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"MTV Movies Blog" - 10 new articles

1. LOST: Episode 6.03 Recap, 'What Kate Does'
2. Tom Cruise To Star In, Produce 'Mission: Impossible 4'
3. 'Zombieland' Writers Want 'To Have Fun' With 3-D For Sequel, Plus New Humans And Woody In Love
4. 'Twilight' Cast Members, 'Transformers 3' And A New Randy Newman Song In Today's Twitter-Wood
5. 'Avatar' Inspires Fans To Do Crazy Things
6. Kevin McKidd Says He Turned Down 'Big Villain' Character In Final 'Harry Potter' Films
7. 'Machete' Star Steven Seagal Is Not An Actor, He's A Lawman, Jessica Alba Says
8. 'The Dark Knight' Director Chris Nolan To Serve As 'Godfather'
9. EXCLUSIVE: Joseph Kosinski's 'Black Hole' To Begin Script Work Soon, Will Preserve Maximilian, Cygnus And More
10. Rachel Weisz Moves Into The 'Dream House' With Daniel Craig And Naomi Watts
11. Search MTV Movies Blog

LOST: Episode 6.03 Recap, 'What Kate Does'

Episode Title: "What Kate Does"

Written By: Adam Horowitz & Edward Kitsis

Story: The shocking resurrection of Sayid Jarrah prompts a flurry of responses both from the castaways led by Jack Shephard and the Others led by Dogen. In the confusion, Sawyer escapes from the Temple, causing Kate Austen and Jin-Soo Kwon to volunteer to find him — and while Sawyer doesn't want to be found, someone entirely different finds Jin. Ultimately, Dogen and his assistant Lennon make a diagnosis regarding Sayid, one that has dark ties to Jack's family line.

In the sideways reality, Kate and Claire Littleton share a fateful cab ride that results in the naming of her unborn child, Aaron.

Claimed By Sickness: A mystery from season one resurfaces — the sickness. Danielle Rousseau first told Sayid of an infection that wiped out her entire science team, husband included, causing her to kill every last one of them. We eventually saw this story unfold in the fifth season, but the actual nature of the sickness was left unexplained, except for some vague ties to the Smoke Monster's activities under the temple.

But with Smocke out in full force, it hardly seems coincidental that Sayid comes back to life with a darkness headed straight for his heart. While the exact nature of the sickness isn't known quite yet, it certainly appears that it has claimed Sayid — and given his unique skill set, this could go very, very badly for everybody around him.

Claire's Back: Dogen informs Jack that his sister was also claimed by this infection, leading to the episode's closing moments where Claire emerges from the jungle, kills two Others and trains her rifle on Jin. Here's another answer — contrary to public opinion, Claire isn't exactly dead, but she's clearly changed. The Claire we used to know wouldn't mercilessly shoot a pair of goons. Heck, the Claire we knew barely knew how to raise a baby.

Since the last we saw of Claire was alongside Christian Shephard inside of the Cabin, and the popular theory is that Christian is linked to Smocke/Smoke Monster/Man in Black, is it safe to say that both Claire and Sayid have been chosen, or "claimed," for Team Smocke? We're sure to learn more in upcoming episodes, but it'll certainly be interesting to see Jack and Kate's reactions to the new Claire.

Broken Hearts: The death of Juliet has undone most of the progress that James Ford made over the course of six seasons, but not all of it. He's accepting responsibility for her death — even though it's not completely his to take — and even though he wasn't able to follow through on his plan to marry her, his thoughts hang heavily on Juliet.

In that regard, Kate is the one who hasn't changed all that much. While she claims to be on the island to find Claire and bring her home to Aaron, she's still very much hung up on Sawyer. But James' clear heartache over Juliet's death means that Kate isn't likely to get her desired man, so she might have to settle for Jack. Let the rivalry between Jaters and Skaters resume.

Tales From Bizarro Land: I wasn't a fan of tonight's sideways story. Alterna-Kate's relationship with Alterna-Claire felt entirely forced. It was fun to see Alterna-Ethan, but I fail to see the real significance in this particular story — how is this pushing the sideways plot forward? I'd much rather spend more time on the promise of Alterna-Jack and Alterna-Locke's spinal examination, or anything that has an apparent meaning towards the show's overall mythology. On that front, the sideways story fell completely flat.

Quote of the Evening: "Of course he's fine. He's an Iraqi torturer who shoots kids. He definitely deserves another go-around." — James "Sawyer" Ford on Sayid's apparent resurrection.

Monster Judgment: Overall, tonight's episode was a weak follow-up to last week's compelling season opener. Smocke was entirely absent, Claire wasn't in it enough, the sideways reality was a bore and the sickness was quite the tease.

But to be fair, almost every season's second episode has left something to be desired. Season two's "Adrift" dragged on, season three's "The Glass Ballerina" didn't get us back to Locke quickly enough, season four's "Confirmed Dead" was all over the map and season five's "The Lie" wasn't memorable save for Hurley's hot pocket. But here we are, even after all of those episodes, still clinging on for more "Lost." I wouldn't worry too much about the latest outing — if past seasons are any indicator, we'll have plenty more to hoot and holler about down the line.

The Shape Of Things To Come: James, seemingly shacked up in his old DHARMA house, is visited by the entity posing as John Locke. "I thought you were dead," Sawyer quips. "I am," Smocke cooly returns.

Tell us your thoughts on the latest "Lost" episode in the comments section or on Twitter!

Tom Cruise To Star In, Produce 'Mission: Impossible 4'

UPDATE: Paramount has confirmed to MTV that this news is indeed true. No surprises there, given the original source. Kudos to Deadline Hollywood for snagging the scoop!

Speculating fans of the "Mission: Impossible" series need speculate no more. We've been hearing for awhile about "Mission: Impossible IV." "M:I3" director J.J. Abrams told us in October that he probably wouldn't be back to direct, but he'd stay involved as a producer. He then told us in January that star Tom Cruise was "part of the plan" for the next one. Today's news supports both of those assertions.

It turns out that Cruise will, in fact, reprise his Ethan Hunt role to star in "Mission: Impossible IV," as reported by Deadline Hollywood. He will also produce the film, along with Abrams, and the two are currently searching for their director. The script, as had previously been reported, will be penned by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec.

It's hard to say whether or not Cruise's public image can really be salvaged, but as someone who took issue with some of his public statements in the past, I can still honestly say that I'll be there on day one when "M:I4" opens. Cruise is a solid Ethan Hunt and "M:I3," under Abrams' direction, was the best in the series as far as I'm concerned. Even if he's not back in the director's chair, I'm confident the movie will benefit from his touch.

It seems that the plan is to start shooting this summer so that the movie can be ready for a Memorial Day 2011 release. It should be mentioned that Deadline Hollywood doesn't actually name a source for this news. I trust them and I'm sure the reporting is accurate, but we've reached out to Paramount for confirmation nonetheless.

What do you think of this news? Are you ready for more "Mission: Impossible"? Are you happy to see Tom Cruise returning in a lead role?

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'Zombieland' Writers Want 'To Have Fun' With 3-D For Sequel, Plus New Humans And Woody In Love

Last October, "Zombieland" took a big, gory bite out of the box-office, debuting at number one and bringing in over $25 million in ticket sales. Immediately, there was talk of a sequel, and when we caught up with the hit film's red hot writers recently, they said the plans are moving forward.

"We want to stick with our dysfunctional family," revealed Paul Wernick, who created the post-apocalyptic zombie world (now on DVD!) with writing partner Rhett Reese. "But also introduce new characters."

"There absolutely will be a sequel, and it will absolutely be in 3-D," Reese revealed. "Now, it's just a question of what that sequel will be. It's not a question of having enough ideas, but almost having too many ideas. We have a lot of ideas!"

""We entirely want to write with 3-D in mind," Wernick added, shooting down the majority of filmmakers who these days claim to concentrate on the story first and the three-dimensional stuff later. "We have the vision, and want to have fun with the technology."

Could that mean a zombie head-bashing with a baseball bat, causing the eyes to fly off the screen and into our laps? How about brains splattering all over the movie theater? The writers wouldn't rule anything out.

"We want you to be looking down at your popcorn to make sure there isn't blood on it," Reese said laughingly. "There will be a lot of fluids flying!"

These guys have a lot of fun in the writing room, aren't afraid to mess with the zombie canon, and plan to gleefully continue dragging George Romero's vision into the 21st century with the sequel. "We don't discriminate when it comes to zombies," laughed Reese. "We like to think that a zombie's character isn't just about their profession, or what their personality was, but what were they doing at that moment they became a zombie."

As for what else we can expect, Reese said he hopes to give Woody Harrelson's character a female (we assume, unbitten) who can keep up with his high-adrenaline, zombie-killing ways "There will be continuing romantic adventures," he said. "We haven't decided on this, but it would be nice to have a love interest for Tallahassee."

"I think that we like to think about the 'Zombieland' characters in terms of how they survived, what qualities do they have that led them to survive?" Reese said of the defining factor in the new human characters they'll introduce to fight alongside Tallahassee, Wichita and the rest. "As long as they have some quality for survival, then they make sense for the movie."

Finally, Reese said that he has big plans for Abigail Breslin's tough-talking-tween character. "I think that it's going to continue to be about growing up in 'Zombieland,'" he said of Wichita's development. "Growing up in a world that's not necessarily geared towards growing up; it's a world that forces you to grow up much quicker than you would have otherwise."

"Zombieland 2" is in its development stages, and should hit the big screen sometime next year or in early 2012.

Hey "Zombieland" fans, what actress do you think would be the best match for Tallahassee's new love interest ?

"MTV News Latest Headlines" - 10 new articles

1. 'American Idol' Hollywood Week Kicks Off With Ellen DeGeneres' Debut
2. Lil Wayne Sentencing Delayed Due To Dental Surgery
3. Full Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Includes Jay-Z, Kings Of Leon, More
4. How Did Ellen DeGeneres Do During Her 'American Idol' Debut?
5. Lil Wayne Shot Nine Music Videos Last Weekend
6. 'The Jay Leno Show' Comes To An End
7. 'American Idol' Season Nine: The Year Of The Parents
8. Michael Jackson Was Very Thin, Sickly Before Death, Autopsy Finds
9. The Game Talks Ashanti Collaboration, New Mixtape With DJ Drama
10. Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Adds Kings Of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Tokyo Police Club
11. Search MTV News Latest Headlines

'American Idol' Hollywood Week Kicks Off With Ellen DeGeneres' Debut

Judges send 95 singers through to Wednesday's group round.
By Gil Kaufman

Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi on "American Idol" Tuesday
Photo: Fox

Finally! After what felt like an eternity, "American Idol" served up the first dose of Hollywood Week on Tuesday night (February 9). In addition to the 181 potential superstars filing into the Kodak Theater, the show marked the debut of newest judge, talk-show host/ comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who quickly proved that she not only has plenty to say, but says it in an entertaining, thoughtful manner.

