On the cover: Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie looks crazy beautiful on the August 2010 cover of Vanity Fair, for a story in which she talks family, her career and of course Brad Pitt.

Despite being in-demand in Hollywood, the actress tells the mag acting isn't as important as family right now.

“It’s not the most important thing in my life<" she says. "Acting helped me as I was growing up. It helped me learn about myself, helped me travel, helped me understand life, express myself, all those wonderful things. So I’m very, very grateful, it’s a fun job. It’s a luxury."

But alas, she has even more to look forward to when she gets home.

"I got back from work last night, and everybody was playing music and dancing and I suddenly found myself dancing around with a bunch of little fun crazy people.”

Lucky woman!

Another Walker bites the dust?

[Janice -- slightly spoilery]
We already know Rob Lowe isn't returning to Brothers & Sisters next season, but with pressure to reduce the show's budget it looks like we'll be seeing significantly less of another (former) series regular.

Multiple sources are reporting that Emily VanCamp -- who plays Justin's wife Rebecca -- will be reduced to a recurring character when the show returns for season five.

But while E!Online reports VanCamp's episode count is still being determined, Give Me My Remote says she'll be back for but two episodes at the beginning of the season.

With Justin and Rebecca's marriage on the rocks at the end of season four, could we be saying goodbye to Rebecca indefinitely?

I know this would satisfy both me and Howard Jamieson, as we really don't care for Rebecca.

Thoughts?

UPDATE:

Emily VanCamp confirms to Entertainment Weekly she's leaving the show:

"It is true. I’m going to go back for a couple of episodes, which I’m really excited about. I really feel like Rebecca has run her course. And the deal I was offered this year was for two more years, and I just felt like since renegotiations were happening that maybe it would be the right time to move on. I’ve been doing this for a very long time, and other opportunities have presented themselves that I haven’t been able to do. I’ve had such an amazing four years on the show and I felt like maybe it was time. It was a big risk, but I’m really excited about it."

More details here.

Constant rotation: June 2010

"Darling I am everlasting, I'm a sure thing, I'm the master, giving you real, real, real love."
1. The Sellout, Macy Gray
2. Real Love, Macy Gray f/ Bobby Brown
3. Kissed It, Macy Gray f/ Velvet Revolver
4. Still Hurts, Macy Gray f/ Romika
5. Rock That Body, Black Eyed Peas
6. Waka Waka (Time for Africa), Shakira
7. Shark in the Water, VV Brown
9. Meet Me Halfway, Black Eyed Peas
10. Broken Strings, James Morrison f/ Nelly Furtado

Jessi Cruickshank "interviews" Kellan Lutz

MTV's Jessi Cruickshank spent some quality time with Kellan Lutz recently when he was in Toronto promoting Calvin Klein X underwear.

But instead of wasting everyone's time, pretending to care what he has to say, Jessi spent her interview time more wisely, just sitting back and taking in the view.

"I was thinking about what I wanted to do for the interview and what I wanted to talk to you about, and then I thought, 'You are Kellan Lutz. You have a crazy body and a really hot face,'" she told the actor. "So I thought we could literally just sit here and say nothing at all and the ratings would still go through the roof."

Quality strategy, Cruickshank. Though personally I'd find a way to incorporate more touching and/or clothes ripping.

CBS falls in Mad Love

CBS has ordered a new sitcom called Mad Love for midseason, which stars my fave Scrubs actress Sarah Chalke.

So glad Sarah's going to be back on my TV, after both of her pilots were passed on during upfront season.

The sitcom also stars American Pie's Jason Biggs, Breaker High's Tyler Labine, and everything's Judy Greer.

The half-hour comedy revolves around four single friends in NYC, two who are falling in love and two who despite each other, at least at first.

Hope for Sarah's sake this show takes off -- but Greer and Labine have a pretty terrible track record of starring in shows that get canceled.

At least Biggs looks enough like Zach Braff, maybe that'll help.

Candace Cameron Bure talks DJ Tanner

Out promoting the new season of her ABC Family series Make It Or Break It this week, Candace Cameron Bure spoke fondly of her days on our favourite 90s sitcom Full House.

"Oh I totally enjoy it. I don’t cringe at all," she says of catching reruns of her DJ Tanner days. "It’s funny and I completely embrace it. Full House made me part of who I am today. There’s nothing embarrassing about it – maybe just the sweaters and big hair."

Bure goes on to elaborate on that cringeworthy 90s fashion.

"I’ve had so many people say, 'I used to want to dress like DJ Tanner' now they look back and it's a joke. 'What am I going to be for Halloween? Ooh, DJ Tanner – I’ll wear scrunchie socks and big high bangs.'"

Still, she knows DJ Tanner left her mark on a generation. Particularly when she hears people say they've "pulled a DJ Tanner."

"I hear it all the time when girls who haven’t eaten all day are about to faint while working out. They 'pulled a DJ Tanner.' It’s great. I love it."

Ummm I'm pretty sure the lesson of that episode was to try to prevent that from happening. But whatevs, if you say it's great I believe it.

T.I. on Chelsea Lately

T.I. returned to Chelsea Lately for the first time since being released from prison, and oh how the sparks flew between the rapper and host Chelsea Handler.

It was just like old times as the two flirted over conversation about T.I.'s new album King Uncaged, new film Takers, and his lady friend Tiny.

Just push play, yo!

Lauryn Hill on . . .

After performing at the Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa, Calif. earlier this month, National Public Radio caught up with the elusive Lauryn Hill for a rare interview.

Here's what she had to say about. . .

BEING BOTH A SINGER AND RAPPER:
“There used to be a singing voice and there used to be a rapping voice but now the singing voice has to become more like my speaking voice in order for the two to be able to coexist."

HER CREATIVE EXPERIENCE:
“I think I made music, especially back in the day, as consistently as I did because it made me feel so good. Some might even argue that it may be a creative addiction, but the healthy kind”.

WHY SHE STOPPED MAKING MUSIC:
“There were a number of different reasons. But partly, the support system that I needed was not necessarily in place. There were things about myself, personal-growth things, that I had to go through in order to feel like it was worth it. Oftentimes, I think people are forced to make decisions prematurely. And then that sound radiates.

"I'm trying to open up my range and really sing more. With The Fugees initially, and even with Miseducation, it was very hip-hop — always a singing over beats. I don't think people have really heard me sing out. So if I do record again, perhaps it will have an expanded context. Where people can hear a bit more."

HER RECENT RETURN TO PERFORMING:
"I don't know if you know this, but I have five children. The youngest is two now, so she's old enough that I can leave her for a period of time and know she's going to be okay. That's one reason. And I think it's just time. I'm starting to get excited again. Believe it or not, I think what people are attracted to about me, if anything, is my passion. People got exposed to my passion through music and song first. I think people might realize, you know, 'We love the way she sounds, we love the music, but I think we just love how fearless she is. How boundless she is, when it comes to what she wants to do.' And I think that can be infectious."

Ohmigod, a Lauryn Hill comeback would make me so happy right about now! Long overdue.

[source]

Is it just me . . .

. . . or does Jon Gosselin's new dragon tattoo perfectly exemplify what a huge fucking tool he is?!

Apparently wearing Ed Hardy just wasn't enough for the 33-year-old father of eight, who decided he needed to be permanently marked as a huge douchebag.

The Jon and Kate Plus Eight star got the tattoo at Never Say Die Tattoo parlor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and says it means a heck of a lot.

“I wanted something that represented a rebirth or a change in me,” he told Radar Online. “The dragon is all encompassing. It has all parts of the Zodiac.”

He also said his kids love it and think it's cool.

Hey, maybe this can turn into a fun family activity if Jon gives the kids some markers to colour in that picture on his back.

More photos at the source.

Neve Campbell on Scream 4 set

Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell hit the Ann Arbor, MI set of Scream 4 over the weekend, and snapped the above photo of franchise star Neve Campbell.

This first on-set photo reveals a number of important details about the fourth film in the Scream series: Sidney Prescott will have bangs, and may or may not wear blue.

Original Scream costars Courteney Cox and David Arquette are also returning for part four, and will be joined by new talent Hayden Panettiere, Kieran Culkin and Emma Roberts.

Shooting gets underway this week.

Steve Carell still leaving the Office

Steve Carell wasn't lying back in May when he told the BBC he's planning on leaving the Office when his contract is up at the end of this coming seventh season.

E!News caught up with the actor on the red carpet of his new movie Despicable Me on Sunday, where he reiterated he's planning on leaving Dunder Mifflin at the end of the 2010-2011 season.

"I just think it's time," he said. "I want to fulfill my contract. When I first signed on I had a contract for seven seasons, and this coming year is my seventh. I just thought it was time for my character to go."

But he doesn't necessarily think his exit will force a permanent closure of the Office.

"It doesn't certainly mean the end of the show. I think it's just a dynamic change to the show, which could be a good thing, actually," he said. "Add some new life and some new energy...I see it as a positive in general for the show.

"I didn't see it as a huge thing and I certainly didn't anticipate any sort of hubbub over it. I'm just not going to extend my contract, but I didn't see it as a huge deal. And the show is great, and the ensemble is so strong, and the writers are great, so it's just one part of that ensemble drifting off. They've incorporated so many new characters and so many new, great storylines that I have no doubt it'll continue as strong if not stronger than ever."

What do you think? Can the Office survive without Steve Carell? And how would you like to see Michael Scott exit the show (if it has to happen)?

Rookie Blue premieres big

Canwest Global has something to be happy about this week, with the premiere of its original Rookie Blue winning its timeslot in both Canada and the U.S. on Thursday.

The Canwest-ABC coproduction starring Gregory Smith and Missy Peregrym as rookie cops raked in more viewers than the So You Think You Can Dance results show on both sides of the border.

In Canada, it took in 1.8 million viewers on Global, beating SYTYCD which drew 1.1 million sets of eyeballs on CTV.

On ABC in the States, the show attracted 7.3 million viewers, making it the network's highest rated summer series debut in nearly six years. SYTYCD took in 6.9 million viewers on FOX in comparison.

The test now is to see how well Rookie Blue retains that audience into week two!

Lilith launches, but how far will it go?

Eleven years after the last Lilith Fair, Sarah McLachlan's all-female concert tour launches again today in Calgary. But sadly there's no promises this summer's festival will be anything but a bumpy ride.

Soft ticket sales have prompted the cancellation of stops in Phoenix, Az. and Nashville. Meanwhile, Norah Jones' management says all of her dates – West Palm Beach and Tampa, Fla.; Birmingham, Ala.; and Houston and Dallas – have been scrapped, though that has yet to be officially announced.

