Queen of Pop opens up about the Mother Monster on ‘The Graham Norton Show.’ By Jocelyn Vena Madonna Photo: Jon Furniss/ WireImage Here in the States, Madonna sat down with ABC News and had some interesting comments about Lady Gaga. In another interview , on Friday’s (January 13) “The Graham Norton Show,” the singer seemed to take the high road and likened her early days of hustling in New York City to Gaga ‘s beginnings. “When I first saw her, I saw her performing at a very small club in Manhattan a couple of years ago, maybe it was like three years ago,” she said. “I was actually really impressed by her. I thought she was really cool and she did remind me of me back in the day. I liked her rawness and there was something fresh about there and ballsy, and when she spoke to the audience, she sounded like she had a similar sense of humor to me, quite ironic, and I liked her. So I do think she is very talented.” That was really the end of the subject during their chat, other than when Madonna teased the British talk-show host about naming his dog after her. However, when he said his other dog was named Bailey, she quipped, “Not Gaga?” Some of that sentiment was mirrored in Madge’s ABC interview, the rest of which airs on Friday’s night’s 20/20 . While she did call Gaga’s “Born This Way” song “reductive” when asked about comparisons to her own “Express Yourself,” she went on to say that she sees a lot of her own work in Gaga’s. “I certainly think she references me a lot in her work. And sometimes I think it’s amusing and flattering and well-done,” she said, later adding that she thinks Gaga is “a very talented artist” and that she’s making a “statement about taking something that was in the zeitgeist, you know, 20 years ago and turning it inside out and reinterpreting it.” Madonna is currently making the rounds promoting her next album, M.D.N.A., as well as her film “W.E.” What do you think of Madonna’s Gaga thoughts? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Madonna Lady Gaga
Director talks to MTV News about time travel, 3-D and skipping his homework to watch the melodramatic vampire soap. By John Mitchell Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer in “Dark Shadows” Photo: Warner Bros. Director Tim Burton has kept such a tight lid on his forthcoming big-screen adaptation of the late-’60s soap opera “Dark Shadows” that last week we were forced to imagine things we’d want to see in a trailer for the film because one hasn’t even dropped yet. News on the film has been scarce — until now! Last week, MTV’s resident movie guru Josh Horowitz talked to Burton about his busy 2012 , and the director was forced to dish on his biggest project of the year. Burton told MTV News he was busy “editing and doing effects” for the film now. Though the film will not be “an effects-heavy picture, it’s still got stuff in there,” he said. At the BAFTA Britannia Awards late last year, MTV News talked to Burton’s partner Helena Bonham Carter , who appears frequently in his films, including “Alice in Wonderland,” “Sweeney Todd” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and she told us that “Shadows” was a childhood obsession of Burton’s. “This was a thing that he raced home to see when he was about age 10,” she said. “So it was returning to his childhood roots of what he loved watching.” Burton echoed her comments, telling MTV, “People like Michelle [Pfeiffer] grew up watching it. Some of the cast knew about it, some didn’t, but they were all game for it — getting into the weird spirit of what ‘Dark Shadows’ was. There was a generation of us who would run home from school to watch it. That’s probably why we were such bad students. We should have been doing homework; we were watching ‘Dark Shadows’ instead.” “Shadows” bested “Spider-Man” to make the Elite Eight and is up against “The Dark Knight Rises” in round two of the MTV Movie Brawl 2012 — vote here! For the director, the most difficult thing in bringing “Shadows” to the big screen has been mastering the tone of the melodramatic soap. “It was hard to put into words the tone it was. It had a weird seriousness, but it was funny in a way that wasn’t really funny. We just had to feel our way through it to find the tone,” Burton said. “We didn’t do any real rehearsals, because the cast all came in at different times. But there was an old photo of the [original] cast which I always remembered, so a couple days before shooting, we got the whole cast together to take a similar shot so everyone could see each other and get that vibe from doing a group photo. That helped set the tone more than anything.” Burton didn’t reveal much about the vampire flick’s plot but did (somewhat) resolve a few lingering questions we’ve had about the film. Asked if the film’s story — like that of the show — would include time travel, the director admitted that, while audiences will get to see the Collins family in the late-1700s, most of the film is set “in 1972, which to the era of ‘Dark Shadows’ is the modern era.” Elaborating further on time travel, Burton added, “For me, that’s when the show kind of made me want to do homework. I was like, ‘Wait a minute!’ That came near the end of the trail of the series.” So it seems unlikely that the main story line resurrected for the early ’90s remake of the series, which had Victoria Winters traveling through time to Collinwood circa Barnabas’ (Johnny Depp) transformation into a vampire, will be incorporated here. Perhaps the trip back Burton refers to here is instead a flashback to show audiences how Angelique (Eva Green) used her evil magic to turn Barnabas into a creature of the night? Burton also confirmed that the film will not be released in 3-D, as his version of “Alice” was. “No. It’s the ’70s, man. Only ‘Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror’ was in 3-D,” the director tells MTV News. “That’s the only one I remember from that time.” Knowing that we won’t have to wear a pair of funny glasses to get the full effect of “Dark Shadows” makes us even more excited for the May 11 release! Are you excited that Burton and company are keeping the time-travel plot out of “Dark Shadows”? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @JohnMitchell83 with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns! Check out everything we’ve got on “Dark Shadows.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Talk Nerdy To Me
Pop and Oak faced major sample issues with Pink Friday track, in Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman Nicki Minaj Photo: Bill McCay/ WireImage Behind the Beats: Pop and Oak Fans might not know Pop and Oak by name, but they damn sure know their beats. Trey Songz’s “Unusual,” Big Sean and Kanye West’s “Marvin & Chardonnay” and, of course, Nicki Minaj ‘s 2010 single “Your Love” are just a few of the duo’s hits. Now they’re up for a Grammy thanks to their work on Nicki’s Pink Friday, which is nominated in the Best Rap Album category. Pop, a Philadelphia native, and his production partner Oak, who hails from Istanbul, Turkey, have been working as a duo since 2008, back when they first produced “Your Love” for a then-emerging Minaj. ” ‘Your Love’ was a song that didn’t make Beam Me Up Scotty, the mixtape,” Pop told Mixtape Daily. Nicki was super-critical of her performance on the song, but after it eventually leaked at the top of 2010, there was no stopping it — well, there was one little obstacle to clear. The original leaked version featured a sample of Annie Lennox’s 1995 version of “No More I Love You’s,” but after the U.K. singer wouldn’t clear the sample, Pop and Oak had to come up with an alternative. “They didn’t let us clear the sample, so the version that leaked wasn’t the version that got on the radio. We ended up re-creating it,” Oak said. The duo redid the sample a little too well, it seemed. Even after the switch-up, Lennox’s lawyers continued to reach out, thinking Nicki’s new version of “Your Love” still incorporated the sample. “They thought what they were hearing on the radio was still the master,” Oak said. “Annie Lennox thought she was hearing herself, which was fly as hell,” Pop added. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists Nicki Minaj
‘I certainly think she references me a lot in her work,’ Queen of Pop tells ABC News. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Andreas Rentz/ Getty Images There was a hot debate raging about 12 months ago when Lady Gaga dropped her song “Born This Way,” with people questioning whether the song sounds too much like Madonna’s 1980s hit “Express Yourself.” As the discussion went viral, fans, critics and even Lady Gaga herself weighed in on it. Now, as Madge preps the release of her next album, M.D.N.A. , and her film “W.E.,” she’s finally weighing in on the controversy. Madonna, known for her curt, pithy responses when asked about anyone who might take a cue or two from her playbook, sat down with ABC News recently and had some choice words for pop’s latest princess. “I certainly think she references me a lot in her work. And sometimes I think it’s amusing and flattering and well-done,” she explained of her onetime “Saturday Night Live” co-star . “When I heard [‘Born This Way’] on the radio … I said, ‘that sounds very familiar’ … It felt reductive.” When asked if “reductive” was good or bad, Madonna replied, “Look it up.” The Queen of Pop did call Gaga “a very talented