Tuesday, 31 July 2012
Tracy Morgan -- Relationship Advice You Can Use (At Your Own Risk)
If there's one thing Tracy Morgan knows all about ... it's relationships -- and the good doctor of love dropped some wisdom we could all use ... once we figure out what the hell it means.Check out TMZ on TV -- click here to see your local listings!
Shifty Shellshock -- Ordered to Stay Away From Ex-Girlfriend
Former "Celebrity Rehab" star Shifty Shellshock has been ordered to stay the hell away from his ex-GF, after allegedly roughing her up at a Ross Dress For Less back in February -- TMZ has learned.We broke the story ... Shifty (real name Seth Binzer)…
Shooting Victim's Brother -- James Holmes Deserves DEATH PENALTY
James Holmes should be sentenced to death ... after suffering in prison for many, many years ... so says the brother of one of the victims in the Colorado massacre. TMZ spoke with Steven Hernandez ... whose sister Rebecca Wingo was shot and killed,…
Drake and Run-DMC at Made in America
The announcement of more artists playing Philadelphia’s Jay-Z-curated Made in America festival had been pending for so long that we were starting to wonder if the “And More!” promised were just going to end up being a whole bunch of third-tier Maybach Music Group and Odd Future members. (“Guys! Guys! We got Rockie Fresh and Syd tha Kyd!”) Nope—turns out the fest had a couple legitimate headliners still to announce, grabbing big names from hip-hop’s past and present with Run-D.M.C. and Drake.
Drake, you may remember, had initially been reported along with the rest of the big names (Jay-Z, Pearl Jam, Skrillex, Rick Ross, etc.) of Made in America, but his name was quickly retracted, as his involvement was unconfirmed. Now, it appears that Drizzy will indeed be in attendance, and the potential for cross-pollination between he and the number of other artists in attendance he’s collaborated with in the past—Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Meek Mill, Rita Ora—is fairly exciting. Meanwhile, the gig will be Run-D.M.C.’s official first performance in a decade (a hosting honor that was previously going to belong to November’s Fun Fun Fun Fest in Texas), since the murder of third member Jam-Master Jay in 2002.
Exciting stuff, and just the tip of the iceberg for the newly announced artists, led by native Philadelphian Jill Scott, and which also include DJs Alesso, Nicky Romero and DJ Shadow, rockers Chris Cornell, The Hives and Gary Clark, Jr., and, uh, whoever Otto Knows is. If you’re not making it down/up to the City of Brotherly Love this Labor Day weekend, you’re just not trying hard enough.
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Peter Frampton Injured in Car Wreck -- Blames 'Texting Woman'
Rock legend Peter Frampton was injured in a car in accident earlier today ... and claims it's all because some "woman driver" was texting behind the wheel instead of watching the road. Frampton vented about the situation on his Twitter page a few…
Nicki Minaj Advertises Trinidad, Carnival, Herself In “Pound The Alarm”
Nicki Minaj’s “Pound the Alarm” video is here, and it’s one more pretty typography scroll and one fewer round of quick-cut edits away from being a visitors’ bureau video. It’s set during Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago–specifically, the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, and it’s got revelers of all sorts. It’s also got more sedate scenes, just Nicki and the scenery behind her. It’s got fireworks and soundstages and all manner of partying, and the idea’s to make you want to join the party–after all, why whine about “Starships” when you could be dancing instead?
(You’ll recall this was also the point of the “Starships” video, as others have pointed out. But that video was totally different. That one was a seaside party. This one was a Carnival party. Completely different things.)
Check out some stills, then watch the video below.
Photo: YouTube
Photo: YouTube
Photo: YouTube
Photo: YouTube
Photo: YouTube
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Best Of Both Woofs
Miley Cyrus tweeted this photo with dog Ziggy, saying, “Ok don’t judge my hair I just woke up. But look at Zigz face 
The post Best Of Both Woofs appeared first on Popdust.
Lady Gaga to Make Her Acting Debut in “Machete Kills”
It’s a bit strange that Lady Gaga has yet to appear in any major film. Everyone else is doing it–Katy Perry’s concocted an entire PR confection; Rihanna gets to act tough and say about 50 words total, 25 of which are about weapons; even Soulja Boy has his own movie. (“Major,” here, is defined loosely.)
That’s about to change, as Gaga will star as Lady Chameleon in Robert Rodriguez’s upcoming Machete Kills, a sequel to Machete, which was itself a quasi-sequel to Grindhouse (the movie was originally a B-movie trailer in that.) As you can see from the below photo, she is a femme fatale with very blonde hair who will probably end up killing somebody at some point. Considering at least three of her music videos feature this plot and character, we’re guessing Rodriguez’s assessment here is accurate:
I just finished working with
@ladygaga on@machetekills , she kicked SO MUCH ASS! Holy Smokes. Blown away! yfrog.com/kezw3dnj— Robert Rodriguez (@Rodriguez) July 26, 2012
By the way, if you’re music nerds like us–which is likely, considering you’re reading this website–there are major six-degrees possibilities here. Lady Gaga is now connected to Charlie Sheen, who is playing the president of the United States. (We know. We sigh.) Lady Gaga is now even more connected to Natalia Kills, sorta, considering the movie’s called Machete Kills. Et cetera.
[MTV]
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TMZ Live: Cuba Gooding Jr. -- Big Trouble on Bourbon Street
Cuba Gooding Jr. is being investigated after an alleged run-in with a Bourbon Street bartender -- and we have details from the witness. We'll explain why there's now a warrant for his arrest.Plus, some people are PISSED about Olympic coverage --…
Michael Phelps Wins 19th Olympic Medal -- MOST MEDALS EVER!!!
