Tag: Things That Make Us Go Hmm (51-60 of 139)

Feb 3 2012 03:44 PM ET

Lana Del Rey makes up for past sins on 'Letterman'

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Sorry, backlash fans: Lana Del Rey wins this round.

After a certain disastrous late-night television performance (you know the one), ol’ LDR bounced back last night with an improved showing on The Late Show With David Letterman.

Once again singing her breakout hit “Video Games,” the once-wooden starlet looked to have been better oiled and more prepared for a national stage.

Also helping was the fact that the Late Show camera crew mercifully took some of the heat off of Del Rey by periodically focusing on other people, ones equipped with musical instruments and chairs.

Another possible factor for the controversial songstress’ relatively smooth outing? A confidence boost stemming from knowing that her debut effort Born to Die is in the lead for the highly coveted non-Adele top spot on the Billboard 200.

We could keep making guesses, or you could just watch the video below and rate her performance yourself:

READ FULL STORY »

Feb 1 2012 12:24 PM ET

BET bans Nicki Minaj's 'Stupid Hoe' video

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Roman Zolanski’s really done it this time.

Like Ciara and the Game before her, Nicki Minaj is seeing her latest music video — the vibrant, Hype Williams-directed “Stupid Hoe” – banned from BET.

Though the network hasn’t officially cited specific reasons behind the move, a rep confirmed to TMZ that the clip would not be airing on the channel due to its general explicit nature. Sorry, delicate BET viewers!

The single, taken from the raptrix’s forthcoming Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (out April 3), prominently features the line “you a stupid hoe,” and the bonkers video is haunted by a floating, disembodied bare booty.

If you absolutely demand to see Minaj on television, however, she will be performing this weekend at what’s in theory one of the most family-friendly venues in America, the Super Bowl. Hopefully for NBC’s sake, all booties will be draped and attached to their rightful owners.

More on EW.com:
M.I.A. gears up for Super Bowl with a new(ish) single, ‘Bad Girls’
Madonna’s Super Bowl performance will feature LMFAO, says will.i.am
Nicki Minaj bumps second album, premieres ‘Stupid Hoe’ video: Watch it here!

Jan 31 2012 10:47 PM ET

Ringo Starr talks Beatles days with Russell Brand... but is there anything we don't already know?

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Image Credit: Rob Shanahan

A trim and tan Ringo Starr regaled a select group of fans yesterday in at a SiriusXM “Town Hall” held the Troubadour in Los Angeles, to promote the release of his new studio album Ringo 2012, out today. If you didn’t know the former Beatle was 71 years old, you would not have believed it — rarely has a septuagenarian rock star looked this good. He gamely bantered with host Russell Brand, who has held back on a sex joke. “The whole day is sort of designed to elicit relentless ejaculation,” Brand told the crowd at the Troubadour before the event began. (“If I talk about relentless ejaculation now,” Brand added, apparently talking to a SiriusXM producer, “it probably won’t be part of the broadcast.”)

Sex jokes aside, a great deal of the hour-long audience Q&A — the second half of which was moderated by music producer Don Was — was spent on Beatles nostalgia, from reminiscing about their final rooftop concert (yesterday was that event’s 43rd anniversary, a fact that took Starr by surprise), all the way back to when the drummer would watch the Beatles perform before he’d joined the band. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 31 2012 02:26 PM ET

Lana Del Rey did fine on 'SNL,' says Lana Del Rey

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Image Credit: Andy Sheppard/Getty Images

Lana Del Rey is certainly no “gangster Nancy Sinatra” (or gangster anything, really), but the lady does know how to brush that dirt off her shoulder.

Her album Born to Die finally dropped today, yet many people are still having trouble getting past her much-maligned showing on Saturday Night Live, which 22.53 percent of you thought was SNL‘s worst musical outing of all time. (Ashlee Simpson “won” the poll with 54.85 percent.)

Del Rey, however, has no idea what you’re talking about.

“I actually felt good about it. I thought I looked beautiful and sang fine,” she told Rolling Stone, presumably with a straight face. “It felt OK.”

“The cast and crew said they loved it,” she added. “I know some people didn’t like it, but that’s just the way I perform, and my fans know that.”

READ FULL STORY »

Jan 26 2012 05:30 PM ET

Did Disney inadvertently spark a possible Joy Division reunion?

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Getting members from defunct bands to reassemble can be a tricky business, but Disney may have found “A Means to an End.”

It began when the company riffed off of Joy Division’s 1979 classic Unknown Pleasures for a new t-shirt, altering the black-and-white pattern from the album’s iconic cover art to resemble Mickey Mouse’s distinctly shaped head.

After garnering much attention online, the shirt was discontinued by Disney, and now the ones in circulation fetch hundreds of dollars on eBay.

But the fracas may also inspire a 3/4ths reunion for the beloved post-punk band.

