‘Wayne was a student in my dojo before,’ Mystikal tells Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman, with reporting by James “FLX” Smith Lil Wayne Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images Celebrity Favorites: Mystikal Since Mystikal’s been gone , a lot has changed on hip-hop’s playing field. In 2004, when Mystikal was locked up on sexual battery and extortion charges, Jay-Z was fresh off his “retirement,” Kanye West was just beginning his rookie year in rap and Lil Wayne was getting set to drop the first album in his now-famed Tha Carter series. Now, Kanye and Jay are the Throne and both enjoy veteran rap status, and Lil Wayne is sitting on top of the world. Mystikal recalls his fellow New Orleans rapper’s come-up and can’t help but feel a bit responsible for the growth. “Wayne was a student in my dojo before. I was a sensei before. I had big inspiration on him,” Mystikal said of the younger Weezy. “It’s gratifying to see him reach the heights that he reached with his hustle. So I’m proud of him.” Mystikal, who turned 41 last week, has a catalog of rap classics. Songs like “Shake Ya Ass” and “Danger” helped shine hip-hop’s light on his native New Orleans and the artists who hail from the Louisiana city. Still, the Tarantula isn’t content with his past hits. He has recently been in the studio with producer Mannie Fresh, cooking up a new batch of material. So how will this new Mystikal fit into hip-hop’s current landscape? “Just another option, just give them another option,” Mystikal told Mixtape Daily of what he hopes to offer to rap fans. “All the marquee artists are who they are; I don’t have to say no names. [The fans] just ready for more options, they ready for some other big cards to play. Trust me!” For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists Lil Wayne Mystikal
Can the album that changed everything change it again? Bigger Than the Sound looks back. By James Montgomery Kurt Cobain Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images Here’s an abbreviated list of everything that’s happened in my life in the 20 years since Nirvana ‘s Nevermind was released : graduated middle school, started wearing thrift-store corduroys, got my learner’s permit, lost my virginity, got my driver’s license, got in several accidents, named All-County keeper in the Central Florida High School Lacrosse League (two times), graduated high school, started smoking clove cigarettes, had an ill-fated long-distance relationship and an even iller-fated run in a community-college film program, moved out to attend “real college,” spent six years doing anything but , slept on a futon in Burbank, attempted to use a 9/11 to reconnect with my ex-girlfriend, experienced shame from that attempt, moved to New York City, had dark times (aside from the Red Sox ’04 and ’07 World Series wins), met a girl, fell in love, got engaged in Reykjavik, got married in Dublin, recently discovered small black hairs growing on my earlobes. Of course, reading back over all that, none of it makes me feel nearly as old as the fact that, on Saturday, Nevermind will officially turn 20. Because as a kid who was alive and kicking during that era when all of a sudden “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was everywhere and Nirvana were the biggest thing in the world (or at least the suburbs), I can tell you that it seemed impossible that this music would ever age; mostly because everything about it seemed so of the moment, so important, so young. That was, in part, due to everything Kurt Cobain was (unwillingly) on his way to becoming: an outsider icon, a generational symbol, maybe even a musical messiah. Like I wrote a few years back, on the 15th anniversary of Cobain’s death , he represented truth and the honor that came with never compromising. He had made it on his terms, and he was going to lift us all up with him. That’s the kind of stuff you believe in when you’re too young to know better. Mostly, it was because Nevermind ripped up the mainstream and instantaneously made everything else out there seem pass
‘I don’t have a clear answer,’ guitarist Dan Donegan says about the band’s future. By James Montgomery Disturbed’s David Draiman and Dan Donegan Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images After more than a decade together and some 13 million albums sold, Chicago heavy hitters Disturbed are preparing for an “indefinite hiatus,” according to frontman David Draiman. Draiman announced the news on his Twitter account , in response to a fan’s question about rumors that the band was breaking up. And while he admitted that he has no idea what Disturbed’s long-term plans are, their immediate future is pretty clear: “We haven’t said that were breaking up. We simply do not know yet,” Draiman wrote. “All I can say is we are going on an indefinite hiatus.” He added that he “can’t really get into the reasons” why Disturbed were planning on taking a break, and wrote , simply, “Let’s just say it’s time.” Draiman was equally mysterious about his future plans, writing that even if he wasn’t singing with the band, he would “always be involved in music on some level.” Disturbed are currently touring North America with Godsmack and Megadeth on the 2011 Mayhem Festival, which wraps August 14 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida. They have a handful of South American dates scheduled for the end of the month, and then, as Draiman put it , the band is “done.” A spokesperson for the band could not be reached for comment by press time. In an interview with Dallas radio station KEGL on Wednesday, Disturbed guitarist Dan Donegan clarified Draiman’s remarks, saying, “Ever since the start of this band, we’ve always had a game plan of what comes next after each thing. So it’s always been ‘write, record, tour, let’s go home for a month, let’s start writing again, do the same thing all over again.’ … This time around, we just haven’t really gotten to those discussions yet. We know that we’re coming to the end of this touring cycle and we just haven’t planned on what we wanna do next.” And, much like his frontman, Donegan didn’t seem to have an idea about just when (or if) Disturbed would ever play together again, but added that the focus right now is to end things on a high note. “I don’t have a clear answer [about the band’s future], because I’m not sure where everybody’s head’s at at the moment other than we’re having a great time out on tour, we’re going out big, we’re carrying big production, we wanna end this on a big note,” he said. “I think we’re not ready to sit down and have the discussions of when we wanna get back together or if we’re gonna. So we’re kind of winging it.” Disturbed formed in Chicago in the late 1990s and broke through to the mainstream with bludgeoning hits like “Stupify” and “Down With the Sickness.” They have released five studio albums, the last four of which — 2002’s Believe, ’05’s Ten Thousand Fists, ’08’s Indestructible and last year’s Asylum — each debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. Sound off about Disturbed’s “indefinite hiatus” in the comments below. Related Artists Disturbed
Viewers make special a Twitter trend and demand its release on iTunes. By Rob Markman Lil Wayne performs on “Unplugged” Photo: Frank Micelotta/MTV/PictureGroup Lil Wayne may have been out at Miami’s Liv nightclub on Sunday (June 12) celebrating the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA championship , but his fans took to Twitter to celebrate Weezy. With all of their collective online efforts before, during and after the premiere of “MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged,” fans made “Lil Wayne Unplugged” a trending topic. ” ‘Lil Wayne Unplugged’ was the best thing I’ve ever watched on TV!! Hopefully there’s a DVD for it,” tweeted iReadWeezy. “I wish i was there (Lil Wayne Unplugged),” added @_BriRozay. The “Unplugged” special was broadcast simultaneously on MTV2, MTV and MTV.com Sunday night. And though that happened to be the same time the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in the championship-clinching game of the NBA Finals, fans managed to watch as Weezy tore through hits like “A Milli,” “Fireman,” a cover of Tupac’s “Hail Mary,” “6 Foot 7 Foot” and his latest, “Nightmares of the Bottom.” “Watching this Lil Wayne unplugged during halftime … pretty dope,” tweeted Question210. Others tuned in to the hour-long special in its entirety as they commented on Wayne’s set-list . For @dizturbdwun , he was particularly impressed when Birdman Jr. performed a mash-up of his Tha Carter IV single “How to Love” and his #1 hit “Lollipop”: “That’s tight how they blended ‘How to Love’ & ‘Lollipop’ on ‘Lil Wayne Unplugged.’ They need to release that to iTunes.” B32LLS is ready to purchase a retail version of Tunechi’s special as well. “I gotta buy the lil wayne unplugged that gotta hit stores asap,” he blasted out on Twitter . Some fans had to postpone their “Unplugged” viewing, however. In the comments of MTV News’ post-show recap , Emily Pearl Davis wrote, “Unfortunately, I missed the show, but after reading this, I know just how intense it was (of course)! Wayne’s a god.” She shouldn’t worry too much, though. “MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged” is available on-demand on MTV.com right now, and it re-airs on MTV2 on Monday (June 13) at 9 p.m. ET. What did you think of “MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged”? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos MTV2 Presents Unplugged Lil Wayne MTV News Extended Play: Lil Wayne Related Photos MTV2 Presents Unplugged Lil Wayne Related Artists Lil Wayne
Weezy debuts Tha Carter IV track ‘Nightmares of the Bottom’ during Sunday’s special. By Rob Markman Lil Wayne at his “Unplugged” performance Photo: Frank Micelotta/MTV/PictureGroup LL Cool J, Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill and now Lil Wayne . On Sunday (June 12), Weezy joined MTV’s “Unplugged” hip-hop ranks with a most energetic performance. Birdman Jr. took the stage wearing a black sweatshirt, black sunglasses and a red fitted baseball cap with a white button attached that read “Tunechi.” Backed by a full band, Wayne launched into his 2008 album cut “3 Peat” and then stopped to address the full-throated crowd. “If you got your Carter III album, make some noise,” Wayne said of his highly regarded record. From there, the New Orleans rapper jumped into spirited renditions of “Mr. Carter” from TCIII and then “Shoot Me Down.” Wayne, who was released from his eight-month prison bid last November, segued into his portion of Drake’s “Miss Me” with a heartfelt speech. “A few months ago, I was locked up and stuff,” Wayne began. “And it was people like y’all that made me feel like I wasn’t even there, so I really appreciate it.” After warming up, Weezy F. took off his sweatshirt, leaving on a white tee, then turned the heat up with an animated “A Milli” performance. With the energy steadily building, the Young Money CEO went into “Fireman” from Tha Carter II and then treated fans to something special: a cover of Tupac’s “Hail Mary.” Wayne focused particularly on ‘Pac’s second verse: “Penitentiaries is packed with promise makers, never realize the precious time that bitch n—as is wastin’,” he rapped to the crowd’s delight. Aside from the rap hits he is known for, Lil Tunechi visited his rocked-out Rebirth album and performed a spirited version of “Drop the World.” As Wayne delivered the song’s opening line, “I got ice in my veins, blood in my eyes,” he removed his shades to reveal his eyes and his emotion. From rock to pop, the self-proclaimed Best Rapper Alive mashed up his latest single, “How to Love,” with his 2009 #1 smash record “Lollipop.” The MC took the crowd to musical heights as he ran through his catalog of hits. One highlight in particular is when Wayne debuted “Nightmares of the Bottom,” a new track from his highly anticipated and oft-delayed Tha Carter IV album. The song, which details Wayne’s rise to the top and unwillingness to fail, was an immediate fan favorite as he rapped lines like “Don’t call me sir, call me survivor” and “Weezy F. Baby, and the ‘F’ ain’t for fear.” As the performance drew to a close, Wayne took off his shirt and let his hair loose before his band drummed up the beat to his Harry Belafonte-sampling cut “6 Foot, 7 Foot.” A loosened-up Weezy rapped each lyric with conviction before he brought out his Young Money signee Cory Gunz to deliver the track’s rapid-fire third and final verse. Cory quickly exited the stage, and in the end, Lil Wayne stood triumphant while the crowd applauded ferociously. Young Moola, baby! What was your favorite part of “MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged”? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lil Wayne Related Photos MTV2 Presents Unplugged Lil Wayne
In the first single off her upcoming album, B warns the haters that she’s in charge. By Jocelyn Vena Beyonce Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images Beyonc
Pia, Haley and Paul also rock the ‘Idol’ stage, while Stefano fails to make the grade. By Eric Ditzian Scotty McCreery performs on “American Idol” on Wednesday Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Fox The oddest thing about “American Idol” on Wednesday night wasn’t that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night was largely rock-and-roll free. No, what was truly weird was that producers seemed to be trying out a new reality-show concept on the program — some newfangled version of “Perfect Strangers” starring Jimmy Iovine and will.i.am as a bickering, kind-of-annoying, yet ultimately endearing twosome. Is it too much to ask that pre-performance packages focus on contestants rather than look-at-me producers/personalities? To the folks behind the “Idol” scenes, we offer a firm tsk-tsk-tsk. To the singers themselves, we send out our hearty congratulations. No one bombed. No one put us to sleep. Five weeks into the finals, we’re proud of these kids. Here’s how they stack up on our latest “American Idol” report card. Excellent Scotty McCreery : He Who Shall Soon Sell Millions of Records promised to transform himself into a rocker for an Elvis Presley cover, but Scotty couldn’t ditch his country vibe if he hopped in a Ferrari and floored it. During his honky-tonk take on “That’s All Right, Mama,” the 17-year-old was loosey-goosey and loving being up on the stage. Oh, and he sounded great, too — like a true country pro. Scotty’s starting to believe he might win this thing. He’s not wrong. Good Haley Reinhart : We don’t often see stuff like this, a contestant struggling at the bottom tier of the competition, only to rediscover her greatness after weeks of confusion and criticism. That’s exactly what’s happened with Haley, who followed up a killer take on Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” with an impressive cover of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.” What a muscular voice she has! Our only complaint is that we wish the arrangement had been more sparse, allowing her vocals to soar. Pia Toscano : We hated the cheesy synth chords in the background of that cover of Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High.” We didn’t think she looked all that comfortable scrambling around the stage. None of that, however, matters at all. Why? Because Pia has one of the finest voices we’ve heard on “Idol” in years. End of story. Paul McDonald : Who would have guessed that Paul, and not Scotty, would be the one singing Johnny Cash? Paul’s take on “Folsom City Blues” was good, clean, swinging fun. Playing the guitar rather than flippity-flopping all over the stage continues to pay dividends for him. We’re just not sure any of it will be enough to keep him out of the bottom three. And that’s a shame. Satisfactory Jacob Lusk : There was goofy dancing. There was oh-no-don’t-do-that hip thrusting. There were pitch problems as far as the eye could see. OK, fine. But the most galling aspect of Jacob’s night was his smug observation that if he landed in the bottom three, it’d have nothing to do with his singing but rather would be an indictment of America herself. Listen, Jacob, we’ll give you the same advice we gave James Durbin a few weeks ago: Be humble and be great, because on Wednesday, you were neither. Casey Abrams : The bushy beard was back, as were the zany stares when you can almost hear Casey thinking, “If I just keep squinting, I’ll totally look all sexy and stuff, right?” Wrong! We like Casey because he’s got a hefty serving of soul hiding inside an unlikely package. And, yes, we liked his faithful Creedence Clearwater Revival homage. He’s got undeniable musical talent. But Casey continues to fall into default growl mode too often, and we’re no longer buying what he’s selling: That ain’t originality we’re hearing, it’s a defense mechanism. Lauren Alaina : We’re reluctant to drop Lauren into this category. She performed far better than Jacob or Casey. Yet her take on “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” didn’t hold a candle to tunes from Haley or Pia. We were happy to hear her deliver a ballad, as we’ve continued to argue it’s during slower songs that she’s able to shine. But let’s be clear: This was nothing compared to the cover that Kelly Clarkson busted out years ago — a fact that makes the judges’ comparisons last month of Lauren to the season one winner all the more laughable. James Durbin : James, too, slips into “satisfactory” territory, if only because at this point in the season, the competition is stiff and the top tier set the bar so high on Wednesday. We give him a big thumbs-up for embracing some soft Beatles rock, even if we maintain “Hey Jude” would have been a savvier choice. And we’d even go so far as to say his screams actually worked this time, bringing a rousing conclusion to a somewhat sleepy tune. So what was James problem? He only seemed to hit, oh, a third of the notes in “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Unsatisfactory Stefano Langone : In the “Idol” audience, Christian Slater was clasping his hands, praying that Stefano would hit the money note on “When a Man Loves a Woman.” He didn’t, and he’s in serious danger of going home. The falsetto wasn’t there, nor was the sense that he’s not singing alone in his car but in front of millions of viewers at home. Stefano’s had a good and, one might argue, unlikely run. But heading out in the top nine seems about right. So how did you rate this week’s “Idol” performances? Share your opinions in the comments. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Pia, Haley and Paul also rock the ‘Idol’ stage, while Stefano fails to make the grade. By Eric Ditzian Scotty McCreery performs on “American Idol” on Wednesday Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Fox The oddest thing about “American Idol” on Wednesday night wasn’t that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night was largely rock-and-roll free. No, what was truly weird was that producers seemed to be trying out a new reality-show concept on the program — some newfangled version of “Perfect Strangers” starring Jimmy Iovine and will.i.am as a bickering, kind-of-annoying, yet ultimately endearing twosome. Is it too much to ask that pre-performance packages focus on contestants rather than look-at-me producers/personalities? To the folks behind the “Idol” scenes, we offer a firm tsk-tsk-tsk. To the singers themselves, we send out our hearty congratulations. No one bombed. No one put us to sleep. Five weeks into the finals, we’re proud of these kids. Here’s how they stack up on our latest “American Idol” report card. Excellent Scotty McCreery : He Who Shall Soon Sell Millions of Records promised to transform himself into a rocker for an Elvis Presley cover, but Scotty couldn’t ditch his country vibe if he hopped in a Ferrari and floored it. During his honky-tonk take on “That’s All Right, Mama,” the 17-year-old was loosey-goosey and loving being up on the stage. Oh, and he sounded great, too — like a true country pro. Scotty’s starting to believe he might win this thing. He’s not wrong. Good Haley Reinhart : We don’t often see stuff like this, a contestant struggling at the bottom tier of the competition, only to rediscover her greatness after weeks of confusion and criticism. That’s exactly what’s happened with Haley, who followed up a killer take on Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” with an impressive cover of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.” What a muscular voice she has! Our only complaint is that we wish the arrangement had been more sparse, allowing her vocals to soar. Pia Toscano : We hated the cheesy synth chords in the background of that cover of Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High.” We didn’t think she looked all that comfortable scrambling around the stage. None of that, however, matters at all. Why? Because Pia has one of the finest voices we’ve heard on “Idol” in years. End of story. Paul McDonald : Who would have guessed that Paul, and not Scotty, would be the one singing Johnny Cash? Paul’s take on “Folsom City Blues” was good, clean, swinging fun. Playing the guitar rather than flippity-flopping all over the stage continues to pay dividends for him. We’re just not sure any of it will be enough to keep him out of the bottom three. And that’s a shame. Satisfactory Jacob Lusk : There was goofy dancing. There was oh-no-don’t-do-that hip thrusting. There were pitch problems as far as the eye could see. OK, fine. But the most galling aspect of Jacob’s night was his smug observation that if he landed in the bottom three, it’d have nothing to do with his singing but rather would be an indictment of America herself. Listen, Jacob, we’ll give you the same advice we gave James Durbin a few weeks ago: Be humble and be great, because on Wednesday, you were neither. Casey Abrams : The bushy beard was back, as were the zany stares when you can almost hear Casey thinking, “If I just keep squinting, I’ll totally look all sexy and stuff, right?” Wrong! We like Casey because he’s got a hefty serving of soul hiding inside an unlikely package. And, yes, we liked his faithful Creedence Clearwater Revival homage. He’s got undeniable musical talent. But Casey continues to fall into default growl mode too often, and we’re no longer buying what he’s selling: That ain’t originality we’re hearing, it’s a defense mechanism. Lauren Alaina : We’re reluctant to drop Lauren into this category. She performed far better than Jacob or Casey. Yet her take on “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” didn’t hold a candle to tunes from Haley or Pia. We were happy to hear her deliver a ballad, as we’ve continued to argue it’s during slower songs that she’s able to shine. But let’s be clear: This was nothing compared to the cover that Kelly Clarkson busted out years ago — a fact that makes the judges’ comparisons last month of Lauren to the season one winner all the more laughable. James Durbin : James, too, slips into “satisfactory” territory, if only because at this point in the season, the competition is stiff and the top tier set the bar so high on Wednesday. We give him a big thumbs-up for embracing some soft Beatles rock, even if we maintain “Hey Jude” would have been a savvier choice. And we’d even go so far as to say his screams actually worked this time, bringing a rousing conclusion to a somewhat sleepy tune. So what was James problem? He only seemed to hit, oh, a third of the notes in “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Unsatisfactory Stefano Langone : In the “Idol” audience, Christian Slater was clasping his hands, praying that Stefano would hit the money note on “When a Man Loves a Woman.” He didn’t, and he’s in serious danger of going home. The falsetto wasn’t there, nor was the sense that he’s not singing alone in his car but in front of millions of viewers at home. Stefano’s had a good and, one might argue, unlikely run. But heading out in the top nine seems about right. So how did you rate this week’s “Idol” performances? Share your opinions in the comments. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
The teen star’s appearance will be her first time hosting the long-running sketch-comedy show. By Aly Semigran Miley Cyrus Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images If you’re a Miley Cyrus fan, here’s some news that’s “like, prit-tay cool!” The 18-year-old singer/actress is slated to host “Saturday Night Live” for the first time on March 5, People.com has confirmed. Unlike some previous genre-spanning celebs who have hosted the sketch-comedy show such as Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Lopez, though, Cyrus won’t pull double duty as the evening’s musical guest. There’s no word yet on who will provide the musical entertainment on the episode. The teenage phenom has been something of a fixture on “SNL” over the past season, with new castmember Vanessa Bayer’s dead-on impersonation of the “Hannah Montana” star in the sketch “The Miley Cyrus Show” seen semi-regularly on the late-night program. In it, Bayer — joined by Jason Sudeikis as her overly eager dad, Billy Ray Cyrus — portrays Miley as she interviews other celebrities while often interjecting her own stories and expressing that everything is, well, “pretty cool.” Cyrus — who has two upcoming comedy films, “So Undercover” and “LOL,” in the works — has also been the butt of some jokes because of her now-infamous bong/salvia-smoking moment, which was all caught on tape and posted online in December 2010. The teen sensation has since addressed the incident, admitting in a recent Marie Claire cover story, “For me it was a bad decision, because of my fans and because of what I stand for.” In addition to the “SNL” hosting gig in three weeks, Cyrus will appear at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards as a presenter. How do you think Miley will do as “SNL” host? Tell us in the comments. For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos The Evolution Of: Miley Cyrus Related Artists Miley Cyrus
Joe Stewart tells MTV News that Sunday night’s festivities will look ‘beautiful.’ By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by Kelly Marino Joe Stewart Photo: MTV News At Sunday night’s SAG Awards, Hollywood’s best and brightest will be lauded by their peers. And it’s up to the show’s production designer, Joe Stewart, to make sure that this year’s winners collect their hardware in a venue that is as spiffy as humanly possible. Stewart spoke to MTV News on Friday while preparations at the Shrine were well underway, and broke down the glamorous atmosphere of the production. “This year, what we wanted to do was have a beautiful, elegant environment,” he said. “The vibe of this show is always pretty elegant — because first of all, I mean, you’re at an awards show; the attendees and the recipients are always wearing gowns and tuxedos. It’s a black-tie event, so you always have to have a set that … people can settle into and look good. So this set is supposed to be a sort of swell interior where ladies in gowns can look at home.” Setting up a venue worthy of a televised, A-list trophy handout takes planning, and Stewart said that putting the look of the event together took months. “We prepare for this show in advance quite a while. I think that we started working on this in October, maybe even September with the preliminary conceptual ideas to get us going,” he said. “It’s a committee, we all have to get together, find time and meet and sooner or later we come to a consensus and start the work.” Outfitting the legendary event space with a glitzy look appropriate enough for SAG nominees like Natalie Portman and Nicole Kidman to sashay into is no easy task. However, Stewart pointed out that the space not only has to appear super glam, but the room also has to be transformed into a top-tier set able to accommodate a live coast-to-coast broadcast of the ceremony. “Always, the challenging part of this is the space,” he said. “There’s a transformation that happens in this space. We completely black it out and then rig it, and the rigging you can see above head is how we hang everything up. And we basically take a room that isn’t supposed to be a television studio or a theater and turn it into a glamorous event. But it has to function and have all the whistles and bells that a television studio would have and catering an event.” After months of planning, Stewart’s job will finally wrap up Sunday when the show airs. While he admitted that handing over his handiwork to the stage managers makes him “pace backstage,” Stewart revealed the special way he gets to indulge in the excitement of the evening. “I get a little place backstage and I can see and congratulate winners, and I really enjoy doing that,” he smiled. “When they come off the stage it’s fabulous.” Stick with MTV News for SAG Awards coverage throughout the weekend and from the red carpet on Sunday night! For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
