Rick Ross Promises 'Dopest MTV VMAs Ever''It's the best of music, it's the best of performances, it's the best host and the dopest set,' he teases.
By Shaheem Reid, with reporting by Saimon Kos
Rick Ross
Photo: MTV News
On his album Teflon Don, Rick Ross said he feels like Big Meech, Larry Hoover and MC Hammer. On Thursday (September 9) in Los Angeles, the imposing Miami hitmaker said he felt like onscreen Marine Jake Sully.
The Bawse has a very special surprise contribution to this year's MTV Video Music Awards. On Thursday afternoon at the Nokia Theatre, with his A&R/ video director Spiff TV not too far away, Ricky Rozay praised this Sunday's extravaganza.
"This is gonna be the dopest MTV VMAs ever," Ross predicted. "I'm letting you know. Not only because I'm a part of it, but when I walked into the auditorium where the VMAs are being held, I felt like I stepped off a ship on Pandora. If you ever saw the movie 'Avatar,' that's the feeling. Everything feels big, everything feels futuristic. It feels space-age. We got the dopest female in late night hosting the show, Chelsea Handler. She's on fire right now. She's sizzling. She's sexy as ever.
"But as soon as I walked in, just the ambiance from the show, it overtook me, watching the rehearsal," he continued. "Get ready to tune in. Make sure if you never watched the MTV Video Music Awards, make sure this is your first one. And if you have [seen one], expect the game to be stepped up 2,000 percent. ... It's the best of music, it's the best of performances, it's the best host and the dopest set I've ever seen ever. This is Pandora."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj And More VMA VirginsSunday is a big night for these first-time nominees and performers.
By Kelley L. Carter
Justin Bieber
Photo: Robyn Beck/ Getty Images
Be gentle with these guys — it's their first time as nominees or performers at the MTV Video Music Awards. Here's a look at this year's VMA virgins and where you'll see them come Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Ke$ha
It was almost impossible to turn the radio on and not hear Kesha's party-happy pop track "Tik Tok" over the past year. (She also did the background vocals on Flo Rida's ubiquitous "Right Round.") The singer is up for Best New Artist, and she'll present an award Sunday. "This is such a monumental thing for me to be nominated, because it really means people do really like what I'm doing," she said.
Nicki Minaj
Lil Wayne's wig-loving protégé will perform during the VMA pre-show on Sunday, and perhaps the mixtape diva will give us a taste of her forthcoming debut album, Pink Friday. "Obviously, this is something everybody dreamed of being part of, and I'm no exception to that rule," she said. "I just feel like this is my coming-out party. This is major for an artist with no album out."
Cascada
Natalie Horler fronts this German Eurodance group, and along with DJ Manian and Yanou, the band will make their VMA debut Sunday. They'll be competing in the newly revamped Dance Music Video category. Earlier this year, it was announced that they were the second-most-downloaded dance artists of all time. Who's the most downloaded? French DJ David Guetta, which brings us to our next rookie ...
David Guetta
The French DJ is responsible for sweating up dance floors, both international and domestic, and he finally nabs his first VMA for "Sexy Chick," featuring Akon.
B.o.B
The Atlanta rapper is up for five VMAs, and he'll take the stage for the first time.
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine's Florence Welch is bringing her funked-out, soulful vocals to the VMA stage this year, where she's up for four awards.
Jason Derülo
The pop singer feels like he already won at the VMAs. Last year, he attended the awards, but he sat in the back of the house. "This year, I'm nominated for two awards. It's incredible," said the singer, who has opened for Lady Gaga. "I've watched these awards my whole entire life, so to finally be a part of it is a dream come true. Pinch me, please." Derülo will be taking the stage with VMA house artist Deadmau5.
Justin Bieber
Bieber presented a VMA with Ke$ha at the 2009 show, but this year, he's up for Best New Artist and is set to perform.
Deadmau5
In case you're wondering, it's pronounced "dead mouse" (real name: Joel Thomas Zimmerman), and he's a Canadian house producer. He'll be working as this year's house artist.
Chelsea Handler
The comedian is the first woman to host the VMAs since 1994. Prepare for laughter beyond belief from the E! talk-show hostess.
Drake
The Toronto rapper (and Lil Wayne protégé) is up for three Moonmen; he'll also perform at the VMAs for the first time.
Robyn
Fresh off a tour with Kelis, Robyn, a Swedish pop singer, will perform with deadmau5 on Sunday at the VMAs.
Bruno Mars
Up for one VMA (along with collaborator B.o.B), Bruno Mars will also perform for the first time at the VMAs.