Michael Phelps has officially won more Olympic medals than ANY OLYMPIAN IN HISTORY -- winning his 19TH MEDAL moments ago during the 4x200m relay.Phelps and his team -- Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens, and Conor Dwyer -- picked up gold for the United…
Ryan Lochte -- Paul Wall Designed My Diamond Grillz
Ryan Lochte's unexpected grill flash during his Olympic medal ceremony was courtesy of none other than the grill-master himself ... rapper Paul Wall. If you recall ... Lochte flashed a ruby and diamond studded American flag grill when he accepted…
USA Crushes World -- Easily Wins Gold in Women's Gymnastics
Not to gloat, but ... AMERICA IS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET IN WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS!!!!The U.S. women's gymnastics team didn't just win GOLD in the team competition ... they CRUSHED the competition ... slaughtering Russia by a whole 5…
Carrie Underwood Takes Her “Blown Away” Video To Oz
Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” doesn’t leave you with many music-video options. The song already tells a story, and it’s pretty clear–a girl prays for a storm to destroy her abusive father’s house, with the father in it, and locks herself in the cellar during that divine retribution. If you’re making a video of this, you make a video of a storm destroying an abusive man’s house. You don’t make a generic performance video, you don’t go off onto tangents or new scenery; your only options, really, are adding a couple inobtrusive wind-machine scenes or an extra layer of metaphor (in this case, The Wizard of Oz.)
That’s exactly how the video plays out. A reconstruction, in photos:
Carrie and the no-good man. We know he's no good because this scene is shot in black and white and smoke...
...because he drinks frequently and gratuitously...
...and emotes.
Carrie wants none of this, so she flees to the woods from Miranda Lambert's "Over You."
Those woods lead to the yellow brick road, where a tornado's shattering every window, etc.
Once the destruction abates, she finds herself in Instagram Elysium Oz...
...with a little dog, too. They run off together. (That really happens.)
Watch the full video below.
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POP Goes the Endorsement
Katy Perry is officially the face of Pop Chips. Huh. Given her recent fashion choices, we’d have thought she’d be picked up by popcorn…
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VOTE! The 2012 Pop Olympics Finals: “Best YouTube Moment” Event
Last week, millions of you (literally!) supported your countries and favorite pop stars by participating in the first round of our 2012 Pop Olympics. We’re super grateful for the enormous patience and dedication you showed during the occasionally buggy process, and we promise that this week will be a much smoother experience.
PHOTOS: 25 Awesome Things About South Korea
PHOTOS: 25 Awesome Things About Great Britian
This week, the field has been narrowed from the initial 16 participating artists to your four finalists, vying for the title of World’s Greatest Pop Star. They are: JUSTIN BIEBER (Canada), GIRLS’ GENERATION (South Korea), TAYLOR SWIFT (U.S.A.) and THE WANTED (Great Britain). During the week, our four Pop Olympians will face off in a series of five musical competitions–a pop pentathalon–and, as always, you and only you get to determine the winner with your vote. Among the week’s events: Best Song, Best Video, and Best YouTube Moment. You can vote in each event as many times as you’d like, and the voting for each will remain open throughout the week. The results will be tallied at week’s end (midnight on Sunday, August 5), and on Monday, Aug. 6, we will announce the Gold, Silver and Bronze metal winners in the 2012 Pop Olympics.
PHOTOS: 25 Awesome Things About the U.S.
PHOTOS: 25 Awesome Things About Canada
And now, the second event: Best YouTube Moment. Watch through some of our competitors’ most viral videos below, and vote for which one you think is the best. And if you haven’t yet, be sure to head back over to our Best Song poll as well to vote in that.
CONTEST: Be A Pop Olympics Team Coach And Win A T-Shirt!
Bieber lent his golden touch to his favorite song of the moment by corralling his more than willing famous friends—including Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale, and Carlos Pena—together to recreate Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” video, with an abundance of sunglasses and fake mustaches in tow. You know the rest.
The girls traveled Stateside in the fall of 2011 for a headlining gig at New York’s Madison Square Garden. After the show, the group sought to introduced themselves to new fans by showing off their individual talents, which range from dancing on command, singing Tamia songs, impersonating one another, and dishing out meaningful life advice. Seohyun is right: always wear your seatbelt.
Taylor proved just what an adorable pop equal-opportunist she was in this radio interview with Nashville’s 107.5 The River, in which she declared Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” her favorite new song and even perfectly rapped along to the then-largely-unknown song. Within a few months, Taylor’s official endorsement of the song led to it becoming a smash among young girls that might never have known about Pink Friday otherwise, and the two even performed the song on stage together.
“She’s a total bitch!!” And with those four words—spoken about Christina Aguilera, after she was less than friendly to the group during a cameo on The Voice—The Wanted showed why they weren’t your older sister’s boy band—these cheeky lads were actually willing to speak their mind about some of their pop peers, and if you crossed them, you’d have hell to pay. Christina will undoubtedly think twice before giving these guys the freeze-out again.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
The post VOTE! The 2012 Pop Olympics Finals: “Best YouTube Moment” Event appeared first on Popdust.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Allegedly SHOVES Female Bartender -- Warrant Issued
Cuba Gooding Jr. is a wanted man ... cops in New Orleans have issued an arrest warrant for the actor after he was accused of shoving a female bartender early this morning ... TMZ has learned. The New Orleans Police Department tells TMZ ... a…
Kim Kardashian's Ass -- BIGGER THAN EVER
It might be the ass-accentuating pants ... but yesterday in New York, Kim Kardashian's record-setting rear appeared to have reached entirely new levels of badonkness -- and we are NOT complaining.The low-cut top didn't hurt either.Your move Coco.
