Demi Lovato Continues the Fight Against Bullying

SXSW Surprise: Mark Wahlberg Sits In On Seth MacFarlane Panel

MacFarlane and Wahlberg discuss their forthcoming live-action collaboration 'Ted' at the SXSW Film Festival.
By Kara Warner


Mark Wahlberg at "A Conversation with Seth MacFarlane" during SXSW
Photo: Getty Images

The talent booked for the "A Conversation With" panels at this year's annual South by Southwest Film Festival were big enough draws to warrant very long lines of fans and hopeful attendees eager to spend an hour and a half with the likes of Joss Whedon and Seth MacFarlane. Whedon's panel delivered a few fun newsy bites about "Marvel's The Avengers" and his surprise adaptation of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing."

MacFarlane's panel took the surprise element to the next level in presenting the enthusiastic audience with eight minutes of footage from his upcoming live-action directorial debut, "Ted," as well as the very raunchy red band and the very special guest appearance of star Mark Wahlberg.

The "Family Guy" mastermind and "Fighter" star spoke enthusiastically about their shared experiences making the R-rated buddy/ semi-romantic comedy, which revolves around the friendship between a grown man (Wahlberg) and his childhood best friend, a magical talking teddy bear (voiced by MacFarlane), and how that gets in the way of his romantic relationship with girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis).

MTV News was lucky enough to chat with MacFarlane and surprise guest Wahlberg after their very well-received panel on Sunday, during which their mutual admiration for each other along with their genuine love for the film were obvious.

"He was a huge pain in the ass, man, he asked for $70 million, the bastard," MacFarlane joked about the difficulties in getting the actor/producer to sign on.

"I only got $65 [million]," Wahlberg countered. "Sometimes you gotta make compromises in this economy."

"This was a natural fit from the get-go," MacFarlane said about their partnership, before being interrupted by a noisy bird squawking in the tree overhead.

"What the f--- kind of animal was that?" Wahlberg asked, causing MacFarlane to bust out in laughter. "First I thought it was Henry. I've never heard that kind of squeak ... it's up there somewhere."

"Do you all have spider monkeys here in Austin?" MacFarlane joked, before getting back to explaining why Wahlberg was the perfect choice for the lead role.

"It was a good fit from the get-go. It's a balance tonally for the script, it had to be funny and at the same time it had to be real," he said. "It was kind of a comedic tightrope. It was a very contemporary style of comedy and on top of all that, the actor was going to have to interact with empty space most of the time.

"The thespian," Wahlberg corrected.

"Yeah, the thespian," MacFarlane said with a smile. "This guy just knocked it out of the park."

"I just fell in love with the script," Wahlberg admitted about what interested him in playing opposite a CG teddy bear to begin with. "I read the script before I had the opportunity to meet with Seth and before, I think, there was any interest from him in me playing the role. Even the premise, it all depends on who's telling you the premise because it could sound really great or really ridiculous. As soon as I read the script, literally 30 pages in, I forgot that it was a teddy bear. I loved the relationship between these two guys and also the relationship with the female character, Mila's character."

And while there are plenty of sweet, warm, fuzzy moments between the two best friends, this is a Seth MacFarlane movie, so there are just as many outrageous moments that will have audiences rolling in the aisles.

"Mark gets into a pretty full-on 'Bourne Identity'-esque fistfight with his teddy bear, which is definitely something I don't think people have seen before," MacFarlane revealed.

"I think what's pretty outrageous as well is that the teddy bear is having sex with the checkout girl at the back of the supermarket on top of a bunch of fresh produce, and instead of getting terminated, he gets a promotion because of it," Wahlberg added.

"It does happen."

Wahlberg and MacFarlane's live-action collaboration "Ted" opens in theaters nationwide on July 13.

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/1680866/sxsw-mark-wahlberg-seth-macfarlane.jhtml

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The-Dream Takes Aim At Weeknd, Shuts It Down On Tour

Def Jam singer/producer blazed into New York City on Monday on his Kill the Lights Tour, igniting an R&B beef along the way.
By Rebecca Thomas


The-Dream
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — When you think about it, it's only fitting that Maybach Music MCs Wale, Meek Mill and Stalley held court on Monday night as The-Dream rocked the second of a two-night run at SOB's. Among the ranks of R&B crooners, few have more rap swag than Mr. Terius Nash: From the Roc-A-Fella chain to the vintage throwback jerseys, the singer laced up, slinging NBA metaphors like any good rap star. Then, as if to solidify his credentials, he waded into an R&B beef with the Weekend.

When Dream visited our "RapFix Live" late last month, the Love King told host Sway that he had no conflict with Drake's enigmatic homey. "No, it's not a beef record to the Weeknd," The-Dream insisted after a fan tweeted asking about subliminals in his "Ghetto," from his 1977 mixtape. Fans have been quick to draw comparisons between the Grammy winner and the upstart for their atmospheric singing and production styles.

With destination blog Rap Radar hosting the proceedings, it was hard to believe the Georgia crooner hadn't given the Weeknd a lyrical left-hook. "See I created this sound/ Yes, sir, I shut it down / There's only one #1 / These other n---as are my sons," he sang before the sound dropped out for an emphatic pause.

The Toronto singer wasted no time, responding with a few Twitter lashes in the wee hours on Tuesday morning (March 13): "I was raised old fashioned, you get at me, i get at you... ain't no sideways sh-- about it."

