Pop icon Britney Spears is making headlines all over the world for her recent songs, music videos and Femme Fatale tour, but not all of them are positive. Her trademark scandalous, skimpy costumes have earned harsh criticism from some, while her devoted fans continue to flock to the singer’s every show. One thing’s for sure: This is not the Britney Spears of old. The pop icon kicked off the UK leg of her tour in London Thursday night, showing off her ample, womanly curves in sexy bras, panties, leotards, etc. The 29-year-old chanteuse, whose weight has fluctuated in recent years, is not shy about flaunting a slightly healthier midsection and … other attributes. But is she phoning it in these days? The Daily Mail reported that Britney’s ticket sales have been sluggish and that her lip synced performance at the O2 arena “lacked soul” and that there was “no real interaction between the singer and her fans.” Does Britney Spears still have it?
Welcome to THG’s Week in Review! Below, our staff takes a look back at the stories, stars and scandals that made these past seven days so memorable. If you don’t already, you can FOLLOW THG on Twitter and Facebook for 24/7/365 news. Day in and day out, let us be your entertainment news source! Now, a rundown of the week that was at The Hollywood Gossip : Safe to say it’s not going so hot for Mr. & Mrs. Kim Kardashian lately. The latest rumor: That E! was openly kourting husbands for Kim K. Amy Winehouse’s cause of death has been officially released. Playboy paid almost a million bucks for Lindsay Lohan nude . Michael Lohan was arrested, released and arrested again . Jessica Simpson is still angling to cash in on her kid . Courtney Stodden is too hot for the pumpkin patch . Madonna’s brother lives under a bridge . Breaking Dawn Sneak Peek: Bella is Pregnant! Bella Swan totally gets pregnant in Breaking Dawn (above)! Jenna Lyons and Courtney Crangi are now a couple. Bernie Madoff attempted suicide . It didn’t work out. Orlando Jones suggested liberals kill Sarah Palin . The case of Anneka Di Lorenzo vexes police. Morgan Wilson is no longer Top anything. Patrice O’Neal suffered a stroke. No one likes Casey Anthony . Brian Bradley – Jump Brian Bradley jumped into the Final 12 on The X Factor . Chaz Bono was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars . Maksim Chmerkovskiy had some words for the judges . Tony Romo and Candice Crawford are expecting! Mariah Carey introduced her twins to the world. Kody Brown of Sister Wives welcomed baby #17 ! Bruce Willis and Emma Heming are pregnant. Rachel Uchitel is pregnant , too. Yay? Puss in Boots ‘Americano’ Trailer (Ft. Lady Gaga) Puss in Boots leads a fun weekend of new movie openings. Cate Edwards and Trevor Upham are officially married! So are Robin Williams and Susan Schneider , in fact! Kaley Cuoco and Josh Keznik are totally engaged! Hey, so are Frankie Muniz and Elycia Turnbow . Frances Bean Cobain and Isaiah Silva may be. Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are not. Jessica Donaldson got with Prince Harry.
If you follow us on Twitter , you know that yesterday we heard a Justin Bieber song that almost could have possibly turned us into “Bieliebers”. We later found out that the new track “Christmas Eve” was written by Chris Brown , which explains it’s more Urban and mannish sound. We’re still surprised that Bieber had this in him though. What do you think? Sounds like puberty is finally over, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, we can’t say we’re as impressed with the other two songs that leaked from Bieber’s Christmas album: a remake of Mariah Carey ‘s “All I Want For Christmas” and a Busta Rhymes -assisted “Drummer Boy” featuring The Biebes rapping in between singing the holiday classic this is supposed to be a remix of. Check those out on the flip
This morning when we arrived in the MTV Newsroom, we were alerted to the most important holiday-related news of the year: Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey's duet of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” leaked online. Listening … See the rest here: Justin Bieber's 'All I Want For Christmas' Duet With Mariah Carey …
Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey have teamed up to answer a pressing question: What is the only thing these two superstars want for Christmas?!? Indeed, a few days after Bieber unleashed his duet with Usher (listen to these pals roast chestnuts on an open fire HERE ) on an adoring public, the 17-year old icon has done the same for his cover of Carey’s holiday classic. So, what’s the answer? What do Justin and Mariah desire in late December? Listen below and find out! video platform video management video solutions video player Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Bieber will release his Christmas CD, featuring a number of collaborations with a number of big names, on November 1. Have you pre-ordered it yet?!?
