‘X Factor’ finalist will make her Nickelodeon debut as Starr, an eccentric, big-voiced teenager. By Christina Garibaldi Rachel Crow Photo: MTV News Even though Rachel Crow was eliminated from “The X Factor” earlier than expected, most believed that it wouldn’t be the last time we would see the pint-sized teen. And they were right. In the four months since that night, the 14-year-old has landed a recording contract with Columbia Records and an overall talent deal with Nickelodeon . On Friday (April 6), Crow starts this next chapter in her career as she begins her guest starring role on the hit Nickelodeon series “Fred: The Show.” “I can’t even tell you how much fun I’m having,” Crow told MTV News on set last month. “It’s gonna be cool looking and being like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m on TV again!’ … It’s very exciting. I’m very happy with it. I’m having a great time; this is really fun. It’s not work when you come here, it is work, but it’s fun. It’s something that you want to go to. It’s really awesome.” Crow plays the role of Starr, a high school student who believes she is a talented actress and singer. Yet, to her classmates, she is seen as eccentric and somewhat awkward. “My character Starr is theatrical, she is wacky,” Crow said. “She’s very out there and very over the top.” In her debut episode, “Class Election,” which has a two-episode story arc, Starr tries to help Fred win a school election against his nemesis, Kevin, but when the election turns dirty, Starr decides to run against them both. During the episode, Crow shows off her sharp acting ability, but also reminds us what made us fall in love with her in the first place: her voice. “I do [sing], “Crow said. “I do a little bit and I just sing like wacky stuff like two words or a couple words and some wacky school anthems, it’s really fun.” Check out Crow on “Fred: The Show” on Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Are you excited to see Rachel Crow on “Fred: The Show”? Let us know in the comments. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Rachel Crow
January Jones’ piled on the pounds in the second episode. By Gil Kaufman January Jones in “Mad Men” Photo: AMC If you followed the arc of “Mad Men” actress January Jones’ real-life pregnancy, you know that the slim TV star never looked … that big. And by that big we mean the really full-figured look Jones’ character, Betty Draper , showed off during Sunday night’s second episode of the show’s fifth season. That Betty was, well, big all over: in the face, the arms, middle. And while we still don’t know the identity of Jones’ real-life baby daddy, one mystery was solved on Monday when it was revealed that Jones was wearing a fat suit and prosthetic face and neck appliances to make her character look heavy duty. While Jones was pregnant with her now-six-month-old song Xander during filming, instead of writing that into the plot, series creator Matthew Weiner had the series’ writers explain it away by explaining that Betty had packed on the pounds out of boredom, depression and a distance from her second husband, Henry Francis. The shocking makeover divided fans and once again caused the kind of Monday morning quarterbacking that TV execs salivate over, which was totally the point. According to the Hollywood Reporter the makeup artists on the show did the same thing for Jones that they did for cast mate Elizabeth Moss when her character Peggy Olsen was pregnant during season one. The crack team covered Jones in a fat suit and prosthetic facial and neck appliances that gave Betty a surprisingly zaftig look. In addition, they used a back double for the scene where Betty steps out of the shower. While Jones’ Betty has a history of weigh issues stemming from a childhood as a chubby kid whose every meal was monitored by her mother, only to shed that weight to become a slender model, the Reporter speculated that her emotional eating may have been triggered by her ex Don Draper’s sexy, slim new wife, Megan. Jones gave birth to Xander in September and was quickly back to her old shape, thanks, in part, she claimed, to such unconventional methods as eating her own placenta. “It’s not witch-crafty or anything. It’s something I was very hesitant about,” she told People magazine at the time of eating the lining of her uterus in dehydrated pill form. “But we’re only the only mammals who don’t ingest our own placentas.” Related Photos ‘Mad’ Hook Ups: The Relationships Of ‘Mad Men’
