“Bangarang,” Skrillex (Big Beat/Atlantic)

When Esperanza Spalding was announced as a nominee for Best New Artist in advance of last year’s Grammy Awards, she was universally dismissed as a non-contender against her much-better-known competition that included Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence + The Machine and Mumford & Sons.

Of course, Spalding won — which is still a head-scratcher, frankly.

At any rate, some mainstream observers might mistakenly regard Skrillex as this year’s Esperanza Spalding, a Best New Artist nominee against the Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole and Nicki Minaj. Yet don’t be surprise if Skrillex, aka Sonny Moore, is revealed as the winner at the Feb. 12 show.

Major clue: Skrillex landed five nominations, including for Best Dance Recording and Best Dance/Electronica Album, which clearly indicates that Grammy voters recognize his trailblazing in electronic music, even if millions have never heard of him.

Unlike the other Best New Artist nominees, Skrillex has unquestionably advanced his genre.

But where are his pioneering ways leading? His latest release, “Bangarang,” doesn’t really indicate.

Skrillex is typically categorized in the “dubstep” subgenre of electronica, but the label only fitfully suits him. For the uninitiated, his sound generally smashes together elements of a chopped-up dance song and overwhelmingly aggressive synthetic assaults and bass drops. Traditional continuity is out the window and vocals are rarely more than minor props, if they’re even used: This listener experience is all about marveling at the man and his machine(s), something equivalent to watching a champion playing a videogame (and often just as disengaging). Some have a primal response to his jarringly disjointed drama, while others struggle to make any emotional connection to the austere commotion.

“Bangarang” hijacks its listeners in typical Skrillex fashion, skittering about between aural air raids in a gamer’s claustrophobic realm of faux sirens, slapping beats and random vocals. Apart from the penultimate track “Summit,” featuring alluring vocals by Ellie Goulding, and a surprising “orchestral suite” finale, “Bangarang” is similar, too similar, to Skrillex’s previous work.

If he’s going to prove worthy of Best New Artist, Skrillex is going to have to step up his innovation — dubstep or not.

Rating (five possible): 3

WPTS’ DiDonna reflects on music trends from 2011

This year, two giants collide in something that will rock the Pitt community.

Or at least give it a taste of something different in its regular media intake. Welcome to the new WPTS column, brought to you by a rotating cast of the staff of Pittsburgh’s Progressive FM radio station.

Each week, WPTS will take a look at musical trends, upcoming releases or the Pittsburgh music scene. On the flip side, you can tune in to the Pitt News on WPTS every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. to hear your favorite Pitt News writers and columnists take a broadcast look at the week’s events.

As the new semester begins, I wanted to reflect back on the musical trends of 2011: the good, the bad and the un-listenable.

Dubstep: Frankly put, it’s everywhere. Characterized by a wobbly bass noise — affectionately referred to as “womp” in the WPTS offices — the genre gained popularity in Britain in 2005 before making the leap across the Atlantic three years ago. In the United States, dubstep morphed into an electro-house hybrid, led primarily by the now-Grammy-nominated Skrillex. Has the Dayglow tour actually infiltrated the mainstream to this extent?

Evidently so. In the more electro vein, Steve Aoki and Pretty Lights recently played to huge crowds in Pittsburgh, and newcomer Avicii has a sold-out gig at Stage AE on Jan. 8.

Saxwave: Deerhunter brought back the saxophone on their memorable 2010 album Halcyon Digest, leading frontman Bradford Cox to remark, “Next year everyone’s gonna have a saxophone on their record because saxophones are just cool.”

Apparently, he was right. M83’s monstrous single “Midnight City,” from the album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, with its electronic riff, hushed vocals and wailing saxophone hook undeniably became the favorite song of many WPTS staffers. It’s now even playing in a Victoria’s Secret commercial.

Other indie groups worked in the sax: Destroyer’s “Kaputt” used it for a pleasant, yacht-rock vibe, while dance-punk’s The Rapture added a sax solo to the breakdown of the blistering “How Deep Is Your Love.” On the other end of the spectrum, Katy Perry fell prey to the power-sax solo on “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).” And one can’t forget Lady Gaga’s ubiquitous “The Edge of Glory” that featured legendary sax player Clarence Clemons on the last recording of his long career.

