‘[He] delighted in scaring the kids on the block — and they loved him for it,” Hanks says of author in a statement to MTV News. By Fallon Prinzivalli Tom Hanks and Maurice Sendak Photo: Getty Images With the announcement that “Where the Wild Things Are” author and illustrator Maurice Sendak died Tuesday (May 8) at the age of 83, filmmakers and authors have been mourning the passing of a brilliant mind. From Elijah Wood to “Looking for Alaska” author John Green, the influence Sendak leaves behind in the hearts of many is indisputable. In a statement to MTV News, actor Tom Hanks — who co-produced the film adaptation of Sendak’s popular children’s book — said, “Maurice Sendak was the fabulously cranky old man, the maker of the Wild Rumpus, who delighted in scaring the kids on the block — and they loved him for it. I think a late supper is awaiting him and it is still hot.” Sendak revolutionized the children’s book genre by allowing his works to remain a dark fantasy instead of a bright, depthless story. In “Wild Things,” after being sent to his room without dinner, Max — an unruly boy constantly wearing a wolf suit — sails away from home to a land of wild beasts for an adventure. Sendak’s influence spread from the literary world to the film world as Spike Jonze set out to adapt the widely popular book into a motion picture. Critics were skeptical as the tome was labeled “unfilmable,” but the author remained involved in the project as Jonze incorporated his own interpretation of the book into the film. “[Sendak] said from the beginning that you have to make it dangerous — make something that respects kids and doesn’t talk down to them or if not, it wasn’t worth doing,” Jonze said in the film’s featurette . Sendak also created “Seven Little Monsters,” a children’s television series that showed the not-so-little monsters learning about life, and had a hand in creating and writing the Nick Jr. show, “Little Bear.” All the while children read his other picture books such as “In the Night Kitchen” and “Outside Over There.” But it was his classic story of Max and those monsters who “roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth” that continues to span time and influence generation after generation. Share your memories of Maurice Sendak in the comments.
Sendak, best known for ‘Wild Things’ and ‘In the Night Kitchen,’ was known for his dark-edged humor and unconventional approach. By Gil Kaufman Maurice Sendak Photo: David Corio/Getty Images Beloved children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, author of the classic boyhood adventure tale “Where the Wild Things Are,” died on Tuesday (May 8) at the age of 83. The New York Times reported that Sendak’s death was a result of complication from a recent stroke. Controversial, irascible and not entirely convinced that he was a children’s author, Sendak wrote literate, dark and moody picture books that explored the anxieties and fears of children, and their parents. Best known for 1963’s “Wild Things,” Sendak also wrote and illustrated the equally groundbreaking “In the Night Kitchen” (1970) and 1981’s “Outside Over There,” which completed a trilogy started with “Wild Things.” The self-taught author couldn’t be bothered with the traditions of children’s books, in which the Times noted, “young heroes and heroines were typically well scrubbed and even better behaved; nothing really bad ever happened for very long; and everything was tied up at the end in a neat, moralistic bow.” Instead, his subjects were often rude, selfish, obstinate and occasionally annoying and sometimes they ran away from home, or were kidnapped or, worst of all, their parents disappeared. Sendak’s illustrations looked like sepia-toned pages from a a 19th-century etching, sprinkled with sly wordplay and references that his youngest readers were unlikely to understand. Though not prolific, Sendak’s work was highly influential. In addition to the abovementioned books, he also created 1960’s “The Sign on Rosie’s Door,” the 1962 boxed set collection of four tiny booklets called “The Nutshell Library” and 1967’s “Higglety Pigglety Pop!” His first writing and illustration effort in 30 years, 2011’s “Bumble-Ardy,” told the story of an orphaned pig who throws a wild birthday party for himself. In addition to his writing, Sendak also designed theater sets and illustrated dozens of other works, including ones by such legendary authors as Hans Christian Andersen and Herman Melville to William Blake and Leo Tolstoy. But amid all the accolades for his work, it was the story of “Wild Things” hero Max that captured the hearts and minds of generations of readers. The irritable boy who likes to wear a wolf costume and sets sail for unforeseen adventures after being sent to his room without dinner was adapted by director Spike Jonze into a moody feature film in 2009. He was also the subject of a documentary, “Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak,” by Lance Bangs, which was released by late Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch’s Oscilloscope Laboratories. His books were not always a hit with some critics, who complained about the horrifying monsters in “Wild Things” and the nudity of the young hero of “Night Kitchen,” which subjected the book to censorship. But Sendak was undeterred, arguing that life is full of horrors and that children are not immune to the reality of death, loneliness and confusion. Born in Brooklyn, New York on June 10, 1928, Maurice Bernard Sendak was the son of Polish Jewish immigrant parents. The deaths of much of his extended family in the Holocaust imbued him with a sense of mortality early in life, which could explain the often bleak, danger-filled nature of many of his books and the peril of the children he wrote about. He was also a sickly child, which resulted in many days and weeks in bed that allowed his fertile imagination to bloom. He began his professional career as an illustrator working on window displays for F.A.O. Schwarz and segued into illustrating other author’s children’s books in the 1950s before venturing off to write his own books. A solitary man by nature, Sendak lived in Ridgefield, Connecticut with his companion of 50 years, psychiatrist Eugene Glynn, who died in 2007, as well as his dogs and his beloved Mozart records. Sendak appeared on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” earlier this year and shared his wit and wisdom about children’s books with the host. “There is something in this country that is so opposed to understanding the complexity of children,” he said of the controversy kicked up by some of works. “I don’t write for children. I write … and somebody says, ‘That’s for children.’ I didn’t set out to make children happy or make life better for them or easier for them.”
Rihanna performed on “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend and absolutely killed it! The Bajan-born singer took to the SNL stage perform her hit songs…
Above the Buzz examines how these former pop princesses serve as examples of how stars can re-brand themselves again and again. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Both Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson dominated headlines this week. Not since the late ’90s have these two duked it out for so much media coverage. However there’s a remarkable difference in what’s happening today to what was happening then: Then, everyone was talking about their music and their pop star personas. Where Britney was a Lolita who proclaimed virginity while dancing provocatively in belly-baring tops, Jessica was innocent and sweet and didn’t dare anger her minister daddy. Jessica released songs that put her big voice on display, and Brit focused on songs that put eyes on her dazzling dance moves and her ear for dance beats. A lot has changes in the years since then. What’s interesting is that, despite their seemingly different personalities, in retrospect, they have a lot more in common than was initially apparent: They are both down-home country girls who have built empires that few can touch. Both have had very public career highs met with very public personal lows. Both have loved boy banders. Both have even documented their lives on reality shows, albeit with very different outcomes. With almost 15 years separating the women they are now from those girls they were then, it seems they are looking to change it up. At a time where the pop world is filled with plenty of younger pop princesses looking for their time to shine, Britney and Jessica seem comfortable enough with their own musical legacies to let them all have their moments. And, they should be at ease. They have both been incredibly successful in that world, having sold millions of albums, had huge radio singles and made music that is uniquely their own. And while Simpson has let her music take a back seat to other projects in the past few years, Spears is still a working singer who sells out tours and tops the charts. These days, Jessica seems focused on maintaining the post-pop star second act she launched several years back. She’s a fashion mogul with a billion-dollar empire that has outfitted fashionistas with reasonably priced essentials like platforms and bags. She also judges up-and-coming fashion talent on NBC’s “Fashion Star,” sharing with new designers her own wisdom on breaking into the industry. But, always savvy enough to keep people guessing, she’s expanded her brand even further. Now, she is also the latest mommy mogul . Jessica just added another gig to her post-pop star career — that of the A-list mom. Just this week, she welcomed her first child, Maxwell Drew , into the world. We expect she’ll use that experience to re-launch herself yet again. We should expect fashion lines for stylish toddlers. And who wouldn’t want to see a reality show that follows the new mom and her family? It seems that, like Simpson, Spears might be looking to take a break from music for a moment. Having already given birth to two sons and tried her hand at the worlds of fashion and beauty, Spears is now a frontrunner to judge “X Factor.” Her own experiences in the industry certainly make her the perfect candidate to give advice on the ups and downs of pop superstardom. She’s experienced both with the entire world watching. While Spears’ other projects (clothing line, fragrances) have generally been overshadowed by her music career, this rumored gig might be the first one to take the