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Carly Rae Jepsen Thinks 'Call Me Maybe' Viral Videos Are 'Rad'

'It makes my day to see it,' Jepsen tells MTV News about clips by everyone from Justin Bieber to the Harvard baseball team.
By Christina Garibaldi

Carly Rae Jepsen
Photo: MTV News

It's been just a few months since Justin Bieber signed Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen to his Schoolboy Records, but since then, she has certainly made her mark on the music scene. Her infectious hit single "Call Me Maybe" is currently #1 on the iTunes songs chart and #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and has spawned a barrage of humorous and entertaining online video parodies that have captured the attention of not only fans but Jepsen herself.

"I have seen a few. It's pretty rad that people are participating and making their own versions. It makes my day to see it," Jepsen told MTV News. "It's hard to imagine this, even though I'm living this every day, it's kind of hard to believe it sometimes. [I] definitely didn't predict this."

The online lip-synching parodies seem to be the latest craze, especially among college students. Sports teams from Duke, UConn, Syracuse and Southern Methodist University have all posted their own versions of the song, but it was taken to another level when the Harvard baseball team choreographed an intricate fist-pump dance while singing along to the single.

"I saw the fist pump, it was so cute. It was funny because every chorus, they added a new element. I was like, they really planned this out, this is so fantastic," Jepsen said of the Harvard video. "It's so cool that it's sort of sparked this online thing. It's really neat."

College students aren't the only ones obsessing over this song. Actor James Franco posted his own version of the song , and just last month, Katy Perry uploaded her own parody, featuring herself and a group of friends at a Coachella pool party.

"I was in London at the time I saw Katy's version of 'Call Me Maybe.' I think she was at Coachella when she shot it, which was really cool," Jepsen said. "It was another surreal moment: Being in London was already crazy and then on top of it, to kind of see all the stars were reaching out and doing their versions as well, it was kind of like a cherry on top of the whole thing."

We may have to thank Bieber for all of these videos since he is the one that started the trend. Back in February, Bieber, along with his girlfriend Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale and Big Time Rush, created his own music video, playfully singing along to the inescapable track.

"I have a long list of thank-yous that I owe to Justin for everything to do with my career," Jepsen said. "He's just kind of opened the door to the rest of the world to me."

Which "Call Me Maybe" parody is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

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will.i.am 'Still Has That Fire' On 'This Is Love,' Eva Simons Says

Dutch singer also teases the song's 'mad' video to MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena

Eva Simons
Photo: MTV News

For his song "This Is Love," will.i.am enlisted Dutch singer Eva Simons to add some powerhouse vocals to the raging party track. The searing dance production is highlighted by Simons' diva-tude as her voice soars over will's creation, full of big chants, bumping beats and dirty synths.

Simons had already proved she had hook potential appearing on Afrojack's 2010 dance-floor anthem "Take Over Control," and given will's history of enlisting female pop singers to add a bit of sexy flair to his songs, Simons was a perfect muse to help shape his latest dance-pop track.

"He is super creative, and we kind of have the same energy: We can't sit still. We were in the studio, and he had this track," Simons recalled to MTV News about working with the Black Eyed Peas mastermind. "And he's like, 'Yo, Eva, would you like to do this song with me?' And we had been recording a couple tracks before, so he knows what I'm capable of and he trusts me, and we don't really know each other for that long, but he trusts me.

"I recorded it," she continued. "And he mixes it straight away from his laptop ... and it's done. That's so beautiful — not only is he super creative and knows what he wants, but he also sees when other people are creative as well. He's not afraid to collaborate."

This particular collaboration also included Swedish House Mafia's Steve Angello. "It's really a club-banger," Simons said, adding that will included "some piano intro in there and violins. ... He's always creative. It doesn't [just] work for the clubs, it works for the radio, it'll also work on a big festival, like him on the piano, some strings, some live drums."

will and Simons recently shot a video for the track, and she had this tease for fans when asked to give some hints: "Fireworks. Just like, 'What world is this? Like, where are we?' and 'What season is this?' " she said. "It's mad. It's pretty awesome."

