Toddlers & Tiaras is the most despicable show on reality television. And, yes, we know: that’s saying a lot! But many believes the TLC series sunk to a new low this week when it featured eight-year old Brock Ritter as a beauty pageant contestant. He’s a boy. The self-described “diva” hails from Michigan and has a mom, Tori, who says she’s simply trying to “nurture” her child. Brock Ritter on Toddlers & Tiaras “I support what his ideas are and what he wants to do because people say you have to open your kids up to opportunities and let them try different things,” Tori told TV Guide. “We’ve both played soccer. We’ve kicked the ball around with him in the back yard and he has no interest in doing that. Defending the spray tan on her son as part of “dress-up,” Tori has this to say about those who criticize child pageants overall: “It would be interesting to take a poll on how many of those people have sat in an audience or have had hands-on experience in a pageant. I think the people who are bashing are on the outside looking in.” Do you think Brock should have been on Toddlers & Tiaras?
Kravitz’s expansive August 30 return covers plenty of sonic territory, tackles complex social issues. By James Montgomery Lenny Kravitz Photo: MTV News Lenny Kravitz has never been one for boxes. When he broke onto the scene 22 years ago with Let Love Rule, his brand of psych-and-funk-tinged retro rock, coupled with his roots (his mother was black, his father white, his religion a mixture of Christianity and Judaism), confounded critics and radio executives alike. And to an extent, that’s never really changed, though, with each successive hit — “Let Love Rule,” “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” “Fly Away,” “American Woman,” to name just a few — he’s become less of a curio case and more of a career artist. But with his new album, Black and White America (due August 30), Kravitz is still dealing with boxes … though, these days, they seem to have less to do with his background than they do with the music he makes. “Now, it’s less about the color, but more about still not fitting in a box; and this radio station doesn’t play this or that,” he told MTV News. “This is what always gets me, [now it’s], ‘This radio station doesn’t play horns.’ Now we have racism against instruments. You know, ‘It’s rock, but it’s too funky.’ Or ‘It’s funky, but it’s got too much rock.’ People love their slots, their little boxes.” For lack of a better term, there are plenty of slots on America, a far-ranging, lushly produced opus that seems destined to give radio programmers fits. Over the course of 16 tracks, it dabbles in whip-smart funk, crackling soul, classic pop and, of course, all-out rock, (to name just a few genres), and features guest appearances from Jay-Z and Drake. Not surprisingly, fitting in wasn’t what Kravitz had in mind when he was recording it. His only goal was “to make a double album … a classic two-pieces-of-vinyl, four-songs-per-side thing.” And America certainly plays that way. But for all the genre-jumping, there’s one theme that keeps popping up throughout the album: the idea of unity. It’s central to current single “Stand” and it’s the core idea behind the album’s title track too. “The inspiration came from a documentary that I was watching. … It was about a group of Americans, I’m sure somewhere tucked away, and they were saying they were disgusted by what America had become, they were disgusted that there was an African-American commander in chief; they’re not for racial equality, they would like America to be back to the way it was 100 years ago and, basically, they would do anything it took to make sure that their idea of America was restored, down to assassination, etc.,” Kravitz explained. “And it was with such hatred and, obviously, we know that racism exists but somehow they threw me for a loop. I was like, Really? For real? So the chorus of the song … I was just saying to them, This is what’s happening, you need to know what time it is. It’s how I was raised; I grew up between two cultures at a pivotal time after the civil rights movement, and [it’s] the story of my parents, and what they went through. It’s very natural for me to write about that sort of thing.” Of course, America isn’t all heavy lifting. “Rock Star