"So this is it," DeGeneres said, staring into fellow judge Simon Cowell's eyes as they sat down for the first day of Hollywood singing. "I come on, you leave."

The quip immediately put to rest the weeks of chatter about Cowell's imminent leave-taking at the end of this season and established what seems like a jovial tension between the two new co-workers.

The singers came out in groups of eight, given the option to sing a cappella or with an instrument. The first bunch included 17-year-old Katie Stevens, who charmed the first time with a husky voice and a backstory that included her caretaking role for her aging grandmother. Cowell still liked her and Randy praised her natural talent, while the verging-on-annoying Antonio "SkiiBoSki" Wheeler might have worn out his welcome with a herky-jerky "Ain't Too Proud to Beg."

"You frighten me," DeGeneres said over loud laughter. "You were stalking us. You were like a leopard behind a cage. ... I was watching you looking at us like, 'I'm gonna getcha.' " But seriously, she said, don't frighten your audience, don't be so intense. "Sexy and scary, it's a fine line." He appeared to cross that line, as he didn't make the cut, while Stevens did.

The second group featured young dad Andrew Garcia, strumming former judge Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" as a Jason Mraz-like acoustic jam that showed some serious soul and arranging chops. "That was genius," Kara DioGuardi said. "Paula would be screaming and yelling and dancing," she added, praising him for radically interpreting a song the way last season's runner-up Adam Lambert did.

Tennessee bridge-jumper Vanessa Wolfe was shaken by a serious case of nerves, warbling her way through Blind Melon's "No Rain." Ellen praised her "unique quality," encouraging her to embrace that special something. Garcia, not surprisingly, made the cut, while Wolfe's first trip out of her small hometown came to a swift end.

Also flaming out were jump-splitter Cornelius Edwards; Maegan Wright, the cosmetologist whose supportive little brother made a memorable appearance on the show; and Italian stallion Amedeo DiRocco, who begged for another chance to no avail after a shouty performance that didn't live up to his initial promise.

Tampa, Florida's Janell Wheeler made another great impression with an acoustic-guitar ramble through Estelle's "American Boy" that Ellen called "amazing." They were also still feeling the love for another strummer, wannabe country star Haeley Vaughn,16, who did a charming sandpaper take on Taylor Swift's "Change," as well as 28-year-old rocker mom Mary Powers, who eerily channeled Pink on "Sober."

Both made it through to the next round, along with Fantasia co-star Todrick Hall, Chicago's Charity Vance and Boston's Ashley Rodriguez, one of 46 to make it through on day one.

Day two dawned rough with annoying beatboxing from Miami's Jay Stone, while Michael Lynche stepped to the mic as his wife was about to give birth to their first child, warning he had to make it or else he'd be in big trouble. The massive bodybuilder — who reportedly has been dropped from the show because his father is alleged to have blabbed about his son's Hollywood trip — killed it with a gospel-y take on John Mayer's "Waiting for the World to Change."

Sandwich maker Lilly Scott went quirky with an acoustic-guitar version of Ella Fitzgerald's "Lullaby of Birdland," which DioGuardi loved. "Everything about you is refreshing," she gushed, just before putting Scott through. Also making it to the group round was Texas' Tim Urban, who redeemed his initial weak audition with a strong take on David Cook's "Come Back to Me," while Utah cancer survivor Justin Williams was sent packing after an overly dramatic performance.

Whip-cracking former "Barney" girl Erica Rhodes didn't make it, and neither did tanned and teased Orlando, Florida, sisters Bernadette and Amanda Disimone. Maddy Curtis, the 16-year-old Virginia native who pulled heartstrings with the story of her four brothers with Down Syndrome, also blew it with an uneven cover of Fitzgerald's "The Nearness of You," while shirtless wonder Casey James ripped it up and made it through with his gritty acoustic-blues cover of Ray Charles' "I Don't Need No Doctor."

In the last group, weepy Knoxville, Tennessee, waitress Didi Benami sang a touching take on DioGuardi's "Terrified" that sounded like it was radio-ready. "I hate to admit it, but I really like that song," Cowell said, adding that he also liked the idea of a just-folks waitress making it big. "It's what it's all about," he told her. Dreadlocked Chicago single mom Crystal Bowersox brought some gritty rock/soul to Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman," getting the audience so hyped they threw in some impromptu backing vocals and a standing ovation, with both women making it through round two.

In all, 95 advanced to Wednesday's group round.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

Lil Wayne Sentencing Delayed Due To Dental Surgery

Rapper will undergo surgery before serving his prison term; sentencing pushed back to March 2.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Lil Wayne appears at court in New York City Tuesday
Photo: Louis Lanzano/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — Lil Wayne's sentencing has been delayed until March 2 due to dental surgery, his attorney announced in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday (February 9).

The rapper was scheduled to be formally sentenced by a judge and begin serving his one-year term stemming from a 2007 arrest that resulted in a guilty plea in October for attempted weapons possession.

The Cash Money MC arrived shortly after 2 p.m. with his label heads Birdman and Slim. He quietly entered the courtroom as photographers snapped pictures from the hallway. Wayne wore a navy coat and black-framed glasses, and he sat still while his lawyer Stacey Richman spoke.

She informed the judge that she sent a notification to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office that the rapper is suffering from a cracked tooth and would need to postpone his sentence. The judge agreed and ruled to reschedule for March 2.

The postponement wasn't guaranteed. The rapper has typically arrived to his previous court appearances with a small crew that included a bodyguard and his road manager, in addition to Baby and Slim. On Tuesday, however, he was accompanied by that group as well as Lil Twist, Mack Maine and several others from the Cash Money/ Young Money camps. The proceedings were swift and austere as the prosecution agreed that the rapper would receive better care with his own dentist versus treatment at the Rikers Island facilities.

The rapper is set to undergo surgery February 12 in Miami, according to Richman. He will need a week to 10 days to recover. His defense offered prosecutors February 25 as a date for Wayne to turn himself him in after surgery, but Judge Charles H. Solomon instead selected March 2.

The judge then warned Wayne that he must return to Miami on Tuesday. Solomon insisted if he leaves tomorrow, there would be a chance his surgery would be delayed due to hazardous weather conditions leaving New York, where a snowstorm is expected.

"I don't want this to get pushed back anymore," Solomon said. "This is the last adjournment."

While not entirely unexpected, the delay has surprised many, considering that Wayne has been hard at work in recent weeks recording music and videos to be released during his time in jail, and even said goodbye to fans in a live streaming video early Tuesday morning.

• Lil Wayne Goes To Jail

• Lil Wayne's Battle With His Gun Possession Case

• Lil Wayne

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Full Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Includes Jay-Z, Kings Of Leon, More

Festival roster includes more than 90 acts spanning many genres.
By James Montgomery

Jay-Z
Photo: Dave M. Benett/ Getty Images

Well, it took all day, but finally, on Tuesday night (February 9), organizers revealed the full lineup for the 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, scheduled for June 10-13 in Manchester, Tennessee.

Jay-Z, Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Weezer and Flaming Lips top the bill for this year's 'Roo, a list of more than 90 acts spanning genres and eras.

There are genuine legends (Jimmy Cliff, John Fogerty), established rock acts (the Dead Weather), hip-hop talent (Wale, Nas, Kid Cudi), electro heavyweights (LCD Soundsystem, Thievery Corporation) and bands that hearken back to the festival's earlier, decidedly jammy routes (Medeski, Martin and Wood, the Disco Biscuits), not to mention the annual WTFs (Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, Darryl Hall with Chromeo). All in all, it's a rather jam-packed four days of music.

Rather than announce the full lineup, organizers broke from tradition and revealed each performer individually on the Bonnaroo MySpace page, a decision that was as time-consuming as it was brilliant.

According to a spokesperson for the festival, the full lineup will swell to some 125 acts and over 20 comedians, performing on 13 different stages. Tickets for the 2010 edition of Bonnaroo are already on sale at the fest's Web site, with a four-day pass costing $234.50. There are also RV passes available, and a super-deluxe "Total Access" package, which offers 24-concierge service, onstage viewing for all performances and complimentary food. As in previous years, organizers are also giving attendees the option to purchase tickets on an installment plan.

The full list of confirmed artists for the 2010 Bonnaroo festival:

» Dave Matthews Band
» Kings of Leon
» Stevie Wonder
» Jay-Z
» Tenacious D
» Weezer
» The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform Dark Side of the Moon
» The Dead Weather
» Damian Marley and Nas
» Phoenix
» Norah Jones
» Michael Franti & Spearhead
» John Fogerty
» Regina Spektor
» Jimmy Cliff
» LCD Soundsystem
» The Avett Brothers
» Thievery Corporation
» Rise Against
» Tori Amos
» The National
» Zac Brown Band
» Les Claypool
» John Prine
» The Black Keys
» Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers
» Jeff Beck
» Dropkick Murphys
» She & Him
» Against Me!
» The Disco Biscuits
» Daryl Hall and Chromeo
» Jamey Johnson
» Clutch
» Bassnectar
» Kid Cudi
» Baaba Maal
» Kris Kristofferson
» Medeski Martin & Wood
» The XX
» Gwar
» Dan Deacon Ensemble
» Tinariwen
» Wale
» Deadmau5
» The Melvins
» Gaslight Anthem
» Miike Snow
» Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
» Dr. Dog
» They Might Be Giants
» Punch Brothers
» Isis
» Blitzen Trapper
» Blues Traveler
» Miranda Lambert
» Calexico
» OK Go
» Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
» Martin Sexton
» Lotus
» Baroness
» Dave Rawlings Machine
» Mayer Hawthorne and the County
» Japandroids
» Jay Electronica
» Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
» Ingrid Michaelson
» The Dodos
» Manchester Orchestra
» The Temper Trap
» Cross Canadian Ragweed
» Carolina Chocolate Drops
» Tokyo Police Club
» The Entrance Band
» Local Natives
» Brandi Carlile
» Mumford & Sons
» Rebelution
» Diane Birch
» Monte Montgomery
» Julia Nunes
» The Postelles
» Lucero
» Here We Go Magic
» Hot Rize
» Neon Indian
» B.o.B
» Needtobreathe

• Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup: The Performers

• Jay-Z
• Dave Matthews Band
• Kings Of Leon
• Weezer

How Did Ellen DeGeneres Do During Her 'American Idol' Debut?

DeGeneres quickly made her mark as a judge during first Hollywood Week episode.
By Gil Kaufman

Ellen DeGeneres on "American Idol" Tuesday
Photo: Fox

"So this is it," Ellen DeGeneres said, staring into fellow judge Simon Cowell's eyes as they sat down for the first day of Hollywood singing on Tuesday night's (February 9) "American Idol." "I come on, you leave."

And with that, that newest member of the "Idol" panel quickly made her mark on day one of work, immediately putting to rest weeks of chatter about Cowell's imminent leave-taking at the end of this season and establishing what seems like a good-natured, jokey tension between the two new co-workers.

