According to RadarOnline : Whitney Houston’s family, spearheaded by her mother, Cissy, is asking law enforcement to look into death scene photos that were leaked to the media in the days after the pop superstar died at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, including one pic of her body being wheeled out on the gurney in a body bag, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting. A few days after Whitney passed away on February 11, a media outlet (not RadarOnline.com) published a photo of Houston in a body bag on a gurney being taken out of the hotel. The entire floor was on lockdown, and the area was secured by the Beverly Hills Police Department. There is surveillance video from the hallway of the person who took the picture of Whitney in the body bag, and the Houston family wants to know who it is and have asked for an investigation into the leak of the photos. The Houstons have been told by cops that after her case is officially closed, they can look into the matter. It might not be the the Beverly Hills Police Department that would handle that, but this is very important to the Houston family to know. “They need and deserve to know who took the pictures, and if the person profited from it,” a source close to the situation tells RadarOnline.com. We hope that there is a way to track down the sick son (or daughter)-of-a-beyotch that did this. They deserve the ridicule and judgement of the general public! Image via WENN More On Bossip! Stand By Your Man: Rihanna Is In Full Support Of Chris “Gimme Dat” Brown While He Awaits Word On Cell-Phone-Stealing Charges, Sends Lyrical Sub-Tweets About Getting Him Back! Exhibitionists Pt. 1: The Most Revealing Celebrity Twitpics Of All Time Matrimony-dom: Evelyn Lozada Spills The Beans About Her Wedding Plans With Chad Ochocinco! Jesus Take The Men’s Wearhouse Card: The Funniest Photoshop Pictures Of Jaheim’s Blue Suit [Photos]
There have been all African-American flight crews before, but a group of black women made history recently when they became the first all African-American female flight crew! For the passengers on a recent Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight, an Atlanta based Delta Connection regional carrier, little did they know when they boarded that particular trip to their destination they were witnesses to aviation and Black history. They had boarded the first US airline flight staffed by an all African-American female flight crew comprised of Captain Rachelle Jones, first officer Stephanie Grant and flight attendants Diana Galloway and Robin Rogers. Watch their stories below: SOURCE: TransGriot RELATED: Kerry Washington Talks To Essence Magazine About Black Women’s Power New Study: Black Women Are More Confident! Meet The Ladies Of Black Girls Rock 2011
This season’s line up adds Jaleel White (Steve Urkel), Gladys Knight and Sherri Shepherd! Check out who else you can expect to see on the DWTS Floor. From Radar Online: The first celeb cast of 2012 will feature Melrose Place/General Hospital hunk Jack Wagner, Melissa Gilbert of Little House On The Prairie fame, former Green Bay Packer Donald Driver, Telenovela star William Levy, The View’s Sherri Shepherd, singers Catherine Jenkins and Gavin DeGraw, tennis superstar Martina Navratilova, Disney actor Roshon Fegan, TV personality Maria Menounos, Jaleel White, who played “Urkle” on Family Matters and singing icon Gladys Knight.