City Life” is a down-and-dirty ode to excess, “Superlove” is a sumptuously sexual exercise in viscous funk, and the rattling “Boongie Drop” is about, well, ass. To a degree. “Well, “boongie” is a Bahamian word for ass. But it’s not just an ass-shaking song. There’s a place down the street from where I live, and on Sunday nights, people come down there and dance,” Kravitz said. “It’s like a red light-bulb, pool-table shack and this DJ, Military. And the thing I found beautiful was that you have these really full-figured Bahamian women showing up there, they know they’re beautiful, and they’re not buying into the lie, the stereotype of what media says is beautiful. They exude this pride, and the song’s about that.” If you couldn’t tell, there’s nary a musical corner Kravitz didn’t explore on the album (he wrote some 30 songs for the project), which was his mission all along. He spent nearly two years making it in a studio down in the Bahamas, where, for the first time in his career, he was given the space he needed to let his ideas flower. In short, it’s the kind of album an artist has to earn the right to make and, if anything, Kravitz has definitely done that. “It was the dream location, the dream studio,” he said. “I had time and, actually, perspective, having been doing this for 22 years. I feel like it’s the best record I’ve ever made.” Are you excited to hear Lenny’s new album? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Lenny Kravitz
‘Wayne chooses what’s going on. He’s the boss,’ Gil Smith tells MTV News. By Rob Markman Lil Wayne Photo: MTV On his 2008 tour Lil Wayne proclaimed that he was music. Just in case there are any doubters, Weezy is currently reassuring fans on his I Am Still Music Tour . And on Sunday Lil Tunechi once again staked his claim and put his diversified musical prowess on display on The show featured Wayne’s hardcore rap bars on “A Milli,” his rock-out howl on “Drop the World” and some R&B stylings on his “How to Love”/ “Lollipop” mashup. One of the forces behind Weezy’s growth is his musical director, Gil Smith, who has been touring with the Young Money CEO since 2008 and helped put together the set list for Wayne’s “Unplugged” special. “It was crazy. We were on tour on the first leg of the I Am Still Music Tour and it just came in an e-mail: ‘Wayne has unplugged,’ ” Smith told MTV News. “As a band we kind of get together and we get excited about stuff like that. So we start thinking about which songs he could do.” Choosing from the Cash Money star’s catalog of music is no easy feat, especially when you have to satisfy an intimate audience of fans as well as the millions of folks expected to watch on television. “Thankfully we’re familiar with his repertoire, having been on the road with him,” Smith said. “We’re familiar with what songs he loves, what songs are important to him, and then also wanting to incorporate Tha Carter IV, which is being released this summer.” What Smith and his team ended up with were different segments of a show: one for longtime fans, another to showcase new music from Tha Carter IV and then lastly some random favorites. The next step was taking the ideas to Team Weezy. “As far as working with Wayne’s management, Tez, he is very helpful in putting together the set list,” Smith said. “Other than that it’s Wayne. He chooses what’s going on. He’s the boss.” With Wayne’s approval, songs like “Mr. Carter” off of Tha Carter III, “Hustler’s Muzik” from Tha Carter II and brand-new tracks like “How to Love,” “6 Foot, 7 Foot” and the previously unheard “Nightmares of the Bottom” ultimately made the cut, thanks to Gil Smith and of course Lil Wayne. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lil Wayne MTV2 Presents Unplugged Lil Wayne Related Photos Related Artists Lil Wayne
