From her Grammy red carpet arrival with priest in tow to her melodramatic performance, it’s clear that Nicki’s on a quest for a career that stems past hip hop. She wants to show us what else she’s good at and that’s acting. Nicki”s acting like a pop princess instead of a hip hop queen these days and maybe that’s because she wants to to know that she’s got range. Nicki’s got more fans that any of us can count and why? Is it her music, her personality or the fact that she’s unpredictable and we’re all waiting to see what she’s going to do next a la Lady Gaga? Whatever it is, Nicki’s transformation into an entertainer is proving that she’s not really about that hip hop life anymore and here’s three reasons why. 1. Dear Old Nicki There was a time when Nicki was all about hip hop. She lived it. But somewhere between claiming to be a lesbian , butt implants and making the Forbes list, she forgot that her lyricism reigned supreme. 2. Highly Educated Nicki graduated from LaGuardia High School’s drama program. Her passion is to be on screen. It’s obvious from the incredible use of her facial expressions to her multiple personalities to her mini saga videos . Has she been using her rap stardom as a foot in the door to acting. I could honestly see Nicki on Broadway–she’s got the entertainment factor on lock. 3. Real Talent–No Games, No Gimmicks After last night’s Grammy performance that mixed theater with a completely sacrilegious exorcism, Nicki’s turning into more of a gimmick than a talented MC. Lil’ Kim may have done a few things for attention, but she’s never had to go as far as offending the entire Catholic community. Here’s the thing–you don’t need all the bells and whistles when your talent is undeniable. Nicki’s always been talented, so I’m a bit confused as to why she needs the spectacle that Laurie Ann Gibson offers. Do you think Nicki should leave hip hop behind and focus on acting? Nicki Minaj Ushered Into Grammy Awards By Bishop [PHOTO] 5 Iconic Looks Nicki Minaj Should Channel Next
Diplo and A-Trak remember the late icon during our 2012 Grammy Awards red-carpet live stream. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by James Montgomery Whitney Houston Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images There is certainly a gray cloud looming over the 2012 Grammy Awards , which are set to air in just a few hours on Sunday (February 12). One day after music icon Whitney Houston was found dead , the show will pay tribute to the six-time Grammy winner. As A-listers hit the red carpet at Los Angeles’ Staple Center, they have been remembering the big-voiced talent for her undeniable gift. “She had the swagger and she had the voice,” Diplo told MTV News during our pre-show live stream. “I was listening to a bunch of records last night, and I was amazed at how deeply I felt about her records as a child.” The producer noted that her contributions to music of all genres still resonated today, thanks to her ability to bust genres wide open and make them all her own. “She had that persona that pulled of pop music and urban and R&B in a way that no one else could do it,” he added. EDM producer A-Trak said that it wasn’t just her catalog that made her iconic, but also her voice. “Just pure talent, incredible voice and the whole package, the personality the presence,” he said, “once in a generation, spectacular talent.” Jennifer Hudson and Houston’s longtime friend Chaka Khan are expected to lead a tribute to the late icon during the Grammys. The show’s executive producer, Ken Ehrlich, said in a statement, “It’s too fresh in everyone’s memory to do more at this time, but we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize Whitney’s remarkable contribution to music fans in general, and in particular her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years.” MTV Newsl Sway and James Montgomery will be live from the Grammys red carpet tonight starting at 5 p.m. ET to get reactions from musicls biggest stars on the death of Whitney Houston. Watch reactions and remembrances at MTV.com. Share your condolences with Whitneyls family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Live From The Grammy Red Carpet Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston DJ A-Trak Diplo
