Swizz Beatz, Melanie Fiona and Robin Thicke also performed at Keys’ hometown show.
By James Dinh

Alicia Keys and Jay-Z perform at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night

Photo: Matt Harper/ MTV News

It was a night of soaring vocals, positive messages and surprise guests when Alicia Keys’ Freedom Tour stopped in her hometown of New York City on Wednesday evening at Madison Square Garden. The singer, who was joined onstage by Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Swizz Beatz, performed a string of songs from past to present and even showcased some of her dance skills.

Before the songstress emerged onstage, fans were treated to the soulful sounds of opening acts Jermaine Paul, Melanie Fiona and Robin Thicke. Paul, who has previously served as a background singer for Keys, was enthusiastic in his efforts to hype up the audience. Fiona kept the momentum moving with her powerful vocal range and charismatic smile while she performed songs like “It Kills Me” and new single “Ay Yo.”

When Robin Thicke made his way to the stage, it was clear he was aware of his legions of female fans. Decked out in a dark suit and sunglasses, the singer crooned his way through his set, which included the thumping “Shakin’ It 4 Daddy” and “Lost Without U.” Thicke remained playful as well by ending his set with a sing-along to Lil Wayne’s “A Milli.”

Shortly after 9:30, the lights went out and the beginning of Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” filled the air. The drums of the 1996 track intensified as the night’s main attraction appeared before fans on towering video screens.
“I’m a renegade. I’m a truth seeker. They told me I would never make it and I did. They told me I wasn’t strong enough but I am mighty. The element of freedom is tattooed on my heart,” Keys announced.

Alicia Keys appeared in a chain-wrapped cage amid the smoke that slowly flooded the stage. She began the show with a medley of her track “Caged Bird” and “Love Is Blind.” She whipped her hair from side to side until she made her way out of the spinning entrapment and happily towards the front of the stage.

“New York, you feeling good?” she asked the roaring crowd. There was no hesitation — the jam-packed arena was ready. Dressed in a tight black top, sparkling pants and a red coat with tails, Keys made full use of the stage by fluttering from side to side with her dancers during “You Don’t Know My Name.” She continued with songs like “Fallen,” which she changed around vocally, and her rocking Jack White collaboration “Another Way to Die.”

	Alicia Keys, Beyonce, More In Concert

Opening act Jermaine Paul took the stage once again when Keys sat down at her piano for “Diary.” While the two played vocal acrobatics around each other during the song’s bridge, it was evident that they shared onstage chemistry. After a quick costume change into a sleek white dress, she performed “Superwoman” and “If I Can’t Have You.”
The songstress took several moments throughout her show to explain the importance of believing in yourself.

But after another outfit change, it was her performance of “Put It in a Love Song” that really got fans riled up. Keys performed her way through the dance number, then introduced Beyoncé, who descended from a staircase and joined Keys for the remainder of the song, ending with a dance breakdown. This marks the very first time the two artists have ever performed together onstage.
Keys slowed things down after the powerhouse female duet with songs like “Unthinkable” and “Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart.”

And with Beyoncé making a surprise appearance onstage, it was only fitting that her husband do the same. As Keys momentarily stopped playing piano, Swizz Beatz ran onstage and was soon followed by none other than Jay-Z. Times Square and the city skyline engulfed the arena as scenes of the city shined brightly for the sea of people. There’s something especially moving about listening to the ode to New York City “Empire State of Mind” while actually in the city itself.

Keys is always a master on piano, but her evening in New York proved her ability to put on a show with massive vocals, strong imagery and a powerful message.

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There were few surprises this week, but the top 12’s parents were cute!
By Jim Cantiello

Lacey Brown performs on Wednesday’s “American Idol”

Photo: FOX

“American Idol” in 60 Seconds has fast become an MTV News institution, but it goes by so fast that it’s not always easy to catch every golden nugget. So, here we present to you Jim Cantiello’s bite-size recap of this week’s “Idol” high jinks.

