery to remove blockage in his small intestine.

"I'm feelin' better; I'm in good spirits," Fif added.

DJ Drama, who is in New York to promote his upcoming mixtape with 50, The Lost Tape, told MTV News he was worried about his boy. To lift the gangsta rapper's spirits Drama sent three stuffed animals to 50: a giraffe, an elephant and a lion.

They say it's the thought that counts, but Drama's get-well gifts didn't go over so well. "That wasn't cool. That's all you get," 50 told Drama jokingly while our cameras rolled. "You get 15 tracks, you damn near have to die to do a Gangsta Grillz and this is the thanks I get?"

Stay tuned to MTV News' Mixtape Daily for more on 50 Cent and DJ Drama's The Lost Tape, which will be released on May 22.

Spoiler alert: No one says "you sunk my battleship" in "Battleship." But director Peter Berg has a very good explanation for that. No one said it in the movie because the Regents didn't sink the Navy's battleships.

But before you get all up in arms about the omission, there is an homage to the famous admission of defeat from the Battleship pencil and paper game in the feature film. Fans just might miss it during their first go around.

"We have a version of it though. There was a reference to the line," Berg promised in a recent interview with MTV News.

According to Berg, the reference is something along the lines of, "Ain't gonna sink this battleship, no way." When asked why he didn't just say the classic line anyways, he said, "They don't sink our battleship. Sorry."

That's not to say that there never was a version of the script where "you sunk my battleship" was said. It just didn't end up working in the final cut of the film.

"We played around. I mean, we've said the line, we didn't say the line, and then I sort of had this idea that maybe we should come up with a different way of respecting the line but, you know what, they didn't sink the battleship," Berg said. "There are a lot of ways you could have done it. We chose our way."

Do you approve of Berg's reference to the Battleship board game? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

By Jocelyn Vena

Raven-Symoné's personal life has become a hot topic in the past week thanks to a story from the National Enquirer which reported that the actress, who is currently starring in "Sister Act" on Broadway is gay. The paper reported that Symone is dating "America's Next Top Model" contestant, AzMarie Livingston and on Friday the star took to Twitter to address the rumors.

According to the tabloid, "Raven has lost almost 30 pounds, has done a whole image makeover, and now she is the star of 'Sister Act' on Broadway. She's at a point now where she doesn't care what her family thinks, and she's in love with AzMarie. She's a lesbian and wants to live that way."

The tabloid further reports that the 26-year-old's family does not approve of her lifestyle, however, "she told her parents she loves them, but her home -- especially her bedroom -- is nobody's business, and she was not going to back down, so they needed to accept it, period."

While Raven-Symoné neither confirmed nor denied the speculation on Friday, when she took to Twitter to open up about the rumor, she did make it clear that whatever she does in her personal life is her business.

"I'm living my PERSONAL life the way I'm happiest," she tweeted. "I'm not one, in my 25 year career to disclose who I'm dating. and I shall not start now. My sexual orientation is mine, and the person I'm datings to know. I'm not one for a public display of my life."

She continued that "however that is my right as a HUMAN BEing whether straight or gay. To tell or not to tell. As long as I'm not harming anyone. I am a light being made from love. And my career is the only thing I would like to put on display, not my personal life. Kisses!"

Can we just talk about Garbage and how effing rad it is that they're back with a new album? A new album, Not Your Kind Of People, after seven years of no new tunes? Oh wait, Sam Lansky already did that for us. (See his latest Pop Think column, "Why I'm Obsessed With Garbage's New Album, 'Not Your Kind Of People,' And Why You Should Be, Too.") So instead I'll talk about MTV Hive's Garbage livestream as part of their "Live In NYC" series.

Shirley Manson & Co. will hit the stage for the first time in seven years (having lost not an ounce of their street cred) on May 22. Tune in to Hive's livestream to catch all of their new jams and hopefully some old favorites. And don't be ashamed if you pick up a box of red Feria before the show. The '90s can live on via your dye job despite what your boyfriend says!

+ Celebrate Garbage's new album and check out their "Live In NYC" livestream on May 22 at 9 p.m. ET on MTV Hive.

By Carter Maness

Grills! They may no longer be at the top of hip-hop's trends list anymore, but still, no trip to Houston is complete without getting a new one. Meek Mill, currently on Drake's "Club Paradise" tour, got a couple new pieces last night as a treat from local rapper Trae The Truth.

MTV's Sway Calloway was there to capture the magic moment. "Just got my move made. Trae Tha Truth treated me to a grill – a gold one," the Maybach Music Group rapper said during a lighthearted backstage interview. "End up gettin' a rose gold one, too."

Paul Wall, the master of grills, fitted and advised Meek on his purchase. When pressed, he said that he would make sure Sway got his own grill in a style that had never been rocked before. "When we be in Houston, too, we really be in Houston," Meek said pointing around the room at the local rap royalty. "We really f--- with the grills. Somebody might really be on the lean. Trae Tha Truth is in the building. Paul Wall!"

Check out Wall at work as Meek Mill and French Montana get fitted right before they hit the stage for their "Club Paradise" performance last night (May 17).

By Carter Maness

The Lena Dunham directed, produced, written and starring HBO series "Girls" is intended be a small, insular, humorous show. The Internet has disagreed with that premise, though. For weeks, writers have been churning out think-pieces about what the program 'really means' and focusing on the observation that the show features no minorities. One solution? Casting rapper Childish Gambino, also known as Community's Donald Glover, in the next season.Dunham recently responded to the complaints during an interview with Terry Gross on NPR's "Fresh Air." "If I had one of the four girls, if, for example, she was African-American, I feel like – not that the experience of an African-American girl and a white girl are drastically different, but there has to be specificity to that experience that I wasn't able to speak to."

News of the Glover cast addition first appeared in the New York Post, which published a picture of Dunham and Glover filming a scene on a Brooklyn stoop.

"I'm really excited to introduce new characters into the world of the show," she said to Gross. "Some of them are great actors of color."

Other links

When you think of a king of England and a president of the United States your mind rarely travels to outdoor barbeques and jumping in pools, but that's just what goes on in the "Hyde Park on Hudson" trailer—and Bill Murray lights up portraying Franklin D. Roosevelt.

While the film is based around real events, we're not sure how historically accurate the movie will turn out, but watching Murray take on the charm and gentle mannerisms of America's 32nd President is a jolly ol' delight.

Check out the first trailer below, and learn more about "Hyde Park on Hudson" after the jump!

Before 1939, no reigning king of England had ever visited America. But that summer FDR and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) host the royals at their home in Hyde Park on Hudson, an estate in upstate New York. As war with Germany looms in the distance for Great Britain, the King is hoping the holiday will lead to the President's support. But the weekend gets a little out of hand as his loved ones conspire to make it a memorable one.

The visit is narrated by Franklin's distant cousin and cherished friend Daisy, played by Laura Linney. Through her eyes, the audience learns more than the toils of diplomacy and gets to the heart of love and friendship.

"Hyde Park on Hudson" opens in theaters on December 7.

What did you think of the first "Hyde Park on Hudson" trailer? Speak your mind in the comments and on Twitter!

 By Sowmya Krishnamurthy

Will Smith may be one of Hollywood's nicest guys...just don't try to kiss him. TMZ reports that Big Willie slapped a male reporter at the "Men In Black 3" premiere in Moscow who tried to give him a peck or two on the cheek and on the lips on the red carpet. 

"What the hell is your problem, man?" a visibly angry Smith says and pushes off the affectionate  Ukrainian  reporter from 1+1. "He tried to kiss me on my mouth. He's lucky I didn't sucker punch him" Will explained to another person there following the incident.  A source on scene told TMZ,  "the reporter's mouth brushed up against Will's and that's why the actor reacted so violently. Despite the incident, Will stayed positive ... and happily continued to sign autographs for fans and do red carpet interviews."

Interestingly, Smith (who played an openly gay character in the 1993 film Six "Degrees of Separation") came out in support of same-sex marriage earlier this week, on the heels of President Barack Obama's acceptance of the institution. Yahoo! News shares that Smith told reporters in Berlin on Monday that "If anybody can find someone to love them and to help them through this difficult thing that we call life, I support that in any shape or form."

Rappers T.I. and Jay-Z have also supported Obama's stance on allowing same-sex marriage.

 By Sowmya Krishnamurthy

Will Smith may be one of Hollywood's nicest guys...just don't try to kiss him. TMZ reports that Big Willie slapped a male reporter at the "Men In Black 3" premiere in Moscow who tried to give him a peck or two on the cheek and on the lips on the red carpet. 

"What the hell is your problem, man?" a visibly angry Smith says and pushes off the affectionate  Ukrainian  reporter from 1+1. "He tried to kiss me on my mouth. He's lucky I didn't sucker punch him" Will explained to another person there following the incident.  A source on scene told TMZ,  "the reporter's mouth brushed up against Will's and that's why the actor reacted so violently. Despite the incident, Will stayed positive ... and happily continued to sign autographs for fans and do red carpet interviews."

Interestingly, Smith (who played an openly gay character in the 1993 film Six "Degrees of Separation") came out in support of same-sex marriage earlier this week, on the heels of President Barack Obama's acceptance of the institution. Yahoo! News shares that Smith told reporters in Berlin on Monday that "If anybody can find someone to love them and to help them through this difficult thing that we call life, I support that in any shape or form."

Rappers T.I. and Jay-Z have also supported Obama's stance on allowing same-sex marriage.

If Justin Bieber's performance of "Boyfriend" live on the season finale of "The Voice" is any indication, then the Biebs' performance of "Boyfriend" on this Sunday's Billboard Music Awards will also be a full-on display of bad-assery. Next level, people.

Earlier today Justin uploaded a new video to his viddy account, and let us just warn you: OMFG, Justin Bieber's moves are completely off the chain/may cause heart palpitations. (We're not even exaggerating this time.) Along with the video, JB tweeted, "rehearsal. #FOCUSED." Yah, dawg, you're looking mad focused, having somehow upped your dance game to heights we never could have imagined. While rocking a fedora (yes, we said FEDORA), Justin and his troupe of dancers rehearse some insanely suave moves -- we see shoulder popping, hip-swaying and a healthy dose of gratuitous crotch grabbing. Justin Bieber ain't a kid anymore! He can dance provocatively if he wants to!

Who knows what Sunday's Billboard Music Awards will bring, but we can absolutely guarantee that any contribution from Justin will be totally... swaggy. Go get your dance on, bro.

+ Watch Justin Bieber rehearse for the Billboard Awards after the jump.

Photo credits: Getty/Autoviva.com/Nino Bellissima

Drake Brings His Club Paradise Tour To Houston

Related Artists

• Drake

A man charged with stalking Mila Kunis has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges.

Donna Summer died on Thursday (May 17) at the age of 63 and since the "Disco Queen" passed away, several influential stars have continued to share their sadness over her death. Beyonce is the latest, taking to her newly re-launched website to pen a note to the star.

"Donna Summer made music that moved me both emotionally and physically to get up and dance. You could always hear the deep passion in her voice," Bey wrote. "She was so much more than the queen of disco she became known for, she was an honest and gifted singer with flawless vocal talent. I've always been a huge fan and was honored to sample one of her songs. She touched many generations and will be so sadly missed. My love goes out to her family during this difficult time."