Olympic Gold Medalist Missy Franklin -- NBC Hooked Parents Up With Hot Seats
The parents of newly-minted gold medalist Missy Franklin had such bad seats last night, they nearly had to watch her record-breaking swim through binoculars -- but TMZ has learned, NBC upgraded them BIG TIME ... at the very last minute.A rep for the…
Metamorphosizzles: Snoop Dogg Is Now Snoop Lion
Below, a list of surprising and unsurprising developments in Snoop Dogg’s personal and musical life:
UNSURPRISING: Snoop Dogg was speaking at the press conference The New York Times attended, where he wore a Rasta knit cap, sunglasses and a Kobe Bryant jersey.
UNSURPRISING: Snoop Dogg is into Rastafarianism and, while exploring the religion and its trappings, decided he was the reincarnation of Bob Marley.
UNSURPRISING: As part of the above, Snoop Dogg was documented smoking marijuana with Rastafarian priests.
SURPRISING: He is now named Snoop Lion. It’s just a name the priests gave him, mind you–not a statement like Prince doffing the alphabet or Mos Def’s becoming Yasiin Bey, not a career move like Lizzy Grant becoming look-we-can’t, and probably not a baffling stunt like Diddy renaming himself anything including “Swag.” But he’s serious enough to say this:
It’s not that I want to become Snoop Dogg in a reggae track… I want to bury Snoop Dogg and become Snoop Lion.
SURPRISING: That’s not a reggae track, but an entire reggae album. One track addresses gun control. Most of it involves Snoop singing, not rapping. (Which isn’t terribly surprising–rapping to singing is a known trajectory–but still.)
UNSURPRISING: Snoop’s doing it because he’s a grown man with children, which is unsurprising because he’s said the same thing for years.
UNSURPRISING: “Empire State of Mind” songwriters are involved. Diplo produced it. Comebacks never change.
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Jon 'Bones' Jones -- License REVOKED in Drunk Driving Case
UFC champ Jon "Bones" Jones will not be allowed to drive for the next 6 months ... after a judge REVOKED his license as part of his sentence for drunk driving back in May. Bones appeared in Binghampton City Court in Upstate New York this morning ...…
Bar Refaeli -- The Hottest Stocking Stuffer Ever!
Leaving little to the imagination -- and looking ridiculously sexy -- in some sort of black lace body stocking thing, supermodel Bar Refaeli tweeted a pic of her gorgeous self on the set of her latest photo shoot in London on Monday.This is…
Video Music Award Nominees Announced, We Were Right About a Couple Things
And we say hell yeah, hell yeah, hell yeah, fuckin’ right, fuckin’ right, all right…OK, so we shouldn’t really brag about our predictions about the VMA nominees yesterday, since we were wrong about just as many as we were right, but we were still glad to see that Drake is indeed tied for the most-nominated artist at this year’s VMAs, with a combined five nods for his “Take Care” and “HYFR.” (Though if you count the guest appearances of his “Take Care” partner Rihanna, she has Drizzy whumped, with a staggering 11 nominations—oh well.)
Drake and Rihanna are also both represented in the most-prestigious Best Video category, for “Take Care’ and “We Found Love,” respectively. Gotye and Kimbra’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” was not the most-nominated video as we predicted—only two nods, really? Not even best art direction?–but it does also secure one of the Best Video nods, as does last year’s winner Katy Perry, for “Firework.”
And we were off on our prediction of Skrillex’s “First of the Year” as the recipient of the honorary “Super Cool Video That MTV Never Really Plays and Won’t Actually Win” slot in the Best Video category, as that role (justifiably) fell to M.I.A. for her stellar “Bad Girls” video. We were right in our prediction that the Best Dance Video category would be resurrected, however, and that it would be re-branded as “Best EDM Video.” (Well, Best Electronic Dance Music Video, technically, but we’re still chalking it up as a win.)
Other interesting names include three-time nominee Frank Ocean, whose “Swim Good” is up for Best Male Video and Best New Artist, and Childish Gambino, who somehow sneaks into the Best Hip-Hop Video for “Heartbeat” along with the far more predictable names of Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Drake and Jay-Z. Perhaps most disappointing is the lack of presence for Our Girl Carly Rae Jepsen, who scores just one nod for Best New Artist (probably the year’s most stacked category), even getting beat out for Best Female Video by Selena Gomez.
To be fair, the “Call Me Maybe” video is kinda lousy, but still…it’s friggin’ “Call Me Maybe”! Don’t be all too cool for school, MTV. Here’s the complete nist of nominations:
Video of the Year
Katy Perry, “Wide Awake”
Gotye, “Somebody That I Used To Know”
Rihanna, “We Found Love”
Drake feat. Rihanna, “Take Care”
M.I.A., “Bad Girls”
Best New Artist
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”
Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”
Frank Ocean, “Swim Good”
One Direction, “What Makes You Beautiful”
The Wanted, “Glad You Came”
Best Hip-Hop Video
Childish Gambino, “Heartbeat”
Drake feat. Lil Wayne, “HYFR”
Kanye West feat. Pusha T, Big Sean & 2 Chainz, “Mercy”
Watch the Throne, “Paris”
Nicki Minaj feat. 2 Chainz, “Beez in the Trap”
Best Male Video
Justin Bieber, “Boyfriend”
Frank Ocean, “Swim Good”
Drake feat. Rihanna, “Take Care”
Chris Brown, “Turn Up the Music”
Usher, “Climax”
Best Female Video
Rihanna, “We Found Love”
Katy Perry, “Part of Me”
Beyonce, “Love on Top”
Nicki Minaj, “Starships”
Selena Gomez & The Scene, “Love You Like a Love Song”
Best Pop Video
One Direction, “What Makes You Beautiful”
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”
Rihanna, “We Found Love”
Justin Bieber, “Boyfriend”
Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa, “Payphone”
Best Rock Video
Coldplay, “Paradise”
The Black Keys, “Lonely Boy”
Linkin Park, “Burn It Down”
Jack White, “Sixteen Saltines”
Imagine Dragons, “It’s Time”
Best Electronic Dance Music Video
Duck Sauce, “Big Bad Wolf”
Calvin Harris, “Feel So Close”
Skrillex, “First of the Year (Equinox)”
Martin Solveig, “The Night Out”
Avicii, “Le7els”
Best Video With a Message
Demi Lovato, “Skyscraper”
Rise Against, “Ballad of Hollis Brown”
Kelly Clarkson, “Dark Side”
Gym Class Heroes, “The Fighter”
K’Naan feat. Nelly Furtado, “Is Anybody Out There?”
