01/02/2012
Britney Spears, Jason Trawick: A Timeline Of Their Love1676167
The couple started dating in 2009 while Trawick was still Britney's agent.
By Jocelyn Vena
Jason Trawick and Britney Spears
Photo: WireImage
Months ago, rumors began circulating that Britney Spears and longtime boyfriend Jason Trawick were going to tie the knot. And on Friday (December 16), sources close to the pair and a mysterious tweet from the star herself confirmed that the couple is engaged.
Trawick had already been working with the star as her agent at William Morris Endeavor Entertainment when they began dating in 2009. They went public with their romance when they showed up hand-in-hand to the 2010 Grammy Awards. That May, the two decided to separate their business and personal relationships, and it was confirmed that Trawick would no longer be representing Spears. The pair have always been pretty low-key. In an interview with Ryan Seacrest this March, the pop star opened up about their life together. "We're really normal," she said. "We just like to watch movies; we work out a lot; we take walks." In May, Spears told Harper's Bazaar, "I've thought about both [marriage and kids]," saying that tying the knot with Trawick could happen "if the timing was right." And in an interview with Us Weekly in April, Spears gushed about life with Trawick. "We have such a great time together! He makes me laugh, and we are so comfortable being ourselves," she said. "Maybe [I'll marry again]. Never say never!"
In August, Spears and Trawick walked the red carpet at the 2011 MTV VMAs, and Britney later thanked Trawick when she took the stage to accept her Moonman for Best Pop Video for "Till the World Ends." While the two have remained relatively private, they gave fans a peek at their personal life when they played the lead roles in Britney's "Criminal" video. The video focuses on a fictional love affair between their characters, who go on a crime spree that leads to a steamy encounter. Director Chris Marrs Piliero said Trawick "killed it." This will be Britney's third marriage. She was married to Jason Alexander for 55 hours in 2004. Later that year, she married back-up dancer Kevin Federline; the two divorced in 2006. Federline and Spears have two sons, Jayden James and Sean Preston. A rep for the singer has yet to confirm the news of this latest engagement to MTV News. Send your well-wishes to Britney and Jason in the comments.
Related ArtistsChris Cornell Filling In For Robert Plant On Led Zeppelin Tour? That's News To Him1598367
'I have not been approached to fill in for Robert Plant on the Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be,' singer says.
By Chris Harris
Chris Cornell
Photo: MTV News
Former SoundgardenSoundgarden and AudioslaveAudioslave frontman Chris CornellChris Cornell has spoken out for the first time about rumors that he's been asked to fill in for Robert PlantRobert Plant on a proposed Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin reunion tour. The trek would feature original guitarist Jimmy Page, original bassist John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham taking over on drums for his late father, John Bonham. Cornell has been mentioned — along with Foo FightersFoo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, former Van HalenVan Halen frontman Sammy HagarSammy Hagar, White StripesWhite Stripes mastermind Jack White and Alter BridgeAlter Bridge's Myles Kennedy — as a potential Plant fill-in. Plant has already said that he wouldn't take part in the tour.
"I have not been approached so far to fill in for Robert Plant on the upcoming Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be," Cornell told MTV News. "I've heard that from about 200 people now, and it might be one of those situations where it's just an online rumor or it might be true. But if you see anyone from Led Zeppelin around, let me know. I think I should actually fill in for Jimmy Page on the Robert Plant/ Alison Krauss tour." Cornell's denial comes just a day after AerosmithAerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford confirmed reports that frontman Steven Tyler recently met with Zeppelin for an impromptu jam session. "They did it for fun," Whitford said during an appearance on the syndicated show "Todd N Tyler Radio Empire." "I actually think Jimmy wanted Steven to come over and play a little bit because I think he was trying to light a fire under Robert." Rumors of a Zeppelin reunion tour have abounded since the iconic band played a single reunion set last year at London's O2 Arena. Twisted SisterTwisted Sister frontman Dee Snider added fuel to the fire last month when he revealed that the group was thinking of touring, with or without Plant. According to Snider, the rest of the band told Plant, " 'We're all rehearsed, we're ready to go. Here's a gazillion dollars on the table. If you don't do it, we're going out with this kid [Myles Kennedy].' " "And he can sing the sh-- out of Zeppelin," Snider added. "They're going to hope that Robert, at the last minute, will go, 'OK,' and step in." In a recent interview, Jones told BBC Radio Devon that a new singer was being sought to take over for Plant. "We are trying out a couple of singers," he said. "We want to do it. It's sounding great, and we want to get on and get out there." But Jones insists that he, Page and Bonham aren't interested in finding a Plant clone. "It's got to be right," he said. "There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band. There would be a record and a tour, but everyone has to be onboard." Of course, even if Zeppelin were to approach him, Cornell might be too busy to take over vocals for the band. His upcoming TimbalandTimbaland-produced solo LP, Scream, will be released within the next few months. Cornell told MTV News last month that some of his fans might consider Scream something of a departure, but he doesn't see it that way. "It makes me happy that there's this perception that I have a group of fans that I'm now sort of throwing a curve at and what their reaction will be," he said. "But I've been in this situation so many times already. When I put out [1999's] Euphoria Morning, my main goal was to create an album that sounded like nothing I'd done in Soundgarden, and I did that. I also had that with Temple of the Dog, where I showed up with songs that weren't necessarily riff-based. And then, of course, the pairing of me and members of Rage Against the MachineRage Against the Machine had everyone sort of speculating about what that would sound like. "It feels like I've done this so many times that when it's presented to me as being a departure, I feel that's a misconception," he added. "I feel like that's my theme at this point."
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01/01/2012
Conrad Murray Sentence 'Not Enough,' MJ Fans Say1675105
But other Michael Jackson supporters outside L.A. courthouse tell MTV News 'justice has been served.'
By Katie Byrne, with reporting by Vanessa White Wolf
Conrad Murray looks on during the final stage of Conrad Murray's defense in his involuntary manslaughter trial in the death of singer Michael Jackson at the Los Angeles Superior Court on November 1, 2011
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — During the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's fans have been as much a fixture at the courthouse as the Jackson family. When Murray was sentenced to four years in jail Tuesday (November 29), MTV News spoke with those loyal fans outside the court to see if the maximum sentence was an apt punishment.
"Four years — not enough, but at least something," said one fan, sporting a red jacket in tribute to MJ. "And where I come from, a little something is always better than nothing." One pair of friends might have been wearing matching Thriller T-shirts, but their opinions on Murray's sentence certainly didn't match. "If four years is the maximum and he got the maximum — I know she's not happy, but I'm happy," one of the women said, gesturing to her less-than-pleased companion. "I feel like justice was served and that L.A. can now be proud and stand tall." "It's better than nothing, but it's not even close to justice," said another fan, wearing Jackson's trademark fedora and sequined glove. "Not only was [Murray] negligent; he let the man die. It's unconscionable. He didn't even try. How would a heart doctor not know how to give CPR? It's insane." The cardiologist, who was found guilty of one felony count of involuntary manslaughter November 7, was facing up to four years in state prison in the death of the pop icon, but due to recent changes to alleviate overcrowding in California prisons, the judge in the case said he was unable to send the doctor to state prison for his crime. On top of that, legal expert Mike Cavalluzzi told MTV News that Murray will likely serve less than half of his four-year sentence. Those legal loopholes concerned a female fan outside the courthouse, but she was also happy that the maximum punishment was doled out. "The only thing I'm worried about now, with the overcrowding of the jails, he might get one year and house arrest," she told MTV News. "I'm just hoping it'll be four years, that's what I'm praying. I'm just glad that justice has been served today, and I'm glad justice can be served to the family and to the fans, and everybody around today will be happy and celebrate that justice has been served. And I'm sure Michael's looking from heaven right now."
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Lady Gaga To Help Drop New Year's Ball In Times Square1676579
Mother Monster was named Mayor Bloomberg's special guest for the annual celebration.
By James Montgomery
Lady Gaga performs at the 102.7 KIIS FM's Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 3, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo: Joe Scarnici/ WireImage
Back in May, ahead of the release of her Born This Way album, Lady Gaga described her hometown of New York City as her "husband," and now, she's been tapped to help her spouse ring in the New Year in the most traditional of ways: by dropping the ball in Times Square. Yes, according to The New York Post, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has named Gaga as his special guest at the City's annual New Year's Eve celebration, where she'll ceremoniously push a Waterford Crystal button at 11:59 p.m., officially beginning the famed crystal ball's descent over the raucous Times Square crowd. Shortly after the official announcement was made, Gaga took to her Twitter account to express her excitement, writing "I'm so looking forward to ... dropping the Ball with Mayor Bloomberg! What an honor as a New Yorker!" Each year, Bloomberg chooses a guest to drop the ball and help usher in the New Year ... though, to date, Gaga is his most, uh, unique pick: previous honorary button-mashers have included Bill and Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell, Muhammad Ali and Rudy Giuliani. Of course, dropping the Times Square Ball — which this year is bedazzled with 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles and carries the theme of "Let There Be Friendship" — isn't Gaga's only New Year's Eve gig. She'll also perform at two NYE celebrations: the 40th annual "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" and, of course, the Japanese program "Kohaku Uta Gassen." MTV will also be throwing a New Year's Eve party of its own: "NYE in NYC 2010," a performance-packed special featuring Demi Lovato, Mac Miller, Selena Gomez, J. Cole, Jason Derülo and more. It all goes down live on MTV at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday (December 31) from Times Square. Will you be watching the ball drop this New Year's Eve? Let us know in the comments below!
Related ArtistsBeyonce Slinks Around In 'Dance For You' Teases1674823
Full-length video will be featured on deluxe edition of B's 'Live at Roseland' DVD.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé in "Dance With Me"
Photo: Columbia Records
Beyoncé just wants to "Dance for You" in new teases for her 4 album track. The sexy video will be featured in the deluxe edition of Queen B's "Live at Roseland" DVD special, out November 29. In two clips posted on Aceshowbiz.com, Beyoncé dons hot pants, garters and a slinky wrap dress as she performs a sexy dance routine on a desk. The video has a film noir vibe, as a private eye-type character watches Beyoncé as she dances. In the other tease, Beyoncé, in the same outfit, dances seductively in front of a chair as the camera cuts to the detective fellow watching her. "Dance for You" is one of three tracks featured as bonus material on the deluxe version of 4, along with "Lay Up Under Me" and "Schoolin' Life." The track was produced by The-Dream and features writing credits from Tricky Stewart as well as Beyoncé. It's a sexy R&B jam about keeping things hot with her man. On it, she sings, "Tonight I'm gonna dance for you/ Tonight I'm gonna dance for you/ Tonight I'm gonna put my body on your body/ Boy, I like it when you watch me/ Tonight it's going down." "Live at Roseland" was filmed in August over four shows performed at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. It features Beyoncé recounting anecdotes about her career while she performs some of her older tracks, before launching into a nonstop performance of 4 played straight through. The standard edition of "Live at Roseland" hit shelves this week, along with concert specials from Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. Adele also drops her "Live at Royal Albert Hall" DVD on November 29.
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