Black Mountain brought “Old Fangs” — and most importantly, “Old Fangs”’s sweet organ riff — to Late Night last night. But the best part may be watching the girls in baby doll tops gently nodding their heads behind the band:
‘I think my biggest thing was the first episode … I really came in with a bang,’ she tells MTV News of season-five appearance.
By Jocelyn Vena
Kristin Cavallari
Photo: Christina Garibaldi/ MTV News
Kristin Cavallari entered “The Hills” like a human storm during one of the show’s most pivotal episodes. Just as Speidi were finally set to tie the knot for real (and Lauren Conrad to say a final farewell), Cavallari walked into the church and the MTV reality series hasn’t been the same since.
Not only has the blond star managed, in just under two seasons, to make moves on both Justin Bobby and her ex Brody Jenner, but she also stirred up trouble with Justin’s on-again, off-again GF Audrina Patridge, as well as with Brody’s ladies Jayde and McKaela. (Kristin even had a little hookup with gal pal Stacie.) So between falling in love and making enemies, we wondered what stood out the most to Kristin. MTV News asked the show’s leading lady to give us her most memorable “Hills” moment.
“Gosh, top moment … I think I had a couple,” she told us, recalling her rooftop fight with Audrina over Justin during the premiere episode of the second half of season five. “I think my biggest thing was the first episode where I really came in with a bang,” she laughed. “And it was like, ‘All right, clearly I’m back.’ ”
These days, everything’s fine between Kristin and Audrina; the two ladies managed to kiss and make up, so to speak. However, one lady Cavallari said she wishes she’d never actually kissed is her bartender pal.
“I think that’s sort of my I-wish-I-didn’t moment was when I made out with Stacie in Vegas,” she explained. “That was one episode I had to call my dad and say, ‘Dad, sorry — this is going to be your least favorite episode.’ ”
It was a moment that not only surprised viewers at home, but her father too. “He was like, ‘Oh, great,’ and then when he called me — sometimes he’ll call me after every episode just to talk about it — he didn’t say one word about the episode. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. … It’s probably a bad thing,” she laughed.
Despite that one regret, Cavallari admitted she’s never been shy about her bad-girl ways. In fact, she always fully embraces them, right through to “The Hills” series finale on Tuesday.
“I think it’s funny,” she laughed about her carefree attitude when it comes to boys and, well, girls. “Honestly, I think it’s fun to play the bad girl, and no one remembers the nice girl, you know?”
Are you sad to see “The Hills” coming to an end. What’s your favorite Kristin moment from the series? Tell us in the comments!
Join MTV News all week as we look back at the best of “The Hills” and celebrate the series finale with the cast on Tuesday, July 13.
Related Videos
‘American Idol’ wasn’t Kat’s first reality competition, she reveals on Saturday’s episode.
By MTV News staff
Katharine McPhee
Photo: MTV News
The world got to know Katharine McPhee in 2006 as a sweet-voiced breakout star on “American Idol” who ended up coming in second place. But as the now-26-year-old singer reveals on the upcoming episode of MTV’s “When I Was 17,” airing Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV, she popped up on another reality-TV competition back in her teenage years.
“When I was 17, I went on this show called ‘Ed McMahon’s Next Big Star,’ ” she said. “It was this competition, and, oh gosh, it was awful. And I didn’t even win! I never win those competitions. It sucks!”
It also seems like McPhee didn’t always like competition with her friends either. As a high school senior, she was elected student body vice president, and ended up brawling with her best friend, who just so happened to be the school’s prez. The dispute came about over a disagreement on the school’s budget — specifically, whether their homecoming ceremony should be capped off by a massive fireworks display.
“She’s like, ‘I think we should skip the fireworks this year,’ ” McPhee said of her friend. “And I was like, ‘Skip the fireworks? That’s the best part of the entire homecoming. Everyone looks forward to it.’ She’s like, ‘It’s a waste of money. We’re not doing it.’ I’m like, ‘Excuse me, this is a dictatorship? I see how this is.’
“We got into this really big fight and — I was so angry — I got up and she was standing by the door and I just rushed out the door and I brushed by her shoulder,” McPhee continued. “She thought I intentionally rammed into her shoulder. We’re in a catfight, and I was screaming hysterically, ‘Stay away from me! Stay away from me!’ because I was so angry, I was so upset.”
Don’t miss “When I Was 17″ — this week featuring Kat McPhee, Bret Michaels and Kevin Jonas — Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV.
Related Videos
Related Photos
Gaga says fashion photographer Steven Klein understands her ‘love of the lie in art.’
By James Dinh
Lady Gaga
Photo: Anita Bugge/ Getty Images
If there’s anything we’ve come to expect from Lady Gaga’s music videos, it’s that they’ll be outrageous, unpredictable and full of avant-garde fashion. And with her upcoming video for “Alejandro” will be directed by fashion photographer Steven Klein, not even Gaga knows what the final product will be.