artist” and explained that she thinks that she’s making a “statement about taking something that was in the Zeitgeist, you know, 20 years ago and turning it inside out and reinterpreting it.” Madonna also addressed her apparent penchant for kissing female pop stars. She recently made headlines when her “Gimme All Your Luvin” cohort Nicki Minaj tweeted that Madge had kissed her on the set of her video. In true Madonna fashion, she brushed it off, saying, “It was her birthday. I gave her a birthday kiss. No tongue!” Of course, Nicki is not the first pop star Madonna has locked lips with. Back in 2003, Madge shared kisses on the VMA stage with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. “Nice moment, good kisser. Cool,” she remarked of Spears. When asked if she would kiss Spears again, she replied, “No, I already did it. I don’t like to repeat myself.” For those who may have missed the “Nightline” interview on Thursday, it will air on Friday night (January 13) on “20/20.” Related Videos MTV First: Lady Gaga Related Artists Lady Gaga Madonna
Brad Pitt or George Clooney? Viola Davis or Meryl Streep? MTV News forecasts who’ll take home the prizes tonight at 8 p.m. on VH1. By Kara Warner Brad Pitt Photo: Michael Tran/ Getty Images For those who love awards season, you are likely loving life this week since it’s jam-packed with pretty people wearing pretty clothes. Within just five days, there are three major awards shows: last night’s People’s Choice Awards, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards on Thursday and the Golden Globes on Sunday. The Critics’ Choice Movie Awards air at 8 p.m. Thursday (January 12) on VH1. And since we’re only hours away, it’s time to evaluate the big categories and make some predictions about who will take home the pretty glass trophies. Since these awards are decided upon by movie critics, we’re using the handy critic/review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes to determine which nominees have the best shot at winning. Without further ado, here are our predictions for the major categories: Best Supporting Actor : Albert Brooks will take this category no problem. “Drive” was a hit with critics, especially Brooks’ performance. Its 93 percent fresh rating trumps the other nominees in the category, with the closest competition being Christopher Plummer in “Beginners” (84 percent fresh), Andy Serkis in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (83 percent fresh) and Kenneth Branagh for “My Week With Marilyn” (83 percent fresh). Best Supporting Actress : Although B
Katie Holmes sexed herself up for some photoshoot….and although she has an older looking face…like the bitch is no longer that cute high school girl you once jerked off to…because she is now a mom married to a crazy person spending her days waiting for the coming ALIENS and I don’t mean said husband during sex…..but she’s still got tits cuz no breast cancer for her yet…even the odds are 1 in 8…..and here she is using them to make us like her….
I’ve never slept with a man but I have slept with women who have dick clits. I have also slept with women who were muscular as shit…and despite starring at their 6-pack in amazemen….it was far less gay then you’d think it is…cuz as Chaz Bono proves, being a woman is a state of mind…. I’m sure some muscle bitches are some of the most whiney high maintenance irritating bitches around….but the good news is the muscles just give them a hard body and strong pussy that I’d take over fat any day and a fitness level that can make me cum better than when I’m doing all the work, worrying about heart attacks….not to mention the higher testosterone makes for a higher sex drive…. So when I see A-Rod simulating locker room sex with the team on the women he chooses, especially this Torrie Wilson cuz she’s wrestler…and locker room foreplay is always starts with a wrestle…I remember that it’s probably less gay than it looks cuz I’ve been there and I liked it…..and now I’m gonna go write a pop song called “I fucked a muscle bitch and I liked it even though I went into it thinking it may turn me gay “….and maybe I’ll be the next Katy Perry…
Tuesday, January 10, 2010 The Metropolitan Atlanta Violence Prevention Partnership (MAVPP) in Cooperation with the King Center, 6 pm – 8 pm, at the King Center, Freedom Hall. Free and Open to the Public. The seminar will highlight areas such as gang, school, and youth violence prevention. Youth will learn ways to become change agents and leaders to upgrade their community and build a healthy future for all Atlantans. For more information contact: James P. Griffin, Jr., Ph.D. (404) 756-1397. Wednesday, January 11, 2010 Kingian Nonviolence Collegiate Leadership Orientation , 9 am – 4 pm at the King Center Limited Space- Free. Pre-Registration Required. This leadership orientation is offered to college sophomores and juniors from Atlanta area colleges and universities. Participants will get an overview of the ideology of Dr. King to heighten the awareness of the “Kingian” approach to nonviolent social change. For more information contact: Barbara Harrison at (404) 526-8911 or programs@thekingcenter.org Thursday, January 12, 2012 State of Georgia Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission Program , 10 am at the State Capitol, North Wing, Atlanta. Free and Open to the Public. For more information contact: The Georgia Martin Luther King, Jr., King Holiday Commission at 404-463-1343 “A King Celebration” Concert with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra , 8:00 pm at the Atlanta Symphony Hall. Open to the Public. Ticketed Event – General Admission: $55.00 – $125.00. The 20th annual musical tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. honors the legacy of Dr. King in words and music and features the Orchestra with the Morehouse and Spellman College Glee Clubs. For more information contact: or (404) 733-4900 or visit www.atlantasymphony.org ; or aso-info@woodruffcenter.org Saturday, January 14, 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast , 9 am at St. Philip AME Church with keynote speaker, Dr. Floyd Flake, pastor of the Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York. Enjoy a free breakfast, but reservations are required. For more information, call Saint Philip AME Church at (404) 371- 0749 or www.saintphilip.org Body Spirit and Mind King Commemorative Health and Fitness Fair, 9 am – 4 pm. at Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA. Free and open to the public. Join hundreds of Atlantans in the “Looking Good and Feeling Healthy” health fair as a call to action to take better care of ourselves. For more information, call Blanche Payne at (404) 523- 9622. The Annual “Salute to Greatness” Awards Dinner at the Hyatt Regency, Downtown Atlanta. 5:30 pm Reception – 6:30 pm Dinner. Tickets – $250- $5,000. The Salute to Greatness Awards Dinner is the King Center’s primary fundraising initiative. The award recognizes individuals who exemplify excellence in leadership and have demonstrated a commitment to the principles of Dr. King. For more information Contact: Judy Hanenkrat at (404) 526-8974 or jhanenkrat.thekingcenter.org Sunday, January 15, 2012 Dr. King Weekend “Discovering the New Possibilities” , 11 am at Saint Philip AME Church featuring keynote speaker, Dr. Cornell West, University Professor at Princeton University. For more information, call (404) 371- 0749 or www.saintphilip.org Body Spirit and Mind King Commemorative Health and Fitness Fair, 1 pm – 4 pm at Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA. Free and open to the Public Join them for a second day of healthy life styles in honor of the King Holiday. For more information, call Blanche Payne at (404) 523- 9622. The King Center Book Signing , 3 pm – 5 pm at the King Center, Freedom Hall Auditorium, Free and Open to the public. Dr. Christine King Farris and Dr. Angela Farris Watkins will autograph their published books which includes, “March On”, “My Brother Martin”, and “My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart.” For more information Contact: Barbara Harrison at (404) 526- 8911 or programs@thekingcenter.org Monday, January 16, 2012 The Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service, 10 am at Ebenezer Baptist Church – Horizon Sanctuary. Free and Open to the Public (Limited Seating). The spiritual hallmark of the King Holiday Observance Week. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, Senior Pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. On this day, The King Center encourages the world to engage in volunteer service in tribute to the work and life of Dr. King. For more information, contact: Barbara Harrison at (404) 526- 8911 or programs@thekingcenter.org King Holiday March and Rally , 10 am. The Rally is held on Auburn Avenue in the King National Park Area. The march is from Peachtree Street to Jackson Street. To participate in the March call or email (404)614 – 3233 or cleoorange@bellsouth.net Hosea Feed the Hungry 41 st Annual King Holiday Dinner, 10am – 4 pm at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park. Celebrate the holiday by enjoying dinner with thousands of other in observance of Dr. King’s vision of love, unity and service to the poor. For more information, visit www.hoseafeedthehungry.com King’s Birthday Celebration at 10:30 at Imagine It! The children’s Museum in