Hollywood Popular Artists

Aug 24th 2013, 15:24, by Caitlin Abber

The 2013 VMAs is just one day away, and all of the best stars, performers, and thrift shoppers have descended on New York City for the big event. Last night, two of this year's highly nominated breakout stars, Robin Thicke and Macklemore, got together at Terminal 5 to sing some songs for Lifebeat, an amazing organization that uses music to fight HIV/Aids.

Macklemore brought out all the stops for his performance, which included his hits, "Thrift Shop", "Same Love", and "Can't Hold Us." Before launching into "Same Love", which is nominated for Best Video With A Social Message at the VMA's tomorrow, Macklemore's Ben Haggerty made sure the crowd really knew what it was about.

 

"I believe in a world where we are free from judgement, free from oppression, and where we can all be treated equally," said Haggerty. He was then joined on stage by Mary Lambert, the female vocalist on the track. Lambert herself is an outspoken LGBTQ activist, which brings extra meaning to the song that has become the anthem for marriage equality.

 

 

Robin Thicke also made sure to please the crowd. He opened with his ever popular, "Blurred Lines". Surrounded by dancers who looked uncannily like the ones from his video, Thicke made sure to cause as many screams as possible. First he tossed his sunglasses into the crowd, followed by his jacket. This was of course, the least charitible moment of the night, as Thicke was there to help raise money for a very important cause.

 

 

Lifebeat "mobilizes the talents and resources of the music industry to deliver HIV/AIDS and STDs awareness messages through broadcast, print, social and digital media, and distributes educational literature and condoms at concert venues, music festivals, clubs and other events."

Since 1992, Lifebeat has partnered with dozens of artists, including Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, and Nas to bring HIV/Aids awareness, as well as resources and services to anyone in need.

Even if you've only got "$20 in your pocket" there are ways to help out! Check out the action links below.

What kind of pro-social action is going to go down, and who will take home our fave Video With a Message Award, at this year's VMAs? You'll have to tune in August 25 on MTV and VMA.MTV.com. No sleep til Brooklyn!

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Aug 23rd 2013, 21:36, by Joey Parker

Harry Styles appeared on the "TODAY" show this morning promoting "One Direction: This is Us", and we couldn't help but be distracted by the fab necklace hanging from his heavenly body. We soon realized, it's actually a key from former MTV "RJ Berger" star, Caitlin Crosby's charity "The Giving Keys"!

If you have yet to hear about "The Giving Keys", let me catch you up super fast because they are my FAVE accessories to rock. Caitlin launched her charity with a simple idea of a engraving messages into various keys. Just as keys are often scarred, flawed, and scraped up a bit, she felt it embodied the idea of individuality and how we collectively are all unique and one of a kind.

With every key is a different message that Caitlin encourages to be passed onto another person one day. Along with that, the money that is used to purchase the key is then turned around to help get homeless people off the street. Caitlin Tweeted,

Oh hello @OneDirection 's @harry_styles on todayshow wearing our #TRUTH @thegivingkeys today woot… http://t.co/hc9koraCMb

— Caitlin Crosby (@CaitlinCrosby) August 23, 2013

Fans came out in full force to the "TODAY" Show performance, and by full force I mean nearly an army of 18,000 Directioners. After the performance Zayn opened up about his engagement revealing, "We're really happy! Yeah." I mean, obvi!

If you are interested in getting a key like Harrys, head on over to The Giving Keys! Also, keep an eye out for Harry as he joins One Direction at Sunday's VMA's! I am already freaking out about it. WHAT WILL ZAYN WEAR? WILL HARRY TWERK AGAIN? WILL LIAM WALK THE CARPET WITH HIS LADY?

The 2013 Video Music Awards air August 25 on MTV and VMA.MTV.com, live from the Brooklyn Barclays Center. No sleep til Brooklyn!

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Aug 23rd 2013, 22:10, by Alexandra Govere

We recently got a sneak peek at the 2013 Video Music Awards' seating chart, and boy, is it gooood! From BFFs to people who may be meeting for the first time, here's how it's all goin' down at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn this Sunday...according to us.

