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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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Yes! That is Joey Fatone rendered as an angel draped in Christmas lights. You are not having some sort of hallucinogenic reaction to your lunch.

The above angel-Joey image, from this oldie-but-goodie post on Buzzfeed, documenting the most grievous acts of boy band fan art gone wrong, is an illustration (hawhaw) of the fine line between fan and fanatic. Here are a few of the more disturbing, inexplicable and weird artifacts:

Fan-made rendering of Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell.

I seriously just spent an hour of my trying to figure out the connection between Littrell and Luke Skywalker's sister. So at the very least, this one was thought provoking.

Other Backstreet pieces from this collection tend to go for the more celestial angle. For instance, Kevin Richardson as a baby-angel:

And the entire group as winged spiritual beings:

+ Check out all 28 Examples of Bad Boy Band Fan Art (including amateur anime of 'NSYNC and plenty more baby and angel drawings) here.

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.

Britney Spears is known for some positively legendary MTV performances -- her first-ever VMAs in 1999, featuring her belly-baring performance of "Baby... One More Time" with *NSYNC. Britney's "Satisfaction" performance at the 2000 VMAs, where she did a striptease followed by a sexed-up version "Oops ... I Did It Again." Her 2001 VMA "Slave 4 U" performance, featuring a live snake (watch it below). The infamous Madonna-Christina Aguilera kiss at the 2003 VMAs, and, of course, the wince-inducing performance at the 2007 VMAs in Las Vegas, which were, admittedly, no one's greatest moment, but paved the way for Britney's brilliant comeback at the 2008 VMAs.

But, one often overlooked Britney Spears performance is from the 1999 MTV Europe Music Awards, where she performed a "Smooth Criminal"-inspired "Baby... One More Time" medley that featured tap dancing, sounded more Christina than Britney and felt like Backstreet Boys' "Everybody (Backstreet's Back") video, and, anachronistically, like Chris Brown's "Wall To Wall" video.

Watch Britney's performance from the 1999 MTV Europe Music Awards, and stay tuned to Buzzworthy for lots more from tomorrow's 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin!

The 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards are just around the corner. If you haven't booked your ticket to Berlin, well, you're probably screwed. But fortunately Buzzworthy's gonna give you a first-hand look at all of the international stars, performers and performances, and fan-picked awards on Thursday, November 5.

Here's what you need to know about the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin.

+ Katy Perry's hosting! Fun and fashion are expected... if not DEMANDED!

+ Rock royalty Foo Fighters and Green Day, hip-hop kingpin Jay-Z, the lycanthropic Shakira, and the gorgeous Leona Lewis will all perform too.

+ ... And Hometown heroes TOKIO HOTEL will perform! LIVE. Digest that.

+ U2 will hold a special musical performance in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

+ Pete Wentz will be hosting the online show with exclusive backstage access.

+ And THE JONAS BROTHERS AND BACKSTREET BOYS are presenting! It's like boy bands' greatest hits go to Germany!

+ More presenters include the darling Miranda Cosgrove, and the empirically bananas-hot Bar Refaeli, Joss Stone, and more.

It's like the VMAs but with a more impressive passport.

Stay tuned to the MTV Buzzworthy Blog for more 2009 EMA info, AND to stream the entire show as it happens, live in Berlin.

Feeling ready? Almost? Not quite? Vote for your favorite EMA nominees, watch Katy Perry battle Hans the creepy German puppet, check out this greatest hits video of EMAs past, featuring Justin Timberlake, Snoop, Wyclef Jean, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and more, to see what you're in for, and watch Tokio Hotel perform "Automatic" live on MTV.

Halloween is DAYS away! Time to GET ON YOUR COSTUME GRIND if you haven't yet. Too lazy to make your own Lady Gaga costume? Is Adam Lambert's For Your Entertainment album cover proving too difficult to reproduce on a small budget? Well I don't know if you've noticed, but vampires are huge! They're the new Internet! New Moon is almost here (even though you've seen almost every clip of the movie)! Everybody's losing their collective brains over The Vampire Diaries! So a vampire-inspired Halloween is the W2G.

Wildfox's "My boyfriend is a vampire" t-shirt ($64, Singer22.com) already comes with some blood marks, in case you're too squeamish to get the job done for real. It also says "I'm Savin' It For Edward Cullen," but in a more discreet way. Just press on some "Vampire Red" nails by Kiss ($3.99, kissusa.com, drugstores), and get to that candy binge. Or just watch this Backstreet Boys vampire video. Happy Halloween!

Just prepare yourself, the Backstreet Boys go straight for the de rigueur vampire jugular with their latest comeback. (And has it really been two years since the last album? Backstreet! How I've missed you).