Love, B

Janet Jackson remembered her, writing, "We will miss Donna Summer! She changed the world of music with her beautiful voice and incredible talent."

Bun B and Azealia Banks were brief with, "RIP Donna Summer," while Nicki Minaj added, "Wow, another legend gone. Rest in peace to the beautiful disco queen Donna Summer."

Q-Tip reacted to the number of icons who have died already in 2012. "I'm getting tired of these 3 keys...RIP this time to Donna summer an amazing trailblazer!"

Boyz II Men also had a similar reaction on their Twitter: "It's unfortunate that we have to say goodbye to another amazing talent. Donna Summer, Queen of Disco, our condolences to her family!"

Beyoncé's sister, Solange Knowles, who is known for her throwback style in music and fashion, shared, "Donna Summer- You have inspired me in so many ways....."

And Rihanna seemed so surprised by the news, she simply tweeted, "Donna Summer??"

If you're a fan of "Game of Thrones," the photo you see below should make you very, very happy. Your mind isn't playing tricks on you: that is indeed Jerome Flynn as the sellsword Bronn, taking aim with a fire-tipped arrow at an unseen enemy with Blackwater Bay at his back. That's right: the Battle of Blackwater is on!

It's the first official photo from "Blackwater," the highly awaited episode of "Game of Thrones" season two that finally, finally, thrusts viewers into the thick of an all-out battle (as in on screen, no getting-knocked-out-and-skipping-the-fight trickery) between Joffrey's allies in King's Landing and the forces of Stannis Baratheon. "A Song of Ice and Fire" mastermind George R.R. Martin wrote the episode, only adding to the list of reasons why fans are losing their minds in anticipation of the hour.

Before we get to "Blackwater," we'll have to encounter "The Prince of Winterfell" in this Sunday night's episode — but whether we're talking about Prince Bran or "Prince" Theon is a matter of some debate. We'll certainly be tuning in either way. Here's a look at Tyrion and Varys from that episode.

Tell us what you think of the new "Game of Thrones" photos in the comments section and on Twitter!

Hooray for Movie Awards season and the cutthroat competition between this year's very deserving group of nominees! And although the majority of the nominations were snagged by some popular wizards, bridesmaids and tributes, there is plenty of Movie Awards love and Golden Popcorn to go around. Kinda.

Speaking of Movie Awards love, we have to give it up to first-time nominee Oliver Cooper for putting together this very clever campaign video and Facebook page.

"These are the nominees for Best Onscreen Dirtbag, but only one of them has a proven track record as a douchebag," the ad begins. "He's been called a crude, pushy creep, and 'the most annoying movie character since Jar Jar Binks.'"

MTV News recently caught up with the Best Onscreen Dirtbag nominee to discuss his creative campaign efforts.

"I'm stoked. I'm putting all my hours in the campaign to win this Dirtbag award," Cooper said. "My strategy is to talk to as many people as I can to win this thing. I'm traveling across the country," he joked. "We don't have much money right now, I'm taking Greyhound buses to different cities telling people why I should win."

The "Project X" star went on to say that he's going for strong word of mouth, as well as a few sympathy votes.

"We're going to put up more videos and hopefully catch a following, get people onboard, who liked the movie or hated me," he said. "There are probably more people that hated me."

"I'm trying to gain as much weight, let myself go as much as possible," he continued, speaking to how he's getting ready for his big night on June 3. "I want people to really think of me as disgusting. 'God that guy is despicable. How can he possibly be in movies?'"

Head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote for your favorite flicks now! The 21st annual MTV Movie Awards air live Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET.

Lady Gaga poses with the Taiwanese fan that waited 7 days to see her!

With all the LOLing we often do over Lady Gaga's many craaaazy outfits, we mostly just wanna hug the ish out of her (hopefully without getting meat juice all over ourselves in the process) -- especially when she takes time out of her INSANELY busy sched to pose with a devoted fan! Mother Monster is officially the most down-to-earth pop star there is... um, you know what we mean.

The "Edge Of Glory" singer shared a photo of herself hanging with the fan on Twitter along with a caption that explains the really amazing situation: "Me and the first fan to arrive at Taiwan BTW Ball. He waited 7 days switching off w friends so he could go to school." We already know that Gaga has a heart of rainbows (she did start the Born This Way Foundation), but taking a pic with the dude was the least Gaga could do. She's been experiencing tons of unsupportive mayhem while touring on the other side of the world, but the fact that this fan waited AN ENTIRE WEEK for Gaga's arrival is like, pure devotion -- we lose our patience just having to watch those annoying 30-second commercials before a clip plays on YouTube. #FirstWorldProblems

Photo credit: @ladygaga

'With Kanye I was like, 'Why are you hiding in our pantry in my mom's kitchen?' Khloe jokes about sister Kim's BF.
By Jocelyn Vena

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

Photo: Splash News

Kanye West may seem like he's already one of the Kardashians, but turns out it took him a minute to warm up to them. According to her sister Khloé, Kim's beau initially experienced some shell shock when hanging with reality TV's first family.

"He said, 'I'm an only child; there's, like, so many of you,' " Khloé recalled in a chat with Ryan Seacrest on Friday (May 18).

Fans will get to see Kanye warming up to the Kardashian crew themselves when E!'s "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" returns for another season on Sunday. But Khloé told Seacrest her husband, Lamar Odom, had similar trouble getting used to her very large family.

"I remember Lamar, at first it took him a minute to get used to us, but now Lamar loves it," she said. "With Kanye I was like, 'Why are you hiding in our pantry in my mom's kitchen?' And he's like, 'There's just so many of you guys, and you guys are all so loud and friendly and talk." And I'm like, 'Get used to it buddy, because I like it.' It's just a lot at one time."

Being an only child like Yeezy is added to his initial discomfort, but he isn't the lone only child the Kardashians have welcomed.

"[My boyfriend] Scott [Disick] and Lamar are only children too," Kourtney shared. "I think we attract only children. I don't think [Kanye] knows what's going on [when he hangs out with us]. Like, what we're talking about, are we being serious? Is this a joke?"

The initial shock of the Kardashians seems to have worn off, though. Usmagazine.com spotted Kanye hanging out with Kim and her family at Kourtney's May 12 baby shower. In one snapshot, a smiling Kanye sits next to Kim, who's playing with her nephew and Kourtney's son, Mason.

Khloé's hubby, Lamar, has also apparently bonded with Yeezy. The pro baller even seems to have his sights set on the music industry. "Lamar raps to [Kanye] all the time. Kim is like, 'You're going to freak this guy out,' " Khloé said. "But it's funny."

Will you tune into see "Kanye on Keeping Up With the Kardashians"? Tell us in the comments!

Related Artists

• Kanye West

Country music legend Loretta Lynn is three years older than she has led people to believe, an age change that undermines the story she told of being married at 13 in "Coal Miner's Daughter," documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

Donna Summer's funeral will be a private one for family and close friends.

Watch out world, Miley Cyrus is on a punking spree!

Miley Cyrus seems like such a sweet girl. That is, of course, until she starts punking practically everyone she's ever met! In the latest episode of of MTV's "Punk'd," Miley gets her prank on, first by tricking her boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth, and then by totally fooling her pal, Khloe Kardashian!

Watch Miley Cyrus "punk" her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth and Khloe Kardashian after the jump. 

We first told you about Miley's prank on Liam back in March, but we've now got the extended clip, and OMG, it's even worse than we could have ever imagined. As Miley and Liam walk to their car, she spots two butt-naked people chilling in her vehicle. Liam, a true manly man, gets totally pissed and starts arguing with a police officer who is reluctant to help. Things go from bad to worse when the two naked people stumble out of the car showing more body parts than anyone cared to see.  Just as Liam looks like he's about to effing explode, Miley gently tells him that she's punk'd his ass... and she punk'd it good! Liam is understandably a little pissed, but then he kisses Miley and is all like, "What prank? Look at my hot girlfriend! I don't care about anything else."

Though Miley's first prank was a doozy, the girl still wasn't satisfied. Miley also felt compelled to punk the ish out of her pal, Khloe Kardashian. While Miley and Khloe are relaxing at home, a delivery man stops by and accidentally gets his "junk" stuck in the zipper of his pants. He's literally screaming and writhing in pain, all the while Khloe is trying to calm him down and uhhh, "reduce the swelling." Just as Khloe looks like she's about to faint, Miley tells her she's also been punk'd. Ms. Cyrus, you nasty!

+ Watch a clip of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth on "Punk'd," check out Miley punking Khloe Kardashian and watch "Punk'd" Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. 

There's no gain without the pain, right? Or at least that's what Michael Bay's latest project "Pain and Gain" tells us. Starring alongside Mark Wahlberg, is Dwyane "The Rock" Johnson and judging by his past career in WWE—and the fact that every single one of his muscles is probably the size of our head—he's someone we would not want to cross. Especially since one of the set photos shows him cooking a hand on a grill. Better to stay on his safe, non-Hulk-like side, no?

Just wrapped. In the pick up and headin home. Thank U crew - great work. Get rest and we'll do it all again tonight..

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) May 18, 2012

But that set photo is one of the last we'll see as The Rock just announced he wrapped filming in Miami today. "Pain and Gain" is a black comedy that follows a pair of bodybuilders who find themselves in an extortion ring and kidnapping plot that spirals way out of control.

When MTV News caught up with Michael Bay back in 2009 before the storyline was divulged, he said, "[It’s based on] a true story, and it's very funny. It’s a dark comedy." Quite a departure from his usual "Transformers" work, but since he hasn't disappointed us yet, we're having faith that the film will be highly entertaining.

Is "Pain and Gain" going to be on your list of films to see next year? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!

By Miranda Johnson

While Kanye West is overseas prepping to kick off his set of Watch the Throne O2 Arena concerts with Jay-Z, his girlfriend Kim Kardashian is also there to launch her new fragrance, and the twosome have kept close to each other during their stay in London so far.

Yesterday the pair was snapped attending The FiFi UK Fragrance Awards held at The Brewery in East London. The FiFi UK Fragrance Awards often referred to as the ‘Oscar’s’ of the fragrance industry, honoring the most creative achievements in the field.

Ye was first captured outside of his hotel dressed in a tailored white jacket and his usual black leather pants. He then hopped in a car and headed over to get girlfriend Kim Kardashian, who was sporting a navy maxi dress. The twosome pushed through a massive crowd of cameras and eventually jetted over to enjoy the fragrance festivities for the evening.

On Friday Mr. West revealed the title and artwork for his G.O.O.D. Music compilation album which is slated to debut this summer. In anticipation of the upcoming all-star G.O.O.D. Music album, 'Ye is premiering his new short film titled "Cruel Summer" at the Cannes Film Festival in France. The film will world premiere on May 23 and remain open to the public for two days afterwards.

Fif tells MTV News he's 'in good spirits' despite nearly having to go into surgery to remove blockage in his small intestine.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Ade Mangum

50 Cent

Photo: MTV News

Nine gun shots wasn't enough to take out 50 Cent, but a bad hamburger could have been the undoing of rap's #1 bad guy. The G-Unit general was hospitalized this week with stomach pains, but a phone call from his homey Eminem surely lightened the mood.