+ Taylor Swift & Selena Gomez

Put two girls in their early 20s next to each other at any event, and they're bound to talk about one thing: boys. But after the requisite gossip, tears, and text message analysis ("What do you think Justin meant by, 'hi'?"), we always seem to settle on the same thing: BFs come and go, but BFFs are...well...exactly what that extra F in BFF means: forever. (Unless your BFF gets with your BF.) At the end of their girl talk, Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez will conclude that BFF Love is Louder than any ole BF's and "that dress looks really cute on you."

+ Lady Gaga & Katy Perry

Katy Perry and Lady Gaga have always given a "Roar"-ing "Applause" to the LGBTQ community, encouraging fans to love themselves and others regardless of sexual orientation. After sizing up each other's outrageous outfits and celebrating the success of their new music, the ladies will gush over the Supreme Court's decisions in favor of same-sex marriage, then joke about who would be the hotter bride if they ever tied the knot. Both of their dresses would, no doubt, be memorable. Or maybe Gaga would opt to marry Katy as Joe Calderone -- her badass male alter ego, who made an appearance at the 2011 VMAs.

+ Kanye West & Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake is receiving this year's Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for a lifetime of achievement in entertainment. Before his big moment, JT will jokingly ask Kanye not to interrupt his acceptance speech like he did to Taylor Swift during the 2009 VMAs. Kanye recently owned up to his mistake in an interview with his baby's mama's mama, Kris Jenner. "The last thing I would want to happen to my daughter is some crazy drunk black guy in a leather shirt to come up and cut her off at an awards show," Kanye told Kris. "That's the last thing I'd want...[but] anything considered a 'mistake' will help me make better decisions in the future." Way to be, Yeezy! Check out MTV's Half Of Us if you or a friend needs help making better decisions when it comes to drinking responsibly. 'Cause nobody wants to be the annoying drunk guy in a leather shirt.

+ Ed Sheeran & Drake

Drake and Ed Sheeran may look like polar opposites, but take their shirts off and they're one in the same. Well...kinda. Both fellas are tattoo enthusiasts with tons of cool ink. Ed recently became a tattoo artist himself, and if he plays his cards right (or enough cocktails are had), Drake just may leave the VMAs with an "A Team" tattoo. And before you put  "A Team" tats in a category with butterflies and "tramp stamps," remember that Ed actually wrote "A Team" about a young sex trafficking victim he met while volunteering at a homeless shelter. That ink would be supahhhh deep, y'all.

This is all just speculation, but watch this year's VMAs, August 25 on MTV and VMA.MTV.com to see what really goes down! No sleep til Brooklyn! 

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Aug 23rd 2013, 20:05, by Kevin P. Sullivan

And the hits just keep on coming.

We just kicked off day three of the 2013 Video Music Awards All Access Experience, and if you've been watching the past two days, you know exactly what to expect.

We're talking nominated videos and interviews with nominees, performers, and more. It's going to be out of control, so strap yourself in.

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Aug 23rd 2013, 18:56, by Claire Biggs

The news has been dominated this week by headlines about Bradley Manning, the Army private who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking classified documents to Wikileaks. Today, however, the headlines changed as the officer announced in an interview that she is transgender and wishes to live as Chelsea Manning, a female.

Photo: (The Guardian UK)

If you don't know anyone who is transgender, you might be confused by Manning's announcement and request to refer to her by her new name and to "use the feminine pronoun." We love that, by releasing a statement to the public, Chelsea has opened the door for more transgender people to share their stories and experiences.

Because you might be unsure of what to do if your friend comes out as transgender, we've put together a few quick tips for you. Here are three ways you can be an awesome ally to your friend who has come out as transgender:

+ Do Ask, They'll Tell

If your friend comes out as transgender, it's natural that you'd have questions. If you're curious, go straight to the source. If your friend knows you're coming to him or her without judgments and because you want to know more, he or she will gladly tell you what you want to know. Remember, your friend is still your friend. If you're nervous, just pretend you're talking about last night's episode of your favorite TV show or who you're crushing on right now.