Trailer for singer’s 3-D flick touches on her divorce from Russell Brand and includes confessions about her career strife. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry in the “Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D” trailer Photo: Paramount In between dazzling shots of her onstage, in her music videos and getting dolled up in sparkling costumes, Katy Perry also addresses some real issues in her first full trailer for her 3-D concert film, “Part of Me,” set for release in July. While she doesn’t directly discuss her divorce from actor/comedian Russell Brand in the teaser, the split is referenced by a news headline as Perry is seen getting ready for one of her shows. And that’s not the only personal subject the colorful pop star will open up about in the film. Katy’s Religious Background Perry, now best known for her candy-coated, flirty persona, grew up in a strict, religious family. In the trailer, Perry talks about finding her voice while going to religious services with her family. She says, “The atmosphere I grew up in was 100 percent Christian. I started singing in church; I never really had another plan.” Perry Gets Dropped From her Label While it might seem that Perry went from virtual unknown to chart-topping pop sensation overnight, Perry and her friends open up about the trying time she had between being dropped from her label and eventually finding success. “I was going through some depressing, dark times,” she recalls, “but it’s a journey, and I learned so much from that journey. I feel like a stronger, better person because of it.” California Gurl Live Onstage While the film is about her life behind the scenes, a major part of the movie is her eye-catching California Dreams Tour, which went all around the world in 2011 and early 2012. “You have to be really be grateful and know that it’s a different set of people every single night,” she says of hitting the stage. “My goal when I’m playing shows is just to make people smile.” KP Lives out her California Dreams In the end, Perry’s message is always about living your dream, no matter what strife might come your way. She has this advice for her Katy Cats: “If you have a dream, you gotta go on a journey to fulfill that dream.” “Part of Me” opens July 5. The film was directed by Magical Elves’ Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, who also served as producers on Justin Bieber’s highly successful “Never Say Never” concert movie. “Part of Me” is also the name of the lead single off Perry’s just-released Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection album. Share your thoughts on Katy’s 3-D movie trailer in the comments or on our Facebook page! For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos The Evolution Of: Katy Perry Related Artists Katy Perry
Trayvon Martin’s cousin, Ronquavis Fulton, said that he didn’t believe Trayvon would ever “circle back” to fight George Zimmerman after trying to evade him. Fulton said that Martin was a “well-mannered, soft spoken person,” and claims that he was the aggressor are “totally unbelievable.” He also said that he’s sure the voice on the 911 recordings is Trayvon’s. Image CNN
The Voice cut four out of these 12 hopefuls last night in its ever-confusing elimination process, but its first-ever live results show was lightning quick and first-rate. Three members out of six each from Team Blake and Team Christina were voted through to the next round by America. Who were the lucky contestants? Team Blake: Erin Willett, Jermaine Paul, and RaeLynn. Team Christina: Jesse Campbell, Lindsey Pavao, and Chris Mann. But wait, there’s one more spot up for grabs on each squad, and the singers had to do their thing again to vie for it! So who moved on and who’s done? From Team Blake, Naia Kete sang “If I Were a Boy,” Charlotte Sometimes then turned in a rendition of “Iris,” and Jordis Unga finished with “Wild Horses.”
Viewers of The Voice may be sad to see Christina Aguilera’s shiny black saucer hat make its exit, but one show’s loss is another show’s gain. Lakers fan Xtina phoned in to Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live last night to have a chat with host Andy Cohen, who is clearly obsessed with the singer/talent coach’s … More » Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Idolator Discovery Date : 03/04/2012 05:43 Number of articles : 2
Teams Blake and Christina hit the stage as audience voting begins on ‘The Voice.’ By John Mitchell Jesse Campbell on “The Voice” Photo: NBC After weeks of blind auditions and battle rounds, “The Voice” finally went live Monday night (April 2), with Teams Blake and Christina taking the stage. America now gets to vote on the best of the best, and the top three from each team will move on to the next round. Twenty-four contestants survived the blind auditions and brutal battle rounds to make it to the live shows, and now their fate lies in the hands of viewers, who will take over for judges/mentors Adam Levine , Christina Aguilera , Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green in deciding who continues on and who goes home. Entering the ring for Monday’s two-hour performance show (results will be broadcast live Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET), the teams were as follows: Team Adam : Karla Davis, Katrina Parker, Kim Yarbrough, Mathai, Pip and Tony Luca Team Blake : Charlotte Sometimes, Erin Willett, Jermaine Paul, Jordis Unga, Naia Kete and RaeLynn Team Xtina : Ashley De La Rosa, Chris Mann, Jesse Campbell, Lindsey Pavao, Moses Stone and Sera Hill Team Cee Lo : Cheesa, Erin Martin, Jamar Rogers, James Massone, Juliet Simms and Tony Vincent Aguilera was looking great with a simpler style and a whole lot less hair, but the judge to watch on the fashion front was Cee Lo, who rocked a strange disco clown-meets-Elvis costume and shaggy ’70s wig. “There’s something a little different about you tonight,” Adam joked to the “Forget You” singer. Referring to the dashing Levine’s newly shaved head, Cee Lo said, “Adam cut his off, so I decided to grown mine out.” Now, on to the actual competition. First up was Team Blake’s Jermaine Paul. Paul made a big impression, entering from the back of the theater amid blinding lights before making his way to the stage, but Aguilera commented that the song Shelton gave him, Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer,” was an unconventional choice for the former Alicia Keys backup singer. “I didn’t see the connection with the song choice,” Aguilera said. “[But] you brought soul to it.” Shelton disagreed. “I think girls tend to like you singing that song a lot,” he said, to much screaming and applause. Team Christina’s Chris Mann was much more subdued when he hit the stage to sing “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and his classically trained voice had all the judges swooning over his pitch-perfect delivery. “You really owned it,” Xtina said. “You made it your own.” Shelton gave his next contestant, 17-year-old Texan RaeLynn, a tall order: to turn “Wake Up Call” by “Voice” coach Levine’s own band Maroon 5 into a country/rock song. “It is a risk taking a famous pop song and turning it country, but I think America’s going to like that,” RaeLynn said before stomping around the stage confidently in her cowboy boots and frilly dress. “You’re a sassy little thing,” Aguilera commented. “Are you allowed to grind your hips at your age like that?” Christina then called out what we already know: that there is a romance going on between Levine and Shelton . “You and the Maroon 5,” Aguilera joked about Shelton’s choice of Levine’s song. (We know, Christina! We know!) Moses Stone of Team Xtina was up next with a medley of Kanye West’s “Stronger”/”Power.” Backed by a fleet of dancers, the lone “Voice” rapper showed off his ability to move and stir up the audience. “I think you’re a natural onstage,” Cee Lo said. Adam agreed, saying, “There’s no doubt [that] you know how to entertain.” The performance was one of many that was pretty much professional level, including everything from backup dancers and flashy costumes to abundant lighting and a massive backing band/orchestra. Blake even (we assume inadvertently) complimented Aguilera when he said, “She’s already working for you,” while praising Stone’s singing voice. “You do it all,” Aguilera cheered, talking up Stone’s ability to sing, rap and perform choreography. In one of the rare occasions where a “Voice” coach recommended that one of his singers stay true to the way a song is performed on an album, Blake pushed street performer Naya Kete to stick to the original arrangement of “Turning Tables” as it was recorded by Adele. Aguilera unsurprisingly disagreed, and she and