Chris Brown — who is under investigation for allegedly snatching an iPhone from a fan trying to take his picture as he left a Miami nightclub — may have freaked out because he was leaving the club with two groupies and did not want Rihanna to find out. Gossip Extra has learned that when Miami Beach police interviewed rapper Tyga , who was with Chris and two bodyguards in his Bentley at the time of the incident, all three told cops that Brown was freaked out because two female fans were taking photos of Brown walking to his car with two groupies, a source close to the case said. Tyga reportedly told detectives: “The guy’s trying to get back with Rihanna, and he knows that wouldn’t happen if the photos ended up online!” “The cops told the three characters that if they didn’t say what happened at the scene, they would be charged with robbery,” the source said. During the incident, the source added, one of the bodyguards grabbed a camera from Christal Spann. “Chris kept telling him: ‘Erase the motherf…… pictures,’” the source said. “Those photos can’t get out there .” The bodyguard obliged, then returned it to its owner. But from the back of his black Bentley, Brown grabbed Spann’s iPhone and closed his window as the car rolled away. The woman who claims Chris Brown robbed her of her cell phone was captured on video obtained by TMZ , clearly agitated as she tells cops, “He snatched my phone.” RELATED: Chris Brown Accused Of Stealing iPhone! CM Punk Explains Chris Brown Wrestling Challenge: “He Hasn’t Changed” [VIDEO] Pitbull, Chris Brown & Ne-Yo Perform At NBA All-Star Halftime Show [VIDEO] Jay-Z Described As “Deeply Disappointed” In Rihanna For Recording With Chris Brown
Why the contest between the year’s two biggest awards shows wasn’t really much of a contest at all, in Bigger Than the Sound. By James Montgomery Angelina Jolie presents at the 84th annual Academy Awards Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images There was a wardrobe malfunction , some racy fashion , a bit of onstage inebriation , a little pre-show punking and even a Justin Bieber sighting … and none of it was enough to spare Sunday’s 84th Academy Awards from being called “as bland as oatmeal” and a “badly paced bore-fest.” Those criticisms may or may not have been deserved; after all, the three-hour-and-something telecast certainly lagged in spots, most of Billy Crystal’s shtick seemed to have been vacuum-sealed during the latter days of the Carter administration and the most memorable moments centered on supposed nipple sips and Angelina Jolie’s right leg. And, shoot, it’s not like there was a whole lot of suspense involved with the show itself; everyone knew “The Artist” was a lock to win Best Picture , and, lo and behold, it did just that. Still, there were highlights— Emma Stone’s charming (and well-written) presentation bit opposite Ben Stiller, Octavia Spencer’s gob-smacked Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech (and frequent near spills beforehand), Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis’ cymbal-smashing stunt — but overall, consensus seems to hold that this year’s Oscar telecast was too bloated, too straight-laced and too self-reverent. In other words, it was just like every other Oscar telecast, only with accidental nudity and some Cirque du Soleil thrown in at the last minute. Which is why, after sifting through the aftermath of the show itself, I can’t help but notice the similarities between the Oscars and the 54th Grammy Awards , which unspooled earlier this month and were greeted with the same basic criticisms immediately afterward: feckless host, lifeless pacing, predictable results. And while comparing Billy Crystal to LL Cool J is basically a futile endeavor (Crystal was funnier, but LL bested him when it came to prayer-leading and headwear), it’s not exactly a stretch to call both telecasts long-winded, or make the connection between “The Artist” and Adele. Of course, some (like, uh, me ) have already floated the notion that the Oscars and the Grammys are basically the same show anyway — both are slightly silly, thoroughly incomprehensible exercises in self congratulation — though, for what it’s worth, I actually enjoyed Sunday’s Oscars way more than this year’s Grammys. I thought the former was a better show, more creatively staged, and certainly more adept playing the hand it was dealt. To wit: Producers went into Sunday’s Oscarcast having already weathered the Brett Ratner/Eddie Murphy bad-press fiesta, and knowing that a) this year’s crop of nominated-films weren’t exactly compelling, b) a (largely) silent, black-and-white film was the odds-on favorite, c) their host was born in 1948, and d) they were opposite the NBA All-Star Game. Forget about “cool” … about the best thing the Oscars could hope for was “classy,” and in that regard, they definitely delivered. On the other hand, heading into the Grammys, the presumptive favorite had also sold nearly 7 million albums (about as close as a consensus as you can get these days), one of the most-popular hip-hop artists on the planet was the night’s most-nominated act (that would be Kanye West ), and three of the world’s biggest pop stars ( Katy Perry , Lady Gaga and