Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, John Paul Jones Unveil Supergroup

Them Crooked Vultures make their debut with a post-Lollapalooza set.
By James Montgomery


Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Officially, Lollapalooza ended Sunday night in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from the Killers and Jane's Addiction. Unofficially, it ended very early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures.

To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of Foo Fighters frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere.

According to some reports, the Vultures actually turned down Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town.

Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called Never Deserved the Future, and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans).

The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.

It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October.

Early Monday, a Crooked Vultures Twitter account, which had previously posted links to the band's official-looking Web site and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a Deserve the Future T-shirt. Cost: $30.

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?Teen Mom? Amber Portwood: ?MTV Didn?t Make Me Hit Gary?

   Seen here fulfilling her family’s dream to be the first grandkid to make bail in 24 hours, Teen Mom star Amber Portwood has apparently changed her tune about MTV paying her to assault Gary Shirley, according to RadarOnline:
Paperwork filed by prosecutors says that Portwood admitted her violent incidents were not staged for MTV. She made Read More ...

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'Teen Mom' Star Amber Portwood Released From Jail

Amber Portwood's "time out" behind bars is over. The "Teen Mom" personality was released from Madison County Detention Center in Indiana on Tuesday afternoon. Portwood was sent to the slammer on Monday for a 24-hour hold after being charged with felony domestic battery and child neglect. She was being held on a $5,000 bond. The court automatically entered a plea of not guilty for the reality star prior to her release, says People.com. The investigation into Portwood began after MTV aired an episode that showed her hitting Gary Shirley, the father of her child, in front of their 2-year-old daughter Leah.[Read full story on The Insider]

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Michael Jackson Asked Album-Cover Artist To Paint Him Before He Died

Kadir Nelson only spoke to Jackson once before the singer's death.
By Gil Kaufman


Kadir Nelson
Photo: MTV News

When it came to putting together Michael, the first posthumous album of material from late King of Pop Michael Jackson, everyone was working with half a playbook. The producers of the singer's first studio album since 2001 had to figure out what the notoriously detail-oriented Jackson would want them to do with the grab bag of songs he was working on at the time of his death.

Even the artist behind the album's iconic cover, a Renaissance-painting-like mash-up of iconic images from throughout Jackson's career, was forced to go on his understanding of what Michael would have approved of.

That artist, Kadir Nelson, sat down with MTV News last week to walk us through the thicket of images on the cover and explain how he came to create the visual summary of the pop icon's solo career.

Nelson said the ball started rolling in 2003, when Michael was working on songs for his Number Ones collection at Marvin's Room, the legendary Los Angeles recording studio founded by R&B great Marvin Gaye in 1975. Jackson saw a pair of paintings Nelson had made chronicling Gaye's life and fell in love with the images.

"As a result of seeing it, he called me one afternoon and he said, 'I really like your Marvin Gaye painting ... I want one, about me ... but I want it bigger.' Because Michael liked things to be big," Nelson said. But, as with so many projects begun by Jackson, after Nelson followed the singer's advice and read the autobiography "Moonwalker" and did some research on the painting that was to hang in Michael's home, other things came up and the project fell through the cracks.

Then, following Jackson's death in June 2009, his longtime friend and now estate co-executor John McClain rang Nelson up and said the gig was back on. "[He said], 'It's time for you to do that painting that Michael wanted you to do,' " Nelson recalled. " 'Don't ask any questions, just do the painting and we'll figure out what to do with it later.' "

The resulting image plays into Jackson's lifelong belief that bigger is better, with a regal Michael staring out in the central image while wearing a prince's Victorian blouse with a high, ruffled collar, a silver-gloved hand placed over his heart and a jewel-encrusted crown hovering over his head. Around that central image are painted nods to everything from such classic videos as "Beat It" and "Thriller" and a spaceship from one of his favorite movies, "E.T." and MTV's Moonman, a reference to the fact that Jackson's videos helped make the channel the force it is today.

The sadness of Jackson's death made Nelson a bit hesitant at first, but he said he realized he was getting a rare second chance to follow through on the abandoned project, so he was quick to say yes. "I did it because I felt that it would be a very important document ... and a tribute to Michael's life," he said of the finished work, titled "The King of Pop."

