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  1. Obsessively blogging about pop music, pop videos, pop stars, and pop culture from inside the MTV headquarters in Times Square. We also have a slight Jonas Brothers problem. And a little fixation with Tokio Hotel.

    Contact us as buzzworthy@mtv.com and follow us on Twitter at @MTVBuzzworthy.

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Apologies in advance for the bad food analogy I'm about to make. Clearly I'm bitter about the free bag of generic popcorn I just inhaled for lunch (with "insert brand name of prescription drug you can't pronounce" printed on the bag). Anyway, you could kind of liken the Florida music scene to a Cracker Barrel menu. Don't get me wrong: I am ALL for some Hickory Smoked Honey Glazed Ham (Backstreet Boys) and cheese grits (Matchbox Twenty).  And who knows? Maybe I want to wash down my chicken 'n dumplings (2 Live Crew) with some box wine (Dashboard Confessional).  But Miami synth-rock/electro-pop act Awesome New Republic seems to have just the right amount of pop amazingness without sounding trite (think the electronic bits and driving beats of Miike Snow blended with the psychedelic sweetness of Passion Pit).

Earlier this year, Awesome New Republic -- John Hancock, Brian Robertson, and newly-added-for-tour Jorge Rubiera -- had a Perez Hilton pop moment when P'rezzers posted a Leighton Meester cover of their track "Birthday." Side note: Leighton seems to have a knack for hanging with the boys (not that way, pervtown), as evidenced by this summer's smash Cobra Starship collabo "Good Girls Go Bad" to the literally just-released video "Somebody To Love," featuring Robin Thicke.

Now, with their brand-new album Hearts, just released on October 27th, and their song "Magic City" (from the previously released EP Rational Geographic Vol. 1) appropriately featured in tomorrow's Miami-bound episode of The City, Awesome New Republic just might be the best band you've never heard of. You're welcome.

For all the boys out there wondering why things just don't go their way with the ladies, just take note of Russell Brand*. Want to impress a girl? You don't have to be a sensitive, considerate human being; you don't have to buy her a nice, thoughtful gift. Heck, you don't even have to put a ring on it! All you have to do is make lewd comments from the stage while hosting a globally televised awards show, suggesting that you are readily available for a bit of the no-pants-dance.

Russell Brand, who's made no secret of his affection for Katy Perry during his stint hosting this year's VMAs -- he told the VMAs that he liked what he looked up the hole in Katy Perry's trousers --  has apparently gotten his girl. According to the Daily Mail, Brand and Perry just spent a romantic week in Thailand, getting to know one a little bit better while spending some time on the beach. And while Katy didn't exactly come out and name names, she more or less confirmed the union on Twitter, claiming, "After a week in magical Thailand I'm ready 2 face the real world again. Been schooled on Morrissey, Oscar Wilde & Peter Sellers... inspired." This led Perez Hilton, sort of a one-man C.S.I. for celeb-love trysts to conclude it must be on between the American rocker and the Brit funnyman, since Wilde, Morrissey and Sellers are a holy trinity to Brand.

Mission accomplished, Russell!

*This is sarcasm. While Russell Brand is an extremely amusing celebrity and probably an incredible person to hang out with we cannot, in any way, suggest mimicking his pick-up game unless you want to spend a night in central booking for harassment.

+ Watch Katy Perry rock Russell Brand at the 2009 VMAs.

Who is Sliimy? It's an entirely valid question. But that very question might be one of the main reasons you heard of the French singer-songwriter. Sliimy first made a splash when his lilting, delicate cover of Britney Spears' "Womanizer" hit the internet.

Sliimy was then "discovered" by the gossip overlord Perez Hilton, who subsequently started asking (knowingly), "who is Sliimy" over his Twitter feed. This piece of viral trivia started people talking about the skinny, St. Etienne singer, following his twitter and keeping up with his every move and making his album Paint Your Face a cult fave.

Sliimy's music has a sunny, literate charm, imbued with an innate tunefulness that shines through in his buoyant pop arrangements and lovely singing. All this buzz has resulted in Sliimy being nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award for Best French Artist (along with former Buzz On subject David Guetta). If you like Phoenix, Lily Allen or Mika, you need to find out who Sliimy is ASAP.