The changing face of independent hip-hop: In 2011, we saw the rise and fall of L.A. rap crew Odd Future. It started with their zany TV debut on Jimmy Fallon in February, continued through their subsequent popularity in the springtime and ended with their acceptance by mainstream media outlets like MTV and Spin magazine. In short, the self-purported iconoclasts became everything they railed against.

At a certain point during the summer, we all kind of stopped caring about Odd Future. Maybe it was because Tyler’s album Goblin, the first major-label release of any of the OFWGKTA members, turned out to be disappointing in light of the hype. Or maybe it was because we all got sick of his rape jokes. Either way, OF’s been on a slow decline since the summer.

And while Tyler, Earl Sweatshirt, Hodgy Beats and crew dominated the rap scene for the first half of the year, a plethora of rappers and producers have come out of the woodwork to achieve new fame: AraabMuzik, Shabazz Palaces, A$AP Rocky, Danny Brown, the Weeknd, Mr. Muthaf**kin’ eXquire and — my personal favorite — Azealia Banks.

On her single “212 (feat. Lazy Jay),” the unsigned 20-year-old New York rapper works through a variety of rap personas over an infectious Diplo-esque beat, bringing to mind shades of Nicki Minaj and Missy Elliott with her vocals.

While her verses are certainly dirty — the parting punchline is in no way printable here — Banks wields her sexuality as a political and social tool in a way that packs more punch than Nicki Minaj’s recent tunes. Her lyrical prowess stands in direct contrast to the explicitness utilized by rappers such as the members of Odd Future, who seem more bent on shocking than expressing any real meaning behind their lyrics.

Canadian R&B singer Abel Tesfaye — better known as The Weeknd — released three free, solid albums in 2011, beginning with the universally acclaimed House of Balloons. Dealing with themes of drugs and lust, The Weeknd stands apart from other R&B projects through its embrace of lush, atmospheric production.

And if you haven’t yet heard Shabazz Palaces’ excellent Black Up LP or the single “Peso” by newcomer A$AP Rocky, hand-picked by Drake to open his 2012 tour, load up your iPod and start listening.

What will be hot in 2012? Only time will tell. I personally look forward to the return of guitars — after a certain point, I can only listen to so much mellowed-out electronic music, known as chillwave. In particular, the new Sleigh Bells album, due out on Feb. 14, will be make-or-break for the band. I think the dubstep trend will eventually fizzle.

So as the trends ebb and flow, look for WPTS’s comments in this column.

Gabriela DiDonna is the promotions director for 92.1 WPTS FM, the University of Pittsburgh’s student-run radio station. More information can be found at wptsradio.org.

Amazing songs

The year 2011 saw many artists release amazing songs and some, well, not so amazing. Either way, we enjoyed them!

From the amazing Adele to new entrants such as Bon Iver, Skrillex and Nicki Minaj, all fought profusely for the top spot. No questions asked, it belongs to Adele, obviously.

I decided to find out the top 20 songs of 2011 as we don't have much of year-end charts in Bahrain.
So here they are, and remember they are based on the music, not popularity.

I'm sure most of you haven't heard some of these songs. If you haven't, then you must. They are amazing. The Top 20 Songs Of 2011:

1. Adele - Rolling In The Deep
2. Adele - Someone Like You
3. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks
4. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Niggas In Paris
5. Frank Ocean - Novacene
6. Bon Iver - Holocene
7. Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory
8. Chris Brown Ft Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne - Look At Me Now
9. Nicki Minaj - Superbass
10. The Joy Formidable - Whirring
11. Katy Perry - Firework
12. Beyonce - Countdown
13. Radiohead - Lotus Flower
14. Nicola Roberts - Beat Of My Heart
15. Lady Gaga - You And I
16. Drake Ft Rihanna - Take Care
17. SBTRKT - Wildfire
18. Pistol Annies - Hell On Heels
19. Rihanna - We Found Love
20. Tony Bennet & Amy Winehouse - Body & Soul

Skrillex is surprised about his 5 Grammy nods

NEW YORK — Many people were surprised when the name Skrillex was announced in the best new artist category, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj and The Band Perry, during this week's televised Grammy nominations special.

Count Skrillex as one of them.

A day after earning a whopping five nominations in total, the 23-year-old dance and dub-step producer is still taking it all in.

"It just hasn't really hit me yet," he said in a phone interview from Manchester, United Kingdom on Thursday. "I wouldn't have thought I would come this far in so many ways."

Skrillex scored the third-most nominations, matching Lil Wayne. Kanye West leads with seven nods; Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars scored six each.

The Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, may be best known for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" (he's also a producer on Korn's new album, "The Path of Totality," out next week).

Skrillex hasn't had much success on the Billboard charts -- he's more of an underground artist. He'll have some tough competition in the best new artist category: Besides facing The Band Perry and Minaj, who were both nominated for Grammys earlier this year and have dominated their respective fields and at other awards shows, he'll compete with Bon Iver, a critical darling, and J. Cole, who had a No.1 album and is the protege of Jay-Z.

Skrillex is nominated for best dance recording for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," and also nominated for best dance/electronica album for his EP, which shares the same name. In 2010, Lady Gaga earned those trophies, and Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)" was the winner of best dance recording earlier this year.

Skrillex will have to battle Toronto's Deadmau5, Robyn and David Guetta, acts who come from a similar background to his.

"I feel very proud of where I come from," Skrillex said of being in the electronic music scene, a genre that has exploded on Top 40 radio in recent years. "I do feel like I represent something and I'm a part of something and it's an honour to be there."

Skrillex, who is also nominated for best remixed recording (non-classical) and best short form music video, says he hopes his Grammy love will give more attention to the dance music genre.

"I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general," he said.

The Grammys will be held Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.

Skrillex is just killin’ it

Lots of usual suspects popped up on the just-released roster of Grammy nominations — Adele, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, the Foo Fighters.

But who, folks might wonder, was the wild-maned artist who calls himself Skrillex, who logged no less that five coveted nominations?

First, the 23-year-old born Sonny Moore in Los Angeles was a band member (in From First To Last), then a top-flight producer (he just finished working on the upcoming Korn album). Now, he’s a solo artist, as well, with his recent “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” nabbing a Grammy nod for Best Dance/Electronica Album.

Skrillex also got a nom for Best Music Video (“First of the Year (Equinox)”), and he now owns the honor of being the first electronic musician to ever be nominated for Best New Artist.

Chalk it up to his insane work schedule, perhaps — over the past year, Skrillex has also: released two EPs, played over 300 performances, collaborated with Kaskade, made the cover of Spin Magazine, and even launched his own “Watership Down”-inspired label OWSLA, and signed hot new artists like Bristol’s dubstep maestro Koan Sound, singer Alvin Risk, and San Francisco’s own M Machine.

The guy should be throwing one helluva crazy New Year’s party!

MTV names Katy Perry its 1st artist of the year

NEW YORK (AP) — Katy Perry's run of No. 1 singles has earned her the distinction of becoming MTV's first artist of the year.

Perry topped Adele after a spirited discussion among MTV's internal panel of experts, the network said Thursday. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was chosen top song of 2011, said Amy Doyle, the network's chief of music programming.

MTV also declared Skrillex its electronic dance music artist of the year over David Guetta.
Different parts of MTV would make "best of" lists in the past, but the network wanted to establish a franchise that brought all its online and TV arms together and emphasized MTV's music roots, Doyle said. The network, established in 1981, hopes it becomes an annual thing.

Seven panelists made the final choice, and their deliberations were featured in MTV programming this week.

"Rolling in the Deep" was an obvious selection as top song, Doyle said. Runners-up were Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Rihanna's "We Found Love."

"I loved the song the moment I wrote it," Adele said. "The melody and the beat added some conviction to it. I think that's why people connected with it."