Rihanna ) were all in attendance. Oh, and then, on the night before the show itself, Whitney Houston — one of the greatest singers of all time, and a talent whose entire career was basically interwoven with the history of the award — unexpectedly died. If anything, the show was set up to be one for the ages. And yet, it largely wasn’t. Sure, Adele soared and scored, but everyone else in the previous paragraph was basically an afterthought. And the tribute to Houston, featuring a very game Jennifer Hudson, was buried in the telecast and largely forgotten by the following morning. Combine all that with an odd Nicki Minaj performance, that whole “EDM” tribute and a thorough bungling of the annual “In Memoriam” piece, and the Grammys were a debacle in just about every conceivable way (except for Dave Grohl , of course, who was awesome as always). So if these two awards shows really are so similar, well, for one year at least, they weren’t. The Oscars definitely out-gunned, out-shone, and even managed to out-Grammy the Grammys themselves. There was a slight spirit of irreverence (Angelina’s leg show, Sacha Baron Cohen’s ash-spilling stunt, the boozy “Bridesmaids” salute to Marty Scorsese) that permeated throughout the buttoned-up proceedings. They even got Justin Bieber involved, and the last time I checked, he was a musician (or at least that’s what people tell me). Both certainly warranted criticisms, though perhaps that’s just the case with all awards shows these days: They are largely antithetical to the way we operate, after all: throwback, three-hour telecasts where brevity is encouraged but never really enforced. They are practically constructed to be de constructed by bloggers the following morning, painfully un-hip, unapologetically huge and forced to appeal to the broadest of demographics. And yet (or probably because of all that), they routinely deliver viewership — this year’s Grammys were watched by 39 million folks, the largest audience since 1984 — which means they’re not going anywhere anytime soon … if ever. So if we’re stuck with them, we might as well come to appreciate them. Neither the Oscars nor the Grammys are ever going to be perfect … and this year, neither were. But when comparison is necessary (and given the scope of both, basically unavoidable), the Oscars came out on top, by a large margin. They did more with less, and did so with style to spare. And less Nicki Minaj. Then again, perhaps all of this just begs a larger question: Wouldn’t it be nice if there were some alternatives out there? I wouldn’t hold my breath for an answer, so in the mean time, I’m left to compare one bloviated, bloated awards show to another, even if they don’t even merit comparison. What awards show did you enjoy more this year: the Grammys or the Oscars? Leave your comment below! The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Keep it locked at MTV.com for updates on the night’s big winners and the best red-carpet fashion . Related Videos 2012 Grammy Awards Show Highlights Oscars 2012: Show Highlights Bigger Than The Sound: Stories Behind The Bands Related Photos Oscars 2012: The Main Show 2012 Grammy Awards: Main Show
‘I definitely did not know that he was going to do that,’ Seacrest said on his radio show on Monday. By Gil Kaufman Ryan Seacrest and Sacha Baron Cohen at the Oscars on Sunday Photo: E! Entertainment Who better to try to flap than the unflappable Ryan Seacrest? If he could put up with Simon Cowell’s constant attacks for nearly a decade, surely the ‘Crest could handle a sneak attack from the Dictator. And, true to his laser-focus reputation, when Sacha Baron Cohen ‘s Dictator ash-bombed Seacrest on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday night, the “American Idol” host kept his composure. After all, he had to know that SBC was not just going to show up in costume, but was very likely going to create one of his infamous scenes to drive up some hype for his upcoming tyrant spoof . “I was surprised, but not surprised. I definitely did not know that he was going to do that,” Seacrest said on Monday morning (February 27) on his radio show, “On Air With Ryan Seacrest,” about his surprise when Cohen “accidentally” spilled an urn filled with the purported ashes of late North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il on the TV presenter’s tux. “He comes over and I asked him a couple of questions but … you know that feeling in your gut.” Knowing that Cohen was not going to let him off that easy, Seacrest said in the back of his mind he kept thinking, “This guy isn’t coming as the Dictator to not do something … you know in your gut, you feel like, ‘This is going too normally.’ ” And then when he saw the urn come out, Seacrest could see something coming. “It was getting closer to my chest and then it tipped over. And it wasn’t the wind. He spilt it on my tuxedo.” Did we mention Seacrest is hard to rattle? The consummate professional didn’t flinch because he smartly followed the advice his mother, Connie, gave him long ago when he was just a wee wannabe presenter: ” ‘You always want to have two jackets. You never know what’s going to happen. You never know what you’re going to spill on yourself and you want to be red carpet-ready at all times. That’s your job.’ So I had another jacket.” Seacrest had a great attitude about the gag, which drew a thumbs-up from some of the other celebs MTV News talked to at Elton John’s annual Oscar-viewing party and charity gala. How do you think Ryan Seacrest handled Sacha Baron Cohen’s stunt? Leave your comment below! The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Keep it locked at MTV.com for updates on the night’s big winners and the best red-carpet fashion . Related Videos Oscars 2012: Red Carpet Highlights Related Photos MTV Style | 2012 Oscars Red Carpet Photos Oscars 2012: Winners