Jonathan Nolan promises Tom Hardy is ‘spectacular’ in the wake of controversy over villain’s muffled vocals in ‘DKR’ prologue. By James Montgomery Tom Hardy in “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures Fans and critics may have had a difficult time understanding Bane’s dialogue in “The Dark Knight Rises” prologue, but they’ll have no problem comprehending what screenwriter Jonathan Nolan has to say about the matter. In an interview at a Television Critics Association event in Los Angeles, director Christopher Nolan’s brother was asked about the reaction some folks had to Bane’s muffled lines. And while he admitted he’d rather discuss his CBS drama “Person of Interest,” he didn’t exactly duck the question, either. “I’ve gotta tell you, I think what Tom Hardy is doing with the role is spectacular,” Nolan said. “I’ve had the benefit of seeing a little bit more than the audience has seen, at this point, and it’s pretty spectacular.” The writer doled out praise for Hardy — who plays the veiny, verbose villain in the upcoming film — and assured fans that, really, the prologue shows just one small part of a very multifaceted character. Nolan was rather tight-lipped about additional “Dark Knight” details, saying only, “We’re still in lock-down mode, in terms of talking about that project.” Though he did speak about the inspiration behind the eye-popping, mid-air snatch-and-grab that’s prominently featured in the prologue. “It’s an amazing team with my brother [Christopher Nolan], [producer] David Goyer and myself. Those are two great guys to work with and brainstorm with,” Nolan said. “I think Chris [has] long wanted to do the aerial spectacular. It’s such a good fit for the IMAX cameras that he likes to shoot with, and so that was a long time in the making.” What do you think of Bane’s voice in the prologue? Sound off! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos Talk Nerdy To Me Related Photos On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
‘I always feel uncomfortable spending anyone’s money, but I really did want the tigers,’ Del Rey says of video for title track. By James Montgomery Lana Del Ray Photo: MTV News Chances are, if you’ve ventured anywhere near a blog in the past six months, you not only know who Lana Del Rey is, but you’ve probably already formed your opinion about her. Based mainly on a pair of majestic, maudlin singles — “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans” — not to mention some rather rampant speculation on her background, Del Rey has been nothing if not a lightning rod, and now she’s rode that, uh, attention to a major-label deal with Interscope, who will release her Born To Die album at the end of the month. But for an artist who has been the subject of so much discussion, Del Rey remains strangely silent when it comes to her critics, the folks who like to bring up points like “authenticity” and “paying your dues.” Though you get the feeling she’s growing tired of keeping her mouth shut. “I don’t agree [with it] … it’s a f—ing personal thing, in terms of whether people like me or not, it has to do with my personality getting in the way of the music,” she told MTV News. “I personally don’t like drama of any sort … I just think it’s reflective of the times we live in, and have been living in since the dawn of humanity. People love terrible news, they love when things go wrong, and they like to see people going off the tracks and people fighting, because it’s exciting, and life is f—ing boring.” And that’s an odd thing to say, especially considering that, in recent months, Del Rey’s life has been anything but boring. She’s been whisked around the world to promote Born To Die, she’s been the subject of countless magazine spreads, and this weekend, she’ll perform on her biggest stage to date: “Saturday Night Live.” And through it all, she’s tried very hard to keep the focus squarely on her music, a task that grows increasingly difficult by the day. “The goal is definitely just to sort of try to re-create myself in song form, that was really my only ambition in this whole thing. I mean, I’ve been making music for a long time, but it was really only ever to please myself,” she said. “I really write because I love to write and I sing because I love to sing … and I think the way I make music is different from the way some people make music, in the way that I write for myself. “I started working [on Born To Die ] with this kid from London, Justin Parker; he sort of wrote a lot of the chords on the record. And then I was looking for a producer to tie everything together, sonically, and Emile [Haynie, who’s worked with the likes of Kanye West and Eminem] was perfect, because, musically, we’re on the same path,” she continued. “We love mixing the light and the dark together, and I was in love with his beats … he understood what I meant when I was talking about wanting a mix of a sound similar to Thomas Newman’s ‘American Beauty’ score, mixed with a Springsteen, summertime sadness feel. And everything came together … Sonically, I always knew exactly what I wanted.” And that focus extended to the big-budget video for the album’s title track, a gorgeous, gigantic thing Del Rey shot in Paris with director Yoann Lemoine. It sprung from a treatment she penned, and doesn’t skimp when it comes to scenery, sex appeal and, of course, seriously hormonal tigers … all courtesy of the good folks at Interscope, of course. “I always feel uncomfortable spending anyone’s money, but I really did want the tigers, just because of what they symbolize to me, and just visually, they’re so striking,” she laughed. “I always like the vision of a girl in a white nightgown with two majestic tigers. [In one scene], I was sitting on the throne first, and then I had to leave the room and then the tiger was filmed right by the throne, and then spliced in … Tigers and women can’t be in the same room, even if the tiger is a female, because of the pheromones.” And so, Del Rey is quickly learning that acrimony sort of comes with the territory these days. And as she moves forward as a major artist, she’s willing to trade a few nasty comments for the opportunity to create videos (and albums) that are uniquely her . It’s been a rollercoaster ride just to get to this point, and Del Rey is determined to enjoy her lofty new perch … no matter what her detractors have to say. “I’m a very happy person. I feel really at peace with my life and where it’s been for the last long time, really,” she said. “I’m grateful for my life, I’m grateful for being able to make music, and for everyone around me. So, yeah, overall, I feel happy.” Are you excited for Born to Die ? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lana Del Ray Related Artists Lana Del Rey
‘People say that rock and roll is dead, and it is my mission and my goal to resurrect it,’ singer says of her next album. By Jocelyn Vena Ke$ha Photo: Getty Images With 2011 behind her, Ke$ha knows exactly how she’ll be spending the next few months. She’s preparing to hit the studio in early 2012 for her next album. And while she’s favored Auto-Tune, club beats and lyrics about glitter for her past musical endeavors, this time around, anything is possible. “I think that my first record was heavily influenced by Licensed to Ill and the Beastie Boys and that [first] record is, like, very brash and very sassy and very unapologetic and irreverent. And I love that,” she told MTV News about her 2010 debut Animal . “I’m really proud of that, but I have learned over the past three years of doing this that being vulnerable doesn’t mean you’re weak. I very much want to be seen as a strong woman, but I realize that vulnerability can also be a strength. So on my next record, you are going to hear probably a little more of that. I’m not going to make an acoustic, sad entire record. But you might hear a little bit more vulnerability on the next record ’cause I have realized just from this Dylan cover coming out [on Amnesty International’s anniversary album] that it can be such a strength and a nice balance to humanize the other side of my personality,” she added. “I’ve been writing but I haven’t gone in with [producer Dr. Luke] yet. He’s working on stuff and I’m working on stuff for it. But [to] actually start, we go into the studio in January, early January.” If fans are looking for something new from K-Dollar Sign and can’t wait for this next record, she already has some music for you to listen to. She recently dropped her latest “Sleazy” remix and will be one of the many artists covering Bob Dylan for the Amnesty International anniversary album out on January 24. But even with all that out in the world, she’s especially excited for this next album. “I feel like I don’t necessarily agree, but people say that rock and roll is dead, and it is my mission and my goal to resurrect it in the form of my pop music,” she declared. “That’s the goal. We’ll see what happens. That’s a very ambitious and lofty goal, but that’s my goal.” As one year ends and another begins, the bedazzled singer took a moment to reflect on 2011, and it was quite the wild ride for her. “The whole year has been absolutely crazy, but I think that my tour, my headlining tour with LMFAO and Spank Rock, that was like really exciting to be a headliner for the first time really in my life, to be playing some of the same places I was playing opening for Rihanna,” she said. “Sometimes you get caught up in the details, but when you’re onstage at Jones Beach in front of 10,000 people, those moments, money can’t buy those moments.” Noting that her appearance at Glastonbury Festival also topped her list of accomplishments for 2011, she admits she’s still reeling from Britney Spears’ recording of “Till the World Ends,” which she penned. “That song just came on the radio and I have to say, I love hearing Britney Spears sing my lyrics, every single day. It never gets old. I get so excited,” she said. “It’s better than any drug when you hear Britney Spears sing a song you wrote.” K hopes that in the next year, more people will see that she’s a lot more than just glitter and hot pants. “I have a lot of growing and evolving to do,” she explained. “I’m definitely not a one-trick pony and I think more people are starting to see that more and more.”
