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.
The MTV VMAs go big before they even start. That means over-the-top outfits, and arrivals so big that the VMAs might as well be called the VBAs for Very Big Arrivals. It's the VMAs. You don't have your dad drop you off in his crappy Buick banger. Case in point: At the 2008 VMAs, Tokio Hotel rolled up to the red carpet in a larger-than-life monster truck tricked out with their faces on it. And T-Pain rode an elephant to the red carpet.
This year's VMA red carpet, located right outside of Radio City Music Hall, will get hit with tons of all-star action and over-the-top arrivals in the form of live animals and extremely noisy modes of transportation. See if you can guess which VMA artists might be arriving at the red carpet via the following vehicles.
And... + Fire truck
+ Horse and carriage
+ Parade float
+ Jaguar Convertible
Watch the VMA Preshow at 8pm tonight to catch all of the VMAs' Very Big Arrivals! Plus, watch the VMA red carpet live, and get more secrets of the 2009 VMAs!
+ 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??????
Never seen West Side Story? Seriously? Shame on you. But I'll wait to chastise you until after you've watched this brand-new MTV on-air spot that Cobra Starship filmed for the 2009 MTV VMAs. The new video features Cobra Starship -- and Leighton Meester -- reenacting West Side Story's "Tonight," a cinematic and theatrical behemoth.
The Cobra Starship VMA video was choreographed by Wade Robson (let that sink in for a minute...) and filmed at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn. The museum is completely underground, and the promo was shot in a vintage New York City subway car, which is why it looks a little like something out of Beat Street. My only complaint: Not enough Ryland. Apparently Courtney Love was on set too. (Let THAT sink in...)
Watch the Cobra Starship 2009 VMA promo video, and stay tuned for more videos featuring VMA performers and presenters.
The bar has been RAISED and the stakes are now even higher as the list of 2009 MTV VMA performers grows bigger with today's mega announcement that hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and Pop Art princess Lady Gaga will perform!
Jay-Z and Lady Gaga join the already-majah roster of 2009 MTV VMA performers: Taylor Swift, Green Day, Pink, and Muse.
Jay-Z appearances aren't ubiquitous happenings -- He's not exactly a hermit, but he's not the kind of guy to show up to the opening of a door and pimp himself out to anyone who'll listen. Why? BECAUSE HE'S JAY-Z. HE DOESN'T HAVE TO. To say that Jay-Z's 2009 VMA performance is going to be the stuff of pop culture legend is like saying Madonna's arms are only somewhat bananas.
Now speaking of bananas, Lady Gaga, who's up for a MIND-REELING nine VMAs, will be busy that night, to say the least. Gaga also said that she's "simply gutted to be both a performer and nominee at the 2009 VMAs. In fact, I'm so happy, I could die." Hopefully Lady Gaga was speaking figuratively because she's got a BIG show to put on that night. And after she shot fire out of her breasts at the Much Music Awards in Canada this past June, we expect very big things of her VMA performance! She'd better crawl out of the mouth of a live camel or something. (JK, PETA.)
Also, AWKWARD alert -- she's up against Beyonce (MRS. Jay-Z!) for nine VMAs. Wonder if this will be awkwardsville backstage that night.
+ Wanna enter for a chance to win a VIP trip for two to L.A. to see Morningwood at Six Flags Magic Mountain? DO IT NOW! (LogoOnline)
+ Check out this interview Kid Cudi gave recently, talking 'shrooms and being more than just Kanye's little sidekick. (Complex)
+ Up-and-coming MC/pop songstress/crazywoman Amanda Blank is launching a coast-to-coast tour with Matt and Kim to close out the summer and support the launch of her new CD 'I Love You,' with dates from L.A. to D.C. (MySpace)
+ Brit Brit's back to her old tricks again, and by old tricks we mean Lindsay Lohan. The two were spotted partying into the wee morning hours at an L.A. hotspot last night. Come on now, girl -- we're almost rid of Daddy-o. Don't spoil it now!! (Life & Style Weekly)
And you already know the video involves a deli-turned-speakeasy and blah blah bliggity blah, but did you know that it was shot on Avenue B in the East Village AND that Ryland once worked at an actual deli? And that Alex has a sensitivity to houndstooth? It's true.
Watch two behind-the-scenes clips from the "Good Girls Go Bad" video shoot.
... After the jump, see what made Leighton Meester feel "sexual healing"-y... on the set...
Mmmkay. Happy Monday. You've waited long enough. Now watch Cobra Starship's brand-new video, "Good Girls Go Bad," featuring Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester, who totally sells out the band. Why? BECAUSE SHE'S TOO HOT TO BE TRUSTED! Never trust a pretty girl whose place of business is festooned with animal carcasses. I'm just sayin'. Also, if you cannot party to this song, you deserve to have your party license revoked.
Watch "Good Girls Go Bad," directed by Kai Regan, now.
From watching this exclusive 30-second clip of Cobra Starship's new "Good Girls Go Bad" video, featuring Leighton Meester, it's pretty clear that if the whole band thing doesn't pan out, Cobra has a bright future in deli work and/or sandwich artistry. Leighton obviously has a future in being ridiculously hot.
Watch this 30-second clip of Cobra's "Good Girls Go Bad" speakeasy-and-sammiches video, directed by Kai Regan. And stay tuned for the full-length video coming to MTV this Monday.
Gabe, Ryland, and Alex occupied the Buzzworthy couch today (no, that's not Nate running away in the background -- he and Victoria couldn't make it) to answer your Cobra Starshipfan questions. Video of the whole surreal experience will be coming soon, but here's a little teaser to get you in the appropriate mental zone.
+ First, Thai food was ordered.
+ Then, it was noted that several people in the room were wearing boat shoes, so we had to talk about that as well as the deleterious effects of the rain on Jewfros (myself and Gabe + NYC monsoon = unhappy Jews.)
+ The color purple (the actual color, not the 1982 book by Alice Walker or the 1985 movie starring Whoopie Goldberg) and the term "epic fail" were both deemed DONE. (Sorry, everyone who still uses it. And I probably still will because I'm lazy.)
+ Also discussed: camping, underwear, going peepee in your pants.
+ 