He described it as a "panoramic celebration of Michael's life, music and career" and said he strode to make it as perfect as possible to match the level of perfection Jackson insisted on in his music and art. "I felt that I owed it to him, to his family, to his fans, to do the best job possible."

Though Nelson only spoke to Jackson that one time in 2003 over the phone, he worked with the singer's brother, Jackie Jackson, on the image over a five month period at the studio where the Michael album was being completed and said that Jackie gave some insight into his sibling's thoughts. When the final image was produced, MJ's brothers Jackie and Marlon Jackson and McClain gave it a thumbs-up and said he did a good job.

Like the video for the first single, the Mark Pellington-directed "Hold My Hand," it's an artistic leap that attempts to tap into Jackson's elusive magic, but Nelson feels like he succeeded.

He considers the final product — his biggest-ever canvas at more than 9 feet wide by 4.5 feet tall — his Sistine Chapel. And like Michelangelo's signature work, Nelson labored long and hard on the painting, putting hours in from August 2009 until January 2010 and then again on and off until October.

What do you think of the finished product? Share your reviews in the comments!

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Michael Jackson Producers Defend Posthumous Michael Album

'Michael mentored me so much to where I kind of knew how to complete his sentences,' Theron 'Neff-U' Feemster tells MTV News of picking up where MJ left off.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Steven Roberts


Michael Jackson's <i>Michael</i>
Photo: Epic Records

Michael Jackson's first posthumous album, Michael, has been met with mixed emotions by fans of the King of Pop. Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am lashed out at MJ's estate for commissioning the album, while Akon, a contributor on the project, hailed the effort.

Some of the songwriters and producers behind Michael are simply asking people to give it a chance before making a decision.

"They're gonna love the music, because it speaks for itself," Eddie Cascio, who is credited as a songwriter on "Breaking News," told MTV News. "Michael sounds great. The songs are great. The production sounds great. Teddy Riley did a phenomenal job finishing off the songs. The quality and production are incredible."

Theron "Neff-U" Feemster agreed. The producer had a hand in three of the album's 10 tracks, including "Hollywood Tonight" and standouts "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" and "Best of Joy." Feemster worked with Jackson in the past, as did the majority of the contributors to Michael, which he thinks made the project uniquely authentic despite MJ having little say in the way his tracks were completed.

"It wasn't difficult," Feemster told MTV News of picking up the rough material. "It was like coloring. It was coloring a frame that was already structured. Michael mentored me so much to where I kind of knew how to complete his sentences. I understood the expectations that he wanted. He wanted to be beyond great. He wanted to give the world a gift, something they'd never heard or seen before. So even after his passing, it was great to have a great team of people to work with who also had experience working with Michael. It made it that much easier. Bringing very creative people together and people who understood his integrity and what he wanted as well, it was great."

What do you think of Michael? Share your reviews in the comments.

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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Coldplay, Led Zeppelin Album Covers Featured On New British Stamps

Album art from Pink Floyd, Blur and David Bowie also included.
By James Montgomery


Coldplay's new British stamps
Photo: Royal Mail

On Thursday (January 7), the U.K.'s Royal Mail unveiled a series of 10 new stamps, honoring the most iconic album covers of the past 40 years.

The albums featured in the new series are the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed, Led Zeppelin's IV, David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, The Clash's London Calling, New Order's Power, Corruption and Lies, Primal Scream's Screamadelica, Pink Floyd's The Division Bell, Blur's Parklife and — the most recent album on to make the cut — Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head.

Meant to honor "the most potent graphic images of modern times, many of which have provided a visual soundtrack to people's lives," the series is the end result of a lengthy research process by the Royal Mail, who looked through thousands of album covers by British artists before deciding on the final list. And, during a Wednesday night BBC Radio broadcast, it was revealed that the queen herself actually approved each design.

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page — who helped design the cover for IV — was on hand to celebrate the release of the stamps and recalled the mysterious nature of the album's iconic imagery.