Lil Wayne, “How to Love”
Best Art Direction
Katy Perry, “Wide Awake”
Drake feat. Rihanna, “Take Care”
Lana Del Rey, “Born to Die”
Regina Spektor, “All the Rowboats”
Of Monsters & Men, “Little Talks”
Best Choreography
Chris Brown, “Turn Up the Music”
Rihanna, “Where Have You Been”
Beyonce, “Countdown”
Avicii, “Le7els”
Jennifer Lopez f/Pitbull, “Dance Again”
Best Cinematography
M.I.A., “Bad Girls”
Adele, “Someone Like You”
Drake feat. Rihanna, “Take Care”
Coldplay feat. Rihanna, “Princess of China”
Lana Del Rey, “Born to Die”
Best Direction
M.I.A., “Bad Girls”
Duck Sauce, “Big Bad Wolf”
Coldplay feat. Rihanna, “Princess of China”
Frank Ocean, “Swim Good”
Watch the Throne, “Otis”
Best Editing
Beyonce, “Countdown”
A$AP Rocky, “Goldie”
Gotye, “Somebody That I Used to Know”
Watch the Throne, “Paris”
Kanye West feat. Pusha T, Big Sean and 2 Chainz, “Mercy”
Best Visual Effects
Katy Perry, “Wide Awake”
Rihanna, “Where Have You Been”
David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj, “Turn Me On”
Linkin Park, “Burn It Down”
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Pitbull Visiting Alaska is a Thing That Actually Happened Yesterday
After The Internet decreed that it would be the Wal-Mart in Kodiak, Alaska that rapper and supreme professional Pitbull would attend as part of a Sheetz promotion, Mr. Worldwide proved that his nickname was not just an honorary title, and conducted his visit yesterday with trademark good humor and aplomb. He even invited David “@arr” Thrope, the Something Awful Goon who was the primary instigator of the whole movement, along with him, and tweeted to the people of Kodiak that he was “honored, truly” to be playing in their fine city.
For his endorsement and general mensch-ness, Pitbull was showered with gifts and accolades from the Kodiak citizens, including mayor Pat Branson, who gave Pit the honorary key to the city, and even copied the rapper’s sunglass look while doing so. (It wasn’t actually that sunny out, trust.) Besides that, Huffington Post reports that Mr. 305 was gifted with a Wal-Mart care package that included a healthy amount of bear bells and bear repellent spray, just in case the local Wal-Mart be besieged by grizzlies in the middle of his set. (Those big guys go nuts for “Hotel Room Service,” you know.)
Truthfully, the whole thing sounds like a blast to us. I mean, look at these pictures and tell us Pit wasn’t having the time of his life:
Next up: Can we send Bon Iver to Hawaii or something?
The post Pitbull Visiting Alaska is a Thing That Actually Happened Yesterday appeared first on Popdust.
Lindsay Lohan -- The Bizarre Sex Scene Demand
Lindsay Lohan was EXTREMELY hesitant to shoot a steamy sex scene for her new movie "The Canyons" last week -- but we're told, she quickly changed her mind ... after the crew fulfilled an extremely unusual request.Sources connected with production…
Henry Hopper -- Dennis Hopper's Son Accused of Raping 15-Year-Old Girl
Dennis Hopper's 21-year-old son has been accused of raping a 15-year-old girl ... after plying her with drugs and alcohol ... this according to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ. Henry Hopper -- who starred in Gus Van Zant's "Restless" in 2011 -- is being…
Michael Jackson Doctor Arnie Klein -- Medical Board Moves to REVOKE License
Michael Jackson's former dermatologist Arnie Klein should NOT be allowed to practice medicine ... so says a CA Medical Board honcho who just filed a request to have Klein's medical license revoked. The person behind the claim is Linda Whitney -- the…
Dennis Rodman -- Children's Book Author
What do Katie Couric, Gloria Estefan, Jamie Lee Curits and Dennis Rodman all have in common? If you said "They've all been photographed in a wedding dress!" ... you're correct. But we also would have accepted ... they have all written children's…
Olympic Games -- Athletes Setting World Records ... in Hotness
No better way to capture the Olympic spirit than a rundown of the hottest Olympians in London ... and also, people we wish were Olympians -- right "Hurdle Girl" Michelle Jenneke?
Petra Ecclestone -- Does My Pink Bently Make Me Look Spoiled?
