Singer says the show’s version of ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ was not ‘dinky,’ but ‘clever.’ By Gil Kaufman Gotye Photo: MTV News Did Australian singing sensation Gotye say he thought the “Glee” cover of his breakthrough hit “Somebody That I Used to Know” was “dinky and wrong” , “ultra-dry” and sounded like “it’s playing to you from a cardboard box?” Well, what he actually meant was that the version performed by Darren Criss and Matt Bomer on last week’s episode was “really clever.” According to The Hollywood Reporter , during a private performance at a Los Angeles club on Monday afternoon Gotye clarified his comments. He explained that, “The nature of using reverb and space in a recording can change your perception of how a sound appeals to you.” That was after he originally said, “They did such a faithful arrangement of the instrumentals but the vocals were that pop ‘Glee’ style, ultra-dry, sounded pretty tuned and the rock has no real sense, like it’s playing to you from a cardboard box,” which was actually meant as a compliment. See, what Gotye was referring to was, “This xylophone hook in my song — it’s kind of dinky not just in the cover version but the original song.” Aha! Furthermore, Gotye said he thought the interpretation of his hit on the choral drama was, “Really clever to transpose the song to two guys … It was a great idea.” Whatever Gotye thought of it, the cover was just what “Somebody” needed to get over the hump and top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. And Gotye wasn’t the first singer to slam the show (and/or creator Ryan Murphy), joining a list that includes the Foo Fighters , former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash and Kings of Leon . Related Artists Gotye
Facebook.com – Become a Fan! Twitter.com – Follow Us! Emma Watson and Chris Colfer were in New York last night to take in the premiere of “Struck By Lightning” at the Tribecca Film Festival. The “Harry Potter” alumn and the “Glee” star were looking great….as always!
Jay-Z, Diddy and 50 Cent released “I Get Money (The Forbes 1-2-3 Billionaire Remix)” in ’07, a celebration of their inclusion atop Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings list. Five years later, the same three artists are in a more exclusive group – the Forbes Five, a list of hip-hop’s wealthiest moguls – though no longer 1-2-3 in that order. Which of the three earns the most? And who else made the Top 5? Diddy is the closest to becoming a billionaire, with a net worth of $550 million . The Bad Boy Records founder has been a mainstream mainstay for 15 years. Thanks to his knack for self-promotion and outside business deals with Ciroc vodka, Sean John, Enyce, Blue Flame and other tech startups, he gets money. A lot of it. And he’s not even done. Diddy signed a deal with Comcast to launch cable channel Revolt in 2013. He’ll own the channel outright. Cha-ching. Jay-Z is #2 at $460 million . Unlike his fellow Forbes Five members, he still churns out music and goes on tour, most recently with pal Kanye West. He sold his Rocawear clothing label for $204 million in 2007, signed a 10-year $150M deal with Live Nation in 2008, and co-owns the New Jersey Nets. There’s also his 40/40 Club chain, his ad firm Translation, cosmetics company Carol’s Daughter and other businesses too numerous to list. Very rich. Dr. Dre ranks third with $270 million , boosted by the sale of a 51% stake in Beats Electronics – a company he founded with Jimmy Iovine – to HTC. Sources say each owned a third of the company before the deal, placing Dre’s cut at $85 million after taxes. Not a bad addition to his net worth. Birdman , surprisingly clocks in at No. 4 with a fortune of $125 million . He cofounded Cash Money Records with brother Ronald “Slim” Williams. The label’s value soared with the success of rappers Drake, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne (who shares ownership of sub-label Young Money). That’ll do it. 50 Cent and his $110 million rank fifth. The business-savvy Queens-born rapper earned $100 million for his Vitaminwater stake alone in 2007. Fiddy also made tens of millions from touring, record sales and clothing, but spends freely on cars and renovations to his mansion in Connecticut. Still, a nice nine-figure cushion remains from his back catalog, acting gigs and 50 Cent themed videogames, shoes and books, and headphone line SMS. [Photo: WENN.com]
Glee will pay tribute to Whitney Houston on Tuesday night, airing an episode titled “Dance with Somebody” that features a number of hits by the late artist. The series will use them help paint the picture of seniors at fictional William McKinley High School graduating and saying goodbye to each other. Whether you think this is merely an admirable showing of respect for the legend, or a pathetic exploitation of her tragic death , one thing cannot be debated: the first cover released by Fox from the episode is incredibly impressive. It features Mercedes (Amber Riley), Rachel (Lea Michele), Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Santana (Naya Rivera) breaking down “How Will I Know” A capella style, and it’s destined to be included in the Glee pantheon of covers. Watch the clip now: Glee Clip – “How Will I Know”