Shelton clashed. He thought Naya brought a lot of personality and tenderness to the song, while the “Beautiful” songbird wished Kete would have included more of her own jazz style to the performance. In the night’s strangest performance (fully dressed division), Aguilera paired raspy-voiced Lindsey Pavao with Gotye’s “Somebody I Used to Know,” and she brought, um, creepy burlesque dancers and clowns in masquerade masks onstage for her performance. Even with the strange distractions, the judges were listening closely, and Adam thought she was missing the power Gotye brought to the chorus. Her coach Christina was pleased, though, saying that every time she hears Paveo sing she thinks “Where is her record? I could listen to this girl all day.” Team Blake’s rocker Jordin Unga was strong and hit all the right notes in a memorable take on Heart’s difficult “Alone,” inspiring her coach to say, “I’m just so glad America has the chance to find out who you are.” That’s the thing about “The Voice” judges: They always know the perfect thing to say. (It must be the influence of smooth, newly single lady’s man Levine being on the panel.) For the night’s oddest performance (shirtless edition), enter Team Christina’s Sera Hill, who not only made Drake’s “Find Your Love” all her own (and practically unrecognizable) as a Mary J. Blige-like R&B slow jam, but also turned the stage into a Chippendale’s review (green lasers and all). “I know this was your idea,” Shelton told Aguilera of Hill’s studly backup dancers. (We know it too; she’s “Dirrty” and we like that about her.) “I was waiting for Christina to start stuffing some 1’s in those guys’ pants,” Blake continued. He didn’t have much to say about Hill’s actual performance, because “it’s hard to get past the male strippers onstage. … There were male strippers on the stage on ‘The Voice.’ ” For Team Blake’s Erin Willett performance, the stage was transformed into a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Willett started into her Stevie Wonder cover at the piano before joining the swinging dancers for a Broadway-like performance. Shelton called Willett’s performance the “best vocal performance of the night,” and even Aguilera had to begrudgingly agree. The next two performers took alternate routes to putting the best spin on their talents now that America is voting. Rocker Ashley De La Rosa chose to play it safe, sticking to her rocker-girl wheelhouse with “Right Through You” by Alanis Morrisette. And it worked for her: Levine called her “the most improved by far.” When Aguilera agreed, he joked, “We just got along,” stoking those rumors that Aguilera can be a little diva on set. Unlike De La Rosa, Charlotte Sometimes changed things up so the live audiences would get a chance to hear a different side of her unique voice than they had at this point in the competition. She chose to rearrange Paramore’s “Misery” to create a softer showcase to show that she can be a delicate singer as well as a fiery one. The night’s final performance was a fine (if very safe) one: jazzy crooner Jesse Campbell singing “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. “If someone from my team doesn’t win, I’m looking for you to win this,” Cee Lo told Campbell. Adam agreed that Campbell was “the one to beat.” But Aguilera must have been worried her “Moves Like Jagger” duet partner was going to turn negative, because the two ended the show in a (non) lovers spat, bickering back and forth as the credits rolled. Who do you think will get sent home on tomorrow’s results show? Let us know in the comments below! Related Artists Christina Aguilera Blake Shelton Cee Lo Green Adam Levine
Miranda Lambert and Kelly Clarkson also took home awards on Sunday night. By Gil Kaufman Photo: Getty Images As the only girl in an all-male category, Taylor Swift faced some long odds to win her second consecutive Entertainer of the Year awards at Sunday night’s 47th annual Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony. But the 22-year-old proudly became just the second woman to pull off the double play in the fan-voted category, and she told the crowd, “I’m so happy about this … I want to say to my fellow nominees in this category, I respect you so much and I love you.” Swift had to attend the ceremony solo, though, as the New Jersey teenage cancer victim who scored a date with the singer to the show was hospitalized over the weekend. According to a Facebook post, 18-year-old Kevin McGuire — who had tried to invite Swift to his prom — was admitted to the hospital on Friday night. Swift tweeted some well-wishes to her date, writing, “Just talked to Kevin McGuire … He’s not well enough to join me at the ACMs. Please keep him in your thoughts. I’ll make it up to you, Kevin!” Country’s new “it” couple, “The Voice” coach and singer Blake