"Almost 40 years after the album came out, nobody knows the old man who featured on the cover, nor the artist who painted him," he said. "That sort of sums up what we wanted to achieve with the album cover, which has remained both anonymous and enigmatic at the same time."

Of course, any great honor is befitting of an equally great contest, so, on the same day the stamps were made available to the general public, Coldplay decided to give one of their Rush of Blood stamps away. In a message on their official site, the band held a contest to send one lucky fan "a letter using a Coldplay stamp, postmarked with today's issue date."

"We visited our local post office earlier today and bought some of the Coldplay stamps," the message read. "Very nice they are too."

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Britney Spears To Hit Studio With Max Martin, Dr. Luke This Week

'I'm pretty sure it's a smash,' Spears' manager tweets about song for her upcoming album.
By Jocelyn Vena


Britney Spears
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

For those wondering what the deal is with Britney Spears' next album, her manager, Adam Leber, tweeted an update about the princess of pop's musical endeavors as she works on the follow-up to 2008's Circus.

"Brit is recording a big big BIG new song on Friday with #MaxMartin & @TheDrLuke. I'm pretty sure it's a smash!" he wrote. Leber recently said that the album would sound "progressive" and that ''it'll be a departure from what you've heard" in the past.

Dr. Luke retweeted Leber's message, as well as this update for all the Britney fans out there: "Please continue to wait 4 Britney's new song!!!!" Luke worked with Spears on her "Circus" track for her last album.

As for Martin, he and Spears have a long history of making music together, having worked on "3," "... Baby One More Time" and "If U Seek Amy."

"She's such an icon, I don't want to let anyone down," Dr. Luke recently shared about working with Britney, who is expected to release music sometime in early 2011. "But most importantly, I want to make good music ... I'm excited to be co-executive producing with Max Martin, the person who kind of invented Britney, and to make good music. And she's such an amazing vehicle to getting that music out to a lot of people in every country."

Spears has also hit the studio with producer Danja, who worked on her song "Gimme More." He explained, "I'm definitely gonna do my part and try to make it hard-hitting, up-tempo, high-energy. That's what I think we need and that's what I'm gonna shoot for."

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Stephen Dorff Says Jack Nicholson Will Love 'Somewhere'

'I think he'll identify with it so much,' Dorff says about his friend and onetime co-star.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Stephen Dorff
Photo: MTV News

Ever since they shared screen time in the 1997 heist flick "Blood and Wine," actors Stephen Dorff and Jack Nicholson have remained close friends. Their relationship may not necessarily be "bromance" territory, but it's close enough that Dorff has shared his career ups and downs with the Oscar winner, and asked for his advice over the years. When MTV News caught up with Dorff recently to talk about his critically acclaimed new film "Somewhere" — a role that he called the most challenging of his career — he said he thinks the flick is one Nicholson will really enjoy.

"I think he's going to really love this movie because to me it's a film that isn't made anymore today," Dorff explained. "It's such a character piece and I think he'll identify with it so much.

Dorff revealed that he already got a big thumbs-up from Nicholson after "Somewhere" took home the top prize at Italy's Venice Film Festival in September.

"After we won Venice, I remember telling him how excited I was," he recalled. "And he's like, 'Way to go, Dorff!' "

We then brought up the fact that Nicholson has taken several actors under his wing over the years — pointing out to Dorff that the Hollywood legend had taken an interest in "Mad Men" actress January Jones when she was first starting out.

"Well, he takes an interest in a lot of women, let's be honest," Dorff responded with a chuckle. "He definitely took me under his wing. I think it's rare for Jack to take a young guy under his wing — he's not hanging out with too many guys.

"He did do that with Sean Penn and he's definitely given me great advice over the years," Dorff added. "I always feel like I have him as a friend and he'll show up if he can. And he's always been my favorite actor, so for me, he's a friend, and it's nice to get a little starstruck still. It keeps me remembering who I am and where I am, and Jack's still somebody that makes me a little nervous."

If Dorff has his way, he and his buddy Jack will take their friendship to the big screen via a comedy the younger actor is hoping to make with Adam Sandler's production company.

"It's a very funny comedy idea for me and him set in the South of France," Dorff told the UK's Independent newspaper last month. "We're not in script form yet but I wrote the treatment and they've already bought it so as soon as I get a break from working, I'll turn that into a script and I'll go and tell Jack. ... And I'll get Sony to give him his $15 million and then we'll go and make the movie — because he likes money."

Check out everything we've got on "Somewhere."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Monday, December 27, 2010

Kim Kardashian: Pepsi Throwback Party Girl

Enjoying a sisterly night on the town, Kim Kardashian and her sister Khloe were spotted arriving at the Pepsi Throwback Launch Party at World On Wheels in Los Angeles on Wednesday (April 29). Clad in their finest rollergirl gear, the Kardashian sisters walked inside for an evening of fun, with brother Robert following along. Meanwhile, [...]

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Michael Jackson 'Hold My Hand' Video Tugs At Heartstrings

Posthumous clip mixes classic footage of Jackson with newly shot film of fans.
By Gil Kaufman


Michael Jackson in the video for "Hold My Hand"
Photo: Sony Music Entertainment

In addition to his flawless vocals and mind-bending footwork, one of the things Michael Jackson was best known for was his drive to create the most elaborate and cinematic music videos the world had ever seen.

"Billie Jean," "Thriller," "Black or White," "Remember the Time" and "Bad" are just a few of the landmark clips the late King of Pop gave the world during his 1980s and early-'90s hit-making peak. Which is why fans and critics alike were eager to get a glimpse Thursday morning (December 9) at the first music video in the singer's career that was created without his firm guiding hand and vision.

After teasing the clip earlier in the week, the official MJ site debuted on Thursday the full video for the stirring ballad "Hold My Hand," the first single from the upcoming album, Michael. The clip for MJ's duet with Akon is not unlike the first posthumous vids from the likes of other contemporary fallen stars such as Tupac Shakur or the Notorious B.I.G., in that it mixes classic footage of the artist performing with newly shot images of fans young and old paying homage to their hero.

It opens with a crowd of people standing in front of a large airplane hangar and unleashing a flood of white balloons as they say "Thank you, Michael" and "We love you, Michael," while a gigantic image of the singer in silhouette appears on the side of the structure.

If nothing else, the "Hold My Hand" video is a kind of MJ greatest-hits montage, intercutting images of the singer in his prime in some of his most beloved stage outfits with glimpses of children wearing the same garb, a young boy holding a red plastic heart in his hands and Akon dancing on a pure white background as MJ hoofs beside him.

As Michael begins to sing the first verse, we see a variety of different hands — old, young, holding babies, reaching up to the sky, down into a bathtub, etc. — as well as a series of women crying, the infamous glittering glove and a woman in a hospital bed seemingly dying of cancer, all intended to pull heartstrings and stir emotion.

It continues on like that, with most of the video consisting of shots of hands (some trailing a kind of glittery pixie-dust vapor) doing various things, children breakdancing and popping, and various images of angels, as the edits of stock-like footage of sunny skies, forests and adorable babies pile on so quickly it's almost hard to keep up.

Jackson, frankly, is hardly in the video, making sporadic appearances courtesy of some iconic footage of him in concert, a curious choice given the reported dozens of hours of HD footage shot of the singer while he was preparing for what was slated to be his big comeback tour in England last year.

The duet with Akon was recorded in 2007 and, as a message on MJ's site points out, "a handwritten note from Michael belonging to his estate indicated his desire that 'Hold My Hand' be the first single on his next project." After an unfinished version leaked in 2008, Akon recently went back into the studio to complete production on the track.

Instead of the eye-popping special effects and intricate choreography of the past, the "Hold My Hand" video goes for a simpler, more predictable sentimentality. Without Jackson around anymore to call the shots and push the video envelope, it also signals a quiet, uneventful end to a career of constant reinvention and visual ambition via music video.

In a statement to MTV News, director Mark Pellington explained what he was aiming for with the posthumous clip. "We shot the video in a variety of locations in Los Angeles, including a blimp hangar in Tustin. The attempt was to create a celebratory, positive, healing music video honoring Michael's legacy," he said. "And for me personally, if his fans like it, that's all I really care about."

What do you think of the "Hold My Hand" video?

