Madonna is taking a stand against cigarette smoking, yet glamorizes smoking in her new music video for “Girl Gone Wild,” setting off cries of hypocrisy. The topic came up when The Queen of Pop appeared on Today and was grilled over her 15-year-old daughter Lourdes being caught smoking recently. Madonna says she “wasn’t very happy” about the Lourdes Leon picture , adding “I don’t approve of anyone smoking cigarettes, most of all my daughter.” Well, except in the “Girl Gone Wild” video: Madonna – Girl Gone Wild (Official Video) Pressed on the apparent hypocrisy of herself smoking seductively in the video, she says it was just an “accessory” and she doesn’t smoke in real life. That’s very possible. She can use it as part of her video art form and have no interest in partaking, and certainly wish that her teenager daughter not. However, its mere presence in the video may influence others, given that Madonna is one of the more glamorous, legendary performers of all time. Well, at least before MDNA album sales tanked . What do you think? Hypocritical? Or totally different because a music video is an art form and does not dictate how Madonna lives her personal life?
J.K. Rowling announces she will donate all royalties to charity. By Fallon Prinzivalli Daniel Radcliffe in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” Photo: Warner Bros. Last week, fans of J.K. Rowling were treated to the title and release date of the “Harry Potter” author’s new novel, “The Casual Vacancy.” This week is sure to have fans buzzing again as it brings the news that she’s started working on a “Harry Potter” encyclopedia. Rowling answered a fan question regarding the highly anticipated Potter lexicon on the “frequently asked questions and rumours” page of her website. “For a long time I have been promising an encyclopaedia of Harry’s world, and I have started work on this now — some of it forms the new content in Pottermore. It is likely to be a time-consuming job, but when finished I shall donate all royalties to charity.” Back in 2008, Rowling and Warner Brothers won a lawsuit against Steve Vander Ark, the publisher of the Harry Potter Lexicon, who attempted to release a book along the same lines. Rowling also addressed the biggest burning fan question of all on her website: Will there ever be another “Harry Potter” novel? “I have always refused to say ‘never’ to this question,” the British author wrote, “because I think it would be foolish to rule out something I might want to do in a few years’ time. However, I have no immediate plans to write another Harry Potter novel, and I do think that I have rounded off Harry’s story in seven published books.” With the sheer volume of a project like the Harry Potter encyclopedia, it’s unlikely it will be available anytime soon. But Rowling’s first adult novel, “The Casual Vacancy,” is set to be released on September 27, 2012. The novel follows a quaint town in the wake of a death that leaves an empty seat on the parish council. Despite appearances, the town isn’t all it seems. Behind closed doors it’s in a continual state of war and this sudden death leaves it in its biggest war yet. Should J.K. Rowling write another “Harry Potter” book? Leave your comment below! ? Related Photos ‘Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 2’
‘It was [Dr.] Dre’s vision to bring this back to life,’ says Nick Smith president of the company that created the Tupac hologram at Coachella. By Gil Kaufman 2Pac hologram at Coachella Photo: Getty Images The Coachella festival is a place where minds routinely get blown, usually due to an awesome set or a killer reunion from one of your favorite bands. But on Sunday night it was thanks to the ghostly re-appearance of West Coast rap legend Tupac Shakur . He materialized on stage alongside his old friend Snoop Dogg during a crowd-pleasing set by the Doggfather and Dr. Dre, which also featured appearances from Eminem, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa and Warren G . The resurrection of ‘Pac , who was murdered in 1996, would have been a face-melting surprise had word about the stunt not leaked out just a few days before the set. But the 100,000 or so fans who were on hand still couldn’t believe it when Tupac materialized on stage to rip off “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted.” “What up, Coachella?” the shirtless, pants sagging MC asked the crowd before bouncing into the classic single “Hail Mary.” “We worked with Dr. Dre on this and it was Dre’s vision to bring this back to life,” said Nick Smith, president of AV Concepts, the San Diego company that created the hologram. “It was his idea from the very beginning and we worked with him and his camp to utilize the technology to make it come to life.” Smith said he wasn’t allowed to talk about the creative aspects of the production — including how the hologram was able to seemingly perform the set in synch with Snoop and whether all the vocals were ‘Pac’s — but he did say that his company has the ability to recreate long-dead figures and visually recreate them in the studio. “You can take their likenesses and voice and … take people that haven’t done concerts before or perform music they haven’t sung and digitally recreate it,” he said. The hologram was the latest visual magic pulled off by AV, which is also behind the 2005 Grammys performance featuring Madonna and the holographic members of the Gorillaz, as well as holograms used in concert by Celine Dion and the Black Eyed Peas. The Tupac hologram was several months in the planning and took nearly four months to create in a studio and though Smith was not able to reveal the exact price tag for the illusion, he said a comparable one could cost anywhere from $100,000 to more than $400,000 to pull off. “I can’t say how much that event cost, but I can say it’s affordable in the sense that if we had to bring entertainers around world and create concerts across the country, we could put [artists] in every venue in the country,” he said. The life-size Tupac was amazingly life-like, down to the late rapper’s signature tattoos, Timberland boots, jewelry and movements, all of which were also recreated under the direction of Dre. The hologram, of course, already has a Twitter page and more than 3,300 followers at press time. A spokesperson for Dr. Dre could not be reached for additional comment at press time. Related Photos 2012 Coachella Music Festival Related Artists Tupac Dr. Dre
Singer has reportedly enlisted fashion guru Jean-Paul Gaultier to design the costumes for the tour, which kicks off May 29. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Rob Imbriani Madonna Photo: MTV News Madonna is several weeks out from launching her MDNA tour . That means she’s working hard on getting every aspect of the show just right, from the music to the design to the looks. Given that Madonna is famous for her spectacular stage shows, fans of the glitzy singer have high expectations for the jaunt, which will kick off on May 29 in Tel Aviv, and will wrap around the globe before planting Stateside on August 28 in Philadelphia. When MTV News caught up with singer at the launch of her Truth or Dare perfume in New York City , she revealed that fans should expect this latest excursion to be just as eye-catching as the ones that came before. “Amazing music, incredible dancing, the team of people that I worked with for the Super Bowl is working with me on this as well,” she explained about the show, which she is currently rehearsing for. And, in the end, she hopes it will be “a feast for the eyes and the ears.” Given how decadent her Roman- and Egyptian-themed Super Bowl performance was, full of acrobatics, sparkling costumes and enough diva-tude to make Cleopatra jealous, it seems that Madge is taking all the right steps to capture that eye-popping essence for her traveling stage show. With a set list floating around that includes tracks like fan favorites “Secret” and “Deeper and Deeper,” as well as new tracks like “Turn Up the Radio” and “Girl Gone Wild,” she’s even enlisted her longtime fashion guru, Jean-Paul Gaultier, to design the costumes for the tour, according to Pink Is The New Blog . He’s worked with her on her Confessions Tour, her Re-Invention Tour, the Drowned World Tour and her Blond Ambition Tour. He’s also the man who designed her famous cone bra. It seems that the Queen of Pop will rule Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum starting at the end of this month through mid-May, according to Newsday . The pop singer and her team are rumored to have rented out the space to rehearse, but she has no plans to stop there during the tour. Madge dropped her album, MDNA , last month. Are you planning on seeing Madge on tour? Let us know in the comments!
Season seven starts tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV featuring performances set to the best Britney songs. By Kara Warner Britney Spears Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage In anticipation of the epic season premiere of “Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew” , MTV has been rolling out a few very extra special details via Twitter , the biggest one being that tonight’s premiere will feature performances set to our favorite songs from pop princess Britney Spears . Spears tweeted out the good news herself. “Make sure you tune into #ABDC tonight on @MTV at 10/9C!” she wrote. “Heard they’re closing show with Womanizer…CAN NOT WAIT to see what these crews do.” This season, dubbed “Return of the Superstars,” will feature nine all-new hip-hop dance crews and one returning past crew, a fan favorite from season two, Fanny Pak. “This is not Fanny Pak, it’s Back Pack,” joked judge J.C. Chasez. “It’s a huge group now. When I saw Fanny Pak I think there were five members and now there are like eight or nine. I’m excited though because what I loved about Fanny Pak on the season they were on is that they don’t rely strictly on their athleticism as dancers. They really work into the theme, they listen to what the music is saying.” “I love Fanny Pak,” fellow judge Lil’ Mama said. “I think that they’re fantastic as a crew, and when you’re alumni and have been through the ropes you know what to expect, it gets tougher as you go along so and people bring their A-game, so we’re hoping they can last through to the end because they’re a good crew.” This is the first time in the series’ history a crew from a prior season will return to compete for the title. In addition, each episode will feature a different theme built around a popular celebrity artist, including Madonna, Rihanna, Pitbull, David Guetta, Flo Rida and LMFAO. Don’t miss the season-seven premiere of “America’s Best Dance Crew” , airing Wednesday, April 11, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! For continuing “Crew” coverage, be sure to check in with MTV’s blog. Related Videos America’s Best Dance Crew (Season 7) | Ep. 1 | Sneak Peek Related Artists Britney Spears
Snow White and the Huntsman stars Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth and Sam Claflin are helping celebrate Kristen Stewart’s 22nd birthday in style. The trio, in their amazing accents, uploaded separate video cards to offer well-wishes to the actress, who plays Snow White, on the special occasion. “Kristen Stewart, a little birdie came and told me it was your birthday,” proclaimed Theron. “Dude, happy friggin’ birthday. You’re awesome.” “I feel honored to know you. Just keep rockin’, man. You’re amazing. Mad love.” Charlize Theron: Happy Birthday Kristen Stewart! Theron, who plays the evil Queen, then blew her a kiss. As for Hemsworth and Claflin, they kept it short and sweet … but man those guys are cool. Watch their brief greetings for K-Stew after the jump … Chris Hemsworth: Happy Birthday Kristen Stewart! Charlize Theron: Happy Birthday Kristen Stewart! Snow White and the Huntsman arrives in theaters this summer, and it looks certifiably bad ass. Check out the trailer for the fantasy film below … Snow White and the Huntsman Trailer (Full-Length)
Eight months after announcing her engagement to Christian Evans , Ricki Lake is a married woman. She eloped with her fiance, according to reports! “They had been planning on doing it this way and didn’t want a big spectacle,” a source explained to Us . ” Ricki is so happy ! She really found love again.” Lake dropped a not-so-subtle hint on Twitter Tuesday with a fuzzy but stunning shot of herself, clad in a lacy wedding gown and holding a bouquet. That could be construed as a wedding announcement of sorts: “Yup, this is me,” the actress and talk show host, 43, Tweeted along with the photo seen above. “Sadie Sadie married lady. 🙂 🙂 Love is in the air. Xo” Congratulations to Ricki and Christian Evans! On a side note, no wonder Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion, no one uploads a pic without it anymore.
Madonna’s new album MDNA has sort of crashed and burned, posting nowhere close to the kind of sales figures one would expect from the Queen of Pop. The record sold 359,000 copies when it debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts, but has since plummeted to 46,000 copies in its second week of release. While many acts would be grateful to sell 400,000-plus units, it’s a letdown for one of the all-time greats, not to mention a record-setting dropoff . Is she the Immaterial Girl? Interestingly, in its first week of release, her manager Guy Oseary said of MDNA : “People are really digging it. We feel good about the album. It’s her 12th album and the same story she had 30 years ago. That’s an amazing accomplishment.” Some critics agree that it’s the same story as 30 years ago. They just don’t see it as a big selling point for Madonna. Said the Los Angeles Times: ” MDNA more than anything sounds like an album made by someone who lost touch with the desires of today’s music… the Madonna of today has lost the art of surprise.” Ouch.
Season seven will be ‘incredible,’ ABDC judge JC Chasez tells MTV News; It all starts Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! By Kara Warner with reporting by James Lacsina Dancers on “America’s Best Dance Crew” Photo: MTV Do you feel that extra energy in the air? Are your toes tappin’ for no reason? Those feelings can only mean one thing: There’s just one day left until the season seven premiere of “Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew.” Every season has been one for the record books, simply because the talent among the diverse dance crews just keeps getting better. Season seven is shaping up to be the best season yet, but don’t take our word for it, check out what ABDC judges JC Chasez and Lil Mama said when MTV News caught up with them recently. “The only thing that’s going to be able to top last season is an incredible performance,” Chasez told MTV News recently. “That’s what we’re all waiting for, the next great performance. What is this next star going to do to raise the bar? That’s what we’re hoping to get out of this next season.” “The show is so innovative it’s always new,” added Lil Mama. “There’s always new chemistry. When the crews come onto the show, of course they build a fanbase, but what is more important is that they build a family base,” she explained. “They build a family and they become family with one another and when they come out on that stage everything that they go through they go through together as a crew, together as a unit of ABDC and as individuals.” This season, dubbed “Return of the Superstars,” will feature nine all-new hip-hop dance crews and one returning past crew, a fan favorite from season two, Fanny Pak. This is the first time in the series’ history a crew from a prior season will return to compete for the title. In addition, each episode will have a different theme, built around a popular celebrity artist. Dance crews will be challenged to push themselves to create astonishing performances inspired by the music and persona of the artist of the week. Those artists include Madonna, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Pitbull, David Guetta, Flo Rida and LMFAO, among others. Don’t miss the season seven premiere of airing Wednesday, April 11, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! For continuing “Crew” coverage, be sure to check in with MTV’s blog. Related Artists JC Chasez Lil Mama
Live-action film will tell ‘Sleeping Beauty’ villain’s side of the story. By Fallon Prinzivalli Angelina Jolie Photo: Getty Images Get excited, villain fans: Walt Disney Studios announced the U.S. release date for “Maleficent” — March 14, 2014! Based on Disney’s animated classic “Sleeping Beauty,” this live-action movie will delve into the origins of Maleficent and what caused her to curse Princess Aurora. The film stars Angelina Jolie as the title role and will show a different side to the evil fairy. Before casting and filming was finalized, Jolie told MTV News’ Josh Horowitz she would love to play the titular sorceress. “It’s all new and being discussed, but I loved her when I was a little girl. She was my favorite.” When we caught up with the actress a year later at the red carpet for “Kung Fu Panda 2,” she confirmed “there’s a great script.” The script was penned by Linda Woolverton, and Jolie admitted she had loved it for a very long time. Even though the movie tells Maleficent’s version of the story doesn’t mean Aurora will be portrayed as the bad guy . “It’s not anti-princess,” Jolie told Entertainment Weekly about the film. “But it’s the first time they’re looking at this epic woman. … I hope in the end you see a woman who is capable of being many things, and just because she protects herself and is aggressive, it doesn’t mean she can’t have other [warmer] qualities.” Jolie believes “Maleficent” will be a positive film for young girls to see because of its message of seeing a story from someone else’s point of view. But it isn’t just the script that fans can look forward to; Robert Stromberg — who has worked on “Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland” in the past — will direct, which means audiences can prepare themselves for stunning visuals as well. Check out everything we’ve got on “Maleficent.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Salt’
