MTV Movie Awards Will Be Held This Sunday

PRNewsFoto/MTV Networks International(NEW YORK) -- The 2013 MTV Movie Awards will air live from Culver City, California, this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect actress Rebel Wilson will host the event.

The leading nominees are Quentin Tarantino's drama Django Unchained and Seth MacFarlane's comedy Ted. They each have seven nods apiece.

The contenders for the top prize, movie of the year, are: Django Unchained, Silver Linings Playbook, Ted, Marvel's The Avengers, and The Dark Knight Rises. Brad Pitt will present the category.

Fans can cast their vote for several categories on MovieAwards.MTV.com through Saturday.

MTV has already announced that Will Ferrell will receive its first-ever Comedic Genius Award; Jamie Foxx will be given the Generation Award; and Emma Watson will accept the Trailblazer Award.

During the broadcast, viewers will be treated to previews of Iron Man 3 and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Here are the nominees:

Movie Of The Year
Django Unchained
Silver Linings Playbook
Ted
Marvel's The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises

Best Female Performance
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Mila Kunis, Ted
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Emma Watson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Rebel Wilson, Pitch Perfect

Best Male Performance
Ben Affleck, Argo
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Jamie Foxx, Django Unchained
Channing Tatum, Magic Mike

Breakthrough Performance
Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Eddie Redmayne, Les Miserables
Suraj Sharma, Life of Pi
Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Rebel Wilson, Pitch Perfect

Best Scared-As-S**T Performance
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Alexandra Daddario, Texas Chainsaw 3D
Martin Freeman, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Jennifer Lawrence, House at the End of the Street
Suraj Sharma, Life of Pi

Best On-Screen Duo
Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane as Ted, Ted
Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo, Marvel's The Avengers
Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, The Campaign

Best Shirtless Performance
Christian Bale, The Dark Knight Rises
Daniel Craig, Skyfall
Taylor Lautner, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2
Seth MacFarlane as Ted, Ted
Channing Tatum, Magic Mike

Best Fight
Jamie Foxx vs. Candieland Henchmen, Django Unchained
Daniel Craig vs. Ola Rapace, Skyfall
Mark Wahlberg vs. Seth MacFarlane as Ted, Ted
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner vs. Tom Hiddleston, Marvel's The Avengers
Christian Bale vs. Tom Hardy, The Dark Knight Rises

Best Kiss
Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx, Django Unchained
Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman, Moonrise Kingdom
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg, Ted
Emma Watson and Logan Lerman, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Best WTF Moment
Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson, "Candieland Gets Smoked" in Django Unchained
Denzel Washington, "Final Descent" in Flight
Anna Camp, "Hack-Appella" in Pitch Perfect
Javier Bardem, "Oops...There Goes His Face" in Skyfall
Seth MacFarlane as Ted, "Ted Gets Saucy" in Ted

Best Villain
Javier Bardem, Skyfall
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Marion Cotillard, The Dark Knight Rises
Tom Hardy, The Dark Knight Rises
Tom Hiddleston, Marvel's The Avengers

Best Musical Moment
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash and Adam Rodriguez, Magic Mike
Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean and Hana Mae Lee, Pitch Perfect
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Sen. Joe Manchin Asks MTV to ‘Reconsider’ New W.Va. Reality Show

MTV(CHARLESTON, W.V.)  -- Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), wants MTV to cancel its forthcoming show “Buckwild” and called its portrayal of young people in his home state “just wrong.”

Set in the West Virginia capital of Charleston and nearby Sissonville, W.Va., “Buckwild” “is an authentic comedic series following an outrageous group of childhood friends from the rural foothills of West Virginia,” according to the show’s website.

In a letter, Manchin asked MTV president Stephen K. Friedman “to reconsider airing this show.”

“Instead of showcasing the beauty of our people and our state, you preyed on young people, coaxed them into displaying shameful behavior,” Manchin wrote in the letter dated Dec. 7, “and now you are profiting from it.”

This is not the first time MTV has weathered criticism about its portrayal of a state’s young people. “Jersey Shore,” which “Buckwild” is slated to replace in the network’s 10 p.m. Thursday time slot, has been criticized since its 2009 debut for its stars’ drunken and promiscuous behavior.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called the show “a negative for New Jersey” in 2010 and later revoked from MTV reality show’s $420,000 in state tax credits, saying the show “does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the state and its citizens.”

Manchin, who is also the former governor of the Mountain State, sang a similar tune in his letter to the MTV executive.

“This show plays to ugly, inaccurate stereotypes about the people of West Virginia,” the letter said.

Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the Charleston, W.Va., Convention and Visitors Bureau, called the show a setback to the economic efforts of her town and the state as a whole because it portrays West Virginia as a place unfit for doing business.