My name is Jasmin Alvarez. I’m fifteen, and I’m blind. Before I write anything about my experience, I would like to say that Justin Bieber is an incredible inspiration. He is a person worth meeting. An individual with a beautiful heart. A person that truly cares for his believers. It was back in 2009 when I heard Justin singing for the first time. I remember this day like if it were yesterday. I had just come back from school, and was loaded with tons of work, when I turned on the radio. I heard this amazing song begin to play. Ever since that moment when I heard that song, I felt like I just needed to know whom this person with such a cute little voice, was . I remember that day, after hearing the song, I called my friend, and asked her if she had heard it before. Then, that’s when I found out about Justin Bieber, who was fifteen at the time. Ever since that moment when I first heard him singing ONE TIME, I remember saying, I have to meet this person. He is amazing. Even though, I can’t see him, that didn’t matter to me, because looks are not important. They don’t determine who you are. The only thing that truly determines you as a person is your personality, and the things you do for others. So, I decided to begin my journey in trying to meet him. I knew that what I wanted wasn’t going to be easy, because I knew I was one out of millions of girls who wished the same thing, but I somehow knew that there might be a way of making my dream come true. I spent a long time trying, and trying, and writing endless emails and letters to radio stations, even though I knew at the time I had absolutely no way of standing out. Then, all of a sudden I got inspired, and wrote a song to Justin, called “IF YOU ONLY KNEW”, and I put it on Youtube. (Click here to watch) Things went well with the song, and my three amazing supporters from at @biebsmeetjasmin helped me spread my word to as many people as possible, and tried almost everything, to see if my words could get to Justin. It was hard sometimes, because I thought that no matter what I did, my words would never get to him, but then I thought of Justin’s saying to “NEVER SAY NEVER”, and that’s what helped me put those thoughts aside . Then, on July 9th, 2011, with the help of my amazing supporters, I trended on twitter for the first time . I was able to trend for about seven hours, and during that time, I got many more supporters. I remember everyone started to tweet and tweet Scooter and Justin about me. It was just crazy. I couldn’t even believe it. After about five hours or so of me trending, my friend tells me to check twitter, because Scooter tweeted about me . I started freaking out. I couldn’t even check twitter. I was trembling. When I was able to calm down, I saw his tweet. He said that he knew about me since I first put my video on youtube . That was one of the happiest days of my life. He also followed me on twitter. It was all so amazing, but I knew I couldn’t stop. I had to keep going, until I had Justin face to face. So, I continued trying, and “NEVER SAYING NEVER”. Then, on October 5th, I had the privilege of being followed by Justin Bieber himself. Words can’t say the way I felt. I was just so overjoyed, so full of happiness, I couldn’t believe it. The funny thing was, I ended up finding out that he followed me about three days later, but its ok, just the fact that he followed me, that was the best thing that happened to me. A few weeks later, I found out that Justin was going to be in a morning show , at a radio station. So, the day before, I wrote a letter to one of the staff from the morning show, and asked him if it was possible that I would be able to have a few words with Justin through the phone, and he made it happen. I can’t thank the morning show enough for giving me that chance. Talking to him on the phone was the most amazing thing. He was just so sweet to me, and in the small moment that we talked, I told him everything I felt. I asked him if he knew who I was. I told him I was Jasmin Alvarez. I was the girl that wrote a song for him. He told me that he did know who I was. He told me that he had seen my video, and that he loved the way I sang, and played piano . I was just so happy; I couldn’t hold back the tears. I couldn’t believe that every word I was saying, he was listening. I told him that since that moment when I first heard him sing, the only thing that I dreamed of doing was meeting him. I told him that I was never going to give up. At the end of our conversation, he asked me where I lived. I told him Florida. He