MTV Buzzworthy Blog – Tamar Anitai

Young The Giant Rehearses A Soon-To-Be Legendary VMA Performance

Posted 8/26/11 11:11 pm EST by Tamar Anitai in Celebrity, Music, Must See, VMAs

When was the last time someone made good use of a tambourine on the VMA stage? Not recently enough, in my opinion. But that's gonna change Sunday night. (No, Lil Wayne will probably not be shaking a tambo during his performance... although I guess you never know.) When indie darling Young The Giant take the stage at the Nokia Theater for their first-ever VMA performance, they'll be entering unchartered waters of this year's awards show. (And not just because of the tambourine.) Of the entire line-up of performers at the 2011 VMAs, Young The Giant will be the VMAs' only rock act.

Young The Giant released their self-titled debut album just less than a year ago, but the strength of haunting hits like "My Body" and "Cough Syrup" -- a soaring bald eagle of a song that takes off and never lands -- earned them instant obsession status amongst music bloggers and then festival-goers, landing them spots on Sasquatch Festival, Lollapalooza, Philadelphia's Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party, and the KROQ Weenie Roast festival. They'll be heading out on tour with Incubus almost immediately following the VMAs. And they would've played a big role in the U.K.'s Reading and Leeds Festivals, except they cancelled to do the VMA. (And America thanks you!)

Like Florence + The Machine who performed at the 2010 VMAs and became an instant household name, the California band is this year's VMA musical wild card. As lead singer Sameer Gadhia told MTV News, they get that you might not know exactly who they are. So how will Young The Giant manage to wow music fans who tune in to the show for bloody meat dress moments or exactingly choreographed routines? "We're not really doing any gimmicks," Gadhia said in Young The Giant's MTV News interview. "It's just us doing what we do: playing live with lots of energy." And after watching this little band with a very big sound (and even bigger potential) rehearse a performance that felt like a Coldplay- or even U2-big, I'm convinced their VMA performance is about to awaken a sleeping giant.

Watch Young The Giant perform live at the 2011 MTV VMAs live from Nokia Theatre L.A. in Los Angeles on Sunday, Aug. 28, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and MTV.com. Catch the live preshow at 8 p.m. ET/PT and cast your votes for Best New Artist up until the show airs!

Related Content VMA Home, Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags 2011 MTV VMAs, VMAs, Young the Giant

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Ne-Yo Serenades Me, Asks Me To Be His Date To The VMAs!! (!!!!1!)

Posted 8/26/11 8:15 pm EST by Tamar Anitai in Celebrity, Interviews, Must See, Videos, VMAs

There's a lot you need to know about Ne-Yo's upcoming "Give Me Everything" VMA performance with Pitbull Sunday night. First of all, it's Ne-Yo's first VMA performance! Ever! Second of all, listening to him rehearse "Give Me Everything" inside of the Nokia Theater reaffirmed that his voice is legitimately, undeniably perfect. Even if you already knew that, it bears repeating. Which is kind of why I asked him to sing to me when I interviewed him backstage at his VMA rehearsal. Luckily he said yes! And I said yes... to being his date to the VMAs! (More on that coming soon!) Oh, and third, Ne-Yo, who prefers to go by "The Black Barry Manilow" (just watch), is so sexy it's almost devastating. It's almost impossible to look directly at him because it's like staring at the sun. Do I sound like a fan girl? Well I am. Run and tell that.

But the most important thing is that HE ASKED ME TO BE HIS DATE TO THE VMAs! Am I bragging? Did I totally dork out? Uh, well yeah. But you would too if NE-YO ASKED YOU TO BE HIS DATE TO THE VMAs. Was he serious? Probably not. I mean, I'm not delusional. Am I dressing up VMA night just in case? Obviously.

Watch Ne-Yo serenade me with the hook of "Give Me Everything" before he performs it live with PItbull at the 2011 MTV VMAs on Sunday.

Watch the 2011 MTV VMAs live from Nokia Theatre L.A. in Los Angeles on Sunday, Aug. 28, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and MTV.com. Catch the live preshow at 8 p.m. ET/PT and cast your votes for Best New Artist up until the show airs!

Related Content VMA Home, Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags 2011 MTV VMAs, Ne-Yo, video, VMAs

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THEY'RE HERE: VMA Seat Cards Photos!

Posted 8/26/11 1:17 am EST by Tamar Anitai in Celebrity, Must See, Videos, VMAs

Hokay, Internet. Everybody CTFO... Or actually... DON'T! It's the VMA moment before the VMAs you've all been waiting for. VMA seat cards are up, and we've got all of the photos! They're all set up in their places in the place of the places where the VMA's biggest stars will sit inside of the Nokia Theater this Sunday night!

Is a two-dimensional piece of tagboard with a photo of, say Nicki Minaj or Kim Kardashian more exciting than the real-life three-dimensional human (or super-human, actually) versions of Nicki Minaj and Kim Kardashian? Of course not! But the VMA floor will be absolutely packed with celebrities. Celebrities mingling, gossiping, air-kissing, tweeting, dealing with the just-like-us mortal wound of becoming massively starstruck at the mere sight of Beyonce's stunningness. The celebrity action and camaraderie on the VMA floor is like the equivalent of the dizzying din of a high school cafeteria on the first day back to school. Except there's champagne, no lunch, and people like Justin Bieber and VMA Pre-Show host Selena Gomez don't go to your high school.

The reveal of the VMA seat cards are a yearly rite of passage that means that the VMAs are thisclose and that we're saving a seat for celebrities like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, your favorite Jersey Shore cast of characters, and even legends like Tony Bennett. (Seriously.)

Tide yourself over until actual celebrities sit in their actual seats at the VMAs by checking out photos of the 2011 MTV VMA celebrity seat cards to see who's got a direct view of Beyonce, who may not be able to see over Bruno Mars' impressively tall hair, who'll be sitting next to Joe Jonas (me, duh), and who's should come wearing body armor because they're sitting next to Odd Future.

+ Check out more seat cards photos in MTV's VMA behind-the-scenes photo gallery, and watch Jim Cantiello's VMA seat card video after the jump!

Tags 2011 MTV VMAs, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Joe Jonas, justin bieber, Lady Gaga, MTV, Selena Gomez

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Go Inside VMA Pitbull's 'Give Me Everything' Rehearsal With Ne-Yo & Nayer

Posted 8/25/11 10:55 pm EST by Tamar Anitai in Celebrity, Music, Must See, Videos, VMAs

Pitbull's fully and undeniably pretty dominating. Everything. He's crushing charts and airwaves (oh yeah and the Internet, at over 3 million downloads and rising) right now with his unstoppably huge hit, "Give Me Everything," and at this point he's officially earned his nickname, Mr. Worldwide. To watch Pitbull in action is to watch a man on top of his game and on top of the world. But when Pitbull steps onto the VMA stage to perform "Give Me Everything" this Sunday night, he's gonna have the world at his feet. As well as a couple of seriously sexy (and highly flexible) dancers.

While I was lucky enough to sit in on Pitbull's VMA rehearsal (having had "Give Me Everything" stuck on repeat in my head since March, I was totally fine with the opportunity to hear it live several times in rehearsal) I can't give away too much of what's going to happen VMA night other than to confirm that the golden-voiced Ne-Yo and the seriously sexy newcomer Nayer will join him and that the performance will be a full-blown spectacle.

+ Find out more about Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" VMA rehearsal after the jump!

Related Content VMA Home, Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags 2011 MTV VMAs, Nayer, Ne-Yo, Pitbull, VMAs

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Joe Jonas Guests On Bigger Than The Buzz, May Steal Britney's Stuff + Is That A Baby Gaga In A Meat Dress?

Posted 8/25/11 3:34 pm EST by Tamar Anitai in Bigger Than The Buzz, Celebrity, Music, Must See, Videos, VMAs

When our "Bigger Than The Buzz" producers asked us which celebrities we'd want to appear on our episode 5 of "Bigger Than The Buzz," we had only three answers. Oprah, Kate Middleton and Joe Jonas. Oprah was busy (whatEVER), Kate Middleton declined but sent us a lovely box of macrons. And Joe Jonas stepped up to the plate, making him our very first celebrity guest! (Also, Oprah and Kate Middleton are OFF my Christmas card list.)

So, not only did MTV News' James Montgomery and I get to share a tall, cool glass of milk with Joe, but we got a chance to find out his take on the VMAs -- he's a VMA presenter, and he'll be kicking off VMA weekend by performing live at mtvU's VMA Concert to Benefit Lifebeat - Music Fights HIV concert with Cobra Starship and Miguel. And, since he's going on tour with Britney Spears, he told us what he plans to steal from her dressing room. Watch out, Brit. If your feather boa goes missing, you know who to call.

Also, inspired by my current favorite video -- Chromeo's dangerously fertile "When The Night Falls" video -- James, Joe and I discussed artists who are so hot they should come with their own birth control. Joe Jonas' answer: Michael Bolton. AMAZING! And speaking of babies, we speculated on Lady Gaga's VMA opening performance. If I were running things, I'd try to arrange for Lady Gaga to give birth to a baby Gaga wearing a meat dress. Wait... What? No? Not gonna happen? Okay, that's not gonna happen. She's probably got something even than that bigger planned.

We also got Joe Jonas' style tips for guys (specifically, for James). What it comes down to is that "fashion hurts." Amen, (Jonas) brother.

And for you Joe Jonas fans out there who wanna know what Joe's like in person, well, you probably won't be surprised to hear that he's not only incredibly down-to-earth -- he arrived on set with almost no entourage, excited to be part of the show ("I saw the show! It's really fun. But why milk?" he asked me before the cameras started rolling), but he's also dangerously funny and really knows his shiz when it comes to music. Actually, I'm a little worried they'll replace me with him. Anyway, big thanks to Joe Jonas for being our first celebrity guest on "Bigger Than The Buzz." (And also, please don't take my job.)

Watch Episode 5 of "Bigger Than The Buzz," featuring special guest star Joe Jonas. And after the jump, watch episode Episode 4, featuring Britney's Pauly D lap dance. And catch up on Steve Urkel's musical career in "Bigger Than The Buzz" Episode 3! And check out Episode 2, featuring new band Emily's Army and a cat with a job, and episode 1, where we kill owling.

+ BIGGER THAN THE BUZZ EPISODE 5 WITH JOE JONAS:

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Tags 2011 MTV VMAs, Bigger Than The Buzz, Britney Spears, Buzzworthy Exclusive, Chromeo, Joe Jonas, Lady Gaga, video, VMAs

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VMAs Gone Wild: An Adorable Cat Reenacts Madonna's Legendary 'Like A Virgin' 1984 VMA Performance

Posted 8/24/11 2:04 pm EST by Tamar Anitai in Celebrity, Music, Must See, Videos, VMAs

Who could forget Madonna's legendary 1984 VMA performance of "Like A Virgin"? You remember: the one where she dressed up like a randy bride in a Boy Toy belt and a wedding dress that felt more like the underpinnings of a regular wedding dress and then proceeded to lay down and consummate her marital relationship with the stage.

What does Madonna's VMA performance have to with a cat? Not much, but everything has to do with cats when you blatantly get a cat involved. Which is why we -- the same people who brought you dogs dressed like Cher and Lady Gaga in her VMA meat dress -- called upon a gifted cat name Mona to dress up like a cat version of Madonna and recreate Her Madgesty's iconic "Like A Virgin" VMA performance -- cat-sized wedding cake and all -- in today's VMA animal reenactment.

(Credit, all cat photos: Michele Crowe/ MTV)

Mona the cat's version of "Like A Version" is far tamer (get it? tame?) than Madonna's but no less inspired. Upon descending the cat-sized wedding cat, Mona pauses (or PAWS-ES? GET IT?), gives the camera a silent Blue Steel stare (WERQUE!) and then calmly descends the cake staircase, arriving at the kitty VMA stage, then finishing her performance with the decision to nap. (That's vintage cat right there.) Because being Madonna is exhausting (all that yoga and clean eating!). And because sometimes you're just plain tuckered out.

And seriously, a round of applause for Mona. She was the sweetest cat maybe possibly of all time (um, I kinda know what I'm talking about when it comes to cats), and I was a little afraid I'd get kicked off the set for cooing over her like a wackadoo. If cats could roll their eyes she probably would've rolled them at me for fawning so unabashedly in her little kitty face. But really, could you blame me? SHE'S ADORABLE AND DRESSED LIKE MADONNA!! For real though, I'd give this cat a Moonman if I could.

Watch a cat dressed in a wedding dress reenact Madonna's 1984 VMA performance of "Like A Virgin," and watch a dog in a dog version of Lady Gaga's meat dress and little meat hat accept a VMA from a little dog version of Cher. And Stay tuned for more VMA animal reenactments!

+ A CAT DRESSED LIKE MADONNA REENACTS MADONNA'S 1984 VMA "LIKE A VIRGIN" PERFORMANCE"

+ DOGS REENACT LADY GAGA AND CHER AT THE 2010 MTV VMAS:

CHECK OUT MORE PHOTOS OF CAT MADONNA AFTER THE JUMP!

Tags 2011 MTV VMAs, Madonna, video, VMAs

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VMAs Gone Wild: Adorable Dogs Reenact Lady Gaga In A Meat Dress & Cher At The 2010 VMAs!

Posted 8/23/11 11:58 am EST by Tamar Anitai in Celebrity, Music, Must See, Videos, VMAs

Remember last year, while you were watching the 2010 MTV VMAs and enjoying the mind-breaking surreality of Lady Gaga asking Cher to hold her meat purse? Didn't you at one point -- between seizing up considering an music industry salmonella outbreak and at thought of fresh meat touching your skin -- think to yourself "this would all be just SO much better if, instead of real people, I were watching adorable dogs dressed up like Lady Gaga and Cher instead"? Well, we here at MTV did. Which is why we're bringing you... ANIMAL REENACTMENTS OF FAMOUS VMA MOMENTS! It's just like the real thing, but 184383838 katrillion times more adorable. And tinier. AND WITH REAL, LIVE DOGS!!!! And, please, a quick round of applause (or... aPAWS -- GET IT!?) for Moxie the dog, who wore the meat dress like a champ (and managed not to eat any of it!), and for Sugar, whose version of "If I Could Turn Back Time" really must be seen to be believed.

Also, as someone who was on the set of MTV's VMA animal reenactments (best day of my life next to the time I met Hanson!), I can confirm that that's a real dog-sized meat dress and meat purse (it's jerky, actually), yes they're real dogs. Professional, trained animal actors who were handled by trained professionals. Actually, their lives seemed more glamorous than my own. Plus, they got to nap on set. Any job where you get to nap is a job worth holding onto.

Watch an adorable dog version of Lady Gaga and a spot-on doggie Cher reenact Lady Gaga's 2010 Video Of The Year acceptance speech (and watch Lady Gaga and Cher's original version below if you don't believe me.) And stay tuned for more VMA animal reenactments, including CATS!!!!! (Obviously.)

+ DOGS REENACT LADY GAGA AND CHER AT THE 2010 MTV VMAS:

+ LADY GAGA WEARS A MEAT DRESS TO ACCEPT HER 2010 VIDEO OF THE YEAR MTV VMA FROM CHER:

CHECK OUT PHOTOS OF DOGS DRESSED LIKE LADY GAGA AND CHER AFTER THE JUMP!

Tags 2011 MTV VMAs, Cher, Lady Gaga, video, VMAs

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Lady Gaga Talks Mermaids, Monsters & Her Mother's Wedding Dress Live On 'MTV First: Lady Gaga'

Posted 8/18/11 11:37 pm EST by Tamar Anitai in Celebrity, Music, Must See, Photos, VMAs

I could be forgiven for thinking that the Gaga carbon copy I saw when I first walked into the MTV studio tonight for Lady Gaga's "MTV First: Lady Gaga" live appearance was Lady Gaga herself. Until I got down the long backstage hall -- which was positively electric with the rush of Gaga's glittering rarefied air -- and realized I was pretty much the only person (male or female) NOT dressed as Gaga. Oops.

MTV put out the call for her fans to attend the exclusive "MTV First: Lady Gaga" live event, including the TV premiere of her "Yoü & I" video and a live chat with Gaga herself. And Gaga's monster army heeded the call, turned out and dressed up in nothing short of Gaga's own personal hall of fame: Gaga from her "Bad Romance" single cover. Gaga in caution tape from her "Telephone" video. Gaga in a Yankees jersey from her June 2010 trip to Yankee Stadium. Gaga interpretations and remixes. Just about the only Gaga who didn't show up was the meat dress gaga (for the best, I think.)

But the question on everyone's mind was which Gaga would take the stage? Lipstick-stained disco-stick government hooker Gaga? Half-woman, half-monster Gaga? Mermaid Gaga? Jo Calderone? The answer? The Lady Gaga who brought the room to its feet and turned the decibel level in the studio to deafening was both a diminutive -- despite her gargantuan presence, Lady Gaga is teacup pocket-size in real life -- yet larger-than-life woman capable of nearly bringing Times Square to a screeching halt, traffic and tourists and all. And a girl who, not so many years ago, used to stand outside of MTV during the heyday of "TRL" and scream for Justin Timberlake's attention.

+ GET MORE BEHIND-THE-SCENES PHOTOS FROM LADY GAGA'S 'MTV FIRST' APPEARANCE AFTER THE JUMP!

Tags 2011 MTV VMAs, Lady Gaga, VMAs

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Britney's Pauly D Lap Dance, Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez's Naked Art & Band Obsessions On This Week's 'Bigger Than The Buzz'

Posted 8/18/11 6:19 pm EST by Tamar Anitai in Bigger Than The Buzz, Celebrity, Music, Videos

Credit: Splash News/ @djpaulyd

At this point, if you haven't seen the naked Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez statue, then consider yourself lucky. Okay, not that lucky, because HERE IT IS AGAIN! HA HA!

In this week's episode of "Bigger Than The Buzz," MTV.com's brand-new pop music and pop culture show, MTV News senior editor James Montgomery and myself (Tamar Anitai, MTV Buzzworthy Blog managing editor) debate the artistic merits of a naked Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez statue. (Conclusion: there IS NO ARTISTIC MERIT! IT'S HORRIFYING!)

We also ponder the pandemic that is popstar lap dancing -- Britney quasi-lap danced Pauly D, and he didn't look too unhappy about it. And just this past weekend, Nicki Minaj grinded on Drake, and Rihanna's become the patron saint of straddling. Is there some lap dancing lesson in popstar finishing school?

And, lest you fear all we as MTV music writers do is sit around talking about lap dances and weird naked art (well, you're 99 percent right), we shared the bands we're currently obsessing over -- Kentucky garage rockers Sleeper Agent, whose "Get It Daddy" single is making my entire summer and Portugal. The Man, who are both and incredible and Alaskan.

Watch Episode 4 of "Bigger Than The Buzz, and after the jump, catch up on Steve Urkel's musical career in "Bigger Than The Buzz" Episode 3! And check out Episode 2, featuring new band Emily's Army and a cat with a job, and episode 1, where we kill owling dead.

+ BIGGER THAN THE BUZZ EPISODE 4

Tags Bigger Than The Buzz, Britney Spears, Buzzworthy Exclusive, justin bieber, Nicki Minaj, Portugal The Man, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Sleeper Agent, video

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Young The Giant Rehearses A Soon-To-Be Legendary VMA Performance

Ne-Yo Serenades Me, Asks Me To Be His Date To The VMAs!! (!!!!1!)

THEY'RE HERE: VMA Seat Cards Photos!

Go Inside VMA Pitbull's 'Give Me Everything' Rehearsal With Ne-Yo & Nayer

Joe Jonas Guests On Bigger Than The Buzz, May Steal Britney's Stuff + Is That A Baby Gaga In A Meat Dress?

VMAs Gone Wild: An Adorable Cat Reenacts Madonna's Legendary 'Like A Virgin' 1984 VMA Performance

VMAs Gone Wild: Adorable Dogs Reenact Lady Gaga In A Meat Dress & Cher At The 2010 VMAs!

Lady Gaga Talks Mermaids, Monsters & Her Mother's Wedding Dress Live On 'MTV First: Lady Gaga'

Britney's Pauly D Lap Dance, Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez's Naked Art & Band Obsessions On This Week's 'Bigger Than The Buzz'

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