Tired of roaming the halls of the former Spelling mansion, Petra Ecclestone left her $85 million home to take her brand new ridiculous pink Bentley out for a spin in Beverly Hills this weekend.While out on the town in her Barbiemobile, the…
Monday, 30 July 2012
WWE Apologizes for Kobe Bryant Rape Joke
The WWE has issued an full apology after an on-air personality joked that one of the wrestlers was "like Kobe Bryant at a hotel room in Colorado ... he's unstoppable."It all went down during a live broadcast of "Monday Night Raw" ... when a manager…
Lakers Matt Barnes -- BUSTED ... Allegedly Resists Arrest
Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes was arrested tonight on a traffic warrant ... TMZ has learned.According to law enforcement sources, Barnes was busted by police in Manhattan Beach, CA for a misdemeanor traffic warrant, and we're told he also…
Kobe Bryant -- Olympic Skins Game
Kobe Bryant's pre-Olympic shirtless exploits shocked his wife -- but not our guest host, former Olympian and MMA champ Ronda Rousey ... who knows the ins and outs of Olympic partying!Check out TMZ on TV -- click here to see your local listings!
Vanessa Bryant Arrives in London -- Immediately Spends Money
Angry Vanessa Bryant is GREAT for the British economy ... 'cause Kobe's estranged wife has arrived in London ... and already went on a high-end shopping spree. As we previously reported, Vanessa had planned to fly out to the U.K. with the couple's…
WWE Stage Catches Fire at 'Monday Night Raw' Rehearsal
DO YOU SMELLLLLLL .... something burning? TMZ has learned ... the Cincinnati Fire Department raced to the US Bank Arena moments ago after a fire broke out on the stage at WWE rehearsals for tonight's "Monday Night Raw."A rep for the WWE tells us the…
Artie Lange -- Suspended by Direct TV for Pissing Incident
Mt. Artie Lange finally erupted -- the former "Howard Stern Show" comedian has been suspended from his new radio gig for pissing on the studio floor ... and demanding 2 PAs clean it up.Artie just tweeted "Direct Tv has suspended me from the N&A…
Rupert Sanders -- Kristen Stewart's Lover Surfaces With WEDDING RING
Rupert Sanders -- the philandering director who cheated on his wife with Kristen Stewart -- wants the world to know he's still married (at least for now) ... 'cause he's proudly sporting his wedding ring. Sanders finally emerged in L.A. just a few…
The Three Awesome Tracks You Should Hear This Week
By the end of this week, it will be August. August is scientifically and widely known as the worst month ever. It might have “awe” in its name, but make no mistake: nothing awesome happens in August. Even some of last year’s supposedly awesome August events turned out to be less awesome than advertised. Best to approach the month with a secure stash of greatness; fortunately, artists lately are more than delivering. Below, three of the best tracks we’ve heard lately.
MIGUEL, “USE ME”
Miguel’s in a not-bad but not enviable position. He’s hardly an unknown–he’s done enough session work for the industry to notice and topped the R&B charts twice with “Sure Thing” and, with Wale, “Lotus Flower Bomb,” and though he’s never crossed over, neither have most chart R&B artists. He’s constantly an also-ran, though, and it’s not hard to see why. Miguel’s not yet as established as Usher, Ne-Yo, The-Dream or even Trey Songz, for whom hits are either foregone or could be. Nor has he gotten as much cult and critical traction as his newer peers like Frank Ocean and the Weeknd. It’s tempting, and probably a little accurate, to blame commercial versus indie-leaning R&B politics for that–several people have–but there’s a simpler explanation. Miguel doesn’t do the Weeknd’s “Fuck, My Age And BAC Are Both In Their Twenties” schtick, which creates fans as readily as it creates hits. And he’s not effortless-and-cool like Frank Ocean; where Ocean’s so affectless he sounds like he doesn’t even need to try, Miguel never lets you forget how much he does.
What Miguel does have is increasingly ambitious craft. He plays for buzz as hard as anyone–”Use Me” is on Kaleidoscope Dream: Water , a cross between teaser, mixtape and EP that was preceded by three free EPs. But his promotional strategy’s far less interesting than how his arrangements are progressively getting lusher and his lyrics kinkier–much like Prince, to whom he’s constantly compared. “Use Me” exemplifies both. The track sounds like Miguel’s choked by smoke, which plays to his strengths; though his voice can be shaky (on “Quickie,” Miguel stays on key as fleetingly as his hookup), when drowning in reverb and distorted guitars, he sounds fantastic. He sounds half-awake, too, but his drowsing through this cloudy track singing things lyrics like “sedate me, use me” and “I’m nervous, can I trust you?” sounds like nothing he doesn’t want. Miguel might sing about giving up control, but over his aesthetic, he’s got complete command.
NINA SKY, “COMATOSE”
Like Miguel, Nina Sky’s Nicole and Natalie Albino have quietly been releasing some undeniable music this year, like “Day Dreaming,” an almost, technically, possibly adulterous love song that sounds as fleeting as the affair they’re imagining. Their album Nicole and Natalie drops this week, a looser, floatier take on the dance-pop everyone’s doing. “Heartbeat sounds like the soundtrack for a club in a ice hotel, while “Comatose” sounds like a slowed-down version of the real thing. All the chart-R&B elements are here–twitchy percussion hits, stuttered vocals, hooks so precise they may well be engineered–but at this tempo, with the backing vocals stretched out and smoothed over this much, they don’t sound tired but glorious. “I’ve got a crush on you / maybe tonight I’ll put the rush on you,” backed by slow-dance synths and finger snaps, swoons as hard as anything in “Call Me Maybe” or the other thirty twitterpated tracks this year, and they sing “why else would I be feeling so horny?” like that’s just another symptom of love at first sight. Perhaps it is.
JESS MILLS, “FOR MY SINS”
The U.K. produces so many airy downtempo singer-songwriters these days it’s a wonder they weren’t cast in the Olympic opening ceremony. Sometimes the U.S. even gets to hear them. (Ellie Goulding, for one, should be sending producer/”Lights” remixer” Fernando Garibay a daily stipend for making her track sound enough like Born This Way to chart here.) You might’ve heard their names floating around, or their sounds: Emeli Sande, Jessie Ware, Delilah.
Of this crowd, Jess Mills is among the most understated but also most compelling; single “Pixelated People,” had it come out 15 years ago, would’ve been everywhere. The rest of the discography’s sparse but wide-reaching, spanning chilly covers of The Cure and this, a follow-up single that sounds like what Leona Lewis would release if she weren’t tasked to BELT AT ALL TIMES. Call it a diva ballad sung by the girl next door, perhaps; what’s lost in volume (particularly on the bridge, where Jess and instrumentation both descend to whispers) is regained in relatability.
The post The Three Awesome Tracks You Should Hear This Week appeared first on Popdust.
Kanye West Bestows Greatest Nonpliment Ever Upon Pusha T’s Album
When Kanye West gives his opinion, you listen to it, whether it’s awards-show etiquette, fifty-tweet tracts on the state of the music industry and society at large or menswear choices. When you’re signed to G.O.O.D. Music like rapper Pusha T, thus having to answer to Kanye, then you definitely listen to his opinion. And no matter what he says about your upcoming album, you damn well accept it:
“When [my upcoming album's listening session was] over, [Kanye] says, ‘Yo, you know that if you die and hear your music, you know you ended up in hell, right?’ I don’t know how to take that. Is that a good thing to say or a bad thing to say?”
It’s helpful to imagine the situation here. Pusha T, still a little surprised he got to the point where he’s not just guesting on Kanye’s stuff but actively sitting around awaiting Kanye’s approval. Kanye, looking very solemn and not visibly approving of anything. The album plays, and neither party changes his facial expression. Then it’s over. Five seconds of silence, five more. Kanye, probably off-the-cuff, mentions something about Pusha going to hell. This doesn’t change the silence at all. I mean, you can just picture this, can’t you?
There’s some context to this–MTV reports that Pusha was inspired by The Devil’s Advocate, a 1997 Keanu Reeves/Al Pacino horror flick partly based on Paradise Lost. And the hip-hop landscape, dotted with dystopias like Rack City, does try to seem hellish. Nevertheless, this is still the greatest nonpliment in recent history, certainly in recent Kanye history; if there’s any justice in the world, it’ll join the likes of “Do you know she’s a bird?” “No, I never noticed that” and that little VMA moment in the West quotebook. Maybe Pusha could use it as an album blurb. We’d be enticed.
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Sheryl Crow -- Delusional Fan Has Threatened to Shoot Me
Sheryl Crow is in fear for her life ... claiming a delusional fan believes she stole money from him ... and now he's threatening to shoot her ... this according to legal docs obtained by TMZ. Crow just filed a request for a restraining order against…
TMZ Live: Kobe Bryant Party Pics -- Innocent Olympic Fun?
Kobe Bryant and Team USA are kicking some Olympic ass -- but Kobe's also got some explaining to do! How's Vanessa Bryant reacting to the pics of him partying ... SHIRTLESS ... with 2 women?Plus, James Holmes got slapped with with 24 counts of…
Flesh-N-Bone -- Daughter Reported Missing
Rapper Flesh-n-Bone's teenage daughter has been reported missing by her family, TMZ has learned.According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff, 15-year-old Monica Howse was last seen 7 days ago after being dropped off for work at the Taco Bell in…
Kobe Bryant's Wife -- 'Furious' Over Party Pics, But Standing by Him at Olympics
Kobe Bryant's wife has some serious questions about his judgment after seeing pics of him partying with women last week -- but that didn't stop her from flying to London to watch him play in the Olympics.Sources close to Vanessa Bryant tell us she…
Drake Finally Gets His Overdue NCAA Championship Ring
For a guy who once expressed on wax his sympathy for high school basketball players who want to go straight to the pros, and who eschewed the university himself, Drake has an odd infatuation with the college hoops game—specifically, the Kentucky Wildcats team. Drizzy performed at the first Big Blue Madness event after Kentucky hired head coach John Calipari, then made a much-publicized appearance in the KU locker room after a victory in the 2010 NCAA tournament. “I’m just a natural fan,” said Drake around that time. “I love the team.”
Looks like that love is mutual. Kentucky has gifted Young Aubrey with that most esteemed prize in college hoops—the NCAA championship ring, of which the Wildcats were entitled to several for winning the tournament back in March. Exactly what the on-or-off-court contributions made by Drake towards the KU championship run are largely unclear—if lifelong fan and regular courtside attendee Ashley Judd didn’t get one for her moral support, it doesn’t seem fair that Drake should—but nonetheless, he now has one more championship ring than Chris Webber or Derrick Rose, addressed to his “Drizzy” nickname, at that.
It’s actually a fairly savvy move on the part of KU and Coach Calipari. With the possible exceptions of Kanye and Jay-Z, there’s no artist more widely listened to and quoted by our nation’s youthful ballers than Drake, and by continuing to ally the program with the rapper, they’re making sure that their next 5-10 prospective recruiting classes know the name of Kentucky basketball before they even start contemplating their potential verbal commitments. Now all they have to do is get their own dance craze and they’ll have the next decade of college hoops on lock.
[RapRadar]
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TMZ's Team USA Olympic Fever Contest -- Enter to WIN!
