You mad, Mitt Money? Mitt Romney Skips President Obama Inauguration To Stay Home Former failed Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is apparently still licking his salty wounds from the L that he took in November. While Mitt’s Vice Presidential hopeful candidate counterpart was among the crowd in Washington, DC for the newly reelected President Obama’s Inaugural ceremony and festivities earlier today, Mitt wasn’t even in the vicinity……..nor did he plan to watch it on television. via MSNBC It’s chilly on the Capitol steps today, but that’s no problem for Mitt Romney. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney on election night in Boston. He is spending inauguration day in La Jolla, Calif., according to an aide. The former Republican presidential contender is spending Inauguration Day at his home in La Jolla, Calif., where it’s sunny with a forecasted high of 73 degrees. An aide told NBC News that the former Massachusetts governor and his wife have “no big plans.” Asked if the governor was likely to watch the inaugural ceremonies today, the aide said, “Doubtful.” Stay classy, Mitt.
Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson, her fiance and the father of her child(ren), are reportedly at odds, and the source of the friction may surprise you: Joe Simpson. It’s not anything that Joe’s done – at least to them – that has the couple arguing, but rather her treatment of the elder Simpson in the last six months. Jessica wants nothing to do with Joe, 54, after his marriage to her mom Tina fell apart and he was rumored to be involved in a series of gay trysts. Is Joe Simpson gay ? That has not been confirmed, but Eric feels that Jessica has treated her dad unfairly in any case, and that has caused a rift. Eric, 33, believes deep down that Joe is a good person, and he thinks he’s being unjustly shunned, resulting in considerable friction with Jessica, 32. “Jessica and Eric were constantly arguing about Joe while in Hawaii,” a source close to the couple, who recently confirmed her second pregnancy, says. “It’s something they can’t see eye-to-eye on, and it really spoiled the trip for a lot of family members who felt uncomfortable in their presence.” “Jessica is still keeping Joe at an arms-length following news of the scandal and she can’t manage to forgive him yet for what she did to Tina.” “She just doesn’t want anything to do with him right now.” Eric however, “really thinks she’s being too hard on Joe. In his eyes he’s a decent man who made a terrible mistake and should be given another chance.” However, “Jessica countered that Eric doesn’t know Joe the way she does, and if Joe continues to be in their life he will destroy what they have.” “In what was supposed to be a relaxing time for the pair of them actually turned out to be more stressful,” the source divulges of the pair’s vacation. It was, by any measure, a tumultuous 2012 for Joe. Jessica’s former manager was implicated in gay sex scandals and split from his wife of 34 years. He has been linked to aspiring model Bryce Chandler Hill and male escort Joey Anderson . Both alleged paramours are considerably younger than he. Joe Simpson: Gay? Yes No How would I know?!? View Poll »
In Catching Fire , Finnick Odair is described as extraordinarily confident and attractive. He beds ladies in the Capitol, he wears very little clothing, he handles a trident like a champion. But in light of Entertainment Weekly giving fans their first look at Sam Claflin in this role, many have voiced their complaints online, most of which go something like this: YECH! Having hoped for a well-known Hollywood beefcake such as Ryan Gosling or Channing Tatum to take on the character, Hunger Games lovers are going off to Yahoo. “I personally don’t think he is hot ENOUGH to be Finnick,” writes a user named Macey. “He’s hot, sure, just not the ‘ Finnick hot ‘ impression you get from reading the book.” So let the debate commence, THGers: is Sam Claflin hot enough to portray Finnick Odair? Yes, hubba hubba! Not even close! Eh, he’ll do View Poll »
Drake, Rihanna and Katy Perry lead the charge going into the September 6 awards show. By Gil Kaufman Katy Perry in her “Wide Awake” music video Photo: Capitol
‘I think he’s going to do great,’ Banks tells MTV News of Francis Lawrence. By Kara Warner Elizabeth Banks Photo: MTV News Although “The Hunger Games” has been out in theaters for well over a month now, the $600 million behemoth is still making headlines via box-office records , a director change-up and casting speculation — not to mention the fact that the crowd-pleaser is set to make a fine showing at our 2012 MTV Movie Awards with its eight nominations . When MTV News caught up with castmember Elizabeth Banks recently as she promoted her latest movie, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” we asked for an update on the “Catching Fire” casting rumors, as well as her thoughts on new director Francis Lawrence. More specifically, though, is there room in “Fire” for her “Expecting” husband Ben Falcone (of “Bridesmaids” fame)? “Yes, he’s Finnick,” Effie Trinket herself joked. “I’m here to announce that he’s replacing President Snow.” “Right,” agreed Falcone. “Yes.” “You are the new president of the Capitol,” she informed her co-star. “Yes. No thanks, Donald Sutherland,” Falcone joked of the actual President Snow. Getting serious for a second, we then asked Banks what she thinks of Lawrence taking over directorial duties on the film’s sequel, “Catching Fire.” “[I’m] very excited. I mean, I can’t wait,” Banks said. “I haven’t met him, but we’ll see. I think he’s going to do great.” Banks’ fellow “Hunger Games” co-stars Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth have also weighed in on their new director, echoing Banks’ excitement. “Francis is extremely talented, and everyone I’ve talked to says he’s the best guy in the world,” Hutcherson said. “So I think he’s going to bring a lot.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .
Because despite all indications otherwise , Gary Ross has reportedly walked away from Lionsgate’s blockbuster sequel Catching Fire . Let’s come up with plan B! Via The Playlist : Though recent trade reports have spun the story as being an issue mostly about money, that’s pretty much a small part of the motivation. Ross has never been a filmmaker that repeats himself (going from satire in Pleasantville to horse racing drama in Seabiscuit and action in Hunger Games ) and we’re told the burning desire simply isn’t there to spend another couple of years with Katniss in the Capitol (evidently, he also liked the first book best). And while the lowball salary offer probably didn’t help, Ross already has a fairly lucrative career as a screenwriter (and rewriter) and money isn’t really the issue. Simply put, the filmmaker is looking to change things up for this next effort. Mazel tov, Gary Ross. But damn this creative vacuum. Who to call on as his replacement? What’s that guy who made Safe House up to next? My money’s on him. Or Paul Greengrass. The shakier the camera, the better. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
This just in from CheapOair , offering travel deals to the Charlotte, NC area that played host to the Hunger Games production. “Visit the DuPont State Recreational Forest (also known as the arena in the movie) where you can find a dramatic landscape of waterfalls, hideaway lakes, streams and pines, as well as the spot where Peeta camouflaged himself in the movie, and traces of the pyrotechnics from the fireball sequence.” While you’re at it, how’s about a lovely spring picnic on the site where children lost their lives fighting to the death in the movie? Sign me up! But wait, there’s more! “Next on your itinerary you can make a night out of Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood which is home to artsy galleries, bars and restaurants, as well as the spots where the Hunger Games cast spent their nights out. Barnardsville also hosts a Navitat Canopy Tour, which is home to one of the many ziplines in Western North Carolina. Close by this stop, pre-game scenes with Katniss and Gale were filmed in Pisgah National Forest.” Ah, yes. For just a few hundred dollars you can sit in the woods where Katniss and Peeta pondered their escape from the living fascist nightmare that is the Capitol on Reaping Day! Unfortunately, the CheapO deals seem to offer hotel and airfare only ($717 for 4 nights from NYC! $561 for 3 nights from LA!) and aren’t a part of a coordinated Hunger Games tour, which of course do exist. Pure Vida Adventures offers a day-long Hunger Games Survival School for just $150 that “focuses primarily on the nonviolent survival skills including fire and shelter building, knot tying, snares, off trail travel, and navigation.” And for a more immersive experience, you can pay $389 to Hunger Games Fan Tours to spend the weekend divided into “districts,” get trained in archery, sling-shots, camouflaging, and sling-shots, and zip line through the trees at night to feel just like Katniss and Rue before testing your skills against the other tributes. (Sans battle royale, I’m assuming.) It’s only a matter of time before some enterprising hotelier in North Carolina gets the idea to open a Hunger Games -themed establishment, a la Twilight . Perhaps decorated in the sparse, coal-mining shanty chic of the Everdeen home?
We can’t help but look forward to the next film based on Suzanne Collins’ best-sellers. By Kara Warner Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutchenson Photo: WireImage While we’d love to take some more time to bask in the glow of just-released box-office champ “The Hunger Games,” it’s time to move on to the sequel and start pondering and overanalyzing everything about “Catching Fire” . Here are our five burning questions (minor spoilers ahead for those who haven’t yet read the book — hurry up and get to it, people!): When Will Gary Ross Officially Sign On to Direct? By all accounts, this question has already been answered behind closed doors in some fancy studio room somewhere but has not been announced to the general public. As of now, Gary Ross is attached to direct “Catching Fire,” which, in “Hollywood speak,” means he’s still trying to work out the details with his agents and the studio. We’re pretty optimistic that he’ll return, though, because he’s offered up some very specific details about his plans for it. When and Where Will Filming Take Place? Come on, Lionsgate, you’ve already announced the release date for “Catching Fire.” When will you announce the production start date? Time is ticking! Those of us who’ve read the book know there are Games afoot but of a completely different nature. Ross told MTV News that he has some specific ideas about how to shoot in/on a tropical location but wouldn’t expand upon them beyond teasing the tone of the second film. “It will look and feel slightly different from the first,” he said before adding that he can guarantee one thing: “Catching Fire” will not be in 3-D. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for this film. If we shoot in 3-D, we become the Capitol,” he said. Who Will play Finnick Odair? Much like the hullabaloo that surrounded the casting of Katniss, Peeta and Gale, fans are very invested in who will play hunky-yet-surprisingly-complex victor Finnick Odair. The list of fan hopefuls is all over the place and includes Armie Hammer, Alex Pettyfer, Garrett Hedlund, Hunter Parrish and YouTube star Joey Graceffa. (This writer would very much like for relatively unknown Benjamin Stone to be in the mix . See his work on “The Nine Lives of Chloe King” for proof.) Will Kristen Bell’s Campaigning Pay Off? In addition to charming us into total adoration via the release of her slightly embarrassing sloth video , Kristen Bell has not been shy about her love of “The Hunger Games.” The admitted superfan has launched her very own campaign of sorts to be cast as kick-ass District 7 champ Johanna Mason. Only time will tell to see if she gets her shot. We think she at least deserves an audition, don’t you? Which Scene Will Be the Most Swoon-Worthy? The greater messages in “The Hunger Games” are about survival and independence and freedom. However, we can’t help it if there are also several swoon-worthy scenes that we can’t wait to see played out onscreen between Katniss and Peeta and Gale. Speaking to “Catching Fire,” what will make us melt in our seats most? That “beach scene” between Katniss and Peeta or Katniss and Gale’s emotional exchange after he’s severely beaten and recovering at her mother’s house? Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos Live From ‘The Hunger Games’ Red Carpet Premiere Talk Nerdy MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence Related Photos Inside ‘The Hunger Games’ Capitol ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Hits NYC
We recognize the big-screen adaptation’s time constraints, but we missed these moments from the book. By Fallon Prinzivalli Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate Translating a novel into a Hollywood blockbuster is not an easy task. Since there is limited time, a lot of the juicy tidbits get lost in translation. With a book as popular as “The Hunger Games,” fan criticism lurks at every turn and the screenwriters are careful to include as many of the beloved scenes as possible. Luckily, the adaptation of the book to the big screen left this weekend’s moviegoers extremely pleased. While we are understanding of the time constraints — the movie is already over two hours — there were a few key “Hunger Games” book scenes we would have loved to see in the film. Wanna win a Hunger Games special edition HP laptop from MTV News? Click here to enter! For those of you who have yet to read the book, there are spoilers ahead. (Also, what are you waiting for?! If you enjoyed the movie, the book will fill in all the missing details.) From Haymitch’s drunken fall to District 11’s respect for Katniss to Katniss’ fight to get back to Peeta, here are our picks for the five key scenes from the book not in the movie: Haymitch Falling Offstage at the Reaping From the start of the Reaping scene with Prim stopped dead in her tracks to the end when Katniss is escorted to her holding room, the audience is left shaking in their seats. Katniss volunteering in place of Prim saw quite a few audience members already in tears too. In the novel, before Effie begins her infamous “Happy Hunger Games!” speech, there is a quick scene where Haymitch is so drunk he falls off the stage. It adds a little comic relief to his introduction, but it also sets up the mentor’s troubled state and shows the effect the Games had on him years later as a grown man. Peeta’s Father Bringing Katniss Cookies In the book, before Katniss and Peeta board the train for the Capitol, Katniss gets a surprise visitor: Peeta’s dad, the District 12 baker, brings her a plate of cookies and informs her that he’ll make sure Prim is eating. It’s a touching gesture that confuses Katniss at first. She is familiar with Mr. Mellark because he buys the squirrels she hunts in the woods, but he has no obligation to her or her family. Katniss comes to believe it is because everyone merely tolerates her but they cannot help but love innocent, friendly Prim. The scene sets the audience up for Katniss’ distrust of Peeta throughout the book. District 11 Sending Katniss Bread The District 11 uprising after Rue’s death in the movie adaptation is absent from the novel. In lieu of this scene, Katniss is sent a sponsor gift containing a loaf of bread. During their training before the Games, Peeta explained to Katniss the different types of bread in each district, and Katniss immediately recognizes the loaf as coming from District 11. In recognition of the gift, she says a thank you to the district out loud. While the movie scene shows the power Katniss already possesses against the Capitol, the book scene slowly sets up the other districts’ willingness to trust her. Katniss Telling Peeta the Story of Prim’s Goat While Katniss attempts to nurse Peeta back to health — to no avail, as his leg gets worse — a feverish Peeta asks her to tell him a story. Knowing that the Capitol and Gamemakers are listening to every word, she leaves out the details of her and Gale hunting in the woods and tells him the story of how she bought Prim’s goat, Lady. After selling a young buck at the Hob, Katniss has enough money to buy Prim a nice birthday present. She passes on a hairbrush and cloth for a dress in favor of an injured goat. Prim loves animals, and with her mother’s help, they were able to nurse Lady back to health. The milk from the goat helped the Everdeens survive after their father’s death. Katniss’ ability to open up to Peeta adds to the love-triangle dynamic. The more Katniss reveals about herself to Peeta, the more she starts to care for him and vice versa, whereas Gale was around to experience these moments with her. Katniss Screaming for Peeta After the Games One of the more powerful scenes in the book comes when Katniss and Peeta are airlifted out of the arena and onto a hover craft. Katniss sees Peeta being taken away, but at the time, she is unaware of the reason. As they are separated, Katniss begins pounding on a glass door while screaming Peeta’s name. While the audience is left to wonder whether Katniss is really in love with Peeta, this scene shows that, regardless of whether it was all an act, she cares about him. Later on, this scene is replayed in front of the Capitol during an interview with Caesar Flickerman and shows that the star-crossed-lovers act just might save her life — at least for now. What did you think of The Hunger Games? Give us your review on Facebook ! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos The Hunger Games
‘I love working with the ‘Jackass’ crew — just fun all day,’ Jasper Dolphin tells ‘RapFix Live’ working on OF’s new show ‘Loiter Squad.’ By Rob Markman Odd Future on “RapFix Live” Photo: MTV News Apparently music isn’t enough for the Odd Future Wolf Gang collective. Only days after OFWGKTA released their The OF tape, Vol. 2, the crew is getting set to terrorize television sets with their new sketch comedy series “Loiter Squad” on Cartoon Network. The show is set to premier March 25 at 11:30 p.m. ET during Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block. The show centers primarily on OF de facto leader Tyler, the Creator, Jasper Dolphin, Taco and Lionel Boyce. Fans can expect to see familiar characters like Thurnis Haley, the golf-loving whack job that Tyler played to promote his 2011 Goblin album. “Thurnis gonna be on there, he got a couple of skits, but it’s mostly about me, though,” Jasper said jokingly when the crew appeared on “RapFix Live” on Wednesday .”It’s like what I do on my day. I wake up, I take a shower, I eat and then you see them in the background.” To put the show together, the Wolf Gang hooked up with Dickhouse Productions, the same company responsible for MTV’s hit series “Jackass.” “When we went to Cartoon Network, they contacted them to do the show for us,” Lionel said of how Dickhouse and Odd Future crew hooked up. One could only imagine the antics that occurred on set, though OF would only say that they had a good time putting the show together. “I love working with the ‘Jackass’ crew just fun all day,” Jasper said before calling on all of the group’s fans to tune in. “Watch me on TV; I need the money.” Are you planning on watching “Loiter Squad”? Let us know in the comments section! Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ Has An Odd Future Related Artists Odd Future