“We don’t have the same economic firepower as MTV,” Bailey told ABCNews.com. “This can do real economic harm as the whole world tunes in and sees what I believe are untrue stereotypes in a quasi-reality show. It’s going to be a real blow to us and we’re frozen as to what to do.”

Though it is already drawing fire from West Virginia’s junior senator, “Buckwild” has yet to even premiere. The criticism is based upon preview trailers and sneak peeks of the show, which portray its young cast engaged in such acts as mud wrestling, swimming in the bed of a dump truck and shooting a firearm at a melon.

ABCNews.com reached out to MTV Friday evening and a representative declined to comment.

However, “Buckwild” executive producer John Stevens defended the show to Entertainment Weekly, saying it actually might help change stereotypes.

“It’s not like looking at a train wreck,” Stevens told EW.com, “I think it’s going to get people talking and it might change people’s perspectives. It will be very refreshing to the MTV audience.”

“Buckwild” premiers Jan. 3, 2013 at 10 p.m. on MTV.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber Each Win Three Awards at MTV EMAs

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images via ABC(FRANKFURT, Germany) -- The spotlight was on Taylor Swift Sunday night at the MTV European Music Awards in Frankfurt, Germany.  She collected three trophies and performed her hit single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together."

Swift won the awards for best female, best live act and best look.  She entered the ceremony with five nominations.

Justin Bieber also received three trophies: best male, best pop and best worldwide stage act.  He didn't attend the event due to his ongoing U.S. tour, but Bieber -- whose breakup with Selena Gomez was reported over the weekend -- tweeted to his fans, "#grateful #smiling. thank you. alot of thoughts. but it is always us. thank you thank you thank you. love u."

Rihanna, who had six nominations, was shut out.

The EMAs, hosted by Heidi Klum, also featured performances by No Doubt and The Killers.

Here’s a complete list of winners:

Best Song
Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe"

Best New
One Direction

Best Female
Taylor Swift

Best Male
Justin Bieber

Best Pop
Justin Bieber

Best Live
Taylor Swift

Best Hip Hop
Nicki Minaj

Best Rock
Linkin Park

Best Electronic
David Guetta

Best Alternative
Lana Del Rey

Best Video
PSY, "Gangnam Style"

Best Look
Taylor Swift

Biggest Fans
One Direction

Best World Stage
Justin Bieber

Best PUSH
Carly Rae Jepsen

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

MTV to Air "Restore the Shore," a Fundraiser for Storm Victims

Mark Wilson/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- One of the hardest hit regions of the Northeast during superstorm Sandy was Seaside Heights, N.J., the location of MTV's Jersey Shore franchise.  And to do their part, MTV is set to air Restore the Shore to raise funds for the region.

The one hour special will feature the stars of Jersey Shore, according to Deadline.com.  Architecture for Humanity has also partnered with the music network in an effort to rebuild businesses that have been affected by the storm.

The funds raised through telephone and mobile options will go straight to rebuild Seaside Heights' boardwalk, which was washed away during the storm, along with donations being made to local businesses.

Restore the Shore is set to air live on Nov. 15 at 11 p.m. ET.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Rihanna Takes Video of the Year at 2012 MTV VMAs

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) -- Going into Thursday night's MTV Video Music Awards, expectations were high, as viewers wondered if the network could top last year's extravaganza, featuring Beyonce's pregnancy announcement, Lady Gaga in drag, and Adele blowing the roof off the joint.  In the end, it proved an impossible task; the 2012 VMAs didn't even come close -- but it wasn't for lack of trying. 

There were big stars, over-the-top performances and crazy outfits, but things seemed to fall a bit flat.  Even this year's red carpet pregnancy announcement -- rapper Wiz Khalifa announcing that his fiancee Amber Rose was expecting -- just didn't have quite the same impact as Beyonce's big reveal.

The big winners were One Direction, who scooped three trophies: one during the pre-show for Most Shareworthy Video, and then two more during the show: Best Pop Video and Best New Artist.  It was an unsurprising turn of events, since most of the awards were fan-voted.

The British boy band also made their VMA debut performing their hit "One Thing" -- during that performance, Katy Perry was seen putting her head on her BFF Rihanna's shoulder and singing along dreamily into her ear.

Speaking of Rihanna, she grabbed the coveted Video of the Year trophy for "We Found Love," fighting off stiff competition from the likes of Perry and Gotye. 

Shouting out to her fans, who she calls the Rihanna Navy, the singer said, "It's Navy or die!  It's me and y'all 'til we go!"