"I'm in a dead serious moment like, 'Damn, I don't believe this is happenin' right now,' " Fif said recalling the moments before Slim Shady phoned him. "He goes, 'Yo Fif, you were shot nine times man if you die over a burger, this sh-- ain't gonna go right. People ain't gonna be feelin' this.' "

On Wednesday, Fif tweeted a picture of himself in a hospital bed and sent a public message to his boxing friend Floyd Mayweather that read: "I don't want to go into surgery."

Lucky for him, he didn't have to. When MTV News checked up on 50 at his NYC G-Unit office on Thursday, just hours after he was released from the hospital, he said he was able to avoid going into surgery to remove blockage in his small intestine.

"I'm feelin' better; I'm in good spirits," Fif added.

DJ Drama, who is in New York to promote his upcoming mixtape with 50, The Lost Tape, told MTV News he was worried about his boy. To lift the gangsta rapper's spirits Drama sent three stuffed animals to 50: a giraffe, an elephant and a lion.

They say it's the thought that counts, but Drama's get-well gifts didn't go over so well. "That wasn't cool. That's all you get," 50 told Drama jokingly while our cameras rolled. "You get 15 tracks, you damn near have to die to do a Gangsta Grillz and this is the thanks I get?"

Stay tuned to MTV News' Mixtape Daily for more on 50 Cent and DJ Drama's The Lost Tape, which will be released on May 22.

Related Artists

• 50 Cent
• Eminem

By Maurice Bobb

Drake has a deep bond with the city of Houston and that was clear when the Toronto MC touched down in the Texas city on Thursday night for a stop on his star-ridden Club Paradise tour. He even brought Rick Ross out to join him on stage at the Toyota Center.

Before Drizzy took the stage for his nearly two-hour set, he was preceded by a coterie of hip-hop radio fixtures: French Montana, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Waka Flocka Flame and J. Cole. Each artist was allotted an average of 30 minutes to run through their budding catalog of hits as the crowd — an amalgamation of ages, races and backgrounds — filed into the expansive arena to see the YMCMB MC.

Dressed in a simple black T-shirt and jeans — sans garish bejeweled pendant, necklace or watch — and backed by a five-piece band, the Canadian spitter took the stage just before 10 p.m., bursting with nostalgia and reverence for H-Town.

"I love Toronto, but this (Houston) is my favorite place in the mother----in' world!" he declared.

Drake jumpstarted the throng with last year's undisputed summer anthem, "I'm on One," before igniting the crowd with the Weeknd-assisted "Crew Love" from his critically and commercially successful sophomore opus, Take Care.

In between sips of mystery drank from a grande-sized Styrofoam cup, Drake bounced across the stage like a whirling dervish, looking as if he were unchained from the restrictions and restraints of the criticism he's faced since solidifying his brand of moody, self-reflective braggadocio in the hardened, self-policing pantheon of hip-hop.

Songs like "She Will" and "Up All Night" flowed from the multiplatinum MC's happy place like an unrelenting wave crashing on a sandy beach. Drake was having so much fun onstage he felt compelled to share it with his co-stars.

"Every n---a you wanna hear is right f---ing here!" Drake said before bringing out 2 Chainz for the newly released banger "No Lie." The record has yet to gain the kind of traction it deserves, but one thing is clear: You haven't heard "No Lie" until you've heard it in a live arena setting.

Next up was Waka Flocka, whose high-energy flow on "Round of Applause" was punctuated by pyrotechnics on the "Baby make that ass clap" refrain.

Drizzy briefly put his parade of guest stars on hold to offer up his current crossover hit "Take Care" before Meek Mill stepped into the cypher for "House Party" and "I'm a Boss." The biggest surprise — literally and figuratively — of the night emerged from stage right to thunderous applause: Rick Ross. The Teflon Don and French Montana joined Drake and Meek Mill for the first-ever all-hands-on-deck live performance of "Stay Schemin" from Rozay's groundbreaking mixtape Rich Forever.

Drake's growth as a live performer was evident as he took time to single out fans for various compliments, comments and jokes, making 15,000 fans feel as though they were in a small, intimate venue meant for 1,500. Drizzy crooned and pandered to the shrieking females in the audience as a prelude to "Make Me Proud," but the exuberant pirouettes and middle-fingered Mazel tovs were back with "HYFR" and "The Motto."

The only blemish on the evening came when a young fan managed to hop onstage ala Lil Mama before being promptly removed by herculean security guards. "Shout out to that f--- ass n---a that ran onstage," Drake said. "He probably getting his ass beat right now."

To close out his set, Drizzy thanked the fans for their unyielding support and offered up the defiantly brazen "Headlines," lest there were any haters left in the building — or in the industry, for that matter — "overdosed on confidence" enough to think they can keep Drake from being Drizzy. Because, as he so eloquently put it on this night, Drake doesn't care about what the naysayers have to say: He only cares about making music for his fans.

Unless you happen to be madly in love with Taylor Kitsch or Brooklyn Decker, some of you have no doubt written "Battleship" off as a cheap imitation of "Transformers." How can an alien invasion action film based on a board game be all that entertaining, right? Well, we have a feeling you'll be pleasantly surprised.

The opening scenes between Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgård were flawlessly executed as the pair's brotherly chemistry and Kitsch's off-kilter charm win the audience over in the first few minutes. The film continues with non-stop action once the Navy hits the sea, and continues its intrigue as the movie incorporates the board game layout into the battles.

It's a summer flick that's sure to entertain, so here are our five reasons to see "Battleship."

Because It's Wickedly Funny
From the opening of the movie to the very end, laughs reign in the film. The comedy is brought in by Kitsch's slacker persona and his interactions with Skarsgård, but the supporting cast keeps you entertained as the battle for earth heats up. In action films, humor is sometimes tossed to the wayside in favor of more explosions—don't get us wrong, there are still plenty of those—but this cast effortlessly delivers funny lines at the perfect moments.

Because There Are Tons Of Explosions
The movie is titled "Battleship." If there weren't crazy-awesome explosions, this would be a film about yahtze. We don't claim to be special effects experts, but we can certainly tell when they come off believable. From the moment Kitsch yells to Rihanna, "Light it up!" to the end when the final missiles are launched, you're sure to be entertained by the action.

Because It's Rihanna's Acting Debut
By now you probably know that the "Talk That Talk" singer makes her acting debut. Most young stars do the reverse and start out as actors (even Justin Timberlake started out on the Mickey Mouse Club acting and singing before he joined NSYNC), but when has Rihanna ever followed a trend? As the musician continues to blow up the music charts, she lights up the screen playing a total badass handling some heavy artillery. She's the gal Hopper goes to when he needs some serious firepower and she always delivers.

Because There's A 'Friday Night Lights' Reunion
This film certainly had its own scene stealer. Kitsch's "Friday Night Lights" co-star Jesse Plemons provides a laugh almost everytime he's on camera with his facial expressions or one-liners. In the NBC series, Kitsch played Tim Riggins and Plemons was Landry Clarke. The dynamic between their characters in "Battleship" is just like their roles in "FNL." The "John Carter" actor is a self-assured captain-type with the arrogance to match and Plemons is an uncertain sailor questioning the antics around him. This will certainly amuse fans of the show.

Because You're Curious
Let's be honest, there's at least a small part of you that wants to know who's going to say, "You sunk my battleship." And you may be surprised by how it's incorporated into the film. Cliffhanger! And don't you want to see how they pulled it off? When they literally were working from nothing, they came up with a full plot line based around a children's board game. Credit is due, my friends.

Did we convince you? Will you see "Battleship" this weekend? Sound off in the comments and on Twitter!

Sean Kingston is back, y'all!

Unfortunately, we all remember Sean Kingston's near fatal Jet Ski accident. Luckily, Sean has made a full recovery and is thankful to have lived through the harrowing ordeal. Cue Sean's latest record, a T.I.-assisted banger titled "Back 2 Life (Live It Up)," which, as you might have gathered, is Sean's way of giving thanks for life and reminding us not to take anything for granted.

Listen to Sean Kingston's "Back 2 Life (Live It Up)" after the jump. 

Produced by Sean's longtime collaborator J.R. Rotem, Sean's new jam features a hefty sample from Soul II Soul’s 1989 chart-topping hit “Back to Life (However Do You Want Me).” Set to a thumping, island-flavored beat, Sean's vocals sound as pristine as ever while he sings about living every moment as if it were your last: "But what don't kill me make me stronger/ I know it's gon' be alright/ So we celebrating tonight/ Yo, we celebrating love tonight/ The time is now/ Gotta make it count/ So before we die/ Let's go all out."

OK fine, mayyyybe Sean's lyrics are a bit on the cheesy side, but let's cut this dude a break. We're pretty sure living through a near-tragic Jet Ski accident entitles you to about two to three years of writing songs about living, being free, being happy and not missing out on any more moments in life. With that said, welcome back, dawg!

+ Listen to Sean Kingston featuring T.I. "Back 2 Life (Live It Up)."

My Chemical Romance, Bon Jovi, All-American Rejects are also on lineup at three-day fest in Asbury Park, New Jersey, this weekend.
By Rob Markman

Mac Miller

Photo: FilmMagic

The Bamboozle is back, and music fans are gearing up to hit Asbury Park on the world-famous Jersey Shore to see their favorite acts take the stage during the three-day-long festival.

It all kicks off Friday (May 18) evening, when , Incubus, Mike Posner and Kreayshawn all rock the crowd on a night headlined by electro party-starter Skrillex.

Expect Mac to perform choice cuts from his recently released Macadelic mixtape and for Skrillex to spin dance joints from his Grammy-winning discography.

On Saturday (May 19), Pauly D returns to the Jersey Shore that made him famous to DJ for the crowd. Too bad Deadmau5 isn't scheduled to appear — the two are currently involved in a back-and-forth beef over Twitter. The Foo Fighters and My Chemical Romance will surely rock the house, and the All-American Rejects will also rip through tracks off their newly released Kids in the Street LP. The great part about Bamboozle is that it brings dozen of acts from multiple musical genres, so if rock isn't your thing, you can check out rap rookies A$AP Rocky, Iggy Azalea, Action Bronson and Mr. MFN Exquire as they continue to get their first tastes of festival life.

Sunday (May 20) promises to be the homecoming of all homecomings as Jersey boys Bon Jovi headline the evening. Soulja Boy's buddy Riff Raff, who recently signed a deal with Diplo, is set to entertain the crowd with his off-the-cuff cuts like "Larry Bird" and "Time." T.

Mills is also scheduled to kick-start his stage show with his new single "Vans On," and funnyman Andrew Dice Clay will bring a bit of comedy and controversy to the stage. There will be something for everyone.

Related Artists

• Foo Fighters
• Skrillex
• Mac Miller

'He was definitely the best,' writes one MTV News commenter of the soulful third-place finisher.
By Gil Kaufman

Joshua Ledet

Photo: FOX

It happens every year. By the time you drill down to the top three on "American Idol," tears are shed and teeth are gnashed when host Ryan Seacrest announces the third-place finisher.