With collabos between Lil Wayne and Joe Jonas, Taylor Swift and T.I., the lines separating music genres are increasingly becoming blurred. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber Photo: FilmMagic In a modern music landscape where genre is pretty much nonexistent, the lines are becoming even further blurred. That’s why music lovers barely flinched when news broke that Justin Bieber will work with Kanye West and his “homey” Drake on his next album . However, more than a decade ago, major mainstream artists like Britney Spears or even *NSYNC (whose very own Justin Timberlake later went on to work with hip-hoppers) would never have thought about hooking up with rappers like Eminem, for instance. In fact, they were the punch line to many of Em’s finest rhymes during the “TRL” era. Today, pop stars and rap stars are unapologetically sharing their love for one another. Lil Wayne, who recently worked with artists including Joe Jonas and Jennifer Lopez, seems to be one of the guys leading the charge. In addition to appearing on tracks with pop stars, Demi Lovato’s and Bieber’s covers of his track “How to Love” have made headlines. So, what is it about Weezy? “I just loved the way that Lil Wayne took a risk doing the song ‘How to Love,’ ” Lovato explained. “And when I really listened to it, it’s such a great song.” That enthusiasm for his work, according to Vibe Music Editor John Kennedy, has a lot to do with Weezy “the man” as well as Weezy “the artist.” “Wayne appeals to the pop world because he’s obviously got a tremendous following and is a talented artist, but he’s a character outside of the music. His image off-wax is just as prominent as his rhymes on record,” he explained. “So when you get Wayne on a record, it’s more than just a hot 16, you’re getting a rebel to society: the sagging denims, tats all over, diamond grills. It just adds rock star flavor with hip-hop appeal.” “On an artistic level, he just seems like an exciting guy to be around who is also willing to try just about everything, so I imagine pop stars can basically say, ‘Hey, can you do this weird thing?’ and he’d say yes,” Entertainment Weekly staff writer Kyle Anderson added about Wayne’s appeal. “From a more business standpoint, working with Wayne not only means chart and radio recognition but also instant cool. He has a cachet that hasn’t faded yet.” But Wayne is hardly the only guy in the game defying the laws of hip-hop and pop. Country superstar Taylor Swift has certainly done her part, appearing in concert with guys like T.I. and B.o.B. “I’m a huge hip-hop fan, and it’s been so amazing to have so many incredible artists come out and to get to sing the hooks on their songs that I’ve been blasting in my car for the last couple years,” she explained. “It’s been awesome. I couldn’t have asked for more amazing special guests on this tour, and we’re not finished yet.” But it’s not just the pop stars singing the praises of rappers and hoping to get some street cred. Rappers are clamoring to hook up with their pop counterparts too, picking up where artists like Mariah Carey/O.D.B. and Christina Aguilera/Redman left off. And recently, Aguilera’s former pop rival, Spears, jumped on the trend when she toured with Nicki Minaj . When MTV News caught up with Minaj backstage on the Femme Fatale Tour, she said that the crossover success has been intriguing and surprising. “I’m always surprised,” she said. “I don’t really expect them to know all the records, but I guess it just kind of transcends all genres of music at this point.” As the genre-bending continues, it seems that the pairings are likely to get more and more unexpected. “I met Justin [Bieber] back in February. He’s a cool kid and sh–,” Tyler, the Creator said of his desire to work with the teen star. “When I got in there, he was talkin’ about the ‘Yonkers’ video and sh–. It was weird, because I was sitting here starstruck, like, ‘Oh, f—, it’s Bieber. He’s asking me questions.’ I’m like, ‘Shut the f— up so I can talk to you.’ ” What do you think of the pop/ hip-hop crossover? Tell us in the comments. Related Photos A Very Bieber Christmas
Couple opened up about parenthood on ’20/20′ special with Barbara Walters. By Jocelyn Vena Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon and their six-month-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe Photo: ABC Back in May, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon welcomed their twins, Moroccan and Monroe , into the world. And months after their birth, the happy parents sat down with Barbara Walters on Friday for a “20/20” special, where they debuted their bundles of joy. Nicknamed “Dem Babies,” the twins were born via C-section on the couple’s three-year wedding anniversary as Carey’s track “Fantasy” played. However, the pregnancy itself wasn’t much of a fantasy for the superstar. “I don’t think I understood the enormity and the magnitude of what it really does to your body,” she told Walters. “Carrying two babies. Unless somebody’s been through it, it’s difficult to understand what I went through, because my pregnancy was very unique in terms of what happened to me. “I had serious back problems,” she continued. “I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to walk properly again. It was a huge strain.” video platform video management video solutions video player Carey first confirmed she was pregnant last October after lots of speculation; she also opened up about her struggles to get pregnant. So when it came time to welcome her babies into the world, she wanted it to be a happy experience. “They came into the world to a live version [of ‘Fantasy’],” she said, “and the only reason I wanted it to be the live version is because I wanted them to hear the applause upon entering the world.” Cannon expressed equal amounts of excitement over their family, telling Walters during the special, “My family gives me everything. Unconditional love means … the world to me. I mean, it’s completion.” Shortly after the special aired, the couple launched a website for the babies, dembabies.com , where they take fans inside their family through pictures. “We deliberated for so long about how to reveal the first pictures of our babies to the world. We just didn’t want to do the typical thing and display them in a tabloid (not that there’s anything wrong with that),” a statement on the site reads. “We decided to share this beautiful experience with you in a special intimate portrait of our family. Parenthood is absolutely the most life changing experience we could ever have imagined. The love we feel for these babies is above and beyond anything we’d ever dreamed of.” Related Artists Mariah Carey Nick Cannon
‘The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)’ debuted on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show Monday morning. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber in the “Mistletoe” video Photo: Island Def Jam On November 1, Justin Bieber will take his fans Under the Mistletoe on his holiday album. But he’s giving them an early treat by releasing his Usher duet, “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” on Monday (October 24). The song dropped on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show . Its vibe is reminiscent of ’90s R&B tracks, and it sounds a lot like it could have been recorded by Boyz II Men, who also appear on the album. The Christmas classic is all about the little joys of the holiday season, including the family get-togethers, the food and Santa bringing presents to children. The song, one of the classics that appears on the album, hits iTunes on Monday. Bieber and Usher previously appeared together on “Somebody to Love” off My World 2.0. “Justin and I did the classic record ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.’ This record is going to be remembered for years to come,” Usher told Seacrest on Monday morning. “It’s a record that has always been one of my favorites, and I’m happy that I was able to share it with Justin, and for us to put it out. The album is full of surprises. Justin’s Under the Mistletoe is going to be incredible!” In the lead-up to the release, Bieber released some behind-the-scenes footage of his mentor and him in the studio working on the song. He also shared that he had another surprise in store for his fans. Just one week after dropping the video for “Mistletoe,” he tweeted , “Up early to shoot another video for #UNDERTHEMISTLETOE #Nov1st but something else is out this morning….” In addition to Usher, Under the Mistletoe will also feature appearances from the Band Perry, Busta Rhymes, Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey, who re-recorded her classic “All I Want for Christmas” for the album. Related Videos MTV First: Justin Bieber Related Artists Justin Bieber Usher
‘You don’t hear anything bad about this guy,’ Boyz II Men’s Nate Morris says of teen superstar during ‘MTV First: Justin Bieber.’ By James Dinh, with reporting by James Montgomery Justin Bieber in “Mistletoe” Photo: Island Def Jam Justin Bieber is bridging the generation gap with his star-studded holiday album, Under the Mistletoe. He’s collaborated with a string of stars like Mariah Carey , Busta Rhymes and Usher for the November 1 LP. But it’s the Biebs’ pairing with Boyz II Men that’s sure to expand the teen star’s fanbase. We spoke to BIIM’s Nate Morris via Skype during our special “MTV First: Justin Bieber” this week, and he shared his thoughts on the young singer as well as their holiday collabo “Falalalala.” “We respect him, man,” the R&B crooner told MTV News’ James Montgomery. “I watch what he does, I watch what the people around him do, and they’re guiding him in the right directions. You don’t hear anything bad about this guy. He has his head on straight.” JB’s team includes his mother, Pattie, who Morris said clearly has Bieber’s best interests at heart. “His mom has got his focus in the right direction and as long as she does that, he’ll be just fine,” he added. So will Boyz II Men head to the studio again with the pop superstar? Morris was optimistic, saying, “Oh, without a doubt. We just have to figure out the right circumstance. This was perfect for us because, you know, we wanted to try to make sure that the first song we did together was something that people could accept the two artists doing together. … If there’s a soundtrack or whatever that comes along that we can create something special, that’ll be hot.” BIIM’s team-up with JB is just one of many treats the group has planned for their comeback. On October 25, they’re set to drop Twenty, a new double-disc set that features both brand-new tracks and re-recorded classics. “It’s a collection of our best work, we think,” Morris admitted. “I mean, 20 years is a long time to be in this business, so we tried to encompass a little bit of everything. …We wanted to bring everything together all on one [album] even for those young Bieber fans who may not know all the Boyz II Men records — they can get all the history and today’s music on one CD.” Are you excited to hear JB’s collabo with Boyz II Men? Tell us in the comments below! Related Videos MTV First: Justin Bieber Related Artists Justin Bieber Boyz II Men
Mariah And Nicky Carey’s twins “Roc and Roe” have finally seen the light of day….well the back of their heads, anyway. Hopefully, Barbara “I Got That Exclusive’ Walters will get dem babies to show dem faces on the 20/20 interview airing on Friday!