+ Practice Your Pronouns

Those of you who hated learning grammar in school are probably rolling your eyes right now, but hear us out. If your friend comes out as transgender, make sure you ask how he or she would like to be addressed. Your friend might want you to use different pronouns to address him or her in the future. If you slip up at first, don't panic! Just make sure your friend knows you're trying and that you're committed to using the proper pronouns.

+ Act Like an Ally

The most important thing to remember is to always have your friend's back. Your friend might look different and might want to be addressed a certain way, but none of that changes the fact that that's still your BFF. There are so many ways you can be an advocate for your friend. If you're interested in being an awesome ally, you can find tips from organizations like The Trevor Project or GLAAD.

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Aug 23rd 2013, 19:02, by Alexandra Govere

Ben Affleck has always been a real-life superhero, but the Oscar-winning actor is taking his superpowers to the silver screen in 2015. Affleck will play Batman, frenemy to Henry Cavill's Superman.

The yet-to-be-named film will be the sequel to director Zack Snyder's "Man Of Steel." Ryan Gosling and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were fan favorites for the role of Batman, but Snyder was looking for someone a little more grown up. "(Affleck) has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retains the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne," he said. "I can't wait to work with him."

Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a billionaire playboy and philanthropist. Although Affleck is no playboy, he's all about giving back, and even took part in this year's Live Below The Line Campaign. The campaign asks participants to live on $1.50 a day for five days. It sounds cray, but do you know that 1.4 billion people in the world live on even less than that?! Affleck also founded the Eastern Congo Initiative -- the "first U.S.-based advocacy and grant-making initiative wholly focused on working with and for the people of Eastern Congo."

The kind heart, the gruff voice, and that oh-so-manly chin...we can totes see Ben as Batman! Follow the Action Links below if you wanna be a superhero too.

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Aug 23rd 2013, 17:31, by Alexandra Govere

It's going down in Brooklyn, NY this weekend at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, but before we get down with the bright lights and city sights, let's take a relaxing stroll down nature lane. These are our fave Brooklyn Orgs that are all about keepin' NYC eco-friendly.

+ Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Concrete jungle got you down? The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has been providing a dose of nature therapy to NY residents for over a century with the help of a team of green-thumbed volunteers. The 52-acre garden, filled with tons of awesome mini gardens, also hosts classes and outreach programs for NY's schools and communities. Check it out the next time you're in BK!

+  City Growers

Photo:  (City Growers)

NYC is known for its rooftop parties, but the real party is at City Growers 1-acre rooftop garden, where they host environmental education and advocacy courses for K-12 students. It's pretty easy to grow up in The Big Apple without actually ever seeing an apple tree, but City Growers is all about bringing the joy of farming to kids who may not otherwise experience it.

Feel like hugging a tree yet? Go on wit' yo' green self, but don't forget to let go for long enough to catch the 2013 Video Music Awards, August 25 on MTV and VMA.MTV.com, live from the Brooklyn Barclays Center. No sleep til Brooklyn!

 

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Aug 23rd 2013, 17:16, by Danica Davidson

Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy were both in the film "Inception," and both are passionate about helping wildlife. And while Tom might have looked pretty scary playing Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises," his new doc shows how compassionate he really is!

Leo Tweeted:

Check out Tom Hardy's doc 'Poaching Wars' on the #elephant & #rhino crisis in Africa. Tonight in UK @ITV http://t.co/EHMO0Y4hTr #Inception

— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) August 22, 2013

"Poaching Wars with Tom Hardy" is a two-part documentary playing in the UK. The poaching of elephants and rhinos is a SERIOUS issue going on, and Tom explains, "I find it hard to stomach the poaching crisis sweeping the continent [of Africa] and pushing these amazing animals to the edge of extinction. Without doubt the rhino and the elephant are facing extinction well within our lifetime and the war on poaching is being lost."

In the film,Tom travels to different parts of Africa to better understand why poaching is going on and the best ways to stop it. He meets with one man who believes rhinos should be dehorned in order to get people to stop killing them, and another man who's trained elephants to search out poachers.