After coming so far, climbing so high and landing within one episode of the show's finale, whatever beloved singer makes it to the precipice of potential fame is sent to the sidelines to watch the final showdown and his/her fans are left dejected.

That's the general mood of Joshua Ledet's followers after the soul-stirring 20-year-old Westlake, Louisiana throwback singer was sent packing on Thursday night's elimination show
, paving the way for pocket diva Jessica Sanchez and (be)low key pawn shop worker Phillip Phillips to battle it out next week.

"They sabotaged Joshua and Jessica," raged reader Rienell John Llevado in a comment on an MTV New story in which Ledet called his elimination
 a "relief."

"Jessica got lucky she has the support she needed to go on. They will do the same thing again this Tuesday. They are giving their golden boy the best to bring him on top. After all, isn't 'American Idol' loves white guys with guitar only? Don't worry Josh, you're right when you said you could still have a successful career even if you don't win 'Idol.'"

Another reader, Keish, claimed that the voting was rigged because after always getting a message that their vote was counted before, there was no such message Thursday night. "I voted so many times & still got nothing! Josh you are the winner!!!"

Khan lamented that Ledet — who was touted by the judges as one of the best singers
 to ever grace the "Idol" stage — should not have been eliminated, because, "someone with that kind of voice should never be voted off a singing competition." A number agreed and added that Joshua is probably better in the long run because his singing style has a timeless quality and, besides, the recent track record
 of WGWG (white guys with guitars) has been pretty dismal anyway.

"American did not vote based on the talent," opined Lamran2010. "How come Joshua was voted off ... it is not fair." Interestingly, given the shrieks of joy Phillips often elicits on the show, a number of the comments derided his meat-and-potatoes singing style and predicted that voters would turn out in force for Sanchez next week.

"Wow , how can America get it so hopelessly wrong year after year" wondered Muzz W. "Go Jessica, Phil Phillips should have gone weeks ago." Then again, Koo was not having it, bidding "good riddents [sic] Joshua" and proclaiming the singer a "drama mama."

Amid the sometimes nasty back-and-forth, writer Barry made a plea for peace, saying, "All three have sooo much talent!!! America has voted and unfortunately Joshua goes home. But don't take anything away from Jessica and Phil now!! The finale is all about the songs they sing and how they sing them. It's also about stage presence!!" His pick: Sanchez.

As many eagle-eyed "Idol" watchers are aware, it's not always the winners who end up winning, which is why LaNell was just fine with Ledet going home early. "Joshua became a winner the moment he stepped on the stage," she wrote. "He got the exposure he needed to get his career started ... he will go far because of his talent," adding that she figured a younger generation might not totally get his "good ole Motown sound."

Related Photos

• 'American Idol' Season 11 Performances
• Most Shocking 'American Idol' Exits

Elizabeth Banks, Kristen Bell among other stars urging fans to vote for their favorites before June 3 show.
By Kevin P. Sullivan

Liam Hemsworth

Photo: MTV

Movie fans from around the world, have you heard the call?

It's not a time to idly let your favorite movies go unrecognized. Is it time for Rupert Grint and Emma Watson to steal the Best Kiss glory away from repeat winners Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson? Was Jon Hamm a bigger dirtbag than Jennifer Aniston?

You have to rise up, sit down and make your voice heard for the 2012 MTV Movie Awards, and this isn't just us telling you. A new promo for the awards features the likes of Captain America himself, Chris Evans, and someone you may know as Effie Trinket, Elizabeth Banks, and they have the very same message for you.

A number of stars have assembled to spread the message of this year's MTV Movie Awards. Not only are Evans and Banks on hand, but Chloë Moretz, Kristen Bell, Liam Hemsworth and Anna Kendrick want you to get up as well.

But obviously, every movement must have a fearless leader, and this year, host Russell Brand is just the man for the job. After two stints as host of the Video Music Awards, Brand will lead the charge and encourage everyone to rise up and sit down for the 21st annual MTV Movie Awards.

The MTV Movie Awards is your awards show, and it's up to you to make sure the winners reflect that. The awesomeness begins on Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET and will air live on MTV. Voting will be open in all
12 categories until Saturday, June 2, the night before the show.

Head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote for your favorite flicks now! The 21st annual MTV Movie Awards air live Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET.

Related Photos

• 2012 Movie Awards Presenters
• 2012 MTV Movie Award Nominees

Singer sits down for a now-rare interview on 'Ellen' before release of his upcoming album Born and Raised.
By Jocelyn Vena

John Mayer appears on "Ellen"

Photo: Warner Bros.

John Mayer really is putting his "Shadow Days" behind him. After being a bit too candid in interviews back in 2010, where he frequently talked about his sex life and exes, Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson, the singer decided he needed to step back from the spotlight.

With a week until he drops his new album, Born and Raised, the singer/songwriter sat with Ellen DeGeneres for a now-rare interview airing Tuesday.

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"It was a very strange time and it sort of rocketed me into adulthood. It was a violent crash into being an adult," Mayer told DeGeneres of his "TMI" era, per Usmagazine.com. "For a couple of years, it was just figuring it all out, and I'm glad I actually stayed out of the spotlight. Because I think back then I would've said, 'Give me two weeks or let me get out and do 'Ellen' and let me explain myself.' It was like, 'No, idiot. Go away and be 33 and 34 instead of 28 for the fourth year.' "

He added that he needed a break from the publicity and "had to go home for a minute... I just sort of lost my head for a little while."

With a new album on the horizon, Mayer is also dealing with some lingering vocal-cord issues, which caused him to cancel his spring tour and scale back on album promotion.

"They cut this thing out of your throat and then they inject your vocal cords with Botox, which freezes your vocal cords so that this thing can heal without smacking up against the other side. I just need more Botox next time," he explained. "It's not a health concern whatsoever, but it has taken me out of singing. I tried to beat it the first time and couldn't."

Related Artists

• John Mayer

By Gil Kaufman

When Kanye West does it, he does it big. His G.O.O.D. Music compilation album is slated to debut soon, and in anticipation of that 'Ye is premiering his new short film "Cruel Summer" at the Cannes Film Festival in France, bearing the same title as the album.The hush-hush movie, inspired by the upcoming all-star G.O.O.D. Music album, will world premiere on May 23 and remain open to the public for two days afterwards. It is being screened out of competition in Cannes amid the world-famous film fest.

And, this being Kanye, the project is described as, "a fusion of short film and art installation ... an immersive '7 screen experience' for the eyes and ears unlike anything West has attempted before." Among those listed as starring in the film are comedian Aziz Ansari, Kid Cudi, Lebanese actress Razane Jammal ("Djinn") and Palestinian actor Ali Suliman ("The Kingdom"). Yeezy is listed as the producer, writer and director of the effort, based on a screenplay by Elon Rutberg, who was the associate director of The Throne's "N----s in Paris" video. The co-director is Alexandre Moors, who worked with West on "Runaway" as well as the "Paris" clip.

Kanye and Cudi were spotted filming scenes for the movie? earlier this year in the middle eastern nation of Qatar, but little or no information has emerged about the subject matter or plot of the project. Expectations are high given the over-the-top look and feel of 'Ye's last mini-flick, 2010's "Runaway." Click here for Ticket information for the screenings.

Welcome to Friendsies, where everyone's your friend, and everybody is welcome — even wolves!

In this exclusive clip from "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World," the impending-apocalypse dramedy starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, our two heroes find themselves in a shockingly jovial place considering that the world's about to end.

Arriving at Friendsies, Carell and Knightley's characters can't help but grin at all the ridiculousness on display: public weed-smoking, endless congo lines, and waitresses who are "rolling really hard right now."

"We thought about closing up shop, but then we realized: this is really our family, you know?" the Friendsies host, played by "Cloverfield" actor T.J. Miller, reasons when asked why the not-so-family-friendly restaurant is still in business with just days to go before armageddon strikes. "In fact, the tragedy has brought us closer. Almost too close... but that's impossible!"

The best part about Friendsies? According to a waitress named Katie (played by "Community" favorite Gillian Jacobs), literally "everything is awesome," including the chef's "very creative" specials. Find out what's on the menu in our exclusive clip.

While you're at it, enter our "Seeking a Friend" sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to the 2012 MTV Movie Awards!

"Seeking a Friend" hits theaters on June 22, 2012.

Tell us what you think of our exclusive "Seeking a Friend" clip in the comments section or on Twitter!

With "Prometheus" hitting theaters in three weeks, it's time for Ridley Scott to focus on returning to another one of his most famous properties: "Blade Runner." Warner Bros released a press release today saying that the new movie will officially be a sequel to the original, and that "Blade Runner" scribe Hampton Fancher will be back to help Scott develop the story.

Fancher and Scott originally conceived "Blade Runner" as the first of a series of films that would explore the themes presented in Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep." Though it took Scott three decades to do so, he's finally returning to that idea now.

Apparently the sequel will take place several years after the first film ended. But which version of the ending will Scott use going forward? We guess that's the downside of releasing seven thousand director's cuts of a film.

Scott confirmed to The Daily Beast that he had his first meetings for the "Blade Runner" sequel last week, so it sounds like that might be one of his next few projects. Following in the footsteps of "Alien," "Thelma & Louise" and now "Prometheus," Scott said that he plans to put a female lead front and center.

"Funny enough, I started my first meetings on the Blade Runner sequel last week," he said when asked about the status of the project. "We have a very good take on it. And we’ll definitely be featuring a female protagonist."

Are you intrigued by a second "Blade Runner," or do you wish Scott just left well-enough alone? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter.

Mini-movie is inspired by the upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album of the same name.
By Gil Kaufman

Kanye West

Photo: Getty Images

Kanye West doesn't know how to do small, so whenever the rapper unveils a new project it's almost always on the biggest platform possible. That explains why his new "short art film, "Cruel Summer," will debut on the fabulous Palm Beach in Cannes, France during the Cannes Film Festival.

The hush-hush movie, inspired by the upcoming all-star G.O.O.D. Music album
 of the same name, will world premier on May 23 and remain open to the public for two days afterwards. It is being screened out of competition in Cannes amid the world-famous film fest.

And, this being Kanye, the project is described as, "a fusion of short film and art installation ... an immersive '7 screen experience' for the eyes and ears unlike anything West has attempted before." Among those listed as starring in the film are comedian Aziz Ansari, Kid Cudi, Lebanese actress Razane Jammal ("Djinn") and Palestinian actor Ali Suliman ("The Kingdom"). Yeezy is listed as the producer, writer and director of the effort, based on a screenplay by Elon Rutberg, who was the associate director of The Throne's "N----s in Paris" video. The co-director is Alexandre Moors, who worked with West on "Runaway" as well as the "Paris" clip.

Kanye and Cudi were spotted filming scenes for the movie
 earlier this year in the middle eastern nation of Qatar, but little or no information has emerged about the subject matter or plot of the project. Expectations are high given the over-the-top look and feel of 'Ye's last mini-flick, 2010's "Runaway." Click here for Ticket information for the screenings.