Watch his "Wake Up" video, and check out his cover of Britney's "Womanizer."

Sliimy - Womanizer (Britney Spears cover)

From wet paint to silver spikes to see-through lace and snoods, fashion at the 2009 MTV VMAs was avant garde, revealing, and capable of drawing blood (and at times all three!)

Check out the best, the weirdest, and the barely dressed at the 2009 MTV VMAs. It's Buzzworthy's first-ever VMA Fashion Awards! And check out PART 2, with fashion wins by Beyonce, Madonna, Olivia Palermo and more!

BEST USE OF SILVER: SHORT FORM: KRISTIN CAVALLARI
True, she wasn't a nominee, and she's not a musician, but resident Hills villianess Kristin Cavallari stole the show before it even started in her silver sequined mini dress.
Watch Kristin on the VMA red carpet.

BEST USE OF SILVER: LONG FORM: TAYLOR SWIFT
Taylor Swift, in a Kaufman Franco dress accented by Lorraine Schwartz jewelry, went for a silver-screen siren look and lived out a fairy tale adventure that night, braving Cinderella hardships up against Kanye but emerging the belle of the ball by the end of the night. (TEAM TAYLOR!)
+ Watch Taylor Swift on the VMA red carpet.

MOST DANGEROUSLY SEXY: KATY PERRY
Katy Perry followed the night's silver trend, but took it to a potentially painful level in her spiked silver mini dress by The Blonds.
+ Watch Katy Perry on the VMA red carpet.

MOST SUBTLE: AMBER ROSE
Get it? Subtle? Because Amber Rose wasn't subtle at all! Paradoxically though, she managed to cover up her almost her entire body while exposing almost her entire body all at the same time! Maybe she really IS from another planet.

LEAST IN NEED OF SLEEVES: JENNIFER LOPEZ
This Louis Vuitton situation reminds me of when you get your neck stuck in an armhole, except usually when that happens you're free to experience your shame in the privacy of a dressing room. Not on a red carpet. Oh wells. At least Jennifer Lopez's makeup was fuh-lawless.
+ Watch Jennifer Lopez on the VMA red carpet.

MOST NEAR A WARDROBE MALFUNCTION: KERI HILSON
Keri Hilson, in a Charlotte Ronson jumpsuit, certainly has the body for the peekaboo sensation, but still, I saw her hugging lil Justin Bieber on the red carpet, and I was bracing myself for a "big reveal."
+ Watch Keri Hilson on the VMA red carpet.

CUTEST NEWCOMER: JUSTIN BIEBER
Squee!
+ Watch Justin Bieber explain how he's "just wearing clothes" on the VMA red carpet.

MESSIEST/ MOST PAINTERLY: TIE! PEREZ HILTON & THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS' TYSON RITTER
Perez, in a tea garden blazer, went all matchy-matchy, carefully coordinating his yellow Doc Marten boots to coordinate with his... hands. Tyson Ritter had a run-in with some arts supplies. Rawk.
+ Watch Perez Hilton and The All-American Rejects on the VMA red carpet.

+ Check out more VMA fashion awards after the jump!

Read more...


Beyonce was up for nine VMAs and walked away with three, but not before she set figurative fire to the Radio City stage with her visually mesmerizing rendition of "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), which earned her the Video Of The Year, Best Choreography, and Best Editing Moonmen.

If you missed Beyonce's VMA performance of "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," you missed one of the most mesmerizing live performances ever. (Also, you can watch Beyonce's "Single Ladies" performance below! Three huzzahs for technology!) It's all lasers, breathless isolations, and lockstep synchronicity. And the kind of gratuitous ass-slapping that embraces Fosse and ferocity.

Beyonce hit the VMAs like a bolt of lightening. Her VMA "Single Ladies" performance proves she's a triple threat -- but then again, that'd just imply Beyonce's got competition.

After the jump, watch Beyonce on the VMA red carpet, and watch her prove her "Queen B" namesake as she gracefully, graciously cedes her screen time to Taylor Swift after Kanye's outburst. Plus, check out photos of Beyonce with Solange, Lady Gaga, and Perez Hilton, and get more of Beyonce's big night at the VMAs.