It was Rolling Stones week on “American Idol,” and the newly elected top 12 didn’t completely embarrass themselves. Golf clap!

It was also a week where the judges happily overlooked mangled lyrics (Didi Benami’s “Play With Fire”), off-key notes (Siobhan Magnus’ “Paint It Black”) and questionable hygiene (Crystal Bowersox wrapped a dreadlock around one of Lilly Scott’s patented peacock feathers).

When the contestants weren’t warbling Stones tunes, viewers got to meet their families in clips that consisted of weepy dads with facial hair (nice to see you again, Papa Garcia; nice to meet you, Papa Bowersox; your accent is adorable, Daddy Dewyze), and a blatant disregard for birth control. (Hi, Urban and Magnus clans!)

The moms were fun times too. Casey James’ mother had amazing eyeliner and enough custom-made “Casey” clothing to last a lifetime. Aaron Kelly’s adopted mom is so nice, they named her twice (Kelly Kelly!). And Didi’s matriarch/housesitter (Mommy Benami!) is too nervous to watch her daughter choke on live television, so she doesn’t watch the performance episodes. Cute!

Singing-wise, everyone was pretty passable. Big Mike sounded great but he also danced (which caused Ryan Seacrest to awkwardly “oh, no you didn’t” in Simon’s zillionaire face after the Brit called the boogying “desperate”). Lacey squawked, Casey grinned, Katie was boring, Paige sounded better with laryngitis, Lee Dewyze continued his transformation into Dave Matthews, and Aaron debuted a new look composed of two parts self-tanner and 75 parts hair gel.

The closest thing to a catastrophe was Tim Urban’s reggae reimagining of “Under My Thumb,” but the resident cute boy was out-terribled by early front-runner Andrew Garcia, who screamed through “Gimme Shelter” like he was having a ‘Nam flashback.

On Wednesday night’s results show, David Cook carefully performed “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” Australian guitarist Orianthi attempted to sing in a wind tunnel, and Ke$ha $tumbled around on$tage in a Native American headre$$ while 3Oh!3 acted like they were waiting for her to pass out so they could take advantage of her.

When it was time for results, there were few surprises. Tim, Lacey and Paige all solemnly walked to the middle of the stage, but it was Lacey who suffered the loss. She got to pick which song she wanted to perform one last time (”The Story”) but no matter how hard she concentrated, it still wasn’t good enough to warrant the judges using their precious “save” on her. But look at the bright side, Lacey! You now get to join Lindsey Cardinale, Brandon Rogers and Vanessa Olivarez in the “12er” club. Membership perks include … nobody other than “Idol” reporters remembering your name.

What did you think of this week’s shenanigans? Did I leave anything out of my recap you were dying for me to dish about? Leave a comment below, and for even more “Idol” goodness, follow me @jambajim.

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Rapper missed court date because he’s serving New York prison sentence.
By Gil Kaufman

Lil Wayne

Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

A Superior Court judge in Yuma, Arizona, issued a bench warrant for Lil Wayne on Tuesday when the rapper failed to appear in court to face drug and weapons charges. Of course, the rapper (born Dwayne Michael Carter) missed the court date because he recently began a one-year prison stretch in New York on gun charges.

The warrant was issued because Wayne did not appear in court for a final trial management conference, according to The Associated Press, but his attorney James Tilson said his client could not make it because of the sentence he has been serving at New York’s Rikers Island jail since March 8.

The Arizona case stems from a January 2008 stop at the a border checkpoint 78 miles east of Yuma, in which authorities claim they found cocaine, ecstasy and a handgun on Wayne’s bus. Wayne was charged with possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Though Tilson said he has filed motions to have Wayne’s March 30 trial date vacated and asked that his client be allowed to appear in Yuma when he finishes his New York jail sentence, Yuma County prosecutor Deann Sandry said Arizona now considers the rapper a convicted felon and believes a bench warrant should be issued and his bond increased to $150,000.