Online sensation also talks about her ‘awkward’ newfound fame. By Aimee Curran, with reporting by Gabi Gregg Rebecca Black Photo: MTV News Regardless of whether you love or loathe the music of Internet sensation Rebecca Black, the “Friday” singer was a perfect choice to host the O Music Awards Fan Army Party at Las Vegas’ Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino on Thursday (April 28). After presenting the Fan Army FTW award to Tokio Hotel, we caught up with the viral phenom to find out what she thought of MTV’s first online awards show and how she’s adjusting to her newfound fame. Although Rebecca’s overnight success has garnered endless hate and even death threats in the past few months, she was overjoyed to have opportunities like hosting the O Music Awards bash. “It was so much fun,” she told us. “There was great energy everywhere, and it’s awesome to see all the fans.” The Fan Army FTW award was the most personal award of the night, based solely on the love and support of an artist’s fans. While the haters might be pretty loud, Black said she has just as many fans who are already talking about forming their own Rebecca Black army of support. “I’ve heard someone say, ‘Let’s call ourselves this,’ ‘Let’s call ourselves that,’ but I don’t think there’s an official one,” she said of her yet-unnamed fanbase. While her fans figure it out, Rebecca said she’s still adjusting to being a recognizable face in the public eye. “It’s kind of awkward, because I’ll be walking and I’ll have no makeup on, and I just don’t look good,” she laughed. “So they’ll be like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re Rebecca Black!’ And I’m like, ‘Ummm yes!’ ” What should Rebecca Black’s fans be called? Share your ideas in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Rebecca Black
Executive Producer Ken Warwick also says Pia Toscano may have an album out before this season’s winner. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” producer Ken Warwick Photo: MTV News “American Idol” has a problem. No, it’s not the fact that it’s getting increasingly hard for a woman to win on the show. It’s the good kind of problem, one where recently booted contestant Pia Toscano is getting the kind of media attention — and high-profile bookings — that are usually reserved for the show’s winner. Which is why in a call with reporters on Wednesday (April 20), “Idol” Executive Producer Ken Warwick suggested that in a break with the past, it’s not out of the question that we will see music from Toscano well before the eventual season 10 champion releases his or her debut in November. He also revealed that while he won’t be tweaking the formula this year, it’s possible there could be more big changes in store for “Idol” in the future, including taking a cue from ratings rival “Dancing With the Stars.” “That’s the nature of the business,” Warwick said of the desire to strike while the iron is hot. “If we’ve got a rising star that the record companies and [‘Idol’ parent company] CKX think are marketable now, they will try to get records out.” Warwick pledged that under the tutelage of record-industry veteran and season 10 mentor Jimmy Iovine, the rule this year is to make a star out of the singers no matter when they leave the competition. And while he doesn’t know what Iovine’s plans are for Toscano at the moment, he said if he were a record honcho instead of TV producer, he’d want to get some music out while the buzz on Toscano is still strong. “It used to be in the old days, that was a concern of ours,” he said of cannibalizing the buzz on the eventual winner by releasing music from other finalists earlier on. “As time’s gone on, we realized what we’re seeing so often is that the big star is not the winner, but from the top five or top 10, so it’s unfair to hold someone back so we can promote someone else.” With so much talk about how online voting has continued the trend toward young-girl “Idol” watchers pushing male singers to the top while female ones get booted early, Warwick said producers will have a “long discussion” about that situation after this season and see if any tweaks need to be made to correct that trend. Among the potential changes is taking a page from the “DWTS” book and letting judges have a vote alongside the audience. “We are going to have discussion about how we can keep it fair,” he said, adding later about the possibility of a judge’s vote, “That’s just one of the ideas … solutions on the table. There are a number.” For this season, though, the current system will remain in place. “If people want to vote for kids, then I’m certainly not going to start fiddling with the votes or doing anything that’s untoward,” he said, adding to the chorus of laments about Toscano’s early exit. “Maybe change the voting