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Saturday, March 31, 2012
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Is Jim Carrey About To Propose To Anastasia Vitkina?
Is Jim Carrey About To Propose To Anastasia Vitkina?
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Lady Gaga - Born This Way (Gaga Live Sydney Monster Hall)
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'Game Of Thrones' Season Two: Hopes And Fears
From Tyrion Lannister's wobbly fate to Daenerys Targaryen's newborn dragons, the MTV News team runs down their hopes and fears
By Josh Wigler
Natalie Dormer as Margaery Tyrell in "Game of Thrones"
Photo: HBO
"Game of Thrones" fans have a lot to be excited about. A brand-new 10-episode season is set to premiere Sunday night, bringing viewers back to the wicked world of Westeros for the first time since poor Ned lost his head in the spring of 2011. With the series' de facto protagonist dead and gone, it's time for other characters to step up and fill the void — such as the heroic Robb Stark, the villainous Joffrey Baratheon, and even the morally ambiguous Tyrion Lannister. As "Thrones" moves further along in author George R.R. Martin's original "Song of Ice and Fire" timeline, fans can expect more and more cheers, jeers and flat-out dumbfounding shocks all season long.
All of which is to say that, yes, many "Thrones" fans are hopeful about the new season ... but there are also legitimate concerns to consider. If the series is willing to behead its central character with a full episode to go before the first season finale, who knows what could happen next to the most beloved of characters?
For your reading pleasure, the MTV News team's most devoted "Thrones" fans joined together to share their hopes and fears for the coming season. Read on to see if you share their joys and concerns.
Small People, Big World
Starting with the biggest highlight of "Game of Thrones" — Emmy winner Peter Dinklage's turn as Tyrion Lannister, naturally — our resident Westeros worshipers are all very excited to see not just Tyrion's next adventure, but also the bastard Jon Snow's travels north of the wall.
"Jon Snow's plotline picks up after a boring first season on the Wall. He finally travels north into the Haunted Forest, and he'll definitely encounter some pretty nasty things," said producer Stacey Sommer. "As for Tyrion, he'll certainly have his hands full with a crumbling King's Landing this season, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Peter Dinklage on the small screen."
Hands Off Our Imp
Speaking of Dinklage, everyone with even the faintest appreciation for "Thrones" can agree that the show would not be the same without Tyrion in tow. But we probably could have said the same thing about Sean Bean's Ned Stark before season one reached its end, couldn't we? To that end, our team was in complete agreement with a Chris Crocker-inspired plea: Leave our Imp alone!
"If the first season of 'Game of Thrones' taught us anything, it's that no one is safe — no matter how beloved or seemingly significant their character is," said Amy Wilkinson, editor of Hollywood Crush. "So please, please be careful, Tyrion Lannister. We can't do without your witty one-liners."
Off With Joff's Head
Turnabout is fair play, they say. With that in mind, there's one character that everyone wants to see dead before much longer. "All I want from my 'Game of Thrones' season two is for Joffrey Baratheon to die a miserable, painful and gruesome death," staff writer Kara Warner offered. "I've never wished for a fictional character's demise more than Joffrey, except for maybe Viserys. God, those two are awful."
"Is it too much to ask for Joffrey Baratheon's head on a stick?" agreed Amy. "But seriously, vengeance for Eddard Stark's brutal beheading needs to be swift and savage and preferably at the hands of Robb Stark. Or, even better, young sister Sansa."
MTV News producer Ade Mangum chimed in: "I would enjoy a spoiler alert with news that Joffery won't be around much longer. I don't doubt that the directors of 'Thrones' told [actor Jack Gleeson] to channel Draco Malfoy, and maybe even my bratty little sister."
Creedence Blackwater Revival
You'll find no spoilers regarding Joffrey's ultimate fate here, Ade, but at least this much is true: War is coming. There's one particularly epic battle coming up called the Battle of Blackwater, and while it's easily a highlight in the books "Thrones" is based upon, our team is concerned that the scene won't be nearly as epic on the small screen.
"My one nagging fear is that the Battle of Blackwater is not going to be as epic and awesome — and Tyrion-centric — as it was in the book," said MTV Movies Blog contributing writer Terri Schwartz. Stacey echoed those fears: "The entire season leads up to this moment, so it would be a shame if they shortchanged the action. I would love to see an entire episode dedicated to just the battle! "
(Psst: Considering that the season's ninth episode is titled "Blackwater" and is written by "Ice and Fire" author George R.R. Martin, you just might get your wish, Stacey.)
Fire And Blood
Finally, going into season two, there's one particular cliffhanger that everyone's excited to see more of: wandering queen and khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen's newborn dragons. The return of dragons for the first time in centuries is a major plot point in the continuing tale of "Thrones" — a risky proposition not just for viewers who've become accustomed to the relatively low-level fantasy world of Westeros, but for creators pinning so much importance on a trio of computer-generated characters.
"I think my biggest fear of all is that the dragons are going to look terrible," Ade said. "I just hope the CGI team is working overtime on season two."
If I can break down the fourth wall for a moment: I've seen the first four episodes of season two, and they're glorious, dragons and all. Dany devotees, if no one else, have nothing to be concerned about in the dragon department.
What are your biggest hopes and fears going into "Game of Thrones" season two? Let me know in the comments section or hit me up on Twitter @roundhoward!
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A photo of Kim Kardashian?s playboy photoshoot has been leaked. The photoshoot wasn?t supposed to appear to viewers until December. It is rumored that this will be the biggest playboy spread ever?..
Was Jennifer Lawrence Too 'Curvy' To Play Katniss In 'Hunger Games'?
Fan groups respond to one critic's suggestion that Lawrence's 'womanly figure makes a bad fit' for Katniss.
By Elizabeth Lancaster
Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate
Fans flooded in droves into movie theaters this weekend to see "The Hunger Games." In the wake of the highly anticipated release, much of the criticism surrounding the movie has been not about the young stars' performances, but their appearances.
Most recently there has been criticism of Jennifer Lawrence's weight, with some sighting that as Katniss, a girl who grew up in a famine-stricken district of a dystopian society, she should have been thinner.
New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis wrote, "A few years ago Ms. Lawrence might have looked hungry enough to play Katniss, but now, at 21, her seductive, womanly figure makes a bad fit for a dystopian fantasy about a people starved into submission."
The statement is receiving much backlash, considering Lawrence is now a certified movie star that countless young women look up to. Putting aside the negative body-image issues the comment suggests, one wonders whether Dargis is accurate in her assessment of the actress/character disparity? MTV News asked expert "Hunger Games" fans to weigh in. Most had the same message: They loved what Lawrence brought to her character and that the scrutiny is misguided.
"Katniss may not have been as thin or small in stature as depicted in the book, but it's not unfathomable that her hunting prowess would have allowed her to have some meat on her bones," TheHob.org's Gabby Vittoria responded. She went on to point out that "Peeta wasn't tall in the movie; Clove wasn't big and brawny; Katniss wasn't smaller than most of the Tributes. These physical changes certainly didn't take away from the story and messages in the movie. Besides, for me, Jennifer's acting and the quality of the film makes her weight a non-issue."
Many fans not only disagreed with the film critic but were affronted by these reviews of Lawrence. "I'm offended by this critique on so many levels, and honestly, I was shocked that it was ever an issue and that a professional critic would bring it up in the film's review," Sara Gundell from the Hunger Games Examiner fan site stated.
This backlash about Lawrence's weight comes in the wake of the questioning of Rue's race in the film. The pre-teen is played by Amandla Stenberg, who is African American. In recent days her casting was the subject of racially fueled criticism by a handful of moviegoers who have suffered their own backlash.
What do you think of the criticism of Jennifer Lawrence's weight? Sound off in the comments below!
Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
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'Wrath Of The Titans': The Reviews Are In!
The 3-D may be a step up from 'Clash of the Titans,' but critics are panning the sequel as 'relentlessly mechanical.'
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Sam Worthington in "Wrath of the Titans"
Photo: Warner Bros.
If you've read any Greek mythology, you know that after the Titans' clash comes their wrath. Two years have passed (10 years in movie time), and Sam Worthington is back as Perseus to once again save humanity from the gods who would destroy it.
The makers of the Greek sequel (Greequel?) have cleaned up the messy 3-D from "Clash of the Titans," but according to most critics, "Wrath of the Titans" doesn't do much else to improve upon the original.
Here is our roundup of what the critics are saying about "Wrath of the Titans."
The Story
"Now widowed, Perseus is living as a fisherman and raising his son, Helius (John Bell). But upheaval lurks when he's approached by Zeus for help. Apparently, humanity isn't as devoted to worshiping the gods as they were, and the pantheon is in danger of losing its immortality. Armageddon looms. Perseus initially avoids entering the fray, but soon he's thrust into a struggle involving Hades and Ares, who have joined forces and captured Zeus, aiming to siphon off his godly powers." — Claudia Puig, USA Today
Sam Worthington
"Maybe it's just my imagination, but Sam Worthington seems to be getting slightly less stiff as an actor. He now smiles occasionally, and he's at least risen to the soulful inexpressiveness of the young Ryan O'Neal. For a movie like 'Wrath of the Titans,' which is basically 'Gladiator' crossed with 'Lord of the Rings' crossed with a special-effects demo reel (call it 'Lord of the Rinky-Dink'), he's the perfect actor. And that's because he never threatens to overshadow all that fire." — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
The Action
"But this is a movie in which whole sequences consist of nothing but guys fighting stiff computer images. Such scenes would be boring even were they done well, but these scenes aren't done well. There's an elaborate sequence inside a labyrinth-like cave, in which the stone walls and floors are constantly shifting. But even this has no impact, because we can practically see it on a computer screen." — Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
The 3-D
"I should have added that the movie is in 3-D. This is not a help. 'Wrath of the Titans' is to begin with a dusty, murky pictorial confusion, not helped by dim underworld scenes, and although I'm sure the focus must be excellent, it had an imprecise feeling to me. Then the 3-D glasses did their bit to reduce the light level from the screen, and unlimited clouds of smoke, dust and sand were generated by the explosions." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The Final Word
"Serving up more action and better visual effects and 3-D than the 2010 'Clash of the Titans,' along with a barely-there screenplay that merely functions to notify Perseus which enemy or monster he should hack or skewer next, this is a relentlessly mechanical piece of work that will not or cannot take the imaginative leaps to yield even fleeting moments of awe, wonder or charm." — Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter
Check out everything we've got on "Wrath of the Titans."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Taylor Swift Tops Billboard 2012 Top Money Makers
Lady Gaga, Adele and Lil Wayne make top 10.
By Gil Kaufman
<P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/lady_gaga/artist.jhtml" target="_blank">Lady Gaga</a>, Katy Perry and <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/adele/artist.jhtml" target="_blank">Adele</a> had huge years in 2011, with major tours, strings of hit singles, Grammy wins and #1-hogging chart-topping albums. But when <a href="http://www.billboard.com/news/music-s-top-40-money-makers-2012-1006415552.story#/news/music-s-top-40-money-makers-2012-1006415552.story" target="_blank"><I>Billboard</I></a> magazine compiled its 2012 list of "Music's Top 40 Money Makers" it was <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/swift__taylor/artist.jhtml" target="_blank">Taylor Swift</a> who ruled them all. In fact, the 22-year-old country-pop darling out-earned all of her fellow ladies combined. </P><P> </P><P><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:732753/cp~vid%3D732753%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A732753" width="460" height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed> </P><P> </P><P>According to the magazine's calculations, Swift earned her #1 spot on the list thanks to reported earnings of $35.7 million in the 2011 calendar year. Those earnings came from a combination of revenue from the quadruple-platinum-plus sales of <I>Speak Now</I> and its accompanying tour, which grossed $88.5 million in the U.S. alone. </P><P> </P><P>But because Swift writes her own songs, she rolled up a big chunk of change in songwriting royalties as well. </P><P> </P><P>Right behind Swift was iconic rock band U2, who earned a reported $32.1 million thanks to their record-setting 360 Tour -- which grossed a whopping $736 million total over two years -- including $50 million in merchandise sales and 1.4 million in digital track sales. </P><P> </P><P>Country singer Kenny Chesney was #3 with $29.8 million, followed by previous tally topper Gaga at #4 with $25.3 million. She stayed in the top 5 thanks to sales of <I>Born This Way</I> and its accompanying Monster Ball Tour, which grossed more than $51 million. She also moved 12.7 million digital tracks. Lil Wayne rounded out the top 5 with $23.1 million, made up of 12.3 million digital track sales, $44.7 million in tour grosses and cash from his gig as founder of Young Money Entertainment. </P><P> </P><P>The rest of the top 10: Sade (#6, $16.3 million), Bon Jovi (#7, $15.8 million), Celine Dion (#8, $14.2 million) and Jason Aldean (#9, $13.4 million). Adele rounded out the top 10 list at #10 with $13 million, mostly from the unstoppable streak of her <I>21</I> album's <a href="/news/articles/1680635/adele-21-album-billboard-charts.jhtml">chart run,</a>