Neither Arizona prosecutors nor Tilson could be reached for comment at press time.

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Didi Benami and Casey James also get praise from the judges during big-stage debut.
By Gil Kaufman

Crystal Bowersox on “American Idol” on Tuesday

Photo: Fox

The “American Idol” season-nine top 12 made it to the big stage Tuesday night (March 16) to take on the songs of the Rolling Stones. And, in a wakeup call on the first night of mixed-gender competition, the women served notice that they really are the ones to beat this year as Siobhan Magnus drew more raves and Crystal Bowersox had yet another solid performance.

Brawny football-player-turned-singer Michael Lynche was up first, singing the appropriately sexy “Miss You,” playing it like a Sam Cooke-style soul burner, complete with plenty of falsetto whoops and hollers and vigorous hand gestures.

Randy Jackson and Ellen DeGeneres thought it continued Lynche’s winning ways and provided a nice kickoff to the night. Kara DioGuardi thought Michael delivered on the swagger inherent in the Stones’ live show, and Simon Cowell praised him for his confidence but thought the dancing was a bit “corny” at times.

Knoxville, Tennessee, native Didi Benami went torchy with “Play With Fire,” singing the song as a dark jazz ballad while slinking across the big stage and emoting into the camera.

Kara thought the eeriness of the song combined with the sweetness of Benami’s voice was a nice mixture. “For the first time for me in weeks, Didi, you’re on fire,” Randy said. Cowell thought the tune began to show what kind of artist Benami could be.

Casey James rocked out “It’s All Over Now,” playing a Dixie-fried boogie take on the tune while occasionally strumming an electric guitar and tossing his golden locks at all the right moments.

After telling him several weeks ago to stop trying to be a rock star, Kara said James finally was a rock star in his best performance yet. But Simon said, despite looking great and singing well, it felt more like an audition that didn’t really make use of the big stage. “You’ve got to push yourself,” he said. “Not just be a guy standing in the middle of the stage playing the guitar. It has to be more than that. … Just be a star.”

Another Texas kid, Lacey Brown, went with an orchestral version of 1967’s “Ruby Tuesday” complete with a string quartet. She sang in her coquettish 1960s pixie pop voice, seated on the edge of the stage while tweaking the melody just enough to make it her own.

Cowell said Brown’s vocals are strong but that she performs like an actress and overthinks it too much. Ellen didn’t like how she sat down during the most uptempo bits and felt it was a bit sleepy.

Needing to get back into his early groove, Andrew Garcia let it bleed with “Gimme Shelter,” laying on some gritty Cee-Lo-like soul as he awkwardly paced across the front of the stage with the mic stand while hitting a series of big notes at the end.

For Randy it was way pitchy, while Ellen dubbed it his best performance to date. Kara focused on the meaning of the lyrics again, saying the anti-Vietnam War intensity didn’t come through even as the vocal chops finally crept back. “I wanted to feel that from you, what you were talking about,” she said. “I felt it at times, but most of the times I didn’t.” Cowell mocked DioGuardi for taking the song too literally and said the vocals were good, if a bit weaker then they were in rehearsal.

Teenager Katie Stevens needed to go big to stay in the game, which she did with the iconic ballad “Wild Horses.” Sitting on a stool under a harsh spotlight center stage, Stevens sang a big pop-diva version of the tune recently covered by Susan Boyle, struggling at first with the melody and then finding her big voice on the long final note.

Randy and Paula thought, despite some pitch problems, it was a strong performance, and Simon said it was the first time she’s chosen a good song, even if the emotion drained out in the second half.

Clawing back from the abyss, Tim Urban had a chance to solidify his place on the show with a Jason Mraz-y acoustic reggae run through “Under My Thumb.” The arrangement was lively and fun, though the vocals fell flat at points.

Kara and Simon applauded him for going out on a limb and making it his own, but Cowell said it just didn’t work and probably offended Stones fans. “I think it was a crazy decision,” he said.