system slightly next year. Maybe we limit the amount of SMS votes or online votes.” Warwick also responded to the upcoming competition from “The Voice” and ex-“Idol” judge Simon Cowell’s fall launch of the American version of “X Factor” by noting that there are a slew of shows with three-judge panels and he can’t be bothered to worry about the other shows on the horizon. “I’m not worried. I’m sure the premiere of one will dent us a little bit. … I’m not about to change anything radically to try and keep up with something I haven’t seen yet and hasn’t been proven.” With a lackluster track record of breaking male stars, Warwick said his job is to make the show, and then, hopefully at the end of it, hand the record company a singer with a 20 million- to 30 million-person following. “What they do from then on has absolutely nothing to do with me,” he said. But have there been mistakes made in the past with the marketing or positioning of some of the male winners? Yes, Warwick said, most definitely. Has the best singer always won, no, not necessarily. “What it illustrates for me is that from the top five upwards, there’s usually a star in there somewhere; it just is a question of luck, who picks them up, where they go, what song they release.” So while not every “Idol” winner is a star, lots of “Idol” contestants have become stars. “It doesn’t bother me this year if another guy [wins]. … I am pretty sure that whoever comes out of this series is gonna break,” he said, giving props to Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Iovine’s skills at minting stars. Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Stan Lee-animated TV series/ comic book will follow a crime-fighting ex-governor. By Gil Kaufman Arnold Schwarzenegger Photo: Peter Macdiarmid/ Getty Images It sounded like an April Fool’s gag that came a few days early: Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would follow up his two terms as the state’s boss with an animated series penned by comic legend Stan Lee in which he plays a, yes, crime-fighting ex-governor. But if you pick up Friday’s issue of Entertainment Weekly , you will see that it’s no joke. The cover features an image of a buff cartoon Arnold as “The Governator.” “When I ran for governor back in 2003 and I started hearing people talking about ‘the Governator,’ I thought the word was so cool,” Schwarzenegger, 63, told the magazine. “The word Governator combined two worlds: the world of politics and the movie world. And [this cartoon] brings everything together. It combines the governor, the Terminator, the bodybuilding world, the ‘True Lies’ …” The combination TV series-comic book is being co-developed by “Spider-Man” co-creator Lee and is slated to roll out in 2012. Lee promised that not only will the Governator be a great superhero, he will also depict plenty of autobiographical elements from the real action-star-turned-politician’s life. “We’re using all the personal elements of Arnold’s life. We’re using his wife [Maria Shriver]. We’re using his kids,” said Lee of the semi-fictional character. “We’re using the fact that he used to be governor. Only after he leaves the governor’s office, Arnold decides to become a crime fighter and builds a secret high-tech crime-fighting center under his house in Brentwood.” In classic crime-fighter fashion, the Governator will have his tricked-out Arnold Cave, along with a fleet of super-vehicles and a closet full of “Super Suits” that allow him to fly and perform super-stunts. He’ll also have some classic sidekicks, including Zeke Muckerberg, a precocious 13-year-old computer whiz who handles the Governator’s cybersecurity. The best part? A group of recurring super-villains from the organization Gangsters Imposters Racketeers Liars & Irredeemable Ex-Cons (a.k.a. G.I.R.L.I.E. Men, of course). The magazine has a gallery with images from the comic book, including the chiseled-faced Schwarzenegger in his wide-lapelled superhero costume, a “bubble mask” that uses high-tech gum to create a disguise, an imposing armor outfit with energy blade weapons in the boots, and a sleek superbike that features wheels filled with something called an “animating plasma field.” Are you pumped up about “The Governator” comic book and animated series? Tell us in the comments.