Considering "Straight Through My Heart," directed by Kai Regan (Panic! At the Disco's "New Perspective," Cobra Starship's "Good Girls Go Bad") is all about attacks of love and symbolic bleeding, how could Backstreet Boys not jump on the vampire bandwagon? (You had your shot Leona Lewis; "Bleeding Love" could've gone in a totally vampiric direction! I smell a remake!) Backstreet Boys also called upon producer RedOne (the magic behind Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" and Sean Kingston's "Fire Burning." And did I mention sexy vampires? Possible girl-on-girl sexy vampires? We assume we won't be seeing THAT in New Moon...

... Not to suggest Backstreet Boys is completely shedding its '90s boy band roots (a linchpin, if there ever was one, in a glorious era of TRL): The new album, This Is Us, features songwriting from Swedish mogul Max Martin, who wrote all-time classic "I Want It That Way" and Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time." In addition, the guys bust out unabashed boy band moves from right out the gate in their "Straight Through My Heart" video -- just like the old days! Hey, if you're going to be a boy band, be a damn boy band! And, equally as important, a vampire!

If Apple FINALLY created their record label -- that's GOT to be up there on the to-do list, right? Somewhere near political sovereignty and establishing its own religion? And shouldn't there be an app for that? -- UK pop singer Gary Go should be its first sign. The guy pretty much wrote Apple's next campaign: You too can be a pop star, with just a few iPhone apps and some angst! And hopefully half as much musical prowess as he's got. Gary, who put out two non-iPhone EPs a few years back, wrote several of his self-titled debut album tracks with just iPhone software. And these days he'll even get on stage and play his iPhone... Seriously -- some 70,000 people at Wembley Stadium just saw him perform on his iPhone.

So, the London-born Gary is clearly a tech geek -- the lyrics of one of his songs consist solely of fan Tweets -- but let's get back to the music: I would liken Gary's melancholy yet grandiose and uplifting brand of pop-rock to Coldplay or James Morrison, and I didn't expect that from Gary's campy stage name alone.

Gary Go and his debut single, "Wonderful," have already picked up steam in the UK, in large part because Gary opened for Take That on their latest tour, which broke the record for fastest-selling UK tour of all time! (And for you boy band fans keeping track at home, we really truly have heard of NO plans to get the Backstreet Boys back to the 2009 VMAs!)

Anyway, speaking of openers, not only did Gary also open for Lady GaGa for several of her concerts, Gary covered "Just Dance" (it's gloomy and acoustic... definitely a new spin!), and he saw GaGa's ... gagas! Gary told the UK's Daily Record:

"She was in the dressing room opposite me and someone shouted to her to come and meet Gary Go. She shouted back that she had no clothes on, but two seconds later she just came to the door with nothing on then quickly threw a little jacket on. It was quite a meeting and she is very attractive. She's a performance artist, so I guess she doesn't have any inhibitions, but it certainly had an effect on me."

I imagine it did, but what better way to be introduced to all that is Lady GaGa? I wonder if she treats all her openers to such a warm welcome?

Watch Gary Go's latest video, "Engines," and watch "Wonderful" after the jump!

Gary Go TV on MUZU.
Read more...

+ Shocking news this Tuesday: Amy Winehouse didn't record the James Bond theme for 2008's Quantam of Solace because -- <gasp> -- she was high! Hard to believe, right? (Holy Moly!)

+ No, there is not an official video out for Britney Spears' song "Kill The Lights." It's actually a fan video made by user "Britneli, the winner of "The Britney Global Fan Fiction Contest." It's kind of cute and completely pegs all of Britney's "-isms" -- it almost seems like they were ripped from the "Stronger" video: eyes squinted, hip-to-the-side stances, etc etc. Remember the "Break The Ice" video that was an official  Britney video and looked like something from Akira? (BS Weekly)

+ And no matter what the state of your personal affairs, the only thing more satisfying than a MochaSoyFrappachunkalatteheygirlhey is better than seeing photos of your fat-ass ex-husband at a golf course with other has-been celebs, NOT golfing. (Pop on the Pop)

+ Further proof that Katy Perry is in on the joke... (The Superficial)

+ The Backstreet Boys are really back, y'all. No, like for real. The last time was just bad marketing. This time they are really really back and planning to release a new CD in October (their first single "Straight Through My Heart" definitely sounds like radio will eat it up with a spoon, and there'll probably be like 19 remixes), with a European and headlining North American tour to follow. Alright?? (BackstreetBoys.com)

+ We just HAD to post this little bit of Brooke Hogan doing an autograph signing for 12 people at Wal-Mart in South Florida -- we still can't even get over the album art! WHAT A MESS! (dlisted)

+ P.S. John Mayer is up to his douchey Tweeting again, this time about how the ninth year of every decade produces really crappy music. (MTV News)

It was either the French, the Afghans, Mario Puzo, or the Quentin Tarantino who said "Revenge is a dish best served cold." Were they right? Who knows? Everything I needed to know I learned from pop culture and music videos, which have taught me that when it comes to getting even, nothing beats the ass-kicking, window-smashing, good old-fashioned REVENGE video. (And leaving a horse head in someone's bed.)

Check out 10 classic videos where artists get mad, get even and get revenge by trashing their ex's place, taping themselves in naughty situations (right, Justin Timberlake?), putting the hurt on someone else's credit cards, or howling like a she-wolf in the middle of the desert like your name was Alanis Morissette. (Exactly like that, actually.)

PUBLIC DISPLAY OF REJECTION


Alanis Morissette -- "You Oughta Know"
Nothing says "woman scorned" like the wrath of Alanis Morissette and all. that. hair. Her 1995 video, "You Oughta Know," quickly became a b+tchfest manifesto for the maligned and scorned the world over. Thinking of getting "exploratory" in a movie theater? Um, yeah. Don't. Also, learning corner: Flea and Dave Navarro played on the original recording!
+ Watch "You Oughta Know"

BREAK STUFF!


Carrie Underwood -- "Before He Cheats"
If you cheat on Carrie Underwood, you've got an even bigger problem than the major hike in car insurance you're about to experience once you discover she's beat the LIVING S+++ out of your truck. In her 2006 "Before He Cheats" video, Carrie Underwood not only takes aim with a baseball bat, but she also BLOWS THINGS UP WITH HER MIND, bringing new meaning to "smash hit." Ever see Carrie the movie? Coincidence? I think not.
+ Watch "Before He Cheats"


Lily Allen -- "Smile"
Crafty Lily Allen recruits a band of local thugs and no-goodniks to mug her ex -- played by EastEnders' Elliott Jordan -- wreck his place, smash his records, and stuff his shirts in the toilet in her 2006 video, "Smile." Also he gets mugged and a horbs case of the Hershey squirts after Lily spikes his coffee with Ex-Lax. Smooth moves all around!
+ Watch "Smile"

AYO TECHNOLOGY


Justin Timberlake -- "Cry Me A River"
What happens when you cheat on Justin Timberlake? Nothing creepy or anything. Duder just pulls up to your driveway with Timbaland in the car, sneaks into your house when you leave, films himself banging an INCREDIBLY HOT CHICK, and leaves the evidence rolling and ready for you to watch when you step out of the shower. No big deal. (It's extra creepy if you happen to look like Britney Spears. ALSO: Fun fact -- the girl who plays Britney in the video is Lauren Hastings, who dated Shia LaBeouf. She also claimed that Lindsay Lohan stole an $11,000 coat from her.)
+ Watch "Cry Me A River"


Backstreet Boys -- "The Call"
Now pay attention because the Backstreet Boys' 2002 video for "The Call" may confuse people less intelligent than me. In the "The Call" video, one if not ALL of the BSBs are progressively cheating on their girlfriend/s, who MAY or may not have SET UP the guy/s to cheat on them in the first place. Total BSB sting operation! With a girl who may or may not be a transvestite. (Note: that's speculation on my part, but she kinda does look like a drag queen. Which is FINE if she were a tranners, but it'd take the video in a totally different direction.) Anyway, they're all cheating, or it's symbolic cheating or whatever, and the old-school 2002 cell phone (hence the phone sound effects!) becomes THE VESSEL through which the cheating travels. Symbolic BSB girlfriend however PWONES and sets up the whole operation to completely fail, thus flipping the script and using the cell phone and "the call that changed my destiny" as the vehicles that drive the whole sordid affair into the ground. Technology wins, cheaters lose! (Not-so-fun-fact: In 2003, AJ McLean revealed to Oprah that he first tried cocaine the night the "The Call" video was shot.)
+ Watch "The Call"

MURDER WAS THE CASE


Kanye West -- "Flashing Lights"
Spike Jonze directed Kanye West's 2008 "Flashing Lights" video, which is his most dramatic and definitely his most gruesome to date. While the song and lyrics are haunting, they completely belie the video's drastic measures: Playboy model Rita G shoves Kanye in a car, duct tapes his mouth shut (ahem!), and beats the life out of him with a shovel. All for the leaving the toilet seat up!
+ Watch "Flashing Lights"

+ Ashley Tisdale, Aerosmith, and credit card revenge after the jump!

Read more...

Josie Maran's been modeling since she was 12, graced the covers of Glamour six times and Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue three times and was the face of Guess. She also appeared in the Backstreet Boys' "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" video in 1997, as the only person in the video who wasn't wearing werewolf of Phantom of the Opera makeup.

Speaking of makeup, while Josie was the face of Maybelline, these days she's all about makeup that's green AND glam: In 2006 she started Josie Maran Cosmetics, a brand of beauty products that are gentle to the planet and your face. So, right -- Josie Maran is not only naturally beautiful, but she's also an enviromentally friendly entrepreneur, and she's unbelievably down to earth (if you'll pardon the pun.) Oh, and Josie's also a bit of a tech geek too; when I met her a few weeks ago, we instantly bonded over the efficiency of the Flip cam for shooting quick videos like the one below!

+ Watch Josie Maran share beauty, fashion, and environmentally friendly tips for prom in this exclusive Buzzworthy video! And watch more celebrity prom videos!

PS: Josie waited until she finished high school to take on modelling full time. So stay in school!