I don’t care if you’re sick of Zooey Deschanel ‘s adorkable omnipresence, or if you’ve seen 400 videos already of Joseph Gordon-Levitt singing some song or another for his HitRECordJoe community. It’s nigh on the new year and this video of the (500) Days of Summer co-stars dueting Nancy Wilson’s “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” is just too cute, dammit! Give in to the twanging twee twosome and start planning your midnight kiss. Deschanel’s note, posted with the video to her Hello Giggles website: “I have known Joe Gordon-Levitt for going on 12 years. We first met in the summer of 2000 while doing a tiny movie called Manic , where we bonded over a mutual appreciation for Harry Nilsson and Nina Simone and I have been lucky enough to call him one of my dearest friends ever since. When we did 500 Days of Summer 8 years later, we spent every lunch hour dancing to Marvin Gaye in the hair and make up trailer; we had loads of fun. I hope to do a thousand more movies with him because he’s simply the best. But in the meantime, we made a little New Year’s duet for all of you! The original by Nancy Wilson. ENJOY! Don’t forget to check out Joe’s website http://hitrecord.org/ [ Hello Giggles via Huffington Post ]
Tracks from ‘The Help,’ ‘The Muppets’ also make list of 39 contenders. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images The Oscar nominations don’t officially drop until January 24, but the short list for the Best Original Song has been released. On Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 39 songs vying for the big prize at the Academy Awards next year. Two of Elton John’s “Gnomeo & Juliet” tracks — including his Lady Gaga duet, “Hello Hello” — made the list, along with multiple tracks from “The Muppets.” will.i.am ‘s “Rio” track, “Hot Wings,” Mary J. Blige’s “The Living Proof” from “The Help,” and Zooey Deschanel’s “Winnie the Pooh” track, “So Long,” are all in the running. More alternative fare like songs from “Machine Gun Preacher” (Chris Cornell, “The Keeper”), “We Bought a Zoo” (Sigur R
Ahh, the Grammy’s — the one award show that allows films like Black Swan to be nominated in the same category as The King’s Speech and Tron Legacy . Late yesterday, the nominees for the 54th Grammys were announced and now that we’ve had nearly a day to absorb the fact that Zooey Deschanel, Seth MacFarlane and Cher are going head-to-head for a golden statuette, we can decide which artists deserve awards for their soundtrack contributions.
Experts weigh in on this week’s high-profile breakups. By Jocelyn Vena Kim Kardashian and Zooey Deschanel Photo: Marianna Massey/ Wire Image and Kevin Winter/Getty It was a big week for celebrity news. It was an even bigger week for those who follow the life of Kim Kardashian. When news broke that she had filed for divorce from her hubby of 72 days, Kris Humphries, it seemed like the world stopped for all things Kardashian. As the news cycle works to keep up with Kardashian and her bombshell announcement, the way in which it all shook out — from the rumors to the revelation about the dissolution of her relationship — seems to fit some sort of celebrity breakup template. First there was the tabloid chatter , then the announcement , then Kim addressed it in a blog statement , then her mom/manager spoke out on her behalf and Kim touched on it in an Australian radio interview before elaborating just a bit more on a morning news program . While it all seems very much in the vein of some celebrity PR handbook, Howard Bragman, vice chairman of Reputation.com , noted that it’s actually not that contrived. “They are all different. There is no one particular [plan]. That’s not the way it works,” he explained to MTV News. “Every relationship is different and everyone has to announce it and handle it differently for different reasons.” He did say, however, that “there’s usually a trigger.” For Kim and Kris, it was several sightings of the pair separated and ringless that sparked the debate. “It may be a report to a media outlet; it may be the divorce option; it may be seeing somebody without their wedding ring; it may be dating somebody else,” Bragman said. “But every couple has a different DNA.” Once those reports did surface, the Kardashian camp was already working toward the next step, according to David Caplan, former editor at People and Star magazines. “When that seed was planted, I’m sure Kim’s camp was already on alert that the stories were going to increase,” he explained. “At the time, it was unclear that the stories were true. When these stories come out that appear to be true, it actually puts the PR team in a bit of a crisis to a certain degree because you never want to give validity to tabloid stories.” Believe it or not, Kim isn’t