The alleged words to Gaga’s second Born This Way single find Mother Monster playing with themes of religion and love. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Tom Briglia/ WireImage Recently, “Born This Way” producer Fernando Garibay called Lady Gaga’s next single off her upcoming album of the same name, “Judas,” “great because it’s a serious message [and] it’s a little playful.” Well, judging by the reported lyrics that hit the Internet, the RedOne-produced track is Gaga spilling her heart out with just enough dark humor in it to keep her Little Monsters playing it over and over again. “Dear Judas/ My beloved you belong to me/ No more backstabbing please/ Your blood colored beads/ Jealousy, envy, insanity,” the opening lyrics proclaim, playing on the biblical tale of Judas — the apostle of Jesus who infamously later betrayed him — while possibly referring to a romance gone bad. On the chorus, Gaga allegedly sings, “When he comes to me, I am ready/ I’ll wash his feet with my hair if he needs/ Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain/ Even after three times he betrays me/ I’ll bring him down, a king with no crown/ Judas, look what have you done/ My heart bleeds and you think it’s fun?” The second verse continues to play with the ideas of love and the mythology of Judas. “Second verse, same as the first/ Your bible won’t save you now/ From the glares of the everlasting light, remember those hot nights where you lied and lied on my bed/ Stabbed me in the back,” Gaga supposedly sings. “Let my blood trickle on your rose thorns/ But he came and whispered in my ear and left me torn/ ‘Cause I’m just a holy fool/ Oh baby, he’s so cruel, but I’m still in love with Judas, baby.” Gaga will direct the video for “Judas” with her creative director, Laurieann Gibson, who has made it clear that the clip will certainly be over-the-top. “And ‘Judas’ is exciting for me because we had this amazing artistic approach to ‘Born This Way’ and I’m so excited for how riveting, energetic and electric the record is, something really phenomenal,” Gibson recently told MTV News. “So, visually, the dance, the costuming, the idea of how big we’re trying to go, [it’s] going to be a roller-coaster ride. “What is a traditional music video?” she added. “Even if we go with a traditional music video, the directors that we love are not traditional, so the idea that they get to collaborate with us means they too want to live outside of what people expect a traditional music video to be.” What do you think of the reported lyrics to “Judas”? Share your opinion in the comments. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lady Gaga Creative Director Laurieann Gibson Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ Video Premieres Related Photos Lady Gaga And The Scissor Sisters Perform At Staples Center Related Artists Lady Gaga
Some of the best songs are not born of one mind, but instead result from the collaboration of great artists. In 1984 Zapp And Roger’s “Computer Love” was a top 10 Billboard hit featuring Charlie Wilson and Shirley Murdock . In this interview for TheUrbandaily.com Uncle Charlie tells the hilarious story of Roger coming to his room one night with the idea for a song, their ideas for a video and how it almost didn’t get released. “ We had problems with the label when they found out I was singing with Roger…they said it wasn’t going to be a hit… ” – -Charlie Wilson RELATED POSTS: Chrisette Michele to Charlie Wilson, “If You Don’t Tell Us, Who Will?” Chrisette Michele, Charlie Wilson Talk “Grown & Sexy” Charlie Wilson “Still Doing It Big”
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‘Within the week, I think we’re gonna announce it,’ he tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena Simon Cowell Photo: Brian Ach/ WireImage This fall, Simon Cowell and his still-unnamed panel of judges will assault television screens with the American version of the hit U.K. talent show “X Factor.” The former “American Idol” judge wouldn’t cop to any of the names being tossed around as possible judges, but did divulge that he’s really stepped up his game for who he hopes will make up the final panel. “It’s gonna be a balance between guys and girls, and it should be a balance between people who have been singers and also, like me, have worked behind the scenes and know what they’re talking about it,” Cowell told MTV News. “It will be the best judging panel so far. I promise you: If I get the people I want, I’m really happy.” With nothing yet set in stone, Cowell did lay out the ground rules for securing a spot on that coveted panel, revealing that fans should know more soon. “I think you’ve got to put yourself out there and, as a priority, it is about the contestants to begin with. You’ve got to have a sense of humor. You’ve got to work hard because you’re gonna be mentoring the contestants on the final stages of the competition, which basically means you’re going to be responsible for what they sing, what they wear, how they behave,” he explained. “You’re like a manager/producer for up to 10 weeks, and I think it’s important that you have to have people on the panel that have made people into stars as well. And so you’ve got to be different, you’ve got to be original.” But finding those people hasn’t been as easy as he imagined it would be. “This has been harder than I thought,” he said. “You’ve got to negotiate people’s deals, you got to make sure you’ve met as many people as possible, and you got to find the right chemistry. I’ve got it in my mind now. I think of who I want this panel to be, and within the week, I think we’re gonna announce it.” Who would you like to see judge “X Factor”? Share your ideas in the comments!
