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Foo Fighters’ ‘Walk’ Video: ‘Falling Down’ All Over Again

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

New clip is a humorous take on intense 1993 Michael Douglas film. By James Montgomery Dave Grohl in Foo Fighters’ video for “Walk” Photo: RCA The Foo Fighters’ new “Walk” video is, rather oddly enough, a near re-creation of the 1993 film “Falling Down,” the oft-disturbing portrait of the prototypical “angry white male” (as portrayed by Michael Douglas, complete with crew cut and short-sleeved work shirt) who is pushed to the brink by what he views as society’s decay — immigrants, crime, greed, bureaucracy, the fact that McDonald’s stops serving breakfast at 10:30 a.m. — and goes on a violent rampage as a result, culminating in a stand-off with police and his death. Only, you know, funny. Yes, “Walk” — which premiered Thursday (June 2) on MTV.com — is a bit strange: a humorous take on a film that a) most people probably don’t remember, and b) wasn’t all that humorous in the first place. It opens with frontman Dave Grohl (who, besides his long hair, is a dead-ringer for Douglas’ Bill Foster with his horn-rimmed glasses and striped tie) stuck in a traffic jam of suck: a snotty kid stares at him from the back of a station wagon; bumper stickers proudly proclaim “Bieber is my Co-Pilot,” “Thank You, President Bush” and, rather hilariously, “Coldplay”; well-heeled jerks kick back in their cozy convertibles. And, much like Foster, he snaps, leaving his car on the freeway and beginning a trek across Los Angeles, carrying his guitar case with him. We then follow him as he is pushed closer and closer to the edge, thanks to an ever-extending chain of society’s annoyances: his iPhone dies, a clerk at a convenience store refuses to give him change to make a call and he can’t find a payphone. Of course, unlike “Falling Down,” Grohl’s reactions and his interactions are played up for comedic value. He doesn’t smash up a Korean-owned grocery store, shoot up a fast-foot restaurant or stab a white supremacist. Instead, there is a rather humorous karate fight with some gangbangers (fellow Foos Taylor Hawkins and Chris Shiflett), and he drives a golf cart into a lake. And, unlike Bill Foster, Grohl’s voyage of carnage doesn’t end with a climatic showdown with police at Venice Fishing Pier, but rather at a Foo Fighters’ practice, where he and the band tear through the remainder of the song before the police come crashing in. Grohl gets tazed. The band poses for pictures with the officers. It is funny — and, unlike their “Rope” video , “Walk” looks like it cost a bit of cash — it’s just, well, odd. Those not aware of “Falling Down” will probably view this as another in a long line of funny Foos clips. But for those who’ve seen the film (which can be polarizing, to say the very least), it’s sort of impossible not to view “Walk” through the prism of the original. And that’s why it’s a weird thing to watch. Funny? Sure. A slightly odd choice? Most definitely. Then again, the Foo Fighters have long defied conventions, and with “Walk,” they continue down that path — with some silly costumes, of course. The Foos will perform “Walk” on the 2011 MTV Movie Awards , airing live Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Share your review of the “Walk” video in the comments below! Related Artists Foo Fighters

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Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

So…what ya think? lol Hope ya’ll like it! ~Candace Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover) http://www.youtube.com/v/dHi72PCnxhY?f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Link: Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)

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Born To Be Somebody – Justin Bieber (Cover)

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Shay Mitchell Recalls Getting Caught Clubbing, On ‘When I Was 17’