the only celebrity who announced her divorce this week. “New Girl” star Zooey Deschanel and Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard also announced their breakup. So, was it a good week to bury their bad news? “I feel Zooey occupies such a different world in the celebrity realm that I don’t know if that would even be intentional, even if there was no Kim announcement this week,” Caplan noted. “It’s a similar story, but they don’t occupy the same celebrity realm. But I think someone who got the short end of the stick and maybe she did that intentionally, but I don’t think so, is Jessica Simpson announcing her pregnancy the same day. But it seems like Jessica was going to do it regardless on Halloween, just given how she did it. It’s not so much the story, but the celebrity in question.” How much PR planning do you think is involved in celebrity breakup announcements? Tell us in the comments. Related Photos Kim Kardashian And Kris Humphries: A Whirlwind Romance Zooey Deschanel And Ben Gibbard: A Look Back
In the wake of their divorce, we’ve compiled a list of the most heartbreaking She & Him and Death Cab for Cutie tunes. By MTV News staff Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel Photo: Getty Images On Tuesday night, Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard and singer/actress Zooey Deschanel announced they had decided to end their two-year marriage. It’s a split that was not only unforeseen, but decidedly sad, too. After all, the pair were basically the go-to indie couple, especially with the recent separation of alt-rock figureheads Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. Given the rather expansive back catalog of heartbreakers Gibbard and Deschanel have penned over the years for Death Cab and She & Him, respectively, we’re greeting the news with an exceptionally weepy playlist of their saddest songs. It’s a rather somber day, so why not offer up some appropriate tearjerkers? “405” : Gibbard’s hazy rumination on a (somewhat) long-distance relationship gone awry. Mistrust, lies, desperation … it’s the rare song that’s honest (or smart) enough to admit that more often than not, distance does not make the heart grow fonder. “Army Corps of Architects” : A crushing Death Cab tune that details love’s collapse through an extended engineering metaphor (“Call in the Army Corps of Architects/ To flatten the skyline and begin again”), it finishes with a typically boozy kiss-off (“So bring the discrepancies, I’ll pour the drinks”) before fading out with an extended, extra-sad instrumental. Uplifting, it is not. “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” : Gentle acoustic number that’s become a sing-along staple of Death Cab’s live sets, it’s about loving someone so much that the hereafter seems like a mere afterthought. A beautiful sentiment, one that more often than not, never gets the chance to reach fruition. “The Ice Is Getting Thinner” : Harrowing Narrow Stairs closer that documents the gradual, sad deterioration of a relationship (“There was little we could say/ And even less that we could do/ To stop the ice from getting thinner/ Under me and you”) and all the hopelessness that goes with it. Try not to get goose bumps during Chris Walla’s winsome, winding guitar solo in the middle. It’s impossible. “If You Can’t Sleep” : Haunting She & Him tune that brims with the promise of true love and wrestles with the specter of separation (“If you can’t sleep/ I’ll be there in your dreams”), it’s a lullaby in more ways than one. “Sentimental Heart” : Another She & Him selection, this one pairs bright instrumentals (trilling strings, shiny piano chords, soaring vocal harmonies) with lyrics that are very much about the aftermath of a brutal breakup and the rather daunting task of attempting to pick up the pieces. “Someday You Will Be Loved” : This Death Cab tune leaves us on a (relatively) optimistic note of future love. But no matter how hopeful the lyrics appear to be (“You may feel alone when you’re falling asleep/ And every time tears roll down your cheek/ But I know your heart belongs to someone you’ve yet to meet”), it’s hopeless to convince the newly heartbroken that they will ever find love again. “Stay Young, Go Dancing” : A Death Cab song that Gibbard seemingly wrote about his relationship with Deschanel, it opens with him very much at ease with her in Los Angeles (“Life is sweet/ In the belly of the beast”), a town he had very vocally disparaged on the old track “Why You’d Want to Live Here.” From there, it goes on to examine the joy of being with the one you love and staving off the mounting uncertainties of the future simply by believing. And dancing. “Steadier Footing” : A deceptively simple song about wanting to express your love, yet