Five Canadian dates are still scheduled, though shows in Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver have moved to smaller venues.

“People are waiting so long [to buy tickets] so ... you kind of don’t know when to make up your mind," says Terry McBride, CEO of the Nettwerk Music Group. "If we do cancel any [shows], it’s not because we want to. It’s because we just can’t take the risk of everyone buying in the last week. I don’t want to screw around artists too. There’s a lot of things to weigh here."

Sad, sad, sad!

Performers still scheduled to join McLachlan on select Lilith dates include Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Sugarland, and Erykah Badu.

And now a moment for Peter Facinelli . . .

Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner be damned!

If I were to pick a Twilight star to father my babies, it would most definitely be Peter Facinelli.

The 36-year-old actor looked smokin' fine as he walked the L.A. premiere of the Twilight Saga: Eclipse with wife Jennie Garth on Thursday.

Who'd have thunk that 12 years after starring in Can't Hardly Wait Facinelli would be more lustworthy than ever?!

Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson on . . .

CHEMISTRY WITH ON-SCREEN HUSBAND ERIC STONESTREET:
"I had the privilege of working with several other actors to find the right Cam. Eric came in and really hit it out of the park. You could just tell the minute he walked in the room [that] he was special and different. We just really got along. He's a really kind person and has amazing friends, which I think is a testament to who he is as a person. He's a very easy person to like off screen, so I think that carries on to our onscreen chemistry. He's not gay and I am and it's pretty amazing we can make people believe we're a couple and very much in love. There is a lot of love between us."

THE 'LET CAM & MITCHELL KISS ON MODERN FAMILY' FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN:
"I'm all for progressive movement within the show. I appreciate the passion that some of the fans have. The fact that there is even a campaign on Facebook just shows how many people really love the show and the characters and want to see them happy. I think the writers are proceeding in a very wise way. There's a great PDA episode they're writing about Mitchell's issues with public displays of affection. Viewers shouldn't be expecting a big, 'Gone with the Wind' romantic kiss. It's very beautiful and poignant. The writers are so good, they're really taking that criticism and they're going to run with it and try and create a talking point with it."

WHETHER HE'D EVER GUEST ON GLEE:
"I love the show. I have tons of friends on the show. I think it's a pretty direct conflict with my show right now."

REHEARSING FOR SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK THIS SUMMER:
"I'm always so intimidated by it, thinking I'm never going to learn this, and for some reason I end up learning it quicker because it's like poetry. Once you understand what you're saying, it's very easy to memorize. It's getting over that hurdle. I bought the No Fear Shakespeare version of Merchant of Venice. Basically, on one side of the page it has Shakespeare's dialogue, and on the other is plain English. I was ashamed to have it until I saw Al Pacino carrying around the same book on the very first day of rehearsals. I was very comforted."

[source]

On the cover: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga, her ass cheeks and big guns take the cover of the new Rolling Stone, in a photo by Terry Richardson.

"When I wake up in the morning, I feel just like any other insecure 24-year-old girl," Gaga tells the mag. "Then I say, 'Bitch, you're Lady Gaga, you get up and walk the walk today.'"

So that's how she convinces herself it's cool to wear everything from the living room curtains to hundreds of Kermit-the-Frogs!

If only we could all get away with such ridiculousness.

Sighting!

Devon just called to inform me she spotted model and former Canada's Next Top Model judge Stacy McKenzie walking south on Spadina at Queen.

Of course, Devon didn't know her by name, nor did I. Thanks again, Google.

McKenzie was wearing running shoes and had shorter hair than her CNTM judging days.

It's all the in the details.

That's two mediocre Canadian celeb sightings already this week!

Well done, readers!

On sale now: Macy Gray's the Sellout

Macy Gray's fifth studio album the Sellout was released yesterday, and after listening to it a few times let me tell you -- it's good!

Full review after I listen a few more times, but immediate standout tracks include the album's title track, and Kissed It, which features Velvet Revolver.

“I just poured my heart out,” Gray says of the collection of songs on the Sellout. “I didn’t set out to have a theme, but when I put them all together it was a picture of my life in that time. I’m dying for people to like it.”

And oh how I do, Macy!

As does Rolling Stone, whose review states, "Fact is, with her sexy oddball rasp, she generates more heat selling out than gettin' freaky."

Macy will perform the album's lovely lead single Beauty in the World tomorrow on the View and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

Dan Rad don't know Bieber

Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe keeps giving us more reasons to love him.

Speaking to MTV News, the 21-year-old British actor reveals he just learned a) who Justin Bieber is, and b) that Justin Bieber is not a woman.

“I only heard Justin Bieber for the first time two weeks ago," he says. "I genuinely thought it was a woman singing. I’d never heard it before. Is it big in England yet?”

He's clearly unconvinced the Biebs is a guy, and keeps referring to him as "it" as a result.

Dan Rad is slightly more in the loop about Lady Gaga.

“I [do] know who Lady Gaga is,” he says. “I think she’s kind of amazing. She’s really got a voice. My god. Not my kind of music, particularly, but she can really sing.”

How do we feel about . . .

. . . Penn Badgley's new Wolverine-inspired look?

The increasingly hairy Gossip Girl star was snapped grabbing Starbucks in New York City over the weekend.