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Episode, also featuring Jeremih and Ashley Fink, airs Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. By Sterling Wong Shay Mitchell on “When I Was 17” Photo: MTV News It’s almost a quintessential American high school rite of passage: Get a fake ID, and sneak into clubs with your girlfriends for the night of your lives. That was certainly the plan for Shay Mitchell, but it all went horribly wrong, as the “Pretty Little Liars” star shares on this week’s “When I Was 17.” “I would say I was a pretty good girl, but there happened to be this one night when a group of my friends decided to go out to this club. Of course, we weren’t of age, so we snuck out, and I think each of us told our parents that we were staying at the other person’s house,” Shay recalls. With their alibis settled, Shay and her girlfriends headed downtown and successfully entered a club with their fake IDs. “We were dancing and having the best time ever. All of a sudden, I’m dancing with some really cute guy, and I feel a tap on my shoulder,” Shay continues. “I turned around, and this person says, ‘Can I have this dance?’ ” And who was this mystery man asking her for a dance? Turns out, it was her father. “I was in complete shock. Never in a million years would I have thought he would’ve come and find us,” she says. Her friend, Jody, explains how Mr. Mitchell managed to sleuth out their location: “[He] found out because my mum had called their house because she thought we were there. No one answered, and I guess all the parents put the pieces of the puzzle together.” Shay describes the hilariously pathetic way she and her friends made their exit. “We walked out the club like sad little ducklings with our heads down,” she remembers. Of course, there were serious consequences for Shay after that night. She was grounded for two weeks, and also had her car keys taken away. But she learned her lesson for sure. “I definitely didn’t ever do that again,” she says. “When I Was 17” — this week featuring Jeremih, Shay Mitchell and Ashley Fink — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Videos Check Out A Preview Of ‘When I Was 17’

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Nirvana Exhibit Leads Fans Through Band’s Humble Start, Meteoric Rise

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses’ opens Saturday in Seattle. By Gil Kaufman Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain in the early ’90s Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage SEATTLE — It’s fitting that on Monday morning, the inside of the “Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses” exhibit at the Experience Music Project in this Northwestern music mecca looked much like the band’s music sounded: messy, splintered into 1,000 pieces, all over the place, yet somehow meticulously together and beautifully chaotic. Museum workers inside this gleaming temple to the enduring influence of the city and region’s musical heritage were in a mad scramble to get the first-of-its-kind exhibition of Nirvana artifacts into shape for Saturday’s opening. Glass display cases with spots destined to feature one-of-a-kind treasures stood empty, while others were already fitted with touchstone effects. Among them were the iconic green sweater worn by late singer Kurt Cobain in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, the hastily drawn-up recording contract with Sub Pop Records promising the group $600 for their first album and a then-princely $12,000 for their second and a variety of smashed guitars from pivotal points in the band’s career. But curator Jacob McMurray cautioned that “Taking Punk to the Masses” is much more than a deification of already grunge-sainted late singer Cobain. “One of the things that was really important to me is that it isn’t a novel that I’m writing,” he said. “It isn’t about me or EMP, so I wanted to make sure through the oral-history quotes and the video that it’s all being told as much as possible through the primary sources.” Check out photos of Kurt Cobain’s art, broken guitars and more on exhibit. Like so many projects at the EMP, the 225-piece Nirvana show leans heavily on videotaped interviews with the musicians, producers, artists and scene-makers who contributed to and influenced the music that would, in turn, influence Nirvana. Giant iPod-like touch-pad video kiosks feature dozens of vintage posters, fanzines and artwork chronicling punk scenes from Minneapolis, Los Angeles and New York that helped set the groundwork for Nirvana, as well as more than 100 oral histories of little-known local, regional and national bands like Ze Whiz Kidz, the Tupperwares, the Lewd and U Men who stirred dozens of local future notables to take up instruments. The exhibition — which will run two years and then may tour the country — opens with a trio of images of Nirvana in their prime and spotlights one of drummer Dave Grohl’s Tama drum kits from 1993-’94, with a note about how he hit the skins so hard that he went through several kits during his tenure in the band. And though it was not yet hung, the opening space will also feature Cobain’s treasured Mosrite Gospel guitar, which he was playing at the OK Hotel show in Seattle on April 17, 1991, when he debuted “Teen Spirit” live. Bassist Krist Novoselic lives on a farm south of Seattle and is the head of his local grange hall, and the rough-hewn wooden cases for some of the displays are from a 100-year-old elm tree that fell on the grange property. McMurray bought the wood from Novoselic for use housing the items, many of which came from the private collections of Novoselic, Grohl and former drummer Chad Channing. “From grunge to grange,” McMurray laughed. There are also a series of iPod listening stations loaded with a selection of influential bands such as R.E.M., H

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‘American Idol’ Recap: Lauren Alaina, James Durbin Shine On Movie Night

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Casey Abrams delivers a jazzy Nat King Cole tune, while Stefano Langone hopes it isn’t the end of the road for him on ‘Idol.’ By Eric Ditzian Haley Reinhart performs on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: Fox She’s gone but not forgotten. The ghost of Pia Toscano was everywhere on Wednesday’s (April 13) “American Idol,” from an opening montage reminding viewers that “every vote counts,” to a poster in the audience that read “I miss Pia” to the mentors’ many invocations of the eliminated finalist’s name. But Pia, alas, is gone and the show, as they say in Hollywood, must go on — in this case to Tinseltown itself. The theme was songs of the cinema , and like last week, we got a show with no bombs and a few blockbusters. Paul McDonald kicked things off with Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” from “Risky Business.” Unlike Tom Cruise in that classic ’80s flick, however, Paul didn’t perform the song in his underwear, a tactic that would likely have assured the guy a spot in the finals. Nonetheless, he kicked the show off in style, a high-energy performance in which he ditched his guitar and sashayed around the stage but didn’t succumb to the silly dance moves we’ve seen from him in the past. The judges loved his rose-embroidered suit, loved his sax player, but more than anything else, they loved his energy. “I love your crazy, wild abandon,” said Steven Tyler, while Randy argued America had just witnessed the opening number at a forthcoming McDonald concert. Next up was Lauren Alaina, whom mentor Jimmy Iovine dubbed not only a better singer than Miley Cyrus but one capable of burying the Disney starlet’s own rendition of “The Climb.” What’s more, Jimmy delivered a message to all of the viewers at home: Lauren’s the contestant who deserves to gobble up Pia’s voting bloc. Her ballad would certainly appeal to fans of the departed singer, though Lauren’s tune was hardly as pitch-perfect as previous Pia songs. What Lauren delivered was a performance that was, in terms of emotion and comfort level on the stage, far superior to anything Pia had delivered. “I love the tear you have in your voice. It’s a cry. It’s something that really transmits,” Jennifer Lopez said. “You sang it so beautifully, so beautifully. You don’t need to steal anybody’s votes. You’re getting your own.” It remains to be seen just how many votes of his own Stefano Langone will be getting. But during his cover of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road,” he made a serious bid to attract enough support to stay safe for another week. He started off weakly, his vocals seemingly not up to the task of nailing the song’s high notes. Yet as the music built, Stefano stepped up, letting loose vocally and showing more artistry than we’ve perhaps ever seen from him. Predicting what Boyz II Men would soon tell him, Jackson said, “Your man Stefano just slayed the song.” The other judges agreed. “This is so not the end of the road for you,” Tyler said. “This is the beginning.” The same could be said of Scotty McCreery, who can do no wrong in the judges’ eyes nor, it appears, in those of the public. The 17-year-old suggested he was going back to his country roots with George Strait’s “I Cross My Heart,” as if he’d ever strayed far from them. Call it returning to his strengths or continuing to exploit them — whatever the case, Scotty once again busted out a mature performance that could become a hit on country radio tomorrow. He even took a few more vocal risks than usual, including a sustained note at the finale that was easily three times longer than any other he’d belted out all season. “Everybody wants us to be tough with you guys, but the truth is y’all are so damn good,” Lopez said. “All I really want to say is wow. That was really good.” Jackson seconded that assessment, and raised her one. “Look at this guy right here,” he said. “A star is born on this stage.” Casey Abrams, rocking an ascot and a severely trimmed beard, followed Scotty onto the stage. He was unsure if he should sing Phil Collins or Nat King Cole, but ultimately went with a slow and jazzy take on Cole’s “Nature Boy” that allowed him to whisper and growl and scat and, of course, slap some on the bass. The judges certainly thought Casey made the right choice. They praised his artistry and the educational value of his music, comparing him to Norah Jones, Michael Bubl