Who's your favorite VMA virgin? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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'Glee' Cast In Desperate Hunt For VMA Tickets'Can we get some tickets, for God's sake?' asks a peeved Mike O'Malley. 'Or do they only give it to the young kids of 'Glee'?'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello
Matthew Morrison
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
When MTV News announced that the cast of "Glee" would be presenting at this year's Video Music Awards, fans of the show and castmembers alike seemed to have reason to celebrate. But it turns out not everyone is so "Glee"-ful.
Some of their Fox castmates -- specifically, those actors whose names aren't Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley and Jane Lynch -- are trying to score VMA tickets before the show kicks off on Sunday in Los Angeles.
"Can we get some tickets, for God's sake? Or do they only give it to the young kids of 'Glee'?" Mike O'Malley joked to MTV News at the show's season-two premiere earlier this week.
Dot Jones asked us, "Can I go with you?"
"I want to go!" Jessalyn Gilsig, who plays Will Schuester's wife, whined.
Well, they may not be able to make it to the awards show, but they can watch it from the comfort of their living rooms and catch the night's other big presenters. TV talk-show maven and former "American Idol" host Ellen DeGeneres (who will tape an episode of her show at the VMAs), reality-show starlet Kim Kardashian, VMA-nominated Katy Perry, "Star Trek" star Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, the cast of "Jackass" (including Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and Steve-O) and others will present from the Nokia Theatre.
But co-star Matthew Morrison, who has a solo album in the works, revealed his plan to score a place at the next Video Music Awards.
"I'm hoping to perform at the VMAs next year!"
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Justin Bieber's 'Flirty Card' Won't Work On Chelsea Handler'I'm not going to waste my time on that guy,' VMA host jokes.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash
Chelsea Handler
Photo: MTV News
The quick-witted Chelsea Handler is rehearsing for her VMA hosting gig as we speak. The talk-show host caught up with MTV News on Thursday (September 9) to reveal that she's pretty much ready for anything.
"I'm pretty good at answering anything you ask me," she said. "I mean, if I know the answer. If I didn't, I'll just bullsh--. Bleep that please," she laughed. "I forgot I was on a younger person's network."
Speaking of young people, America's favorite teen, the VMA-nominated Justin Bieber, is set to take the stage at the show, and he has quite the past with the comedian. But she admitted that, while he's a "two face" in the love department, she does think he knows quite a lot about it.
"He knows so much about romance," she said. "If you listen to the lyrics of 'Baby, Baby, Baby,' or is it just called 'Baby'? I have to say it three times, 'cause it makes my heart thump. He's obviously been around the block. I mean, I don't know why he's pretending he's not a sexual deviant, because he is."
Handler said she has her guard up these days around the pop sensation after she asked him out on a date only to have him start hanging out with VMA presenter Kim Kardashian instead. "He's using the flirty card with everybody he meets, and I'm not gonna fall for that," she said. "I'm 35 years old. I only have about five good years left in me, and I'm not going to waste my time on that guy."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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VMA Choreographer Promises 'Epic' Moves'So You Think You Can Dance' alum Travis Wall is 'stoked' for the show.
By Kelley L. Carter, with reporting by Saimon Kos
Choreography rehearsal at the 2010 VMAs on Thursday
Photo: MTV News
So you think you're ready for some hot dance sequences at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards? Sounds like you're going to get them.
Travis Wall, a season-two competitor on "So You Think You Can Dance," is choreographing several numbers for Sunday night's show. Wall, who now choreographs for the Fox show, said he held auditions about two weeks ago to cast about 55 dancers in a few routines.
"We've been working on a couple of numbers for a week now," he told MTV News inside Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre. "This process has been amazing. The stage here, the set is really futuristic and spacey. We wanted to create something epic for the VMAs this year."
So what all will we see? Wall was tight-lipped, but he did say that he drew inspiration from big, contemporary artists, including Lady Gaga.
The segments that is working on will add to what is shaping up to be an incredible lineup. Eminem will open the show this year, and Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, Usher, Paramore and B.o.B also are among those scheduled to perform. The list of presenters includes Justin Timberlake, Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj, Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Trey Songz, Ashley Greene, Selena Gomez and Ne-Yo.
House artist deadmau5 will be joined by Travie McCoy, Jason Derülo and Robyn, who all will perform never-before-heard mixes of their hits.
The show, Wall said, will be pretty stellar and really eclectic. "I'm stoked!" he chirped.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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'In My Head' Director Braved Blizzard To Shoot Jason Derulo Video'You'll probably have to direct this video by Skype,' Kai Crawford recalls being told about Justin Timberlake-inspired Best Male Video nominee.
By Jayson Rodriguez
Jason Derülo in his "In My Head" music video
Photo: Warner Bros. Records
Jason Derülo turns up the heat in his steamy video for "In My Head," but the mercury was plummeting when production on the upstart singer's visual was slated to begin. With temperatures on the East Coast falling, L.A.-bound director Kai Crawford nearly had to oversee the clip via satellite as snow blanketed New York City.
Not the way he planned on handling the video, which has been nominated for Best Male Video at this year's VMAs. (Derülo is also up for Best New Artist.)
"It was like the coldest day of the year, it seemed like," Crawford explained to MTV News. "It's funny. I traveled from New York and I got snowed in, 'cause it was a blizzard, like, four or five days before Christmas, which for me, was two days before the shoot. I got snowed in. The [video's] commissioner got so scared, she told me, 'You'll probably have to direct this video by Skype.' "
Crawford's flight to Los Angeles was postponed and the airport in New York was just about shut down. But the director made the trip to JFK International Airport anyway in the hopes of catching a flight. His determination was rewarded when after a few hours Delta Airlines re-opened and Crawford was able to book another flight. With his old ticket refunded, the director bought a new ticket ASAP and headed to California.
Crawford and Derülo then sought to create an homage to Justin Timberlake's Diane Martel-helmed clip for "Like I Love You." According to Crawford, the concept of Derülo's clip was the "party after the party" in the parking lot. With the Miami singer's moves and his crooning, they were able to accomplish that goal.
The only problem?
"It was like the coldest day in L.A.," Crawford recalled, laughing.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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MTV VMAs Set To Roll Out White Carpet: Catch A Sneak Peek!'The theme this year for our carpet is 'Hollywood Mansion,' ' reveals VMA pre-show executive producer Ryan Kroft.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Tim Kash
The VMA white carpet step and repeat wall on Thursday
Photo: Rachel Goldner/ MTV News
As part of our efforts to bring everyone as far behind-the-scenes as possible in the lead-up to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, MTV News correspondent Tim Kash recently took a tour of the under-construction, soon-to-be-star-studded white carpet. Kash was led by MTV's VMA pre-show executive producer Ryan Kroft.
"The theme this year for our red carpet is 'Hollywood Mansion,' " Kroft explained, pointing out key stopping points for celebrities and show crews on what has been designated as the press line.
Kroft explained that the wall built for this year's step-and-repeat (the area where celebs stop to be photographed) will be extra high. "They're normally 10-feet-high, but this year it's going to be 21-feet-high," he said. "We do it big. It's going to look like this wall of this mansion we're creating.
"When the carpet opens, it's going to be pure white," Kroft continued. "White set, black accents, gorgeous."
Eagle-eyed MTV awards show fans probably know that this isn't the first time the network has gone with a gleaming white rug for the VMAs. In 2005, the show made a return trip to Miami and the production crew once again began mulling over the idea of an all-white carpet. While they had only considered the possibility a year earlier at the 2004 ceremony — also at Miami's American Airlines Arena — they didn't follow through until host Sean "Diddy" Combs encouraged it with a spontaneous declaration at a press conference.
So as Diddy turned the carpet from red to white, the biggest challenge was keeping the carpet dry after Hurricane Katrina, then only a category 1 storm, had swept through.
Which brings up an important question: How in the heck do you keep a white carpet clean with hundreds of people stomping across it?
According to Staging Supervisor Aaron Chawla, the trick is to keep it covered in plastic for as long as possible before showtime — and having vacuums and steam cleaners on site for any sudden spills or stains.
For those who won't make it to L.A. to see it up-close, MTV News is giving away 10 pieces of our specially made white carpet. Visit the MTV News Facebook page for details. Current fans of the page should look for the VMA Giveaway tab for more information, and soon-to-be fans need only click "like" in order to receive the same info. We'll be giving away one piece of carpet a day leading up to the show, with the remaining few up for grabs on Sunday.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Eminem To Open Video Music AwardsEight-time nominee will kick off the big night Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Eminem
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ WireImage
VMA vet Eminem will not only return to the stage Sunday, his performance will open the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
Fresh from a pair of historic Home and Home Tour stops in his native Detroit with Jay-Z, Em, who has delivered a slew of unforgettable VMA moments in the past, will set the tone for the show's 27th go-round. (We ranked Em's top five VMA performances over on the RapFix blog!)
"We thought that there's no better way to kick off the show than a performance from Eminem," MTV general manager Stephen Friedman recently told The Associated Press.
Sunday will be a busy night for Shady, who is up for eight Moonmen. His chart-dominating release Recovery has already racked up more than 2 million album scans and yielded hits like "Not Afraid," which is up for Best Male Video and Video of the Year.
Although public details about his performance remain scant, Em has always been good for iconic VMA moments. In 2000, he led a mass of Shady look-alikes into Radio City Music Hall as he spit his celebrity-skewering chart-topper "The Real Slim Shady," which went on to win Video of the Year. Offstage, Em was the center of three awkward and, at times, potty-mouthed, moments in 2002 featuring foes Christina Aguilera, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Moby. Last year, Em kept things censor-friendly when he appeared in a video short, tearing up after coaching "30 Rock" comic Tracy Morgan through a duet with '80s poptress Cyndi Lauper.
Other stars slated to hit the stage Sunday are Kanye West, Linkin Park, Mary J. Blige, Drake, Usher, Paramore, Justin Bieber, B.o.B and Florence and the Machine.
What are your predictions for Eminem's VMA performance? Let us know in the comments below!
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Drake Is Living Life Right Now: A VMA Cheat SheetThe Toronto MC exceeded the hype, working his relentless grind from mixtape acclaim to chart-topping fame in an unforgettable year.
By Shaheem Reid
Drake
Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage
Wack rappers, your worst fears have been realized: Drake is on top and he's not letting up.
This time last year, the VMA-nominated Canadian juggernaut known as Drizzy was topping the charts and basking in the glow generated by a string of highly touted guest appearances and his certified-instant-classic mixtape So Far Gone.
As '09 drew to a close, love for Drake from fans only intensified. The 23-year-old repped for his family on the We Are Young Money album, while verses on Timbaland's "Say Something," and his own "Forever" — let's not even get started again about the power-packed lineup on that record — carried him from 2009 to 2010, when he opened the year with two Grammy nominations and joined Lil Wayne, Eminem and Travis Barker for an awards show performance.
This spring, Drake squashed whatever reservations remained about him being able to live up to his hype. The lyrical slugfest "Over" was released as a single, and Driz embarked on his headlining Away From Home Tour.
As the tour finally wrapped, Drake upped the ante with yet another scorching single (and his most lauded video) in "Find Your Love."
In June, Drake's nonstop grind — it kicked into overdrive with the February '09 release of So Far Gone — was richly rewarded: His debut LP, Thank Me Later, dropped and went to #1 in its first week.
And Drake is still on his steamroller flow. "Fancy," with Swizz Beatz and T.I.; "Miss Me," with Lil Wayne; and "Up All Night," featuring Nicki Minaj, are all bullying the airwaves. The winning cameos haven't stopped either: We refer you to Rick Ross' "Aston Martin Music" and Trey Songz's brand-spanking-new "Unusual."
If all of that wasn't proof enough that the Toronto MC is well on his way to cementing his superstar status, Drake turned up in Detroit just last week and drove home the point by joining Eminem onstage at the first of two Comerica Park Home and Home Tour dates. The day after the VMAs, he'll be at Yankee Stadium when Slim Shady's co-headliner, Jay-Z, resumes the concerts in his own hometown.
As the hours tick down to the 2010 VMAs on Sunday, Drake not only has a coveted performance slot, but he's also up for a bevy of awards, including Best Hip-Hop Video.
And that brings us full circle to what we said about Drizzy never letting up. Drake's currently working on a new album and an R&B mixtape and he'll headline another tour, this time with the Clipse, this fall.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Mary J. Blige, T.I., Kid Rock Go Country For 'Care'It's unclear what album leaked track might end up on.
By Jayson Rodriguez
T.I. and Mary J. Blige
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Mary J. Blige is known as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, but the veteran singer has more range than a rifle. Blige's country-tinged "Care," featuring Kid Rock and T.I., leaked online Thursday (September 9.).
The song includes a guitar-laden production and earnest lyrics about wanting to change the world but only having the ability to care.
"I can't stop the war, shelter the homeless, feed the poor," Blige and Kid Rock sing together on the chorus, while T.I. ad-libs throughout the refrain. "I can't walk on water, can't save your sons and daughter/ I can't change the world or make things fair, but the least I can do is care."
"For the life of me, I can't see how the devil keeps enticing me," Tip raps on the number. "All you see is a felon, but I know God can see what's right in me."
In the past, Blige has worked with a host of artists in other genres, from Jay-Z to U2's Bono to Luciano Pavarotti, but this is her first foray into country. As of press time, however, it's unclear if the record will land on Blige's next project. A representative for the singer has not responded to inquiries.
Blige is hard at work on her forthcoming album; producer Swizz Beatz sent messages on Twitter saying he and Blige completed four songs together for her next project. In the meantime, Blige is set to go on tour next month with Jazmine Sullivan and newcomer Miguel.