+ Watch more videos and get more photos after the jump!

Read more...

The 2009 VMAs were packed with OMG moments, some intentional -- Janet Jackson's tribute to Michael Jackson, Beyonce's "Single Ladies" army, Lady Gaga's fake death -- some not -- Kanye's Taylor Swift hijack. But there were lots of VMA moments you may've missed.

Check out 10 moments from the 2009 VMAs that you might've missed.

1.) When Janet Jackson first appeared on stage during her tribute to Michael Jackson, and during several other moments during her tribute, she was perfectly in sync with Michael's choreography on the screen behind her.

2.) Janet sending a kiss up toward the sky at the end of her dance tribute to Michael Jackson.

3.) Pete Wentz solemnly bowing his head during Madonna's tribute to Michael Jackson.

4.) Jennifer Lopez's face-to-face encounter with her ex! Cris Judd was one of the dancers in Janet's Michael Jackson tribute, and Jennifer Lopez was sitting right in front of the stage.

5.) Beyonce jokingly singing along to "Motown Philly" during Jimmy Fallon and Andy Samberg's Boyz II Men joke.

6.) Katy Perry grabbing her crotch and kissing Joe Perry after singing "We Will Rock You" to introduce Russell Brand.

+ See more VMA moments that might've flown under your radar after the jump!

Read more...

It's pretty safe to say most of the world is Team Taylor after Kanye West flipped out on America's Princess at the 2009 VMAs. Here's what celebrities are saying on Twitter about Kanye's Taylor Swift VMA freakout.

Hayley Williams: Taylor swift, y'all. #teamTaylor

Katy Perry: F++K U KANYE. IT'S LIKE U STEPPED 0N A KITTEN.

Lauren Conrad: i heart Taylor Swift! Congrats! Well deserved :-)

Perez Hilton: @TaylorSwift13 Love you!

Kelly Pickler: Tator Tot, you handled yourself with Grace. Kanye, go grow some f-ing balls bitch! don't mess w/my lil sis!!

Pink: Beyonce is a classy lady.I feel for her, too.Its not her fault at all, and her and taylor did their thing. And douche bag got kicked out. HA

Spencer Pratt: Let's be very clear King Spencer would never do anything like what Kayne just did to a sweet soul like Taylor!

Drake's Knee! Bey was real classy for doin that for Taylor Swift / next time Kanye wanna shoot my vid eat a d**k

McFly's Tom Fletcher: Taylor Swift should have kicked him in the nuts! What an eventful VMA's.

Evan Taubenfeld: I feel bad for Taylor. She didn't deserve that. but ironically I also love kanye & his stupid fish sticks

We've taken second helpings of pasta, done our push-ups and fueled up on the Bull, and in just a few minutes all the prep work will pay off. At 9pm sharp, Buzzworthy is taking it to the main event, eavesdropping on all the superstar convos and canoodling (Lady Gaga and Kermit the Frog seem to be getting on well), snapping pics of all the backstage madness and even chattin' it up with a few of The Biggest Names In Showbiz. You know, that sorta thing.

Your tireless blogging crew is Tamar Anitai, Shaheem Reid, James Montgomery and Kyle Anderson. So pleased to serve ya', stay right here for live updates throughout this soon-to-be legendary night!

Need a quick warm-up? Check out our Newsroom's pre-show live blog!

11:58pm -- As an ambulance races by with its lights on, the cop conducting traffic says, "Taylor Swift just beat up Kanye, and here's his ambulance." Kanye West might just be the most hated man in America right now.

11:50pm - On the way to the press room, I run into the young lady of the evening, Taylor Swift. I tell her, "Congratulations!" and she beams and yells back, "Thanks!"

Meanwhile, Beyonce zooms by while Tito Jackson cheers her on.

11:26pm - Jay-Z isn't rapping. He's firing words from his mouth like it's a machine gun. Radio City's never seemed this big.

11:22pm - Time for Jay-Z to take the stage! When Hov's back in town, everything shut down!

11:21pm - Everyone backstage is crowded around the monitor and smiling as Taylor Swift graciously re-accepts her award.