Much of that awesomeness, she adds, stems from will directing the clip himself. "I'm just surprised. I'm not surprised, actually, 'cause that's him," she said. "He is also a super-geek. I'm a super-geek. I love technology, and he was like, he was directing the video and he was doing the motion-control of the camera and everything. He knows his stuff. It was pretty awesome to see."

Simons continued that it was refreshing to see that even with all his years in the industry, he still loves to do it. "I just admire him," she said. "After all those years he still has that fire, and that's just beautiful. But I feel like — 'cause I was big fan of the Black Eyed Peas, and I still am — and he seems like he's the same guy still that I see before."

Their song is expected to appear on will's long-teased solo album, #willpower, which also features Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Mick Jagger and Nicole Scherzinger. No release date has been set for the album.

'I'm living my PERSONAL life the way I'm happiest,' actress tweets in response to a tabloid report she is gay.
By Jocelyn Vena

Raven-Symone
Photo: Paul Zimmerman/ WireImage

Raven-Symoné has taken to Twitter to address a National Enquirer report that she is gay. The tabloid published a story this week that the "Sister Act" star is currently dating "America's Next Top Model" contestant, AzMarie Livingston, and that they are living together in New York City.

According to sources, "Raven has lost almost 30 pounds, has done a whole image makeover, and now she is the star of 'Sister Act' on Broadway. She's at a point now where she doesn't care what her family thinks, and she's in love with AzMarie. She's a lesbian and wants to live that way."

The tabloid further reports that the 26-year-old's family does not approve of her lifestyle, however, "she told her parents she loves them, but her home -- especially her bedroom -- is nobody's business, and she was not going to back down, so they needed to accept it, period."

While Raven-Symoné neither confirmed nor denied the speculation on Friday, when she took to Twitter to open up about the rumor, she did make it clear that whatever she does in her personal life is her business.

"I'm living my PERSONAL life the way I'm happiest," she tweeted. "I'm not one, in my 25 year career to disclose who I'm dating. and I shall not start now. My sexual orientation is mine, and the person I'm datings to know. I'm not one for a public display of my life."

She continued that "however that is my right as a HUMAN BEing whether straight or gay. To tell or not to tell. As long as I'm not harming anyone. I am a light being made from love. And my career is the only thing I would like to put on display, not my personal life. Kisses!"

Mac Miller, Foo Fighters, A$AP Rocky Set To Rock Bamboozle

My Chemical Romance, Bon Jovi, All-American Rejects are also on lineup at three-day fest in Asbury Park, New Jersey, this weekend.
By Rob Markman

Mac Miller
Photo: FilmMagic

The Bamboozle is back, and music fans are gearing up to hit Asbury Park on the world-famous Jersey Shore to see their favorite acts take the stage during the three-day-long festival.

It all kicks off Friday (May 18) evening, when , Incubus, Mike Posner and Kreayshawn all rock the crowd on a night headlined by electro party-starter Skrillex.

Expect Mac to perform choice cuts from his recently released Macadelic mixtape and for Skrillex to spin dance joints from his Grammy-winning discography.

On Saturday (May 19), Pauly D returns to the Jersey Shore that made him famous to DJ for the crowd. Too bad Deadmau5 isn't scheduled to appear — the two are currently involved in a back-and-forth beef over Twitter. The Foo Fighters and My Chemical Romance will surely rock the house, and the All-American Rejects will also rip through tracks off their newly released Kids in the Street LP. The great part about Bamboozle is that it brings dozen of acts from multiple musical genres, so if rock isn't your thing, you can check out rap rookies A$AP Rocky, Iggy Azalea, Action Bronson and Mr. MFN Exquire as they continue to get their first tastes of festival life.

Sunday (May 20) promises to be the homecoming of all homecomings as Jersey boys Bon Jovi headline the evening. Soulja Boy's buddy Riff Raff, who recently signed a deal with Diplo, is set to entertain the crowd with his off-the-cuff cuts like "Larry Bird" and "Time."

T. Mills is also scheduled to kick-start his stage show with his new single "Vans On," and funnyman Andrew Dice Clay will bring a bit of comedy and controversy to the stage. For tickets and additional information, head to the Bamboozle website.

'I responded to him and I told him, 'Let's work,' ' Fif tells MTV News of a Twitter collabo request from Wiz.
By Nadeska Alexis, with reporting by Ade Mangum

50 Cent
Photo: MTV News

50 Cent was admitted to the hospital earlier this week when he began to suffer from severe stomach pains, but by the time he was released Thursday, the G-Unit CEO had already put plans into motion for a new collaboration with Wiz Khalifa.

MTV News caught up with Fif at his G-Unit offices in NYC after his release, and he explained that a tweet from Wiz gave birth to the collaboration. The tweet in question: "I Gotta Song I Wanna Put @50Cent On."

"While I was sitting in the hospital, I saw Wiz Khalifa send a tweet out saying he got something, and he felt like it would be cool if I was actually on a record with him," 50 said. "So I responded to him and I told him, 'Let's work.' I'm feeling good, I was feeling better by the time that tweet went through, so I said, 'Send it,' and I'll speak to him a little later on.

"Stay tuned to hear what happens next because it's gonna go down," he added, confirming that the collaboration is for real. Fif's guest verse is likely to pop up on the Taylor Gang MC's upcoming LP O.N.I.F.C., which is set to debut August 28. It would mark their first collaboration together. Thus far, Wiz has revealed that features on his Rolling Papers follow-up will include Pharrell, Cam'ron, Curren$y and the Weeknd.

50 Cent has made a full recovery since his release from the hospital, and next Tuesday, he will drop The Lost Tape, hosted by DJ Drama.

During his stay in the hospital, the Queens mogul received a phone call from longtime friend and collaborator Eminem, who had a few firm words for him. "He goes, 'Yo, Fif, you were shot nine times, man, if you die over a burger, this sh-- ain't gonna go right,' " 50 told MTV News just hours after his release. " 'People ain't gonna be feelin' this.' "

Stay tuned to MTV News' Mixtape Daily for more on 50 Cent and DJ Drama's The Lost Tape.

'If I Die Tomorrow,' off FM's May 22 release, Dirty Bass, is 'a song about losing yourself.'
By Jocelyn Vena

Far East Movement
Photo: MTV News

Ever wondered what it would sound like if the Far East Movement enlisted Tokio Hotel's glammy, gothy lead singer Bill Kaulitz for a track? Well, wonder no more, because now we have "If I Die Tomorrow."

The collaboration, which dropped Friday (May 18), leans more on FM's love for partying than Kaulitz's love for rocking. While FM rap all about bumping trunks, killing bottles and going crazy in the club, Kaulitz, in full auto-tuned, falsetto mode, proclaims, "If I die tomorrow, that means we had the night of our lives/ If tomorrow never comes, then tonight we lose control."

"If I Die Tomorrow" is off FM's new album, Dirty Bass, out May 22. When MTV News caught up with Far East Movement recently, Kev Nish told us that fans will see plenty of "unexpected collaborations" like this on the upcoming album.

"When we first signed to Cherrytree [Records], we went on the website and see who's on the roster ... and we saw Tokio Hotel, and we were like 'Yo, this band is wild,' " Nish said of working with the Musical March Madness winner and Tokio Hotel's leading man. "We were on a bus watching them on the MTV Europe Awards, winning, and we were like, 'We need to do a song with those dudes.'

"So we got in with Bill Kaulitz and we just wanted to do a song about losing yourself, about possibly losing your mind, because you might die the next day," he added.

The album also features Justin Bieber on the song "Live My Life." The same day the album drops, the group also kicks off their tour with the kings of party rocking, LMFAO.

What do you think of "If I Die Tomorrow"? Leave your review in the comments section!