I generally enjoy facial hair on men, but not when it looks like this.

Doesn't dude have any summer projects to shoot that require him to groom that shit?

Arms are hot though.

More photos here.

Toy Story 3 breaks record!

Toy Story 3 topped the box office over the weekend, raking in $109 million.

That's enough to make it Disney-Pixar's highest ever opening weekend.

Over half that total can be attributed to the 2,000 3-D locations the film was released.

Still, I'm so happy to hear that audiences still love Buzz, Woody and the gang.

I've yet to see Toy Story 3, but can't wait to! I hear it may put my robotic emotionless tendencies to the test.

Sighting!

Kim texted me to let me know she saw Howie Mandel "looking kinda old" on Bloor at Avenue in Toronto tonight.

Oh how we all wish he was still in his Bobby's World prime.

Degrassi stars get real in MMVA press room

Degrassi stars past and present cycled through the MuchMusic Video Awards press room last night, where they discussed current projects and the important part the Canadian teen show has played in their careers.

Nina Dobrev, currently starring in the CW's Vampire Diaries, spoke favourably of her time on Degrassi.

She said she was most looking forward to seeing Drake perform at last night's show, though it was weird calling him that because she knows him as Aubrey. Funny, I know him as Jimmy Brooks.

Dobrev said since being back in Toronto she's got in contact with other Degrassi stars including Paula Brancati, Adamo Ruggiero and Charlotte Arnold. Funny, she failed to mention . . .

. . . Shenae Grimes, now starring in the CW's 90210. Grimes told the press that while the storylines on Degrassi were a lot more daring, her real life got crazier when she moved to L.A. and started working on 90210.

Charlotte Arnold -- Holly J to Degrassi fans -- said she's currently in the middle of shooting season 10 in Toronto. When asked about Degrassi launching other career moves, she told reporters she likes her current position just fine.

“I think it’s a little unfair to call Degrassi a springboard because I like working there now and if this was the last thing I did I’d be happy," she said.

Still, prodded to name a CW show she'd guest on if she could, she answered Vampire Diaries.

I have to say, I was quite taken by how sweet and sincere Arnold came across. Not Holly J-like in the least!

Sadly, Drake/Aubrey Graham/Jimmy Brooks did not visit the press room to allow questioning of yet another Degrassi star.

Backstage at the MMVAs: Kellan, Snooki, Whitney Port and more!

I still don't know how the actual show went down at last night's MuchMusic Video Awards because I was too busy snapping photos and catching sound bytes up in the press room at the time.

From Snooki to Kellan Lutz, Whitney Port to Miley Cyrus, here's what caught my attention backstage:

• Us Weekly oh-so-cheekily asked Kellan Lutz for tips on wearing a loincloth. "Not too tight," he suggested.

• Lutz has competition in the hotness department from Twilight: Eclipse costar Xavier Samuel (pictured, second from left), whose smile is just so damn beautiful.

• Jersey Shore's Snooki is even more tanned in real life than she looks on television. The press room ran out of questions to ask her and costar Pauly D after only three. Pauly D admitted as a DJ, he would spin the Situation's new rap song, but wouldn't admit to liking it.

• I'm still not sure who Belly is, but he was not satisfied with the lack of enthusiasm in the press room, and told us to liven up. I went looking for free food in response.

• Gossip Girl's Jessica Szhor was an arm's length away when she arrived for her photo op, and it took everything in me not to ask her for a cup of coffee. Damn me, always confusing her with her character Vanessa Coffeemaker! Girl had her model pose down, but had to be instructed multiple times to smile. She blamed her fierce Louboutin pumps for her sourpuss.

• "We're all pretty heartbroken Rob [Estes] left the show," Shenae Grimes said of her TV dad on 90210.

Three thoughts from Justin Bieber at the MMVAs

Justin Bieber was the last celeb to make an appearance in the press room at last night's MuchMusic Video Awards.

And after bypassing the photo area, you should have seen everyone clamouring to the podium setup to get a photo (or perhaps just a glimpse) of the 16-year-old from Stratford, Ont. and/or Atlanta.

(I just can't tell these days).

After commenting on his three-award win, we got to the shit that really mattered: swagger, hair and puberty. (Yes, quite the combo).

Here's what I learned from the almighty Biebs:

1. Swagger is about confidence. That's all you need.

2. The Biebs thinks his hair stands up against Rachel Green's hair from Friends (Someone specifically asked about his hair, making this comparison with regards to its iconic nature). Also, Bieber's mom likes to watch Friends.

3. Everyone goes through puberty, including but not limited to, the Biebs. He's working with a vocal coach to ensure our ears don't suffer as a result of his impending maturity.

And with that he was whisked off the stage, leaving us all wondering what we now have to look forward to in life.

Mike's Bloggity Blog has video of Bieber's all-too-short Q&A.

Monday deliciousness

Oh Cristiano Ronaldo.

It's so like you to pop up in my life every few months, right when you've maybe slipped my mind for a few days, and remind me what a stone-cold fox you are.

This time the soccer stud has stripped down for the Fall/Winter 2010-2011 ad campaign for Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans.

Ronaldo's got one of those bodies that just doesn't seem attainable by human standards. Which is fine, as long as he keeps providing opportunities to stare at its beauty.

Y'knowhatimean?

Happy Monday!

2010 MuchMusic Video Awards winners

Oh thank goodness. We can all rest easy. Both Justin Bieber and Drake are now multiple MuchMusic Video Award winners.

It must be noted, however, it was Bieber and Hedley who tied as the big winners at last night's show, taking home three trophies apiece.

Young Bieber took home two fan-voted awards -- UR Fave Video and UR Fave New Artist -- as well as Best International Video by a Canadian.

Hedley, meanwhile, took Best Video, Pop Video of the Year, and Post-Production of the Year.

Despite being this year's top-nominated artist with seven nods, Drake only took two awards home for his collaboration with Trey Songz. The video for 'Successful' won MuchVibe Hip-Hop Video of the Year and Cinematography of the Year.

The show's cohost Miley Cyrus didn't walk away empty-handed. After performing Party In the USA to a Canadian audience in Canada, she took home International Video Of The Year - Artist.

Meanwhile Adam Lambert, who I'm starting to develop tingly feelings toward, took the fan-voted UR Fave International Video.

Click inside for a full list of winners from the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards.

But we all know the real MMVA winner is . . .

. . . me.

Yes, I was the only one in the press room who could say his media pass and wristband perfectly matched his outfit.

And if that's not an accomplishment, I don't know what is.

Thanks again, Top Shop. Once again you've made me feel like a real winner.

If you need me, I'll be at the MMVAs . . .

Oh hey guys.

If you're wondering what I'm up to during tonight's MuchMusic Video Awards (and I'm sure you are), it's worth noting that I'll be at the actual awards show itself.

Yeah, they're actually letting me inside this year!

I'm not sure how that happened either.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, you may want to take a look at my MMVAs post from 2008, when I stood outside on the street in the pouring rain, waiting for Chace Crawford to notice me.

Oh how far we've come in two years.

Cohosted by Miley Cyrus, tonight's show features performances by Drake, Justin Bieber, Hedley, Adam Lambert, Katy Perry and Ke$ha.

The red carpet special goes down live at 8 p.m., followed by the big show at 9 p.m.

Follow me on Twitter, and check back to the blog later for updates!

While you're waiting, you know you want to check my recent Q&A with Much VJ Jesse Giddings, and my exclusive photos of Ke$ha rehearsing for tonight's show.

Kellan Lutz at the Bay in Toronto

Kellan Lutz was all too clothed when he made a promotional appearance at the Bay on Queen in Toronto this afternoon.

The Twilight star was on-hand to shill Calvin Klein X underwear by signing autographs for his mostly teenage girl fans.

The After Show's Jessi Cruickshank hosted a quick Q&A with the star to kick off the event, during which we learned Kellan loves Toronto, loves Calvin Klein underwear, wears Calvin Klein underwear, and thinks the female Calvin Klein X underwear is comfortable.

Despite being fully clothed, Lutz did give a peak at his underwear to prove he wears the product he's endorsing.

NXNE: Diamond Rings at Wrongbar

Upon Janice's recommendation, Diana and I checked out Diamond Rings at Wrongbar last night as part of nxne.

I had known of John O's solo act for a while now, maybe from this Eye Weekly cover, but hadn't actually experienced it first hand.

Taking the stage in gold tights and white tank top with fabulous blue glitter makeup surrounding his eyes and a full plumage of peacock feathers on his back, it felt like we were in for quite the show.

I was mildly shocked at how immobile and stone-faced he was for the first third of his set, while performing songs on his keyboard that could easily start a dance party. He was really into the choreographed fist-pump, but not much else.

"I want him to ruffle his feathers!" I told Diana. She concurred.

Things picked up when he ditched his keyboard for the guitar. This also meant ditching his feathers, which made me sad. But he got right into this middle chunk of songs with spastic dance moves I knew he must have in him.

His songs had these catchy beats we felt we had heard before, which seemed to contrast his deep, low voice over top of them.

He calmed things down again to end the show, back at his keyboard for some selective fist-pumping to a slower, melodic song.

"I really like this man," Diana concluded. "I don't even need the makeup and the costume. I just like the music."

If we're being honest, I kind of need the makeup and the costume. I don't pretend to get it, but maybe it's more fun that way.

Ke$ha 2010 MMVAs rehearsal photos

After Said the Whale last night, I decided to take a stroll passed MuchMusic to see how preparations for tomorrow's MMVAs were going.

And lo and behold, what did I encounter but Ke$ha on the Queen St. main stage rehearsing for her big performance.

She was being all Ke$ha-like, brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack 'n all.

Okay, maybe she was just singing about it.

Most surprisingly, she actually sounded quite good! I didn't know you had it in you, Ke$ha.

Expect the blonde chart-topper to descend from the sky to kick off her performance, before breaking into some great choreography with a group of high-energy dancers.

(You may recognize former So You Think You Can Dance Canada contestants Taylor, Tatiana and Tamina in some of the photos!)

The MMVAs air live tomorrow at 9 p.m. on MuchMusic.

NXNE: Said the Whale at Yonge-Dundas Square

So I guess it's becoming tradition that I kick off summer with a free Said the Whale show.

Last year it was an in-store at Criminal Records.

This year the band took to Yonge-Dundas Square for a 35-minute set, warming up the crowd before K-OS and Sloan.

And let me tell you -- it's not a bad way to start the summer!

The band provided a foot-tapping, hand-clapping, head-bopping good time during its set, filled mostly with songs from last year's Islands Disappear.

A broken guitar string didn't stop the band from powering through the set, which featured the debut of one new song, and was capped off with their lead single from Islands Disappear, Camilo (the Magician).

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Said the Whale's airy pop-infused tunes make for great summer listening.

Heck, I'd probably even pay to see them live next year.

Crappy video of the band playing Camilo (the Magician) last night is inside.

NXNE: Free Energy, Warpaint, Elliott Brood, more!

Elliott Brood is my nxne highlight thus far.
I jumped right into North by Northeast at the Horseshoe last night, followed by a couple quick stops at Hideout and the Bovine.

Here's a rundown of my night, detailing the good, the bad and the mediocre.

HORSESHOE TAVERN
Free Energy (10 p.m.) "I didn't even clap, and I always clap," my concert-going partner Lisa said halfway through Free Energy's set. I wouldn't say they were quite that bad, but the pop-rock band from Philadelphia, PA were certainly nothing to write home about. They sounded good enough, their songs catchy and repetitive to a fault. They actually reminded me of Stereos without a vocoder -- take that how you will. I wanted them to play to the audience more. For a band called Free Energy, I actually wanted them to put some energy into their performance, y'know? For the most part, their set seemed better suited for their garage, or perhaps a high school cafeteria.

Warpaint (11 p.m.) This all-female four piece was a definite step up in intensity, musicality and conveying the feeling they actually believe in what they're doing. Definitely darker and perhaps less danceable as a result, our main criticism was that their their songs were quite heavy on the instrumental, making it easy to tune them out as background music. Ten points to the blonde singer for reminding me of the blonde singer from Ace of Base.

Elliott Brood (12 a.m.) The band everyone was there to see did not disappoint, with a high energy set of indie folk rock. The audience couldn't get enough of the three-piece from Toronto, and sang along to everything but the new song the band debuted. As my first introduction to the band, I was pretty impressed, and they surely made up for the mediocre beginning of the evening. Did one song stand out among the others? Not really. But it seemed clear the band were happy to be doing what they're doing, and thus the audience was happy too. Also, I appreciated how they dressed the place up in shirts and ties.

In theatres now: Toy Story 3

I rarely get excited about new films. I'm more of a TV guy.

But that's not the case today, as Toy Story 3 hits theatres!

I loved the original Toy Story when it was released 15 years ago, and am so happy to have another installment to now enjoy.

This time around, Buzz, Woody and the gang end up in the hands of daycare kids when Andy goes off to college and they get thrown to the curb.

The thought of having different kids playing with them everyday is a little too good to be true, as evidenced by the clip above.

Looks like waiting a while to release this second sequel paid off for Disney-Pixar, as the film is getting rave reviews. Following the trend established by Toy Story and Toy Story 2, this new film also has a 100% "fresh" rating on Rottentomatoes.com.

"[E]ven with the bar raised high, Toy Story 3 enchanted and moved me so deeply I was flabbergasted that a digitally animated comedy about plastic playthings could have this effect," writes Owen Gleiberman for Entertainment Weekly.

Ooh I can't wait to see it!

Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum take a Vow

Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum are set to star as a married couple in Vow, a film set to shoot in Toronto and Chicago in August.

If another Rachel-Ryan Gosling pairing isn't going to happen on screen, this is probably the next best thing.

The movie's based on a true story about a young woman who loses all recent memory in a car accident and struggles to rebuild her identity, two months after her wedding.

The story of the couple dates from 1993, when their car was hit from behind by a truck.

I smell another tearjerker from these two!

Eminem supports gay marriage

Rapper Eminem is a changed man, as he tells the New York Times he now supports gay marriage.

“I think if two people love each other, then what the hell?” he says. “I think that everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable, if they want.”

Now that's progress!

“I think I’ve calmed down a bit,” he also tells the mag. “My overall look on things is a lot more mature than it used to be.

"It’s the new tolerant me!"

My kid will have chic diapers

I'm not going to lie.

I wish I hated the idea of Huggies' chic diapers, but I actually love it.

This commercial actually makes me so happy about the diaper options available in this world.

I'm totally going to be the dad who spends extra money so my kid has the most stylish diapers. We'll both be turning heads!

Still need to secure that sugar daddy before all this happens. But y'know, soon.

2010 Polaris long list

Albums by Dan Mangan, Plants and Animals, Hannah Georgas, Blue Rodeo, Broken Social Scene, Caribou and Crystal Castles are among the 40 bands on the 2010 Polaris Music Prize long list.

The list, voted on by an industry jury, is based solely on artistic merit and will be narrowed down to 10 on July 6. The winner takes home a $20,000 prize.

The Polaris list always ultimately makes me feel guilty for not being aware of all this supposedly great Canadian music that isn't Bieber or Drake.

Past winners include Final Fantasy, Caribou and Fucked Up.