Oh yeah, the angel wings Gaga wore in her paparazzi performance are hanging on a hook nearby.

11:09pm - Pink's acrobatic performance partner just walked backstage, screaming and pumping his fists. Andy Samberg and Jimmy Fallon give him a high-five.

10:57pm - After Kid Cudi performs "Day N Nite," Wale says, "Rest in peace, DJ Am." Fingers form peace signs all around.

10:56pm - Serena Williams comes in really late. She chats on her cell phone while being escorted to her seat.

10:55pm - Kids are laughing at the All-American Rejects and asking why the lead singer is wearing glitter.

10:52pm - Everyone's wishing Pink good luck backstage before her performance. Plus, Eminem wins Best Behaved Celeb -- he's sitting quietly in his seat! (Unlike SOME Hennessy-swillin' rappers we know.)

10:48pm - Aside from Kanye's disturbance of the peace, the big story here tonight is Lady Gaga ... And how strange she's been acting. In addition to wearing a half-Papal/half Ms. Haversham crocheted get-up, Gaga's not really talking -- to anyone -- and now she's walking with an exaggerated limp.

10:34pm - Just talked to a security guard at the stage door where Kanye went to hang out after crashing the stage. The guard told me that Kanye has officially left the building. Meanwhile, dude just got booed HARD when they announced his nomination for Best Hip-Hop Video. ZING!

10:27pm - Backstage: Robert Pattinson is skinny in real life -- vampires really don't eat food, I guess. And Kristen looks like a tiny ice skater.

10:23pm -- After the New Moon trailer airs, R.Patz and crew are whisked backstage, photogs trailing a few steps behind. When Pattinson finally dodges them, he gets a few secs to chug a beer and watch Beyonce's performance, bobbing his head to the beat.

10:15pm - Just saw Beyonce's dancers dressed in silver backstage. Get ready to come to Beysus, y'all!

10:13pm - Kristin Cavallari's posing for the paps like a pro -- and she's being super sweet to all of her handlers. Where's the 'bitch' we all know and love? Also, Gaga just walked by in her feather headdress. She's got an assistant to hold the train of her dress!

10:11pm - Cobra Starship are outraged they didn't win Best Pop Video ... They tore up their tickets in disgust the whole time Britney's acceptance video played. "We woulda at least showed up!" frontman Gabe Saporta shouted. He then pulled a huge-ass flask out of his breast pocket and took a pull.

10:10pm - Billie Joe is helping people crash the stage. Looks like a mob scene. In fact, since the Green Day frontman is pretty short, he's completely eclipsed by the crowd around him.

10:02pm - Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are 12 feet away. I cannot confirm or deny that they will go home together.

10pm - Now Russell Brand's using his hosting skills to hit on Megan Fox.

9:59pm - Chace Crawford and Ne-yo just headed backstage. (Wait up, guys!)

9:57pm - Stage left, I'm watching Nelly Furtado and Kristin Cavallari prep for their upcoming intro.

9:56pm - Perez Hilton and Hayley Williams are both trying to start a #TeamTaylor trend on Twitter.

9:54pm - There will be blood. On Gaga ... and on the audience.

9:47pm - Sean from 3OH!3 jokingly just said to me, "We're up for Best New Artist, but after [Kanye], I'm a little scared to WIN!"

9:44pm - What does Jennifer Lopez do during a commercial break? Same thing we all do: texts her friends.

9:41pm - Taylor's proving how a true lady rolls -- after Kanye's me-me-me moment, she's singing her heart out and havin' a grand ole time. (Hey Kanye, look who's playing on top of a cab in the middle of NYC!)

9:38pm - Fall Out Boy give Green Day a standing-o after their win.

9:31pm - Diddy doesn't have time for a fan photo -- he's a busy mogul with a Twitter habit!

9:30pm - People are going nuts in here. They booed like crazy when Kanye leaped onstage and stole Taylor's thunder. He responded by giving them all the finger on the way back to his seat. During the commercial break, Pink walked by him shaking her head in disgust. Even the show producers gave him a talking to. Not surprisingly, he didn't seem at all bothered by everyone's reactions, grabbing his date Amber Rose and planting a kiss on her lips.