told me that he was going to be coming down to Florida soon, because he had to do something for Disney. He said that he was going to see if something could be done, so that when he came down to Florida, we could meet. When I hung up with him, I didn’t even know what to do. I just couldn’t believe that I had actually spoken to Justin Bieber. That after so long, this very special person whom I’ve wanted to meet with all my heart, actually knew who I was, and told me that there would be a chance of us meeting. Nothing else could compare to the happiness that I was feeling in that very moment. (You can listen to me on z100 with Justin here at 11:29) Last Thursday, I found out that Justin Bieber was already here in Florida. On Friday, December 2, 2011, I decided to write a letter to Scooter. In my letter, I told him everything. Everything that I felt, and what it would mean to me, if he could make this possible. I woke up that day at 5 in the morning, and started writing my letter. I sent it around 12 p.m. It was incredible that in the moment that I sent it, so many people started sending it to Scooter and Justin. I stayed very positive, and I somehow had a feeling this was going to happen, and it did. A few hours later, I get a call from a strange number. So, I picked up the phone, and it was Kenny Hamilton. I was so nervous; I didn’t even know what to say. He asked if he could speak to a parent, so I put him on the phone with my dad. He asked us if we would be able to go to his performance in Disney the next day. We said yes. Then, he called us back and told us to be ready that in about an hour we were going to get picked up, go to Orlando stay in a hotel, and the next day, go and meet Justin! We had to pack everything fast, to be ready in an hour. About an hour later, the car got to our house, and picked us up. We drove for about three hours to Orlando. We staid the night, and woke up bright and early the next day. Now, this is the part that I wanted to get to. The part of when I met Justin . We got to the park early in the morning. Before I was taken backstage, I met Kenny. He was so sweet. He came up to me and gave me a hug. He told me he loved my voice. He was amazing. So, we were taken backstage to a room, my mom, dad, and I. I couldn’t believe what I was about to do. I felt so happy and so nervous it was just crazy. So many emotions went through me, as I waited. About fifteen minutes later, Alfredo comes in. I met him. He was amazing too. He told me not to be nervous, that Justin was excited to meet me. A few minutes later, as I sat and waited, that’s when I heard him. He said, Hi Jasmin, how are you? I stood up, and heard him get closer to me. When I felt he was right there, I reached out to him, and we both hugged. It was just amazing! I told him that I couldn’t believe I was actually meeting him. In that short moment that HIM & I were together, everything just felt right. I had finally met this person that has touched my heart, and my life in such a way. I was so nervous. I thought I was going to shut down, and not be able to say anything, but thank god that didn’t happen. He kept the conversation going, so it was just awesome! We took a few pictures together. This is the part that mostly touched me. The part that actually made me see just how amazing and caring he is. Almost at the end of our conversation, he asks me if I had any idea of what he looked like. I said no. Then, he asks me if I wanted to feel his face. I said yes, and he took my hands and put them on his face. So, I was able to feel his hair, and it was very nice and soft. I could tell he was smiling when I touched his face. I also met Scooter, and he was just as amazing as Justin. We spoke for a little too. Then, Justin gave me one last hug, and left. Then, I asked Scooter if I could hug him, and he said yes, so I hugged him. After that, I was taken outside, and I was able to be part of Justin’s amazing performance. He sang beautiful. This has been the most amazing thing that has ever happened in my life, and no matter what, I will never forget this. I don’t have words to thank Scooter, and Justin for making this possible. I’m so grateful. This has really meant the world to me. All I can say is that DREAMS DO COME TRUE . If you believe in them, and you have faith, anything is possible. Just Believe, stay positive, and most of all, NEVER SAY NEVER! -Jasmin Alvarez (@JasminAlvarez1) Originally posted here: My name is Jasmin Alvarez. I’m fifteen, and I’m…