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Stars share the strangest pregnancy facts they learned during filming.
By Kara Warner

Anna Kendrick and Chace Crawford in "What to Expect When You're Expecting"

Photo: Melissa Moseley/ Lionsgate

As if the film's title weren't explanation enough, "What to Expect When You're Expecting" is all about what couples experience during pregnancy, based on the best-selling nonfiction book of the same name.

Because the subject is a complex, loaded and almost universal one, when MTV News sat down with the castmembers from the film, we asked them to enlighten us with the most unique facts they learned about pregnancy during production.

"I think the weirdest thing I've seen — I've actually seen it — is a woman getting on her hands and knees giving birth," Matthew Morrison said. "It's interesting, because you think about a woman [lying on her back] and pushing, but honestly, if you let gravity do the work, it makes it a little easier."

"The squat position, there is a purpose for it — not just to lift the butt and tone the quads," added Diaz, who plays Morrison's girlfriend and baby mama in the movie. "But to open the hips and pelvis and let gravity do the work. The only reason a woman is on her back in our culture is so the doctor can see what's going on. I say get a platform, squat over it, let the doctor be underneath it."

"If you want the baby to come right now, eat spicy food," Ben Falcone ("Bridesmaids") said of one tip he'd heard mentioned that might speed up delivery.

"Have sex," said his onscreen wife, Elizabeth Banks.

"Sprint," Falcone joked. "Sprint uphill."

"A lot of running is encouraged," Banks continued with a smile. "Slam doors. Get surprised. Surprise her, scare her."

Chace Crawford and Anna Kendrick provided the most to-the-point advice, but because their characters have to deal with an unplanned pregnancy, their words of wisdom were how not to get pregnant in the first place.

"Wrap it up. That's what we learned on this shoot," Crawford said of practicing safe sex with the use of condoms. "Right?" he asked Kendrick, who collapsed into a brief fit of giggles. "Never mind."

"Sorry. You completely lost me," Kendrick laughed, before regaining composure. "Yeah, wrap it up to avoid pregnancy. And stay away from Chace Crawford; he's irresistible."

Check out everything we've got on "What to Expect When You're Expecting."

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

'Night of My Life' video 'typical bottlepopping playpressing garbage im sure everyones sick of,' Deadmau5 tweets.
By Jocelyn Vena

Pauly D

Photo: WireImage

After putting to bed his feud with Madonna, it seems EDM star Deadmau5 is embroiled in a new Twitter beef, this time with MTV's own DJ Pauly D.

It all began when Pauly posted a link to his new music video for the track "Night of My Life." He asked his fans, followers and Twitter in general, "So how do you like the video?" Mau5 apparently checked it out and didn't like what he saw.

"Well since you asked," Deadmau5 tweeted, "I didn't really enjoy it. it looked like it cost about $150 to make, and nothing really creative about it."

For those wondering what made Mau5 so mad, the video's concept is pretty simple and by all standards, pretty innocuous. It plays out almost like a mini-episode of Pauly's MTV show, "The Pauly D Project," following him from gig to gig, confetti and champagne flying everywhere. It also features some behind-the-scenes moments, including the "Jersey Shore" star hanging with his pals and meeting fans.

Pauly didn't let the jab go, but did offer up a little quip to answer his fellow DJ's dig. He tweeted, "T-Shirt $40 Jeans $120 Hair Gel $12 Being Hated On By Deadmau5#Priceless."

Like any good feud, it didn't end there. Dead's response? "hating? the f---? you clearly don't know me enough if you thought that was 'hating'. was just some friendly-ish advice."

Things continued to escalate on Dead's side, with him tweeting responses including, "i'll just leave it at: 'Don't blame your failure on haters. If everyone thinks you suck, they're not haters, they're right.' - Daniel Tosh," and in response to a fan, he added, "nah, i just thought it was a piece of sh--, in short. typical bottlepopping playpressing garbage im sure everyones sick of."

"Well, now that Jersey (and quite possibly the rest of the eastern seaboard) 'came at me bro' i guess its time for bed soon," Deadmau5 added before asking where Snooki is and then resigning, "im kidding. that was a joke. sorry."

With Deadmau5 seemingly over the whole thing, Pauly pondered, "Wonder If I Could Get @Deadmau5 To DJ My Birthday ?? Now That Would Be The #NightOfMyLife."

As the whole beef came to an end, Pauly had a few final words before ending the battle on his end. "Maybe He Just Needs Some Cheese To Go With His Whine ... #WheresMyMau5Trap," he said, then tweeted, "Well @DeadMau5 Today Was A Pleasure , Hope U Had Fun Too , But I Got Show To Watch Tonight #PaulyDProject U Should Tune In@MTV."

Sound off on the Twitter feud in the comments below!

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By Jessica Marshall

Ahhh birth. The miracle of life. And one of Hollywood's favorite plot points.

Birth scenes in movies range from shouty and grunty to creepy and gooey and often leave viewers with the highly philosophical question: What is that baby really covered in?

You'll get birth scenes in spades when you catch "What To Expect When You're Expecting," the new star-studded rom-com opening today. Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Chace Crawford, Chris Rock and Anna Kendrick are just a few of the celebs who bring to life the wacky rollercoaster ride that anticipating a brand new bundle of joy can be.

It's loosely based on the bestselling self-help book by Heidi Murkoff (there's probably a well-worn copy stashed somewhere in your parents' house), and focuses on five couples as they anticipate parenthood. There are lots of preggo bellies, raging hormones, slapstick humor and moments of sheer terror — err, joy.

But just like giving birth in reality, you should be prepared. There are many different types of cinematic births. Here is a smattering of a few of the more notable ones to get you ready for "What To Expect." Think of it like taking a pre-film Lamaze class.

Violent Birth: "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1"
The birth of Renesmee, the half-vampire, half-human spawn of Bella and Edward Cullen, is a bloody good time. Punctuated by the sounds of ripping flesh, flashing red and yellow lights, and what seems like gallons of fake blood throughout, this highly anticipated birth scene flat-out induced seizures in several folks around the country who saw it in theaters. It's definitely not for the squeamish.

Water Birth: "The Back-Up Plan"
This rom-com stars Jennifer Lopez as a perennial bachelorette who gets artificially inseminated in a moment of desperation, only to meet her soul mate later that day. The film is notable for a certain scene in which JLo's character and her would-be baby daddy (Alex O'Loughlin) witness a home water birth, complete with a plastic inflatable pool, animalistic noisemaking, unidentified floating objects and a bongo-drumming hippy, played by a hilarious pre-"Bridesmaids" Melissa McCarthy. Words cannot describe this chaotic scene that brings the term TMI to a whole new level.

The Creepy Supernatural Birth: "Children of the Damned"
If you've always dreamed of having kids at the same time as all of your best friends, we're pretty sure you didn't mean it to happen like it does in this 1995 John Carpenter flick (a remake of a chilling 1960 classic) starring Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley and Linda Kozlowski. This horror movie opens with an evil presence sweeping through a small American town, mysteriously knocking up its female residents. Exactly nine months later, there's a blond baby boom that starts with a mile-long caravan of cars on their way to the hospital (which is actually a barn converted for the occasion) and ends with a shrill chorus of howling moms and mewling, questionably human, infants. This one isn't so much gross as it is creepy.

The Sympathy Pains Birth: "Nine Months"
Hugh Grant plays his signature role of the ever-bumbling bachelor in this 1995 Chris Columbus romantic comedy. When his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, Hugh's character is forced to man up in the course of nine months and stick with her. He does, but not before he faints (along with the also-bumbling and squeamish doctor played by Robin Williams) in the delivery room after getting an eyeful of the process.

The '80s Birth: "She's Having a Baby"
Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern (long before she became the mistress of “Downton Abbey”) star in this late-'80s comedy from John Hughes about newlyweds adjusting to society's expectations of them — namely that they immediately start popping out babies. The film is pretty light-hearted until the end, when they actually have a baby. Then it turns all crazy dramatic when there's a complication with the birth and Kevin Bacon's character ends up sobbing like a little girl in a hospital waiting room. Don't worry though, it has a happy ending.

Bonus — The Man Birth: "Junior"
Now this one doesn't happen often in movies, but it bears mentioning because, well, it's not everyday that you see Arnold Schwarzenegger giving birth via c-section. The Governator takes one for the team in this 1994 Ivan Reitman comedy that reunites him with his “Twins” co-star Danny DeVito, playing a devoted fertility research scientist who agrees to become a test subject and carry a baby to term — in his own body. This one gets bonus points for the hilarious (and kind of terrifying) dream sequence brought on by pregnancy hormones in which Arnold's character gives birth to a baby that has his adult face.

What's your favorite weirdo birth scene? Sound off in the comments and on Twitter!

Drake Kicks Off His Tour In Houston

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CANNES, France (Reuters) - The joke is on Europe, and in particular France, with the third animated "Madagascar" adventure, which has its world premiere at the Cannes film festival on Friday bringing big names in comedy to the red carpet. "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted", from DreamWorks Animation, is the first installment in the franchise to be shot in 3D, and studio bosses will be hoping it can match the box office magic of its predecessors. ...

Kimye are so nice to each other, we can't handle it.

It's a little disturbing just how happy I am for both Kim Kardashian and Kanye West regarding their romantic relationship. I seriously, SERIOUSLY feel like these two are deeply in love and should get married and have beautiful babies until the end of time. Kimye were spotted yesterday in London, probably on their way to some fabulous event, and Ye made sure he had a good grasp of Kim's hand. All together now: "Awwwww!"

Relationships are tricky and no one ever knows how things will end up, but fans will get a good look inside K + K's situation when Kanye makes some guest appearances on the upcoming season of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians." Kim's been pretty mum about their dating scenario, so the new season of the show will give all of us curious minds a little insight into how their relationship is playing out. And according to her sister, Khloe, Kim is "so happy." Keep on keeping on, Kimye.

Photo credit: Splash News

'This is my favorite place in the mother----in' world!' Drizzy declares.
By Maurice Bobb

Drake

Photo: MTV News

HOUSTON — Drake's ties to Houston run deep. It was the city made famous by Rap-a-Lot Records, the Geto Boys, UGK, DJ Screw and a litany of chopped-and-screwed odes to purple syrup that sired, cultivated and ultimately catapulted the Toronto native into the stratosphere of chart-topping, award-winning artists, so it was only fitting that the MC born Aubrey Graham would pour more of his heart and soul into Thursday night's Toyota Center performance, an earmarked leg on his mammoth Club Paradise Tour.

Before Drizzy took the stage for his nearly two-hour set, he was preceded by a coterie of hip-hop radio fixtures: French Montana, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Waka Flocka Flame and J. Cole. Each artist was allotted an average of 30 minutes to run through their budding catalog of hits as the crowd — an amalgamation of ages, races and backgrounds — filed into the expansive arena to see the YMCMB MC.

Dressed in a simple black T-shirt and jeans — sans garish bejeweled pendant, necklace or watch — and backed by a five-piece band, the Canadian spitter took the stage just before 10 p.m., bursting with nostalgia and reverence for H-Town.

"I love Toronto, but this (Houston) is my favorite place in the mother----in' world!" he declared.