Ratings for Sunday night’s telecast up 4 percent over 2011’s show. By Gil Kaufman Meryl Streep and Jean Dujardin backstage at the Academy Awards on Sunday Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images Sometimes “meh” is all you need — especially when you’re following up one of the most reviled Oscar hosting teams in recent memory. That might explain why, despite a night devoid of any major surprises or blockbuster winners, ratings for the 2012 Oscars telecast were up slightly over last year. According to ABC’s preliminary ratings, the Billy Crystal-hosted awards show had a 25.5 rating and 37 share, a 4 percent increase over the 2011 show, which famously bombed thanks to the lack of chemistry between hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway . Crystal’s safe-as-milk ninth go-round as host earned the veteran comedian mostly tepid to negative reviews, but it was enough to boost the big night to one of its best ratings nights since 2007, when the show put up a 27.7 rating and 42 share. The highest-ever Oscar ratings came in 1998, when the global blockbuster “Titanic” helped draw in more than 55 million viewers. Ratings might have been even higher if any of the most-nominated movies had posted solid box-office figures as well. But between them, the leading winners, “The Artist” and “Hugo,” which both reveled in a nostalgic look back at the dawn of the modern movie era, have grossed just over $100 million combined to date. To put that in perspective, popcorn flick “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” which was blanked in three technical categories, brought in nearly that much in its opening weekend. More complete ratings numbers are expected later in the day on Monday (February 27). The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Keep it locked at MTV.com for updates on the night’s big winners and the best red-carpet fashion . Related Videos Oscars 2012: Show Highlights Oscars 2012: Red Carpet Highlights Related Photos Oscars 2012: Winners
We break down the potential nominations for the Caped Crusader in The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale on the set of “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Getty Images Believe it or not, when Oscar night 2013 rolls around, Batman could be donning his dress cape and walking the red carpet as a nominee. Granted, no one has seen Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises,” yet, but it’s not entirely outlandish to imagine it could have a big night at the Academy Awards next year. If Nolan sticks the landing, it could mean an unprecedented amount of awards consideration for the beloved series. For an enormously successful movie franchise, Nolan’s Batman films have a frighteningly disappointing number of Academy Awards wins and nominations: nine nods, two wins. That’s right: Aside from Heath Ledger’s well-earned Best Supporting Actor award, the only other Oscar for the series was for Best Sound Editing on “The Dark Knight.” We here at MTV News would love to see the legend end with a dark victory at the Academy Awards, so here are categories where “The Dark Knight Rises” could see nominations — you know, if it’s any good. Best Cinematography: Wally Pfister Nolan’s trusted cinematographer has been with him since the very beginning, shooting every major feature for Nolan since his breakout, “Memento.” Pfister won his first Academy Award last year for “Inception,” but for his next collaboration with Nolan, they’re going even bigger. If the prologue is any indication , IMAX’s role in “Rises” will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen, embracing the large format in new and exciting ways. With IMAX getting a push as the new trendy technology to get people into theaters, Pfister and Nolan’s role in embracing the format could spell an Oscar nomination. Best Original Score: Hans Zimmer It doesn’t get more ambitious than collecting the chanting of thousands of people around the world and incorporating it into a film’s score. Zimmer’s worldwide vision for his third time scoring a Batman movie could mark his 10th nomination and his second for a Nolan movie. Sadly, a disqualification due to stiff category rules may be likely. Best Director: Christopher Nolan If the Academy collectively loves anything, it’s certainly fond of paying old debts. They’ll award artists who should have won years ago (Scorsese), and they’ll award overall achievements (“Return of the King” wins everything). By the end of all this, Nolan will have done something for the ages. He legitimized a genre and restored an American