Stephen Covey´s world famous book ‘The seven habits of highly effective people’ is a masterpiece. In this clip Covey explains how the emphasis of human behavior has shifted in the past 80 or so years from a character based, principal driven ethic, based on :- Integrity, Fidelity, Courage, Compassion, Contribution, Responsibility, & Justice. To a personality based ethic concentrating on techniques,( ie on how to look good, how to dress), or in other words, How to create a good image. Although some personality techniques can be very valid, if you don’t possess, as a base, the Character ethic you will not have the power to create enduring effectiveness. Covey explains this very well in this short clip. http://www.youtube.com/v/ACukmJ_5HSo?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Continue reading here: Stephen Covey explaining the charactor ethic and the personality ethic
My name is Michka and 7th of November was the best day of my whole ENTIRE life. In October, I heard about this competition. You had to invite 9 people to celebrate Justin’s new album Under the Mistletoe and have a party . Of course this sounded amazing because they send you free party packs with Justin masks, Justin balloons, posters etc. You had to take photos and upload onto their Facebook page and the person with the most “likes” on the photo gets to meet Justin in London in November. However this was unreal I was so excited. We uploaded the picture and I got hacked 3 times and the person deleted the photo! It was awful, but we managed to get my friend to upload it and we believed in ourselves and told each other not to give up. There was like over 800 people who had entered this so we thought we had no chance but I just kept saying to myself Never Say Never. Everyone was helping us so much, sharing it, telling their friends, and honestly I can’t thank them enough. We had from Sunday to Friday to get the most ‘likes’ on the photo. Finally we went up to 1st place, my heart was pounding, I was so scared. I wanted this so bad and I wanted it for all my friends too. Friday night came, we was losing & we went to 2nd place. T hen it was the end of the competition WE WON!! WE DID IT! I couldn’t stop crying. In 3 days I was meeting my hero JUSTIN BIEBER. Then the next day I got a phone call saying I could only bring 4 friends instead of 9 because I forgot to tag Justin in the photo. The 2nd runners up had to have the other 4 tickets so it was fair. The worst decision I have ever had to make was telling 5 friends they couldn’t meet their hero anymore. We had to pick from a hat. They were upset but told me to have amazing time and not to worry it. On 7th November the best day is about to begin, we got into London which we traveled from Liverpool. W e got by the stage in the VIP section, front row at the side of the stage. Justin looked hot, his performance was outstanding and he was literally so close. I was amazed seeing him perform never mind meeting him. He switched the Christmas lights on, it looked beautiful. The show was over and it was my time and my friends time to meet him. We had to go in with 5 people which was me and my 4 friends. We got called to go in, my legs were like jelly, my whole body felt like it was going to fall to the floor, we went around the corner, there he was standing there smiling beautifully, his eyes looking into mine I walked over and he was looking at everyone of us. He was like, “Hey guys” Oh my god, my stomach dropped to the floor. I was thinking to myself.. am I alive right now? Is this some sort of dream? I bent down and he started laughing. It was adorable. He was like, “Move aside, move aside, you cant stand in front of me”. He had his hand on my back, I said to him looking him in the eye, while he smiled at me, “Oh sorry” He smiled I went to the end and he pulls all of us in, felt like as if we were a family. It was the best feeling in the world and then he said, “Okay everyone smile” and then we all smiled at the camera. I remember looking at the side of him and seeing him smile. The butterflies in my tummy were going mad. After that, I went in front of him, looked in his eyes and he said without me saying anything, “I love you”. I like died inside, my legs were shaking my hands went all hot and my face went all flushed. I smiled and looked at him and said “Thank you, I love you too”. Then he said to everyone, “Thank you guys so much, I love you” I didn’t want it to end. He is honestly beautiful, he has unreal brown eyes looking into yours and his lips are gorgeous, his hair is just in place, his skin is flawless, and most of all his personality and voice is stunning. He has such a warm heart. I can’t thank him enough for spending his time with me, and you can see the way he talks to you, like he can’t thank you enough for supporting him. You can see he’s a normal 17 year old boy and that he cares so much for your support, he’s such a sweet person, and I suggest you to believe in Never Say Never, because “YOU” will meet him one day. Just keep believing it will happen and it will.. -Michka Munro From Liverpool, England. Twitter: @LustinForJustin The rest is here: My name is Michka and 7th of November was the best day of my…