“I really don’t know what it’s going to look like until it’s finished,” the pop star told “Extra!” of her new video. Back in March, the pop star shot down rumors that the “Alejandro” video would be a continuation of her cinematic, pop-culture-crammed “Telephone” video, which was directed by Jonas Åkerlund. Instead, this sounds like a more artsy affair.
“[Steven Klein is] a very good friend of mine and I love him so much,” she said. “I have so much respect for him. And we’ve been excited to collaborate and have a fashion photographer tell us a story, the story of my music through his lens and this idea of fashion and lifestyle.”
Gaga explained that Klein — who has collaborated with Madonna on a number of photography and video projects — ultimately understands her “I am what I wear” lifestyle, making him a suitable director for the video.
“It’s all about where I’m from and love of theater and love of music and love of the lie in art, and Steven really knows and understands that,” she said. “So we’re making a beautiful video, and I’m so excited.”
Back in March, the pop star shot down rumors that the “Alejandro” video would be a continuation of the much hyped ‘Telephone’ video.
Gaga treated “American Idol” viewers to a performance of “Alejandro” Wednesday night, but after it aired, she appeared to be a little frustrated that the six-and-a-half-minute set had been edited down to five minutes.
“FOX POORLY + AMATEURLY edited+cut my performance/musical arrangement on idol. Watch real version,” she tweeted Thursday, adding links to the unedited version.
What do you want Lady Gaga to stir up for the “Alejandro” video? Let us know in the comments.
Related Photos
Related Artists
‘It’s been blown out of proportion,’ the ‘American Idol’ front-runner says at a news conference.
By Audrey Kim
Crystal Bowersox
Photo: MTV News
LOS ANGELES — Crystal Bowersox, the last lady standing on “American Idol,” wants to put an end to the reports that she almost quit the hit show.
After all the rumors, tweets and general confusion regarding a conversation she had with host Ryan Seacrest back in April, Bowersox is setting the record straight — and at the scene where all the rumors began, no less. At a news conference on the “American Idol” soundstage Friday afternoon (May 7), Bowersox turned to the media to lay the rumors to rest.
“It’s been blown out of proportion,” Bowersox said, sitting beside her fellow finalists: Michael Lynche, Lee Dewyze and Casey James. “It was a brief conversation I had with Ryan after a show. I missed my kid. I just missed my son. I never had any intention to quit. I was not angry at Ryan. It was just a brief conversation. He gave me great advice — and that was it.”
On April 18, soon after reports surfaced that Seacrest had saved Bowersox from quitting “Idol,” she tweeted about how the incident had been warped: “Media is a funny thing. Stretched and skewed and far from the truth.”
“I’m not really sure how it got out,” Bowersox continued at the news conference. “It was just a conversation between him and I. It got out, and people were like, ‘Oh, she stormed out the back door, she threw a fit, she’s angry at Ryan.’ [It was] none of that. It was a very civil, helpful conversation.”
Her conversation with Seacrest did help her affirm why she is still a contender. Bowersox said she is doing this to make her young son, who she refers to as her “little man,” proud. “I hope he’ll grow up and look back and be proud to know that his mom did everything she possibly could to make his life better.”
What do you think of Crystal’s explanation? Let us know in the comments!
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related Videos
On the other hand, the actor thinks Howard Stern would make a great judge.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi
Photo: MTV News
Neil Patrick Harris has done his time at the “American Idol” judges’ table this season. The “How I Met Your Mother” star, however, is having a hard time using his critical powers to figure out who he thinks might be the right man or woman to take over Simon Cowell’s spot next season.
“Who would be good on ‘American Idol’? The problem with that is I’m such a big fan of that show, I feel like [Simon]’s irreplaceable. I feel like whoever gets that spot has such a target on their back,” he told MTV News at the Time 100 gala in New York City.
“And Simon’s so amazing, like I almost uniformly agree with everything that he says. And I’m not saying that in a kiss-ass way. Like, when it finally gets to Simon and he says his critiques, I’m like, ‘Yes, exactly.’ ”
Harris does, however, make a case for shock-jock Howard Stern, who has casually put himself in the running for “Idol” judge. “I don’t know. I think Stern would be great,” he shared. “I think he’s adequately polarizing and has strong opinions about things in a legitimate way, and I’m a fan of Howard Stern.”
Since he already has some experience with the job, would Harris consider it himself? “Well, I’d love to do it — to make a jillion dollars to sit and tell people you liked what they sang, that’s kind of a dream job,” he said. “But, unfortunately, I’m on a different network right now, so I don’t know how CBS would feel about that.”