DeGeneres tried to put the nervous singers at ease from the moment she first stepped onstage at Los Angeles' Kodak Theater, telling the 181 wannabes, "I don't know how you feel right now. ... When people say, 'What do you know about music?' I'll tell you what I do know: I do know what it's like to stand on a stage and try to please an entire roomful of people. ... That is a hard thing to do."

Though she got to sit down while the singers took the stage, DeGeneres made her presence felt, tossing off funny asides and coherent, helpful advice while flashing just enough of her signature wit to bring a fresh feeling to the judges' panel.

"You frighten me," she told shticky singer Antonio "SkiiBoSki" Wheeler after his so-so run through "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" in one of the night's funnier moments. "You were stalking us. You were like a leopard behind a cage. ... I was watching you looking at us like, 'I'm gonna getcha.' " As the only judge to make comments, DeGeneres was firm and direct with her humorous suggestion to not frighten the audience and to remember the fine line between sexy and scary. Seemingly eager to put her "So You Think You Can Dance" guest-judging debacle behind her, DeGeneres spoke early and often, at points seemingly doing the impossible: shutting Cowell up.

She also proved that she can match the acerbic Brit with her clever put-downs, riffing in one montage, "I'm tired as it is; that almost put me right out," "It was crazy, I think, in a bad way" and reminding one contestant from Florida to wear shoes because "it's filthy here. Hollywood is a disgusting town."

At one point, after Kara DioGuardi praised Andrew Garcia's radical acoustic revamp of former judge Paula Abdul's "Straight Up," saying the onetime pop star would have loved it, DeGeneres threw her hands in the air and did a loving imitation of Abdul's signature straight-armed hand clap — erasing any doubt about whether she feels awkward taking the former judge's seat.

And when Tennessee bridge-jumper Vanessa Wolfe was clearly overtaken by nerves, DeGeneres gave her Abdul-esque, caring advice: "You're unique. I think you have a unique quality that you should embrace and just really accept who you are. You're hiding inside and just scared to death. You gotta let go of that, because those nerves are gonna kill ya." While she might have channeled Abdul for that critique, Ellen's comments were mostly an antidote to the sometimes rambling, bizarre statements Paula made during her eight seasons on the show.

It wasn't all Ellen, however, as Cowell still got in plenty of harsh digs, eviscerating a number of performers who hid behind poorly played instruments and ill-conceived song choices.

DeGeneres provided exactly what the panel lacked in the past: a strong, confident voice of reason with the right combination of humor and useful advice that could prove to be the first-ever challenge to Cowell's domination of the critiques. "You have an amazing voice and you were very in that song," she told mom rocker Mary Powers after a rough-and-tumble cover of Pink's "Sober."

With tensions running high at one point, she played around with one group, telling them to step up, back, to the side and then up again before putting them all through to the next round to loud applause and laughs.

Speaking to host Ryan Seacrest backstage at the top of the show, DeGeneres set the tone for what her likely contribution to the show will be: arch but broad humor. "There's been a lot said about what kind of judge you will be on the show," Seacrest said. "Kind, generous, honest, but at the same time pretty direct. And one of the few people I think that can be honest with Simon about how he takes on the contestants. Is that your plan?"

Without missing a beat, DeGeneres shot back, "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

Lil Wayne Shot Nine Music Videos Last Weekend

Preparing for Wayne's (delayed) stint in jail, MC shot footage for songs from Tha Carter IV, Rebirth and Young Money LPs.
By Shaheem Reid

Lil Wayne (file)
Photo: Newscom

Video director David Rousseau said he and the Cash Money team might need to check the "Guinness Book of World Records": He and his company Creativeseen may be the new record-holders for most music videos shot in 48 hours.

Lil Wayne was expected to begin serving his one-year sentence on a weapons-possession charge on Tuesday (February 9), and while that sentencing was postponed until March 2, the MC has spent recent weeks manically recording music and videos — and over the past weekend, he hit the latter with a vengeance.

Cash Money chiefs Ronald "Slim" Williams and his brother Brian (a.k.a. Baby, a.k.a. the Birdman) enlisted Rousseau to shoot nine videos for Lil Wayne during Friday, Saturday and parts of Sunday. The director said he and his crew started setting up for the production around 9 a.m. Friday and the last camera stopped rolling at around 8 a.m. on Super Bowl Sunday.

"We shot some sh-- from the [We Are Young Money compilation] album, we shot something from [Wayne's forthcoming] Tha Carter IV. Some stuff from [Wayne's recent LP] Rebirth," the director told MTV News on Tuesday, before Wayne's sentencing was postponed. "We knew what our deadline was. We're trying to get maximum coverage for Wayne. Most of the time we only shot Wayne's verses — we'll finish the rest of the videos off in the next couple of weeks.

Rousseau, who had previously directed the soon-to-be-released Young Money video "Roger That" and the recently released Kevin Rudolf/ Wayne/ Birdman/ Jay Sean collaboration "I Made It (Cash Money Heroes)," said the Williams brothers contacted him two weeks ago about his huge task.

"We were put on hold," Rousseau said. "Cash Money said, 'This is our deadline. This is a hard deadline.' It was basically a 'Mission: Impossible' [scenario]: This is your mission if you choose to accept it. Everybody is onboard because everybody knows what's at stake. Unlike T.I. and some of these other guys that's disappeared while they were in, the point is to keep Wayne [visible] on TV and everything for whatever time he's in. There was a plan in action. Slim and Baby really could foresee that. He's at the height of his career, you can't let that momentum slip."

Some of the videos that were shot over the weekend were "Da Da Da," "Knockout" and "Get a Life" from Rebirth and a brand-new Weezy song from the highly anticipated Carter IV. "Da Da Da" features the rock band !Mayday! — which performed at Wayne's "farewell" party on Sunday night — and was shot on location at the Marlin Hotel in Miami. The rest of the clips were filmed at the New Art studio in North Miami in front of a green screen and white background, so footage can be added later.

"There isn't a title for it," Rousseau said of the Carter IV song. "Honestly, I can't tell you too much about it. That was a complete secret. We had to kick everyone off the set for it. No photography, even their official photographer had to leave. That's under wraps. The album is still under production. It's a crazy song."

Rousseau did divulge that the video from Tha Carter IV record would have parts of performance as well as a story line, as does the video for "Knockout."

"We got some concepts," the director said about what we can expect from the videos. "Cash Money came to the table with certain rough concepts. We went off that. In the next couple of weeks, we'll figure out what we got; 'Let's take this over here, let's take this over there.' At the end of the day, what it comes down to is making sure you got Wayne in the can. There's rough ideas for everything. They may not be completely sculpted out, but there is a plan. Nothing is done, just to do it. Everything was pre-thought, whether it be by Baby or Slim or Wayne himself. They're in the loop. As a label they were prepped."

Along with the Cash Money/ Young Money family, Juelz Santana, Yo Gotti and boxer Sugar Shane Mosley came out for the shoots.

"We tried to keep it wide, medium, close-up, just him vibing. Then we let him go change clothes," Rousseau said about the different shots in the videos. "Then other people would come in for 30 minutes. Wayne would come back out, same thing; wide, medium, close-up. Then we bring out somebody else who is on the song, Nicki Minaj, Sean Garrett, Baby, Tyga. Then again, 35 minutes [later] Wayne would come out. The only way to keep him fresh is [doing it] like a basketball team. You know, you can't give your starter too many minutes: You got him for 35 minutes on the court, outfit change. It was a tight schedule. We shot 16, 18 hours [a day]. He was there the whole time. He was a trooper.

"He was in a zone," Rousseau continued. "He was ready. It was a work mentality. He's getting prepared for everything that's about to happen to him. He knows it's the fourth quarter. He was completely cooperative, and completely professional."

Asked how he maintains such a rigorous schedule, Wayne told BBC Radio 1's Tim Westwood last weekend, "Determination. You set a goal. I'm one of those people that don't stop until the goal is done."

Besides the aforementioned videos, Weezy told Westwood that he recently shot four in Los Angeles, one in Dallas and has "been shooting" in Atlanta as well. Those videos include Rebirth's "Drop the World" (with Eminem) as well as "Roger That" and "Girl I Got You" from the Young Money LP. He also filmed "WTF" with Shawty Lo in Atlanta.

Of course, Wayne now has a bit more time to work on these videos — and probably a lot more.

• Lil Wayne Goes To Jail

• Lil Wayne's Battle With His Gun Possession Case

• Lil Wayne

'The Jay Leno Show' Comes To An End

Surprise guests Donald Trump and Kurt Warner join Ashton Kutcher and others to close out Leno's prime-time experiment.
By Josh Wigler

Jay Leno on "The Jay Leno Show" Tuesday
Photo: NBC

With his return as the host of "The Tonight Show" just a few short weeks away, Jay Leno's final outing on "The Jay Leno Show" was something of a subdued affair. The tone was lighthearted and guests were agreeable, but Leno's final prime-time hosting gig lacked the same emotional punch that outgoing "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien enjoyed in his closing moments on the air.

"This show was supposed to last two years, but my sentence was reduced to five months for good behavior," Leno quipped during the show's opening monologue.

The remainder of Leno's opening bit contained jabs at President Barack Obama, the recent sex scandal involving former senator John Edwards and Sarah Palin's recently revealed habit of reading notes off her hand during speaking engagements. Leno also took the time to discuss the many commercials aired during Sunday's Super Bowl, though he curiously failed to acknowledge the much-buzzed advertisement featuring himself, David Letterman and Oprah Winfrey.

Following his monologue, Leno took a few moments to reflect on the five-month run of "The Jay Leno Show," showing a series of doctored clips that altered the show's more notorious moments -- for example, Leno's famous mention of Kanye West's mother following the musician's misconduct at the MTV Video Music Awards featured an alternate ending where West furiously smacked Leno in the face. At the end of the retrospective, special guest Donald Trump appeared via satellite to offer Leno his signature line: "You're fired!"

Leno's two announced guests of the evening were "Valentine's Day" actor Ashton Kutcher and Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe, who reflected on her recent brushes with celebrity. Kutcher was the subject of the show's more humorous moments, including a bit where he fielded passes from recently retired Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner through harsh weather conditions. But Kutcher also took a turn for the serious when he revealed his and wife Demi Moore's plans to launch the DNA Foundation, an organization dedicated to ending human trafficking.

Acclaimed sports journalist and personality Bob Costas was the final guest of the evening and also the last subject of Leno's final 10@10 segment, during which the host asks a series of 10 predetermined questions. Over the course of the rapid-fire interview, Costas revealed that he lied in college to get a job as a hockey sportscaster, he has been confused for other sports personalities including Marv Albert in the past, and he carries a lucky Topps baseball card of Mickey Mantle circa 1958. He also mentioned that the settlement of a longtime feud between himself and former running back Marshall Faulk gave him hope that one day, Jay Leno and David Letterman could repair their own strained relationship.

In the show's closing moments, Leno thanked Costas for his participation as the last ever 10@10 interviewee. But before the talk-show host could give any closing comments to the gathered audience, the feed ended abruptly and transitioned directly into NBC's scheduled news program. The show's unceremonious sendoff offered a stark reminder that Leno's departure from the airwaves is only temporary.

'American Idol' Season Nine: The Year Of The Parents

Alums Megan Joy and Nikki McKibbin note the many benefits 'Idol' stardom offers young moms and dads.
By Gil Kaufman

Megan Joy
Photo: Jean Baptiste Lacroix/ Wireimage

This year's "American Idol" audition rounds presented a veritable baby boom of young parents aiming for their shot at stardom, often with a newborn or adorable moppet on their hip or clutching too-cute-for-words crayon pictures for the judges.

From the hyper-focused Andrew Garcia, himself the son of former Los Angeles gangbangers, who is in search of a better life for his own young boy, to hulking personal trainer and expectant father Michael Lynche, who might have already washed out because his father allegedly blabbed about his Hollywood experience to a local Florida paper, moms and dads were featured in nearly every audition episode for season nine.

There was scratchy-voiced rocker girl Danelle Hayes, who wanted to make it on "Idol" so she wouldn't have to sing crummy corporate gigs to support her 3-year-old son (but who reportedly didn't continue on in Hollywood, for unexplained reasons). And Kimberly Kerbow, a 24-year-old college student who brought along her 5-year-old daughter, appeared to be wearing a wig as she made Rogaine jokes to Simon.

What's up with the avalanche of "Idol" wannabes in a family way? While a spokesperson for "Idol" declined to comment for this story, MTV News went to one of season eight's most visible parents to find out what the deal is.

Last year's show had its fair share of family singers, with four parents — Megan Joy, Alexis Grace, Lil Rounds and Michael Sarver — making it into the top 13. For Joy, the single mother of a now 3-year-old son, having other moms and dads around helped ease the pressure of the show.

"For us, it was incredible to have that bond," she told MTV News on Monday. "I encourage any family to audition for 'Idol,' because it can change your lives."

Joy said the show has given her the financial freedom to quit her stay-at-home computer-based gig, so she can travel to Los Angeles four days a week to work on her debut album. "Besides the financial part, which is huge and life changing, the show changed how I feel about myself," said the quirky tattooed songbird. "I got my confidence back, I learned so many things and built so much strength, and now I can teach my son so much more. I can show him that whatever you want to do, you can do it. It's a beautiful dream in a hard time."

Though she felt like she was in the minority as a young parent out of the tens of thousands of people who tried out last year, Joy said she can totally see why tough economic times appear to have led to an "Idol" baby boom.

"When I come back from L.A., I can do nothing but raise my son and love him and still have enough money to travel and make music too," she said, thanks to the money she banked by making the top 10 on the show and touring with "Idol" last summer.

Media critic Robert Thompson — a fervent "Idol" watcher and director of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University — said he thinks it might also have something to do with the maturation of a generation that has been watching "Idol" since they were kids. On the other hand, it could also be partly due to clever editing.

"They have 100,000 people try out every year, and there are all kinds of demographics, so we only see a small number of them, and they've chosen to show us a lot of parents with their kids coming into the room and drawing pictures for the judges," he said. "My guess is that since 2002, there have probably been a pretty high number of people who have kids, but for some reason they're emphasizing it this year."

Parents have been on "Idol" for years, from single-mom Fantasia to stepdad Chris Daughtry. But, as Thompson suggested, we could be seeing parents like Seth Rollins and Jack Black lookalike Mark Labriola take a shot this season because producers might have decided that their stories keep the show relevant during tough economic times. Everyone can relate to or sympathize with young parents looking for a potential way out of hardship.

"There was that young woman who said 10 times or more that being the Idol would allow her to raise her child and support him," he said. "There have probably always been people like that, but the show is emphasizing it more in these times because it makes for a good story."

Plus, while "Idol" always looks for the young and attractive contestants to appeal to teens, the show also happens to have one of the widest demographic spans on TV, so stories about struggling parents (single or otherwise) can appeal to a broad range of fans.

The first "Idol" mom, Nikki McKibbin, who finished third in the show's inaugural season, said that unlike this season's baby brigade, it was a lonely world for her back in 2002.

"I was the only [parent] that year, and I kind of felt like the mom of the group because I was the oldest and only one who was a parent," said McKibbin, who was 23 at the time and left then-4-year-old son Tristan at home in Dallas. "It was really difficult for me, because I've always been around my son and always been there for him, but the thing that kept me going was the thought, 'Wow, if I win this, it will be a great opportunity for my son. I'll have enough money to set up a college fund and take care of things for him.' "

And sure enough, like Joy, McKibbin — who has just released a new single, "It Matters to Me," on iTunes and is working on an album with Dallas hard-rock band Wicked Attraction — said her run on "Idol" allowed her to rent her first home and buy a new car. "I was living in an efficiency [apartment], and I moved into a four-bedroom house, so I had a bedroom and my son had a room, and I got a car and was able to give him the things he wanted that I wasn't able to give him before, like video games and a TV in his room," she said.

While parents understand they will be away from their kids for a long time if they make it beyond Hollywood, McKibbin said the payoff if you make it to the top tier is totally worth it. "When you look at it, you think, 'This is going to be amazing at the end of it, when I have all this money, and I can actually provide for my family and not just give them what they need in life, but also the things they want.' "

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

Michael Jackson Was Very Thin, Sickly Before Death, Autopsy Finds

At the time of his death, Jackson was suffering from multiple ailments and using half a dozen medications.
By MTV News staff

Michael Jackson
Photo: Phil Klein/Reuters

Following the filing Monday of an involuntary-manslaughter charge against Conrad Murray in connection with the death of Michael Jackson, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office released its full autopsy report on the King of Pop, according to multiple reports.

The coroner concluded that Jackson died of "acute propofol intoxication" after Murray administered a dose of the powerful anesthetic sufficient for "major surgery." Murray was using the drug to ease Jackson's insomnia, but an expert cited in the autopsy said there were no reports about the use of propofol in insomnia relief. At no point was recommended equipment — from a controlled infusion pump for intravenous administration to monitoring machines — present in Jackson's home when Murray gave the singer the tranquilizer.

The report also contained detailed information about the state of Jackson's body after his death at age 50. At the time of the autopsy, he weighed 136 pounds, was measured at 5-foot-9 in length and was described as "extremely underweight for his frame."

White patches of skin, the result of a pigmentation disorder called vitiligo, were present on his body, particularly his chest, abdomen, face and arms. The autopsy noted "frontal balding" on Jackson's head and a bandage on the tip of his nose. He had dark tattoos close to each eyebrow and one pink tattoo close to his lips. His body was covered with small scars on his nose, knee, shoulder, neck and wrists.

The report concluded that at the time of his death, Jackson was suffering from "chronic lung inflammation, respiratory bronchiolitis, diffuse congestion and patchy hemorrhage of right and left lungs." In addition to propofol, the autopsy discovered Jackson's blood contained traces of lidocaine, diazepam, nordiazepam, lorazepam, midazolam and ephedrine.

During an arraignment hearing Monday, Murray pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.

• Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos

• Michael Jackson

The Game Talks Ashanti Collaboration, New Mixtape With DJ Drama

'The song me and Ashanti did ... it's crazy,' the MC tells Mixtape Daily.
By Shaheem Reid

Game
Photo: Interscope

The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive

Just a few years ago, the Game was throwing straight lava at Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, Ashanti and the rest of Murder Inc. during the G-Unit wars with "the world's most talented record label." Since leaving the Unit, Game has become friends with Ja and Irv and even recently collaborated with Ashanti on a track for his upcoming The R.E.D. Album. Dr. Dre, who produced the track, suggested the pairing.

"Hey, man, it's 'No beef 2010.' That's the trending topic on this interview, man," Game laughed. "Dre called me and he was like, 'You got any current-day problems with Ashanti?' I was like, 'Nah. I ain't got no problems with Ashanti.' She can sing like mutha----a and you put her on a hook, it's automatically radio. So he was like, 'I'mma have her come down.' "

Within an hour, Game, Dre and Ashanti where in the studio working on music.

"Dre was going through beats and I picked one. I was like, 'Let's try her on this hook.' Me and Ashanti wrote the hook, I went in on the verses and that was it," he explained. "The song me and Ashanti did, it don't even have a name for it yet. It's crazy. We just did that a week ago and I ain't even name it."

Ashanti seemed excited about the record as well, posting a photo from the session on her Twitter page.

"Awwwwwww sh-- it's a problem!!!!!" she wrote. "Me DRE & GAME in the lab ohhhhhhh booooooy this is a SMMMMIZAAASHHH!!!!!"

Game's R.E.D. LP, which also features production by Pharrell Williams and a collaboration with Justin Timberlake, has a tentative release date of March 23.

"I got so many amazing records, I don't know if I should go hard to the streets or go radio," he said about the first single. But before the album there will be a mixtape with DJ Drama, Red Everything.

"Red Everything mixtape — it's a bunch of tracks I did specifically for Drama," Game explained. "They're full songs mixed with a few freestyles. I'm trying to finish up '400 Bars' and get it on there. Ain't nobody piss me off that much. But even if that ain't on there, the mixtape is still gonna be crazy."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

• Mixtape Daily: Game, Ludacris

• The Game
• DJ Drama

Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Adds Kings Of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Tokyo Police Club

Gwar, She & Him and Nas and Damian Marley will also join Jay-Z and other previously announced acts.
By James Montgomery

The Kings of Leons' Caleb Followill
Photo: Barry Brecheisen/ WireImage

The afternoon rolls on, and so does the list of artists confirmed for the 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival, scheduled for June 10-13 in Manchester, Tennessee.

New bands added to the continually growing bill (festival organizers have decided to reveal a new act every five minutes on Bonnaroo's MySpace page) include hometown heroes the Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Tokyo Police Club, She & Him, the National, Tori Amos, Gwar, They Might Be Giants, Damian Marley and Nas, and the Manchester Orchestra.

They join previously announced acts like Jay-Z, Weezer, the Flaming Lips — with Stardeath and the White Dwarves, who will perform Pink Floyd's classic Dark Side of the Moon album — and Steve Martin, not to mention Norah Jones, Wale, Regina Spektor, the Avett Brothers, Medeski Martin and Wood, Bassnectar, Phoenix and the XX.

Tickets for Bonnaroo 2010 are on sale now through the festival's Web site, with a four-day pass going for $234.50. For those wishing to experience the fest in the lap of luxury (read: with semi-private toilets), there are RV passes going for $150. There are also super-deluxe "Total Access" packages with 24-hour concierge service and complimentary meals available for a significantly higher cost. And as in previous years, Bonnaroo is also offering attendees the opportunity to purchase tickets on an installment plan.

The final lineup for the festival won't be revealed until 9 p.m. Tuesday night (February 9). For up-to-the-minute (or up-to-the-five-minute) looks at the bill, be sure to check out Bonnaroo's MySpace.

• Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup: The Performers

• Kings Of Leon
• Dave Matthews Band
• Tokyo Police Club
• She & Him
• Nas