 which included sales of 6.7 million copies last year alone. </P><P> </P><P>The "Glee" cast were just outside the top 10 at #11 ($12.5 million), Katy Perry hit #14 ($11.9 million), Britney Spears was at #16 ($10 million) and like her sisters in pop, Rihanna made it to #22 ($7.6 million) through a combination of album and single sales and touring revenue. </P><P> </P><P>Other notable entries: Enrique Iglesias (#23, $7.4 million), Usher (#30, $6.2 million), Foo Fighters (#31, $6 million), Justin Bieber (#35, $5.5 million), Kanye West (#39, $5.3 million) and Linkin Park (#40, $5.1 million). </P><P> </P><P><i>Billboard</i> calculated the figures based on proprietary data from its Boxscore archives for concert grosses, Nielsen SoundScan for sales of physical and digital albums, singles and ringtone sales, and Nielsen BDS for terrestrial radio play and streaming service information.</p>
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Titanic 'Still Sinks' In 3-D, James Cameron Confirms
'Jack still dies,' director says of the 3-D re-release which he says 'reinvents' the 1997 flick.
By Kevin P. Sullivan
When "Titanic" hits the big screen again on April 4, the ship will be changing course and heading directly into the audience. Director James Cameron has been one of 3-D's biggest proponents for years now and has suggested in the past that any film is open for a three-dimensional makeover. It only makes sense, then, that he put his money where his mouth is and converted his own "Titanic."
Cameron spoke with MTV UK about the process and why the real reward of the re-release is the chance to see his blockbuster on the silver screen again after 15 years.
The director insisted that the movie remains as it was back in 1997, except for the added dimension. "It ends the same way. The ship still sinks. Jack still dies. Oops, I hope I didn't spoil it," he said.
As Cameron has said before, he believes that the 3-D element of the re-release plays a supporting role. He simply wants people to see "Titanic" as it was meant to be seen: in a theater. "I think the first thing you should think of, the most important thing, is that you're going to see it in a movie theater, which is really fundamentally different for anyone who is under a certain age. It hasn't been in a theater for 15 years, so people know it from video. But they haven't taken that ride where you commit to the three hours, and you're going to go on that emotional rollercoaster, and you're going to come out of the end of the movie in a certain mental, emotional state. It's very different."
That isn't the say that the 3-D doesn't add anything. Cameron sees the conversion as a way to reinterpret the experience. "The 3-D is a kind of way of doing that, a way of reinventing the film, and the 3-D does add something to the experience that was never there before, an immediacy, even an intimacy, which is interesting."
Luckily for Cameron, he had originally shot "Titanic" in a way that was conducive to a 3-D conversion. "Even though I wasn't shooting it as a 3-D movie 15 years ago, my particular style is to use wider lenses and to wrap the actors in the scenery," Cameron said. "Because the ship — I don't like to use the term that it was a character — but the environment was constantly informing what was happening, the elegance, the beauty of the ship, the gilt-edged luxury juxtaposed with steerage third class. All those themes are really manifested in the physicality of the ship. The style of seeing all of that when you convert it to 3-D, it just has this lucidity. You just feel like you're there."
Are you planning on seeing the 3-D re-release of "Titanic"? Leave your comment below!
Check out everything we've got on "Titanic."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
'Hunger Games' Soundtrack Tops Billboard Album Chart
Adele's 21 remains at #2, followed by the Shins'Port of Morrow and One Direction's Up All Night.
By Gil Kaufman
Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate
After its $155 million box-office opening, "The Hunger Games" pulled off the rare double-play by landing its soundtrack at the top of the Billboard 200 charts in the same week. "The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond," sold 175,000 last week, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.
The compilation, which features songs by Taylor Swift with the Civil Wars, as well as tunes by Maroon 5, the Decemberists, Miranda Lambert, Arcade Fire and Kid Cudi, sold just enough copies to once again keep Adele at #2, where her tenacious 21 sold another 130,000 copies.
After a five-year hiatus, the Shins returned with their fourth studio album, Port of Morrow, which landed at #3 (74,000), while rowdy hip-hop collective Odd Future debuted at #5 with OF Tape, Vol. 2. The other two new faces in the top 10 were singer Melanie Fiona with My Life (#7, 34,000) and 2011 Best New Artist Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding's Radio Music Society (#10, 25,000).
British boy band One Direction fell to #4 as sales of their debut, Up All Night, dropped by 69 percent to 55,000. Bruce Springsteen dipped two spots to #6 with Wrecking Ball (37,000), NOW 41 hung around at #8 (31,000) and Whitney Houston's Greatest Hits sold another 28,000 while moving down a few notches to #9.
Second-generation hip-hop royalty Diggy entered the charts at #13 with Unexpected Arrival (21,000), easy-on-the-eyes "American Idol" third-place finisher Casey James released his self-titled label bow, landing at #23 (14,000) and Woodie-winning MC Machine Gun Kelly snuck into the top 50 at #46 with is Half Naked & Almost Famous EP (9,000).
The deck will get shuffled all over again next week, when Madonna's MDNA is predicted to take the #1 spot with sales in excess of 325,000 copies. There will also likely be top 10 debuts by Lionel Richie, hawking his countrified hits duets album, Tuskegee, along with Florida rockers Shinedown.
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'Hunger Games' Star Liam Hemsworth: What's Next?
Two films with Dwayne Johnson, a Vietnam War romance and 'The Expendables 2' are in the Aussie actor's future.
By Fallon Prinzivalli
Liam Hemsworth
Photo: MTV News
With "The Hunger Games" slaughtering its competition at the box office this past weekend, everyone's eyes are locked on the movie's three main stars to see what's next. For those of you who loved Liam Hemsworth's short but sweet scenes as Katniss Everdeen's best friend, Gale, you're in luck.
While we're sure the Aussie actor is enjoying the benefits of working hard on the film, he's not sitting around waiting to film the sequel. He has quite a few other films in the works. Here are a few things to look forward to from the youngest Hemsworth brother.
First on the list is his role as Bill "the Kid" Timmons, the newest addition to Sylvester Stallone's team, in "The Expendables 2." Mr. Church, played by Bruce Willis, enlists the Expendables for a job that seems like an easy paycheck. But when a member of the crew is brutally murdered, the Expendables seek revenge and find themselves on enemy turf with an unexpected threat looming over their heads. Also returning to the movie are Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Terry Crews. Yu Nan joins Hemsworth as another of the team's newcomers in the film, which is set to release on August 17.
After watching Hemsworth battle it out in that action flick, you can catch him in a different type of warring film titled "AWOL." Based on a true story, the film follows a young Vietnam soldier who returns home to the States in search of his newly ex-girlfriend. Austin Stowell plays the broken-hearted soldier, Joiner, and Aimee Teegarden plays Juniper, his high school sweetheart. Hemsworth stars as Joiner's best friend, Wright, who accompanies him on the risky journey. The backdrop of the film, which will be released later this year, is the anti-war movement at the University of Michigan.
Josh Hutcherson isn't the only 'Hunger Games' actor who may be working with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Next year, Hemsworth will star alongside the wrestler-turned-actor in "Empire State." Also based on a true story, the movie follows a plan set in motion by two childhood friends (one of whom will be played by Hemsworth) to rob an armored car depository. Johnson plays an NYPD officer who attempts to stop the cash heist, and Emma Roberts joins the cast as a waitress who takes interest in Hemsworth's character.
Then, in 2014, Johnson and Hemsworth will reunite for "Arabian Nights." The tale weaves together some of our favorite adventures as a young commander named Ali Baba (Hemsworth) teams up with Sinbad (Johnson), Aladdin and Aladdin's genie in order to rescue Scheherazade and her kingdom from the dark forces of a sorcerer.
And, of course, you will see Hemsworth reprise his role as Gale Hawthorne in the November 22, 2013, release of "Catching Fire." Gale will be in the picture more often this time around, and we're excited to see how Hemsworth develops the character.
Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
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Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Chris Cornell Filling In For Robert Plant On Led Zeppelin Tour? That's News To Him
'I have not been approached to fill in for Robert Plant on the Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be,' singer says.
By Chris Harris
<P>Former <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/soundgarden/artist.jhtml">Soundgarden</a>Soundgarden and <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/audioslave/artist.jhtml">Audioslave</a>Audioslave frontman <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/cornell_chris/artist.jhtml">Chris Cornell</a>Chris Cornell has spoken out for the first time about rumors that he's been asked to fill in for <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/plant_robert/artist.jhtml">Robert Plant</a>Robert Plant on a proposed <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/led_zeppelin/artist.jhtml">Led Zeppelin</a>Led Zeppelin reunion tour. The trek would feature original guitarist Jimmy Page, original bassist John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham taking over on drums for his late father, John Bonham. </P><P> </P><P>Cornell has been mentioned — along with <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/foo_fighters/artist.jhtml">Foo Fighters</a>Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, former <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/van_halen/artist.jhtml">Van Halen</a>Van Halen frontman <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/hagar_sammy/artist.jhtml">Sammy Hagar</a>Sammy Hagar, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/white_stripes/artist.jhtml">White Stripes</a>White Stripes mastermind Jack White and <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/alter_bridge/artist.jhtml">Alter Bridge</a>Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy — as a potential Plant fill-in. Plant has already said that he wouldn't take part in the tour. </P><P> </P><P></p><div style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;"> </P><P><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:314096" width="256" height="223" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashVars="configParams=instance%3Dnews%26vid%3D314096" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed></div><p> </P><P> </P><P>"I have not been approached so far to fill in for Robert Plant on the upcoming Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be," Cornell told MTV News. "I've heard that from about 200 people now, and it might be one of those situations where it's just an online rumor or it might be true. But if you see anyone from Led Zeppelin around, let me know. I think I should actually fill in for Jimmy Page on the Robert Plant/ Alison Krauss tour." </P><P> </P><P>Cornell's denial comes just a day after <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/aerosmith/artist.jhtml">Aerosmith</a>Aerosmith guitarist <a href="http://aeronewsdaily.com/blog/2008/10/31/aerosmith-guitarist-says-page-trying-to-motivate-plant-to-return-to-zeppelin/" target="_blank">Brad Whitford confirmed reports</a> that frontman Steven Tyler recently met with Zeppelin for an impromptu jam session. "They did it for fun," Whitford said during an appearance on the syndicated show "Todd N Tyler Radio Empire." "I actually think Jimmy wanted Steven to come over and play a little bit because I think he was trying to light a fire under Robert." </P><P> </P><P>Rumors of a Zeppelin reunion tour have abounded since the iconic band played <a href="/news/articles/1576186/led-zeppelin-give-fans-a-whole-lotta-love-at-reunion-show.jhtml">a single reunion set</a> last year at London's O2 Arena. <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/twisted_sister/artist.jhtml">Twisted Sister</a>Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider added fuel to the fire last month when he revealed that the group was thinking of touring, with or without Plant. </P><P> </P><P><a href="http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/10/13/another-led-zeppelin-rumor-almost-debunked/">According to Snider</a>, the rest of the band told Plant, " 'We're all rehearsed, we're ready to go. Here's a gazillion dollars on the table. If you don't do it, we're going out with this kid [Myles Kennedy].' " </P><P> </P><P>"And he can sing the sh-- out of Zeppelin," Snider added. "They're going to hope that Robert, at the last minute, will go, 'OK,' and step in." </P><P> </P><P>In a recent interview, Jones told BBC Radio Devon that a new singer was being sought to take over for Plant. "We are trying out a couple of singers," he said. "We want to do it. It's sounding great, and we want to get on and get out there." </P><P> </P><P>But Jones insists that he, Page and Bonham aren't interested in finding a Plant clone. "It's got to be right," he said. "There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band. There would be a record and a tour, but everyone has to be onboard." </P><P> </P><P>Of course, even if Zeppelin were to approach him, Cornell might be too busy to take over vocals for the band. His upcoming <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/timbaland/artist.jhtml">Timbaland</a>Timbaland-produced solo LP, <a href="/news/articles/1596730/chris-cornell-debuts-timbaland-produced-track-on-tv-show.jhtml"><i>Scream,</i></a> will be released within the next few months. Cornell told MTV News last month that some of his fans might consider <i>Scream</i> something of a departure, but he doesn't see it that way. </P><P> </P><P>"It makes me happy that there's this perception that I have a group of fans that I'm now sort of throwing a curve at and what their reaction will be," he said. "But I've been in this situation so many times already. When I put out [1999's] <i>Euphoria Morning,</i> my main goal was to create an album that sounded like nothing I'd done in Soundgarden, and I did that. I also had that with Temple of the Dog, where I showed up with songs that weren't necessarily riff-based. And then, of course, the pairing of me and members of <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/rage_against_the_machine/artist.jhtml">Rage Against the Machine</a>Rage Against the Machine had everyone sort of speculating about what that would sound like. </P><P> </P><P>"It feels like I've done this so many times that when it's presented to me as being a departure, I feel that's a misconception," he added. "I feel like that's my theme at this point."</p>
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Lady Gaga Surpasses 20 Million Followers On Twitter
Pop star extends her record-breaking Twitter dominance over second-place holder Justin Bieber.