downtown Atlanta. A kid-friendly event to let little imaginations celebrate the legacy and visions Of one of the greatest heroes of our time. Children will make their very own “Live the Dream” Wall Hanging. Dekalb NAACP King Parade and Rally , 12:30 pm at Champion Theme Middle School in Stone Mountain. Bring your family to a downtown parade along Main Street at 12:30 in honor of Dr. King’s legacy. A Peace Rally follows the parade inside the Champion Theme Middle School Gymnasium on Mimona Drive. For more information, call Sara Copelin-wood at (404) 371- 1490 at www.schoolsandcommunity@yahoo.com Georgia Gwizzlies MLK Day Game vs. Columbus Riverballers, 3 pm at the Lynwood Recreation Center in Atlanta. Bring the entire family to enjoy one of Atlanta’s semi-Pro Basketball Teams play their annual King Observance Game. Special Pricing. Buy 1 Adult General Admission Ticket, get 2 people in free. From King to Obama-DuBois and back again , 10 am – 6 pm at the Auburn Avenue Research Library. Enjoy an outstanding art exhibition of art focusing on the African American socio-historical experience in our country. . The King Day of Service Project, All day, Free and Open to the Public. Sponsored by Hands on Atlanta, this offers and opportunity for people commit themselves to make a difference on this holiday by participating in community service projects in honor of Dr. King. For more information contact: Hands On Atlanta at (404) 979-2800 or www.handsonatlanta.org Body Spirit and Mind King Commemorative Health and Fitness Fair, 8 am – 10am at Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA. Free and open to the Public Join them for a third day of healthy life styles in honor of the King Holiday. Keynote speaker, Dan Sims, Principal Tri-Cities High School. For more information, call Blanche Payne at (404) 523- 9622.
This just in: Kim Novak, star of Alfred Hitchcock ‘s Vertigo , has a beef with Oscar front-runner The Artist and its use of Bernard Herrmann’s iconic love theme from the 1958 classic. Let’s just cut to the chase and let Novak’s words speak for themselves: “I want to report a rape… my body of work has been violated by The Artist .” Say what, Ms. Novak? Rape? Director Michel Hazanavicius might prefer the term “homage,” but potato, po-tah-to… perhaps some elaboration is in order. Novak’s personal missive, for which she composed a press release and took out a full-page trade ad, continues via Deadline : “This film took the Love Theme music from Vertigo and used the emotions it engenders as its own. Alfred Hitchcock and Jimmy Stewart can’t speak for themselves, but I can. It was our work that unconsciously or consciously evoked the memories and feelings to the audience that were used for the climax of The Artist .” “There was no reason for them to depend on Bernard Herrmann’s score from Vertigo to provide more drama. Vertigo ’s music was written during the filming. Hitchcock wanted the theme woven musically in the puzzle pieces of the storyline. Even though they did given Bernard Herrmann a small credit at the end, I believe this kind of filmmaking trick to be cheating. Shame on them!” “It is morally wrong of people in our industry to use and abuse famous pieces of work to gain attention and applause for other than what the original work was intended. It is essential that all artists safeguard our special bodies of work for posterity, with their individual identities intact and protected.” Novak has a point, to a point: Using a well-known piece from a beloved classic can, consciously or subconsciously, evoke the emotion earned by that reference film. But does that mean The Artist cheated by borrowing on the emotional associations its audience had for Vertigo ? And, as personally as that citation hit Novak, is it fair to reduce the cinematic equivalent of sampling in hip-hop to such a gross violation? And if Bing Crosby was still around, would he make the same claim for the use of “Pennies from Heaven?” Chime in, Movieliners. • Not Everyone Loves ‘The Artist’: Kim Novak Feels Violated By Use Of ‘Vertigo’ Score [Deadline]
Thank you, Baby Jesus, for the blessed month of December 2011, because it’s given me the greatest gift of all: Sinead O’Connor’s renewed relevance. The Irish singer was married less than three weeks ago to drugs counselor Barry Herridge, and already she’s releasing cryptic press statements about the reasons they’re divorcing. I guess marijuana is part of it? And a courtship that felt like “living in a coffin”? I don’t know. But I do know that Sinead O’Connor’s most hilariously bizarre moment has nothing to do with quickly nuptials — it has to do with a 1997 film in which she played a foul-mouthed Virgin Mary. Know it?