Rihanna also opened the show with a remix of her song "Cockiness (Love It)" featuring rapper A$AP Rocky.  She started the performance sitting in a giant throne in the shape of a snake's head, which had green lasers shooting out of its eyes.  Then Rihanna left her throne and waded into the audience, segueing into "We Found Love" as the crowd completely surrounded her and big white balloons rained down from the ceiling.

Calvin Harris, who wrote and produced the song and was serving as house deejay for the evening, provided musical accompaniment for Rihanna from a giant silver futuristic deejay booth.  He'd picked up his own Moonman for Best Electronic Dance Video during the pre-show ceremony for "Feels So Close."

Pink also got down into the crowd at one point during her performance of "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)."  She began by singing a bit of her early hit "Get the Party Started" and then "flew" over the crowd, with the help of a harness, to another stage, where she kicked into "Blow Me," accompanied by giant dancing lips that shot confetti into the crowd.  

Later, Lil Wayne crowd-surfed during his performance of "No Worries," and even Taylor Swift fell into the arms of the fans during the show's finale.

Green Day, the only actual band that played during the ceremony, delivered their new song "Let Yourself Go" from the floor of the Staples Center, also surrounded by fans, who then rushed in to mob them at the invitation of front man Billie Joe Armstrong.

Alicia Keys debuted her new song "Girl on Fire" and was joined by two special guests: Nicki Minaj, who ended her verse by rapping, "Cause I win the gold like Gabby," and then gold-medal-winning Olympian Gabby Douglas herself, who did a few handsprings and flips around the stage during the performance.

Taylor Swift closed the show with the TV debut of her smash "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," which featured her strutting defiantly with a big crowd of dancers, some of which were wearing animal costumes just like in the song's video.

The only truly sedate performance was Frank Ocean's emotional reading of his song "Thinkin Bout You."  He performed it on a burning stage, accompanied by a lone guitarist.  MTV said it was one of the most tweeted-about moments in the show.

Other points of interest:

• Some who predicted fireworks because Rihanna, Drake and Chris Brown were all in the same room were disappointed.  Each of the three took home their very own Moonman -- Drake snagged Best Hip Hop Video while Chris won Best Male Video.
• The one gross-out moment of the show came when Bridesmaids and Bachelorettes actress Rebel Wilson came out onstage wearing a t-shirt that made her look like she was wearing a bikini with a, shall we say, extremely overgrown pubic area.  She made jokes about sleeping with all five members of The Wanted, who were onstage with her, and then added that she'd changed her mind and was going to go home and "finish herself off" instead.
• Host Kevin Hart was largely ineffectual.  His monologue, which was about people making mistakes, encompassed the Chris Brown/Drake feud, Kristen Stewart's affair and Frank Ocean's decision to come out, wasn't very funny at all, and his manic persona throughout the show didn't add anything.
• The one big surprise of the night came when Nicki Minaj won Best Female Video over Katy Perry, Beyonce, Rihanna and Selena Gomez.
• An exclusive trailer for Breaking Dawn Part 2 was presented by the cast of Twilight and though Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner were there to introduce it, Kristen Stewart was nowhere to be seen.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Obama Uses MTV to Draw Young Viewers to Speech

Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) -- President Barack Obama is turning to MTV to get young people to tune in for his speech Thursday night at the Democratic Party's national convention.

Obama's campaign is running a television ad Thursday night at the end of the cable channel's annual movie awards show. It will air just minutes before the president is to speak.

The ad is titled "Gotta Tune In" and encourages viewers to switch channels and watch the president accept his party's nomination.

Obama is scheduled to speak during the 10 o'clock hour in the Eastern time zone.

The award show runs for two hours, so it will overlap with much of the convention’s final night in Charlotte, N.C. This year, though, MTV executives decided to move the show up an hour from its normal 9 p.m.-to-11 p.m. time slot so it would end before Obama’s 10 p.m. nomination acceptance speech.

“We knew that the DNC was taking place [this] week, so we planned on airing the show during an earlier time-frame,” an MTV spokesperson told ABC News. “The VMAs mark one of the biggest nights of the year for MTV, and it’s critical that we use the show as a platform to encourage youth voter participation.”

MTV News and the “Power of 12″ campaign have teamed up to cover both the Republican and Democratic conventions, and the network live-streamed Gov. Mitt Romney’s Republican acceptance speech last week on MTV.com, MTVNews.com and Powerof12.org. It will, likewise, live stream Obama’s acceptance speech online Thursday night starting at 9:45.

Throughout the show, MTV will encourage young people to register and vote, but it will not plug Obama’s live stream speech, according to network officials.

