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For Your Information: The FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Approval For HIV-Prevention Drug Truvada

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Truuuuuuuuuu! FDA May Approve HIV Pill Truvada For Mass Consumption The first drug shown to prevent HIV infection won the endorsement of a panel of federal advisers Thursday, clearing the way for a landmark approval in the 30-year fight against the virus that causes AIDS. In a series of votes, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended approval of the daily pill Truvada for healthy people who are at high risk of contracting HIV, including gay and bisexual men and heterosexual couples with one HIV-positive partner. The FDA is not required to follow the panel’s advice, though it usually does. A final decision is expected by June 15. Gilead Sciences Inc., based in Foster City, Calif., has marketed Truvada since 2004 as a treatment for people who are infected with the virus. The medication is a combination of two older HIV drugs, Emtriva and Viread. Doctors usually prescribe it as part of a drug cocktail to repress the virus. While panelists ultimately backed Truvada for prevention, Thursday’s 12-hour meeting highlighted a number of concerns created by the first drug to prevent HIV. In particular, the panel debated whether Truvada might lead to reduced use of condoms, the most reliable defense against HIV. The experts also questioned the drug’s effectiveness in women, who have shown much lower rates of protection in studies. Panelists struggled to outline steps that would ensure patients take the pill every day. In clinical trials, patients who didn’t take their medication diligently were not protected, and patients in the real world are even more likely to forget than those in studies. Says one doctor about the controversial drug: “The trouble is adherence, but I don’t think it’s our charge to judge whether people will take the medicine,” said Dr. Tom Giordano of Baylor College of Medicine, who voted in favor of the drug. “I think our charge is to judge whether it works when it’s taken and whether the risks outweigh the benefits.” Once again, this pill is not a “I don’t need no condom baby, I take Truvada” situation. Strapping up will always be the most effective way to prevent the spread of disease, however this drug would definitely be a breakthrough in the fight against HIV/AIDS Source

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Jay Sean’s Pitbull Collabo The ‘Epitome’ Of Feel-Good Summer Tracks

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I think sometimes certain voices and certain vibes and certain styles just work together,’ Sean says of ‘I’m All Yours’ collabo. By Jocelyn Vena Jay Sean Photo: MTV News For Jay Sean ‘s lead single, “I’m All Yours,” off his forthcoming album Worth It All, there was only one guy who could capture the track’s bounce and party vibe. That guy is Miami-bred rhymer Pitbull , who brings his signature sense of gruffy swagger to the song. “Well, you know, people who know my music, especially when I first came over to America, one of the first things that people noticed with my songs is I like to do feel-good songs. And when it comes to the singles, that’s what I like to give them. And ‘I’m All Yours’ is really the epitome of all that,” Sean explained to MTV News about the dance track. Full of pounding beats and bleeps, the song is about falling for a girl who makes all the partying and fun even better. “It’s taking the modern movement of dance, which has obviously taken over the whole world, but I’m not putting it in the nightclub environment,” he continued. “So it’s still got that element of romance, which is what I like to bring to music. So it’s high-energy and romantic. And the Pitbull collaboration actually happened in Australia, where we were on tour together, and you know, we’re all fans of each other. We got talking, like, ‘Man, we should do something.’ So we laid it out right there and then.” What emerged from their friendship is a song tailor-made for both Sean and Pit. The track is fun, summery and a definite dance-floor anthem, three qualities these two guys know a lot about given their individual music histories. “I think the thing is, you got someone like Pit and myself, we share similar fanbases, but also, as I said, it’s that high-energy music that really blends well together,” he said. “And I think sometimes certain voices and certain vibes and certain styles just work together on a record, so it was just nice the way it came out.” Related Artists Jay Sean Pitbull

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Is ‘X Factor’ The Right Move For Britney Spears?