The 2010 Polaris long list is as follows:

Apollo Ghosts – Mount Benson (Vancouver)
Bahamas – Pink Strat (Toronto)
The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night (Montreal)
Blue Rodeo – The Things We Left Behind (Toronto)
Brasstronaut – Mt. Chimaera (Vancouver)
Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record (Toronto)
Basia Bulat – Heart Of My Own (London)
By Divine Right – Mutant Message (Toronto)
Caribou — Swim (Dundas)
Jason Collett – Rat A Tat Tat (Toronto)
Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles (II) (Toronto)
Amelia Curran – Hunter Hunter (Halifax)
Fred Fortin – Plastrer La Lune (Montreal)
Frog Eyes – Paul's Tomb: A Triumph (Victoria)
Hannah Georgas – This Is Good (Vancouver)
Ghostkeeper – Ghostkeeper (Calgary)
Holy Fuck – Latin (Toronto)
Karkwa – Les Chemins De Verre (Montreal)
LeE HARVeY OsMOND – A Quiet Evil (Hamilton)
Greg MacPherson – Mr. Invitation (Winnipeg)
Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice (Vancouver)
Misteur Valaire – Golden Bombay (Montreal)
The New Pornographers – Together (Vancouver)
Owen Pallett – Heartland (Toronto)
Plants And Animals – La La Land (Montreal)
Radio Radio – Belmundo Regal (Montreal)
Justin Rutledge – The Early Widows (Toronto)
The Sadies – Darker Circles (Toronto)
Shad – TSOL (London)
Elizabeth Shepherd – Heavy Falls The Night (Toronto)
The Slew – 100% (Montreal)
Meaghan Smith – The Cricket's Orchestra (London)
South Rakkas Crew – The Stimulus Package (Toronto)
Tegan And Sara – Sainthood (Vancouver)
The Wooden Sky – If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone (Toronto)
Hawksley Workman – Meat (Huntsville)
You Say Party! We Say Die! – XXXX (Vancouver)
Young Galaxy – Invisible Republic (Montreal)
Yukon Blonde – Yukon Blonde (Vancouver)
Zeus – Say Us (Toronto)

Tweet of the week

A tweet from Bert on the official Sesame Street Twitter last week has once again sparked speculation that the Muppet is gay.

sesamestreet Bert: Ever notice how similar my hair is to Mr. T’s? The only difference is mine is a little more ‘mo,’ a little less ‘hawk.’12:56 PM Jun 11th via web

Now I highly doubt Sesame Workshop would out Bert via Twitter. But do you have any other ideas what that tweet could mean?

So. Jaleel White still exists.

Jaleel White, who portrayed Steve Urkel on 90s sitcom Family Matters for nine seasons, has some sort of web series on Hulu that he's out promoting.

Lucky for us, when TV Guide recently interviewed the 33-year-old they mostly just focused on his Family Matters days. (Come on. Do we care about anything else?)

"It was an amazing experience," White says about his experience on the show. "I learned physical comedy to a degree that most child actors never will. I really just became a student of it — became obsessed with it to be quite honest."

What else did he become obsessed with?

In a word: Kool-Aid.

"I used to have this Arsenio Hall-esque ritual racing back to the set just in time to throw on my clothes and hit the stage — this contrived adrenaline rush. The craft service guy would give me a cup of Kool-Aid, and I would just down it for the sugar rush. If you watch a lot of the episodes, you'll see my tongue is really red in the early ones."

Whoa. This is like DVD commentary-type scoop.

White says he's now busy proving himself. Just like Neil Patrick Harris and James Gandolfini. Or something like that.

"I don't consider myself typecast any more than Neil Patrick Harris was as Doogie Howser or James Gandolifini is as Tony Soprano," he says. "I could play the "Where Are They Now?" game with a lot of people. The process is: I need to grow up, mature, become an adult, then surprise people with new stuff like I am with my newest web series coming out on Hulu."

For more Family Matters talk (or if you're reeeeeeally interested in Jaleel's web series) click here.

Margaret Cho sings about camel toe on new album

Comedian Margaret Cho is set to tour again at the end of summer, to coincide with the August 24 release of Cho Dependent, her first musical comedy album.

Cho collaborated with the likes of Ani DiFranco, Tegan and Sara, Ben Lee, Fiona Apple and Rachael Yamagata on the album, which features a collection of saucy-titled songs.

"We wanted to write a song that was light and funny and sweet and [DiFranco’s] latest album is all love songs," Cho says of the song she wrote with Ani DiFranco called Camel Toe.

"A lot of what she’s known for is confessional songwriting. So I wanted to come to her with something playful and do something similar to Serge Gainsbourg, who is this pop singer from the ‘60s. He did this amazing song called 'Comic Strip' and I love that song. So we did our own version of [it in] a song about superheroes. But the superhero, their power is that they have camel toe. It’s really a cute song and she plays all the instruments on it and sings on it and I sing on it."

Cho's tour, kicking off August 26 in Portland, Ore., will feature stand-up comedy and her new found musical stylings.

Ch-check out the Cho Dependent tracklisting below, and click inside for Margaret's tour dates.

1. Intervention (w/ Tegan & Sara)
2. Calling in Stoned (w/ Ben Lee & Tommy Chong)
3. Your Dick (w/ A.C. Newman and Ben Lee)
4. Baby I’m With The Band (w/ Brendan Benson)
5. Hey Big Dog (w/ Patty Griffin, Ben Lee, and Fiona Apple)
6. I’m Sorry (w/ Andrew Bird)
7. Lice (w/ Ben Lee)
8. Enemies (w/ Jon Brion)
9. Asian Adjacent (w/ Grant Lee Phillips)
10. Gimme Your Seed (w/ Garrison Starr)
11. Eat Shit and Die (w/ Grant Lee Phillips)
12. Captain Cameltoe (w/ Ani DiFranco)
13. My Puss (w/ Diana Yanez & Kurt Hall)
Hidden Track: Lesbian Escalation (w/ Rachael Yamagata)

Dear Jackie, Janice and Jasmin . . .