attention away from her pop fame while using it for all it’s worth. Spears is probably up for the gig because she is basically the heir to the Madonna legacy . She truly understands how to be a pop star. And the rumors that she might join Simon Cowell on the show seem to be intriguing Spears’ critics and non-devotees more than anything she’s done in the past few years. Spears might have found her perfect next chapter. Right now, it’s unclear how these new career paths will shape the future for Simpson and Spears — musically and otherwise. But, as has always been the case for them, no one doubts they will redefine what it means to be a female pop star. They are women who aren’t willing to go quietly into the night. For Spears and Simpson, it seems they want it all or nothing. And, who can blame them? What would you like to see Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson do next? Share your thoughts below! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Jessica Simpson Britney Spears: I Am The Femme Fatale
‘YMCMB start and stop with Wayne; it ain’t no YMCMB without Wayne,’ Birdman tells MTV News. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Lil Wayne Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images When Lil Wayne first signed with Cash Money Records as a pre-teen, he wasn’t the label’s biggest star, but these days, it’s impossible to imagine the premier rap label without Tunechi. With his most-recent deal, fans won’t have to fathom that possibility. A few weeks back, Weezy announced on MTV’s “Hip Hop POV” that he re-signed with Cash Money for a four-album deal, and since then, rumors have begun to surface that Birdman put up $150 million to retain Wayne’s recording rights. “YMCMB start and stop with Wayne; it ain’t no YMCMB without Wayne,” Birdman told MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway on Monday night while DJ Khaled was shooting his “Take It to the Head” video in L.A. On “POV,” Wayne said, “Everybody knows I came into the game at 11 years old with Cash Money Records, before we even had a major deal. We signed a deal in I don’t remember when, and I been with Cash Money ever since. So, if you’re looking for integrity, I am the definition. If you’re looking for a person that’s gonna stay down, I am the definition. If you’re looking for loyalty, I am just that.” Birdman wouldn’t confirm the exact figures in the deal, but he made it clear that when it comes to Wayne, who he considers a son, the sky is the limit. “The type of situation we did never been done in urban music; it’s probably the biggest deal ever in urban music,” he said. “I’m blessed to even do that — whatever my son want, he can get. It’s all his anyway, so it don’t really matter to me.” With Weezy as the flagship, the #1 Stunna hopes to grow his Cash Money/Young Money company into a billion-dollar brand. “That’s one of our goals, and the move we just made was a big move to that, to make sure the pioneer of it, which is Wayne,” he said. Tunechi’s next album will be I Am Not a Human Being II , and the new deal ensures that it won’t be his last. Baby is no doubt proud to continue doing business with Birdman Jr., but let him tell it, and it’s more than business: “This is for life,” he said. Are you looking forward to Lil Wayne’s next album? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ Gets A New Point Of View Related Artists Lil Wayne Birdman
Tony Lucca and Chris Mann also advance to the final four, while Lindsay Pavao, Katrina Parker, Erin Willett and Jamar Rogers exit. By John Mitchell Christina Aguilera and Lindsay Pavao Photo: NBC The results are in, and the four “Voice” contestants moving on to the finals have been decided. Each artist was assigned two scores, both out of 100, following their performances on Monday night’s show . The first came from their respective judge, while America’s vote determined the other. The contestant from each team with the highest overall score advanced to the finals. With no last-chance performances or saves left in the game, the night’s singing came from last year’s top four: Dia Frampton, Vicci Martinez, Beverly McClellan and winner Javier Colon. Frampton, who repped Team Blake last year, was first to the stage, performing her new single “Don’t Kick the Chair” with Kid Cudi. If anything, the fact that Frampton remains a viable enough recording artist to be performing the lead single from her upcoming record with a major artist like Cudi is a testament to the fact that whether they advance or not, these folks will be just fine. After Frampton’s performance came the night’s first elimination. Aguilera evenly split her 100 points between her two contestants, Chris Mann and Lindsay Pavao, saying the two were so different and performed so strongly that she felt it right to let America decide who should advance. America’s vote was close, but ultimately it was Mann who prevailed, earning a total score of 104 to Pavao’s 96, meaning America’s vote went 54 to 46 in Mann’s favor. Season-one finalist Vicci Martinez performed her new single, “Come Along,” and she got a little hlp from mentor Cee Lo. Next up was Adam, who awarded Tony Lucca 60 points to Katrina Parker’s 40, saying that while Parker is easily the