Shelton and wife Miranda Lambert, also won big. In addition co-hosting the show, he snagged Male Vocalist of the Year and she earned Female Vocalist and Album of the Year for Four the Record . It was her third Album of the Year win, which ties her with such legends as Alabama and George Strait in the category. “I own every record in this category and I’ve been listening and listening, thinking I’m not going to get it,” she said. “Every record is amazing, and I’m so thrilled. I will never take this trophy for granted. My albums are my babies.” Speaking of reality singing shows, last year’s “American Idol” winner, boggy voiced country crooner Scotty McCreery, was named New Artist of the Year, while the original “Idol,” Kelly Clarkson, snagged two ACM’s thanks to her hook-up with Jason Aldean on “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” The pair picked up Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for their duet. According to the Associated Press the show included a big helping of performances, including Carrie Underwood’s fiery opening, during which she rocked a magenta and black dress minidress with fringe to sing her new single, “Good Girl.” There were also a number of unexpected visits from rock and hip-hop stars, with U2 singer Bono introducing Dierks Bentley and KISS presenting an award to Lady Antebellum while wearing their full stage makeup. LL Cool J was on hand to give a shout-out to veterans alongside Keith Urban, comedian and banjo aficionado Steve Martin hooked up with Rascal Flatts following a tribute to recently departed bluegrass icon Earl Scruggs and Train singer Pat Monahan joined Martin McBride to help a New Jersey couple get married on the show’s stage to the strains of Train’s “Marry Me.” The performance-heavy broadcast also featured a visit from “Two and a Half Men” star Ashton Kutcher, who slapped on a cowboy hat and sang a George Strait song before giving Lambert her Female Vocalist of the Year trophy. Related Videos MTV First: Taylor Swift Related Artists Taylor Swift
‘What Makes You Beautiful’ performance has Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and even first lady Michelle Obama on their feet. By Katie Byrne One Direction at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2012 Photo: Getty Images One Direction continued their Stateside takeover Saturday (March 31) at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards . And there was no question about their popularity: The piercing screams from the crowd when their performance was announced was enough confirmation. The boys drove the girls even wilder when just their outlines appeared before they kicked into their song “What Makes You Beautiful” and emerged onstage. Every girl in the audience — including Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Ashley Tisdale and their posse of ladies — knew all the words and sang along. Even first lady Michelle Obama couldn’t keep herself from clapping! The guys’ dapper style was in full force, with each member wearing a different black-and-white look. Ginormous white bouncy balls went flying through the crowd throughout the performance, and the OD dudes finished their set by knocking a few of the orbs back into the audience with huge grins on their faces. Even before their Kids’ Choice performance, it was pretty clear One Direction were making a big impression on America. Just a few weeks ago, OD’s Up All Night made Billboard history by becoming the first debut album by British group to enter the chart at #1 , and the album also topped the charts in 15 other countries. And their U.S. television appearances didn’t begin and end with the KCA: One Direction promoted their first album on the “Today” show earlier this month, and next week, they will be the musical guests on “Saturday Night Live.” “We obviously get American TV in the U.K., and I’ve watched ‘Saturday Night Live’ before … and ‘Saturday Night Live’ is a big, big deal, everyone knows that. And when we got invited on, we couldn’t believe it,” One Direction’s Niall Horan told MTV News last week. “Again, we haven’t spent a lot of time here, so a lot of people don’t know who we are, so to be invited on such a prestigious American show is pretty amazing.” Do you have One Direction fever? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2012 Orange Carpet Related Artists One Direction