But she has to share with J.R. Martinez, who also scores a 29 on Broadway night. By Kelley L. Carter Ricki Lake and Derek Hough Photo: ABC It was Broadway week on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” and naturally, the theatrics were high. The cast of Broadway’s “Sister Act” performed, as did Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth. The remaining celebrities pulled out all the stops with creative costumes and over-the-top performances. This also was the first time the celebrities danced a group performance, to “Hey Big Spender” from “Sweet Charity” and “Money” from “Cabaret.” The performance didn’t get scored, but the judges commented and thought it was a fitting tribute. As for the dances that were scored, it was a dead heat at the top of the board between war hero J.R. Martinez and former talk-show host Ricki Lake, who impressed the judges with their takes on the quickstep. Here’s how everyone fared: Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke The duo took on a tune from “Jersey Boys,” the Four Seasons’ “Walk Like a Man,” and danced the cha-cha. The judges found the performance to be a bit muted and not at all daring for a high-stakes week like this. “It was clean. It was precise. It had good timing. Each dance gives you new challenges. The cha-cha-cha has got to show rhythm. There was no rhythm. It was all too stiff. It wasn’t oily. It was a bit … starchy,” head judge Len Goodman said. 22/30 Nancy Grace and Tristan MacManus The TV host was asked to do more after last week, when they found her routine to be a bit drab; this week, they took on the foxtrot and danced to a tune from “Spamalot.” The judges said the pair upped the ante and considered her performance to be a showstopper. They thought much more of her personality came out and she performed with great flair, earning her highest score in the competition. “It’s Nancy Dance-alot! I’ve seen the musical, and you captured the theme of it, and yet you did a foxtrot. Well done!” Bruno Tonioli said. 24/30 David Arquette and Kym Johnson The actor earned his highest score of the season last week, and he said he wanted to keep that momentum going and stay at the top. They danced “We Go Together” from “Grease” and did the quickstep. The judges thought it was rough around the edges but high-energy and fun. “It’s a really tough number to live up to. But as far as performance goes, I thought you completely lived up to any expectation that we’d have for ‘We Go Together’ from ‘Grease.’ It’s not easy. That was the good side. The bad side: You guys were out of sync today. But … there was a fluidity that was going. You just got a little ahead of yourself,” Carrie Ann Inaba said. 23/30 Ricki Lake and Derek Hough The former talk-show host and actress had previously dominated the leaderboard but fell last week to the #5 position after failing to impress the judges during ’80s week. Also a former Broadway star, Lake was hoping that would give her the edge during Monday night’s competition. They danced the quickstep to a track from “Guys and Dolls,” and the judges gave her a standing ovation. “You don’t need luck if you’ve got talent. And this number, you proved your talent. I loved it,” Goodman said. 29/30 Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer The activist tangoed to a track from “Phantom of the Opera,” and he was hoping his newfound confidence from last week would continue in Monday night’s performance. The judges thought it was the most aggressive they’ve seen him, but think that he needs to be pushed a little further. “It was like watching a cute little penguin trying to be a big menacing bird of prey. This is the truth: It has to be menacing. Dark. Dangerous. Naughty. The tango wants to be driven continuously. It is hard. It’s very difficult. To me, this character didn’t fit you,” Tonioli said. 19/30 Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Adina Howard is the original “Freak.” She made her debut onto