December 21, 2012

With a drink in one hand and a handful of cash on the other, rapper Future unveils the music video of his newest street single "Hard". The single, produced by MetroBoomin, is part of his upcoming mixtape "F.G.B.: The Movie" to be released on January 13, 2013, though it originally appeared on DJ X-Rated's "Welcome 2 Mollyworld" mixtape.

The track features a smashing rhyme and carries the storyline for the track and the music video. "I got bad b****es, b**** so bad / She harder than a dime / Finna drop the deuce in forward / Try to scratch a hard nine /If you trying to find these shoes / They gonn be hard for you to find / