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‘Hunger Games’ Stars ‘Blown Away’ By The Capitol

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

But Jennifer Lawrence is less excited about her singing: ‘I am a horrible singer. And I’m an even worse person to be around when I’m singing.’ By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Jennifer Lawrence Photo: MTV News For our fellow “Hunger Games” fans who obsess over Suzanne Collins’ brilliant books and their upcoming film adaptations as much as we do, there are so many things to love about the story that it’s difficult to pick just one or two (or five) things we’re looking forward to seeing when the movie opens March 23. But two of the most intriguing elements involved in the book-to-movie translation are what the Capitol will look like and how star Jennifer Lawrence will sound singing Rue’s Lullaby. MTV News was lucky enough to get a few hints about those specific topics during our recent chat with Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, both of whom can’t wait to see the Capitol in the finished film but disagree about their excitement for Lawrence’s singing skills. “[I’m excited to see] everything in the Capitol,” Lawrence said. “Every time we showed up at a Capitol scene, I was so blown away. Everything was more than you could have even imagined.” “What was cool about the stuff in the Capitol, so much was practical,” Hutcherson added. “The whole apartment scene was all a set they built that was super, incredibly futuristic and amazing, and to see how that is integrated with the whole green-screen world as well is going to be really, really cool.” Lawrence was not quite as enthusiastic about hearing her voice in the film, however. When we brought up the subject, she seemed to immediately get nervous about it. “Oh God, oh God. Yeah, I did [sing],” she said when asked about recording “Rue’s Lullaby.” “I’m a terrible singer.” “She’s not,” Hutcherson said. “No, Josh! Stop,” Lawrence said to Hutcherson with sincerity. “He is messing with everyone.” “She’s been called the songbird of her generation,” Hutcherson jumped in with a smile, referencing a Will Ferrell line in “Step Brothers.” “My voice is a combination of Fergie and Jesus,” Lawrence played along. “No, I am a horrible singer. And I’m an even worse person to be around when I’m singing. I’m a terrible singer. I hated it.” Lawrence said the recording process with famed producer T-Bone Burnett was particularly excruciating. “T-Bone Burnett, like, the best person to ever happen to music is, like, listening in the other room. I kept getting ready, and then the music would play, and I’d [freak out],” she recalled. “Nothing would come out of my mouth.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence And Josh Hutcherson Super Bowl 46: Movie Spots

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Jay-Z Brings Brooklyn ‘Glory’ To Carnegie Hall

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Jay performs his song to daughter Blue Ivy Carter and a host of other hits at the famed venue, with help from Alicia Keys and Nas. By Rob Markman Jay-Z performs at Carnegie Hall Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage NEW YORK — From Marcy to Madison Square and now from Crooklyn to Carnegie. Jay-Z has come a long way since releasing his 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt, and the magnitude of his travels wasn’t lost on the God MC when he performed at Carnegie Hall on Monday evening (February 6). The swanky crowd filled the Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall for the first of two benefit concerts, which joined Jay’s Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation with the United Way of NYC to raise money for gifted high school students who aren’t financially positioned to attend college. The premium-priced charity tickets brought out the likes of Liza Minnelli and New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia. With a full orchestra that included ?uestlove and Young Guru playing DJ, Hov took the stage at 8:45 p.m. ET after a dramatic string build. Emerging from the stage’s side door in a white tux jacket toting a gold bottle of Ace of Spades champagne, Jigga began his evening shouting, “Allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is Hov,” the iconic opening line from 2003’s “Public Service Announcement.” Those who thought Jigga would conform to the stuffy artistic standard typically associated with the famed concert hall were mistaken. Jay strutted across the stage drinking from his gold bottle promising the crowd, “It’s just tea.” On this night, Hov pledged to eradicate the divide that separates musical genres, only differentiating between good and bad music. “All those lines that divide us, we gonna step on ’em,” he announced to the electric crowd. As he’s done most of his career, Jay continued to stomp out the misconceptions that rap can’t be considered highbrow art as he tore through radio hits and street favorites like “U Don’t Know” and “Where I’m From.” Jay did balance things out when he invited Alicia Keys onstage for “Empire State of Mind” but got extra-gritty on the very next song, making way for Nas to perform his own “N.Y. State of Mind” from the Queensbridge MC’s 1994 classic Illmatic. There was a perfect juxtaposition throughout. The biggest musical clash came when Jay performed the “Annie”-sampling “Hard Knock Life.” Jigga rapped the song’s verses, while the wealthy crowd song the downtrodden chorus. By the time Hova rolled into the set’s next song “Izzo,” a marijuana smell filled the air. That must be a first for Carnegie. Ever the master of ceremonies, the Brooklyn rap juggernaut slowed things down properly easing into “Girls, Girls, Girls,” then “Song Cry” and then “Glory,” the song he released days after the birth of his and Beyonc

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‘The Voice’ Season 2 Continues With Angie Johnson, Jamar Rogers

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Judges Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green kick off second episode with a Prince medley. By John Mitchell Cee Lo Green on “The Voice” Photo: NBC The blind auditions continued on Monday night’s (February 6) two-hour episode of “The Voice,” with each judge picking up two more contestants to fill out the 12-person teams they’ll take to the battle phase later in the season. The episode opened with a flashy medley of Prince hits “1999,” “Little Red Corvette” and “Kiss” performed by judges Christina Aguilera , Cee Lo Green , Adam Levine and Blake Shelton , before the crew got right to business with the auditions. Team Christina Aguilera picked up two acts, including the evening’s first performers: platonic duo the Line. The pair’s rendition of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” got all four judges’ attention, but despite much protest from Shelton, they picked Aguilera. Shelton later told the camera he thought they were “fooled by flash and boobs.” She also scored an interesting choice in chanteuse Lindsay Pavao, who got Shelton and Cee Lo to swivel their chairs too. In one of the more unique performances of the night, Pavao transformed a Trey Songz tune into a ballad that Green compared to Fiona Apple. It was that uniqueness that won Christina over, and Pavao chose to join the “Beautiful” singer’s team. Team Adam After being denied by two different singers, the Maroon 5 frontman picked up his first team member of the night in 50-year-old Kim Yarbrough — who revealed during an interview segment that one of her many past odd jobs was working security for the Dave Matthews Band. Her soulful rendition of Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good” had all the judges dancing in their seats, but Adam won her over after asking for her name. When she said “Kim,” he corrected, “No, your name is Chaka Khan, baby.” Which is probably what any aspiring diva wants to hear after an audition. Levine also added the night’s final contestant, 23-year-old Angel Taylor, to his team. The Los Angeles native grew up in an abusive household and turned to music to get through the tough times. Her performance of Adele’s “Someone Like You” packed an emotional punch. Team Cee Lo The night’s two most compelling stories came from Jamar Rogers and Angie Johnson, both of whom opted for team Cee Lo. Rogers is a 29-year-old former drug addict from New York who was also featured on “American Idol” during season eight alongside his best friend and eventual finalist Danny Gokey. During his addiction, he contracted HIV. Now that he is clean and sober, Rogers volunteers for food-delivery services for the disabled in the Bronx. He also idolizes Cee Lo, so it’s good that the “Forget You” Grammy winner turned his chair around for Rogers’ performance of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” Cee Lo also picked up Staff Sergeant Angie Johnson, who was discovered and pushed to audition for “The Voice” after her fellow soldiers uploaded a video to YouTube of Johnson singing Adele on a military base while deployed in the Middle East. The video eventually tallied over a million views, which gave Johnson the confidence to hit the stage with a gutsy rendition of Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker.” “I love a girl with guts and confidence,” Cee Lo told the singer. Team Blake Blake’s first choice of the night fit firmly in his country wheelhouse: North Dakota native Gwen Sebastian, a musician who agreed with her drummer husband to hold off on having kids so she could take a go at being a performer. After her performance of “Stay,” Shelton remarked, “You are a great country vocalist … and I’m a country guy. I’m your man.” A more surprising choice for the country superstar came late in the show, when he promised he’d do everything he could for Jermaine Paul, a backup singer who has toured the world with Alicia Keys. Keys even sent Paul a video message wishing him good luck. He made a surprising song choice in Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated,” which also earned props from Cee Lo, who told Paul he could “hear the swag” in his voice. And even though it looked like Paul was favoring Cee Lo, he opted to move out of his R&B comfort zone and into Shelton’s country/rock genre. Four singers got the ax during the show when no judges swiveled around to offer a spot on their team. The judges went back and forth over country crooner Neil Middleton and pop singer Dez Durmon and ultimately regretted their decisions to pass on the singers. Durmon in particular had the judges all worked up, and when they turned around to see a handsome Yale football player standing in front of them, they practically slapped themselves across the head. “And it’s a good-looking guy,” Shelton sighed. Such is the point of “The Voice,” though. Durmon would have been a sure thing if the judges had gotten a look at him beforehand, but it’s all about the pipes — at least for now — on NBC’s reality hit, which kicked off its season to some pretty great post-Super Bowl ratings . Who was your favorite singer on the latest “Voice” episode? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Christina Aguilera Adam Levine Blake Shelton Cee Lo Green

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The Wanted Get ‘Glee’ Love

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

British boy band’s Battleground single, ‘Glad You Came,’ will be featured on this season of the hit Fox show. By Jocelyn Vena The Wanted Photo: MTV News The Wanted are currently taking their fist-pumping boy band antics across America, and it seems that whatever they are doing is working. The guys just confirmed that their Battleground single, “Glad You Came,” will appear on “Glee” this season. The guys made the announcement on Twitter on Monday (February 6). The song originally appeared on their 2011 album and is now getting some love Stateside. It’s already hit back in their native U.K., having topped the charts there for several weeks last year. And, all the U.S. attention is certainly a coup for the band. “The American fans are so optimistic, very intense,” bandmate Max George told MTV News about all the U.S. attention. “They’re just really enthusiastic. I get a massive buzz off American people. I think it’s really refreshing.” While their fans back home have already scooped up Battleground, fellow Wanted singer Jay McGuiness explained that they hope their music comes before their image — though they may have plenty of tween girls screaming their names. “I think when we first started we were just trying to create the best pop album we could because we knew that’s what everyone wanted to hear,” he said of their 2010 album debut. “And then the second time around you find you want to be a lot more creative, you want to put on personal things and the writing on the first album was fun and the writing on the second album was really personal. “And that means every time we do a live gig and people are singing it back [and] it makes everything electric,” he continued. “And I think nowadays boy bands can be part of that, where the music is as key as people find them attractive and we know that boy bands often had shelf lives because the image came before the music. And we’re trying to be the other way around. So far it’s working because we like singing and people like listening to us.” The band — which also includes Tom Parker, Siva Kaneswaran and Nathan Sykes — is here promoting Battleground. Their U.S. tour will wrap up on Wednesday in Los Angeles before they kick off an arena tour on February 15 in their native England. Are you excited for the “Glee” cast to perform “Glad You Came”? Leave your comment below! Related Artists The Wanted

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Black Keys Talk Lana Del Rey’s Overnight Success

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Duo also address their own critics tonight on MTV.com following the ‘Gold on the Ceiling’ video premiere at 7:54 p.m. on MTV. By James Montgomery The Black Keys Photo: MTV News On January 8, 2011 — nearly a decade after they first started kicking around in Akron, Ohio — the Black Keys made their first appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” Needless to say, it was a pretty big moment for Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, who had spent no small portion of the past 10 years grinding out miles (and shows) in their van. On January 14, 2012 — nearly six months after she first became a much-debated blog curio — Lana Del Rey performed on the same “SNL” stage . It was a pretty big moment, too, though mostly for her critics and those who enjoy deriding the current state of popular music. After all, they argue, it’s debatable whether Del Rey has ever seen the inside of a van, let alone toured in one. So when MTV News sat down with the Black Keys in Berlin — for an exclusive interview you can watch tonight (February 6) on MTV.com, following the MTV premiere of the duo’s new “Gold on the Ceiling” video at 7:54 p.m. ET — we had to ask them for their thoughts on Del Rey’s overnight success, and what it meant for bands trying to make a living in 2012. “On some level, we’ve seen that Lana Del Rey thing since we first started, like, all of a sudden this new band would be headlining festivals, and we’re like, ‘Wait, how did they get that? We’ve been here for two, three, four, five years and we’re still working our way up,’ ” Auerbach said. “But then they’re gone. Just as quickly as they get up there, they disappear.” “It’s different for everybody. It took us a really long time to get on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and it took her a shorter amount of time,” Carney added. “But I honestly feel bad for a lot of bands that are starting out with the way things are. … The trends kind of flip over so fast — something’s cool and not cool and it all happens within two to three months.” Of course, it bears mention that the same outlets that have criticized Del Rey for her perceived lack of authenticity and quick rise to a major-label deal are the very same outlets that have largely ignored (or largely ripped) the Black Keys, a band that has spent a decade making the slow climb to the top. And when it came to that point, well, the Keys didn’t exactly hide their displeasure. “Yeah, [it’s] ’cause they’re pricks,” Carney snorted. “It’s like, ‘What the f— are you talking about, motherf—er?’ ” And though you’ll hear more of their thoughts on the media during our full interview, you can reasonably assume that the Black Keys don’t take criticisms kindly. In fact, they’ve been taking mental notes, and someday they’ll even the score. Don’t miss the premiere of the Black Keys’ “Gold on the Ceiling” video tonight at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV, followed by an in-depth chat with the band on MTV.com. Related Videos The Black Keys Are Coming To ‘MTV First’ MTV News Extended Play: Lana Del Rey Related Artists The Black Keys Lana Del Rey

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Black Keys Talk Lana Del Rey’s Overnight Success

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Super Bowl Movie Ads: Winners And Losers

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

From ‘The Avengers’ to ’21 Jump Street’ and ‘John Carter,’ we rate the hits and misses of Sunday night’s movie trailer premieres. By Kevin P. Sullivan Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in ’21 Jump Street’ Photo: Columbia Pictures Whether you watched the entire game until the final nerve-racking moments or you found out the score through a friend’s Facebook update, you probably know by now that the New York Giants won Super Bowl XLVI . But if you weren’t paying attention to the commercials, you don’t know that the real winner of last night’s game was a different kind of giant. A green, radioactive giant. That’s right, “Marvel’s The Avengers” and many other highly anticipated movies rolled out new footage and trailers during the Super Bowl commercial breaks. But not all of them were as successful as the Hulk, his team and their offensive drive. Let’s talk about the big winners and losers of Sunday night’s movie ads. Winner: “The Avengers” The Avengers have assembled. This was the trailer of the night, and the extended online version was only cooler. For one of this summer’s biggest films, it was seriously lacking in badass lead-up material until last night. The spot finally gave some validation that this may be the movie we have been waiting for. Loser: “Battleship” When the first teaser thrown at the audience reads “From Hasbro, the company that brought you ‘Transformers,’ ” it already looks like trouble. As much as we want to root for Taylor Kitsch, we’ve had enough of the Transformers-inspired mechanical mayhem. Also, boom goes Rihanna. Winner: “21 Jump Street” Advanced screenings of the Jonah Hill-written comedy have left people raving, and the Super Bowl commercial delivered some solid laughs. “You look super young. Were you held forward?” Perfect comeback, Channing. Loser: “John Carter” TV Spot Why would Disney spend millions of dollars to air an ad during the Super Bowl for their effects-heavy movie but decide to zoom out of the scenes to spell the title out with them? It defies logic. Winner: “John Carter” Extended Online Spot It has the same stupid letter thing, but it also, you know, shows us actual scenes from the movie at full size. This was the ad that would have gotten us excited for the fantasy epic. Loser: “Act of Valor” The concept of watching actual Navy SEALS in a film would seem more appealing if the movie itself didn’t look so generic. Winner: “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” The movie has already been widely dismissed as a disaster, but we will never say no to a tight 30 seconds of Nic Cage with his head on fire. Loser: “The Dictator” When the joke begins to feel old after just 30 seconds, it’s not a good sign. Winner: “The Hunger Games” The hotly anticipated YA adaptation had the benefit of having a great first trailer to add to already high expectations. They can count their Super Bowl ad as their second victory. Loser: “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax” IMAX Tree-D. Special Jury Prize: “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” Basic physics states that after Stephen Sommers’ first “G.I. Joe” movie, no sequel could save the series. Thankfully, physics don’t account for Dwayne Johnson and ninja cliff fights, because, despite all expectations, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” looks fantastic. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Super Bowl 46: Movie Spots Related Photos Super Bowl XLVI Performances: Madonna And Kelly Clarkson

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Madonna, Tim Tebow Get Super Bowl Shout-Outs From Katy Perry