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‘American Idol’ Recap: Haley Reinhart, James Durbin Shine On Movie Night

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Casey Abrams delivers a jazzy Nat King Cole tune, while Stefano Langone hopes it isn’t the end of the road for him on ‘Idol.’ By Eric Ditzian Haley Reinhart performs on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: Fox She’s gone but not forgotten. The ghost of Pia Toscano was everywhere on Wednesday’s (April 13) “American Idol,” from an opening montage reminding viewers that “every vote counts,” to a poster in the audience that read “I miss Pia” to the mentors’ many invocations of the eliminated finalist’s name. But Pia, alas, is gone and the show, as they say in Hollywood, must go on — in this case to Tinseltown itself. The theme was songs of the cinema , and like last week, we got a show with no bombs and a few blockbusters. Paul McDonald kicked things off with Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” from “Risky Business.” Unlike Tom Cruise in that classic ’80s flick, however, Paul didn’t perform the song in his underwear, a tactic that would likely have assured the guy a spot in the finals. Nonetheless, he kicked the show off in style, a high-energy performance in which he ditched his guitar and sashayed around the stage but didn’t succumb to the silly dance moves we’ve seen from him in the past. The judges loved his rose-embroidered suit, loved his sax player, but more than anything else, they loved his energy. “I love your crazy, wild abandon,” said Steven Tyler, while Randy argued America had just witnessed the opening number at a forthcoming McDonald concert. Next up was Lauren Alaina, whom mentor Jimmy Iovine dubbed not only a better singer than Miley Cyrus but one capable of burying the Disney starlet’s own rendition of “The Climb.” What’s more, Jimmy delivered a message to all of the viewers at home: Lauren’s the contestant who deserves to gobble up Pia’s voting bloc. Her ballad would certainly appeal to fans of the departed singer, though Lauren’s tune was hardly as pitch-perfect as previous Pia songs. What Lauren delivered was a performance that was, in terms of emotion and comfort level on the stage, far superior to anything Pia had delivered. “I love the tear you have in your voice. It’s a cry. It’s something that really transmits,” Jennifer Lopez said. “You sang it so beautifully, so beautifully. You don’t need to steal anybody’s votes. You’re getting your own.” It remains to be seen just how many votes of his own Stefano Langone will be getting. But during his cover of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road,” he made a serious bid to attract enough support to stay safe for another week. He started off weakly, his vocals seemingly not up to the task of nailing the song’s high notes. Yet as the music built, Stefano stepped up, letting loose vocally and showing more artistry than we’ve perhaps ever seen from him. Predicting what Boyz II Men would soon tell him, Jackson said, “Your man Stefano just slayed the song.” The other judges agreed. “This is so not the end of the road for you,” Tyler said. “This is the beginning.” The same could be said of Scotty McCreery, who can do no wrong in the judges’ eyes nor, it appears, in those of the public. The 17-year-old suggested he was going back to his country roots with George Strait’s “I Cross My Heart,” as if he’d ever strayed far from them. Call it returning to his strengths or continuing to exploit them — whatever the case, Scotty once again busted out a mature performance that could become a hit on country radio tomorrow. He even took a few more vocal risks than usual, including a sustained note at the finale that was easily three times longer than any other he’d belted out all season. “Everybody wants us to be tough with you guys, but the truth is y’all are so damn good,” Lopez said. “All I really want to say is wow. That was really good.” Jackson seconded that assessment, and raised her one. “Look at this guy right here,” he said. “A star is born on this stage.” Casey Abrams, rocking an ascot and a severely trimmed beard, followed Scotty onto the stage. He was unsure if should sing Phil Collins or Nat King Cole, but ultimately went with a slow and jazzy take on Cole’s “Nature Boy” that allowed him to whisper and growl and scat and, of course, slap some on the bass. The judges certainly thought Casey made the right choice. They praised his artistry and the educational value of his music, comparing him to Norah Jones, Michael Bubl

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‘American Idol’ Preview: What Happens Post-Pia Toscano?