Resident quirky girl Siobhan Magnus went with “Paint It Black.” Wearing a gothy dress, Magnus opened the tune as a turgid symphonic ballad, then rocked it out, unleashing another one of her Adam Lambert-esque rebel yells as the song built to a wild crescendo.

“You rise above. … You’re like Snooki’s poof — you just stand out and I like it,” Ellen gushed. Cowell said it was the standout performance of the night because some people would love it while others would hate it.

Former paint-store clerk Lee Dewyze took on “Beast of Burden,” transforming the sultry rock tune into a clap-along bro-down acoustic ditty with shades of Hootie and the Blowfish-meets-Dave Matthews.

Simon said he likes Lee and his voice but that he again chose a safe, forgettable song. “Stamp your mark on the competition and stop thinking other people are better than you,” he said. Kara, meanwhile, said he’s growing more than any other contestant from week-to-week.

Paige Miles just squeaked into the top 12 despite a rough week, so choosing the country swinging “Honky Tonk Women” was a bold move. The bump-and-grind urban-cowgirl arrangement suited her scratchy-soul vocal style.

Randy liked it but wanted more energy, and both women and Simon applauded her for hitting big notes despite struggling with laryngitis, though Cowell thinks she still needs to find a way to connect.

The other remaining teen in the competition, Pennsylvania native Aaron Kelly, took the sensitive route with a piano-ballad take on “Angie.” Though it was low-energy and a bit glum, Kelly’s urgent vocals were strong, and he brought his country twang to the soft-rock arrangement.

“Your mom was right — you were born to sing,” Randy said, comparing Kelly to a young Justin Timberlake. After slamming him for not connecting with his song last week, Kara said the high-schooler set her straight with his emotional delivery. Cowell predicted disaster during Stones week but was pleasantly surprised by how Kelly sang the song well within his range.

Closing the show was this year’s singer to beat, Crystal Bowersox, who couldn’t miss with “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Strumming her beat-up acoustic, Bowersox strolled out and laid her bluesy pipes on a funky soul reworking of the legendary ode to yearning.

None of the judges thought it was her best performance, though Ellen started to see some personality for the first time in the competition as Crystal loosened up onstage. Despite coming out the clear favorite, Cowell said Magnus bested Crystal because her song had more of a dramatic flair.

What did you think of Tuesday night’s performances? Who killed it? Who blew it? What was your favorite? Who should go home? Leave your comments below.

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Mixtape Daily takes you behind the scenes of this year’s Freshmen 10 photo shoot.
By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Rahman Dukes

<i>XXL</i> Top Ten Freshmen

Photo: XXL

Don’t Sleep: Necessary Notables

Headliners: Nipsey Hussle, Jay Rock, Freddie Gibbs, Fashawn, Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, OJ Da Juiceman, Pill, Donnis and J. Cole

Co-Starring: DJ Whoo Kid

Songs We Can’t Stop Playing: Pill’s “Angels” freestyle, Nipsey Hussle’s “When They Talk About Me” and OJ Da Juiceman’s “Bread in the Kitchen”

Essential Info:. Now that the cat is out of the bag and XXL magazine has announced this year’s Freshmen 10 issue, the publication is all the way turnt up with promotion. There’s a concert in NYC next week with a lot of the gang, and last week, the mag dropped a tape featuring all the Freshmen 10 picks. DJ Whoo Kid hosts, and the fellas tagged as being the leaders of the new school all contributed songs.

“I feel like we’ve been working real hard — not just in 2009, but for the years before it,” Nipsey told us at the cover shoot for the issue about him and his homie Jay Rock. “But to see XXL recognize what we’re doing, especially being from the [West] Coast. … I’m not saying I expected us to be here, but at the same time, I feel like we deserve it.”

“This is a real good look,” Rock added about the photo shoot. “We’ve been vibing with each other, and we all getting to know each other too. We’re all getting with this music thing. And the music is what brought us together, straight up. We’re all young, we’re all fresh. We got a story to tell, and it means a lot to me to be around all these talented cats.”