What do you think of Mary veering into country territory? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Justin Bieber 'Deserves' A VMA, Selena Gomez Says'He works harder than a lot of people I know,' she says of Best New Artist nominee and pal.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi
Selena Gomez
Photo: Matt Elias/MTV News
Justin Bieber is in for the fight of his short career at the MTV Video Music Awards. The "Baby" singer will have to fend off Ke$ha ("Tik Tok"), Jason Derülo ("In My Head"), Nicki Minaj (for her Sean Garrett collabo "Massive Attack") and indie supergroup Broken Bells ("The Ghost Inside") for the Best New Artist Moonman at the VMAs on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
And if Bieber is looking for a little support between now and then, he should look no further than fellow superstar and pal Selena Gomez. "I think he deserves it!" she told MTV News on Thursday (September 9) in L.A., not far from the Nokia Theatre, where the show is set to take place. "I think he's worked really hard. I think he works harder than a lot of people I know, so he deserves it."
Whether or not he wins the award, his fans will also get the chance to see him perform. It's just another milestone Bieber has reached since he presented at the VMAs only a year ago. But Gomez was quick to point out that Bieber isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
"I think just the fact that he's 16 and you're gonna see him onstage with all these other artists that have been around, like, much longer than he's been alive, it's gonna be really cool to see him next to these people that have been idols and icons in the music world," she said.
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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Britney Spears' Ex-Bodyguard Defends LawsuitFernando Flores tells TMZ he's 'standing up for what I believe is right.'
By Kelley L. Carter
Britney Spears
Photo: David Aguilera/ BuzzFoto/ FilmMagic
A former bodyguard for pop superstar Britney Spears defended his sexual-harassment lawsuit Thursday (September 9), saying he's "standing up for what I believe is right."
Fernando Flores, the bodyguard who alleged earlier this week that the pop singer repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances toward him and exposed her naked or near-naked body to him, gave a quick interview to TMZ outside his lawyer's Orange County office.
Spears, however, denied the allegations, posting a statement on her website saying that she and her attorneys believed the suit would be dismissed. "This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself," the statement read.
To Spears' statement, Flores told the gossip website "if that's what they think, then that's what they think."
A dollar amount isn't cited in the suit -- which is posted on TMZ -- but Flores is seeking damages based on the sexual-harassment incidents and for "intentional infliction of emotional distress." Flores also alleged in the suit that Spears abused her children. In the suit, he said the 28-year-old had sex and engaged in violent arguments in front of her two young sons.
Sources told TMZ that Flores' accusations of child abuse (including an incident where he says Spears allegedly whipped one of her sons with a belt) were declared without merit by the Department of Children and Family Services.
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Snooki Insists She's No Lindsay Lohan'Jersey Shore' star says judge's comparison was 'overboard'
By Kelley L. Carter
Snooki in court on Wednesday with her publicist
Photo: Bobby Bank/WireImage
Is Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi the new Lindsay Lohan? Fuggetaboutit.
The Associated Press reports the "Jersey Shore" breakout star, who was in court Wednesday, was fined $500 and ordered to perform community service after she pleaded guilty to disturbing New Jersey beachgoers. Judge Damian G. Murray lectured Snooki, calling her a "Lindsay Lohan wannabe."
The 22-year-old reality starlet was arrested July 30 for public intoxication. She has since apologized, and was credited by the judge for the day of community service she spent caring for abused animals at a zoo.
"Going through life rude, profane, obnoxious and self-indulgent — that's not the way you want to live your life," the judge said while delivering her sentence. "Hopefully, this incident will impress upon you that there are consequences to your actions."
Snooki tells People magazine the judge's comparison to Lohan missed the mark.
"I definitely thought it was harsh," she told the magazine. "I never drank and drove, I don't do drugs — I do nothing that Lindsay does, so it was definitely a little overboard."
With that said, Snooki's ready to move on.
"I'm just really happy that it's over and that the criminal charge was dismissed because that was just insane," she says to the magazine, referring to the disorderly conduct and criminal annoyance charges. "I was really nervous about it. ... That was crazy for me."
Snooki and her "Jersey Shore" castmates will be presenters at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.
Do you think Snooki is a "Lindsay Lohan wannabe"? Sound off in the comments below!
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Justin Bieber Won't Be Punished For Water-Balloon IncidentPop star apparently threw water balloons at police officer.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ Getty Images
After a report surfaced out of Maryland that Justin Bieber had been throwing water balloons at police officers near his sold-out show at the Maryland State Fair on Sunday, sources are telling E! News the pop star managed to sideline any real punishment thanks to the help of his bodyguard.
Sources explain that the cops were ready to punish Bieber after a Maryland State Trooper was pelted with a water balloon, courtesy of the "Baby" singer. Bieber retreated to his trailer, while his bodyguard stepped in and handled the situation before it turned into anything serious. The source adds that Bieber had been practicing with the balloons for some time before he hit the officer.
According to WBALTV.com, Bieber had been "horsing around with members of his staff" outside a trailer when "one of the balloons hit a trooper's gun belt and burst, and the other brushed a trooper on the chest but didn't burst."
While Bieber's camp has yet to comment on the situation, the singer has been active on Twitter.