Drake jumpstarted the throng with last year's undisputed summer anthem, "I'm on One," before igniting the crowd with the Weeknd-assisted "Crew Love" from his critically and commercially successful sophomore opus, Take Care.

In between sips of mystery drank from a grande-sized Styrofoam cup, Drake bounced across the stage like a whirling dervish, looking as if he were unchained from the restrictions and restraints of the criticism he's faced since solidifying his brand of moody, self-reflective braggadocio in the hardened, self-policing pantheon of hip-hop.

Songs like "She Will" and "Up All Night" flowed from the multiplatinum MC's happy place like an unrelenting wave crashing on a sandy beach. Drake was having so much fun onstage he felt compelled to share it with his co-stars.

"Every n---a you wanna hear is right f---ing here!" Drake said before bringing out 2 Chainz for the newly released banger "No Lie." The record has yet to gain the kind of traction it deserves, but one thing is clear: You haven't heard "No Lie" until you've heard it in a live arena setting.

Next up was Waka Flocka, whose high-energy flow on "Round of Applause" was punctuated by pyrotechnics on the "Baby make that ass clap" refrain.

Drizzy briefly put his parade of guest stars on hold to offer up his current crossover hit "Take Care" before Meek Mill stepped into the cypher for "House Party" and "I'm a Boss." The biggest surprise — literally and figuratively — of the night emerged from stage right to thunderous applause: Rick Ross. The Teflon Don and French Montana joined Drake and Meek Mill for the first-ever all-hands-on-deck live performance of "Stay Schemin" from Rozay's groundbreaking mixtape Rich Forever.

Drake's growth as a live performer was evident as he took time to single out fans for various compliments, comments and jokes, making 15,000 fans feel as though they were in a small, intimate venue meant for 1,500. Drizzy crooned and pandered to the shrieking females in the audience as a prelude to "Make Me Proud," but the exuberant pirouettes and middle-fingered Mazel tovs were back with "HYFR" and "The Motto."

The only blemish on the evening came when a young fan managed to hop onstage ala Lil Mama before being promptly removed by herculean security guards. "Shout out to that f--- ass n---a that ran onstage," Drake said. "He probably getting his ass beat right now."

To close out his set, Drizzy thanked the fans for their unyielding support and offered up the defiantly brazen "Headlines," lest there were any haters left in the building — or in the industry, for that matter — "overdosed on confidence" enough to think they can keep Drake from being Drizzy. Because, as he so eloquently put it on this night, Drake doesn't care about what the naysayers have to say: He only cares about making music for his fans.

Have you seen the Club Paradise Tour? Share your review below!

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'Acting was a whole different world,' the singer-turned-actress tells MTV News, comparing 'Battleship' to her music videos.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Rihanna in "Battleship"

Photo: Universal Pictures

Given Rihanna's illustrious and commanding presence in all her music videos, it seems as though the Caribbean-born superstar's experience performing in various clips would be the perfect training ground for her eventual transition into full-fledged acting.

When MTV News sat down with Rihanna recently to discuss her acting debut in "Battleship," we asked if her work in music videos helped prepare her for her role in the film.

"Training ground? Maybe not, it wasn't exactly that," Rihanna said. "For me, acting was a whole different world. We make mini-movies with music videos, but there's always a song track that's playing, you don't have to speak, so [with acting] you have to tell that emotion with the tone of your voice, and I have an accent, so I had to change it to a bit of an American accent for this movie, so that was different," she explained.

So might we see more of Rihanna's acting skills in future films? We asked the "Where Have U Been" singer if having her first film under her belt has given her the confidence to go out and conquer more movie roles.

"It will always be brand-new, because it's a whole different project every time, it's a whole new person," she said. "There's nothing you can have under your belt with acting, not in my opinion, because I'm not a natural. This isn't my first [career choice], so I don't know. I think it's always going to be a challenge for me, but I like that."

Check out everything we've got on "Battleship."

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

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In honor of two separate Brooklyn Decker films hitting theaters this weekend, we have recommended only movies that don't feature Brooklyn Decker, so sorry fans of "Just Go With It."

Check out this week's Double Feature Friday!

"Battleship" & "Friday Night Lights"
There was a time, not so long ago, when Peter Berg, instead of directing films "From the Makers of Transformers," could make a movie like this adaptation of the book by Buzz Bissinger. In the years since it's release, against all odds, the TV series that spun off from "Friday Night Lights" eclipsed the original thanks to delightful turns by Kyle Chandler and "Battleship" star Taylor Kitsch. The 2004 starring Billy Bob Thornton and the future Mrs. Taylor, Connie Britton, delivers on all the same honest notes that made the series such a wonderful show but does so in a slightly darker shade of Panther blue. Then again, if you just want a Kitsch fix, turn to the "FNL" series and get on board with Riggins' Riggs.

"What to Expect When You're Expecting" & "Waking Ned Devine"
"What to Expect" director Kirk Jones made a name for himself with the charming Irish comedy from 1998, "Waking Ned Devine." After old Ned Devine wins the lottery and subsequently dies of shock, his small town in Ireland comes together to hatch a scheme where they could all collect and split the money. Funny and warm, Jones' first film about death could be the perfect pairing for his new one about new life.

"The Dictator" & "The Great Dictator"
Long before Sacha Baron Cohen was lampooning the likes of Saddam, Charlie Chaplin sent a big F-U to Adolf Hitler a whole year before the United States even entered World War II. Chaplin took aim at a living, powerful and dangerous figure and made his feelings heard loud and clear. The comedy classic stands as a testament to the power of a genre most see as just about the laughs.

"Hysteria" & "Like Crazy"
This limited release about the dawn of the first vibrator co-stars Felicity Jones, the British actress who made an incredible impression in last year's "Like Crazy." The Sundance darling tells the story of an all-too-real long distance couple, who do whatever they can to stay together, even if it's not the best idea. Anton Yelchin and Jones both deliver genuine performances that charm as much as they sting.

What are you watching this weekend? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

If one movie is never enough for you and you're looking for a flick to get you in the mood for this week's new release, Double Feature Friday is here to help. Every week we break down the new releases and pair them with older movies that you should catch before heading out to the theater. Or just skip the new movie and check out the classic we recommend.

Nick Jonas and MTV's 'Punk'd' join forces to prank 'GMA' host.

+ MTV's "Punk'd" team knows how to deliver a great prank. They worked with Nick Jonas to pull one over on "Good Morning America" host Josh Elliott, which aired yesterday. Watch Nick (fake) freak out when Elliott asks a certain question. (Billboard)

+ Queen of Disco Donna Summer died yesterday at the age of 63. Many artists –- including Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Adam Lambert and former Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams -– paid respect via Twitter. "Donna Summer RIP I FEEL LOVE FOR YOU," tweeted Robyn. (MTV News)

+ Check out fun. performing an acoustic cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know," with Paramore's Hayley Williams (whose part was pre-recorded) singing Kimbra's parts during a BBC radio show. (Idolator)

+ Adam Lambert returned to his old stomping grounds when he hit the "American Idol" stage last night. Peep him performing "Never Close Our Eyes" from the results show. (Neon Limelight)

+ If you happen to be holding tickets for a Van Halen show later on their current tour, sorry to inform you that they've postponed the last 30+ scheduled dates from July onward. No word yet as to why they've postponed and whether they'll reschedule. (Billboard)

Photo credit: Getty Images

By Rob Markman

Slaughterhouse's major-label debut Welcome to: Our House will debut June 12 on Shady Records, and the boys tell MTV News that their boss Eminem is putting his final touches on the LP.

"The album is done. In terms of vocal recording, we're done. Marshall is still in the process of mixing, we still got a couple of records that we're missing," Royce da 5'9" told MTV News on May 9 from the set of their "My Life" video. "We're on pace for June, worst-case scenario, we're looking at July, but it's definitely coming, 100 percent.

This isn't SH's first album, but ever since it was announced that Royce, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Crooked I signed to Eminem's Shady Records at the top of 2011, rap fans have been wondering what type of sound the major-label marriage would yield.

"Fire," Joe Budden said, describing the sound of the new album in a single word.

His partner-in-rhyme Ortiz was a little more descriptive. "It's a really personal album, but there are records like 'My Life' which are celebratory," he said.

Each member of Slaughterhouse is a master lyricist in his own right, and when they converge for group efforts, the expectations are that much higher. "There are records were those core Slaughterhouse fans will get their 'Ohs and ahs' like 'OK, the pen is pushing,' " Ortiz said, promising a barrage of witty lyrics. "It's themed, but we take you on a ride through this album. Y'all gonna enjoy it."

The group is so excited about the album that they are taking great care in making sure it isn't leaked onto the Internet prematurely. In fact, Welcome to: Our House is so closely guarded, none of Slaughterhouse members even have a copy. "We don't have the music, it stays in the studio. It's safe there," Ortiz told us. "But every time we go to record or just get up and meet in Detroit with Em and everybody at Shady, I personally ask them to hear records."

CANNES (Reuters) - Obsession with celebrity is the focus of Italian director Matteo Garrone's new movie "Reality" at the Cannes film festival, one of two pictures in the lineup exploring the corrosive power of instant fame and the desire to be watched. Garrone is best known for his last film, the gritty "Gomorrah" about a Naples crime syndicate. But with "Reality" he switches gears, creating a modern day fairy tale whose protagonist's soul is slowly and inexorably eroded by the lure of fame. ...

The breakout performance of the Cannes Film Festival so far is Aniello Arena's turn as a Naples fishmonger who becomes obsessed with appearing on a "Big Brother"-style TV show in "Reality."

'By the time 'Avengers' is done kicking box-office butt, it will easily be the #3 film of all time,' one box-office expert tells MTV News.
By Fallon Prinzivalli

Mark Ruffalo as The Incredible Hulk in "The Avengers"

Photo: Marvel

"The Avengers" sure did assemble! Marvel's superhero film is still the reigning champion of movie theaters after it smashed box-office records in its first two weeks. Now, it's rising to the top of the worldwide charts, recently staking claim to the ninth spot, passing George Lucas' "Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace." It's currently the highest earning film of 2012 domestically, stealing the title from "The Hunger Games," which opened in March.

At present, the Joss Whedon-directed summer flick has raked in more than $1 billion across the globe, and the numbers keep rising. The popularity of the movie is overwhelming, but a few questions still remain. For starters, how high will the film go?

Gitesh Pandya, the editor of Box Office Guru, told MTV News, "I see Avengers climbing up to #4 on the all-time worldwide blockbusters list by the end of this weekend. That would put it at roughly $1.2 billion, which is astounding. It should pass the final 'Harry Potter' to finish its run as #3 all time, which alone is just incredible."

Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations agrees: "By the time 'Avengers' is done kicking box-office butt, it will easily be the #3 film of all time. Only 'Avatar' and 'Titanic' will be left untouched, as James Cameron is a superhero unto himself. Both [films] made history by debuting over the holiday season, where popcorn flicks are few and far between. [And] unfortunately for 'Avengers,' summer blockbusters invade every weekend, and theaters will soon be flooded with competition."