contest’s most improved contestant, he felt that, going into the finals, his connection with Lucca would better serve the rocker on his way to a potential victory. America, it seems, felt the same. Lucca prevailed with an overall score of 108. Parker did snag an impressive 48 points from America’s vote, though her total score of 92 fell short. Team Christina’s season one contestant, rocker Beverly McClellan, hit the stage next to perform “Money Changes Everything” with ’80s pop icon Cyndi Lauper. McClellan, like Frampton, has a new album, Fear Nothing, on the way, reaffirming the sentiment Adam shared with his own team when they were on the chopping block: that all the contestants should take the exposure they’ve gained being on such a popular platform and use it as a launching pad, as both Frampton and McClellan (regardless of the fact that they lost) clearly have. After last year’s winner, Team Adam’s Javier Colon, wowed the crowd with his new single “Drop in the Ocean,” Team Blake hit the ring to find out who would stay and who would go. Like Christina, Blake evenly divided his 100 points between Erin Willett and Jermaine Paul, saying he didn’t want to be part of the decision-making process anymore. (At least he was honest.) However, America went big for Jermaine, giving the former Alicia Keys backup singer a whopping 77 points for a 123 total. By comparison, Willett totaled only 77. The night’s biggest surprise came when Team Cee Lo stepped forward for elimination. Cee Lo chose to go the Adam route, splitting his points 60/40 between rocker Juliet Simms (60), whose performance of “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” earned the most praise of the night from the panel, and Jamar Rogers (40). With his compelling backstory and high-energy performances, Rogers has been a front-runner throughout the competition, but America clearly felt the same as the judges regarding Juliet. She snagged another 61 points from the public vote for a 121 total, besting Rogers’ combined 79. Moving on
Juliet Simms and Jermaine Paul also pull out all the stops for their mentors and America. By John Mitchell Tony Lucca on “The Voice” Photo: NBC With a trip to the finals on the line, Monday night’s (April 30) “Voice” semifinals saw the remaining two artists from each team take the stage to sing their hearts out for America’s votes and high scores from the coaches, which, combined, determine who moves on to next week’s finals. First up was Mouseketeer-turned-rocker Tony Lucca, who ditched his guitar for the first time in the competition to show off a different side of himself, singing “How You Like Me Now.” Lucca upped his game last week with his rocking rendition of Britney Spears’ ” … Baby One More Time” and knew he had a lot to prove. Without his guitar to hide behind, Lucca delivered plenty of pop-star swagger. Blake summed it up most succinctly, saying Lucca’s swinging performance was reminiscent of similarly suited-up Robert Palmer in his prime. Even Christina, who has often been Lucca’s harshest critic, went on and on with praise for so long that host Carson Daly cut her off. (Didn’t he notice her tiara? Who cuts off a pop diva in fishnets and a bejeweled crown?) Erin Willett entered the ring with a “special song choice”: a rearranged take on David Guetta and Usher’s dance thumper “Without You.” It was a risk, but that’s what Erin, who said during rehearsals she felt like she’s “never had a moment” on the show, was after. She was expectedly powerful, earned a thumbs-up from the judges and got very emotional onstage when she finished singing, but we’re not sure everything came together just right to make the performance memorable for the right reasons. Throughout the competition, Christina has pushed classically trained Chris Mann into pop and rock territory to prove — both to himself and the voting public — that he could do more than sing opera (as he did during the blind auditions). However, as the contest winds down, Aguilera was keen to show off what attracted her to Mann in the first place (his perfect voice) and gave the singer one of the most well-known classical songs ever, “Ave Maria.” He nailed it, so much so that Aguilera caught Cee Lo tearing up. Aguilera was so moved by Mann’s performance that she jumped from her chair and joined him onstage to give him a hug. Fan favorite Jamar Rogers from Team Cee Lo was next to the stage with the classic “If You Don’t Know Me by Now.” A born entertainer with a penchant for high-energy performances, Rogers reeled it in this time, hoping to showcase his voice, and the judges took notice. “Forget the competition for a minute,” Adam said. “I’m just a fan of what you do.” Though they are ostensibly competitors, there’s always a good bit of camaraderie among the contestants on “The Voice,” and that showed through when the teams joined forces for group performances of the Killers “All These Things That I’ve Done” (Teams Cee Lo and Adam) and Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory” (Teams Christina and Blake). Similarly, though they may bicker in their judges’ chairs, Christina was bobbing her head (a task given how much that jeweled tiara must weigh) along to Blake’s performance of his new single “Over.” Hoping to show that Mann isn’t the only true powerhouse male vocalist in the competition, Blake paired former Alicia Keys backup singer Jermaine Paul with Journey’s massive ballad “Open Arms.” Jermaine rose to the challenge, digging deep into the song’s emotion and tackling the song’s runs with aplomb. The judges were not shy about praising Paul’s performance. “You came in and you murdered that song,” Christina said. “Jermaine, I would like to congratulate you, because you are no longer a background singer, my friend,” Adam added. But his own coach made the most crucial point, given how close Paul is to the finals, saying, “You’re peaking at the right time.” Katrina Parker also opted to change things up, singing “Killing Me Softly” in the style of the Fugees’ remake. Outside her usual Adele-like belting, she showed off a new vocal personality — more sultry and raspy than ever. Noting that later in the night the judges would be forced to award percentages to the contestants and that Tony Lucca and Adam are maybe a more natural mentoring fit, Christina championed Parker, telling Levine to “take a look at Katrina Parker because she’s a star.” Having saved her from elimination twice in the competition, we think he gets it, Christina. While many singers opted to show off a different side of themselves, being in the bottom two last week chased Lindsay Pavao right back into her hipster-indie wheelhouse, where she found Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” waiting for her. The performance was very Florence and the Machine-lite, with Pavao looking ethereal while strumming a guitar and sounding as unique as ever. Even Blake complimented Christina’s strategy of returning her contestants to their roots (Mann with opera and Pavao with light indie rock). The final contestant to hit the stage was rocker Juliet Simms, singing James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” She earned a standing ovation from her coach Cee Lo and fawning praise from the rest of the judges (Adam said she was “the one to beat” tonight), but Aguilera’s words of support — saying that Simms sings for herself and that often leads to the most gut wrenching performances — were perhaps the most important, as she tore the roof off the 2007 Grammys with her take on this song. At the very end of the show, the coaches were given 100 points to divide between their two contestants, the results of which will be tabulated alongside America’s vote and revealed Tuesday to determine who moves on to the finals. Who are your picks for the finals? Let us know in the comments below!
With the semifinals on tap tonight, some of the biggest stars in music are set to perform on the season two finale of The Voice next Tuesday, May 8. You might not typically expect to see Justin Bieber, Lady Antebellum, Flo Rida and Hall & Oates perform at the same event, but that’s The Voice for you. Bieber will return to the show for a world premiere performance of his new single, “Boyfriend,” from his upcoming album, Believe , available June 19. Justin Bieber Album Announcement Biebs’ made a big announcement about Believe on The Voice a few weeks back (above), when Carson Daly invited him back for the finale. He obliged. Hip hop star Flo Rida, meanwhile, is set to perform a medley of his hit single, “Wild Ones,” and one additional song that has yet to be determined. Daryl Hall and John Oates, the number-one selling duo in history (really), will perform their first ever hit single, “Rich Girl.” The first of 29 Top 40 hits. Finally, pop-country sensations Lady Antebellum will grace The Voice with a performance of “Wanted You More” from their latest hit album, Own the Night.
Facebook.com – Become a Fan! Twitter.com – Follow Us! Drake was spotted leaving Greystone Manor Supperclub after partying the night away! Drake was the man of the hour as fans and the paparazzi went crazy to capture the superstar!
Barbra Streisand turned 70 this week. Seventy! The star marked the milestone with a party to remember in Malibu, Calif., on Tuesday, celebrating with close friends and enjoying a performance by Johnny Mathis. The legendary singer-actress was joined at Taverna Tony by 80 guests, including John Travolta, Warren Beatty, Pierce Brosnan and Keely Smith, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, her stepson Josh Brolin and Diane Lane, Kenny G and Donna Karan. “It was an intimate magical event with only very close friends, people I’ve known and loved more than 20 years,” Streisand personally told People . “The highlight of the night was my son’s film that he made for me. People kept asking, ‘Who’s that singing?’ And when I said it was Jason, everyone was blown away by the soulfulness of his voice. Quincy Jones wanted to sign him on the spot.” “All my friends made it an evening full of surprises for me, flying in the remarkable Israeli mentalist Lior Suchard and gifting me with the performance of my favorite singer, Johnny Mathis, and many, many more highlights.” Happy birthday to one of the greats! In her career, Barbra has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, five Emmy Awards and a Tony Award, one of a select few entertainers who have ever won all four. Not a bad resume. [Photo: WENN.com]