never really having the guts to rise to the occasion, it runs less than two minutes, yet still packs an emotional wallop, a tact Death Cab would employ with similarly crushing effect on the Narrow Stairs track “You Can Do Better Than Me.” “Transatlanticism” : Quite possibly the long-distance relationship song to end all long-distance relationships, it finds Gibbard openly pining for the love he’s separated from, and cursing the great expanses that keep them apart. The fact that it builds to a crashing crescendo and an open-hearted plea (“So come on!”) only makes the inevitability that much tougher to handle. “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” : Decidedly upbeat She & Him song that’s really about throwing yourself at a love who may or may not be interested in returning the favor. Its positivity (“I think you’re just so pleasant/ I would like you for my own”) belies the rather sad desperation contained within. What did we miss? Share your Death Cab and She & Him playlist suggestions in the comments. Related Artists Death Cab For Cutie She and Him
Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian who?!? Zooey Deschanel has break-up news of her own to share. Following two years of marriage, the New Girl actress has separated from Death Cab for Cutie lead singer Ben Gibbard. “It was mutual and amicable,” a source tells Us Weekly . “There was no third party involved.” Deschanel and Gibbard tied the knot outside of Seattle, Washington in late September 2009. They were introduced by their music manager at the time. (P.S. Watch New Girl . It’s hilarious). [Photo: WENN.com]
Forget batting averages with runners in scoring position. Toss out WHIP. Ignore the failed hit-and-runs. The 2011 World Series between the Rangers and the Cardinals has been all about the music, as a diverse trio of stars has opened three of the games with rousing versions of the national anthem. We had an American Idol winner (Scotty McCreery), the lead on Fox’s New Girl (Zooey Deschanel) and the latest young notch on Wilmer Valderrama’s bedpost . Who did his or her country most proud? Compare the versions below and then cast your vote… Scotty McCreery National Anthem Performance Zooey Deschanel Sings National Anthem Demi Lovato Sings the National Anthem WHO SANG THE BEST NATIONAL ANTHEM?
I haven’t been watching the World Series because, um, baseball is the least telegenic sport since blogging, but I’ve caught two actresses unleash very decent renditions of the national anthem since the series began. Two days ago, Zooey Deschanel purred her version, and yesterday, convalescing Disney queen Demi Lovato belted it out. Fantastic. Unfortunately, It is my belief that only one can win. Who did it better?
Were the kids from Glee not available? More » Post from: TheGloss Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : TheGloss Discovery Date : 24/10/2011 02:37 Number of articles : 2
‘Without my fans’ support, I wouldn’t be singing the National Anthem,’ Lovato tells MTV News. By Christina Garibaldi Demi Lovato Photo: MTV News Demi Lovato is taking the field during Game 5 of the World Series to support her hometown team, the Texas Rangers. No, she won’t be suiting up and taking the mound; the “Skyscraper” songstress will be belting out the national anthem before Monday night’s (October 24) game verses the St. Louis Cardinals. “I’m so excited,” Lovato recently told MTV News of singing the “Star-Spangled Banner.” “I just nearly died when I found out. I cannot wait.” Lovato said she wouldn’t have been able to sing the national anthem at the game if it weren’t for her loyal Lovatics. She recently tweeted , “Only my lovatics could land me a spot singing the national anthem at the WORLD SERIES!!!! I couldn’t do it without you guys!!!!” So how did Lovato’s fans land her the chance to sing before her hometown crowd? “My fans were actually the ones that sent a petition saying, like, ‘Can we get Demi to sing the national anthem?’ and sent it to the MLB and the Rangers’ Twitter, and they saw it and they called,” Lovato said. “So without my fans’ support, I wouldn’t be singing the national anthem.” Now, after her performance, Lovato will be cheering on her team — but don’t ask her to pick a favorite Ranger. She is just hoping for a win. “I don’t have a favorite player,” she said. “I support my home team.” Lovato isn’t the only star to sing the national anthem at the World Series this year: “American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery and Zooey Deschanel have both lent their vocals before the big game. Are you looking forward to Demi Lovato’s patriotic performance? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Demi Lovato Related Photos The Evolution Of: Demi Lovato Related Artists Demi Lovato