The Weeknd wasn't the only one who came under fire though on a balmy Monday night in NY. Dream opened with the beautifully layered kiss-off " Wake Me When It's Over," widely perceived to be a missive aimed at his ex-wife, singer Christina Milian. "You knew it was over / I knew it was over," he sang before alluding to tabloid pictures that showed the still-married Dream splashing on a beach with a lady friend back in 2010.

When he wasn't airing folks out, The-Dream kept at it, making the case for R&B, a genre pronounced dead more times than we care to count. The soft-spoken Def Jam artist alluded as well to his two-year hiatus from the stage, explaining that he was getting back on his square. He treated the room — filled with as many fellas as there were ladies — to standouts from 1977, including the addictive "Wedding Crasher" and "Used to Be."

If there was any complaint about the intimate show, it's that an artist of Dream's caliber is more than ready for backup singers over the backing tracks that sometimes threatened to overpower his vocals.

After a wardrobe quick change from his Chicago Bulls ensemble, the newly trim Dream returned in a fitted leather and New York Knicks jersey combo. Launching into crowd faves like "Shawty Is a 10," "Falsetto," "Walking on the Moon" and "Fancy," the singer showcased his Prince-inflected flow.

A Kim Kardashian lookalike got a personal treat, as Dream pulled her onstage and grinded her through a ... slow seduction. He didn't hesitate to profess his love for the female anatomy either, in straight graphic terms.

"I love makin' records," Dream told the crowd. But it's getting to share them live that's truly inspiring, he admitted before shutting it down with the ladies' anthem "Rockin' That Thang."

Share your reviews of The-Dream show in the comments or tweet us @MTVRapFix!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1680982/dream-weeknd-beef-new-york-show.jhtml

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Leighton Meester Muses on Life, Looks Pretty in Marie Claire


Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester made plenty of news with her TV character's nuptials this winter, but she says she may never walk down the aisle in real life.

"I'm not sure I ever want to get married," the 25-year-old tells Marie Claire in its new cover story. "The only time a relationship is good is if you really love them."

"I don't want to hang out with some guy I just like."

Leighton in Marie Claire

It's been five years since Meester first set foot on the Gossip Girl set, and in that time, she says she's become much less naive about love and life.

"I'm a totally different person than when I started. I'm growing into an adult," she says.

"I feel more mature than most people my age. I’m having this weird growth spurt. I'm starting to see my future differently. I'm getting ready for it."

Meester refused to let her parents' mistakes - both her mom and dad served time in federal prison for drug trafficking offenses - define her life.

"My family has a crazy history," the actress says. "Probably the craziest I've heard of."

I look back now and see it in a nice light," she says of growing up in Marco Island, Fla. "It wasn’t uncomplicated. But I played outside. I went to the beach."

"There were happy, fun times. You can take what is handed to you and use it as an excuse to mess up. But I've always handled what was given to me by life."

"I consider myself lucky. I was never lied to. And I was loved."

Check out Marie Claire's Leighton Meester pictures below:

Miss MeesterLeighton Meester Marie Claire CoverLeighton in Black and WhiteLoving LeightonThe Lovely LeightonMeester in Marie Claire

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/03/leighton-meester-muses-on-life-looks-pretty-in-marie-claire/

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Channing and Jonah Crack Up and Party at SXSW For 21 Jump Street

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill took their 21 Jump Street to the SXSW festival in Austin yesterday. The guys threw on their cop uniforms for an afternoon Q&A with their costars Rob Riggle and Dave Franco, and continued wearing the getups for a p.m. premiere and afterparty. Channing made the rounds with his wife Jenna Dewan. In our recent interview with the stars, Channing said he loves Jonah more than any other previous costar, except of course Jenna, who was his leading lady in Step Up. Reviews for 21 Jump Street so far are amazing, and we'll see if it's able to top reigning box office champ The Lorax this weekend.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/popsugar/~3/cDzO24LUv_k/Channing-Tatum-Jonah-Hill-Pictures-SXSW-2012-22178600

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Katy Perry To Perform At Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards

Pop star is also up for three awards, including Favorite Song ('Firework') and Favorite Female Singer.
By John Mitchell


Katy Perry
Photo: Theo Wargo/ Getty Images

Katy Perry is one of the top nominees at the 25th annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, and she's just announced that she'll also take the stage at USC's Galen Center to perform at the awards show on March 31.

The pop star, whose Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection special edition album hits stores March 27, is enjoying yet another hit with her new single "Part of Me," which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 last month. The song is Perry's seventh career chart-topper.

One of her biggest hits, "Firework," is up for the Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Song. She is also nominated for Favorite Female Singer and Favorite Voice in an Animated Movie for her role in "The Smurfs."

"Katy Perry has doubly earned her position as kid favorite — through her music, of course — but also for reveling in an outrageous sliming on the show two years ago," Marjorie Cohn, president of Original Programming and Development at Nickelodeon, said in a statement. "She works hard and plays hard, and that's what makes her performance on the KCAs one to look forward to."

Perry will join host Will Smith and a powerhouse roster of celebrity presenters, including Chris Rock, Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Zac Efron, Victoria Justice, Big Time Rush and Cee Lo Green. Red-hot boy-band sensation One Direction is also performing at the show.

Fans can now vote on who takes home the famous blimp award on the KCA website and on Nick's Facebook page. New this year, fans will also be able to vote for their favorite nominees on Twitter through the use of custom hashtags. Get all the info you need to support your favorite stars on Nick.com. The Kids' Choice Awards air on Nickelodeon on Saturday, March 31, at 8 p.m.

Whom are you voting for at the Kids' Choice Awards? Let us know in the comments section!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1680908/katy-perry-perform-nickelodeon-kids-choice-awards.jhtml

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