Kellan Lutz is walking around your fine city of Montreal right now looking like this.

Seriously.

He was photographed getting his loincloth adjusted on the set of his film Immortals on Tuesday.

I repeat for emphasis: photographed getting his loincloth adjusted.

Looking at your calendar, you may notice my birthday is exactly one month from today.

And y'know, it sure would be swell if you could help get Lutz to come to my party in his loincloth (or less).

I have nothing but confidence that you could pull that off!

Or, if nothing else, you should at least find him, brush up against his hard body, then guest blog about the experience.

You in?

Great!

More loincloth Lutz here.

Kathy Griffin won't joke about Sandra Bullock

She may be criticized for going too far with her jokes, but it seems Kathy Griffin knows where to draw the line. Specifically, it's at Sandra Bullock.

"I really wouldn't make fun of her," Griffin tells Us Weekly.

This despite the fact that during her MTV Movie Awards acceptance speech a couple weeks ago, Bullock encouraged the world to tease her in an attempt to return to normalcy.

"I love when she said that comedians could make fun of her again," Griffin continues. "I'm going to send her a muffin basket! She seems to have a sense of humor, but if I wanted to, she said I could! I thought she was talking to me through the TV."

Seems if Elisabeth Hasselbeck wants Griffin to lay off of her, she should take a few tips from Bullock!

SYTYCDance of the week

The So You Think You Can Dance top 11 took the stage live from Hollywood last night to compete for audience votes for the first time this season.

The result was mostly uneven, with the all-star partners outshining the contestants by far, and few of the pairs exhibiting much chemistry at all.

Highlights;

• All-star Mark Kanemura rocked the shit out of a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine.
• All-star Kathryn McCormick was gorgeous in a Travis Wall contemporary routine.
• And it was impossible not to smile watching young Kent Boyd cha-cha with all-star Anya.

But Alex Wong and all-star Allison Holker out-performed them all by an incredible margin during an emotional Sonya Tayeh contemporary routine.

The dance, choreographed to Hallelujah, brought judges Mia Michaels and Adam Shankman to their feet and had Nigel Lythgoe teary-eyed.

Wong and Holker most definitely exhibited the chemistry so many of the other routines lacked.

And Sonya has quickly become my favourite choreographer on the show. Her routines are so original and engaging!

Wong and Holker certainly raised the bar for the season. Ch-check it out for yourself, above.

Q&A: Jesse Giddings talks 2010 MMVAs

Last year at about this time Jesse Giddings was watching the MuchMusic Video Awards from the street, along with thousands of others who had flocked to Much HQ in Toronto for the big event.

This year, as one of the station's newest VJs, the 25-year-old from Langley, B.C. assumes cohosting duties for the show, which features performances by Miley Cyrus, Drake, Justin Bieber, Hedley, Ke$ha, Adam Lambert, Katy Perry and more.

I caught up with Giddings earlier this week to find out how he's preparing for the impending chaos, what performances we should look out for, and how he evaluates the continued relevance of music videos.

Brandon Flowers caught in the Crossfire

Take your first listen to Crossfire, a leaked track of Brandon Flowers' upcoming solo album Flamingo.

The Killers frontman told NME last month a number of songs on his solo were intended for the next band's record, but that the other members wanted to take a break.

And so on Brandon goes!

The song is nice, if nothing groundbreaking.

Expect Flowers' solo record to be released this fall.

On the cover: Taylor Lautner

There's a new Twilight movie coming out at the end of the month, which means it's time once again to feel guilty about kind of sort of thinking its young stars are hot, when they pop up on every magazine cover imaginable.

This time around it's Taylor Lautner on the cover of July 2010's GQ.

And despite the fact that I don't think his popularity is based on his winning personality or superb acting talent, 18-year-old Lautner says he doesn't love taking his shirt off on film.

“Originally I was supposed to take off my shirt," he tells the mag about his role in Valentine's Day. "The script said we were walking into school and Willy takes off his shirt. I said, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. Time out. He’s gonna take off his shirt in the middle of school? No, no, no. The reason I took off my shirt for New Moon is because it’s written in the book that way. And there’s reasons behind it.”

None of that stopped him from taking it off for GQ, though! Click inside to take a look at his shirtless pic for the mag.

WWIB: Waka Waka edition

While in Ottawa this weekend, Renee introduced me to Shakira's Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), which serves as the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

After watching the video a couple times we were compelled to get off the couch and learn the dance ourselves.

And let me tell you, we are great at it! It only took two attempts for us to perfect it. No big deal, but y'know, pretty big deal.

Equally exciting, the video features a cameo by Susan Sarandon's daughter. (And by Susan Sarandon's daughter, we mean a girl who has the same haircut as Susan Sarandon's daughter).

Anyway, kudos to Shakira for making me feel at least somewhat engaged with the World Cup.

The only bone I have to pick is her adoption of the term "Waka Waka." While the ever-relaible Wikipedia tells me waka means "be lighted" in Swahili, we all know where Shakira really took the saying from . . .