icon to his rightful place. Not only that, he made two (and hopefully three) excellent and ambitious movies. This is the year you reward him for his efforts and heal the wounds of two egregious snubs for “The Dark Knight” and “Inception.” Best Actor: Christian Bale Here’s a wonderful fact about the age we live in: A very recent Oscar winner is playing Batman. One of the greatest actors of a generation is playing one of the most iconic heroes of all time. That fact alone at the very least puts Christian Bale in the mix. But knowing Nolan, he’s not just going to put Bale up against a new set of villains, a flaw of the last set of Batman films. He’s going to tell a story about Batman, one that’s going to push the hero and the man playing him to the edge. Best Picture Could “The Dark Knight Rises” be the next “Return of the King”? The only problem there is that the Academy nominated each “Lord of the Rings” film individually before the finale won the big prize. Nolan’s Batman films have always found themselves just outside awards consideration, the closest calling coming after “The Dark Knight” in 2009. Many pointed to “The Dark Knight” as a reason for the expansion of the Best Picture category the following year, so with 10 potential nominees now, statistically, it may finally be its year. What Oscars do you think Nolan’s Batman franchise should have already won? Let me know via Twitter @KPSull! 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 ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer Decoded! Related Photos On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
‘It’s kind of an odd pair, she and I together,’ Nick tells MTV News of going head-to-head with Anjelica Huston on tonight’s episode. By Jocelyn Vena Nick Jonas Photo: MTV News For the past few weeks, theater lovers have been lining up to see Nick Jonas on Broadway in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” But on Monday night (February 27), fans can catch him on a different kind of Broadway show when he makes a much-anticipated cameo on NBC’s “Smash.” Nick plays a Lyle West, cocky teen star who negotiates over money with a producer played by Anjelica Huston. And while Nick is well-mannered in real life, his brash, small-screen persona might surprise fans. “He’s a fun character,” the Jonas Brother told MTV News last week. “Lyle is very precocious and definitely a bit different than I am in reality. But there are a lot of similarities too: Lyle started off in musical theater [and so did I]. That’s how he knows all the people involved in ‘Marilyn’ [the musical at the center of the show]. … He’s a fun character; I hope he can come back again.” When Lyle isn’t busy trying to romance the ladies, he’s helping to create original music for the musical and putting his spin on Michael Buble songs. But besides performing those musical numbers, Jonas said he reveled in going head-to-head with screen legend Huston as her character tries to shake him down for money to help fund the show. “Working with her was an unbelievable experience and she’s a legend, obviously,” Nick said, “And was so great to talk to off-camera as well. Being in the room with her, first of all, was an honor and to be able to work opposite her in a scene was really interesting. It’s kind of an odd pair, she and I together kind of negotiating like that, but it’s sort of fun and sweet and works and that what was nice about finding that chemistry with her. I love her. I think she’s a ray of light.” Jonas first announced the cameo late last year and fans have been eagerly awaiting the episode, which airs tonight on NBC at 10 p.m. ET, ever since. When MTV News asked him what we could expect, he teased, “You [get] to see everything — almost everything. There’s quite a bit. “If we’re gonna open that up, then there’s quite a bit that you didn’t see,” he joked. “But that’s why I have to come back.” Are you excited to watch Nick’s debut on “Smash”? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Nick Jonas And The Administration Rock Philly Related Artists Nick Jonas & The Administration
Mom-to-be will star as Robert Pattinson’s love interest in ‘Bel Ami.’ By Kara Warner Uma Thurman Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images Uma Thurman is a mama-to-be once again. According to E! Online, the “Kill Bill” and ” Bel Ami ” actress and her financier beau Arpad Busson will welcome a new bundle of joy into the world later this year. The new addition to Thurman’s family will join her children Maya, 13, and Levon, 10, with whom she shares custody with ex-husband Ethan Hawke. Hawke has expanded his family in recent years as well. After marrying his and Thurman’s one-time nanny Ryan Shawhughes in 2008, the happy couple has welcomed two children of their own: Clementine, 3, and Indiana, 6 months. Although Thurman will likely begin preparations for her new arrival, fans will get to see more of the 41-year-old beauty in Robert Pattinson’s next film, “Bel Ami,” which opens in March. Thurman has been fortunate to have co-starred with a slew of handsome younger men in her films over the years, which she said she has not taken for granted: “I have been cast opposite a lot of really handsome, charming young men,”