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Experts weigh in on whether Spears will find success with her new judging gig. By Christina Garibaldi Britney Spears Photo: Max Morse/Getty Images The rumors had been swirling for months, and now, according to reports, the pop princess herself, Britney Spears , will be joining the judging panel on “The X Factor,” landing a $15 million deal for one season. Yet, after 15 years in the public eye, seven studio albums and more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, many are wondering: Is “The X Factor” is the right career move for Spears ? “I think it is a good move, actually,” Entertainment Weekly writer Tanner Stransky told MTV News. “I think she has so many people on her team watching what she’s doing and being careful. I think nobody would let her take a misstep, but I think it’s the right move right now.” This new role certainly has many advantages. It keeps Spears in the public eye while keeping her close to her family, and it will most likely bring in the big ratings that “X Factor” and Simon Cowell are hoping for. Yet there are some experts who are a little wary of Spears taking a spot on the panel, since over the years, the pop star has been noticeably withdrawn from press, rarely giving on-camera interviews. “I think everyone is a little concerned, simply because Britney has been very press-shy since she’s been in her conservatorship, and everything is incredibly guarded and incredibly controlled,” Keith Caulfield, associate director of charts at Billboard, said. “And there can be uncontrollable moments on ‘The X Factor,’ and if things are not completely in control and things are not rehearsed, things could go wrong. With a live show, anything can happen, and that can be very exciting but, at the same time, a little worrisome.” Stransky agreed and believes that, while Spears is judging the contestants, viewers will ultimately be judging her. “Everyone is going to take a close look at her and pay attention to what she says,” Stransky said. “She’s sort of been so managed on her interviews in the past five years, it’s risky.” But Spears’ loyal fan base feels that putting Spears in an environment where anything can happen is actually a good thing, and will show a whole different side of the pop star. “That’s part of the excitement of her being on this: It’s unscripted,” said Jordan Miller, webmaster for Spears’ biggest fan site, BreatheHeavy.com . “We are so used to her reading cue cards and kind of being controlled in that way, so for her to break out of that and to do something that’s stepping outside her comfort zone, I think it’s a great step for her, career-wise, and for her as a person. I think she’s going to do really good. I think she’s confident.” And confidence is key when judging a singing competition, but so is experience — which Spears has in spades. For years, fans have listened to her chart-topping music and have seen her on tour, but now they’re ready to connect with the star on a new level. “I think the overall consensus is that people are really excited to see Britney do something new and be able to connect with her a couple times a week on national television,” Miller said. “It’s exciting for fans to see that she’s going to be able to mentor these contestants, because like it or not, Britney does have the ‘X Factor,’ so it’s going to be great to see how she can transcend this into more singers and inspire other people.” Are you excited for Britney Spears to be a judge on “The X Factor”? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Britney Spears

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Selena Gomez’s Perfume Is A Product Of Her Fans

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘They’re the people that are going to wear it,’ she tells MTV News of why she enlisted fans to help create her first-ever fragrance. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Kara Warner Selena Gomez Photo: MTV News For her first-ever fragrance, singer/actress Selena Gomez enlisted her fans to help her nail down the kind scent they wanted to spritz on themselves. It was this process that was the highlight of launching the self-titled perfume . “The best part was the fan interaction,” she told MTV News. “I was kind of nervous when the reaction of it would be because no one’s ever done that, to where people could go online and help create the fragrance. But I figure they’re the people that are going to wear it, so I want to see what’s kind of in, I guess, now. So that was the fun part.” Their feedback mostly focused on how they wanted to use the perfume practically in their everyday lives. “They just had really good points of like, ‘I can wear this to school’ and then another person’s like, ‘Actually, after the gym, going to like a date [or] something,'” she said of their suggestions. “They came up with the weirdest tactics that made sense and I was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t even think of it.’ They caught a lot of things. It was nice.” After some initial work on her own, Gomez took it to her fans to help her nail down the scent that’s now being sold in Macy’s department stores. “Well, I created the top five of them and then they helped pick out the bottom three,” she said. “It’s still very much me. I think it represents what I like. It’s refreshing and young, but it’s kind of older as well.” While the bottle is very feminine (a long, lavender-colored body with lips as a top), she added that the look is also practical. “I wanted the bottle to be tall ’cause I have a lot of fragrances and I always go to the ones that are the tallest and noticeable and pretty and delicate,” she explained. Gomez is the latest in a long list of celebrity perfume designers, joining the ranks of fellow singers like pal Taylor Swift (with Wonderstruck ) and boyfriend Justin Bieber (with Someday ). Do you like Selena Gomez’s perfume? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Selena Gomez

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Jermaine Paul Is ‘The Voice,’ But Juliet Simms Is The One To Watch

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Team Cee Lo standout proved to be the most versatile contestant in the competition, which should make for a killer album. By John Mitchell Juliet Simms on “The Voice” Photo: NBC America named Jermaine Paul “The Voice” on last night’s finale of the reality singing competition. The former Alicia Keys backup singer bested runner-up Juliet Simms by a mere 4 percentage points to take the title, earning a recording contract with Universal Republic Records. While we’re excited for Paul, a longtime music-industry veteran and father of four who brought nothing but dedication and professionalism to each of his performances, and had a feeling he would ultimately prevail in the competition, it’s Simms’ future as a recording artist that we’re more interested in. By the end of the competition, her unique, raspy voice and ethereal Florence Welch-like style had us waiting out many of the other performances just to get another listen to Simms. Like Paul, Simms has been in the game for years, but things never quite panned out. Her band Automatic Love released a record on RCA in 2010, and she signed deals with Epic and Umbrella Records as a solo act, though none yielded sales strong enough to merit the labels’ continued investment, and Simms was ultimately dropped. Her search for a bigger platform to re-launch herself brought her to “The Voice,” where she quickly became a judges’ favorite. She was initially chosen by Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green, and chose to be part of Team Cee Lo. Throughout the competition, she earned nothing but praise for her killer vocals, but her performance of James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” in the semifinals marked a turning point for the singer. She nailed it so hard that Levine declared her “the one to beat,” while Aguilera — who herself tore the song apart at the 2007 Grammy tribute to Brown — said, “I sing from my heart, love me, hate me, but I sing for me, and that’s where you sing from.” Her own coach Cee Lo seemed at a loss for words, saying only, “You killed it! You murdered that record!” Indeed, she delivered so fantastically that she reshaped the entire competition. Her take on “Man’s World” was so well-received that it captured the vast majority of the public vote, knocking Jamar Rogers , who had been, up to that point, one of Cee Lo’s favorites and a presumed lock to go all the way to the end, out of the competition and carrying her to the finals. It was proof that when she is in her element with the right song, she is a force to be reckoned with and a voice that people want to hear more from. None of this is to take away from Paul or his talent. The ease with which he performs is impressive, but it’s not particularly exciting. His will be an album heavy on R. Kelly-like ballads (like his fantastic take on “I Believe I Can Fly,” which won him the competition) and R&B slow jams, and that’s perfectly fine. But consider the delicate touch Simms brought to her group performance of “With a Little Help From My Friends.” Arranged in the style of Joe Cocker’s cover of the Beatles classic, it was simple and elegant and markedly different from her showstopping “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” It exemplified her astounding range as a performer; she’s as effective singing a spare ballad as she is tearing into a soul classic. We haven’t had a flesh-and-blood female rock star in the vein of Fiona Apple or Alanis Morissette emerge since the ’90s. We are sadly low on strong, truly unique and versatile female voices that can cross genres without sounding out of place. Simms can rock, she’s got soul and, with Cee Lo’s pushing, she even showcased a funky side. Simms could go in just about any direction with her next record, and that’s something to be excited about. Hopefully, despite coming in second place, “The Voice” will prove to be exactly the launching pad she needs to go on to bigger and better things. Who was your favorite of the “Voice” final four? Let us know in the comments!

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Eminem Puts ‘Southpaw’ Flick On Back Burner

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘He’s focusing on his music right now,’ a rep for Detroit MC confirms of delay on boxing movie. By Rob Markman Eminem Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images It’s been almost 10 years since fans saw Eminem in his first big-time movie role, but they’ll have to wait a little bit longer to catch him the second time around. The rapper has long been signed on to star in “Southpaw,” a gritty drama about a boxer who tries to mount a comeback in life and in the ring, but it is now being reported that Em will put the flick on the backburner. “He’s focusing on his music right now, so while he’s doing that, while he’s in that space, he wanted to put this on hold for the time being,” Eminem’s rep Dennis Dennehy told

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President Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘It is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,’ he tells ‘Good Morning America.’ By Kara Warner President Barack Obama Photo: ABC President Obama has officially announced his support of same-sex marriage, hot on the heels of the media storm caused by North Carolina’s constitutional ban of gay marriage , as well as Vice President Joe Biden’s recent comments that he is “absolutely comfortable” with it. Although at times it seemed Obama was reluctant to publicly announce whether he fully supported the issue, instead supporting civil unions, the POTUS made his stance clear in an interview with “Good Morning America” that will air Thursday morning. “I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,” Obama told Robin Roberts during the interview. The president went on to say that he is confident more Americans will become comfortable with the idea and cited his daughters’ progressive perspectives on the subject as a primary example. “It’s interesting, some of this is also generational,” he said. “You know when I go to college campuses, sometimes I talk to college Republicans who think that I have terrible policies on the economy, on foreign policy but are very clear that when it comes to same-sex equality or, you know, sexual orientation that they believe in equality. They are much more comfortable with it. You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we’re talking about their friends and their parents, and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently. It doesn’t make sense to them and, frankly, that’s the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective.” What do you about Obama’s support of same-sex marriage? Let us know in the comments!

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Tom Gabel’s Transgender News: What Does It Mean For Her Marriage?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Tegan and Sara, Fun., Gaslight Anthem, Senses Fail tweet their support to Against Me! singer. By Gil Kaufman Tom Gabel of Against Me! Photo: Getty Images Against Me! singer Tom Gabel has received an outpouring of support from his musical peers in light of his announcement on Tuesday that he plans to begin life as a woman. His brave decision decision to go public with his transgender status earn praise from fellow musicians including Fun., Tegan and Sara, Senses Fail and Gaslight Anthem. The news came just hours before a vote on Tuesday in North Carolina to pass a constitutional amendment 
 banning gay marriage, but just before President Obama stated publicly in an ABC interview on Wednesday (May 9) that he personally supports gay marriage. During a cycle that brought highs and lows in the ongoing debate over gay marriage, one of the questions that arose in the MTV Newsroom following Gabel’s news was whether it would have an impact on his wife and their marriage. Though Florida is not one of the six states in the nation that recognize marriages between same-sex partners, Gabel’s declaration won’t change his marital status either way, according to Lisa Mottet, Director of the Transgender Civil Rights Project at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “Under established law, marriages are evaluated for their validity at the time of marriage, i.e., the date of the wedding/when the marriage license was signed,” she said. “Only divorces, death, and annulments end marriages — gender transition does not end a marriage, nor convert it to a same-sex marriage. If two people were considered different sex at the time of their wedding, they will continue to be considered married until death, divorce, or annulment.” Gabel came out as transgender and discussed plans to begin living as a woman in the next issue of Rolling Stone magazine. He will now go by the name Laura Jane Grace and remain married to wife Heather, while undergoing electrolysis treatments and taking hormones to make the transition from male to female. “For me, the most terrifying thing about this was how she would accept the news,” Gabel told the magazine about his Heather’s reaction. “But she’s been super-amazing and understanding.” Gabel has dealt with gender dysphoria for years and decided it was a good time to speak up about the private struggle, telling only a few family members and friends about the upcoming transition before talking with the magazine. “I’m going to have embarrassing moments, and that won’t be fun,” Gabel said of coming out. “But that’s part of what talking to you is about — is hoping people will understand, and hoping they’ll be fairly kind.” A number of his peers praised his bravery, including the members of Fun., who tweeted , “Reading about Tom Gabel coming out as transgender = inspiring. Always been a fan but it’s even more amazing to know how strong & brave she is.” Openly gay twin sister rockers Tegan & Sara weighed in also calling Gabel “so incredibly brave.” Congratulations and support also came from the members of Senses Fail, Broadway Calls, Toxicbreed, I Am the Avalanche, Motel Life and Circa Survive. One of the most heartfelt notes was posted by Gaslight Anthem singer Brian Fallon, who preemptively struck out at anyone criticizing the decision. “So Tom’s gonna be Laura now… and in 2012 I still find people on the internet commenting on another person’s life how they insult and condemn a person for his choices,” he wrote. “How about the people who go through this and never find peace and end up committing suicide? Would you rather that? Or maybe he could become a raging drug addict and ruin his life and family? Would you rather that? Or maybe we could have rules from a dictator where everyone gets killed for anything they believe against the government, oh wait, that doesn’t work … How about you leave the guy alone. How about you let another human being make a decision about their lives without your snide prejudices and bigotry? This is one of the hardest decisions a person can make … Whether you agree or don’t, it’s not your life. It’s not your family. It’s not your band, it’s theirs.” And it wasn’t just musicians, as WWE wrestling champ CM Punk also weighed in, writing , “@tommygabel courage and bravery. I got your back.” What do you think of Tom Gabel’s announcement? Let us know in comments below. Related Artists Rise Against

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Cher Goes Off on Mitt Romney, "Right Wing Racist Homophobic Women Hating Tea Bagger Masters"

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Cher has never been one to mince words. Still, it was a little surprising to see just her pummel presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney out of the blue via Twitter Tuesday, only to delete a couple of the more inflammatory Tweets hours later. What did the iconic pop star and Oscar winner say? “If ROMNEY gets elected I don’t know if I can breathe same air as Him & his Right Wing Racist Homophobic Women Hating Tea Bagger Masters,” she Tweeted. That remark by the 65-year-old attracted a variety of responses , many shocked, and some more profane and negative than others. Cher replied to one hater: “Nice Mouth ! U learn that at Church, Gun Show,or how to press your Klan costume Klass?” (That, and the nasty tweet directed at her, are still up.) To another user who called her an “atten.whore,” Cher fired back, “Actually I’m Not & if u Dislike Me SO.. Get Off My Site it Cant B Fun 4 U !” Another Cher tweet that disappeared, however, was this: “TOO HARSH? That’s me Holding BACK! They care nothing about the POOR The OLD The SICK The HUNGRY CHILDREN & People striving 4 a Better LIFE!” A number of fans chimed in to support the Oscar winner, as well, some apologizing for those who were giving her such a hard time and some inquiring why she was re-tweeting some of the nastiest messages sent to her. Her message later in the day: “Hi Lovelies!hope U R having GREAT Day or Nite! Sorry I Let The Dogs Out, But I Should Have Remembered 1 must watch what They Say These Days!” When asked if she was saddened by people’s crass comments about her political views, she replied, “No Sweetheart Just ‘STRONG ENOUGH’!!” After a tough primary fight, Romney is expected to clinch the GOP nomination for president and face off with Barack Obama in the 2012 election. Somehow we’re fairly convinced which way Cher is voting.

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John Edwards: In Love With Rielle Hunter?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

John Edwards has never spoken publicly about his feelings for Rielle Hunter , but thanks to his federal corruption trial, plenty of other people are. His former speechwriter, Wendy Button, testified Tuesday. She said Edwards admitted he loved Hunter, though the relationship was “complicated.” Edwards spoke about Hunter when answering mock questions as he practiced what he would say when admitting he fathered Rielle’s love child. “Do you love Rielle?” Button testified she asked Edwards. With Button playing the role of a reporter, the two-time presidential hopeful said, “Yes, it’s complicated.” This was July 2009, according to Button. “Do you still see her?” Button also asked. “‘Yes, she’s the mother of my child,'” Button says John replied. “Is the affair still going on?” she asked. “You’re not entitled to all the details,” Edwards answered . Those questions are ones Edwards, 58, could be asked again if he takes the stand at his trial. The former U.S. Senator is charged with covering up the affair and love child with the help of illegal campaign contributions from wealthy donors. The packed courtroom was riveted as Button took the stand about her conversations with Edwards in July of 2009, when she offered to help him draft a statement admitting he fathered Hunter’s daughter, Frances Quinn, now 4. Last month, Edwards’ former aide Andrew Young said when the politician learned Hunter was pregnant, he reacted by saying “She’s a ‘ crazy slut .'” Young testified that Edwards said, “There’s a one-in-three chance [the child] was his.” John, who was married to the terminally ill Elizabeth Edwards at the time, vehemently denied, but later confirmed his paternity of the child. His adult daughter, Cate Edwards , was so upset by some of the revelations at his trial that she walked out in tears at one point last week.

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