Chris' Gossip Pulse: April 2011

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Siobhan Magnus Eliminated On 'American Idol'

Michael Lynche and Casey James join her in the bottom three.
By Gil Kaufman

Siobhan Magnus performs on "American Idol" Wednesday
Photo: FOX

It's getting to that point in season nine of "American Idol" when it gets hard to guess who will go home every week because the competition has gotten so tight. But a night after Simon Cowell compared her tortured screaming to the sound of a woman giving birth, America decided that it wasn't quite ready for an "Idol" champ as quirky as tattooed glassblower Siobhan Magnus.

After charming the judges and voting public with her offbeat style sense, powerhouse vocals and sometimes sassy backtalk to the judges, Magnus' luck ran out after she closed Tuesday's show with an all-over-the-place take on Shania Twain's "Any Man of Mine."

Magnus was given the boot on a night that was packed with performances from Rascal Flatts, Shakira and Lady Antebellum, and her exit came after more than 33 million votes were lodged Tuesday.

The results began with host Ryan Seacrest creating three groups of two. The first pairing included Magnus and Lee Dewyze, followed by Casey James and Michael Lynche and then Aaron Kelly and Crystal Bowersox. Cutting the tension immediately, Seacrest walked Magnus across the stage for her first trip to the bottom three, alongside Lynche and James.

The first singer sent back to safety was Lynche, who dodged a bullet for the second time this season. "Tonight is different because everyone did well last night, so there's no shame in the bottom three," he said before being sent back to the couches. With James safe, that left the woman Seacrest called an "independent spirit" standing center stage in her salmon-colored miniskirt-and-tank-top combo.

Saying she tried out for the show for her little sisters, Magnus hoped that she had a big impact on them. "I did my best, and I hope that I was able to show them what we're all capable of," she said, clearly holding back some emotion.

Keeping her composure, Magnus went out with a typically sassy run through Aretha Franklin's "Think," which got the final five and the whole audience on their feet and clapping along. It ended, of course, with one of her signature ear-piercing screams and then some hugs for her family, who told her, "You're still our star."

This being a country-themed week, the show kicked off with a live performance from twangy trio Rascal Flatts, who played their cowboy-pop ditty "Unstoppable." Along with the usual time-killing Ford video and some other promotional shenanigans, the first half of the show also featured season-four "Idol" superstar Carrie Underwood flying in from her national tour just to introduce her current opening act, the little-known brotherly band Sons of Sylvia.

Bringing a harder-edge, new-wave country vibe than they displayed during their winning run last year on "The Next Great America Band," the all-black-clad Clark brothers played their debut single, "Love Left to Lose." The tune mixed straightforward radio rock with country touches, including fiddle, mandolin and rocked-out resonator guitar over a thudding backbeat.

With a whole hour to fill, the next break featured ACM winners Lady Antebellum performing their triple-platinum smash "Need You Now." The Fleetwood Mac-like ballad of romantic longing that has helped propel the album of the same name to the best sales figures of any 2010 release found singers Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott trading off yearning vocals as third member Dave Haywood played along on a grand piano in the background.

The night's final performance was a truly odd combo, as hip-shaker Shakira was joined by Flatts for the spare belly-dance/ boot-scooter "Gypsy," which she opened by showing off her harmonica skills. Joined by two dancers, Shakira worked her flowing red skirt and swiveled her hips as she melded her yodely vocals with the high, lonesome sound of Flatts' Gary LeVox.

Next week's mentor will be Harry Connick Jr., who will lead the finalists through the songbook of Frank Sinatra.

What did you think of tonight's elimination? Did Siobhan deserve to go home? Leave your comments below!

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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Shakira Opens EMA Show With Dizzee Rascal

Madrid crowd goes crazy for 'Loca' and 'Waka Waka.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Dizzee Rascal and Shakira perform at the 2010 EMA on Sunday
Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

The 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards got off to a crazy start, courtesy of a performance from hip-swiveling superstar Shakira.

The Colombian megastar opened the show with her Sale el Sol single "Loca," rallying the crowd with her signature undulating moves. Flanked by two dancers, Shakira hit the Madrid stage in a silvery bra top and fringed harem pants under neon lights. Then British grime rapper Dizzee Rascal joined the singer for his verse on the English version of the track, rocking a simply sleek black jacket and white T-shirt, and getting the crowd amped.