“For those people who haven’t heard my name, I guess they are going to be on the lookout,” J. Cole said of the XXL honor. “I’ve always felt the responsibility to push the craft forward. … Cover or no cover. I always felt some type of responsibility to make a difference in the music somehow.”

All 10 artists had a different journey to make it to the Freshmen 10. Indiana native Freddie Gibbs definitely has had one of the biggest leaps in the past year.

“I mean, it’s a blessing, man,” Gibbs said. “This time last year, I was on my way to the jailhouse. To be here is a blessing. I’ve been looking at these covers, XXL period, since it’s been in existence. For me to make it on the cover, you know, is a blessing. To be here and not be locked down or dead is a blessing. Man, I still can’t believe it. I’m speechless.”

Other Heat This Week

» Consequence – Movie on Demand
» Jae Millz – The Flood
» Meek Mill – Flamers 3
» Young Money – The Congress

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Jonas Åkerlund gives us some insight into his latest collaboration with the singer.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias

Lady Gaga in “Telephone”

Photo: Interscope

On Thursday, Lady Gaga premiered her epic clip for “Telephone.” In the nearly 10-minute-long video, Gaga is bailed out of jail by Beyoncé and the ladies go on a killing spree. Director Jonas Åkerlund sat down with MTV News to give fans the inside scoop on the video, frame by frame.

“We usually don’t do opening credits for videos, but it kind of goes with the story and the length of the video,” he explained. “This is actually a real jail, or it used to be, but they closed it in L.A. We looked at a couple. There’s, like, two or three jails in L.A. that you can shoot in. … [I] always try and stick in my female bodybuilders in my videos. We like that.”

The crew had to shoot as much as they could in a very, very limited time. “The idea was always to have a very stylish, a very cool jail filled with women. The whole video was shot in only two days, which is a lot of setups for what we need. So you average up to 150 setups a day,” he said. “We go from all these lip-synch parts and dance parts back to story. It goes back and forth all through.”

Gaga first shows off her moves in the jail as she makes her way to and from her cell. “This is the first of three big dance numbers,” Åkerlund explained. “It’s actually supposed to be attached to the other video we did last year for ‘Paparazzi’ and that one was, like, six-and-a-half minutes and I guess this one is close to 10, so you can put them together and it’s slowly growing into a little film.”

Finally, Gaga gets bailed out of prison. “The idea was always to not know until we see her, but we did add her name into the speaker at the beginning,” he said of Beyoncé’s first appearance. “But the reveal of Beyoncé is kind of cool when she lifts her hat. Beyoncé’s time was so limited, so [we] really had prepared [and] rehearsed so much for her, but she had so much experience that we figured it out.”

Although the video is full of pop-culture references both obvious and obscure, the most apparent is the truck the ladies drive through the desert. “And that car is actually the real car from the ‘Kill Bill’ movie and we had a different car,” he said. “We were gonna have a convertible hearse, but then Gaga had some sort of meeting with Quentin [Tarantino] and he offered to lend his car. We thought that was fun too.”

The “Kill Bill” truck wasn’t the only cameo. Gaga’s pals Semi Precious Weapons showed up, as well as Tyrese Gibson. “He was kind enough to help us out. Luckily he was in L.A. and he was up for it,” he explained. “It’s hard to get actors to be in videos. It’s not always as challenging and rewarding as they’re used to.”

While the video closes with the ladies driving off into the sunset, Åkerlund explained just how the big dance sequences came together. “It’s just like the big dance number with Beyoncé in it. This is how professional she is — she actually rehearsed on the day Gaga and her dancers had rehearsed a little bit before and pretty much nailed it,” he said. “We had a stylist working with all the designers, but he’s basically the genius behind the wardrobe and Gaga — she’s filled with ideas.”

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Film that documents the climb airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.
By James Montgomery

Justin Timberlake

Photo: MTV News

Justin Timberlake was there when his pal Kenna decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. In fact, he encouraged him to do it, and is “bummed” that his schedule didn’t allow him to join his friend on the trek.

“Kenna and I, every winter, we find a place to go snowboarding, and we were up on a mountain somewhere, snowboarding,” Timberlake told MTV News. “We got onto the lift, and Kenna was talking about how, before, he had tried to climb Kilimanjaro.” And there, the idea for “Summit on the Summit” was hatched.

Unfortunately, due to work conflicts — the trek up Africa’s highest peak was rescheduled several times and ultimately collided with Timberlake’s filming for “The Social Network” — Justin didn’t actually get to make the climb with Kenna. Instead, the likes of Lupe Fiasco and Santigold and actors Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch and Isabel Lucas made the climb up Kilimanjaro, but Timberlake remained close to the action, getting daily updates on the trek.

“I was getting sort of a texting diary from day to day,” Timberlake recalled. “And the one thing I heard was … the hardest part was the last day, obviously, because not only were they climbing from 16,000 to 19,000 feet, but that extra 3,000 was really brutal, because of the altitude. And on top of that, I think they woke up at 2:30 in the morning and had to climb the last 3,000 feet. I heard from all of them that the last 3,000 feet, every breath counted. Every single time you could conserve oxygen, you could feel it. It really counted. … I’m in awe that they did it. I’m really impressed.”

Timberlake did record an introduction to the film that documents the climb — and highlights the global issue of clean water — called “Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro.” The 90-minute doc premiered Wednesday night in New York and will air Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. And just because he didn’t actually climb the mountain this time around, don’t count him out just yet.

“I was bummed that I wasn’t able to do it, because I thought it would be a cool thing to do. Maybe one day I will,” he laughed. “But it’s really an inspiring idea and an inspiring task, and I was very proud of everyone who was involved with it. … It says a lot about all the people who were involved in the climb, that they were sort of willing to put themselves out there … to have cameras on them 24/7 and to say, ‘Well, if this has any effect on anyone who’s watching it, or creates any type of awareness, and gets $10 from one person, well, that’s amazing.’ ”

Tune in to “Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro” Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. And find out what you can do to help solve the global water crisis now at the “Summit on the Summit” Web site.

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From Batman to Quentin Tarantino, we analyze every influence on the epic clip.
By James Montgomery and Eric Ditzian

Lady Gaga in her “Telephone” video

Photo: Interscope

As soon as Lady Gaga’s epic “Telephone” video premiered, her ultra-obsessive fans (not to mention even the most casual of pop-culture observers) began picking it apart, frame by frame. It was a pretty big job.

	‘Telephone’ Cheat Sheet Photos

Because while it’s a feast for the eyes, “Telephone” is also a sort of “all-you-can-eat” buffet for those who dine almost exclusively on popular culture, full of nods to cult films and comics, eclectic icons, underground bands and internationally famous pop legends, and even the occasional commercial (there are an awful lot of not-too-discreet product placements sprinkled throughout).

Sorting through it all is a head-spinning experience, which is why we’ve done all the dirty work for you. Here — after hours spent analyzing each second of the clip until our eyeballs frizzled in our skulls — is our pop-culture cheat sheet for Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” video, alphabetized and cross-referenced for your convenience.

“Batman”: Classic ’60s-era TV series starring Adam West — animated “Smack!” and “Wroom!” graphics call to mind the Dark Knight’s “Pow!” and “Zonk!”-assisted fight sequences.

“Caged Heat”: Prototypical chicks-in-prison flick. Gaga’s schlocky, sexually charged jailhouse is ripped right from this 1974 feast of beefed-up guards, brawling babes and naked flesh.

Captain America & Wonder Woman: Iconic crime-fighting comic book superheroes. Beyoncé’s stars-and-stripes uniform during her post-murder-spree dance-sequence riff on the Captain’s color scheme and the Woman’s silhouette.

