By Mawuse Ziegbe
Jennifer Lopez
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic
With two open seats now on the "American Idol" judging panel, all types of celebrity names have been bandied about as possible replacements. Elton John and Justin Timberlake were reportedly thrown out as names on an "Idol" wish list. Pop starlet Jessica Simpson has also popped up as a potential name ready to sign on. And with Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres no longer doling out critiques to "Idol" hopefuls, singer and actress Jennifer Lopez has emerged as the latest potential new judge.
Deadline.com reports that Lopez has officially inked a deal to join "Idol" and that the announcement was being kept under wraps until DeGeneres' exit was made public. According to the site, Lopez's manager Benny Medina set up a meeting with "Idol" producers and the singer's camp has been negotiating the deal for about a month. Entertainment website Gossip Cop also reported that a source close to the show confirms that both Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler have been offered spots on the judging panel.
A rep for "American Idol" declined to confirm or deny the rumor to MTV News and only offered "no comment." A representative for Lopez did not respond to MTV News' request for comment at press time.
If Lopez joins the amateur talent behemoth, she would follow in the footsteps of fellow pop diva and dancer Paula Abdul, who brought her experience as a chart-topping recording artist to her critiques for eight seasons.
A gig on the weekly ratings magnet might be a beneficial move for Lopez, who has weathered a few professional setbacks recently. The singer parted ways with her longtime record label, Sony, in February and a tumble at the American Music Awards in 2009 has arguably eclipsed the attention paid to her music. Lopez may also face a $40 million lawsuit after pulling out of a concert in Cyprus.
Would J. Lo make a good "Idol" judge? Tell us what you think in the comments!
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By Mawuse Ziegbe
Tupac Shakur
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ImageDirect
In the 1990s, Tupac Shakur and Mike Tyson were two of the most explosive personalities in entertainment. Both overcame scrappy upbringings to snag major fame and success. Both served time at high-profile moments in their careers. And both were known to put up a fight — whether it was "Iron Mike" pummeling opponents in the ring or 'Pac slamming hip-hop foes on a record. The pair also enjoyed a close friendship — so close that 'Pac was ringside at the prizefighter's September 7, 1996, bout in Las Vegas and planned to live it up with the boxer when the match ended. Unfortunately, the Cali MC was shot that night and died on September 13.
One Night in Vegas, a documentary detailing the bond between the duo and the events of that fateful night, will air on ESPN on September 7, exactly 14 years after 'Pac was gunned down. Directed by filmmaker Reggie Bythewood, the flick — which is part of ESPN's "30 for 30" movie series — was created with Tyson onboard and will likely feature the boxer's perspective of his relationship with Tupac.
Tyson opened up last month about his time with the iconic MC. When speaking to MTV News on June 16, a day which would have marked Shakur's 39th birthday, the fighter called his late friend "incredible" and described his heavyweight approach to hip-hop.
"He looked very destructive. He came across as a world beater," Tyson said. "As far as his music was concerned, his presence and his energy ... the word I'm looking for is fearless. He came across as fearless. When you come across somebody that's fearless, you're a little bit in awe. You're like. 'Whoa!' He's ready to blow, too, at any moment; very volatile. He's very focused. He can go from one second to the next and get very focused."
Tyson also described 'Pac's passionate and eloquent words off the mic and revealed that their personal discussions were "purely emotionally intimate talking; expression of feeling. He was very prolific in expressing himself. He had a lot of hostility. I think it was just misguided and misdirected. It was obvious he was a genius, he was a prodigy. Whoa! He was just amazing as far as his energy was concerned. He was explosive — like a black panther ready to pounce."
How do you feel about Tupac's legacy? Let us know in the comments below!
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By Fernanda Diaz
Gabi Gregg
Photo: MTV
Gabi Gregg wants to move back to New York. All her friends are there, and it just feels right whenever she visits.
And, of course, there's Fashion Week.
Gabi, 24, is the creator of the groundbreaking plus-size fashion blog Young, Fat and Fabulous and one of the five finalists in the running to be MTV's very first Twitter Jockey. If she wins, getting to move back to New York from her current Chicago residence would be one of many perks (in addition to the $100,000 salary ...).
"Plus-size girls are interested in fashion too, and we are often ignored in the mainstream industry," Gabi tells MTV News about her motivation to start Young, Fat and Fabulous. Since then, her blog has become a unique stop among the multitude of style blogs, and with a positive-body-image message to boot.