9:25pm - Kanye West ruins Taylor Swift's big moment. Further proof that he's on the Hennessy. (Aside from the pic below.)

9:22pm - Katy Perry just strutted by me. She's wearing a white, studded bustier paired with skintight pants. Hot, not cold AT ALL.

9:20pm - Russell's making good on those Jonas jokes from '08 and turning the hose on Lady Gaga. Shocker! He wants to bone her.

9:15pm - Katy Perry's bowing down to Russell Brand as a team of live drummers bangs out "We Will Rock You." Joe Freakin' Perry's on guitar! Get ready for some lewd LOLs ... Russell Brand's here!

9:08pm - "Thriller" rises again!!! MTV loves you, Michael! (And so does EVERYONE in the audience.)

9:05pm - When Madonna wants to tell a story, you let her tell her story. Especially when it's about the life of Michael Jackson. You could hear a pin drop in here.

9:02pm - Have the VMAs ever started off this serious? Still, Madonna's really nailing it, calling Michael Jackson "a hero."

8:59pm - Nelly Furtado just ran to her seat to catch the Michael Jackson opening tribute. So excited to see it!

8:55pm - Beyonce's making quite a splash on the carpet in a sexy, red ruffle dress and her hair done curly.

8:51pm - Afraid the girl behind me is gonna need EMT assistance: Chace Crawford is standing right in front of her.

8:47pm - Radio City's roaring after Wale announces, "We gonna burn this mother f**ker down."

8:46pm - The house band is getting started.

+ We're having (slightly nightmarish) flashbacks to our uber-Christian, ultra-conservative childhood after stumbling upon this gem, a duet with gospel group Mary Mary and R&B songmaster Ne-Yo. (Rap-Up)

+ Celebrity Twitter fights are fun for the whole family, especially when they're brought to you by parenting gurus Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler. (Evil Beet Gossip)

+ If you haven't seen the VMA promos that MTV has been running for this year (the full-length West Side Story-themed ones that feature Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Cobra Starship, Leighton Meester, and Russell Brand all singing their own verses...) then stop what you're doing right now (unless you're searching YouTube looking for fan vids of Britney's performance last night at MSG like we've been doing all morning) and WATCH the full length version here!

+ Oh -- and how cute are Katy and Taylor having dinner together the other night in England?? (Socialite Life)

+ It was just announced today that Paula Abdul's first post-Idol gig will be hosting VH1 Divas later this month, which will star Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis and more. (Pop on the Pop)

+ And in case you missed yesterday's totally fun NYC scavenger hunt hosted by Britney via Twitter, check this out! (Perez Hilton)

+ File this one away in the "Whitney, what were you thinking?" category: Until the August 31 street release date, Whitney Houston is leaking her entire brand-new CD on, QVC.com??????

MASSSSSIVE day on today's ep of It's On With Alexa Chung. I'm fairly confident a performance by Jonas Brothers' tour mate Jessie James would've tipped the Entertainment Scale to AMAZORZ. (Watch Jessie James' performance after the jump!)

But Queen of A Lot, Perez Hilton was here, in a fabs Lady Gaga t-shirt and limited-edition purple and gold Pumas. AND Andrew WK? That man is a genius (in someone's book)! Here's what Alexa Chung wore today!

Wednesday, August 19
+ Dress: Vintage
+ Shoes: A.P.C.
+ Bow: Jennifer Behr

Alexa's A.P.C. wedge gladiators are A.P.C.'s "Sparta" sandals, and they're $390 at usonline.apc.fr

YOU ARE WASTING YOUR OWN TIME if you're not all up on Etsy for vintage. Check out these super-cute black vintage dresses I JUST found on Etsy. They're all under $100, and they're DEFINITELY not gonna  show up on some copycat chicks at school. The first one's $39.50 from santokikivintage.etsy.com, the second is $45 at santokikivintage.etsy.com, and the black sequin dress is $58 from TheRareBird.etsy.com.

Pair a cute vintage black dress with some bad-ass conceptual tights from Henry Holland's new collaboration with Pretty Polly hosiery.

+ Plus: Watch Jessie James perform "Wanted" from today's episode of It's On With Alexa Chung after the jump!

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