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Britney Spears To Hit Studio With Max Martin, Dr. Luke This Week

'I'm pretty sure it's a smash,' Spears' manager tweets about song for her upcoming album.
By Jocelyn Vena


Britney Spears
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

For those wondering what the deal is with Britney Spears' next album, her manager, Adam Leber, tweeted an update about the princess of pop's musical endeavors as she works on the follow-up to 2008's Circus.

"Brit is recording a big big BIG new song on Friday with #MaxMartin & @TheDrLuke. I'm pretty sure it's a smash!" he wrote. Leber recently said that the album would sound "progressive" and that ''it'll be a departure from what you've heard" in the past.

Dr. Luke retweeted Leber's message, as well as this update for all the Britney fans out there: "Please continue to wait 4 Britney's new song!!!!" Luke worked with Spears on her "Circus" track for her last album.

As for Martin, he and Spears have a long history of making music together, having worked on "3," "... Baby One More Time" and "If U Seek Amy."

"She's such an icon, I don't want to let anyone down," Dr. Luke recently shared about working with Britney, who is expected to release music sometime in early 2011. "But most importantly, I want to make good music ... I'm excited to be co-executive producing with Max Martin, the person who kind of invented Britney, and to make good music. And she's such an amazing vehicle to getting that music out to a lot of people in every country."

Spears has also hit the studio with producer Danja, who worked on her song "Gimme More." He explained, "I'm definitely gonna do my part and try to make it hard-hitting, up-tempo, high-energy. That's what I think we need and that's what I'm gonna shoot for."

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Sunday, December 26, 2010

Vanessa Hudgens Another Girl Arrives in Splitsville

Vanessa Hudgens is seen here posing for pictures at the L.A. premiere of Legends of the Guardians, and we want her to know, Kim Kardashian called and wants her pose back. But Vanessa has to put a little thang on, as it sounds she is doing so in splitsville. But she?s okay, don?t worry. Just [...]

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Mumbai's best and worst of 2010

Best Hindi film: "Peepli [Live]"

Beautiful people, big budgets, bouncy beats, booty thrusts -- "Peepli [Live]" had none of these. Yet, this tiny Aamir Khan production about one of India?s ugliest truths (farmer suicides), turned out to be the most attractive film of 2010.

Sure, it may once again put India?s poverty in the global spotlight -- "Peepli [Live]" is India's official entry to the Oscars -- and it was accused of being inspired by Hollywood flick "Mad City," but no one can naysay the smart script laced with dark humor and outstanding performances by a band of fresh, talented theater actors.

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7 stories that changed Tokyo in 2010

Haneda Airport opens to international flights 

Haneda Airport opened its new International Terminal in October, offering daily flights to a number of major cities including London, Paris, New York, Bangkok and Singapore.

Travelers have marveled at the terminal?s planetarium and outdoor observation deck, a slot-car racing center, and a fourth-floor mall of restaurants and shops designed to resemble a Japanese street from the Edo Period (1603-1867).

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Demi Lovato Reaches Settlement in Assault Case

Demi Lovato has received an intangible gift this Christmas season from an unlikely source. According to People.com, Alex Welch, the dancer that was reportedly punched by Demi, compromised with the Disney star, agreeing to a settlement in their assault case. "I'm happy," Alex told the website. "We came to an agreement and I'm ready to move on." Some of the money from the settlement will be donated to charity, People.com reports. Alex claimed that Demi struck her after accusing the dancer of tattling on her and getting her in trouble. Following the incident, Demi went to rehab to deal with emotional and physical issues.[Read full story on The Insider]

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Santa Claus Lives In Chelsea, NYC

Here is a great story published by The New York Times that is sure to warm even the coldest of hearts this holiday season. A couple living on West 22nd St. in the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC inexplicably began receiving letters written by children to Santa Claus. The hundreds of letters that have poured in [...]

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'Family Guy' Exclusive: Nine Minutes Of 'Star Wars' Parody 'It's A Trap!'