Like Tom, Leo is in it for the long haul when it comes to helping wildlife. Leonardo is really involved with World Wildlife Fund's Hands Off My Parts campaign, which protects elephants, rhinos and tigers from poaching. There are still ways we can stand up for these animals before it's too late.

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Aug 23rd 2013, 12:18, by Claire Biggs

Which Emoji would you use to tell a friend, "Wow, Jennifer Hudson looks amazing as Tiana in this new Disney Parks photo?" If you think that Apple's Emoji selection and JHud's royal role aren't related, think again.

While the singer slays it as the first African-American Disney princess, Apple's keyboard still lacks a lot of racial representation, especially where their Emoji are concerned.

Hudson calls the experience of portraying Tiana "quite emotional" because it "means and stands for so much." Getting to serve as the real-life version of the first African-American Disney princess is, she said, really a "Disney dream come true." JHud wears a gorgeous yellow and green gown in the portrait, which reads, "Where you always follow your heart."

If DoSomething has anything to say about it, you'll follow your heart over to their new petition asking Apple to diversify its Emoji selection. As the organization deftly points out on its petition page, there are two different camels on the Emoji keyboard, but there are only two Emoji out of more than 800 that resemble people of color. Although there company has included inclusive Emoji in the past, Apple still has a long way to go to make sure everyone feels "visible and represented."

Although, as DoSomething points out, Apple doesn't "own" the Emoji, the company can still influence which ones make the keyboard. Hudson's portrait is a powerful reminder that representation, no matter what the medium, is so important. If youbelieve there should be Emoji that represent people of color, sign the petition now.

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Aug 22nd 2013, 20:00, by Danica Davidson

Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy, an elementary school in Georgia, might have gone down in history as the location of another terrible school shooting. Instead, the school is now in the news for the heroism of Antoinette Tuff.

+ Who is Antoinette Tuff?

Antoinette Tuff is a bookkeeper at Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy, and she was working there when an armed man with approximately 500 rounds of ammunition stepped in and gave a warning shot at the floor. But along with knowing how to keep books, she'd been trained in how to handle hostile situations.

+ How did she stop a school shooting?

Antoinette began to talk to the now identified suspect, Michael Brandon Hill, 20, humanizing herself so that he would talk back. She told him about her own struggles in life, such as a recent divorce after 33 years of marriage, and helped him communicate with police. Antoinette's 911 call with the police can be heard on CNN, and she talked with the suspect throughout. "It's going to be all right, sweetie," she's recorded saying to him. "I just want you to know I love you, though, OK? And I'm proud of you. That's a good thing that you're just giving up, and don't worry about it. We all go through something in life. No, you don't want that. You going to be OK."

+ Why is she a hero?

People all over are calling Antoinette a hero. And why wouldn't they be? In the end, she convinced and helped the suspect surrender himself. Not only was no one killed in the would-be school shooting, no one was even hurt.

+ Resources to end gun violence

Want to get involved in the work to end gun violence? You can check out MTV Act's page on gun safety, and also Demand Action from Congress about the issue. You can also check out the MTV x Caliber bracelets.

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Aug 22nd 2013, 20:57, by Alexandra Govere

What were all of our fave celebs doing before they were vying for titles like Best Video With A Message and Video Of The Year? It's Throwback Thursday: VMA edition!

Remember when JT was way into pleather pants? Or when Robin Thicke's hair was long and...well...thick(e)? And we can't forget about Katy Perry's Christian music days! We loved them then, and we love them now, but we won't hold it against you if you have a friendly LOL at some of these classic old-school pics.

+ Check Out 2013 VMA Performers' Throwback Thursday Photos!

Grab your "Suit & Tie" and get ready to "Roar," 'cause the 2013 Video Music Awards air this Sunday, and "We Can't Stop" thinkin' about what's gonna go down when Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and more hit the stage in BK, NY. It's sure to be a "YOLO" night full of  twerking and "Applause," and even though we've got the "Same Love" for everyone, only some will go home with the coveted Moonman.

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