Performances from Katy Perry and One Direction also stood out at Nickelodeon awards show. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber gets slimed at the Kids’ Choice Awards 2012 Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Host Will Smith was joined Saturday (March 31) by a bevy of stars for Nickelodeon’s annual slime-fest, the Kids’ Choice Awards . The movie star and MC kicked off the night with a KCA-themed rap that included the first sliming of the night, when buckets of the famed goo fell on the audience, setting the tone for the fun-filled evening. The “Men In Black III” star promised that 2012 would include a record-breaking amount of slime, adding, “No one is safe from the slime.” That included Halle Berry, who was the first celeb to get slimed. The night’s first presenters certainly brought the kooky factor up a bit. Nicki Minaj was decked out in a candy-colored dress complete with a bustier made out of tickets and bubbles glued to her skirt, as she stood alongside “Hunger Games” star Josh Hutcherson. The pair handed out the first blimp to Favorite Musical Group winners Big Time Rush. Real-life couple and “The Amazing Spider-Man” stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone presented the award for Favorite Movie Actor. But before handing the blimp to Adam Sandler, Garfield told the room, “I feel like the luckiest guy in the world, ’cause I got to play my favorite superhero.” KCA first-timer and “Glee” star Chris Colfer got slimed when he hit the stage to present Selena Gomez the award for Favorite TV Actress. Perhaps Heidi Klum should have shared this advice with him first: Never trust anyone at the KCAs. Decked out in a two-piece, midriff-baring top and sparkly skirt, Gomez also won for Favorite Female Singer. “After no longer doing my show, knowing you guys still watch it means so much,” she said of her now-defunct Disney series “The Wizards of Waverly Place.” Katy Perry was the first performer of the night. Done up in medieval gear, she flew across the room to the stage, where she broke out into her latest hit single, “Part of Me.” Behind her, dancers were decked out in costumes from the same period. She served as a court performer, singing her scathing breakup track for the king and queen. The performance ended with Katy hitting the king with a pie. Perry also won a blimp for her work in “The Smurfs,” declaring, “The only reason I’m here today is because I’ve never gown up. I can’t wait to do ‘Smurfs 2.’ ” Kristen Stewart won for Favorite Movie Actress for “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” Beaming in blue lace, she said, “This is, like, the coolest awards show ever. I love Nickelodeon. I liked ‘Doug,’ ‘Rocco’s Modern Life.’ Awesome. I just have to say: Katy Perry’s armor was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” Next up, the show got a bit serious when first lady Michelle Obama presented Taylor Swift with the Big Help Award. Swift won the special blimp in recognition of her philanthropic efforts, including work with U.S. tornado and flood survivors and various youth-related charities. “I’m so honored. I have always wanted to meet you; this is amazing. I am so honored to be receiving this award from the first lady of the United States. I am freaking out,” Swift said. “I’m really proud of all of you guys. I see you helping each other out. I think it’s important you know you are making a difference in this world.” Taylor Lautner has kicked enough butt and taken enough names on the big screen that he won the blimp for Favorite Butt Kicker. “This is amazing,” he told the room of screaming fans. “Robert, I’m sure you’ll be winning this award next year for ‘Iron Man 3’ and ‘The Avengers.’ ” That Robert he was referring to was presenter Robert Downey Jr., not Pattinson, obviously. After winning, he was forced to do 1,000 push-ups by Smith. His reward for completing the misson? Getting slimed. One Direction continued their U.S. takeover with their performance on the show. For “What Makes You Beautiful,” the guys wore all black-and-white while futuristic lights danced behind them. Proving that everyone is a One Directioner at this point, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez danced around in the audience and sang every word of the song, while the fivesome kept girls screaming with their frothy, lighthearted pop track. The big twist of the night came when Cee Lo Green was revealed as Will Smith’s nemesis, the man dubbed “Creepy Voice.” “Creepy Voice” had spent the night taunting Will, telling him how inadequate a host he is. His reasons? “I’ve always wanted to be slimed,” “The Voice” judge said. “My name is Cee Lo Green. Slime’s green. Slime me!” He didn’t get slimed, but he did get ice-cream-sundaed. Maybe next year, Cee Lo. After kicking Jaden and Willow out and accusing them of being “Creepy Voice,” he brought his performer kids back out to hand out Favorite Male Singer, the night’s last award. Justin Bieber, fresh from shooting his “Boyfriend” video , took the stage to accept his blimp. “Right now, I’ve been working really hard on my album, Believe. This album is our album. This [blimp] goes out to all the fans. I love you so much,” he said. In addition to the blimp, with Will by his side, Bieber got