READ FULL STORY »

Jan 26 2012 03:17 PM ET

Madonna's Super Bowl performance will feature LMFAO, says will.i.am

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Image Credit: Meeno

There are only nine days left until the Super Bowl, which means the window for placing party sub orders and making dignity-sacrificing bets is swiftly closing. While the game itself will likely be relatively dull (people often forget that the last time these two teams met in the Super Bowl, it was pretty deadly for three quarters), but there is already plenty of news leaking out about the big-money commercials that will be airing and also about Madonna’s much-anticipated halftime show.

Little is known about the actual content of the show itself, though we do know that it will feature Madonna. There was a set list floating around the Internet a few weeks ago that suggested it would consist of both new tunes and classic tracks from throughout her career. (That list was never verified.) It is likely that she will be joined by both Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. for a run through their new collaboration. Another source has The Voice star Cee-Lo Green making an appearance during the show. And the whole thing will apparently be bringing both pom-poms and “the gay.”

If Green, M.I.A., and Minaj all join forces with Madonna, that will make the stage awfully crowded. But according to will.i.am, Madonna is also making room for “Sexy and I Know It” hitmakers LMFAO. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 23 2012 02:55 PM ET

Occupy Wall Street is getting an album featuring Yoko Ono, Willie Nelson, Devo, and more

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What do Willie Nelson, Devo, and Third Eye Blind have in common?

Other than being giants of their respective musical eras (yeah, we said it; just try not to sing along to this), they all support the Occupy Wall Street movement.

They and many other artists will be contributing music to the benefit compilation Occupy This Album: A Compilation of Music by, for and Inspired by the Occupy Wall Street Movement and the 99%. Proceeds from the wordily titled record will go “directly towards the needs of sustaining this growing movement,” The Wrap reports.

READ FULL STORY »

Jan 19 2012 12:20 PM ET

Beyonce's parents think their daughter and Jay-Z need to chill out on the Blue Ivy Carter thing

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Image Credit: Ron Galella/Getty Images

Think young Blue Ivy Carter has been in the press too much?

Well, Beyoncé’s parents apparently agree.

The singer’s divorced parents, Tina and Mathew Knowles, have expressed concerns over how their daughter and son-in-law Jay-Z are thrusting Blue Ivy into the spotlight, according to reports.

The new grandparents, who had a heavy hand in orchestrating their daughters’ careers, think Jay and Bey need to “back off a bit and pull back on the publicity they are helping generate for that child,” a Knowles insider said yesterday.

But it looks like Blue Ivy’s parents already have things under control. At the reopening his 40/40 Club in New York last night, Jay attended without Beyoncé (or Blue Ivy, thankfully) and had his handler tell reporters, “If you ask about the baby, he’s going to walk away.”

Perhaps Grandpa and Grandma Knowles are the ones who need to “pull back” on the publicity. What about you guys — how do you come down on Jayoncé’s parenting skills so far?

READ FULL STORY »

Jan 18 2012 12:45 PM ET

Astro becomes second 'X Factor' contestant to sign with L.A. Reid's Epic Records

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Image Credit: Ray Mickshaw/Fox

Is The X Factor going all American Idol on us?

The 15-year-old rapper Astro, who was eliminated from the competition on Dec. 1, has just announced that he’s inking a deal with Epic Records — just like his fellow runner-up Chris Rene did yesterday.

Astro, whose full fake name is Astronomical Kid and full real name is Brian Bradley, was an early favorite among fans thrilled by the bespectacled emcee’s preternatural talents. But the Brooklyn-based teenager eventually lost the crowd due to rampant cockiness and a televised tantrum, during which he pouted, “I really don’t want to perform, I feel it’s unnecessary.”

After Astro’s run ended, many wondered whether he’d get picked up by one of his own idols, namely Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. But L.A. Reid — who mentored Astro on the show and also runs Epic — took the bait instead. Maybe the real way for X Factor contestants to win a record contract is to impress Reid?

How about you, reader — are you impressed by the one-two punch of Chris Rene and Astro getting major-label deals? Do you think Astro will live up to his hype? And are there any other contestants you’d like to see get signed? We know you’re out there, Rachel Crow Nation!

Read more:
‘X Factor’ runner-up Chris Rene signs record deal with Epic — EXCLUSIVENicole Scherzinger performs new song ‘Pretty’ on ‘The X Factor’; will she finally catch her break?Kris Allen working on his second album: What does he need to prove?

Jan 16 2012 11:23 AM ET

Lana Del Rey's 'SNL' performance draws criticism, counter-backlash: Watch the video here

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Though it wasn’t the most viscerally fascinating event on Saturday night (falling well behind the destruction of Tim Tebow, and Edson Barboza’s crazy-ridiculous roundhouse-kick knockout at UFC 142), Lana Del Rey’s appearance on Saturday Night Live certainly got the Twitterverse talking.

Del Rey, whose debut album Born to Die hits shelves on January 31 and who scored a veritable avalanche of blog-born buzz with her 2011 single “Video Games” (which made EW’s year-end top 10 list), performed two songs on the Daniel Radcliffe-hosted episode. Clad in a white dress, Del Rey seemed nervous and vocally shaky as she rolled through “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans.” Check out the latter below. READ FULL STORY »

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