Perry's achievement of tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" as the only albums to yield five No. 1 singles was particularly impressive, Doyle said. Along with the title cut, "California Gurls," ''E.T.," ''Firework" and "Last Friday Night" (T.G.I.F.) all topped the charts. She's trying to beat the record with the current single "The One That Got Away."

"You just really felt her presence in pop culture throughout the year," Doyle said.

Skrillex, whose real name is Sonny Moore, describes his music as a combination of "dubstep, electro and glitch." MTV included the category of best electronic dance music artist to pay tribute to the way the style is taking off with its young viewers, she said.

MTV also asked its viewers to vote on their choice of the best live performances shown on MTV all year. Their choice was "Hurricane" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.

Jay-Z Weighs In On J. Cole's Grammy Nomination

J. Cole is up against some pretty stiff competition in the the Grammy’s Best New Artist category, but if you ask his Roc Nation boss Jay-Z, Cole is already a winner. On November 30 it was announced that Cole will square off against The Band Perry, Bon Iver, Skrillex and Nicki Minaj for the coveted award. "I think it's great for him, because I'm sure it's a dream of his. We grew up seeing Michael Jackson, and I'm sure he grew up seeing whatever moment stuck in his mind, so I know it's great for him to do that," Hov told MTV News following a press conference announcing a pair of charitable shows at Carnegie Hall in New York. "I think he's already won Best New Artist, to me. His journey is what I'm really excited about."


Cole first broke out in 2009 after releasing The Warm Up mixtape online. Unlike most rap up-and-comers these days, Cole was actually signed before his breakout tape was released. After hearing his coming-of-age love story "Lights Please," Jay signed the young rapper/producer to his Roc Nation label. Rather than commandeer the youngster's project, Jigga let Cole find his own voice. Many, including Cole, expected his debut album to come out in 2010, but it didn't — maybe for the best. When Cole World: The Sideline Story did drop in September, it sold more than 218,000 copies in its first week, hit #1 on the Billboard albums chart and is now certified gold.

"The person he is today is not who he was when he first walked in," Jay said of Cole. "He got a chance to really go out, see what worked, see what people connect to, figure out how he was gonna tell his story."

With Cole, and Roc Nation as a label, Jay is stressing artist development, an art that is seemingly lost in an industry constantly searching for the next big thing. "That artist-development thing, I think we need more of it," Jay said about hip-hop in particular. "We need to ensure that this thing is around for future generations. This thing that fed our kids and our family and took us to these heights needs to be held intact by the people who are doing it.

"Whether he was nominated or not, he was the best new artist to me; sold 200-and-something-thousand records in his first week; he was the best new artist," Hov added of Cole. "I'm sure it's great for him."

Do you think Cole will take home the Best New Artist Grammy? Let us know in the comments!

NEW YORK — Taylor Swift doesn't think the Recording Academy is mean. Though she won the Grammy for album of the year in 2010, she's not sad her latest multiplatinum effort isn't up for the honor this time around.


"I got three nominations. I was just so excited," she said Friday, before she was honored as Billboard's "Woman of the Year."


Among the Swift achievements that led to her Billboard honor was the best-selling performance of her third album "Speak Now," which has sold more than 3.7 million copies and generated hits like "Mine" and "Mean."


There was some surprise when the critically acclaimed album wasn't among the overall best album nominees when the Grammy nominations were revealed Wednesday, but Swift says she's excited by her nominations, which include best country album and two for "Mean," in which she answers her critics and challenges bullies.


"That song is so personal, and I'm so glad that the Grammys recognized it," she said on the red carpet ahead of the event.


Swift got a standing ovation as she accepted her honor. Swift recalled reading Billboard as a teen, pouring over its pages and hoping one day to see her name in the trade magazine.


"I got here today and there were all these flashing camera bulbs ... I got to the table, and I saw the magazine on the chair and it had me on it," she said. "All the daydreams I had as a little kid, I guess this is what it looked like."


One of the country singer's favorite artists, Nicki Minaj, was also honored at the event as Billboard's "Rising Star."


Like Swift, Minaj was rocking blonde bangs.


But the rapper and singer got teary-eyed at the event when Minaj received her honor. She's costarred on dozens of hit songs in the last two years, and her debut CD, "Pink Friday," has sold more than 1.6 million copies in the United States. Minaj is nominated for four Grammys, including best new artist, pitting her against the Band Perry, Bon Iver, Skrillex and J. Cole.


"I don't ever expect to win those kinds of things, but it's good to be recognized and it's good for girls to see that you can do whatever kind of music that you want to do," Minaj said on the red carpet.


Minaj is also up for best rap album, where she'll face her mentor, Lil Wayne, as well as Kanye West, Jay-Z and Lupe Fiasco. She says she's diligent, and that lethargic people annoy her.


"I always say hard work pays off. Don't be lazy. I am racist against lazy people. I wish they would not exist in this world," she said.


Minaj, known for her outrageous and colorful fashion style, says she's learning to "trust my first instinct." The 28-year-old says proof of that will show on her upcoming album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded," due out on Valentine's Day.


"Things are happening so much easier for me now because I was over-thinking on the first album. I was trying to give people what I thought they needed, and what I needed my reputation to be," she said. "And now it's like, 'I don't care what you think. I'm going to do what I wanna do for my core fans and if you like it, you like it. If you don't, bye!'"

Grammy surprise: Who's that? His name is Skrillex

Many people were surprised when the name Skrillex was announced in the best new artist category, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj and The Band Perry, during this week's televised Grammy nominations special.

Count Skrillex as one of them.

A day after earning a whopping five nominations in total, the 23-year-old dance and dub-step producer is still taking it all in.

"It just hasn't really hit me yet," he said in a phone interview from Manchester, United Kingdom on Thursday. "I wouldn't have thought I would come this far in so many ways."

Skrillex scored the third-most nominations, matching Lil Wayne. Kanye West leads with seven nods; Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars scored six each.

The Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, may be best known for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" (he's also a producer on Korn's new album, "The Path of Totality," out next week).

Skrillex hasn't had much success on the Billboard charts — he's more of an underground artist. He'll have some tough competition in the best new artist category: Besides facing The Band Perry and Minaj, who were both nominated for Grammys earlier this year and have dominated their respective fields and at other awards shows, he'll compete with Bon Iver, a critical darling, and J. Cole, who had a No.1 album and is the protege of Jay-Z.

Skrillex is nominated for best dance recording for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," and also nominated for best dance/electronica album for his EP, which shares the same name. In 2010, Lady Gaga earned those trophies, and Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)" was the winner of best dance recording earlier this year.

Skrillex will have to battle Robyn, Deadmau5 and David Guetta, acts who come from a similar background to his.

"I feel very proud of where I come from," Skrillex said of being in the electronic music scene, a genre that has exploded on Top 40 radio in recent years. "I do feel like I represent something and I'm a part of something and it's an honor to be there."

Skrillex, who is also nominated for best remixed recording (non-classical) and best short form music video, says he hopes his Grammy love will give more attention to the dance music genre.
"I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general," he said.

The Grammys will be held Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.
____

Online:
www.skrillex.com
www.grammys.com

Skrillex gets nominated for 5 Grammy's then does a funny dance!!

If you didn’t already hear the breaking news, Skrillex was nominated for 5 Grammy’s on November 30th, 2011 at the official Grammy nomination ceremony. The biggest nomination of all is the Best New Artist category, which puts him against the likes of The Band Perry, Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, and  J. Cole. This is a huge turning point for EDM, and is a big deal for all electronic music producers across all genres.

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Skrillex is the fastest growing producer in EDM history, and It just goes to show how EDM is taking over- check out this really good, kind of long article about how “Electronic Music Moved the Masses in 2011″.

There are some other producers nominated for Grammys, which is dope as well. Deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta and others figure in the list, check the full list at the Grammy’s site here. So, does this mean dubstep is going mainstream?

These are the 5 awards Skrillex received Grammy nominations for :

• Best New Artist
• Best Dance Recording (Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites)
• Best Dance/Electronica Album (Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites)
• Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical (Cinema Skrillex Remix)
• Best Short Form Music Video (First of the Year)

Once Skrillex  realized was nominated he started doing this funny dance! Everyone laughed at his seizure-sh dance moves and it was kind of an awkward moment.. But everyone stills loves him (or hates him for that matter) because he makes banging tunes. thanks r/electronicmusic for the gif



So what do you think? Do you think this nomination is good for EDM, or do you think that Skrillex getting Nominated for  5 Grammys is going to continue to bring Dubstep and EDM to the mainstream, and turn it into some poppy, over done, over marketed, over produced  garbage?

Grammy surprise: Skrillex

Many people were surprised when the name Skrillex was announced in the best new artist category, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj and the Band Perry, during last week’s televised Grammy nominations special.

Count Skrillex as one of them.

A day after earning a whopping five nominations, the 23-year-old dance and dub-step producer was still taking it all in.

“It just hasn’t really hit me yet,” he said in a phone interview from Manchester, England. “I wouldn’t have thought I would come this far in so many ways.”

Skrillex scored the third-most nominations, matching Lil Wayne. Kanye West leads with seven nods; Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars scored six each.

The Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, may be best known for “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” (he’s also a producer on Korn’s new album, “The Path of Totality,” out this week).

Skrillex hasn’t had much success on the Billboard charts — he’s more of an underground artist. He’ll have some tough competition in the best new artist category: Besides facing the Band Perry and Minaj, who have dominated their respective fields, he’ll compete with Bon Iver, a critical darling, and J. Cole, who had a No. 1 album and is the protege of Jay-Z.

Skrillex is nominated for best dance recording for “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” as well as best dance/electronica album for his EP, which shares the same name. In 2010, Lady Gaga earned those trophies, and Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World)” was the winner of best dance recording earlier this year.

Skrillex will have to battle Robyn, Deadmau5 and David Guetta, acts who come from a background similar to his.

“I feel very proud of where I come from,” Skrillex said of being in the electronic music scene, a genre that has exploded on Top 40 radio in recent years. “I do feel like I represent something and I’m a part of something and it’s an honor to be there.”

Skrillex, who is also nominated for best remixed recording (non-classical) and best short form music video, says he hopes his Grammy love will give more attention to the dance music genre.

“I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general,” he said.

The Grammys will be Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.

Google Search Traffic for 'Skrillex,' May 2010 − Present...

In 2007, Sonny Moore ditched his emo-screamo band and started a solo career, eventually adopting the moniker 'Skrillex'.  That was a good move...    

The left axis is Google's search volume index, with scaling fixed to the starting point (more on that methodology here).  There are definitely some nice milestones in this quick shot upward, though the ascendency has actually been fairly smooth (a good sign).  That includes a recent performance at Coachella (April), and a growing number of articles from major publications like the Guardian.

Actually, Skrillex's recent 5 Grammy nominations isn't even factored into this graph, due to a multi-day delay in traffic data.

Rosie O'Donnell, Neil Patrick Harris and Mario Lopez

Project Runway: All Stars will begin airing Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, on Lifetime, according to a press release. Among the 13 designers returning to the catwalk are Mondo Guerra, Austin Scarlett, Kara Janx and Rami Kashou. Supermodel Angela Lindvall will host, with world-famous designers Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman as the judges. Guest judges will include supermodel Miranda Kerr, musician/producer Pharrell Williams and the iconic Miss Piggy.


Former Law & Order: SVU star Christopher Meloni is in talks for a role in the upcoming fifth season of the pansexual HBO drama True Blood, according to Reuters. The network said that Meloni's role will be significant. The actor currently has two other projects—the comedy Awful Nice and the Superman film Man of Steel—heading for theaters. The next season of True Blood will premiere next summer.

The Miss America pageant is at the center of controversy because it turns out that one of the main sponsors of the California preliminaries is a gay-porn star and producer, the Huffington Post reported. Ric Alonso and longtime partner Ernie Koneck are involved with a nonprofit (the Southern California Scholarship Association)that produces the Miss Hollywood pageant; however, it turns out that Alonso goes by the pseudonym Jake Cruise, and is a porn figure who owns hardcore gay-porn websites. Koneck has resigned from the scholarship association and stressed that Alonso's involvement has been strictly financial.

Josh Charles, a star of the CBS show The Good Wife, is part of the Human Rights Campaign's "Americans for Marriage Equality" project, according to a press release. In an ad, Charles (who plays a lawyer on the show) says, "You don't need a law degree to understand fundamental fairness." HRC President Joe Solmonese said, "Like most Americans, Josh Charles believes all couples should have the opportunity to say 'I do.'"

The ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars has been renewed for a third season, according to SheWired.com. The show, based on the series of books by Sara Shepard, focuses on four teens bound by their secrets; their bitchy best friend's murder; and the blackmailer "A," who threatens to expose all of the skeletons. Among the four teens is Emily (played by Shay Mitchell), a pretty jock who happens to be lesbian.

Out director Adam Shankman will head New Line Cinema's The Nutcracker, a new take on the classic fairy tale that may air in late 2013, according to Deadline.com. This version of The Nutcracker goes back to the original 1815 book by E.T.A. Hoffman, about a young girl and a wooden toy soldier who comes alive and takes her on an adventure. Shankman just finished Rock of Ages, an adaptation of the stage musical that stars Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin and Mary J. Blige.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has been cast as the late gay poet Allen Ginsberg in the film Kill Your Darlings, according to Advocate.com. After he's done with the Broadway production How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Radcliffe will replace the departing Jesse Eisenberg in the movie. The screenplay is based on an incident between Ginsberg and fellow members of the Beat circle, Jack Kerouac and Lucien Carr: In 1944, the heterosexual Carr murdered David Kammerer, who had been obsessively pursuing the 19-year-old.

Adele has received six Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year for her CD, 21, according to MTV.com. Rapper Kanye West led all artists with seven nods, while Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars also got six nominations each. Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Mars and Rihanna also got nods for Album of the Year, while Adele, Bon Iver, Mars, Mumford & Sons and Katy Perry were nominated for Record of the Year. The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj and Skrillex received Best New Artist nods. The 54th annual Grammys will take place Feb. 12, 2012, on CBS.

Deborra-Lee Furness, the 56-year-old wife of actor Hugh Jackman, has dismissed gay rumors about her husband as "tragic," according to an US Magazine item. US said that Furness told Page Six Magazine, "The line I heard was, 'Wolverine? Who would have thought?' Hugh and I don't pay much heed. It's kind of tragic that these people have nothing better to do than gossip about people they don't know." The couple have two children and have been married since 1996.

Actor Neil Patrick Harris may have gotten into hot water with the transgender community, according to the Huffington Post. While co-hosting the Dec. 2 episode of Live! with Kelly, the out actor said, "I've never sounded more like a tranny in my life" while participating in an experiment designed to make one's voice sound lower. Harris has apologized, tweeting, "Truly sorry for saying the word 'tranny' on Live this week. Twice! Should have been more thoughtful. Didn't at all mean to offend."

Speaking of Harris, his partner, David Burtka, will be an on-air correspondent for E!, according to Advocate.com. Burtka will be a correspondent for E! News, as well as for Live from the Red Carpet and other E! specials. Burtka, a veteran Broadway performer, will start in January.

Transgender woman Chantal Spears is suing Khloe Kardashian for assault, according to TMZ.com. Spears claims that in December 2009, Kardashian violently hit her "in and about her body," causing severe injuries. Kardashian was reportedly irate after Spears approached her husband, Lamar Odom, and said he was "too young to be married."

Singer Gloria Estefan will reportedly guest-star on the TV series Glee, according to AceShowbiz.com. Estefan is said to be slated to play the mother of Santana, the lesbian cheerleader by Naya Rivera. Estefan will appear in the same January episode as singer Ricky Martin, who will play "the hottest Spanish teacher ever in the history of Ohio."

Extra host and former Saved by the Bell actor Mario Lopez stripped down to his underwear to promote Rated M, his new line of underwear, according to AceShowbiz.com. In the preview, Lopez, 38, said that the "M" in his label "stands for masculine, modern, Mario... make it whatever you want it to be." Rated M, which Lopez launched Dec. 1, is available on underwear retailer Fresh Pair.

Lady Gaga is reportedly planning an unprecedented world tour, according to Digital Spy. The singer would like to break U2's record for the highest-grossing and best-attended tour of all time with a 450-date, two-year global journey. Her recent "Monster Ball Tour" became the most profitable tour ever by a debut headliner.

Croatian journalist James J. Braddock (aka Josip J. Knezevic) has filed a copyright-infringement suit that names In the Land of Blood and Honey, the movie that is Angelina Jolie's directorial debut, according to AceShowbiz.com. Braddock claimed Jolie pilfered the story from an article he wrote and published in 2007. The movie, which Jolie wrote, is about a love story between a Muslim woman and a Serbian soldier during the Bosnian war.

The animated film Ice Age will become a stage show next year, according to Digital Spy. Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure will kick off November 2012, touring the world for the five years. Meanwhile, Ice Age 4: Continental Drift, will hit theaters next July; it'll feature the voices of Ray Romano, Denis Leary, Nicki Minaj, Jeremy Renner and Wanda Sykes, among others.

The Dec. 6 episode of the Lifetime show America's Supernanny featured child-care expert Deborah Tillman helping a lesbian couple and their six children (including 2 1/2-year-old quadruplets), according to a press release. Tillman helped Camby, Ind., couple Amy Paul and Mandy Sheckles gain control of the quadruplets while the older children (ages 7 and 9) compete for attention. Tillman is a Virginia-based wife, mother and author who has more than 19 years experience in early childhood education, working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and elementary school students.

NBC and the NFL announced that Madonna will perform during halftime of the next Super Bowl, according to AolTV.com. In a statement, the "Like a Prayer" singer she's partnered with a creative team from Cirque du Soleil, choreographer Jamie King and artists from Moment Factory "to create a signature performance for the Super Bowl's Halftime Show, which will be broadcast worldwide." Super Bowl LXVI will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Sunday, Feb. 5.

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih was arrested Dec. 3 on drunk-driving charges in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park, according to NorthwestOhio.com. Fakih's attorney, Doraid Elder, said that Fakih is "very saddened and very apologetic for the situation that she is in right now." Fakih, 26, won the Miss USA Pageant in 2010, representing Michigan.

In talking with Entertainment Weekly, film director/producer Steven Spielberg said that he was the wrong director to acquit some of the more sexually honest encounters between Shug and Celie" in the 1985 movie The Color Purple, according to Advocate.com. Addressing criticism he received for changing the lesbian relationship in the novel of the same name, Spielberg added, "There were certain things in the [lesbian] relationship between Shug Avery and Celie that were very finely detailed in Alice [Walker]'s book that I didn't feel we could get a [PG-13] rating. And I was shy about it."

Personality/real-estate mogul Donald Trump has said that he's responsible for Lady Gaga's commercial success, according to Advocate.com. In his new book, Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again, Trump writes about the Gaga phenomenon, saying, "I really believe I had at least something to do with it. She became a big star and maybe she became a star because I put her on the Miss Universe pageant. It's very possible, who knows what would have happened without it, because she caused a sensation."

Rosie O'Donnell is engaged. According to People.com, O'Donnell, 49, will say "I do" to girlfriend Michelle Rounds. The talk-show host told her audience Dec. 5 during a commercial break. The couple originally met earlier this year at a Starbucks. In October, O'Donnell joked that her "gaydar was way off" because she thought Rounds was heterosexual and just 28 years old, when really she is a lesbian and 40.

Actress Sara Rue will star in the new sitcom Poseurs, about a woman who pretends to be half of a lesbian couple in order to live in an upscale apartment, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Rue (Popular; Less Than Perfect) will play Lucy, described as "a young woman whose life is upended when her fiancee moves out and her fresh-from-rehab collegiate best friend Alexandra moves in. In order to maintain her swanky New York co-op, which doesn't technically allow for roommates, Lucy and Alex enter into a mutually beneficial domestic partnership—complete with all of the challenges and few of the perks."