The competition Bock is referring to is obviously Christopher Nolan's final Batman installment. "You know what happens when you leave Batman for dead? He gets angry, rises from the dead and pops you right in the kisser," he said. " 'The Avengers' versus 'The Dark Knight Rises' has all the trappings of a big-time Hollywood drama. Let's face it, 'TDKR' is probably the most anticipated threequel since 'Return of the Jedi.' All bets are off!"

Boxoffice.com's Phil Contrino agrees that Nolan's film could beat out "The Avengers" in the battle for overall domestic earnings, but ultimately won't top the opening weekend or worldwide sales for two reasons. It just doesn't have the widespread family appeal that Captain America and Iron Man brought with them, or the 3-D prices to give it a boost.

With "Battleship" sailing into theaters this weekend, Pandya expects "Avengers" to drop by around 40 percent. "[That will put it in] the neighborhood of $60 million," he said. "That's a great hold for a movie this big."

But as far as Earth's mightiest heroes becoming the highest — or even second-highest — film of all time globally, Contrino doesn't believe it will happen. "When you burn so bright for one weekend, the only place to go is down," he said.

Check out everything we've got on "Marvel's The Avengers."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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'By the time 'Avengers' is done kicking box-office butt, it will easily be the #3 film of all time,' one box-office expert tells MTV News.
By Fallon Prinzivalli

Mark Ruffalo as The Incredible Hulk in "The Avengers"

Photo: Marvel

"The Avengers" sure did assemble! Marvel's superhero film is still the reigning champion of movie theaters after it smashed box-office records in its first two weeks. Now, it's rising to the top of the worldwide charts, recently staking claim to the ninth spot, passing George Lucas' "Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace." It's currently the highest earning film of 2012 domestically, stealing the title from "The Hunger Games," which opened in March.

At present, the Joss Whedon-directed summer flick has raked in more than $1 billion across the globe, and the numbers keep rising. The popularity of the movie is overwhelming, but a few questions still remain. For starters, how high will the film go?

Gitesh Pandya, the editor of Box Office Guru, told MTV News, "I see Avengers climbing up to #4 on the all-time worldwide blockbusters list by the end of this weekend. That would put it at roughly $1.2 billion, which is astounding. It should pass the final 'Harry Potter' to finish its run as #3 all time, which alone is just incredible."

Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations agrees: "By the time 'Avengers' is done kicking box-office butt, it will easily be the #3 film of all time. Only 'Avatar' and 'Titanic' will be left untouched, as James Cameron is a superhero unto himself. Both [films] made history by debuting over the holiday season, where popcorn flicks are few and far between. [And] unfortunately for 'Avengers,' summer blockbusters invade every weekend, and theaters will soon be flooded with competition."

The competition Bock is referring to is obviously Christopher Nolan's final Batman installment. "You know what happens when you leave Batman for dead? He gets angry, rises from the dead and pops you right in the kisser," he said. " 'The Avengers' versus 'The Dark Knight Rises' has all the trappings of a big-time Hollywood drama. Let's face it, 'TDKR' is probably the most anticipated threequel since 'Return of the Jedi.' All bets are off!"

Boxoffice.com's Phil Contrino agrees that Nolan's film could beat out "The Avengers" in the battle for overall domestic earnings, but ultimately won't top the opening weekend or worldwide sales for two reasons. It just doesn't have the widespread family appeal that Captain America and Iron Man brought with them, or the 3-D prices to give it a boost.

With "Battleship" sailing into theaters this weekend, Pandya expects "Avengers" to drop by around 40 percent. "[That will put it in] the neighborhood of $60 million," he said. "That's a great hold for a movie this big."

But as far as Earth's mightiest heroes becoming the highest — or even second-highest — film of all time globally, Contrino doesn't believe it will happen. "When you burn so bright for one weekend, the only place to go is down," he said.

Check out everything we've got on "Marvel's The Avengers."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Critics were surprised by how much they enjoyed Peter Berg's film, giving credit to its entertainment factor.
By Fallon Prinzivalli

Taylor Kitsch and Rihanna in "Battleship"

Photo: Universal Pictures

Many movie fans have been wary as to whether director Peter Berg could successfully pull of "Battleship." Inspired by a Hasbro board game giving no hint of any type of plot, the sci-fi epic follows the adventures of an international Navy fleet when aliens begin to invade earth. As the two forces go to battle, each must rely on a crafty, cunning strategy in order to conquer their enemy. The all-star, insanely attractive cast includes Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Alexander Skarsgård, Liam Neeson and Rihanna, in her movie debut.

While some have written off "Battleship" as a lesser version of "Transformers," critics were surprised by how much they enjoyed the film. They praise the movie for not taking itself too seriously and give credit to its entertainment factor.

The Story
"The surprise, for this veteran of board games, is that Battleship is also the rousing, engaging, and emotionally complex action war picture the silly 2001 action war picture 'Pearl Harbor' only wished it could be. It's 'Pearl Harbor' with greater intelligence, less hokum, and more aliens. For every line of howler dialogue that should have been sunk, there's a nice little scene in which humans have to make a difficult decision. For every stretch of generic sci-fi-via-CGI moviemaking, there's a welcome bit of wit. Under the direction of Peter Berg — the talented, ever-maturing filmmaker behind 'Friday Night Lights' and 'The Kingdom' — 'Battleship' is a sound vessel floating in Hollywood's oil-slick sea of 'Transformers' sequels and vampire riffs." — Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

The Cast
"The attractive cast does no more than Berg and the script require, which is very little indeed. After 'John Carter,' Kitsch is still waiting for a film vehicle to make good on the easy, authentic charm he exhibits in TV's 'Friday Night Lights,' though he's physically up to the task here. Fans of pop megastar Rihanna, making her film debut, will be disappointed to find that the role of Raikes may as well be renamed Young Female Demographic for all the pertinence it has to the narrative, but she's a sparky enough presence." — Guy Lodge, Variety

"Kitsch, coming off the super-flop 'John Carter,' soft-pedals the charm, exuding just enough charisma to get by. The striking-looking Skarsgård ('True Blood') is ramrod-straight and impossibly grave throughout, while Decker's expression toggles between blank and very blank." — Megan Lehmann, The Hollywood Reporter

The Special Effects
"Tech credits are all polished, if not as metallically sleek as they would be with a Michael Bay-style craftsman at the helm. Tobias Schliesser's lensing covers the teal-and-orange palette seemingly mandatory for such adventures these days, while Steve Jablonsky's score thumps and drones away with nary a pause, little betraying the presence of rock super-producer Rick Rubin and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello on the music team. The bulk of the attention in this evidently expensive production has been lavished on Industrial Light & Magic's typically immaculate effects, which are firmly in the "Transformers" mold stylistically, with the added challenge of water simulation. That such state-of-the-art creations have been used to realize a story whose climax hinges on a true-life WWII battleship, USS Missouri, outlasting its newer, shinier rivals is an irony probably lost on all involved." — Lodge

The Final Word
"The creative team behind this ocean-bound thriller decided to fill the narrative black hole with a few ingredients all but absent from today's summer tent poles — namely mystery, nostalgia and a healthy dose of humility. Just as blockbusters have made the hard turn towards fantasy heroes who solemnly go about their business in high-def-but-low-impact 3D cage matches, Battleship is an unapologetically goofy, surprisingly enigmatic, refreshingly self-deprecating deviation from the norm. I hesitate to confess that I had more fun here than I did at 'The Avengers,' because low expectations surely had a lot to do with it, but it's the truth. Heck, I'd pay to see the thing again." — Steven James Snyder, TIME Magazine

Are you planning on seeing "Battleship"? Let us know in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "Battleship."

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

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Critics were surprised by how much they enjoyed Peter Berg's film, giving credit to its entertainment factor.
By Fallon Prinzivalli

Taylor Kitsch and Rihanna in "Battleship"

Photo: Universal Pictures

Many movie fans have been wary as to whether director Peter Berg could successfully pull of "Battleship." Inspired by a Hasbro board game giving no hint of any type of plot, the sci-fi epic follows the adventures of an international Navy fleet when aliens begin to invade earth. As the two forces go to battle, each must rely on a crafty, cunning strategy in order to conquer their enemy. The all-star, insanely attractive cast includes Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Alexander Skarsgård, Liam Neeson and Rihanna, in her movie debut.

While some have written off "Battleship" as a lesser version of "Transformers," critics were surprised by how much they enjoyed the film. They praise the movie for not taking itself too seriously and give credit to its entertainment factor.

The Story
"The surprise, for this veteran of board games, is that Battleship is also the rousing, engaging, and emotionally complex action war picture the silly 2001 action war picture 'Pearl Harbor' only wished it could be. It's 'Pearl Harbor' with greater intelligence, less hokum, and more aliens. For every line of howler dialogue that should have been sunk, there's a nice little scene in which humans have to make a difficult decision. For every stretch of generic sci-fi-via-CGI moviemaking, there's a welcome bit of wit. Under the direction of Peter Berg — the talented, ever-maturing filmmaker behind 'Friday Night Lights' and 'The Kingdom' — 'Battleship' is a sound vessel floating in Hollywood's oil-slick sea of 'Transformers' sequels and vampire riffs." — Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

The Cast
"The attractive cast does no more than Berg and the script require, which is very little indeed. After 'John Carter,' Kitsch is still waiting for a film vehicle to make good on the easy, authentic charm he exhibits in TV's 'Friday Night Lights,' though he's physically up to the task here. Fans of pop megastar Rihanna, making her film debut, will be disappointed to find that the role of Raikes may as well be renamed Young Female Demographic for all the pertinence it has to the narrative, but she's a sparky enough presence." — Guy Lodge, Variety

"Kitsch, coming off the super-flop 'John Carter,' soft-pedals the charm, exuding just enough charisma to get by. The striking-looking Skarsgård ('True Blood') is ramrod-straight and impossibly grave throughout, while Decker's expression toggles between blank and very blank." — Megan Lehmann, The Hollywood Reporter

The Special Effects
"Tech credits are all polished, if not as metallically sleek as they would be with a Michael Bay-style craftsman at the helm. Tobias Schliesser's lensing covers the teal-and-orange palette seemingly mandatory for such adventures these days, while Steve Jablonsky's score thumps and drones away with nary a pause, little betraying the presence of rock super-producer Rick Rubin and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello on the music team. The bulk of the attention in this evidently expensive production has been lavished on Industrial Light & Magic's typically immaculate effects, which are firmly in the "Transformers" mold stylistically, with the added challenge of water simulation. That such state-of-the-art creations have been used to realize a story whose climax hinges on a true-life WWII battleship, USS Missouri, outlasting its newer, shinier rivals is an irony probably lost on all involved." — Lodge

The Final Word
"The creative team behind this ocean-bound thriller decided to fill the narrative black hole with a few ingredients all but absent from today's summer tent poles — namely mystery, nostalgia and a healthy dose of humility. Just as blockbusters have made the hard turn towards fantasy heroes who solemnly go about their business in high-def-but-low-impact 3D cage matches, Battleship is an unapologetically goofy, surprisingly enigmatic, refreshingly self-deprecating deviation from the norm. I hesitate to confess that I had more fun here than I did at 'The Avengers,' because low expectations surely had a lot to do with it, but it's the truth. Heck, I'd pay to see the thing again." — Steven James Snyder, TIME Magazine

Are you planning on seeing "Battleship"? Let us know in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "Battleship."