Obama's advantage with young people propelled him to victory in 2008. His campaign is seeking to maintain high levels of support among younger voters, even as they face an uncertain economy and shaky market.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

MTV Ends the Party at "Jersey Shore"

MTV Networks(NEW YORK) -- It's last call for the gang on Jersey Shore.  MTV announced on Thursday that the upcoming sixth season of Jersey Shore, set to debut on Thursday, Oct. 4, will be the final season.

The news comes after Snooki, Jersey Shore's breakout star, welcomed her first son, and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino reportedly filmed the sixth season with a "sober coach."

MTV will mark the end of the series that gave us GTL, Ron Ron Juice and smooshing with a one-hour retrospective, Gym, Tan, Look Back, on Sept. 6.  The special will precede the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.

Luckily for fans, the spin-off series Snooki & JWoww has just been renewed for a second season.  There's still no word if The Pauly D Project, another Shore spin-off, will get more episodes.

The cast tweeted their reaction to MTV's decision:

Snooki tweeted, “Yes, sadly it's true. This upcoming season of Jersey Shore will be our last. But it was fricken INSANE. I will always love my roomies!”

Pauly wrote, “I Must Say, Sad To See It Go, But Am So Blessed To Have Been Apart Of This !!!!#TeamDJPaulyD Lives On.”

Sammi posted: “It's been one hell of a ride but this is just the beginning. Thank you all.”

Deena tweeted, “It really just hit me now this summer was the last time I'll be filming with my roomies we all share something incredible thnx to you guys.”

Vinny said, “Aright, so I guess I'll run for president now #Vinny2012.”

Ron tweeted, “I can always go work for Danny at the Shore Store! LOL.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

"Jersey Shore" to End After Season Six?

MTV Networks(LOS ANGELES) -- It's goodbye to Snooki, JWoww, Pauly D, The Situation, Vinny, Sammi, Ronnie and Deena.  In Touch Weekly reports that after the soon-to-air season six, the cast will not return to MTV's Jersey Shore.

The magazine reveals the cast didn't find out their partying ways in Seaside Heights, N.J., were coming to an end until they began filming at their shore house on May 31.

“An executive producer announced that this season will be the last,” a source tells In Touch Weekly. The source says the exec stressed to the cast that “fans will remember them for this season, not the first, so they should bring their A game.”

The cast reportedly wasn't too upset, especially Pauly D, who is now starring in his own spinoff with his hometown buddies, The Pauly D Project.

Also, Snooki & JWOWW, another franchise spinoff, is set to premiere Thursday, June 21.

The premiere date for season six of Jersey Shore has yet to be announced.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Snooki Says Being Pregnant Made Her 'More Mature'

Craig Barritt/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Believe it or not, Snooki says she's matured. The Jersey Shore star revealed Thursday that being pregnant has “just made me more mature,” People magazine reports.

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi says she has drastically changed her behavior now that she has a baby on the way.  Snooki says, “It’s different because I’m not drinking. I’m usually partying and going to clubs, but pregnancy made me grow up a lot."  Boyfriend Jionni LaValle, the baby’s father, agrees, saying, Snooki “really came into her own being pregnant.”

In addition to putting the brakes on drinking, being pregnant has also prompted Snooki to give up something she also did most every day: tanning.  Snooki says, “I haven’t tanned since August.”

Snooki made her comments at a press event where MTV announced its Jersey Shore spin-off, Snooki & JWoww, will debut Thursday, June 21st at 10 p.m. Eastern time.

A preview of the upcoming show shows Snooki and pal Jenny "JWoww" Farley picking out a place to live in Jersey City, getting their dogs' hair dyed, and, most significantly, Snooki revealing to her BFF that she's pregnant and engaged. "How did this happen?" asked an incredulous JWoww. "Sex," Snooki responds dryly, then follows it with, "The fact that I can reproduce is very scary."

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

MTV's Original "Teen Mom" Series Ending This Year

PRNewsFoto/MTV Networks International(NEW YORK) -- The original cast of Teen Mom will be raising their children away from MTV's cameras after this year. The cable network has announced that the upcoming fourth season of Teen Mom will be the last for Amber Portwood, Maci Bookout, Farrah Abraham and Catelynn Lowell.

MTV told Us Weekly in a statement, "They will continue to be a part of our MTV family, and we're thankful to these brave young women for sharing their stories and helping to make a positive impact on teen pregnancy prevention."

Us Weekly reports the fourth season is expected to air this summer.

Portwood has continuously made headlines in recent months for her legal problems. Last month, she pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance and was ordered to complete a local drug rehab program. It was later reported that she failed a drug test.

MTV's announcement does not spell the end of the Teen Mom franchise. Though the status of Teen Mom 2 is unclear, four girls who will appear on the upcoming season of 16 and Pregnant will eventually star in Teen Mom 3.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio