Chord Overstreet Leaving 'Glee'

Chord Overstreet Leaving 'Glee'

Glee's McKinley High is losing one of it's best singers -- and cutest faces! It has been confirmed that Chord Overstreet, who played transfer student Sam Evans on season 2 of the hit show, will not be a series regular when Glee returns for it's third season.

"Well its been a good yr too bad its over," the actor, 22, tweeted Friday, after a rep confirmed the news to TVLine.com. "Time for summer and starting fresh." 

Insiders say Overstreet's option to up to "regular" status was declined by creator Ryan Murphy. Yet Murphy did give the green light to Darren Criss (Blaine) and Harry Shum Jr. (Mike), giving these two songbirds star status. Sources say Overstreet may return for occasional appearances. 

While this news is upsetting to Overstreet fans (especially to those who were hanging on the season finale tease that Sam would be getting together with Mercedes!), we are all going to have to get used to saying goodbye to our Glee favorites. Murphy recently broke the news to Ryan Seacrest that the original cast will graduate from high school when this next season ends, and a whole new slew of singers will take over. 

 

"I don't think of it in terms of eliminating or replacing," he said. "I think the fun thing about the show is it's a celebration of youth and talent and I think that just like with the original cast, I think finding those young unknown people and giving them an opportunity to break into the business and become stars is a really fun and exciting thing and is the spirit of the series."

 

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/chord-overstreet-leaving-glee/1-a-362422

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Adam Lambert's 'Whole Lotta Love': The Story Behind The Cover

Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.
By Gil Kaufman


Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox

Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."

That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.

The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.

For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.

Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1610709/adam-lamberts-whole-lotta-love-story-behind-cover.jhtml

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Daniel Radcliffe Not 'Comfortable' Being A Role Model

'I don't think you should deify any human being,' 'Harry Potter' star told MTV News last year.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Daniel Radcliffe
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

The transition from child star to adult star often comes with some hiccups. In a recent interview with GQ, "Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe admits that there was a time when he found himself drinking a little too much.

"I became so reliant on [alcohol] to enjoy stuff," he said of the time during shooting on 2009's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Since then, the 21-year-old has slowed down, telling the magazine that he prefers to have a "quiet life." But Radcliffe has certainly been open about why he doesn't see himself as a role model.

Last year, he told MTV News, "I don't look at myself as a role model. I would never place myself on that pedestal, obviously. If other people want to place me there, that's up to them," he explained. "I would advise them not to because I don't think you should deify any human being. I think it's something that I've grown more comfortable with the idea."

And despite his impressive career and all of the charitable work he has done with organizations like the Trevor Project, Radcliffe suggested someone else his fans should look to for guidance instead.

"The thing I always say and I've often said in interviews, I think if people want a role model, Harry Potter's a very, very good role model. And he's something that won't change," Radcliffe added. "He'll be fixed in that permanent lovely way, and so those are the role models you want.

"I'm gonna grow old and get fat and stuff," he added with a good-natured laugh. "And so you don't want to make me a role model."

While Radcliffe tells GQ the paparazzi never caught him inebriated, when MTV News sat down with him, he did recall a certain pap shot of him smoking a cigarette that did get taken. But the star was willing to shrug it all off. "It's a terrible thing to admit to, but yes I'm gonna go to help [for smoking]. That stuff, you know, is part and parcel of the job and it comes with the territory and you have to let it wash over you," he said of the photographers.

Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666808/daniel-radcliffe-role-model.jhtml

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'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': More Sequels On The Way?

Box-office experts look into the franchise's future.
By Kara Warner


Shia LaBeouf in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

Given the spectacular box-office grosses of "Transformers" and its sequel, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (despite being lambasted by critics and audiences), it is not all that surprising that the three-quel, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," has made box-office history and a ton of money in the first few days of its release.

Michael Bay's third robot-tastic installment hauled in an estimated $97.5 million over the holiday weekend, making it 2011's new biggest opening-weekend record holder, which was previously set by "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

So, what does this mean? In a nutshell, we'll be getting more "Transformers" movies, no matter what Bay and star Shia LaBeouf have said or decided about their "retirement" plans. "I guarantee that Paramount is currently thinking of ways to keep the franchise going," Boxoffice.com editor Phil Contrino told MTV News. "Unfortunately, making a deal for a property this big won't be easy," he added, speaking to moving forward with the franchise without Bay and LaBeouf. "I'm sure a bunch of directors and stars will be kicked around publicly before new hires are made."

Entertainment Weekly senior writer Anthony Breznican agreed that the robots will live on to rule future box offices. "We will definitely see another movie; how soon is a good question," he said. "I took Bay seriously when he said he was finished directing [the 'Transformers' films], and they can reboot them again with someone else. That's not something you say if it's a negotiating tactic. I believed him. I think Shia is serious," he added. "Three movies in this universe are a lot for an actor. Unless you want to be known only as the 'Transformers' guy, you have to move on and do something different.

" 'Harry Potter' will be gargantuan," Breznican said of "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" being the next big competition for "Dark of the Moon." "People are going to want to see it again and again, and that's a real tribute to the filmmakers and J.K. Rowling's storytelling. It's a story where you invest a lot in those characters and they invest a lot back. There is a lot of sacrifice and affection; that movie packs an emotional punch," he said. "It's going to blow 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' out of the water."

Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666834/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-box-office.jhtml

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Video: Skylar Grey ? ?Dance Without You?

The video was directed by Paul Brown and is Skylar’s first video from her debut album INVINSIBLE, out Fall 2011. She’ll also be performing at Lollapalooza on Saturday, August 6th.   Download “Dance Without You” on iTunes – http://bit.ly/iXBrXr http://skylargreymusic.com http://twitter.com/skylargrey http://Facebook.com/SkylarGrey http://SkylarGreyMusic.tumblr.com

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/video-skylar-grey-dance-without-you/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=video-skylar-grey-dance-without-you

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Janet Jackson Thrills Fans With Greatest Hits, Michael Tribute At Radio City

Singer covered songs ranging from classic 'Pleasure Principle' to 2008's 'Feedback' at New York show.
By Vaughn Schoonmaker


Janet Jackson (file)
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — Often imitated, never duplicated, Janet Jackson's outbursts of meticulous choreography, sassy exclamations and smoldering gazes into the audience kept them on their feet for the entire two-hour set of her greatest hits at Radio City Music Hall. Monday night marked the last of three sold-out shows at the historic venue on her monumental Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour.

Up-and-coming boy band Mindless Behavior opened the show with songs including "#1 Girl," "Future" and their debut single, "My Girl." With their Usher-esque dance moves and shouts like "Where the ladies at?" the boys brought the tween girls out of hiding, judging by the shrill screams escaping various corner of the music hall.

At 9:00 sharp, the lights went down and Janet's fans were on the edge of their seats, watching music videos for "The Best Things in Life Are Free" and "Rhythm Nation" projected on big screens across the venue. A small shadow drifted toward center stage, and when the colorful lights came up, Jackson, wrapped in a shoulder-padded catsuit, complete with slick short hair, blasted into "The Pleasure Principle," dancing as hard and intensely choreographed as she did when the song first came out in the 1980s.

With barely a spare second between songs, Janet dazzled her way through her biggest hits, including "Miss You Much," "All for You" and "Nasty," and more recent hits like 2008's "Feedback."

Videos displayed during Jackson's costume changes included vintage clips from "Diff'rent Strokes," a funny scene from "Poetic Justice" where Jackson slyly rejects the advances of Tupac Shakur's character, and a rather heavy scene, as Jackson's character in "Why Did I Get Married" destroys her husband's house with a golf club, screaming hysterically.

Considering the tough couple of years the Jackson family has faced, the dark moments in the video seemed fitting, and everyone was beside themselves with bittersweet joy when Michael Jackson's face popped up on the big screen and she performed their hit single "Scream."

Janet emerged for her encore in a tight white one-piece disco suit, and performed "Diamonds," "Make Me" and "Together Again," which appeared to be the biggest hit of the evening. As Jackson graciously bowed out, her straight face transitioned into a smirk, suggesting that despite the hard times she has experienced recently, we can expect to see this singing and dancing pop legend shine far into the future.

"Its amazing!" Janet fan Elena Mercantini gleamed afterward. "It's like she's still 20 years old!"

"She's hot, she's amazing and she's still got it after all these years" added Alison Klinger of Long Island. "Best concert I've ever been to!"

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660385/janet-jackson-radio-city-concert.jhtml

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Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts Talk 'Larry Crowne,' Friendship And MTV

'I miss VJs,' stars tell MTV News.
By Kara Warner


Tom Hanks
Photo: MTV News

Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts' new movie, "Larry Crowne," is, in a nutshell, about a middle-aged man who, after constantly being looked over for managerial promotions at work due to his lack of college degree, enrolls himself in his local community college, where he finds himself being taught by and falling in love with the lovely Mercedes Tainot (Roberts).

When MTV News caught up with Hanks and Roberts at the press day for the film, we attempted to discuss Hanks' return to the director's chair after a 15-year hiatus (the last film he helmed was 1996's "That Thing You Do!"), but first the two superstars took a moment to talk about us.

"I miss VJs," Roberts lamented of MTV's onetime team of on-camera personalities.

"I miss VJs, too," Hanks agreed. "I miss, you know, 'The Rock Hour!' " he added, likely meaning "120 Minutes," hosted by Matt Pinfield, which has been resurrected over at MTV2.

"What's on MTV now?" Roberts asked.

"Pregnant teenagers," quipped Hanks.

Hanks and Roberts then briefly discussed MTV's current slate of programs, citing "The Real World," "Jersey Shore" and "16 and Pregnant," but admitted only to hearing stories about them, not to having watched any of those shows themselves.

Once we were able to bring the focus to the topic at hand, we asked Hanks about his return to the director's chair, and what inspired him to take on so many roles for this film — he directed, acted in, co-wrote and produced "Crowne."

"Somewhere I think in 2009 a switch just goes off in my head that goes, 'I really want to direct this,' " he recalled, equating his passion for the project to a fever he had to have cooked out of him. "It takes you out of the marketplace for a long time, which is fine. I have a lot of things going on, but it ends up being like this personal letter that you're writing to your mom where you want it to be right, you want it to be authentic, you want it to actually reflect who you are and where you are at this point, and so that's why you end up directing a movie and being in it."

For Roberts, signing on to the film was mostly about working with her good friend. She and Hanks worked together once before in "Charlie Wilson's War," which, according to Roberts, cemented their friendship for life.

"I knew I had a friend for the rest of my life," she said, recalling one specific day on the "Wilson's War" set that involved Hanks, Roberts and some joke with a little box. "He [makes] me want to live a longer life," she gushed.

"What a great answer!" Hanks said with a big smile.

"It's true, I love Tom. It's kind of retarded for us sitting here trying to be professionals because we're friends," she said. "I love his wife, I love his kids."

"This is what we'd be doing if we were sitting around or having lunch," Hanks added, speaking to the pair's easy rapport. "We'll laugh for three hours together."

Check out everything we've got on "Larry Crowne."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666760/tom-hanks-julia-roberts-larry-crowne.jhtml

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