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‘American Idol’ Hollywood Week Gets Off To A Cutthroat Start

Jane Carrey and Ramiro Garcia were among the 68 contestants sent home at the end of day one. By Adam Graham Jennifer Lopez in “American Idol” Photo: Fox When it comes to “American Idol,” everyone wants to go to Hollywood. But the euphoria from that Golden Ticket doesn’t last long for contestants, as the slash-and-burn process of the notoriously cutthroat Hollywood Week takes hold. This year, 309 contestants made it through to Hollywood, and the whittling-down process started immediately. Wednesday’s (February 8) “Idol” focused on the beginning of Hollywood Week, when 68 contestants were shown the door by the end of day one. Among those going home was Jane Carrey, daughter of actor Jim Carrey, who failed to make much of an impression with her timid take on Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.” Because of her family ties, Carrey was one of the most noteworthy contestants from the audition episodes, but the 24-year-old didn’t make it far before feeling the wrath of Hollywood Week. Also cut was 28-year-old Ramiro Garcia, who was born without ears and whose version of “Amazing Grace” was a standout in the Galveston, Texas, auditions. He was dismissed along with 18-year-old Travis Orlando, the Bronx native who was cut at the same point in Hollywood Week a year ago. Standouts in Wednesday’s episode included 23-year-old Johnny Keyser of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who had Randy Jackson shouting, “Amen! Amen! Amen!” after his version of Amos Lee’s “Dreamin’ “; ladies man David Leathers Jr., the 17-year-old from Fayetteville, North Carolina, who doesn’t look a day over 12 but had the judges and his peers alike applauding his impressive version of Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me”; Lauren Gray, the 23-year-old star of the St. Louis auditions who brought the house down with her version of Adele’s “One and Only”; the unforgettably named Phillip Phillips, the 21-year-old who busted out “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” and moved one step closer to immortality; and 26-year-old Jessica Phillips — no relation to Phillip, at least as far as we know — who had the gall to do Whitney Houston’s “All the Man That I Need” and pulled it off admirably. Other singers advancing included 22-year-old Heejun Han, who made up for the lack of confidence in his looks with his strong vocals on Michael Bolton’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”; 16-year-old Shannon Magrane of Tampa, Florida, daughter of former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Joe Magrane, whom Steven Tyler awkwardly dubbed “hot, humid and happening” during her initial audition; and 26-year-old Reed Grimm of Ellsworth, Wisconsin, who’s been performing on stage all his life and showed it with a campy version of “I Got a Golden Ticket” from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” The episode ended with a cliffhanger after 16-year-old Symone Black of Rancho Cucamonga, California, got woozy and took a scary spill off the front of the stage following her rendition of Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” Hollywood Week has enough drama without people collapsing off the stage, but “Idol” is making us tune in Thursday to find out what happens to Black and see if she makes it to the utterly ruthlessness known as Group Round. What did you think of the beginning of Hollywood Week? Let us know in the comments! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists Jennifer Lopez Steven Tyler

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‘American Idol’ Hollywood Week Gets Off To A Cutthroat Start

Spider-Man ‘Belongs To Everybody,’ Andrew Garfield Says

‘I approached the character like any fan would: with real reverence and terror,’ the ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ star tells MTV News. By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Andrew Garfield Photo: MTV News With the release of the new trailer for “The Amazing Spider-Man,” fans got their first extended look at Andrew Garfield ‘s take on the wall crawler before the movie hits theaters in July. He’s darker and a bit more sarcastic, but with a series reboot coming so soon after the three films directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire, comparisons between the two are bound to dominate much of the conversation. Garfield doesn’t necessarily see the need for comparison and told MTV News’ Josh Horowitz that he would have a hard time describing any differences. “I can’t answer that, really. I don’t know. I know that I saw the Sam Raimi/ Tobey Maguire version before it was legally out. I was so excited to see it, I got a pirate copy,” Garfield told MTV News before a screening event Monday. “I was blown away. [Tobey has] been Spider-Man in my imagination since then, in my mind’s eye.” The star explained how “The Amazing Spider-Man” was made with the series’ history in mind and how that added to the story. “Thinking about those movies outside of just knowing the history that was supporting our movie, we are just another chapter in the legacy,” he said. “I approached the character like any fan would: with real reverence and terror and attempt to do it justice.” Garfield has never kept his own fandom a secret, having even appeared at San Diego Comic-Con in store-bought Spidey regalia. That passion played a big part in how he thinks about the role. “I do feel like he’s in me, like all true fans do,” he said. “That’s what being a fan is of a character like this: feeling like there’s no separation between you and them and that you have ownership over them. Ultimately, you have no ownership over it, because he belongs to everybody.” When it comes down to it, the actor in the suit doesn’t actually matter, according to Garfield. “The symbol is bigger than any actor playing him and any particular movie or comic book,” he said. “The symbol of the mask, the symbol of the suit, it doesn’t even matter who’s in it, as long as somebody’s in it to keep the symbol alive. That’s what’s important to me.” But as Uncle Ben said, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Though it may not matter to Spider-Man fans who is in the suit, getting up every morning to play the man is a different story. “In terms of how I approached it, I just approached it every day I woke up. My first thought was ‘Oh, boy,’ ” Garfield said. “Then my second thought was, ‘Remember, just go from a place of being a fan and caring as deeply as you do.’ You have to just let go and trust from there on. If people like it, people like it.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Amazing Spider-Man.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Andrew Garfield Related Photos The Amazing Spider-Man

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Spider-Man ‘Belongs To Everybody,’ Andrew Garfield Says

Tyga Endorses J. Cole In ‘Hottest MC’ Debate

Young Money’s Tyga also puts new rappers Wale, Big Sean and Meek Mill on his ‘Hottest MCs’ list. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Ricky Louis Tyga Photo: MTV News Rap veterans Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem have all continued to exercise their hip-hop dominance, but over the past year, a new generation of MCs has made significant impact in the game over the past year. So when Young Money’s Tyga was asked to make a pick for the “Hottest MC in the Game,” he gave a nod to the new class. Of course, the “Rack City” rapper nominated himself for the top spot in MTV’s “Hottest MCs in the Game” debate, but he also opened the conversation up and included some other talented newcomers. “It’s a lot of artists that I like now that are around my age and that are new, from Wale to J. Cole to Big Sean, Meek Mill,” Tyga rattled off when MTV News caught up with him at a shoot for his “Rack City” remix video. Tyga finds that he has more in common with this new crop of artist, as they share a generational bond. “A lot of those artists I can really relate to because we’re close in age and a lot of the stuff they’re talking about is modern day and going on right now,” he said. “I salute all those dudes.” Well, Tyga will have to wait until Monday, when the top 10 “Hottest” countdown begins on MTV News and then tune in to “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” half-hour television special on MTV2 on February 19 when the top five “Hottest MCs in the Game” are revealed. Who is your pick for “Hottest MC”? Let us know in the comments! Tune in to MTV2 on Sunday, February 19, at 10 p.m. ET/PT to catch ” MTV2 Presents: Yo! MTV Raps Classic Cuts ,” then watch “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” immediately after at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT before capping the night off with ” Sucker Free Certified ” at 11 p.m. ET/PT. Related Videos Hottest MCs In The Game VII Is Coming Related Artists Tyga J. Cole

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Tyga Endorses J. Cole In ‘Hottest MC’ Debate

Rick Ross Says Young Jeezy Beef Isn’t ‘Personal’

‘As far as I’m concerned, bring that money bag, let’s shake the world up,’ Ross tells MTV News of a possible accord with Jeezy. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Rick Ross Photo: MTV News Rick Ross is about his business. The Maybach Music boss has been involved in a few rap dustups, most notably with 50 Cent and Young Jeezy, and they may have taken shots at one another in their music, but Rozay says he hasn’t taken any of it personally. “Right now it’s just all about me remaining creative, keep putting this dream team together. That’s what I’m about and I think that’s what everybody out there should be about, get your ones up,” Ross advised when he spoke with Sway at a French Montana video shoot in Miami last month. “Success is the quickest way to kill the enemy.” Rick Ross threw shots at an unnamed adversary on “Rich Forever,” a track off his new mixtape of the same name. “Your sh– pushed back ’cause it ain’t buzzin’,” Rozay rapped. He never actually mentioned Jeezy’s name and in this age of subliminal rap disses, anything is possible. Still, the line did catch the attention of fans because of the multiple delays that the Snowman’s TM 103 album faced. The Double-M Genius never mentioned Young Jeezy’s name during the interview either, but when Sway specifically asked if he and the ATL trap star could sit down and work things out, Rozay was open to the idea if it was financially beneficial. “I’m always ’bout business; that’s why I’m here. I haven’t taken nothin’ personal since I came in the game and I think if you in this business and plan on having longevity in this you shouldn’t take nothin’ personal,” Ross said, noting that their differences never led to any physical altercations. “Ain’t nobody stepped on my Jordans yet, not out here. As far as I’m concerned, bring that money bag, let’s shake the world up, that’s what Double M-G is about.” The contention between the two rap titans began to take shape in August 2010, when Jeezy freestyled over Rozay’s “B.M.F.” instrumental, titling his version “Death B4 Dishonor.” In the Jeezy version, the Snowman took exception took Ross’ BMF (Black Mafia Family) shout-out, playing up his own real life ties to the reputed drug organization. There have been subliminal lines and shots thrown back and forth since, but not much more. When Jeezy appeared on “RapFix Live” in November, he wasn’t against having a sit-down with Rick Ross. “I feel like the whole started thing from a clip on WorldStarHipHop, and my thing was, if I’m a boss and you a boss, let’s sit down and be bosses,” he said. “You take a clip that somebody edited and run with that? What part of the game is that? If you felt like that, hit me up, let’s chop it up, we bosses.” So does that mean that the two rap stars can come to a peaceful accord? Only time will tell. Will Rick Ross and Young Jeezy ever be at peace? Leave your comment below. Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ With Young Jeezy And Big K.R.I.T. Related Artists Rick Ross Young Jeezy

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Rick Ross Says Young Jeezy Beef Isn’t ‘Personal’

Can Bruno Mars’ Hooligans Take Home Grammy Gold?

MTV News takes a look at the history of Album of the Year nominee Doo-Wops & Hooligans. By Jocelyn Vena Bruno Mars Photo: Redferns Bruno Mars showed he was more than just B.o.B and Travie McCoy’s hook guy when he dropped Doo-Wops & Hooligans back in October 2010 — and he’s got an Album of the Year nomination at Sunday’s Grammys to prove it. With an ear for vintage-sounding details and a love for a good melody, Mars unleashed an album that would spawn megahits and make the Hawaii native (and former Elvis Presley impersonator) a household name, not to mention the go-to guy for the likes of hip-hop legends Eminem and Lil Wayne. For the smash debut, Mars hooked up with his production team, the Smeezingtons (Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine), as well as A-list talent like songwriter Claude Kelley, producer and collaborator Damian Marley and former Fall Out Boy leading man Patrick Stump. The result: an album that paid homage to Mars’ love of, you guessed it, doo-wop and proved that he has a talent for crafting modern-day pop songs that could connect with a wide-ranging audience. Never forgetting his roots, he also worked with “F— You” collaborator Cee Lo Green and brought B.o.B on the album. “I want the world to fall in love with my music, that’s what I’m doing music for. I want to be able to do shows and have people come and see me do my thing,” Mars explained to MTV News back in 2010 about the album. His wish certainly came true. When it dropped, Doo-Wops & Hooligans debuted at #3 on the Billboard albums chart and has since sold nearly 1.5 million copies. The love didn’t end there: “Just the Way You Are” and “Grenade” topped the charts, and “The Lazy Song” peaked at #4. Mars found a way to keep everyone talking, displaying his creativity not only in song, but also in videos. The clips for those tracks were almost as buzzworthy as the songs themselves. The VMA-nominated video for “Grenade” managed to capture the sadness of the song, with Mars dragging a piano through the streets of Los Angeles only to find that his lady love no longer loves him. “It was my concept,” the singer explained about the video. “I said, ‘I want to drag a piano.’ I got my friend Nabil to come direct it, and it was a risk, because I still hear jokes to this day like, ‘What the hell you doing dragging a piano?’ ” he said. “But it’s my art, so shut up!” He also had everyone buzzing when he dropped his video for “The Lazy Song.” Where “Grenade” relied on heart, the “Lazy” video was all about making everyone laugh. It featured dance crew Poreotics (from “America’s Best Dance Crew”) done up in monkey masks dancing alongside Mars. In fact, it even got a Best Choreography nod at the VMAs . “We worked really hard on it, and we wanted to give people something to laugh at and show personality in the song and what we’re talking about,” he said. ” ‘The Lazy Song’ is not necessarily the song you want to hear in the club, but we put our monkey dance to it.” Now his focus is on trying to take home a shining Grammy statue come February 12. And it’s not just his album the Grammys have recognized, but also his heartbreaking ballad “Grenade,” which is up for three awards at the show including Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. “Worked extremely hard on ‘Grenade.’ That was the hardest song on the whole album to finish, because we knew we had something and to get all that emotion out,” he explained. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we’re really happy that that song is being recognized, because that’s like our trophy song. “Incredible. We worked really hard,” he added about all the recognition the album has received. “We worked hard in the studio right down the street, actually. And it’s a little tiny shack, but for the two years we were in there, we just locked ourselves in that room and came up with Doo-Wops & Hooligans. ” Chaos! Profanity! Wardrobe malfunctions! Don’t miss Sway and James Montgomery live from the Grammys red carpet this Sunday, February 12, for a full three hours of mayhem, starting at 5 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And the fun doesn’t end Sunday: MTV News has you covered until the Grammy hangover wears off! Related Videos A Guide To The Grammys 2012 Related Artists Bruno Mars

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Can Bruno Mars’ Hooligans Take Home Grammy Gold?

‘Punk’d’ Taps Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus For Comeback

MTV’s legendary hidden-camera show will re-launch with rotating cast of guest hosts on March 29 at 10 p.m. ET. By Gil Kaufman “Punk’d Photo: MTV One of MTV’s most beloved series, “Punk’d,” is gearing up for a fresh round of hidden-camera celebrity gotchas when it re-launches next month with a whole new look and feel. The prank show from mastermind/ executive producer Ashton Kutcher, which originally aired from 2003 to 2007, will hit the air at 10 p.m. ET on March 29 as part of a new hour-long block of original programming that will also include a “Jersey Shore” spin-off show entitled, “The Pauly D Project.” Check out the 15 most memorable moments from the original “Punk’d” show here. While Kutcher enjoyed taking down his pals and unsuspecting celebrities last time, the 2.0 version of “Punk’d” will feature a rotating cast of celebrity hosts each week. Among those lined up to fill the “Two and a Half Men” star’s shoes are: Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Kellan Lutz, Hayden Panettiere, Bam Margera and “Punk’d” alum Dax Shepard, among others. They will prank their fellow Hollywood pals, including Khlo

A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q Consider Joint Project

‘The timing has to be right,’ Schoolboy tells Mixtape Daily . By Rob Markman Schoolboy Q Photo: MTV News The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive A$AP Rocky and Schoolboy Q might be brand-new guys, but the rising rap talents are already making major moves. Rocky is busy putting together a compilation album with his A$AP crew, and Q just dropped his Habits & Contradictions LP, but with the chemistry the two upstarts exhibit on record, a collaborative album might be in order. “We’re definitely talkin’ right now. We may give y’all a project, but it all has to be right,” Schoolboy told Mixtape Daily last week. “The timing has to be right. He’s busy right now, I’m busy right now, so I can’t give no promises when it’ll come or if it will come, but we definitely talkin’ about it.” Rocky and Q first hooked up on “Brand New Guy,” an aggressive cut off the Harlem, New York, rapper’s Live.Love.A$AP mixtape. The pair traded bars, riffing on their respective street reputations and swagged-out lifestyles. Rocky returned the favor when he appeared on Schoolboy’s “Hands on the Wheel” last month. During a New York concert earlier this month, Rock brought Q out to perform both songs, much to the crowd’s delight. “A$AP is the homey, man. We kinda live the same lifestyle,” the Cali rapper said. “I’m a little more gangsta than him, and he’s a little more swagger than me, but we kinda the same sh–, just different places.” Would you like to see A$AP Rocky and Schoolboy Q collaborate on a project? Tell us in the comments! For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists A$AP Rocky

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A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q Consider Joint Project

Justin Bieber, Drake Land Juno Nods

Avril Lavigne, deadmau5 and Nickelback were also nominated for Canadian music awards. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/ Getty Images Just days before the Grammy Awards are handed out here in the States, the nominees for the Canadian version of the music awards show, the Juno Awards, were announced on Tuesday (February 7) with Drake , Justin Bieber and Michael Bubl

Kim Kardashian Marriage Was ‘Real’ For Kris Humphries

‘I would never go through something and do something that wasn’t real or I didn’t believe in,’ Humphries tells ‘Access Hollywood.’ By Christina Garibaldi Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images It’s been just over three months since Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from NBA star Kris Humphries. The much-publicized demise of their 72-day marriage played out in the last season of “Kourtney & Kim Take New York” and last month while co-hosting “Live!” with Kelly Ripa, Kim opened up about her whirlwind romance. “It’s so sad,” she said. “I would never wish anyone to go through a divorce, but then again after what I went through, you don’t really know until you’re in this person’s shoes … When I see other people when I might not understand their situation, now I really just step back because you don’t really know what they’re going through.” Now it’s his turn to speak out. In his first in-depth interview since the NBA lockout, Humphries tells “Access Hollywood” that his love and marriage with Kardashian was genuinely real. “To me it was real,” Humphries explained. “I would never go through something and do something that wasn’t real or I didn’t believe in, so I can really only speak for myself in terms of that.” Humphries, who is now seeking an annulment to erase his brief marriage to the reality star on the grounds of fraud, revealed that his faith, family and, of course, basketball helped him get through his breakup. “I’m in a great place,” Humphries said in the interview, which begins airing Tuesday (February 7). “Above all, my faith in God and just how close my family is and then the fact that luckily we didn’t get locked out all season and we’re playing basketball. Basketball is where you can go and just not think about anything and just let loose. I always tell people basketball is like my therapy. Some people talk to psychologists, I just need to go play basketball; that’s it.” Since the breakup, Kim has remained single, but hopeful in still finding love. “I definitely tried everything I felt like I could … I want babies,” Kardashian told Ripa. “I want forever love.” So is Kris ready to get back into the dating game? “I’m not dating anyone right now. What do they say, my girlfriend is Spalding?” Humphries said, referring to being committed to basketball. Do you think Kris and Kim’s marriage was real? Let us know in the comments. Related Photos Kim Kardashian And Kris Humphries: A Whirlwind Romance

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Kim Kardashian Marriage Was ‘Real’ For Kris Humphries

Madonna Super Bowl Gig A ‘No-Brainer’ For Cee Lo

‘The Voice’ judge gives MTV News exclusive, behind-the-scenes scoop about Sunday’s halftime show. By Jocelyn Vena Cee Lo Green and Madonna perform at the Super Bowl on Sunday Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images When Madonna calls, you answer. The Queen of Pop rang up Cee Lo Green several months back about performing “Like a Prayer” during the Super Bowl halftime show , and he didn’t give it a second thought. “I was asked — cordially invited — by Madonna to be a part of it and, of course, very eagerly obliged. So it was basically as simple as that,” he told MTV News late Monday about the eye-catching gig, which included a dazzling light show, loads of dancers and fellow guests LMFAO, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. “It was kind of like a no-brainer. Working with Madonna is a very simple process,” he added. “She’s a very hard worker, quite the perfectionist, and we worked awfully hard for that entire 12-minute performance to be as close to perfection as possible.” With 100 million-plus viewers tuning in to the game and halftime show , it was no doubt the biggest audience Cee Lo and company had ever performed in front of. But everyone was so ready for anything that there was very little room for error or time to be nervous, Cee Lo told us. “In our line of business and at this point of my career, I think I’m as prepared as you can be,” he said. “I’m most certainly poised to be in that place, in this place. It’s where we rehearsed, so well in advance, that it becomes a second nature.” Cee Lo cited the professionalism of Madge and the entire crew for the performance going off without a hitch. “The technicalities of it are just amazing,” he said. “[It was] such a large crew that really helped. Without their tenacity and their know-how, it could not be done. It would be impossible. So I must commend the entire crew. Technically it takes an entire team to make something like that a success.” Fashion also played a big part in the performance. While Madonna was sporting looks by Givenchy, Cee Lo’s black, sequined choir robe was a design all his own. “They tease and they call me ‘Reverend Green’ and ‘Preacher Green,’ so I had a couple of those robes made just for fun,” he explained. “I mean, you know me, I’m still the same, you know, known for my sense of style, so on and so forth. And when the nature of the performance was discussed and they were saying, ‘We’re gonna do “Like a Prayer” and everyone will be in robes,’ and they were looking for my measurements to see if they were going to have to make me one, and I was like, ‘What do you mean? I have my own already!’ So she was pretty touched by that. I brought a lot of myself.” What did you think of Cee Lo’s contribution to the halftime show? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Super Bowl 46: Movie Spots Related Photos Super Bowl XLVI Performances: Madonna And Kelly Clarkson Related Artists Cee Lo Green Madonna

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Madonna Super Bowl Gig A ‘No-Brainer’ For Cee Lo