the music scene in the 90′s with the album Do You Wanna Ride? which spawned the platinum selling single “Freak Like Me.” Adina’s provocative and salacious lyrics paved the way for her following tracks: “Nasty Grind,” and the fan favorite “T-Shirt & Panties.” She is currently back in the studio prepping a new release. “ This project is going to different from everything else because it’s not going to really be focused the sex aspect what people know me for. It will be to the left, completely unexpected. I’m an artist, I like to grow. I like to spread my wings and fly into a different direction! ” says Adina when I spoke with her. Adina revealed to me that she was engaged and getting married in a few days (talk about two chicks in conversation heaven!). Read her Wedding Story below: “Initially Shermon and I dated in our 20′s, at one point I was not satisfied with how things were going. I felt that there was some growth that needed to take place. I told him ‘When you get yourself together, we’ll get back together’ and we remained friends. Periodically he would say to me ‘We need to quit playing and just get married.’ I’m like ‘na, I’m cool with the way things are.’ Some time would pass by and he would ask me again and my response would ‘I’m good.’ A friend of mine, she was like ‘Adina, I know there are some things going on between you and Shermon or whatever but that’s a good man right there and you better not let him get away!’ She looked at me and said ‘Let me tell you something, if you let that man get away, we gon’ have problems.’ While she was being his cheerleader I was thinking about our relationship in the past. Everything was gravy and we remained friends all the way up until this point. I was getting on a plane to go to Charlotte and I was thinking she is right and I am ready to settle up. I placed the call, he picked up the phone; I said ‘You still want to marry me’ he was like yeah.’ I said ‘let’s do it then!’ It was there that I realized, Adina kind of proposed to Shermon! “I think it’s a situation to each it’s own at the end of the day everybody is not traditional. I think sometimes when there is too much pressure on a man he gets kind of buckled because it’s like ‘Why do I always have to do this, or that.’ Sometimes they want us to step up to the pate. Contrary to popular belief men want to be ruled, men want a woman to be romantic, men want to be loved on! I think it depends on the person; a woman has to understand she has to know her man. If you’re going to go that route make sure he isn’t not proposing because he doesn’t feel you’re the one” Sheer curiosity led me to wonder… “Well how do you know?” “Men have a way of expressing themselves, when they are ready to do something they gon’ do it! There’s no if, ands, buts or maybes. He’s been trying to get with me for the past 13 years. When they know what they want they go for it!” “I overstand why women become Bridezillas; I get it–it can be overwhelming. Initially we were going to go to Justice Of The Peace. We were told after joining our church that we can get married in the church, So we decided to go that route only for it to snowball into this whole to-do. The Dress: I went to David’s Bridal, I was like ‘let me see what this whole tying on a wedding dress thing is about.’ Growing up, getting married was not something I dreamed about. I just want to be real cute for my wedding, I don’t need to go out and get a private label designer for my wedding. I just wanted something simple. I found a dress for under $100. It was the first dress I tried on. I was like ‘OK I’ll take you.’ I did get a little misty [eyed] I was in public I couldn’t break down. I was like ‘this is mine!’ As for keeping her new marriage spicy in the bedroom: “It’s all about variety and switching up! ‘Missionary’ is cool, ‘Doggy Style’ is cool but sometimes you have to take it to the backyard, around the house…in the car PULL OVER! It’s about being spontaneous and again, knowing what your significant other likes. You trying to stick fingers in the butt and they don’t like that and you about to be kicked to the curb period!” We can learn a thing or two from Adina; she is comfortable with her sexuality “I gets down with the get down, it’s who I am it apart of my personality” she assures me before laughing. If there’s anything we all know, it is that men love a freak in the sheets. She is all that and more… Stay tuned in November for Adina Howard’s “How To Cook…” Special Feature for Thanksgiving! Put A Ring On It! Nicci & BJ How To Make Your Wedding Look Platinum