'It's definitely the most visually stunning of all of the ones we've done,' creator Seth MacFarlane tells MTV News.
By Eric Ditzian


Brian, Peter and Lois Griffin in "Family Guy: It's A Trap!"
Photo: Fox

Back at San Diego Comic-Con this summer, "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane showed off a first-look at "It's a Trap!," the final installment in the animated series' parodies of the "Star Wars" franchise. But unless you were lucky enough to be sitting in those hallowed, geek-filled halls, you've barely seen anything from the hour-long episode, which tweaks "Return of the Jedi" to hilarious effect.

That's why MTV News is happy to present nine minutes from "It's a Trap," which hits DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday. "It's more of exactly the same kind of jokes you've seen in the other two," MacFarlane deadpanned in a Comic-Con chat with us. "So if you like those, this is the same and you'll enjoy it just as much."

That's just a bit of an understatement, but it's also true: The third episode is no letdown from the first two. Once again, young Chris Griffin plays Luke Skywalker. He's joined by Peter as Han Solo, Lois as Princess Leia, Brian as Chewbacca, Stewie as Darth Vader and all manner of other "Family Guy" characters in various roles. (Paraplegic Joe as Jabba the Hut? Well played!)

"It's a Trap!" begins exactly as the episodes that preceded it, with a LOL-tastic take on the "Star Wars" franchise's iconic opening crawl: "Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet of Tatooine in order to — okay, you know what, we don't care. We were thinking of not even doing this one. Fox made us do it ... I'm sorry. I took a muscle relaxer earlier and it's kicking in."

From there it's off to the Death Star. We see Solo getting a fart-filled release from his carbonite prison, Meg Griffin as the multi-tentacled sarlacc beast, a Stormtrooper bicycle chase, and appearances from "American Dad!" characters Roger the alien and Klaus the fish in "Jedi" character. Random cameos include Pee-wee Herman, Ted Knight ripped from "Caddyshack" footage and the boogie-woogie piano stylings of Ray Charles. The whole production has never looked better. As MacFarlane explained, "It's definitely the most visually stunning of all of the ones we've done."

Just don't expect the "Family Guy" guys to attack the three newest "Star Wars" flicks. Says MacFarlane, "I would rather chew broken glass."

What did you think of the "It's a Trap!" teaser? Let us know in the comments!

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Leighton Meester Talks 'Country Strong' Twang Training

The 'Gossip Girl' star says she has a 'newfound appreciation' for country music after working on the film.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Leighton Meester in "Country Strong"
Photo: Sony Pictures

Although three of the four big names in "Country Strong" are not, in fact, country singers, they took their training very seriously in order to get in touch with their inner Southern twang. And not only that, when MTV News caught up with Leighton Meester recently — who plays beauty queen-turned-aspiring country artist Chiles Stanton in the flick — she revealed that the filmmakers made sure that each actor was set up with their own music producer in order to fully perfect their singing.

"I think it was really surprising how everything kind of came together," Meester said of her country-music training. "Each of us got our own producers to work with and mine [Nathan Chapman], he works very closely with Taylor Swift, which is sort of similar, in the same vein of the music that I'm making in the movie.

"[Chapman is] kind of like a teenage girl in a grown man's body. He's very good at reaching that young female idea, the music that I sing," she added. "He definitely helped a lot."

Meester went on to explain that shooting "Country Strong" helped her discover a new passion for Nashville and its music.

"Just being in Nashville and working there and meeting the most incredible musicians and producers and songwriters and singers, just being in that world was really cool," the "Gossip Girl" star said. "I have this newfound appreciation for that style of music."

As far as Meester's singing career goes, she said she hopes to go on tour herself one day, and promised that she's hard at work on her album.

"I don't know [when it will be released]," she said. "I recorded three songs recently. I have, like, 20 more to do,. So I don't know when that's going to happen. I just really want it to be perfect. I'm not in any rush. It's all in my heart, and I'm really happy how it's going. I've been very inspired, even with this movie, how I write."

Thanks to a recent stay overseas, Meester said she came back chock-full of potential material for the album.

"I was doing a movie in Budapest and Paris and was so lonely and writing all this music, and when I got back to the States, I got set up with this band," she said of teaming up with Check in the Dark. "And they're perfectly complementary to it and they understand, somehow, my girly emotional side."

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