"Today is a great day to lend a hand," the VMA-nominated singer tweeted on Thursday. "Everyone do 1 nice thing today 4 someone and tweet what you did. Let's make god smile."
Of course, Bieber's fans know the pop star is fond of throwing water balloons in his free time. Back in June, his opening act Jessica Jarrell explained that she was prepared to take him on.
"He's a goofball. We're always pulling pranks on each other," she explained. "Actually, I'll tell you a secret: Him and his dancers, his side of the people, they walk around with water guns and water balloons and you know we're gonna have a war. We're gonna have a water gun war, which is going to be fun."
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Lady Gaga, Beyonce Collabos Score Loads Of VMA Nods'Telephone' and 'Video Phone' both earned multiple nominations.
By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga in the "Video Phone" video
Photo: Columbia/Music World
Lady Gaga and Beyoncé have hooked up on two multi-VMA-nominated videos: the epic combo of "Video Phone" and "Telephone." The bottom line is, when Gaga calls B, she answers, and vice versa. And the VMAs are big fans of their team-ups.
Gaga and Beyoncé first paired up for B's "Video Phone," an ode to sexting. For the clip, B embraced a number of pinup-girl looks, and Gaga embraced a more Beyoncé look, complete with white bodysuit and loose waves. The video, directed by the legendary Hype Williams, was really all about Beyoncé -- and, that was Gaga's intention.
"I said, 'I want to do you in your video, and I want to tribute you. I want to dress up like you,' " Gaga recalled telling her co-star. "And Hype Williams ... was so excited. He was like, 'Gaga, I want no makeup on your face.' It was really It was really stripped-down — real Beyoncé hair, and we wore the same outfit in the video, and I [paid tribute to] her.
"What I was excited about is, with B, I had no ego," Gaga explained further. "Neither of us had an ego. It wasn't about competition. It was about, like, 'Man, let's give the world what they want. Let's do a real girl-power collaboration where we support one another.' "
The ladies didn't end the girl-power antics there. Beyoncé paid Gaga back by appearing on her anti-phone club anthem "Telephone." "Something that I have or fear is never being able to enjoy myself," Gaga said about the track. "That's my fear — that the phone's ringing and my head's ringing. Whether it's a telephone or it's just the thoughts in your head, that's another fear."
For the video, Gaga brought B into her dark, cartoon-like world. The video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, sees Gaga and Beyoncé as a Tarantino-tinged Thelma and Louise, seeking revenge against evil beaus. And while Gaga paid tribute to B when she appeared in the "Video Phone" video, she made sure Beyoncé embraced all things Gaga for her video.
"The video, in a lot of ways, is more about [Beyoncé] even than it is about me," Gaga said of the collaboration. "It was sort of a pop-art venture for me to bring her into my world. In a way, the video is an attempt for her and I to erase pop music as we know it up until this very point. It's meant to change the perspective of the world on what a pop-music video should be, and she's kind of the vehicle for that. In reality, more people around the world are familiar with her aesthetics than they are with mine. It was something for me to kind of change the way that you see her for one video."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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'Dancing With The Stars' Leaves Audrina Patridge 'Sore'She still has difficulty 'going through the entire routine without stopping, because you run out of breath,' she says.
By Kelley L. Carter
Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani
Photo: ABC
With just two weeks until the new season of "Dancing With the Stars" premieres, could Audrina Patridge be ready to head for the hills already?
No, but mastering the dance steps and learning an entire routine for the show sure is challenging, the "Hills" alum told Us Weekly. "My legs are so sore!"
The 11th season premieres September 20, and Patridge, 25, is paired up with pro Tony Dovolani. Other celebs she'll be competing against this season include Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Bristol Palin, Brandy, David Hasselhoff, Florence Henderson, Jennifer Grey, Michael Bolton, Margaret Cho, Rick Fox and Kurt Warner.
Patridge also told the magazine that she still has difficulty "going through the entire routine without stopping, because you run out of breath. It's like, 'I don't know if I can stand this for 15 more hours!' I'm really hard on myself. I'd rather just keep going and going and going instead of taking a break."
The work may be challenging, but there's a reward, she's discovering. "My calves and my legs are really getting tighter," she said.
As for how she's really holding up? Dovolani said she's a force to be reckoned with. "Right now she's her own competition — she pushes herself to the end," Dovolani told the magazine.
When MTV News caught up with Patridge last month, she raved about Dovolani. "He is amazing," she said. "He's such a great teacher. He's very professional, and we have a lot of fun together. It's really fun. I look forward to going to rehearsal every day."
Are you rooting for Audrina on "DWTS"? Let us know in the comments!
