Beyonce Records Video For Michelle Obama

Bey reads personal letter to the first lady in a video for President Obama's re-election campaign.
By Nadeska Alexis

<P><MTVNLINK type="artist" id="1236911">Beyoncé</MTVNLINK> has never been shy about her admiration for Michelle Obama. In April, she dedicated a note to the first lady via her website, heavy with praise, and this week, Bey delivered the message aloud, in a new video that supports President Obama's re-election campaign.</P><P>"I wrote a letter to the first lady because I wanted her to know that I'm very grateful for everything she's done for our country and also for women around the world," Beyonc&#233; says as she introduces the clip.</P><P></p><div class="player-placeholder right" title="Beyonce Gets Back To Business, Kicks Off Summer!" id="vid:785342" width="415" height="255"></div><p></P><P>During the brief video, the camera cuts from the singer as she begins to read the note, and a set of photos showing Mrs. Obama hard at work and hanging with her family begins to play. "Michelle is the ultimate example of a truly strong African-American," Beyonc&#233; reads as the photos scroll by. "She is a caring mother, she's a loving wife, while at the same time she is the first lady!"</P><P>When Beyonc&#233; originally posted the handwritten note on her site in April, the FLOTUS respond via Twitter, writing, "Thank you for the beautiful letter and for being a role model who kids everywhere can look up to."</P><P>Beyonc&#233; cemented her relationship with Michelle Obama last year, when she teamed up with the first lady to help promote the "Let's Move!" campaign, which targeted childhood obesity. According to Obama, Bey reworked her single "Get Me Bodied" into "Move Your Body," without even being asked, and she was happy to film an accompanying video for the song.</P><P>When Beyonc&#233; made her return to the stage over Memorial Day weekend with a series of concerts at Revel Resorts &#8212; her first since baby Blue Ivy was born &#8212; the first lady made a trip to Atlantic City along with her two daughters to catch the show and later praised Beyonc&#233; for her performance.</P><P>During a May interview with <i>People,</i> the first lady expressed just how much she liked the singer. "If I had some gift, I'd be Beyonc&#233;," she said. "I'd be some great singer."</P>

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John Cusack (Almost) Re-Creates 'Say Anything' Boom Box Scene At Peter Gabriel Show

And check out what happened when MTV asked Cusack to hoist up the 'box in 2009. (Hint: things got uncomfortable.)
By Gil Kaufman


John Cusack and Peter Gabriel at the Hollywood Bowl concert Saturday night
Photo: Timothy Norris

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'X Factor' Judges Discuss 'Bizarre' Performances, Infighting

Britney Spears admits the other judges 'ganged up' on her when they disagreed with her critique of a contestant.
By John Mitchell

<P>"The X Factor" judges Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, L.A. Reid and Louis Walsh, the British "X Factor" panelist who has been sitting in for Simon Cowell while he recovers from bronchitis, are in Kansas City, Missouri, as auditions for the second season of the reality singing competition continue. The group gave their first interview since Spears and Lovato were announced as judges at the Fox upfronts.</P><P>The judges discussed the "bizarre" performances they've seen, how they get along, whether Spears' and Lovato's careers as performers make them more sympathetic or critical of the contestants, and the one time everyone ganged up on Britney.</P><P>"I feel like we've had a little bit of bizarre performances overall," Spears said of the Kansas City performances. "There have been some good ones, but for the most part, there's been some that were pretty bad!"</P><P><img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.11NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzMzk*NTY5MzE5MjMmcHQ9MTMzOTQ1NjkzNTI*MiZwPSZkPSZnPTImbz1jMGY3ZmFmYjY*OTU*MTQzYTBjYWM1Zjdh/NjVlM2ZhMiZvZj*w.gif" /></P><P>Reid admitted that he and Spears "get along good," but that much like Cowell, Walsh has been the quippy thorn in Reid's side.</P><P>Luckily for Walsh, though, he does get along with the two women judges. "Britney likes me and Demi likes me," he said.</P><P>Asked which judge the rest of the team tends to agree with the most, Reid said that Spears has the best eye for contestants that have that special something. "We tend to agree with Britney more than others. Honestly, I'm being funny, but she has amazing taste."</P><P>"You ganged up on me one time though," Spears quickly countered, half-jokingly. "You three guys did. One time, [and] it wasn't nice!"</P><P>"One time out of 75 auditions, that's not bad," Reid replied.</P><P>As for what makes Spears happiest when judging, she said, "It's the best feeling when someone comes onstage and just makes us want to stand up and gives us energy."</P><P>Having made their names as entertainers, both Spears and Lovato admitted that their careers have helped them relate to the contestants because they've "been in their shoes." But it's a double-edged sword because it has made both judges more sympathetic to the show's contestants, particularly when they have to deliver bad news.</P><P>"It's something I've definitely had to learn. At first, I really didn't even want to do it," Lovato said of having to criticize contestants. "It's easier to say, when you're having meetings with people, 'Oh yeah, it will totally come easy,' or something. But when I got in the seat and had to give negative criticism to somebody ... it sucks. But they're asking for your advice, and by stepping on that stage, they also know that you could not like their performance. They're taking a chance, and I'm going to take a chance by telling them something that I believe."</P><P>The interview comes on the heels of news that all four judges walked off the set after a disastrous audition in which a contestant &#8212; who reportedly wasn't a particularly talented singer &#8212; sang with his back to the panel. "It was really awkward," a source told People.com. "They didn't want to waste their time."</P><P>People also reported that Spears is proving to be a tougher judge than many expected. A source told the magazine, "She's got a really good instinct, and when she loves something, she looks like she wants to dance on the desk. When she doesn't like someone, she is incredibly tough."</P><P>For her part, the pop star insists her firm stance is in the best interest of the contestants. "It's all tough love ... I promise!" Spears tweeted along with a link to the <i>People</i> article.</P><P></p><div class="player-placeholder right" title="Britney Spears Explains Why She Wanted To Be A Part Of 'X Factor'" id="vid:769620" width="415" height="255"></div><p></P>

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Madonna ROCKS San Jose With The ‘MDNA’ World Tour


OMG … let me tell you how freaking AMAZING yesterday was for me. As I mentioned before, my dear friend Emma and I made our way to San Francisco, CA this weekend for the express purpose of seeing Madonna perform live in concert in San Jose, CA. While we have been having a blast her [...]

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Will Black Keys Team Up With Ke$ha? First They Want Jim Nabors

The duo sat down with MTV News in Berlin to discuss a pair of unlikely collaborations.
By James Montgomery

<P>Theirs is a relationship that has spanned time and Twitter, seafood and shaving, but over the years, the unlikely bond between the Black Keys and Ke$ha has grown to become something <i>more</i>: a genuine friendship, marked with the occasional trespassing charge.</P><P></p><div class="player-placeholder right" title="Would The Black Keys Ever Collaborate With Ke$ha?" id="vid:731631.id:1678505" width="240" height="211"></div><p></P><P>"We're friends with her, we've known her since way before she was famous, before she was even a singer, I guess," Keys drummer Patrick Carney told MTV News. "When she was 16 years old, she used to sneak into our shows. We kind of became friends with her by kicking her out of our backstage room, over and over again. She actually has snuck into shows in L.A., San Diego, Coachella ..."</P><P>"She snuck in and [got] kicked out of one show, like, <i>five</i> times," frontman Dan Auerbach added. "[She] snuck in through the kitchen. I don't know if she's such a big fan; she just likes breaking the rules."</P><P>So, when MTV News sat down with the 'Keys in Berlin during the premiere of their "Gold on the Ceiling" video, we had to ask if their friendship with Ke$ha would take the next step: an actual musical collaboration. It's not all that far-fetched, considering both Ke$h and Auerbach live in Nashville ("I see her every once in a while flying by in her T-Top [convertible]," Auerbach laughed), and recently, the glittery one has logged studio time with the Flaming Lips. So, could we see a team-up on the next Black Keys album?</P><P>"I guess, I don't know," Carney said. "We don't really do that many collaborations, really."</P><P>OK, so if a Ke$ha collabo isn't in the cards, just who would the 'Keys like to work with next? Well, as it turns out, they've got their eyes set on landing a very big star for the next record ... even if they mistakenly believe he's deceased.</P><P>"We both want to work with Jim Nabors very badly, but apparently he's not with us anymore," Carney said. Oh, but he is. Which means that, much like Nabors, the dream is alive. The Ke$ha collabo? Eh, probably not so much.</P><P><i>Should the Black Keys hit the studio with Ke$ha? Leave your comment below!</i></P>

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Ashley Greene Covers Women's Health South Africa October 2012

With just over a month remaining until the November "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" theatrical debut, Ashley Greene garnered herself a little overseas exposure by covering the October 2012 issue of http://www.womenshealthsa.co.za/" target="_blank" style="color: #FF5AAD; text-decoration: none;"> Women's Health South Africa.

The 25-year-old actress looks fit and fabulous on the front page shot while dishing about the past, present and future when it comes to her big screen career for the feature column titled 'Interview with the Vampire'.

Highlights from Miss Greene's interview are as follows. For more, be sure to pay a visit to http://www.womenshealthsa.co.za/" target="_blank" style="color: #FF5AAD; text-decoration: none;"> Women's Health South Africa!

On getting her start in acting:
"I knew I was never going to make a big as a model, so acting was something I thought I should try. I made a deal with my parents that if I stayed out of trouble and didn't have to borrow too much money, they'd let me keep auditioning instead of coming back to Florida to go to college."

On 'Twilight' coming to an end:
"I have a lot of mixed emotions. This has been a huge chunk of the past five years of my life and it's given me an incredible platform and fan base. It's also scary to realize that I have to make the most my opportunity so I can make my mark in other films. So there's that kind of anxiety, but also the sadness and nostalgia that comes with knowing I'm going to miss all the actors and crew."

On her career of evolvement:
"I'm at the point where I'm able to go for the big roles every top actress wants to play. It's a whole other level for me now, but I'm ambitious and I think I have the talent to make it. If you don't believe in yourself, no one else can make it happen for you."

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