By John Mitchell
<P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/lady_gaga/artist.jhtml">Lady Gaga</a> is known for her prolific Internet presence, and now she can lay claim to another achievement: She's the first person to pass 20 million followers on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/ladygaga" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. </P><P> </P><P>Mother Monster has yet to acknowledge the feat on her social network of choice, but, on February 9, when she noticed her number of followers eclipsed 19 million, she good-naturedly <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/ladygaga/status/167686723906703360" target="_blank">tweeted</a>, "19 Million Followers!!! HOLY HOOKER!!! *goes back to work*" </P><P> </P><P>Like many celebrities, Gaga has used Twitter to forge a closer relationship with her fans as well as make announcements about her career and respond to criticism, as she recently did when British music magazine <i>NME</i> named her hit album <i>Born This Way</i> the <a href="/news/articles/1679839/lady-gaga-most-pretentious-albums-born-this-way.jhtml">Most Pretentious Album Ever</a>. </P><P> </P><P>Gaga has been the most followed person on Twitter since August 2010, when she blasted past <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/spears_britney/artist.jhtml">Britney Spears</a> for the title when she reached 5.6 million followers. </P><P> </P><P>Spears now enjoys 13.6 million followers, making her the seventh most-followed person on the network. Currently in third place is Katy Perry with 15.7 million followers. Shakira (14.5 million) and Rihanna (14.5 million) are not far behind. </P><P> </P><P>The only person within spitting distance of Gaga on Twitter is <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/bieber_justin/artist.jhtml">Justin Bieber</a>. The recent <a href="/news/articles/1680248/justin-bieber-birthday-gifts.jhtml">birthday boy</a> has just over 18 million followers. He is, however, a far more prolific tweeter than Gaga; the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-lady-gaga-20-million-followers-twitter-20120305,0,4076491.story" target="_blank"><i>Los Angeles Times</i></a> notes that he has sent out 10 times as many tweets as the "Born This Way" diva. </P><P> </P><P>Gaga also enjoys a massive following on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ladygaga" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, where she's been "liked" by nearly 49 million people. But Mother Monster cannot claim being the boss on Facebook. That title belongs to <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/rihanna/artist.jhtml">Rihanna</a>, who has been liked by nearly 53 million individuals.</p>
Related Videos Related ArtistsWas Jennifer Lawrence Too 'Curvy' To Play Katniss In 'Hunger Games'?
Fan groups respond to one critic's suggestion that Lawrence's 'womanly figure makes a bad fit' for Katniss.
By Elizabeth Lancaster
Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate
Fans flooded in droves into movie theaters this weekend to see "The Hunger Games." In the wake of the highly anticipated release, much of the criticism surrounding the movie has been not about the young stars' performances, but their appearances.
Most recently there has been criticism of Jennifer Lawrence's weight, with some sighting that as Katniss, a girl who grew up in a famine-stricken district of a dystopian society, should have been thinner.
New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis wrote, "A few years ago Ms. Lawrence might have looked hungry enough to play Katniss, but now, at 21, her seductive, womanly figure makes a bad fit for a dystopian fantasy about a people starved into submission."
