Little Monsters make predictions (and suggestions) for Gaga’s fashion and opening performance come Sunday. By Kara Klenk, with additional reporting by Jim Cantiello Lady Gaga Photo: WireImage When Lady Gaga was asked about plans for her opening performance at Sunday’s 2011 Video Music Awards , she told MTV News, “I’m pretty good at knowing what my fans want me to do.” Mother Monster is certainly in tune with the needs of her Little Monsters, and if anyone could guess what the unpredictable pop star has planned on Sunday, it’s them. Some fans predict that her 2011 performance will be an extension of 2009’s blood-soaked “Paparazzi” number . One of Gaga’s Twitter followers wrote, “I reckon it’s gonna be quite eery + scary, and full of blood!” Many thought it would mimic her VMA promos , which had a jazzy style and Gaga playing piano. Others thought she would tap into themes from her “Yo
2011 MTV Video Music Awards nominee says, ‘In the overarching scheme of pop culture, I hope to change what things mean.’ By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.com For Lady Gaga , attending an awards show is not just about showing up and having a good time. For her, it’s also about making a statement. And, many times, that statement is tied to the many, many wardrobe changes she makes throughout the night. That, of course, includes the MTV Video Music Awards , where Gaga will be in attendance Sunday night. For her first VMAs , in 2009, Gaga made four costume changes, one of which included her seemingly bleeding onstage during her performance of “Paparazzi.” Then, in 2010, she might have had three costume changes, but her most memorable was her Franc Fernandez-designed meat dress. “When I came to VMAs that year, it was not perceived as performance, it was perceived as costume changes,” she recently dished to MTV News. “My seat is my seat. In the overarching scheme of pop culture, I hope to change what things mean and have them branch into other areas.” While no one knows what or how many outfits she will wear during Sunday night’s show, she did share what her bottom line is: “I will be making a statement.” That mirrors what she said during “MTV First: Lady Gaga” earlier this month, where she shared that her celebrity is a big art installation. “I think something that’s always been very important to me … is that the fame as an art form has always been an interesting stage,” she said. “It begins on the subway or in the car on the way here. It begins when I wake up in the morning and I take a shower. It’s not something that is temporal. It has no end, so I’m excited to continue as an artist to push the boundaries of where pop music can exist.” This year, Gaga is up for four Moonmen including Best Female Video and Best Video With a Message for “Born This Way,” as well as Best Art Direction and Best Choreography for “Judas.” Also, she will open the show with the night’s first performance. The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year’s highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com . Related Videos 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes Related Photos The Evolution Of: Lady Gaga 2011 Video Music Award Nominees 2011 MTV Video Music Awards Performers Related Artists Lady Gaga
Avril Lavigne cameos in montage of celebrations off- and onstage. By James Dinh Rihanna Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images Summer is coming to a close, but it looks like Rihanna is going to keep the party going for a little longer. On Friday (August 26), the pop force debuted the video for her celebratory tune “Cheers (Drink to That),” a behind-the-scenes concert montage with brief cameo appearances by Avril Lavigne , Jay-Z and Kanye West . Chanting fans kick off the almost-five minute clip, which cuts between candid footage of the songstress backstage before and after her shows, and enjoying the festivities during her recent trip to Barbados. Rocking some denim blue shorts, a colorful cropped top and sunglasses, Rihanna also gives fans a glimpse of her performance of the tune during her Loud tour set. “Cheers (Drink to That)” samples Avril Lavigne’s yodel from her 2002 hit “I’m With You,” so it’s only appropriate that the visual includes sporadic blink-of-the-eye appearances from the pop rocker horsing around by the pool. “It was really exciting because ‘I’m With You’ is one of my favorite songs that I’ve done, I always love performing it,” Lavigne said last year of being sampled on “Cheers.” “Cheers to the freaking weekend/ I drink to that, yeah yeah/ Oh, let the Jameson sink in/ I drink to that, yeah yeah/ Don’t let the bastards get you down/ Turn it around with another round/ There’s a party at the bar everybody put your glasses up and I drink to that,” Rihanna sings, almost casually, as she’s seen toasting fans and friends onstage and in bars. Hours after the debut, Rih took to Twitter to ask fans what they thought about the clip, writing, “CHEERS… U like??? #drinktothat #RihannaNavy I love yall forever!!!!! Keep making me proud!” The Rihanna Navy has been pushing for the singer to release “Cheers (Drink to That)” since the LP’s release, and there’s no denying that the Barbados beauty also has love for the song. “I love that song [‘Cheers’]. That is one of my favorite songs on the album. It makes you feel like celebrating,” Rihanna told MTV News last year. “It gives you a great feeling inside, like you want to go out and have a drink. … People can’t wait for the weekend.” Related Artists Avril Lavigne Rihanna
Stephen Moyer and director Matthew Parkhill recall the eerie occurrences on the film’s Puerto Rico set. By Josh Wigler Stephen Moyer in “The Caller” Photo: Samuel Goldwyn Films There are probably are stranger, scarier things in the universe than a mystery woman from the past who can cross the space-time continuum to obsessively call your home telephone for hours and days and weeks on end. But the idea is plenty creepy as the premise of “The Caller,” director Matthew Parkhill’s indie thriller starring “Twilight” villainess Rachelle Lefevre and “True Blood” vamp Stephen Moyer. In “The Caller,” Puerto Rico resident Mary Kee (Lefevre) moves into a new home following a nasty separation from her abusive husband (“Eureka’s” Ed Quinn), only to find an even more harrowing nemesis in Rose (Lorna Raver), an unhinged and disgruntled woman living in the late 1970s. Rose somehow has the ability to call Mary’s new phone number some 30 years into the future, a seemingly impossible sci-fi feat that leaves our protagonist skeptical, frustrated and frightened in turns. When Mary’s patience for Rose’s hysteria wears thin, she learns the hard lesson that scorning a deranged woman who lives in the past can be hazardous for your health. Though it boasts a sinister plot, it was actually the behind-the-scenes mysteries that raised the hair on the backs of the “Caller” cast and crew’s necks throughout the film’s 23-day shoot. “Sometimes a shoot will take on its own energy,” Moyer, who plays Mary’s love interest and resident time-travel expert John Guidi, told MTV News. “Every day, something was happening. Things were breaking, film missing, scratches on necks … it just became this regular occurrence. Even after I left the shoot, me and Matthew and Rachelle would speak regularly, and there would be bits and pieces happening on a regular basis: phone calls coming in from people, literally prank phone calls. It was an odd, odd thing.” Parkhill said that screenwriter Sergio Casci was convinced there was a “curse of ‘The Caller.’ ” But the director doesn’t much believe in curses himself, though even he admitted to “weird” and “unsettling” occurrences. “We dressed Mary’s living room with these old National Geographic magazines, and one of them fell open to this page where there were three corpses hanging in this old room, that were identical to the three corpses hanging in our pantry,” said Parkhill, referring to a trio of bodies that play a pivotal role in the horror film. “Then when we were shooting in a supermarket, we moved one of the supermarket shelves and there was an old bottle of perfume that had cracked which was labeled ‘Rose,’ which is [the name of the film’s villain].” In the end, none of these eerie events was powerful enough to derail production on “The Caller,” which opens in limited release on Friday (August 26). But that doesn’t mean that the alleged curse of “The Caller” doesn’t still rear its head from time to time. The press junket held in San Juan earlier this week just so happened to coincide with the presence of Hurricane Irene in Puerto Rico, a threat that is now storming its way up the East Coast. As a result of the storm, certain parts of Puerto Rico — including the hotel that housed the “Caller” cast and crew for the week — were left almost entirely without power for multiple days. “It feels particularly fitting that we’re in the middle of a hurricane,” Moyer told MTV with a grin. “There’s no power. Last night, after we all left the bar, we had to go back to [our rooms] with flashlights. It’s literally pitch black in the hotel. You’ve just watched a horror film, which is pretty scary, and you’re going into your room with a flashlight and you can’t see anything. I think all of us went through some moments last night thinking, ‘This is it. My time is up! Somebody’s going to jump out of the cupboard!’ ” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Caller.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
‘He’s pulling out all his tricks on this one,’ chorographers Rich and Tone say of Breezy’s Sunday-night performance. By Rob Markman Chris Brown at the 2007 VMAs Photo: Getty Images Chris Brown stole the show in Las Vegas with his table-hopping performance at the 2007 VMAs, and he’s been a tough act to follow ever since. But now he faces an even bigger challenge: topping himself. As they prepare Breezy’s moves for the 2011 VMAs , veteran chorographers Rich and Tone are confident he’ll pull it off on Sunday night. “You’re definitely gonna see Chris Brown; in a 1000 percent mode,” said Rich of CB’s plans. “Of course everybody knows he can sing, he has great music, and aside from that, you’re going to see that he’s an amazing dancer.” It’s still anyone’s guess which of song (or songs) the pragmatic dance machine will perform, but his latest album F.A.M.E. has produced a number of hits, including “Deuces,” the Michael Jackson-inspired “She Ain’t You” and his Best Collaboration-nominated single “Look at Me Now” with Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. Any one of those aforementioned tracks is an option, or he could do a medley that includes multiple chart-toppers. Rich and Tone, who choreographed this year’s routine as well Chris’ 2007 stage show, remained tight-lipped about what Breezy’s stage will look like, but the veteran dancers are impressed with what they’ve seen in rehearsals so far. “We’ve been working with Chris for many years; I’ve never seen him this way on this performance ever,” Tone teased. “He’s pulling out all his tricks on this one. He’s definitely gonna show you something fresh and new; something he has never done before.” But can Chris Brown top ’07’s display where he sang his single “Wall to Wall” while hoping table-to-table, incorporating the audience into his now classic routine? “It’s hard top yourself, but that’s the goal that we’re trying to hit,” Tone said. “So, yes, it’s a yes to that question, we are trying to top the 2007 performance.” The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year’s highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com . Related Videos 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes Related Photos 2011 Video Music Award Nominees Related Artists Chris Brown
‘That cat was disgusting. It would only poop in drains,’ Best New Artist nominee recalls of her pet as a teenager. By Kara Warner Kreayshawn Photo: MTV News This week’s new episode of “When I Was 17” is full of VMA Best New Artist nominees. Tune in to MTV on Saturday at 11 a.m. to hear stories of awkward teen memories from Big Sean , Tyler, the Creator and Kreayshawn. It wasn’t so long ago that 21-year-old hip-hop “it” girl Kreayshawn was 17 and starting out on her own. “When I was 17, I had saved up a little bit of money, and I got my first apartment,” Kreayshawn recalled. “Everyone knows I’m a cat person, so my friends surprised me with a cat. “This cat was definitely slow,” she continued. “It would crawl into the blinds, curl itself into the blinds and just sit there. Maybe it was trying to kill itself?” According to the “Gucci Gucci” rapper, the cat’s questionable behavior didn’t end there. “That cat was disgusting. It would only poop in drains,” she revealed, adding that it made taking showers particularly precarious and smelly. “You’d be taking a shower and the water would start backing up,” she said. “Even worse you’d have to dig it out from the drain. It was so gross.” With the days of questionable cat behavior and clogged drains behind her, for now, and on a cleaner and much more glamorous note, Kreayshawn will be bringing her outgoing personality and sass to the VMA red carpet as a host for MTV.com . “I’m super excited to be the red-carpet host at this year’s VMAs,” Kreayshawn said. “I can harass celebrities about what they’re wearing, what they ate before they got to the carpet, all sorts of funny stuff.” “When I Was 17” — this week featuring VMA nominees Big Sean, Tyler, the Creator and Kreayshawn — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year’s highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com . Related Videos Preview: Tyler, The Creator, Big Sean And Kreayshawn On ‘When I Was 17’ 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes Related Photos 2011 Video Music Award Nominees Related Artists Kreayshawn
Laurieann Gibson calls opening performance an opportunity to ‘create a new understanding of music.’ By Kelley L. Carter, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi Lady Gaga Photo: Getty Images So much for giving up the goods. We really tried to get Laurieann Gibson, Lady Gaga’s creative director , to spill her guts about what Mother Monster has planned for her VMA performance on Sunday, but she’s keeping things under wraps — in the best way possible. She jokingly said a few censored (and, considering how much she’s bleeped in the embedded video, obscene) things about what viewers will see. Long story short: She’s not telling. But Gibson did say of Gaga’s opening performance, “I hope that people take the fearlessness away. The notion that you don’t have to follow what is popular and that you can constantly take the opportunity and create a new understanding of music and performing. “It could mean standing under one spotlight,” she continued. “It could mean tons of camels and belly-dancing girls. I don’t know. One is not necessarily better than the other. But it is about the artist. It’s about ‘Who’s the artist?’ So in that one moment, you have to take it and give it all you can.” Gibson is just following suit on the secrecy front: When Gaga talked to MTV News last week, she said she wants to surprise her fans at the VMAs. “I’m really very honored and excited to open the show,” Lady Gaga told MTV News. “But I won’t reveal anything; I want it to be a surprise.” From what Gaga and Gibson revealed, the performance sounds like it will be avant garde, much like her 2009 VMA set, when Gaga took the stage for a blood-soaked “Paparazzi” performance . “It will be a continuation of everything I’ve been doing, and it will be exactly what they want,” Gaga said. “I’m pretty good at knowing what my fans want me to do.” The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year’s highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com . Related Videos 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes Related Photos 2011 Video Music Award Nominees 2011 MTV Video Music Awards Performers Related Artists Lady Gaga
Presenter Kim Kardashian has a VMA seat, but where’s hubby Kris Humphries? By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Kim Kardashian’s seat at the 2011 Video Music Awards Photo: John Shearer/ MTV It’s that time of year again, everyone. The seating cards are being placed inside the Nokia Theatre in sunny Los Angeles as producers work to put the finishing touches on Sunday’s 2011 Video Music Awards . So what types of match-ups have they thought up this year? MTV News’ Jim Cantiello investigated and found out some tasty tidbits. “Tony Bennett: This guy is a baller, and whoever is behind him is going to have the craziest contact high,” he teased of the 85-year-old crooner, who will pay tribute to the late Amy Winehouse at Sunday’s show. So who snagged that seat? Wiz Khalifa, naturally. Kim Kardashian will also be in the house as a presenter, but Jim wondered: “Where’s her husband at? Her husband doesn’t get a seat card. You thought when you marry Kim Kardashian you’d instantly get more famous. Dude, you’re still not famous enough to get your own card at the VMAs,” Jim warned the newlywed. His advice? “#DealWithIt.” “This is going to be a very rowdy section at the VMAs Sunday night,” Jim said as he made his way through the theater. “This is the land of Odd Future. Now, there are like 100 members of Odd Future. I’m only seeing three cards. So sorry, Hodgy, you’re not invited this year.” When Jim noticed there were some potato sacks lying around, he had a thought: “Here at the VMAs, we are prepared for anything in the audience, so if Lady Gaga wants to have a potato-sack race with Lil Wayne, we got them covered.” Of course, Justin Bieber and girlfriend Selena Gomez are seated next to each other. Jim, however, knows how to make it even more adorable. “The only thing that would make this cuter is if Maru the cat was trying to get in between them,” he suggested. Perhaps the section of the room fans will be most excited to see contains two of pop’s ruling divas. “I’m in section Queen B at the VMAs,” he said. So what does that mean? Beyonc
‘We were all living vicariously through your characters,’ Luda gushes to actor Steven Bauer as Mixtape Daily looks on. By Rob Markman Ludacris and Steven Bauer Photo: MTV News Celebrity Favorites: Ludacris There is no shortage of “Scarface” references in hip-hop. From Brad Jordan ‘s rap moniker to the intro on Jay-Z’s now-classic debut, Reasonable Doubt, rappers have been putting their love for the 1983 film on full display since its release, and the movie’s actors have taken notice. Tony Montana himself, the legendary Al Pacino , expressed his appreciation for the hip-hop community on Tuesday night, right before a Los Angeles party in celebration of the upcoming Blu-ray release of the movie. “They really get it and they understand it, and that’s a great thing. They’ve been very supportive all these years. I think they’ve helped us tremendously,” Pacino told MTV News. And Pacino isn’t alone, as his co-star Steven Bauer, who played Montana’s best friend Manny “Manolo” Ribera, crashed MTV News’ red carpet interview with Ludacris just to introduce himself and show love to the rapper. “You know what? You’re responsible. You and everybody that came before you brought ‘Scarface’ to [the] mainstream,” Bauer told Luda after exchanging pleasantries. “We were dead in the water, we were forgotten and we were lepers.” The film was panned by critics after its theatrical release and the over-the-top violence proved to be too much for mainstream America at the time. But “Scarface” eventually became a cult-classic, and the rap community had a lot to do with it. “We were all living vicariously through your characters,” ‘Cris told Bauer of the flick’s hip-hop appeal. “As the whole rap community, we definitely support.” There was clearly mutual admiration between Luda and Bauer, as the veteran actor jokingly told the MC that he had “ho’s in different area codes,” making a reference to Luda’s 2001 hit single. After the exchange, Luda gushed about his favorite “Scarface” scene. “Say hello to my little friend,” he said, referencing the climactic death scene where Montana’s home is invaded by rival drug lord Alejandro Sosa’s assassins. “That is definitely my best line and best part of the movie, because he just went out in a blaze of glory, man. If you gonna go out, that’s how you go out.” For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists Ludacris
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