Diet Coke: Refreshing, sugar-free carbonated beverage, dangerous when coupled with Mentos. Doubles as Gaga’s impromptu hair-curlers during video’s “catfight” sequence.

Doom: English crust-punk band that burned brightly from 1987-1990, faded away, then reformed this year. Their logo is visible on Gaga’s studded leather jacket during same sequence.

Double-Breasted Drive-Thru: Logo seen on cup in Beyoncé’s P—y Wagon. Does not actually exist, though it could be a reference to the “Double D’s Drive-Thru” made (somewhat) famous on FunnyOrDie.com.

Germanotta, Natali: Gaga’s younger sister. Looks eerily similar to pre-The Fame Gaga. Also looks eerily like a de-thawed Snooki. Appears in the video’s prison scenes.

Hermaphrodite: Rumors that Gaga was a hermaphrodite were widespread in 2009. They are jokingly referenced by one of the prison guards who, after stripping Gaga in her jail cell, remarks, “I told you she didn’t have a d—.”

“High and Dry”: Single off Radiohead’s 1995 album The Bends. Two videos were filmed for the song, one of which is set in a diner very similar to the one in “Telephone.” The fact that death (and contemplative drinking of coffee) is involved in both is also noteworthy.

Jackson, Michael: Late, great King of Pop. Gaga pays tribute to him by breaking into an MJ-esque shuffle after being bailed out of jail.

“Kill Bill”: Quentin Tarantino’s two-part martial arts epic. Uma Thurman’s garish P—y Wagon reappears as Gaga and Beyoncé’s getaway mobile.

LaChapelle, David: Photographer/director whose hyper-saturated work is clearly a touchstone for much of the video, particularly the scenes that feature Gaga wrapped in electric-yellow police tape.

Lava: Majestic female Great Dane, sister of the late Rumpus. Both featured prominently in Gaga’s “Poker Face” video and Lava has since worked with Gaga in “Bad Romance.” She is visible in the diner sequences in “Telephone.”

“Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”: Guy Ritchie’s stylized take on the crime genre. The quick-cutting, sound effect-heavy diner murder scene is vintage Ritchie.

Madonna: Undisputed pop legend. Gaga has teamed with her in the past (on “Saturday Night Live”), and her short blond tresses in the prison dance sequence seem like a direct homage to Madge’s hairstyle in the “Vogue” video.

Meyer, Russ: The campy king of sexploitation cinema. Top-heavy women in lingerie, the mix of female violence and sensuality, the often shoestring-budget aesthetic — all this and more points directly at Meyer.

“Natural Born Killers”: Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis’ serial-killing satire. With the diner’s dusty locale, Gaga and Beyoncé’s gleeful massacre and the send-up of news media reportage, “NBK” has its bloody fingerprints all over “Telephone.”

Page, Bettie: Exotic pinup queen of the 1950s. Her short-banged look is mirrored by Beyoncé in the “Telephone” video (and, for that matter, the “Video Phone” clip too.)

“Pulp Fiction”: Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning gangland revelation. From the diner setting to the casual “Honey” pet names that Gaga and Beyoncé exchange, Tarantino’s 1994 gun-and-drug-soaked adventure pops up again and again in this music video.

Radio KUK: Fictional station heard on the P—y Wagon’s radio. Could be an homage to the “Grand Theft Auto” franchise, or KLON radio, the station that makes an appearance on the Queens of the Stone Age’s 2007 album Songs for the Deaf. Or we may be reaching a tad.

Rodriguez, Jai: Former “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” culture expert. Makes a cameo as a TV reporter following the carnage inside the diner.

Semi Precious Weapons: Gaga’s pals and tourmates. Appear in the diner sequence, where they are poisoned.

“Thelma & Louise”: Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon’s female-empowerment road movie. As Gaga and Beyoncé clasp hands and drive off into the unknown, there can be no mistaking the allusion to this film’s speeding-car-off-a-cliff shocker of an ending.