Who do you think would be best to take Simon’s seat on “Idol”? Tell us in the comments!
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related Photos
‘Idol cut down my performance — see the full-length performance here little monsters!’ Gaga tweeted.
By James Montgomery
Lady Gaga performs on “American Idol” Wednesday
Photo: Fox
On Wednesday night’s “American Idol” results show, Lady Gaga took to the stage to perform her latest single, taped her appearance last week, after Siobhan Magnus was eliminated from the competition, which gave “Idol” editors plenty of time to snip away.
But what scintillating, too-hot-for-TV content did they decide to ax? Why, an extended, ballad-y version of her hit “Bad Romance,” which ran about 1:15 in total length, and a few stray shots of Gaga’s posterior (usually cutting to a shot of her winsome violin player for coverage). Oh, and it appears editors also blurred out her left breast when she sprawled across the front of the stage during the “Alejandro” chorus.
Scandalous, we know. And while the link Gaga posted is kaput, the “full-length” version of “Alejandro” quickly made its way around the Internet and can currently be seen over on Perez Hilton’s site, where the blogger writes that “Idol” producers made the cuts due to “time constraints.”
MTV News’ request for comment from “American Idol” had not been answered by press time.
Gaga herself didn’t actually address the edits, but earlier, she wrote on her Twitter that she dedicated the “Idol” performance to her fans, saying, “Tune in Little Monsters, Paws up! I dedicate this performance to you. You make me strong.”
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related Photos
Related Artists
‘He’s very honest, and he’s gonna tell you straight out,’ latest castoff says of potential Simon Cowell replacement.
By Katie Byrne
Aaron Kelly
Photo: FOX
When 17-year-old Aaron Kelly started out on “American Idol,” he quickly earned comparisons to season-seven runner-up David Archuleta. What set the teen crooners apart was Kelly’s country twang, and it seemed like that secret weapon could take him all the way to the final two, just like his predecessor.
But his run to the title match was cut short after a passable performance of “Fly Me to the Moon” during Sinatra Week. So what’s next for the high schooler? We caught up with him on Thursday (May 6) to find out.
Q: The judges had some conflicting advice for you throughout the season, but you seemed to stick to your guns. Was staying true to yourself important in this competition?
Kelly: Absolutely. You don’t want to change who you are in this competition, because the people send you through from who you are in the beginning, and if you change who you are, then you’re changing the person that America fell in love with.
Q: Simon Cowell gave you an uncharacteristic hug after the results show. What did he say to you?
Kelly: He asked me what I felt my best week was, and I said Country Week. And he said that’s when I really shined. He said I just gotta figure out the kind of artist I am and the road I want to go down, and country is what I feel most content with, and I’m hoping to go down that road of country music.
Q: Was it difficult to sing after you found out you were out of the competition, or do you think you did better than during Tuesday’s performance episode?
Kelly: I didn’t get to watch it back after I had sang that night, but … I let everything go. The difference for me between Tuesday night’s performance and last night’s performance is I was over-thinking it Tuesday night, because when I go out there, I want it to be perfect. … I think, in a sense, it kind of pulls you back a little bit, because you’re trying to clean everything up, whereas Wednesday night, I just let it all go and had a great time with it.
Q: A lot of people have been critical of this season, saying the talent level isn’t as high as in previous years. What’s your response to that?
Kelly: It seems like they say that every year. These are all talented people. We’re all working very hard up there, and sometimes, when people watch the show … they think we just go up there and sing. But there’s a lot more behind the scenes that we have to go through, and it’s very difficult singing a song or a genre that you’re not very comfortable with. So it’s a very difficult task, but we’re all doing it pretty well, I think.
Q: While the older contestants only have to worry about the competition, you had to go to school during the day too. How did you balance your schoolwork with “Idol”?
Kelly: I looked at it as, the [other] contestants, they have to worry about their performance or the results, but I have to worry about astronomy, so I’m not thinking about all this stuff. I had school to take my mind off of it, so I used it as an advantage.
Q: What’s next? Will you go back to high school, or would you like to start making an album?
Kelly: I’m actually on the verge of finishing up with high school. I’ve got all of my senior credits, so after I finish that, I’ll be all finished, and then I’d love to record an album and get to do some original music, stuff that I’ve written, because we’re not allowed to do that on the show. I don’t know if people know that I write songs, but it’s also another huge passion of mine.
Q: When Rascal Flatts performed on the show last week, did you get a chance to talk to them?
Kelly: I did. I got a chance to meet them and take a picture with them, and they’re really down-to-earth guys, and that was incredible. That was one of the highlights for me, was getting to meet somebody that inspired me so much. And they thanked me for doing their music on the show. I mean, it’s an honor to do their music on the show. And it’s an honor to hear them say that, because I look up to them so much.
Q: Who was your favorite mentor to work with?
Kelly: My favorite mentor was Harry Connick Jr. He worked with us on such personal levels. He did all of the arrangements, and he worked really hard in making sure that we all shined on our performance night. Just to have a mentor that cares so much and is such an iconic figure — I mean, it’s Harry Connick Jr. He’s incredible. So it was such an honor getting to share the stage with him, and I felt really privileged to have him as a mentor.
Q: Could you see Harry replacing Simon when he’s gone next year?
Kelly: Actually, we were talking about that a little bit today. He would be a great replacement for Simon. He’s very honest, and he’s gonna tell you straight out, and I think Harry Connick would fit the bill perfectly.
Were you sad to see Aaron go? Will you listen to his post-”Idol” music? Let us know in the comments!
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related Videos
Related Photos
Michael Lynche joins him in the bottom three, despite experts predicting Casey James’ exit
By James Montgomery
Aaron Kelly on “American Idol” Wednesday
Photo: Fox
On this week’s “American Idol,” the top five went old school, tackling the time-tested songbook of Frank Sinatra. So it was perhaps not all that surprising that the show’s youngest contestant ended up getting the boot.
Yes, on Wednesday night’s (May 5) results show, voters sent 17-year-old Aaron Kelly packing, thanks largely to his shaky performance of “Fly Me to the Moon,” a timid turn that Simon Cowell rather rightfully described as “mouse” like.
Still, despite coming so close to winning it all, Kelly was all smiles when host Ryan Seacrest told him his time was up, saying, “I’ve had a great time; I’ve had a blast,” before taking one more run at “Moon” (and, to be honest, this version was much better than Tuesday night’s).
And while Kelly’s exit wasn’t exactly shocking, it was who joined him in the bottom two that raised more than a few eyebrows: Michael Lynche, the big-bodied crooner who won praise for his jazzy version of “The Way You Look Tonight,” a performance Cowell and fellow judge Ellen DeGeneres particularly liked.
In the end, Lynche survived, and joined Lee Dewyze — a lock to advance after his swinging, swaggering take on “That’s Life” — Crystal Bowersox and, somewhat surprisingly, Casey James, in the top four.
James had been most “Idol” experts’ pick to get the boot on Wednesday, following an awkward version of “Blue Skies.” And yet, he avoided elimination yet again (maybe it had something to do with his scruffy, sorta-beard).
Earlier in the show, Lady Gaga — who wore black (lace) in keeping with the classy, Sinatra vibe of the show — strutted through a performance of her current single “Alejandro,” and Sinatra Week mentor Harry Connick Jr. crooned his way through a version of the Lennon/McCartney classic “And I Love Her” (from his new album of covers, Your Songs) and w was joined by the remaining “Idol” hopefuls through a medley of his own hits.
Next week, frequent “Idol” collaborator Jamie Foxx will help guide the top four through some of Hollywood’s best-known movie music.
Were you bummed to see Aaron go? Let us know in the comments.
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related Photos
Related Artists
Pop star starts over-the-top performance with a slowed-down snippet of ‘Bad Romance.’
By Larry Carroll
Lady Gaga performs on “American Idol” Wednesday
Photo: Fox
She’s one of the hottest musical acts at the moment, an endlessly fascinating performer who has enough tricks up her sleeve to possibly outlast the long list of flavors of the month who have similarly skyrocketed to the top of the charts. On Wednesday night (May 5), “American Idol” officially went Gaga.
“This is a woman who’s dominating the charts and pushing the pop-culture envelope,” Ryan Seacrest said in his gushing introduction of Lady Gaga.
With that, America’s most popular TV show became a showcase for one of its most unique talents. Taking to the stage with a large ensemble of backup dancers in a pre-taped performance, Lady Gaga sang the newest single from The Fame Monster, a Spanish-influenced number called “Alejandro.” Gaga started out at the piano for a slowed-down snippet of “Bad Romance.”
Dressed in a revealing-but-veiled black outfit that might be appropriate for a woman attending a stripper’s funeral, Gaga wielded a cape and was surrounded by a team of shirtless dancers. Halfway through the performance, she shed her cape and began writhing on the floor.
“Alejandro, let me go,” she sang. “You know that I love you, boy/ Hot like Mexico, rejoice.”
Over in one corner of the stage, a statue of the Virgin Mary had flames pouring out of the top of it, in something that felt straight out of Madonna’s repertoire in her prime. Smoke filled the stage while the songstress performed a highly choreographed dance routine.
The “Idol” crowd seemed appreciative of the spectacle, welcoming her with opening arms and cheering throughout the performance.
Gaga taped the performance after last week’s elimination show, when Siobhan Magnus got the boot.
What did you think of Gaga’s performance? Let us know in the comments!
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related Artists