After "Loca," Dizzee retreated backstage as Shakira launched into her global World Cup anthem "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)," a suitable choice for an award show staged in the nation of the world soccer champs. The Spaniards showed their pride throughout the percussion-heavy jam, as mammoth flags rose from various points in the audience, and were waved above the crowd. Swirls of confetti rained on the crowd as Shakira wrapped up her high-energy set.

Her collabo with Dizzee is just one of several brushes with hip-hop the singer has explored in recent years. Shakira told MTV News in 2009 that she was trying to broaden her musical horizons by hooking up with rap artists.

"I'm never going to be a hardcore hip-hop singer," she said. "I come from Colombia, but I think music today ... it's about bringing elements that belong to different universes, even though they're opposed or similar, and making them exist in this big melting pot that the world is today. The world has shrunk, and we're just a big neighborhood, and it's kind of cool."

Shakira's set was the first in a night packed with performances from some of the world's biggest stars. Katy Perry, Linkin Park, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Kings of Leon, B.o.B, Ke$ha, Bon Jovi and more all will grace the EMA stage. The night is hosted by "Desperate Housewives" diva Eva Longoria.

The 2010 EMAs air on MTV2 on Sunday (November 7) at 9 p.m. ET, and an edited, performance-heavy version will be broadcast Friday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.

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Friday, April 29, 2011

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Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift Nab CMT Music Awards Nods

Bieber recognized for 'That Should Be Me' featuring Rascal Flatts.
By Jocelyn Vena

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Photo: Michele Crowe/MTV

The nominees for the 2011 CMT Music Awards are out, and it seems that there's no awards show Justin Bieber won't be nominated for.

The Canadian superstar managed to nab a CMT nod for his collaboration with Rascal Flatts on the reworked version of "That Should Be Me." He's up against Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson for "Don't You Wanna Stay," Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow for "Collide," Aaron Lewis featuring George Jones and Charlie Daniels for "Country Boy" and Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow for "Coal Miner's Daughter" in the Collaborative Video of the Year category.

Taylor Swift got three nods for her video for "Mine": She's up for Best Web Video of the Year (for her performance at her Speak Now album-release party), Female Video of the Year and Video of the Year. Carrie Underwood is up for two prizes, facing off against Swift in the Female Video of the Year and Video of the Year categories with her video for "Undo It."

Other Female Video of the Year nominees include Sara Evans ("A Little Bit Stronger"), Miranda Lambert ("The House That Built Me") and Reba McEntire ("Turn On the Radio").

A number of other crossover acts such as Sugarland, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert are up for the night's big award, Video of the Year. Other nominees in the category include Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Zac Brown Band and The Band Perry.

Fans can vote for the winners on the CMT website. The show takes place June 8 in the home of country music: Nashville, Tennessee.

Tell us your predictions for the CMT Music Awards in the comments below!

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

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Britney Spears 'Till The World Ends' Bollywood Remix Hits Web

The Femme Fatale singer takes to Twitter to encourage fans to 'check out this incredible ... remix.'
By Jocelyn Vena

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Photo: Max Morse/Getty Images

Last week, Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" got the Bollywood treatment when Indian composers Salim-Sulaiman remixed her feel-good disco track. Now, Britney Spears is feeling the Indian love from entertainment website Desi Hits! and the Culture Shock production team, who put their Bollywood-style spin on "Till the World Ends."

"Check out this incredible Desihits remix of Till The World Ends. I LOVE it!!!" Britney tweeted on Monday about the track.

The swirling take on Spears' hit tune boasts a "Punjabi breakdown" section that features some South Asian-sounding vocals from Culture Shock's Lomaticc and Sunny Brown. The track includes some added Desi flavors courtesy of dholki, dhol and tumbi beats, which are common in Indian music.

"Our goal was to take Britney's smash hit single and give fans a total Desi adrenaline rush," Culture Shock's Baba Kahn explained. "The result is a Culture Shock musical Desi roller coaster that hopefully everyone around the world will want to join."

It seems that Spears' camp was crucial in orchestrating the remix. "We wanted to build an even greater connection between the world's biggest pop star and one of the world's largest audiences," Mark Flaherty, senior vice president of Jive Label Group, says of the reimagined tune. "Britney has been engaged with South Asian culture for many years. From the groundbreaking Bollywood-inspired remix of 'Me Against the Music' to her recent collaboration with Indian fashion designers Falguni and Shane Peacock on the 'Hold It Against Me' video, she has embraced the incredible sights and sounds of this vibrant community throughout her career."

The original version of "Till the World Ends," the second single from Britney's Femme Fatale album, was produced by Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Billboard. At last look, the tune held the #8 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Are you loving the Bollywood-style "Till the World Ends" remix? Tell us in the comments.

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Thursday, April 7, 2011

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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Shakira Goes 'Loca' In New Guerrilla-Style Video

The Colombian star roller-skates, hip-shakes and fountain-dives for crazy clip.
By James Montgomery

Shakira in the "Loca" music video
Photo: Epic

For nearly two decades now, either due to her multinational leanings (the Colombian's music is as indebted to Latin American rhythms as it is to Arabic dance, Euro disco and red-white-and-blue rock) or because she is sort of insane (see last year's She Wolf album), Shakira has managed to carve out her own, rather indefinable niche in pop music.

On Wednesday (September 29), she premiered the video for "Loca," the first single off her upcoming Sale el Sol album (due October 19). And while it's not exactly a unique artistic endeavor — it echoes sentiments already expressed by the likes of Matt & Kim (in their "Lessons Learned" clip) and Erykah Badu (in her firestormy "Window Seat" vid) — it's still undoubtedly her ... mostly because none of her high-gloss pop contemporaries would ever dare attempt something like it.

Shot run-and-gun style in Barcelona, "Loca" follows Shakira and her crew — which includes a few cameramen and, somewhat improbably, British rapper Dizzee Rascal — on a madcap adventure that includes roller-skating, public wardrobe changes, motorcycle cruising, an illicit hop in a public fountain (a move that landed her in hot, uh, water with local authorities) and, of course, plenty of hip shaking. It's a decidedly guerrilla endeavor that appears to have been done on a budget hovering around zero (aside from a performance scene, the entire thing appears to have been shot on handheld cameras). The Britneys, Beyoncés and Gagas would probably never make something like this ... and yet, here it works, mostly because, well, it just sort of seems like the kind of thing Shakira would do.

For that alone, she deserves to be praised. Because unlike Matt & Kim (or Erykah Badu, really), Shakira has plenty to lose. Her albums are big events, things that resonate across continents, and it would be rather easy (or, at least, expected) for her to come out of the gate with a big-budget, glossy pop video. Instead, we get "Loca," which is none of those things, and is probably better because of that.

And though it features some near-nudity and some illegal activity, the thing that resonates most about the "Loca" video is that none of that bad behavior is played up for shock value. Instead, it all helps match the kinetic, herky-jerky energy of the song itself. "Loca" is the rare video that doesn't attempt to outshine the song it's based on. Instead, it complements it. This is a very lively song, after all, so what better way to capture that than with a very lively video?

There's a calculated madness to the "Loca" video, a vibrant, unchained energy, the kind very few artists can conjure up, no matter how big the budget. And, come to think of it, that's a pretty accurate way of summing up Shakira's entire career. It's called synergy, people.

What do you think of Shakira's "Loca" video? Share your reviews in the comments.

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Death Cab For Cutie Pull Off Live 'You Are A Tourist' Video

The clip, shot in one continuous take, premiered Tuesday night.
By James Montgomery

Death Cab for Cutie's "You Are A Tourist" video
Photo: Atlantic Records

Well, they pulled it off. One week after announcing plans to shot a live live video for "You Are a Tourist," the first single from their upcoming Codes and Keys album, and after a full day of slightly tense rehearsals, Death Cab for Cutie were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Not only did "Tourist" — which was shot live, with multiple cameras, in one single take and broadcast for the entire world via YouAreATourist.com (and several other sites, including MTV.com) on Tuesday night (April 5) — come off without a hitch, but Death Cab looked like they were having an absolute blast making it.

Directed by Tim Nackashi and based on a concept by frequent collaborator Aaron Stewart-Ahn, the video was artful, eye-catching and ambitious, to say the very least. Featuring an intricate, whimsical set, expert use of projections, a bevy of background actors and a dozen dancers who engaged in some seriously kaleidoscopic Busby Berkeley dance sequences, "Tourist" followed Death Cab frontman Ben Gibbard and his bandmates as they wandered through the controlled madness — and wore some genuinely nifty light-up suits too.

Despite the fact that they were filming it live, there wasn't a single noticeable screw-up. Gibbard and his mates hit all their marks (and tried their best to hide some actual "I can't believe this is really happening grins), the dancers were perfectly synced, the cameras were on cue and, at the very end — perhaps recognizing this — everyone, from the band to Nackashi to the dancers stood in the center of the stage, clapping and cheering wildly, as Gibbard thanked everyone for their hard work.

Really, despite the fact they were doing this live before the entire world, DCFC weren't really all that nervous — even though, as they told MTV News on Monday, the potential to screw it all up was enormous.

"I think the trick here, or the balance here, is to try to have there be a legitimate amount of choreography involved but not so much that if one thing goes wrong, the whole thing topples like a house of cards," Gibbard laughed. "And there are some very kind-of tight moves throughout the video, but nothing that, you know, if I'm not standing here at this one point, the Rube Goldberg kind of thing falls apart and you're standing there for the next three minutes looking like a moron."

Luckily, that didn't happen.

What did you think of the Death Cab video? Let us know in the comments!

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Katy Perry's 'E.T.' Video Premieres -- Watch It Now!

New clip with Kanye West is a big-budget spectacle that takes Perry to the next level.
By James Montgomery

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We've seen Katy Perry camp it up in "California Gurls" and go glam in "Thinking of You" and "Teenage Dream," but we've never seen her get extraterrestrial — until now, of course.

Because in her new video for "E.T." — which premiered Thursday (March 31) on MTV.com — Perry plays the titular alien: a swirling, shifting, otherworldly being who crashes to earth to resurrect a long-dormant love and, in the process, perhaps reboot the human race (since, as is often the case with sci-fi exploits, planet Earth has undergone some sort of cataclysmic apocalypse and is now bereft of life). At least, I think that's the plot of the thing, though, really, it's not all that important if I'm wrong. Find out the full story tonight on "MTV First: Katy Perry's 'E.T.'," which bows on air at 7:53 p.m. ET before tossing to an MTV.com live stream, featuring MTV News correspondent Sway's exclusive chat with Perry, an interview with director Floria Sigismondi and reaction from Perry's fans.

"E.T." is a huge-looking, quick-moving blockbuster of a clip, overflowing with eye-catching special effects, opulent costumes and artfully applied makeup (and Kanye cameos), the kind of production where a plot is basically an afterthought. In other words, it's a Hollywood-level spectacle, a summer smash that just so happened to come out in the early days of spring. It's an event.

And really, with each #1 single she notches, it's the kind of clip Katy Perry has earned, one that puts her on par with other pop megastars like Britney and Gaga in the sheer scope of the production.

Working with acclaimed director Floria Sigismondi, Perry has created a video that certainly ranks among her very best and is unquestionably the biggest thing she's ever done, a production preceded by glossy teaser clips and online "abductions." The mind boggles at the cost of the wardrobe and hair extensions alone.

But, much like the plot, none of that really matters. "E.T." is less about the insignificant details and more about the larger picture — a video that not only moves Perry to the upper echelon, but looks and sounds great. It's a widescreen, THX-ian type of thing, meant to be marveled at. Whether or not you do, you can't deny that KP has earned the right to make it. She's finally arrived: fallen from the heavens to take her rightful place among the elite. Welcome our new alien overlord.

What did you think of Katy's new video? Let us know in the comments!

Don't miss the on-air premiere of Katy Perry's "E.T." video, featuring Kanye West, at 7:53 p.m. ET tonight on MTV, followed by our live "MTV First" interview with Katy Perry on MTV.com!

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Lady Gaga Releases Country Version Of 'Born This Way'

New take on hit song, dubbed 'The Country Road Version,' features slide guitar, mandolin and harmonica.
By Gil Kaufman

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You can take all those Madonna comparisons and throw them out the window of your Ford F-150 truck, because on Thursday night Lady Gaga released a new version of her global smash "Born This Way" that featured a totally unexpected spin.

After tweeting to her Little Monsters that she was preparing to release "Born This Way (The Country Road Version)," Mother Monster dropped the tune at midnight PT on Friday (March 25) via her Twitter account ... and it did not disappoint.

The new rendition of the hit opens with ominous, swirling guitars and then introduces a fuzzed-out slide guitar and harmonica wheeze, with all of the thumping disco beats replaced by restrained brush drumming and a more laid-back vibe. Once it kicks into the first chorus, the song continues to take its time, choogling along on live-sounding, laconic drumming and lots of soulful harmonica.

Just before the three-minute mark, Gaga mixes in some new lyrics, drawling, "If I wanna make it country, baby, then it's OK, cuz I was born, I was born, I was born this way," over picked mandolin. "From London, Paris, Japan back to USA/ I was born on the road, I was born to be brave," she adds, as the song breaks into full-on country-rock mode reminiscent of late-period Bon Jovi in the final minute.

Meanwhile, the original, non-boot-scooting version of "BTW" notched its sixth week in a row at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts this week, which is what Gaga said prompted her to drop the surprise remake on her fans.

Earlier this week, Gaga revealed that she's almost done recording her Born This Way album, telling fans via Twitter, "In Nebraska, finishing up record today ... I'm so proud of the album: I keep dancing+drinking: metal/techno rock journey of a woman on the run."

Plans are now being worked up for the tour in support of Born This Way (due out May 23) and Gaga's first swing at directing, a collaboration with her creative director, Laurieann Gibson, on the video for the album's upcoming second single, "Judas."

What do you think of Gaga's twanged-up version of "Born This Way"? Share your opinions in the comments.

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Beyonce, Leonardo DiCaprio Lead Flurry Of Movie Remakes

Russell Brand, Willow Smith, Jonah Hill are just a few stars looking to revamp film and TV classics like 'Arthur', 'Annie' and '21 Jump Street.'
By Terri Schwartz

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What do Willow Smith and Beyoncé have in common with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Kenny Wormald? They're all starring (or in talks to star) in the latest round of remakes of beloved films and TV shows coming down the pike.

On Thursday, news broke that Beyoncé would be starring in a Clint Eastwood-directed remake of the 1976 Barbra Streisand classic "A Star Is Born" (which was a remake of a 1954 movie that remade a 1937 film). In the meantime, Will Smith is reportedly petitioning Sony to remake "Annie" (the 1982 movie and 1977 musical) starring his 10-year-old daughter, Willow, best known for whipping her hair.

In October it was announced that Leonardo DiCaprio and best bud Tobey Maguire would be starring in Baz Luhrmann's 3-D retelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby," with Carey Mulligan joining as Daisy Buchanan.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum have been working on bringing the '80s Johnny Depp-starring television series "21 Jump Street" to the big screen since 2008, and they might even get Depp to cameo in it in time for the film's March 16, 2012, release date.

And let's not forget the long hunt for a Ren McCormack (the character Kevin Bacon made famous in 1984), after Zac Efron and Chace Crawford dropped out of the planned "Footloose" remake that finally landed dancer Kenny Wormald the role of his life.

Then there's "Arthur," the Russell Brand-starring remake of the 1981 screwball comedy about a happily drunk millionaire who risks everything for love. The film has tapped everyone from Helen Mirren to Greta Gerwig and Nick Nolte.

Two recently announced remakes are "Lethal Weapon" and "The Wizard of Oz," which are still in early development and without stars attached. Warner Bros. announced their plans to reboot the Mel Gibson-starring franchise on Thursday and tapped writer Will Beall to pen the script with completely new characters. And director Robert Zemeckis announced back in November that he planned on remaking the 1939 Technicolor classic using the script from the original film, with Warner Bros. hoping Robert Downey Jr. will play Oz.

Just this past year, films from "Clash of the Titans" to "The Karate Kid" to "A Nightmare on Elm Street" were remade for the big screen and were well-received by audiences. "Alice in Wonderland" and "Clash of the Titans" went on to become two of the top 10 highest-grossing films of 2010, while "Piranha 3D" and "The A-Team" also went on to strong successes, proving that there definitely is a market for these kinds of remakes.

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

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Henry Cavill Calls 'Superman' Co-Star Amy Adams 'Fantastic'

'Immortals' actor talks to MTV News at WonderCon in his first on-camera interview since being cast as the Man of Steel.
By Aly Semigran, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

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In his first on-camera interview since being cast as Superman in Zack Snyder's reboot, the new Man of Steel, actor Henry Cavill, chatted about everything from his research for the part to what it will be like working with his Lois Lane, Amy Adams.

MTV News caught up with Cavill at WonderCon 2011, where he was promoting his upcoming film "Immortals," in which he plays a Greek warrior. Turns out Cavill won't be able to take much of a break after such a daunting role, as he'll soon gear up to wear Superman's iconic cape. Cavill said the training for "Superman" will be a "similar kind of thing" to that of "Immortals," adding, "It's going to be intense."

Still, it's not just the physical aspect Cavill will have to focus on: He'll also have to slip into the psyche of the complex superhero for the tentatively titled "Superman: Man of Steel." Cavil said he's done "plenty of comic book research" in order to gather as much information as he can "as to who this man is."

The star explained that by reading the "Superman" comics, he'll pick up on the "key characteristics" in order to get "a general idea of what he is, and then working from there."

Cavill also opened up about why it was important to stay true to the iconic character, even with Snyder's new, modern twist. "Superman is Superman, after all. There's only so much of a change you can make to that," he said.

As he continues to map out how to play the role, he's already got his leading lady, Amy Adams, lined up and ready to go.

It was confirmed a week ago that Adams, fresh off her Best Supporting Actress Oscar nod for "The Fighter," would play Superman's love interest, Lois Lane. Cavill, who revealed he'd met with Adams for a screen test, said he was "looking forward to working with" her, calling his newly announced co-star a "fantastic actress, very talented."

He isn't the only one who's excited about having Adams tackle the iconic female role. Snyder called her "one of the most versatile and respected actresses in films today," while Margot Kidder, the original Lois Lane, gushed, "She's a brilliant, wonderful actress! She's incredible. She's an extraordinarily accomplished young lady — and gorgeous and full of energy and spirit. She's so different from part to part, it's going to be really interesting to see what she does with Lois."

Cavill noted that the age difference between he and Adams (he's 27, she's 36) was nothing more than happenstance, saying that making the nine-year difference part of the story line would be for Snyder to decide. Cavill said of the age gap: "I don't think it matters at all."

Regarding those who argue Adams is too old to star opposite Cavill, Kidder said, "Who cares? What a bizarre thing to be concerned about. She certainly doesn't look older than him."

Do you think Amy Adams will make a good Lois Lane? Sound off below!

Check out everything we've got on "Superman."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Britney Spears' Femme Fatale Is 'All Club Bangers,' Pauly D Says

'Jersey Shore' star served as Brit's DJ for her Vegas nightclub set.
By Jocelyn Vena

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When Britney Spears took the stage at Rain nightclub at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas last Friday, she was joined by the casino's resident DJ, none other than "Jersey Shore" star Pauly D, who spun tunes for Spears' rollicking three-song set.

MTV News caught up with the DJ, who said that it was quite a trip having his name up on the Palms marquee along with Spears'. "It's amazing. I like to see my name on marquees anyway, but now having it associated with Britney Spears [is awesome]," he admitted. "I've been a fan of her my whole life. I used to always play her music, so it's unreal."

Pauly further explained that when it comes to all the right ingredients coming together, having Brit and him on a bill together in Vegas is about as good as it gets. "Me, Britney and Vegas is the perfect combination. I love Las Vegas. I love music. Britney Spears loves music. Her new album's out, and who better to be onstage with her than DJ Pauly D?" he joked.

So, how does one prepare for a gig alongside the Femme Fatale star herself? "As a DJ, my style's like fresh to death," Pauly explained. He admitted that he makes sure his hair is just right, and of course, he throws in some GTL beforehand. But most importantly, "my music's got to be on point. The fresher I feel, the better I'm gonna perform."

Since all of the songs on Brit's album are club-ready, Pauly says he can foresee spinning any one of them. "Femme Fatale is amazing," he gushed about the critically acclaimed album. "Her music is amazing. It's all club bangers. 'Till the World Ends' is her new track and 'Hold It Against Me' goes off in the club."

To catch the Vegas performance, don't miss the "Britney Spears: I Am the Femme Fatale" special, airing Sunday, April 3, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.

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As promised, Lady Gaga joined forces with Google on Tuesday to answer a string of fan-generated questions for an hour-long interview posted on YouTube called "Musicians@Google Presents: Google Goes Gaga."

While the pop star dished on a range of topics, including her upcoming album, Born This Way, and aspiring-singers-turned-viral-YouTube stars (yes, she mentioned Rebecca Black), the most exciting news she shared with her fans was that she'll be directing the video for her next single, "Judas," alongside creative director Laurieann Gibson.

"I'm very excited. Actually, I can exclusively reveal here at Google that I will be making my directorial debut with Laurieann Gibson, directing this video with her ourselves," the singer said to the cheers of the interview's live audience.

Keeping in line with the song's title, Mother Monster also admitted that the clip will include religious imagery. "It's no surprise, I'm sure, to many of you, that Judas is a man of the biblical senses, so expect to see some symbolism in this video," she said.

Gaga also gave fans a taste of the club track's lyrics by offering a few lines from the song. "When he comes to me, I am ready/ I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs/ Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain/ Even after three times, he betrays me/ I'll bring him down, a king with no crown," she recited.

Gaga explained that "Judas," which she produced along with RedOne, talks about confronting one's demons. "You have to look into what is haunting you and you need to look into forgiving yourself in order to move on," she said. "And it's really fun to dance to and sounds like it could be a pop priest record."

She also described a track off her "avant-garde techno rock" LP called "Edge of Glory." Recalling the loss of her grandfather last year, Gaga revealed that she wrote the tune at an emotional moment at the piano while taking tequila shots with her father. "The song's about your last moment on Earth, the moment of truth. The edge of glory is that moment right before you leave the Earth," she said.

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Will Ferrell, Jon Stewart Crack Jokes At The Comedy Awards

'The Golden Globes celebrate comedies every year — comedies like 'Burlesque' and 'The Tourist,' ' Andy Samberg points out to MTV News.
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If there were an awards show to celebrate the very best in comedy, you'd probably want Will Ferrell and Adam McKay there on the red carpet riffing about how "The Other Guys" was snubbed at the Oscars and now finally their genius is being recognized.

"I was with Will during the Academy Awards, and he slowly got drunker and said, 'What about my kind?' " you'd want McKay to say.

"I kept saying, 'It has to be nominated! It has to be on there!' " Ferrell would answer.

"And I said, 'Will, we know ahead of time if it's going to be nominated," McKay would respond.

And Ferrell would shoot back, "'No, tonight's going to special! They're going to announce a secret nomination.' "

Here's the funny thing: There is such an awards show — Comedy Central held the first annual Comedy Awards on Saturday night — and that exchange is exactly how Ferrell and McKay began a red-carpet chat with MTV News. And as other celebs joined them on the carpet — Jon Stewart, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Andy Samberg, Tracy Morgan — they picked up on Ferrell and McKay's theme: Does comedy need an awards show, or is laughter all the reward comedians need?

"It's all about winning things!" Andy Richter declared. "That's the reason we all got into this. It's all about trinkets and trophies."

Not so, said Stewart. "I'm not sure anything needs acknowledgement anymore, especially in the show-business arena," the "Daily Show" host told us. "But here's what I think it is: These carpets get no other use, and it would be wasteful not to use them. If you think about it that way, none of this is necessary."

Samberg, meanwhile, deadpanned that before the Comedy Awards, there was one show in particular around to reward the funniest people of the year. "The Golden Globes celebrate comedies every year — comedies like 'Burlesque' and 'The Tourist,' " he said. "And 'Chicago' — another hilarious comedy. So no, we don't need this night."

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