Twain, Shania: Canadian-born pop-country star. The leopard skin outfit she wears in her “That Don’t Impress Me Much” video seems to have directly inspired Gaga’s getup towards the end of “Telephone,” when she performs in front of the P—y Wagon.

WNS News: Fictional news outlet that employs Jai Rodriguez. Perhaps a nod to New York’s famous 1010 WINS news radio station, which Gaga undoubtedly heard every time she leapt into a cab. Then again, perhaps we’re reaching here.

Well, did we miss any refererences? What do you think of Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” video? Let us know in the comments below!

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Late actor’s mom was told that an early autopsy points to pulmonary congestion as the cause of death, manager tells CNN.
By Kelley L. Carter

Corey Haim

Photo: Michael Bezjian/ Wireimage

Preliminary reports reveal that 1980s heartthrob Corey Haim died of an enlarged heart with water-filled lungs, the actor’s manager told CNN.

The Los Angeles County coroner told Haim’s mother that the culprit was pulmonary congestion, manager Mark Heaslip said. Haim was found dead Wednesday after collapsing in the Los Angeles apartment he shared with his mother, Judy Haim.

Heaslip went on to say that this was proof that the actor didn’t die from a drug overdose, contrary to early media reports shortly after the news of his death broke. However, Brian Elias, who is with the coroner’s office, said that they are waiting for toxicology tests to return before making the official call on what ultimately killed the actor.

The initial buzz of what might have actually killed Haim came from the 1980s teen icon’s decades-long struggle with drug addiction. Longtime friend and frequent co-star Corey Feldman asked Wednesday that people not “jump the gun” to conclude a drug overdose killed Haim.

Heaslip, manager to both Feldman and Haim, said he seemed to be winning his battle against drug abuse in the weeks before his death. Haim had suffered from flulike symptoms for two days, the deputy coroner said.

“We found no illicit drugs. However, we did recover four of his prescription meds at the location,” said Ed Winter, the Los Angeles County deputy coroner, adding that he does not know what those drugs were.

Haim was “weaned down to literally zero medications” in the past two weeks by an addiction specialist, Heaslip said Wednesday on CNN’s “Issues With Jane Velez-Mitchell.”

The doctor “put him on a new line of medications,” Feldman said on “Larry King Live” on Wednesday.

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Documentary airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on MTV.
By Eric Ditzian

Justin Timberlake

Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

Earlier this year, Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch, Lupe Fiasco, Santigold and others banded together to climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness about the global clean-water crisis. Now Justin Timberlake has pitched in to support the effort.

The singer is set to provide a personal introduction to “Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro,”
the 90-minute documentary about the celebrities’ climb that will air on MTV on March 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Masterminded by Grammy-nominated musician Kenna, the team took a six-day, 50-mile trek
to the peak of the tallest mountain in Africa.

“It was a combination of the mental and the psychological aspects of the mountain, of the slow-but-steady pace that you had to go up it, and that sometimes made your brain just want to explode, because you just wanted to get there so badly,” Biel told MTV News Wednesday. “But then you’d get this rush of inspiration of ‘I’m not doing this for me. I’m doing this for something bigger than me, for people who don’t have a voice, for people that need water around the world,’ and then you’d power through.”

In addition to raising awareness about the clean-water crisis, the “Summit on the Summit” raises funds for P&G’s Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Water for People’s PlayPumps Technology. During the MTV broadcast, viewers will be able to text SEND to 90999 to donate $10 to the U.N. Foundation on behalf of “Summit on the Summit.” Each donation will send 1,000 liters of clean water to people in need.

“MTV has a long history of educating its audience to raise awareness on issues that are important to them,” said Dave Sirulnick, Executive Vice President, News and Docs. “More than 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe, clean drinking water. By airing this documentary, MTV hopes to mobilize a new generation of young people who may not be aware of this global cause and take action to get involved in helping find solutions to the water crisis.”

Don’t miss “Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro,” airing Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. And find out what you can do to help solve the global water crisis now at the “Summit on the Summit” Web site.

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