The statement is receiving much backlash, considering Lawrence is now a certified movie star that countless young women look up to. Putting aside the negative body-image issues the comment suggests, one wonders whether Dargis accurate in her assessment of the actress/character disparity? MTV News asked expert "Hunger Games" fans to weigh in. Most had the same message: They loved what Lawrence brought to her character and that the scrutiny is misguided.
"Katniss may not have been as thin or small in stature as depicted in the book, but it's not unfathomable that her hunting prowess would have allowed her to have some meat on her bones," TheHob.org's Gabby Vittoria responded. She went on to point out that "Peeta wasn't tall in the movie; Clove wasn't big and brawny; Katniss wasn't smaller than most of the Tributes. These physical changes certainly didn't take away from the story and messages in the movie. Besides, for me, Jennifer's acting and the quality of the film makes her weight a non-issue."
Many fans not only disagreed with the film critic but were affronted by these reviews of Lawrence. "I'm offended by this critique on so many levels, and honestly, I was shocked that it was ever an issue and that a professional critique would bring it up in the film's review," Sara Gundell from the Hunger Games Examiner fansite stated.
This backlash about Lawrence's weight comes in the wake of the questioning of Rue's race in the film. The pre-teen is played by Amandla Stenberg, who is African America. In recent days her casting was the subject of racially fueled criticism by a handful of moviegoers who have suffered their own backlash.
What do you think of the criticism of Jennifer Lawrence's weight? Sound off in the comments below!
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Heroes star Hayden Panettiere has been named Obsession of the Year in a recent issue of GQ. The teen celebrity is photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth. She is adorable in the photos and actually now that she?s eighteen, it?s okay to look at her ?in tha
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Justin Bieber - Mistletoe
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Britney Spears - Radar
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Beyonce And Jay-Z Unveil First Blue Ivy Carter Photos
'We welcome you to share in our joy,' reads a note posted with the five photos, signed by 'the Carter family.'
By Kelley L. Carter
<P>And now we've seen her. </P><P> </P><P>On Friday (February 10), <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/jay_z/artist.jhtml">Jay-Z</a> posted the first photos of his and <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/knowles_beyonce/artist.jhtml">Beyoncé</a>'s daughter, <a href="/news/articles/1676906/beyonce-jay-z-baby-born-ivy-blue.jhtml">Blue Ivy Carter</a>, on his <a href="http://lifeandtimes.com/glory" target="_blank">Life + Times</a> website. </P><P> </P><P></p><div class="player-placeholder right" title="All About Beyonce And Jay-Z's New Arrival" id="id:1676907" width="240" height="211"></div><p> </P><P> </P><P>The rapper and his superstar wife are seen in the photos holding the newborn in a series of five photos. In the first large photo, we see the baby swathed in a polka-dot wrap sleeping. In the remaining images, she has her eyes wide open and is being held by her beaming mother, and in another, her back is to us while she's being held by her smiling father. </P><P> </P><P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/photos/thumbnails.jhtml?fid=1679016&view=thumb"><b>Photos: Blue Ivy Carter revealed.</a></b> </P><P> </P><P>There's a note that reads: "We welcome you to share in our joy. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this beautiful time in our lives. The Carter family." </P><P> </P><P>The baby-picture reveal is just the latest Blue Ivy news. On Thursday, it was confirmed that the high-profile couple filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to <a href="/news/articles/1678877/beyonce-jay-z-blue-ivy-trademark.jhtml">trademark Blue Ivy's name</a>. The patent is intended to prevent the use of their daughter's name by non-related parties. The application was filed by Beyoncé's company, BGK Trademark Holdings, and is currently pending. <i>The Washington Post</i> reported that it will likely get approved, considering that parents are legally authorized to trademark the names of minor children. </P><P> </P><P>Earlier this week, Beyoncé revealed her post-pregnancy body, and she's back in fighting shape only a month after the birth of her baby girl. <a href="/news/articles/1678670/beyonce-post-baby-appearance-jay-z.jhtml">B was photographed twice</a> this week, including at the first night of <a href="/news/articles/1678669/jay-z-carnegie-hall.jhtml">Jay-Z's two-night charity stint at Carnegie Hall</a>. </P><P> </P><P><i>What do you think of the first Blue Ivy photos? Let us know in the comments!</i></p>
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