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Hey Tim, my parents say hi,’ Perry announced at an NFL awards ceremony. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry at Super Bowl XLVI Photo: Getty Images Katy Perry got her Super Bowl on over the weekend in Indianapolis. The Grammy-nominated singer donned some colorful gear when she headlined the DIRECTV Super Saturday Night party, but it’s the folks she shouted out during the bash’s performance that drew attention. When Perry took the stage the night before the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, she wore a football-themed outfit (jersey-style top and short shorts) and busted through a banner with her name on it, People.com reported. The singer asked the crowd, “Who else is excited for Madonna? That’s the only reason that I came!” Madge, of course, took the stage on Sunday for the Super Bowl halftime show , which featured gladiator fashions by Givenchy and appearances from M.I.A., Nicki Minaj, LMFAO and Cee Lo Green. Madonna’s daughter, Lourdes, was in attendance at Perry’s show, as were Shaquille O’Neal, Neil Patrick Harris and his partner David Burtka, Chris Meloni, and Scott Wolf. Before Perry launched into her cheerleader anthem-sounding Teenage Dream track “Peacock,” she shouted out one football player who wasn’t even playing in Sunday’s big game: “This one goes out to Tim Tebow,” she said. According to E! News , earlier on Saturday at the NFL Honors ceremony, Perry presented an award to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and had another message for Tebow. “Hey Tim, my parents say hi,” she said. Perry’s parents are reportedly trying to matchmake the pair. While Perry spent her weekend teasing Tebow at various events, a source who attended the ESPN Next party on Friday night tell MTV News that Tebow spent the night flirting with TV host Maria Menounos. The two chatted it up while Drake handed out shots to the women in attendance before performing at the party. Kellan Lutz, Matthew Morrison, Jermaine Dupri, Cam Newton, Plaxico Burress, Michael Strahan, Vivica Fox, Sherri Shepherd, Spike Lee, Connor Cruise and Blake Shelton were also spotted at the bash. Related Photos Katy Perry’s Super Bowl Appearance Super Bowl XLVI Performances: Madonna And Kelly Clarkson Related Artists Katy Perry Madonna

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The Voice Season 2 Premiere Recap: The Fab Four Return, Turn Around For Talent!

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The Voice is back, and better than ever. In the Season 2 premiere, the NBC “second chance” singing competition showed why it became a hit last spring – the chemistry of the four judges/coaches and the under-appreciated talent auditioning in front of them. For those unfamiliar, the judges sit with their backs turned and if they like a person trying out, sight unseen, they turn around. That person then chooses which of the four stars he wants to help him/her win the title. Let’s get down to business and see who joined Team Christina Aguilera, Team Blake Shelton, Team Cee Lo Green and Team Adam Levine last night … Jesse Campbell and his surprising, tragic back story took second fiddle to his rendition of “A Song For You” that caused all four judges to turn around.

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Channing Tatum ‘Nervous’ To Host ‘Saturday Night Live’

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘They really set you up to succeed,’ Tatum tells MTV News of ‘SNL’ cast. By Christina Garibaldi Channing Tatum Photo: Getty Images This year is shaping up to be a huge one for Channing Tatum . With five movies set for release in 2012 — the next being “The Vow” with Rachel McAdams on February 10 — it’s makes sense that Tatum is about to reach a pretty big milestone in his career: hosting “Saturday Night Live” for the first time, alongside musical guest Bon Iver. MTV News caught up with star during rehearsals on the “SNL” set, where he seemed to be a little anxious taking on his newest role as host. “I’m more nervous then I could probably tell you,” Channing admitted. “It happened so sort of constant and fast, you don’t really get a chance to think about it all too much. Like, you go home, you think and think and think, then you pass out and your alarm goes off, and then you come and do it again.” The “SNL” cast is trying to put Tatum’s nerves at ease. “They take care of you so much, so they really set you up to succeed,” he said. “Everyone is so at the top of their game as far as writing and acting, and this is a machine like I’ve never seen before. I wish movies ran this efficient; we would make them better.” Tatum, who revealed that his favorite past “SNL” castmembers are Dan Aykroyd and Chris Kattan, got some unusual advice on what he should do Saturday night from onetime host Kelly Ripa. “She said to put Vaseline on my teeth because she said your mouth goes dry when you say your name and your lips are stuck to your teeth,” Channing said. “If I can remember it, I’ll do it, but maybe I’ll Vaseline the lips instead of the teeth.” Are you excited to see Channing Tatum host “Saturday Night Live”? Let us know in the comments! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Vow.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .