Celebrity Dirt by Ugly V

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Mary J. Blige Dishes On Her 'Crazy' Led Zeppelin Covers

'I've listened to their music since I was a child,' says the R&B diva, who recorded 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love.'
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Larry Carroll

You wouldn't peg Mary J Blige as the black-light-and-tapestry sort, but, as has become readily apparent in recent weeks, she absolutely loves Led Zeppelin. In early February, reports began circulating that <a href="/news/articles/1631297/mary-j-blige-records-led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven.jhtml">Blige had re-recorded Zeppelin's classic "Stairway to Heaven,"</a> working with Travis Barker, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and guitarist Steve Vai on the track, which is slated to appear on the international reissue of her Stronger With Each Tear album, due Monday. <div style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float:left;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:491065" width="256" height="223" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashVars="configParams=instance%3Dnews%26vid%3D491065" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed></div> But after she had recorded "Stairway," Blige continued to get the Led out, covering another Zeppelin classic — the thunderous "Whole Lotta Love" — for the album too. And when MTV News caught up with her on the Essence Black Women in Hollywood red carpet, she told us all about channeling her inner Robert Plant for the tracks, a process that came much easier than you'd probably imagine. "I did Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love' — it's crazy," she said. "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I'm not going to say I've been to their concerts, but I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Whole Lotta Love' is just fun." Blige also said she recorded another new song — a "club record" called "I Can't Wait" — for the re-release. And while it's only slated to hit shelves outside the U.S., she hopes her fans will get a chance to hear all the new songs pretty soon. "I want y'all to hear it," she laughed.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Simon Cowell Squashes Beyonce, Mariah Carey 'X Factor' Rumors

Judge also takes shot at 'The Voice,' asking, 'How many artists have they discovered?'
By John Mitchell

Simon Cowell is finally opening up about the cast shakeups on "The X Factor" as well as about rumors that two very famous divas are in talks to join Fox's reality singing competition. <div class="player-placeholder right" title="Simon Cowell Compares The British And U.S. Versions Of 'X Factor'" id="vid:698604.id:1672066" width="240" height="211"></div> Late last month, it was announced that judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones had been <a href="/news/articles/1678191/paula-abdul-exits-x-factor.jhtml">id="1678191">fired from "X Factor"</a> and would be replaced in its second season. The announcement came as a shock to fans, but Cowell tells <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/simon-cowell-x-factor-firings-voice-287806" target="_blank">"Extra"</a> in an interview airing Wednesday (February 8) that the decision was a long time coming and was ultimately made "at the beginning of the year — and we were told it had to happen straight away." While her dismissal came as a surprise, Cowell says Abdul "was very gracious" about it. "She understands it's business," Cowell said of his real-life friend. "It's never personal." Scherzinger, according to Cowell, was "disappointed" with the producers' decision to replace her. But the former Pussycat Doll insisted in a new <a href="http://www.accesshollywood.com/nicole-scherzinger-talks-x-factor-departure-i-have-no-regrets_article_60184" target="_blank">"Access Hollywood"</a> interview that she "had a wonderful experience on the show." "What happened? Well, all I know is that I gave 110 percent to that show," she said. "I know everybody's talking about it, they're saying good, bad, they love me or hate me, but the one thing you can't say is that I didn't give it my all." Cowell also used his time with "Extra" to squash rumors that Beyoncé or Mariah Carey might be joining the "X Factor" team when it returns to Fox later this year. He seemed particularly amused by <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/08/idUS114237084820120208" target="_blank">talk</a> that the show was offering Beyoncé a nine-figure contract to join the judges' table. "The budget for the show is $100 million. That would never ever happen. It's absolute nonsense," he told "Extra." "No one is going to pay $100 million for someone. I genuinely haven't had a conversation with her about it. Not at all." The same can be said for Carey, who Cowell said he likes very much and would be a fine addition to the show but is an impractical choice because of the long hours involved. "I adore her, love her," he said. "But you can't expect someone who has just had two kids [and] has a record career to make the kind of commitment we would need on this show." "X Factor" did not perform as strongly as expected in the ratings last fall, which many feel precipitated the planned revamp, though the ever-cool Cowell is not sweating the competition. In this latest interview, Cowell took on "The Voice," which returned to NBC after the Super Bowl and delivered big ratings, saying the makeup of his judging panel is what sets "X Factor" apart. "I would ask how many records have they made, how many artists have they discovered?" Cowell asked of "The Voice" mentors Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. "That's where we have to be different on the judging panel. It's very important that you have people on the panel that have actually signed and made artists successful all over the world, not just have made hit records yourself."

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Lady Gaga - Born This Way (A Very Gaga Thanksgiving)

Born This Way (A Very Gaga Thanksgiving)

Artist: Lady Gaga
Label: Streamline/Kon Live/Interscope
Director: Lady Gaga
Album: Album

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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Photos | MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Celebrity Skrillex Makeovers!

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Khloe Kardashian Kovers Kosmo Sex Issue, Talks Naked Cooking

Khloe Kardashian covers the Sex Issue of Cosmopolitan this month, which is funny for two reasons:

Isn't every issue of Cosmopolitan the Sex Issue?
Is Khloe Kardashian the first person you think of - heck, the first person you think of in her own family - when you think of sex?

In an interview with the publication, the reality star dishes on everything from weigh gain to naked cooking. Read on a few excerpts:

On Kris Jenner, Momager: “Listen, my mom believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. But she is also our manager and trying to protect our brand. She’ll say, ‘Oh, you’re a little too fat right now.’ If she were just my manager, I’d have fired her right then. You can’t talk to me like that.”

What kind gestures does she perform for husband Lamar Odom? "I cook for him naked."

Will she ever be a mother? "Lamar and I definitely want kids, and when it happens for us, it will happen."

Jesse Metcalfe Jessica Alba Jessica Simpson