MTV, with the help of ZYNC from American Express, chose Gabi as one of the 20 social-media enthusiasts in the running for a job as MTV's very first TJ. Over the last six weeks, the candidates took part in challenges that tested everything from their skills at growing their Twitter followers to their ability to break an unsigned band.
Gabi finished the competition with the greatest number of Twitter followers — 5,723 to be exact — and gathered the most votes on the ZYNC by American Express Facebook hub. It's clear that once Gabi met a need that hadn't been addressed on the Internet, she gained the admiration and online following that comes with it.
But there's still one last round of challenges to go, and everyone's vote slate starts off clean. Join us August 8 for the live finale, which will take place in New York City.
The winner of the MTV TJ search will be chosen by you, so tune in to MTV or MTV.com on August 8 at 10 p.m. ET to vote for your favorite candidate!
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By Fernanda Diaz
Jose Iniguez
Photo: MTV
Jose Iniguez comes from a town where there are more cows than people. For a big chunk of his childhood, his hometown didn't even have a movie theater. Now he's one of the five finalists competing for a chance to become MTV's first-ever Twitter Jockey.
Having arrived at this moment, the Tulare, California, native credits MTV with fueling the passion that earned him the spot — an enthusiasm that stretches back nearly a decade before anyone had ever heard of a Twitter account.
"A big reason why MTV has been such a big part of my life is because it became my one-stop shop for everything pop music/culture. 'TRL' was part of my daily routine," he told MTV News during a tour of the town where he grew up.
Jose moved away from Los Angeles to Tulare when he was very young and always yearned to go back. After years of saving his lunch money to buy Ricky Martin CDs and waiting by the radio with a cassette tape ready to record his favorite songs, he finally returned to his birthplace as a student at UCLA.
"Moving to L.A. was so freeing! Pop music and pop culture everywhere! I felt like a little kid in a candy store. So many opportunities came my way as well. From free concerts to becoming a radio DJ, I did it all in L.A.," he says.
With the help of ZYNC from American Express, MTV chose Jose as one of the 20 social-media enthusiasts in the running for a job as MTV's very first TJ. Over the last six weeks, the candidates took part in challenges that tested everything from their skills at growing their Twitter followers to their ability to break an unsigned band.
Jose's pop-culture inspiration shone through during the MTV TJ challenges, and he'll be harnessing it when all five candidates face off during the live finale in New York City, on Sunday, August 8 on MTV and MTV.com.
The winner of the MTV TJ search will be chosen by you, so tune in to MTV or MTV.com on August 8 at 10 p.m. ET to vote for your favorite candidate!
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By Fernanda Diaz
Ryan Lytle
Photo: MTV
Ryan Lytle, one of the five finalists in the running for a job as MTV's very first Twitter Jockey , is madly in love with Amelia.
Amelia, Ohio, that is.
The tiny Cincinnati outpost may only hold 93 more people than Ryan's current 2,659-follower count on Twitter, but while giving a tour of his hometown to MTV News, Ryan credited his birthplace with influencing him more than anywhere else.
"I was lucky to grow up in such a diverse suburb of Cincinnati, in regards to pop culture," he said. "Everyone was listening to such different types of music back in the day, from Eminem to Limp Bizkit, from Outkast to Offspring. It allowed me to appreciate all types of music and build a love for pop culture in general."
MTV, in partnership with ZYNC from American Express, chose Ryan as one of the 20 social-media enthusiasts competing for a $100,000 contract to become MTV's first-ever Twitter Jockey. Over the last six weeks, the candidates took part in challenges that tested everything from their skills at growing their Twitter followers to their ability to break an unsigned band.
On Sunday, August 8, all five candidates will face off during the finale in New York City, which will be broadcast live at 10 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV.com.
Ryan's wide spectrum of pop-culture tastes came in handy during the first round of challenges, but it was his hometown pride that catapulted him into the spotlight.
Almost immediately after the competition kicked off in June, Ryan's broadcaster voice and playful professionalism became a staple of Cincinnati's talk-show circuit and its main sports venues — not to mention the JumboTron in Cincinnati's central hub.
"From a park dedication to being the honorary captain at a Cincinnati Reds game, I knew from the start that my city had my back," he told MTV News. "The city embraced my cause and helped me push my name to the top. No other MTV TJ candidate felt the love and support of a city as much as I did, and I'm so thankful for that."
The winner of the MTV TJ search will be chosen by you, so tune in to MTV or MTV.com on August 8 at 10 p.m. ET to vote for your favorite candidate!
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By Fernanda Diaz
Xavier Moreno
Photo: MTV
Xavier by day and "DJ X" by night, Xavier Moreno, 24, is one of the five finalists competing for a $100,000 contract to become MTV's first-ever Twitter Jockey.