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

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MTV News takes you behind the scenes of Facebook in a 2011 documentary that explores the company's unique non-corporate culture.
By Gil Kaufman

Mark Zuckerberg

Photo: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg/Getty Images

It's the biggest initial public offering since the late-1990's heyday of Internet 1.0. Hell, it's the biggest tech IPO ever. Everyone wants to get in on the long-awaited Facebook IPO, which is offering up more than 484 million shares that are expected to raise nearly $18.5 billion for the world's most popular social networking site.

By the time all is said and done, the bright idea hatched by co-founder Mark Zuckerberg in his college dorm room could turn his company into a $100 billion behemoth. Since launching as a campus-only network in 2004, the site has allowed more than 900 million users around the world to connect, post pictures and stories and keep circles of friends appraised on every move they make while fundamentally altering the way we spend our time, communicate and share our private lives.

When MTV News visited the company's Palo Alto, California, headquarters in 2011 for "Diary of Facebook,", we took viewers inside the matrix to find out how its young employees keep the engine running and what fuels their passion.

Among the revelations in the piece was an exploration of the unique FB phenomenon known "hack-a-thons," during which Zuckerberg said some of the site's best ideas are generated.

"Hack-a-thons are this awesome part of our culture," Zuckerberg said of the 24-hour marathons of coding and brainstorming. "Every month or two, everyone stays up all night just experimenting with things and building things quickly. And the only rule is that you're not allowed to work on the same thing that your day job is."

It's that kind of irreverence and corporate rule-ditching energy — those who can't code join in by cooking, juggling or drawing to stay energized — that has pushed the Facebook IPO from a financial and tech story to a metaphor for our entrepreneurial times.

With the college job market for new grads looking the best it has since the start of the recession in 2007 and tech start-ups blossoming like it's 1998 all over again, the Los Angeles Times wrote that the Facebook heat could help spark a renaissance of Internet heat. "Wealth has trickled down to employees and investors who cashed in their shares ahead of the IPO on private exchanges", the paper reported. "Others are spending in advance of their big payday, fueling an economy that's already humming thanks to the Bay Area's thriving technology sector."

Facebook's stock offering could mint dozens, if not hundreds of new millionaires. And it's a fair bet that those suddenly-flush geeks could go on to form new companies that will be on the lookout for fresh young faces (and minds) to help them, yes, become the next Facebook. So, get your résumé updated, you could be up next.

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In Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom," the famously meticulous director takes his fastidiously fashioned world and flings it into the woods.

Kanye West will debut a short film titled "Cruel Summer" at the Cannes Film Festival.

About 70 Christian youths in the Philippines have chanted "Stop the Lady Gaga concerts" at a rally calling for the singer's shows in Manila next week to be canceled.

'She definitely is one of those iconic people when it comes down to the dance scene,' Flo tells MTV News of late disco singer.
By Kara Warner, with additional reporting by Rob Markman

Donna Summer

Photo: Getty Images

The surprised, sincere and heartfelt reactions continue to roll in as the news of Disco Queen Donna Summer's untimely passing Thursday (May 17) spreads far and wide. Summer influenced the music industry as a whole, but her influence is especially felt in today's electronic dance music — which includes current club-anthem king Flo Rida.

"I was just looking at something with her months ago," the "Wild Ones" singer told MTV News. "Today, when I got a text message [about her passing], I thought, 'Wow, she passed away.' She definitely is one of those iconic people when it comes down to the dance scene and all that. My condolences go out to all her family. She definitely influenced what I do."

Speaking to Summer's genre-bending influence, house-music forefather Frankie Knuckles called her unforgettable hit "I Feel Love" one of the most commercial electronic pieces of music ever written.

"Today you can hear its influence on all popular Dance music, House, Techno, Trance," he told MTV News in a statement. "She was deemed 'The Queen Of Disco.' She's been sampled and ideas of her songs have crept into today's popular dance music by everybody. Her association with [legendary record producer] Giorgio Moroder set the tone for what Dance Music is all about."

"Donna Summer RIP I FEEL LOVE FOR YOU," Swedish dance-pop princess Robyn tweeted, adding a link to a Summer performance of "I Feel Love."

The reception of Summer's iconic 1977 anthem essentially revolutionized music, not to mention the rest of her chart-toppers that would soon follow.

"One day in Berlin, [Brian] Eno came running in and said, 'I have heard the sound of the future,' " David Bowie famously wrote in the liner notes to Sound and Vision. "He puts on 'I Feel Love,' by Donna Summer. ... He said, 'This is it, look no further. This single is going to change the sound of club music for the next 15 years.' Which was more or less right."

Share your condolences for Donna Summer's friends, family and fans in the comments or on Facebook.

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Joshua Ledet just misses out on the big showdown.
By Adam Graham

Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips on "American Idol"

Photo: Michael Becker/ Fox

The "American Idol" finale is set, and Joshua Ledet didn't get an invite.

Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez will compete in next week's season finale after Ledet was voted off the show Thursday (May 17). Ledet, the 20-year-old from Westlake, Louisiana, who was continually praised as one of the best contestants to ever grace the "Idol" stage, received the lowest number of votes from the 90 million votes cast, according to "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest.

Ledet set a record for standing ovations from the judges this season on "Idol"; barely a week went by when he didn't get the judges on their feet after one of his stellar performances. Ledet performed James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" at the close of the show Thursday, repeating a song that became one of his signature moments.

Show mentor Jimmy Iovine took partial blame for Ledet's performance Wednesday, saying by choosing Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama," he didn't give him a song with enough of a melody to captivate the audience and generate votes. "There was something missing, and I know it was the material. In fairness, I gave him a song that didn't have enough melody. Joshua needs melody, [and] I take 100 percent responsibility for that," Iovine said.

Still, he thought Ledet deserved to compete for the "Idol" crown next week. "Does Joshua belong in this finale? 100 percent, he should be in anyone's finale," he said.

Ledet's elimination gives Sanchez a shot at being the first female "Idol" winner since Jordin Sparks back in season six. At the onset of the season, it was said to be the women's year on "Idol," and four of the top six contestants were female. But three women were picked off in a row — Elise Testone, then Skylar Laine, then Hollie Cavanagh — threatening the show's girl-power contingent. Now Sanchez is carrying the torch for the ladies.

Iovine, in summing up Wednesday's performances, also blamed himself for picking a bad song for Sanchez, but said Phillips won the night with his version of Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight." "Hands down, it was the best performance he's done in the entire contest," he said, calling it "flawless." (In fairness, Iovine also said Phillips' version of Matchbox Twenty's "Disease" was "a total snooze-fest."

Regarding Sanchez, Iovine said, "She has to have the most magical moment she's had so far" in order to win it all. "If she gets in the finale," he said, "It's about the songs."

Before Ledet's elimination, Jackson said the final contestants were "three of the best we've ever had" and said all three have "big careers" ahead of them.

Also on Thursday's show, Adam Lambert dropped by to perform "Never Close Our Eyes," and Lisa Marie Presley (huh?) performed her new single "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet."

What did you think of "Idol" on Thursday? Did the right contestants make the finale? Let us know in the comments!

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Joshua Ledet just misses out on the big showdown.
By Adam Graham

Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips on "American Idol"

Photo: Michael Becker/ Fox

The "American Idol" finale is set, and Joshua Ledet didn't get an invite.

Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez will compete in next week's season finale after Ledet was voted off the show Thursday (May 17). Ledet, the 20-year-old from Westlake, Louisiana, who was continually praised as one of the best contestants to ever grace the "Idol" stage, received the lowest number of votes from the 90 million votes cast, according to "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest.

Ledet set a record for standing ovations from the judges this season on "Idol"; barely a week went by when he didn't get the judges on their feet after one of his stellar performances. Ledet performed James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" at the close of the show Thursday, repeating a song that became one of his signature moments.

Show mentor Jimmy Iovine took partial blame for Ledet's performance Wednesday, saying by choosing Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama," he didn't give him a song with enough of a melody to captivate the audience and generate votes. "There was something missing, and I know it was the material. In fairness, I gave him a song that didn't have enough melody. Joshua needs melody, [and] I take 100 percent responsibility for that," Iovine said.

Still, he thought Ledet deserved to compete for the "Idol" crown next week. "Does Joshua belong in this finale? 100 percent, he should be in anyone's finale," he said.

Ledet's elimination gives Sanchez a shot at being the first female "Idol" winner since Jordin Sparks back in season six. At the onset of the season, it was said to be the women's year on "Idol," and four of the top six contestants were female. But three women were picked off in a row — Elise Testone, then Skylar Laine, then Hollie Cavanagh — threatening the show's girl-power contingent. Now Sanchez is carrying the torch for the ladies.

Iovine, in summing up Wednesday's performances, also blamed himself for picking a bad song for Sanchez, but said Phillips won the night with his version of Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight." "Hands down, it was the best performance he's done in the entire contest," he said, calling it "flawless." (In fairness, Iovine also said Phillips' version of Matchbox Twenty's "Disease" was "a total snooze-fest."

Regarding Sanchez, Iovine said, "She has to have the most magical moment she's had so far" in order to win it all. "If she gets in the finale," he said, "It's about the songs."

Before Ledet's elimination, Jackson said the final contestants were "three of the best we've ever had" and said all three have "big careers" ahead of them.

Also on Thursday's show, Adam Lambert dropped by to perform "Never Close Our Eyes," and Lisa Marie Presley (huh?) performed her new single "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet."

What did you think of "Idol" on Thursday? Did the right contestants make the finale? Let us know in the comments!

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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"American Idol" finalist Joshua Ledet won't be belting it out on this season's final showdown.

Van Halen is postponing some dates on its summer concert tour.

'I always think about that song that will be able to let you out of that slump,' Looking 4 Myself singer says on 'MTV First.'
By John Mitchell

Usher at "MTV First"

Photo: MTV News

It's not often that fans get to hit the club to party with the artist behind the latest dance hit, but that's exactly what happened for the audience at the interactive off-Broadway show "Fuerza Bruta" when Usher arrived for a unique first-listen experience for his new album, Looking 4 Myself.

As the R&B megastar's latest hit, the beat-driven Max Martin-produced "Scream," pounded through the theater, Usher flew into the audience for a rave-like dance party that had everyone in the place moving.

He's used to that sort of reaction by now, having released some of the biggest club hits of the past 15 years, including "OMG," "Yeah," "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" and "My Way." Usher consistently makes dance records that define a night, and it's important to the singer that his upbeat songs reach people on as deep a level as his more personal ballads.

"If I'm gonna move you, I want to move you. I hope that it could be something that could be life changing," the soulful signer said during "MTV First: Usher." "You may be going through something real crazy, who knows, and just need to get out and just enjoy yourself. So I always think about the club, I always think about that song that will be able to let you out of that slump, if you're in it."

But "Scream" isn't just for those looking for escape. The track can work on many levels, according to the singer: "If you're just ready to have a good time, or if you're working out and you just need that little motivation to push you over the edge, there you go."

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