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Paris Hilton Blasts Paparazzi In Maui'I flew to Hawaii to relax and get some privacy and they won't stop,' socialite tweets.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Paris Hilton
Photo: Getty Images
After her recent drug bust, which sparked a media frenzy and apparently cost her boyfriend his job, it's not surprising Paris Hilton retreated to Hawaii for some time out of the limelight. But being Paris Hilton usually means it's hard to shake the spotlight, and the socialite lamented being flanked by throngs of overzealous photogs while on vacation.
"The paparazzi have been out of control in Maui," Hilton tweeted on Thursday (September 9). "We had to call the cops because they have been trespassing on our property all week trying to get shots. As well as chasing our car wherever we go and almost running other cars off the road. It's not only invasive and annoying, but dangerous as well."
Hilton was spotted in Hawaii on Labor Day weekend and, judging by the rest of her Twitter feed, the starlet kept things low-key, opting for movie nights and breezy surf rock instead of flashy nights on the town. But the socialite's recent legal troubles appear to still be plaguing Hilton, who blasted the proliferation of rumors she feels have spiked since her arrest.
"I flew to Hawaii to relax and get some privacy and they won't stop," Hilton wrote to her followers. "I am so sick of them and all these ridiculous rumors people are inventing, it's disgusting and very hurtful."
Hilton also slammed rumormongers last week, tweeting, "These rumors going around are so ridiculous, untrue and cruel. I'm not going to even pay attention to them, because I know the truth."
Hilton was charged with felony cocaine possession days after police say they found .8 grams of cocaine in her purse following a traffic stop on the Las Vegas Strip. The heiress has claimed the bag, and its contents, didn't belong to her. Hilton is due back in Vegas for an October 27 court date. If convicted, the socialite could face anything from probation to four years in jail.
In addition to her current legal troubles, Hilton once served a 23-day prison sentence in 2007 for violating probation stemming from a DUI bust the year before.
What do you think about Paris Hilton's recent tweets? Sound off in the comments below!
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Florence And The Machine Promise Flowers, Explosions For VMAsFlorence Welch says she'll try to re-create the 'chaos' of her 'Dog Days Are Over' video this Sunday.
By James Montgomery
Florence and the Machine's Florence Welch and MTV News' James Montgomery
Photo: MTV News
On Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards, multiple nominees Florence and the Machine will take the stage for their biggest U.S. performance to date. It's a huge opportunity for the U.K.-based critical darlings, who are only just starting their push here in the States. So just what can VMA viewers expect? Well, from what we can gather, there will definitely be machinery of some sort. And perhaps explosions too. Oh, and maybe even some floral arranging?
Machine mastermind Florence Welch wasn't about to reveal all the band's secret plans for Sunday night, but she did let MTV News in on a few bits of information.
"The machine for the actual show is something kind of different — the machine is never supposed to be the band. ... It's kind of everything and nothing; I can't explain it," she smiled. "But for the performance it's going to be something quite ... I don't want to give too much away, but it's going to be big."
Welch also confirmed that the Machine will be performing their much-nominated "Dog Days Are Over" (which is up for four awards, including Best Rock Video and Video of the Year), and that their VMA setup will match the kinetic feel of the clip. Within reason, of course.
"What we're trying to do is kind of encapsulate the video into a live performance," Welch said. "There's a lot of different characters in the video, and so I'm going to be trying to bring some of that. It's just about the energy of the song, for me. It's sort of energy and chaos. There's people, like, actually physically exploding in the video, and hopefully that won't happen. If everyone's really into it, that's fine with me, but we haven't planned it."
Sounds like things may get messy on Sunday night. But explosions aren't the only thing Welch is promising during the show. In a nod to her live sets (where she covers her mic stand in bouquets), she's also going to adorn the VMA stage in flowers. We think.
"Basically, the whole thing is just me arranging flowers, and then a load of people around me spontaneous combust, and that it's it," Welch laughed. "It's going to be great."
The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday.
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B.o.B Recalls Hustling Candy On 'When I Was 17''I had a bookbag with no books in it — just Kit Kats,' MC says on Saturday's episode
By Mawuse Ziegbe
B.o.B
Photo: MTV News
B.o.B is one of the most high-profile faces in the Grand Hustle fold, second only to fellow ATL rhyme-slinger T.I. It appears that even before he inked a label deal, the MC always maintained a hustler's spirit. On the latest episode of "When I Was 17," which premieres Saturday at 11 a.m., the MTV VMA nominee describes how he pushed sweets to his fellow high-schoolers for extra cash.
"I had a hustler mentality. One day, I was looking at the vending machine in my high school cafeteria, and I remember thinking, 'I can do better than that vending machine,' " the lyricist recalls. "So, I went to Sam's Club and got the industrial-size box. I got what the vending machine didn't have, or what they always ran out of, and I would go to school [and] sell candy."
The budding rapper did good business, too. Staying stocked with treats for sugar-lovin' students, Bobby Ray got a hands-on — and lucrative — lesson in applied economics.
"You can get 36 candy bars for about $12, and those 36 candy bars would get you anywhere from $18 to $24. So, you just double your profit," B.o.B remembers of his candy-peddling payoff. "I had a bookbag with no books in it — just Kit Kats."
B.o.B and his buddy Stephen remember that the then-rising MC maintained a broad inventory of snacks that kept his customers coming back.
"He sold Starbursts," Stephen says.
"Rice Krispie treats," B.o.B adds.
Stephen: "Pixy Stix." B.o.B: "Hot Cheetos."
"M&M's, whether they were peanut or without peanut," Stephen recalls.
Eventually, B.o.B's customers were trained to think of the teen entrepreneur whenever they needed a sugar fix.
"People get used to buying it," B.o.B explains. "They're like, 'Hold on. It's 12:45 and I don't have my Kit Kat. What's going on?' "
"When I Was 17" — this week featuring B.o.B, Usher and Ne-Yo — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV.
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Britney Spears' Ex-Bodyguard Must Prove Ongoing Harassment, Expert SaysAttorney Michael Bononi explains that the burden is on Fernando Flores to prove his hostile work environment.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Britney Spears
Photo: Pacific Coast News
After mounting a successful comeback and maintaining a relatively low profile in the press for the past year, Britney Spears is now dealing with another bout of disturbing claims regarding her personal life.
On Wednesday, Spears' former bodyguard, Fernando Flores, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit alleging that the singer made multiple unwelcome passes at him, exposed herself on numerous occasions and engaged in sex in front of her two young sons. A post on Spears' site denied the allegations.
The accusations are harsh, however, according to a legal expert, it's up to Flores to provide the evidence.
"What he's gonna have to show in making these allegations is that he was subjected to a hostile work environment, and it's gonna have to be hostile in two ways: one, that a reasonable person similarly situated would have been offended by the conduct and secondly that he was actually offended by the conduct," Michael Bononi, a partner at Bononi Law Group in Los Angeles, told MTV News.
Bononi, who has worked for castmembers of "Desperate Housewives," is not involved in Spears' case, though has represented both sides in sexual harassment cases. He said juries typically look for material evidence, in the form of official complaints or concerns voiced to friends, that indicates wrongdoing on the defendant's part.
"What courts and what juries look [for] is: Did he act consistently with the way you would expect someone to act who was actually offended by this type of conduct? In other words, did he make complaints? Did he tell her to stop? Did he talk to his friends and colleagues?" Bononi said. "Is there corroboration that at the time this was happening it was actually bothering him, and are people going to come forward and be able to testify that at the time this stuff was transpiring, he was talking to them about it, talking about how offended if, at all, he was?"
The suit states that Flores reported an incident in which Spears called him up to her room "for no other purpose or reason than to expose her naked or near naked body to Plaintiff." According to the suit, Flores' supervisor, Josh McMahan, shrugged off the incident, saying, "You know you liked it." Flores also apparently voiced his issues several times, but "his complaints were ignored or mocked, and no action was taken to rectify the situation."
Bononi described California's sexual harassment laws as "employee-friendly," noting that there is no cap on punitive damages. However, the onus is still on Flores to demonstrate the extent to which his experience with Spears affected him.
"That's the big hurdle that he's gonna have to get over: How offensive was this to him?" he said. "From what I've read ... if it's that she's walked around him nude a few times and similar things, I haven't read anything where she's demanding sex or anything along those lines."
Bononi also noted that as member of a superstar's security detail, Flores was likely prepped for challenging and intense situations. "As far as the salacious nature of these allegations, he's a bodyguard ... how offended was he if the conduct that he's talking about is truthful. How injured is he? It's hard to believe that he's scarred from seeing her in her room a few times."
Bononi mentioned that Spears' celebrity may work against her if she has actually crossed any boundaries. The high-profile nature of the case would likely spur others to come forward if the singer has a history of inappropriate behavior with her employees.
"The celebrity status, where it can really have an impact on these cases, is if she has engaged in similar sort of conduct with other people in the past, this provides ... an avenue for them to come forward and say, 'Look what happened to me,' " Bononi said. "The celebrity status really does encourage people to come forward that have seen some of this or have experienced similar sort of stuff in the past from Britney if she has in fact done it."
While Spears' past troubles may inform public opinion, Bononi said her previous personal issues or the fact that she makes a living touring the world, touting an ultra-sexy image, shouldn't factor into the sexual harassment case.
"There's nothing in her past that I'm aware of that has anything to do with sexual harassment of employees," Bononi said. "It should not be held against her. It makes her an easy target for these types of allegations."
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