It's a good thing that he already has the fast-paced "jockey" part down.
"As a DJ, I have to be able to know what the crowd wants way before they even realize it," he tells MTV News from his new home base in Atlanta.
And it's that desire to make a crowd happy — not to mention the fact that his ideal DJ set includes "anything from Passion Pit, Jay-Z and Red Hot Chili Peppers to Katy Perry" — that helped him break 2,000 Twitter followers and reach the final five.
MTV, with the help of ZYNC from American Express, chose Xavier as one of the 20 social-media enthusiasts in the running for a job as MTV's very first TJ. Over the last six weeks, the candidates took part in challenges that tested everything from their skills at growing their Twitter followers to their ability to break an unsigned band.
Although Xavier's 2,098 Twitter followers boosted his standing in the TJ contest, his number-one supporter was always his wife, who he's known since high school and who he proposed to in front of 10,000 people during one of his shows.
Of course, she'll be there on Sunday, August 8, as all five candidates face off during the finale in New York City.
The winner of the MTV TJ search will be chosen by you, so tune in to MTV or MTV.com on August 8 at 10 p.m. ET to vote for your favorite candidate!
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By Fernanda Diaz
Dannielle Owens-Reed
Photo: MTV
Dannielle Owens-Reed is a 24-year-old blogger who just moved to Brooklyn. Big deal, right? Well, actually, she kind of is.
Dannielle is one of the five finalists competing for the title of MTV's first-ever Twitter Jockey, but she's no stranger to the world of social media success.
After racking up 6 million page views on her two blogs, Lesbians Who Look Like Justin Bieber and Everyone Is Gay, only five months after she created them, you could say she's a verified Internet master.
That's one of the reasons that MTV, with the help of ZYNC from American Express — and the many fans who nominated her on ZYNC's Facebook page — chose Dannielle as one of the 20 social-media enthusiasts competing for a $100,000 contract to become MTV's first-ever Twitter Jockey. Over the last six weeks, the candidates took part in challenges that tested everything from their skills at growing their Twitter followers to their ability to break an unsigned band.
Dannielle rocked the challenges with a quiet bravado, letting followers into the mind of a Britney-loving cat girl in the midst of a move from Chicago to New York.
And yet, she's not sure whether she's bigger than her blogs yet: "I feel like my LWLLJB is super famous, but no one knows who I am," she told MTV News.
It's certain that if people don't know her yet, they will when the five TJ candidates face off during the finale in New York City, which will be broadcast live on August 8 at 10 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV.com.
The winner of the MTV TJ search will be chosen by you, so tune in to MTV or MTV.com on August 8 at 10 p.m. ET to vote for your favorite candidate!
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By Mawuse Ziegbe
Simon Cowell, Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi
Photo: FOX
Talk show queen and comedienne Ellen DeGeneres has announced that she will no longer be a judge on the amateur talent juggernaut "American Idol." After sitting down at the judges' panel for just one season, the star cited a packed schedule and her aversion to hurting contestants feelings as reasons for her departure.
"Dim the lights...I've voted myself off American Idol," the star tweeted on Thursday (July 29). In a statement posted on her website, revealed that she broke the news to "Idol" producers months ago, writing "this didn't feel like the right fit for me."
"I told them I wouldn't leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next," DeGeneres continued in the statement. "It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for. I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on 'Idol' and I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be."
The comedienne was announced as the new face on the judging panel in September 2009 after longtime judge Paula Abdul left the show. DeGeneres made her "Idol" debut in February to mixed reviews.
"We love Ellen and understand and support her decision to bow out of 'Idol,'" Peter Rice, Chairman of Entertainment, Fox Networks Group said in a statement to MTV News. "We were fortunate to receive the humor, energy and love for talent that she brought to the show."
"I loved Ellen's passion for the artists and her nurturing skills," "Idol" creator and executive producer Simon Fuller added. "She brought honesty and optimism to our judging panel and I will miss her greatly."
"We will miss Ellen, she has been the consummate professional throughout her time on the show, and she'll always be part of the 'American Idol' family," said "Idol" executive producer, Cecile Frot-Coutaz.
DeGeneres' departure follows the exit of famously blunt judge, Simon Cowell who recently wrapped up his tenure on the show during the ninth season of "Idol."
Are you surprised Ellen is leaving "Idol"? Who should replace her? Tell us in the comments!
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By Jocelyn Vena
Ellen DeGeneres and Randy Jackson
Photo: FOX
Barely an hour after news broke that Ellen DeGeneres will be leaving "American Idol", after just one season at the judges' table, someone who has long been saying he'd be a great judge on the show -- Perez Hilton -- shared his thoughts on the matter with MTV News.
"Ellen DeGeneres is a very funny lady and also extremely smart. She knew -- and the audience knew #8212; that 'Idol' was not the right fit for her, so she wisely extricated herself from the show," Hilton told MTV News in an e-mail. "Idol is in an extremely precarious situation right now, with viewer excitement at incredibly low levels and a judges panel that is missing Simon Cowell and someone to get people talking."
Hilton has never been shy to voice his opinion in the past on his blog and in the media and he added that it wouldn't change if he were asked to join the show, even suggesting that Jessica Simpson, who has been rumored to join the show as a judge, would work perfectly with him.
"Obviously I think I'd be great in that role," he said. "Plus, if they hire Jessica Simpson too, there'd definitely be lots of fireworks between us! She'd be my Paula!"
Hilton's comments echoed DeGeneres' statement posted on her website late Thursday (July 27). In which DeGeneres revealed that she broke the news to "Idol" producers months ago, writing "this didn't feel like the right fit for me."
Would you like Jessica to play Paula to Perez's Simon on "American Idol"? Tell us in the comments!
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By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Michael Cera
Photo: MTV News
The news surrounding the alleged "Arrested Development" movie continues to be as back-and-forth as a Wimbledon tennis match. Despite a fanbase almost more obsessive than those at last week's Comic-Con, the movie has had its ups and downs, with the latest news announced by way of creator Mitch Hurwitz, who confirmed recently that work on the movie's script had begun.
Now, straight from the mouth of George-Michael himself, Michael Cera, who graced MTV News with his presence during our Comic-Con live stream last week, we have further confirmation that the film will indeed happen. And Cera also told us about his hopes and dreams for his character's quirky arc.
"I hope it will happen soon," he said. "I think it's going to ... soon, hopefully." But like every other cast member who has been approached about the subject, Cera didn't have much more to say about the planned production. "I know so little about it," he admitted.
Cera did briefly indulge our suggestion that he and cast members Jeffrey Tambor and Jason Bateman should just shoot the film while they're all in San Diego for the convention — he laughed and said that idea "would be great" — but referenced his character's continued awkwardness as a starting point upon which Hurwitz should focus some character evolution.
"I want to pitch Mitch Hurwitz this thing where, if we do do the movie, my character over the years has turned into kind of a creepy guy. I'm still in love with my cousin and leaving flowers on her door, and all the members of the family are like, 'What is going on? It's been years now. ...' "
Cera appears to have grown tired of playing that side of George-Michael, which leaves the field open for suggestions on what trouble he may or may not find himself in once/if the movie officially begins production.
Do you think the "Arrested Development" movie will ever happen? What should happen with Cera's character, George-Michael? Tell us in the comments!
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By Shaheem Reid
Eminem
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
His reign at the top is not short like leprechauns, but long like scowling giants: Eminem is enjoying his fifth weekwith the top-selling album in the country. Wednesday, on the set of Lloyd Banks' "Any Girl" video, G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo said the key to Em's success is simple and obvious: He has a very loyal fanbase.
"Congratulations, man," Lloyd Banks said. "Damn! I don't even know what else to say. I know he's happy and I'm happy for him. It's big. He might do six weeks or seven weeks [at #1]. Em has a cult following and they ain't gonna turn their backs on him. He's gonna shine on the darkest day. I think he wasn't never afraid to bring people into his life, [but] at the same time you don't see Em. You don't see [him on] reality shows, you don't see him as much; you see him through his music. He brings you into his life. You know about his wife, his kids, his best friend. On that last album, he touched on a lot of those topics and other personal things he had going on, too. A lot of people can relate to it. I feel like his music is getting more and more powerful. The messages are bigger. With me touring and going all around, you actually see it. I just hope I get a record with him real soon."
"Eminem is like the godfather of the hip-hop game," Yayo said. "In a time like this, when records are not selling, he's the only one that is selling. You know, Drake and all the other ones [did well], but Em did [close to] 800,000 his first week, and he's #1 for the fifth week. It's incredible. I think he has a faithful fan base of people who have been following him for years. They're not going to stop following him and not stop listening to his music. Em said he didn't like his last album as much as this one. You can hear the difference. I like both of the albums. '3 a.m.' is one of my joints. But Eminem has followers that's gonna mess with him until the day he dies."
Are you one of Eminem's faithful? Sound off in the comments below!
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