John Cusack dives into the twisted psyche of 19th century author Edgar Allan Poe in this week’s The Raven , a fictional adventure-mystery that blends the writer’s real life with the kind of dark, macabre tales he wove — and Movieline has your chance to catch it before it opens on April 27! Enter Movieline’s 10-word review contest (critiquing any film from Cusack’s nearly three-decade career) and you could win a pair of tickets to the Los Angeles premiere and after party for the film. So turn on the hot tub time machine and crank up the high fidelity, tapeheads and grifters and America’s sweethearts, because, um, the cradle will rock over Broadway. Or something. It’s a sure thing! Oh, just say anything… Okay, that was terrible. But my point is, there are so many great Cusack flicks to choose from. Submit your best 10-word Cusack review in the comments below (or on Facebook or Twitter) and your faithful Movieline editors will pick the most clever, lyrical, and inspired one of the bunch; the writer of the best 10-word review will receive a pair of tickets to the Raven premiere and afterparty, to be held Monday, April 23rd at the LA Theater (615 Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles). CONTEST RULES: – Submit an original 10-word review of any John Cusack movie in the comments below. Entries must be exactly 10 words, no more, no less! – Enter with your full name and an email address where you may be reached. – Eligible entrants must be at least 18 years of age and able to attend the premiere in Los Angeles on the evening of Monday, April 23rd. One (1) winner will be selected. Tickets must be picked up at will call at the Los Angeles premiere and are not transferable. Contest ends Friday, April 20 at 3pm ET/12 pm PT — so get to reviewing! More on The Raven , in theaters April 27: The macabre and lurid tales of Edgar Allan Poe are vividly brought to life – and death – in this stylish, gothic thriller starring John Cusack as the infamous author. When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Poe’s darkest works, a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe in a quest to get inside the killer’s mind in order to stop him from making every one of Poe’s brutal stories a blood chilling reality. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, which escalates when Poe’s love (Alice Eve, She’s Out of My League) becomes the next target. Intrepid Pictures’ The Raven also stars Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Faster). Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Gil Kaufman and James Montgomery debate which ‘Then and Now’ hits the ‘Idol’ top seven should tackle. By Gil Kaufman and James Montgomery Jessica Sanchez performs on “American Idol” Photo: FOX The “American Idol” top seven took on current hits last week, and look how well things turned out! Uh, wait, never mind . Anyway, after Jessica Sanchez escaped elimination thanks to the judges’ save (which officially marked the first time this season they’ve actually done something right), “Idol” producers decided to up the ante for Wednesday night’s (April 18) show by letting the contestants sing both a #1 from the past decade — since it worked so well before — and a classic soul tune. Yes, it’s “Then and Now” week on “Idol,” which, come to think of it, is a pretty apt way of viewing the show’s steady decline. It also means we’re going to see the usual front-runners strut their stuff: Sanchez will dominate a Beyonc
Tributes from Carson Daly, Russell Simmons, Big Boi and New Kids on the Block flood in after pop-culture icon’s death. By Jocelyn Vena Ryan Seacrest and Dick Clark on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2010” Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images/DCP The death of pop-culture icon Dick Clark has hit the entertainment world especially hard. Moments after news broke that the producer, radio personality and “American Bandstand” and “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” host had died of a heart attack at age 82, some of showbiz’s biggest names expressed their sadness over the loss. Photos: The life and career of Dick Clark. Ryan Seacrest, who has long been Clark’s heir apparent, having taken over the hosting duties on his “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” said in a statement , “I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark. He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life. I idolized him from the start, and I was graced early on in my career with his generous advice and counsel. When I joined his show in 2006, it was a dream come true to work with him every New Year’s Eve for the last 6 years. He was smart, charming, funny and always a true gentleman. I learned a great deal from him, and I’ll always be indebted to him for his faith and support of me. He was a remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television audiences around the world. We will all miss him.” I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark. He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life. — Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) April 18, 2012 Carson Daly, who has also taken career cues from Clark, said in a statement: “We lost an icon today. I will always cherish the personal time we had together. I am forever indebted to Dick Clark and his legacy. My heart goes out to his family.” The love for Clark seems to defy genre, as his work on TV helped very diverse artists break into the mainstream. Russell Simmons tweeted , “Dick Clark was eternally young. No matter what culturally phenomenon was happening, he always embraced it. RIP…” An MTV VP recalls his first job in television, working for the late Dick Clark. Snoop Dogg added , “REST IN PEACE to the DICK CLARK!! U were pioneer n a good man!! Thank u sir.” Big Boi simply tweeted a photo of him and Outkast partner Andre 3000 standing alongside Clark, with the message “R.I.P Dick Clark.” Like Big Boi, “Weird Al” Yankovic also posted a photo of himself with the TV host, writing, “Such sad news. RIP Dick Clark.” Certainly his influence on merging music and television can be seen on TV today, especially on shows like “Glee.” “A sad day as we have lost Dick Clark, an American Icon. You will be missed,” one of the show’s stars, Matthew Morrison, tweeted . His loss is also felt by the pop world, with ’80s boy banders New Kids on the Block tweeting , “#RIPDickClark. A true music maverick. You will be missed.” Their tourmates, the Backstreet Boys, added , ”Our hearts go out 2 Dick Clark’s family. The memories u’ve created will live forever & r experiences w/ u is something we will cherish 4 all r lives.” Kings of Leon’s Jared Followill seemed surprised by the news, writing , “R.I.P. Dick Clark? Say it ain’t so…” Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary also tweeted about Clark’s death. Back in the early ’80s, just as Madge was taking her career to the next level, she famously declared on “Bandstand” that her ultimate goal was “to rule the world.” Linking to a clip of that 1984 appearance, Oseary wrote , “Rest in Peace DIck Clark …” Share your condolences for Clark’s family, friends and fans in the comments below. Related Photos Dick Clark: A Pop-Culture Icon
Video games have inspired many a movie in the post-Atari age, but Disney’s CG-animated November adventure Wreck-It Ralph puts a spin on things: It follows an 8-bit villain named Wreck-It Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) who escapes the confines of his video game and journeys through the arcade to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero. As such, the early art work has been retro-tastic, and this week’s new teaser poster is no different. Take a gander and get ready to explain to the iPhone-toting, Tweet-happy kiddies what “8-bit” means. The synopsis: Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore (TV’s “The Simpsons,” “Futurama”) take moviegoers on a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping journey in “Wreck-It Ralph.” Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly, “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” “Step Brothers”) is tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix (voice of Jack McBrayer, “30 Rock”), the “good guy” star of their game who always gets to save the day. But after decades doing the same thing andseeing all the glory go to Felix, Ralph decides he’s tired of playing the role of a bad guy. He takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a game-hopping journey across the arcade through every generation of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero. On his quest, he meets the tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch, TV’s “Glee”) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty. But it’s the feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman, “The Sarah Silverman Program”) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, whose world is threatened when Ralph accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade. Will Ralph realize his dream and save the day before it’s too late? Wreck-It Ralph hits theaters on November 2. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
When Howard Stern had the creator of dial-a-star (dot) com on his show this week, the conversation quickly turned to the roster of peeps that can be called directly for a fee. Yes, there is a site offering this. And Nadya “Octomom” Suleman is one of the people. Howard, naturally, decided to dial Octo up and talk dirty to her. Think NSFW dirty talk people. But, sadly (or luckily), Nadya wasn’t up for phone sex. Listen: Howard Stern Talks Dirty to Octomom Stern shouldn’t be too surprised, really. For an individual who birthed 14 kids, she shows a striking lack of interest in all things vagina. It’s uncanny. This is a woman who would rather go on welfare and get death threats than do one porn scene for a million dollars. She’s just not that into the sex.
It has a stupid title, we can all agree on that. But the Parents Television Council believes the problems with Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 – a new ABC sitcom that stars Krysten Ritter as a mean young woman in New York City and James Van Der Beek as her BFF – go far beyond it’s name. In a new statement, the PTCs says this series “is a sexist mixed-bag of hedonism, drug-use, alcohol abuse (including the main character plying a 13-year-old boy with alcohol to get him drunk) and explicit levels of promiscuity that are shocking even by today’s broadcast TV standards.” The organization is urging advertisers AT&T and Volkswagen to boycott the program. The PTC, of course, once trashed Glee for its depiction of teenage sex and also bashed Rihanna for her “Man Down” video. What do you think? Is Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 inappropriate television?