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Idol’ expert Jim Cantiello offers up suggestions for the top eight as they tackle songs of the cinema. By Eric Ditzian “American Idol” top 8 Photo: FOX “American Idol” ended last week in a swirl of shock, anger and boo- hooing as Pia Toscano was sent home and Ryan Seacrest was reduced to begging viewers: “We need you! Stay with us this season!” Where does the show go from here? Well, “Idol” will be relying on the bright lights of Hollywood to wash out memories of arguably the most shocking elimination in its history, as the remaining eight singers take on songs of the cinema. That’s a familiar theme in “Idol” land, one last seen just last year (recall how Crystal Bowersox gave a killer country-rock makeover to Kenny Loggins’ “I’m Alright”), but which stretches back all the way to season two. What direction should the contestants take? Read on for what we’ll be looking for them to deliver. And in a special addition to this week’s preview, Jim Cantiello — whose “Idol Party Live” returns to MTV.com on Thursday at noon ET — will be adding in his own song picks. Casey Abrams We had long since tired of Casey’s uncreative use of his growls and groans and other assorted throaty eruptions, when we realized something: The real growly whiz kid on the show is Haley Reinhart. So there’s that. And there’s this: Casey’s now saddled with the judges’ save curse, and it’s only a matter of weeks before he’s headed home. His best bet is to haul out the upright bass again — it helped him avoid the bottom three last week — and continue to do what he’s been doing all along. It’s almost always enjoyable to hear; it’s just not enough to carry him into the final weeks of the competition. Jim’s Pick : Lindsey Buckingham’s “Holiday Road” from “National Lampoon’s Vacation” Haley Reinhart We can’t overstate how important this week is for Haley. This performance will be the key to knowing if her comeback is for real or if her surge will be remembered as an all-too-brief interlude between her lost-puppyish early songs and elimination. We’re hoping for the former, because it’s been so satisfying to see her find her creative sweet spot after languishing in the bottom tier. So Haley, don’t change a thing from what you started with “Bennie and the Jets” and continued with “Piece of My Heart.” Jim’s Pick : The Cardigans’ “Lovefool” from “Romeo + Juliet” Jacob Lusk Please take those uncomfortable hip thrusts and bury them, Jacob, much like you buried the idea to sing “Let’s Get it On.” While you’re at it, get rid of that unearned egotism that has crept into your persona as of late. And shoot, let’s make it a trifecta of things to ditch: songs so suffused with teary-eyed emotion that it appears you’re on the verge of a nervous breakdown rather than an all-important “moment.” Replace all this stuff with the restraint you showed during Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “You’re All I Need to Get By,” your finest performance of the season. Jim’s Pick : Tevin Campbell’s “Round and Round” from “Graffiti Bridge” James Durbin We were surprised — and grateful! — that James avoided reaching for stadium-rock godhood during rock week and instead embraced his sensitive side, because we’ve argued again and again that such stuff is his strength. We just don’t think James agrees. We expect him to go uptempo again. No matter what he does, however, voters seem to dig it. Jim’s Pick : Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” from “Top Gun” Lauren Alaina Like James, though for far different reasons, Lauren is at her best during slower jams. But she also can’t forget to add in a few dashes of country flavor, which often spice up her performances into piquant wowers. That was the problem with her competent take on “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” last week. Sure, it sounded great, but it didn’t sound like Lauren. This week, we’d like to see her go slow and country/rock. Not that it matters: This fan favorite ain’t going anywhere for a while. Jim’s Pick : Aimee Mann’s “Wise Up” from “Magnolia” Paul McDonald Paul’s most savvy move to date was making his guitar a staple of his live performances. Without the instrument slung across his shoulder, the guy feels compelled to lurch to and fro like a toddler after a margarita at Applebee’s; it’s unnecessary, not to mention kinda ridiculous. No one this season has more fun onstage, no one knows how to play to the crowd like he does and no one’s a better showman. For these reasons, Jim’s got the perfect song … Jim’s Pick : Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind’ from “Fight Club” Scotty McCreery Last week, we outed ourselves — if not as fans, than as humble appreciators of what Scotty dishes out:

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Pia Toscano Eliminated In ‘American Idol’ Shocker

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Stefano Langone and Jacob Lusk join onetime front-runner in the bottom three. By Gil Kaufman Pia Toscano Photo: FOX All sense of logic was officially thrown out the window on “American Idol” on Thursday night’s (April 7) elimination show. With two of the season’s leading contenders in the bottom three — after last week’s shocking near-miss for Paul McDonald — there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the voting patterns on the 10th season of the show. When the dust settled, those confounding voters served up one of the biggest early elimination bombshells in recent “Idol” history, sending home the woman many had pegged as a potential winner, or at least top finisher, Pia Toscano. The comely singer who had charmed the judges with her professional, powerful performances, camera-ready looks and diva-in-the-making potential hit the bottom three for the first, and last, time on Thursday night in a vote that confounded and angered the judging panel. As host Ryan Seacrest broke the bad news, judge Randy Jackson — perhaps sensing that he pulled his save too early two weeks ago when bearded bass player Casey Abrams was spared — grabbed his head and mouthed “no, no” and, as the camera cut away, maybe something a bit stronger, while Toscano smiled politely and took the news like a pro. “I’m good,” Toscano smiled when Seacrest asked how she was doing. Judge Jennifer Lopez broke into tears, saying, “I have no idea. I have no idea what just happened here. I’m shocked, I’m angry. I don’t even know what to say.” “They’re wrong, I don’t know what happened with this,” a dumbfounded Steven Tyler added, as Jackson admitted that he never gets mad on the show and was officially steamed at Toscano’s elimination. It was not shaping up like this earlier in the hour. Casey Abrams, Stefano Langone and Lauren Alaina were first up in the elimination circle, with Abrams skating after his CCR bass-plucking performance, Alaina safe after biting off a big chunk with “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” leaving Langone to shuffle to the bottom three again after a lackluster “When a Man Loves a Woman.” From early indications, it seemed like it was Langone who was going to be leaving. The second group featured Paul McDonald, Toscano and Scotty McCreery . McDonald rocked Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” while Pia went uptempo with Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High” and McCreery did Elvis’ “It’s Alright Mama.” McCreery and McDonald will live to sing another day, while nobody saw it coming when Toscano made her first visit to the bottom three. The next trio up was James Durbin, Haley Reinhart and Jacob Lusk. While rocker Durbin took a chance with the gentle ballad “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and Reinhart hit “Piece of My Heart” with gusto, Lusk seemed to stumble with “Man in the Mirror.” Durbin was safe again, as was Reinhart, while Lusk also made his maiden voyage to the bottom. He, too, seemed like the likely one to be sent packing at show’s end. But first to be waved back to safety was Lusk, who survived despite a shaky performance and a strange warning to America that if he was eliminated it would be because the country couldn’t look itself in the mirror (whatever that means). Though eliminated contestants haven’t been given a chance to sing their way off this year, Seacrest made an exception and let Toscano reprise her heartbreaking cover of the Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You,” as the remaining eight wiped their eyes and the audience gave Pia a standing ovation while she broke down in tears at song’s end. Perhaps sensing that one of the leading lights of the show had been dimmed and the audience might wane in the coming weeks, Seacrest ended the show with the plea: “We need you. Stay with us this season.” The show also featured season-four finalist and Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis stopping by to visit the kids and sing a brooding rock version of the classic ballad “Unchained Melody.” But, aside from Pia’s exit, the night’s biggest WTF moment was when Rock Hall of Famer and shirt-allergic punk godfather Iggy Pop shimmed all over the stage to “Real Wild Child.” What did you think of tonight’s elimination? Did Pia deserve to go home? 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 Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances

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‘American Idol’ Report Card: Scotty McCreery Rules Rock And Roll Night

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

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

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‘American Idol’ Report Card: Scotty McCreery Rules Rock And Roll Night

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

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

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