Facebook CEO has created a 'collaborative and connected culture,' showcased in 'The Diary of Facebook,' airing Saturday at 9 a.m. on MTV.
By John Mitchell

Mark Zuckerberg
Photo: Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images

Wearing his signature hoodie and jeans, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg rang the bell to open the Nasdaq Stock Market from the company's Menlo Park, California, headquarters Friday morning (May 18) as his company went public with the biggest ever initial public offering by a tech company. Going for $38 per share, the offering raised $16 billion for the social networking website, which is inarguably one of, if not the most important and impactful tech company for the millennial generation.

Zuckerberg has always been a natural at balancing the demands of running the world's biggest social network, which boasts more than 900 million users around the world, while himself being an example of his generation's focus on being open and forward-thinking without the pretense and show of past business leaders.

The self-made billionaire is the ultimate everyman, albeit one with a genius intellect, and it's a side of himself he showed off in earnest last year when MTV visited Facebook HQ for its special, "The Diary of Facebook."

"Facebook is a very open company. If you think about what we do, we're trying to give all these people who use our products the ability to share things with their friends and their family," Zuckerberg told MTV News. "The mission is to make the world more open and connected. So we believe that if that's what we're trying to do in the world then that's how we should run the company too."

Zuckerberg went on to describe the philosophy with which he runs Facebook, now one of the most financially valuable in the world, and it stands in diametric opposition to how we view the modern corporate executive. There are no sequestered corner offices at Facebook HQ, no CEOs sporting expensive designer suits.

"We have this really open floor plan. People are all sitting out near each other. It's easy for everyone to turn to their neighbor and start talking," the Facebook boss continued. "I have a desk out there just like everyone else. ... That kind of collaborative and connected culture is what produces the best products for the people who are going to use them."

His philosophy on how to run a modern company may ultimately change the face of business moving forward. Friday's massive IPO did many things, but one of the biggest, coming in the midst of an ongoing financial crisis created by men in suits, was to prove that the future doesn't smoke cigars in executive lounges, it wears a hoodie and sits with the engineers who make it all happen.

You can see it all for yourself as MTV re-airs "The Diary of Facebook" Saturday (May 19) at 9 a.m. the doc is also available online at MTV.com.

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Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Dictator' Is A Snooki 'Supporter'

Admiral General Aladeen also confesses to the murders of Tupac and Biggie Smalls during MTV News interview.
By Fallon Prinzivalli, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Sacha Baron Cohen as the Dictator at 2012 Cannes Film Festival
Photo: Getty Images

"Welcome! Death to the West!" That is how the Dictator greeted MTV News' Josh Horowitz when he sat down with him for an interview.

latest infamous character is Admiral General Aladeen, a dictator who oppresses his people and dislikes democracy. In "The Dictator," he's mistaken for a refugee and taken under the wing of Zoey, played by Anna Faris. Aladeen's misadventures in America lead to an array of hilarious culture clashes. Thus, the interview was nothing less than we'd expect — offensive, outrageous and, yes, very, very funny.

After inquiring about Horowitz's knowledge of the rapper Tupac Shakur, the Dictator reveals it was him who killed the MC. "He came to play at my birthday party and all the time he get on the microphone, and you know what he tell me?" Aladeen questioned. "You know what he tell me? He said, 'Put your hands' — he ordered me! — he ordered me to put my hands in the air and wave them like I just don't care. Why would I, Dictator, wave my hands like I don't care? I wave my hands like I do care, like this. I don't do it like I don't care. How dare he come to my palace and my birthday and tell me how to wave my hands like I don't care? I care about the hands!"

Apparently someone forgot to inform the tyrant that it's a figure of speech here in America.

"To put your hands in the air like you don't care?" he continued. "You think Hitler put his hands in the air like he don't care? It was a very careful gesture that he did. I won't do it here. And this Biggie Smalls, he then performed the next night for my weekend of birthday. That fat bastard ate all of the buffet. It cost over 120 Euros per head."

When our correspondent noted that his phrase is not respectful to the dead, the admiral general replied, "It's not respectful to the people who wanted to eat the buffet."

Note to self: Eat before heading to Aladeen's palace. Although, it's possible not much eating will take place on a trip to his home. Shortly after assuring Horowitz he has nothing to worry about and sliding a gun on the table between them, he talked of his latest tryst with reality-TV star Kim Kardashian.

"I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of [stars in America] that come to the palace and negotiate with the pimps," he said. "Kim Kardashian, she came two weeks ago. I negotiated with her pimp, who is also her mother. Three-hundred-thousand dollars for one hour — not bad. Good rate."

But Kardashian isn't the only American entertainer the Dictator is fond of. He happens to enjoy Snooki and has a list of movies he's enjoyed — one of which is definitely in the wrong category.

"I am a huge supporter of your Snooki," he said. "I find him a very funny, little, orange man. And we have many of your sci-fi and fantasy films like 'Transformers' or 'Harry Potter' or 'Schindler's List.' "

Check out everything we've got on "The Dictator."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

'American Idol' Top Two: Did Joshua Ledet Deserve To Be Eliminated?

'He was definitely the best,' one fan says of the soulful third-place finisher.
By Gil Kaufman

Joshua Ledet
Photo: FOX

It happens every year. By the time you drill down to the top three on "American Idol," tears are shed and teeth are gnashed when host Ryan Seacrest announces the third-place finisher.

After coming so far, climbing so high and landing within one episode of the show's finale, whatever beloved singer makes it to the precipice of potential fame is sent to the sidelines to watch the final showdown and his/her fans are left dejected.

That's the general mood of Joshua Ledet's followers after the soul-stirring 20-year-old Westlake, Louisiana throwback singer was sent packing on Thursday night's elimination show , paving the way for pocket diva Jessica Sanchez and (be)low key pawn shop worker Phillip Phillips to battle it out next week.

"They sabotaged Joshua and Jessica," raged reader Rienell John Llevado in a comment on an MTV News story in which Ledet called his elimination  a "relief."

"Jessica got lucky she has the support she needed to go on. They will do the same thing again this Tuesday. They are giving their golden boy the best to bring him on top. After all, isn't 'American Idol' loves white guys with guitar only? Don't worry Josh, you're right when you said you could still have a successful career even if you don't win 'Idol.'"

Another reader, Keish, claimed that the voting was rigged because after always getting a message that their vote was counted before, there was no such message Thursday night. "I voted so many times & still got nothing! Josh you are the winner!!!"

Khan lamented that Ledet — who was touted by the judges as one of the best singers  to ever grace the "Idol" stage — should not have been eliminated, because, "someone with that kind of voice should never be voted off a singing competition." A number agreed and added that Joshua is probably better in the long run because his singing style has a timeless quality and, besides, the recent track record  of WGWG (white guys with guitars) has been pretty dismal anyway.

"American did not vote based on the talent," opined Lamran2010. "How come Joshua was voted off ... it is not fair." Interestingly, given the shrieks of joy Phillips often elicits on the show, a number of the comments derided his meat-and-potatoes singing style and predicted that voters would turn out in force for Sanchez next week.

"Wow , how can America get it so hopelessly wrong year after year" wondered Muzz W. "Go Jessica, Phil Phillips should have gone weeks ago." Then again, Koo was not having it, bidding "good riddents [sic] Joshua" and proclaiming the singer a "drama mama."

Amid the sometimes nasty back-and-forth, writer Barry made a plea for peace, saying, "All three have sooo much talent!!! America has voted and unfortunately Joshua goes home. But don't take anything away from Jessica and Phil now!! The finale is all about the songs they sing and how they sing them. It's also about stage presence!!" His pick: Sanchez.

As many eagle-eyed "Idol" watchers are aware, it's not always the winners who end up winning, which is why LaNell was just fine with Ledet going home early. "Joshua became a winner the moment he stepped on the stage," she wrote. "He got the exposure he needed to get his career started ... he will go far because of his talent," adding that she figured a younger generation might not totally get his "good ole Motown sound."

Do you think Joshua Ledet deserved a spot in the "American Idol" finale? Leave your comment below!

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