Just because you aren't competing in the 2012 London Olympics doesn't mean you can't win BIG with a little help from TMZ's Team USA Olympic Fever Photo Contest!Email in a red, white and blue photo for your chance at winning our golden prize of $250…
Nick Stahl -- 'Terminator' Star Surfaces in Hollywood [PHOTO]
After months of disappearing, re-appearing, and checking in and out and back in again from rehab ... formerly missing "Terminator 3" star Nick Stahl was spotted in West Hollywood today. As TMZ first reported, Stahl's wife reported the actor missing…
'Real Housewives' Dr. Paul Nassif Pulls Trigger on Legal Separation from Adrienne Maloof
"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Dr. Paul Nassif has filed his petition to become legally separated from his wife, and 'RHOBH' co-star, Adrienne Maloof ... TMZ has learned.Dr. Nassif filed the docs in L.A. County Superior Court this morning.…
Miranda Lambert And Danica Patrick Are The Fastest Girls In Town
Below, a list of everything that is objectively awesome about Miranda Lambert’s video for “Fastest Girl in Town.”
(NOTE: The words “Thelma” and “Louise” are hereby banned from this writeup, as that particular comparison is really played-out!)
- Whatever Miranda Lambert (we’re assuming) is wearing in silhouette with her umbrella. To be fair, lots of outfits would look 2x better in silhouette with an umbrella. Shame it’s hard to accomplish that in real, non-video life.
- The fact that Miranda and Danica Patrick–did we mention this video co-stars Danica Patrick? It does–go from zero to car theft in a matter of seconds. Even if you factor in video editing, it’s a fast job. One might call it the fastest in town.
- The paucity of fucks the old guy at the bar gives about any of this.
- The B-movie stylings, which have been done before but are still done well here.
- The fact that the guy Miranda and Danica steal from, henceforth known as Tattooed Theft Victim, probably had a subpar car in the first place, considering he can outrun them despite their being the fastest girls in town and despite the fact that his chase vehicle was the first guy to drive past.
- Said guy (henceforth: Hitchhiking Cavalry Man) being completely cavalier about having a gun in his glove compartment. OK, that part is more scary than awesome. But “do you want a lot of holes in it, or do you want no car?” might qualify.
- Every scenery shot. This is why country roads exist.
- Of course TTV is on probation. Of course he is. Miranda and Danica probably have some sort of probation-dar.
- The dude going “AUGH” at the end. Not “AAAAAAUUUUUUUUGH,” not “ugh”; it’s a very specific sort of AUGH that must be written exactly that way.
- The fact that this is basically a Pistol Annies video with Danica Patrick playing the role of Not-Miranda-Lambert. We approve.
The post Miranda Lambert And Danica Patrick Are The Fastest Girls In Town appeared first on Popdust.
Watch Ludacris’s Brand Of Pool Party In “Jingalin’”
What does a Ludacris pool party involve? It involves exactly what you think it involves. As proof, here is three minutes of the quick-cut, sometimes slow-motion, strategically filmed goings-on at a Ludacris pool party. Even the obvious stock-prude-characters get in on the action.
(Oh, and in case you were wondering, all parties involved have apologized to the state of Atlanta. Probably for using that “do you have a warrant? If you don’t have a warrant, it’s a two-shot minimum” line. We shouldn’t even have to tell you that last part only works in Ludacris videos.)
Photo: Vimeo
This isn't even the half of it.
Photo: Vimeo
Photo: Vimeo
Photo: Vimeo
Photo: Vimeo
The post Watch Ludacris’s Brand Of Pool Party In “Jingalin’” appeared first on Popdust.
There’s Gonna Be a New Ellie Goulding Album Already?
Strike while the iron is hot, we suppose. In reality, it’s not that weird that Ellie Goulding should already be in the release-date-announcing stages for her upcoming second album, Halcyon—debut effort Lights was released in her home country nearly two-and-a-half years ago, so a sophomore effort probably should be right around the corner. But our sense of timing is skewed in the States, because it’s only recently that Lights, and its title track single, have really started to catch on—in fact, the song reached a new peak of #4 on the Hot 100 just this week. For her to be announcing a second album before Our Girl Carly Rae Jepsen even releases her first just seems weird.
Nonetheless, for those who have been on board with Ellie Goulding since far before she was topping VH1′s Top 20 Videos of the Week countdown, it will most certainly be welcome news that Halcyon is in fact coming out soon. Tweeted Goulding earlier today:
Can finally give you all details of my next album! It is called ‘Halcyon’ and it is coming out on Oct 8th in the UK and Oct 9th in the US!
— Ellie Goulding (@elliegoulding) July 30, 2012
This is the cover for #Halcyonyfrog.com/odex4byj
— Ellie Goulding (@elliegoulding) July 30, 2012
In addition, Ellie announced on Facebook that she would be accepting listener submissions for the lyric video for the album’s lead single, “Anything Can Happen.” Busy stretch for an artist who probably could just be coasting on her overdue crossover success right now, but perhaps that’s how you avoid being a one-hit wonder. Plus, you never know when the U.S. is gonna decide to just start ignoring the U.K. again for no reason.
[Idolator]
The post There’s Gonna Be a New Ellie Goulding Album Already? appeared first on Popdust.
The Game -- Broken Bones After Slam Dunk Gone Wrong
The Game chalked up two points ... and two broken bones ... during a basketball game in L.A. this weekend ... when a slam dunk went terribly wrong. TMZ has learned ... Game broke a bone in his thumb and his wrist during a playoff game in the famous…
'2 Broke Girls' Star Kat Dennings -- Cleavage Battle with 'Mad Men' Chick
"2 Broke Girls" star Kat Dennings ripped a page from the Christina Hendricks guide to the red carpet ... by squeezing her gals into a very cleavage-friendly blue dress this weekend. Dennings was trying to generate interest in her show at a media…
Jermaine Jackson -- 'We're ONE Family ... We Will Heal'
Jermaine Jackson promises ... the Jackson family war is coming to an end ... he's just not sure when. Jermaine made the proclamation at a concert in Saratoga, CA this weekend -- while performing with his brothers Tito, Marlon and Jackie. "We are a…
Conrad Murray -- I Can Still PROVE I Didn't Kill Michael Jackson
Dr. Conrad Murray believes he can still PROVE Michael Jackson injected himself with a fatal dose of Propofol -- and now he's begging an appeals court to let him test his theory. Murray's lawyers are filing a new motion in his appeal -- claiming a…
'Modern Family' Producers -- Accused of Screwing the Pooch
"Modern Family" producers have secretly replaced one of the biggest stars on the show, TMZ has learned -- but the crazy part ... you probably wouldn't have noticed if we didn't tell you ... THE DOG!!!!Sources connected with production tell TMZ, the…
James Holmes Massacre -- Victim's Mother to Sue Movie Theater
The mother of one of James Holmes' massacre victims has hired a high-powered attorney to sue the Aurora, CO movie theater where he opened fire ... killing 12 people, and injuring 58 others.TMZ has learned Shirley Wygal is retaining a lawyer in Los…
David Duval -- FORE!!! ... closure
Golf superstar David Duval has made more than $18 million on the PGA Tour ... which is why it's pretty shocking that his Colorado mansion is in the middle of some major foreclosure drama. According to documents obtained by TMZ, David and his wife…
Sunday, 29 July 2012
'Real Housewives' Star -- Husband Filing For Legal Separation
"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" stars Dr. Paul Nassif and Adrienne Maloof are on the outs -- Paul plans to file for legal separation early this week ... TMZ has learned. Sources tell us Adrienne and Paul have discussed the situation, and she is…
Octomom -- Begging Fans for $150,000!
Octomom may have stripped her way off welfare, but she couldn't strip her way out of foreclosure ... and now the mother of 14 is begging her fans for $150,000 so she can put a down payment on a new pad. In case you forgot ... despite Octo's recent…
Lindsay Lohan's Sister -- Modeling Agent Ships Ali Lohan Off to KOREA
Let's hope Lindsay Lohan's little sister likes to chow down on things like kimchi and bibimbap ... because her modeling agency just sent her 6,000 miles away to go find work in ... KOREA!According to our sources ... 18-year-old Ali Lohan will spend…
Tenacious D -- Concert Shut Down ... Due to STABBING
"I'm gonna hump you sweetly," is not what the crowd at a Tenacious D concert got to experience last night ... because a brutal fight broke out instead and at least one person was STABBED, this according to local reports. It all went down at Mandalay…
Brooke Mueller -- I Got A New Boyfriend ... All Thanks to Charlie Sheen!
Brooke Mueller has a brand new boyfriend in her life and she's telling friends it NEVER could have happened if not for her ex, Charlie Sheen. Sources close to Brooke tell TMZ ... she and her new man -- country singer Jason Lowenstein -- met last…
Robert Pattinson -- UHauling Ass Out of House with Kristen Stewart
Robert Pattinson isn't wasting any time -- a UHaul was spotted outside the Los Feliz home he shares (shared?) with Kristen Stewart ... following reports he's moved out of the love he lives (lived?) in with his (ex?) girlfriend.Kristen's baffling…
Kristen Stewart -- You Be the Judge
Kristen Stewart and her team may have made the biggest bone head move since prosecutor Christopher Darden let OJ Simpson try on that glove. Had she just shut up, the whole thing would have gone away. But now everyone just can’t get enough, so…
Kobe Bryant's Afterparty -- Excuse Me Ladies, Have You Seen My Shirt?
Kobe Bryant's interpretation of a topless party is WAYYY different than ours. TMZ obtained photos of the Team USA star at an afterparty in Barcelona earlier this week ... hanging out with two hot chicks ... sans shirt. One source close to Kobe who…
'16 and Pregnant' Star -- My Baby Daddy is a DANGER to My Kids
"16 and Pregnant" star Jennifer Del Rio says her baby daddy is a huge threat to her family's safety, so much so, she fled 1,000 miles to get away from him and is asking a judge for sole custody of their young twins. The MTV star recently filed legal…
Madonna -- Swastika Backlash Fueled Paris Riot
That riot at a Madonna concert in Paris had nothing to do with her brief performance -- it was payback for Madge's repeated use of a video featuring a swastika on a French politician ... this according to fans at the show and sources connected to…
Celebrity Squares -- Guess Who!
Please pardon our dust ... there have been some technical difficulties with our computerized photo editor and now our images have been sliced into tiny squares. Can you guess the star behind the squares?
'Best Damn Sports Show' Host -- Strangled By $4,000 Christmas Lights Bill
"Best Damn Sports Show Period" host and former NFL star Rodney Peete is getting an early Christmas gift this year -- a $4,150 bill for a buttload of holiday lights.A company named Christmas Lights Guys has filed a small claims lawsuit against Holly…
Olympian Mary Lou Retton: Good Genes or Good Docs?
Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton will always be a golden girl.Here's the 16-year-old gold medal winner back in 1984 (left) -- and 28 years later, the 44-year-old at an event in NYC earlier this year (right).Tens across the board.
Robert Blake -- Murder Restaurant Selling Actor's Favorite Booth
Bad news if you've ever wanted to sit in the booth where ex-murder suspect Robert Blake ate with his wife ... shortly before she was shot to death outside Vitello's Restaurant in L.A. -- TMZ has learned, it's being sold at auction.The legendary…
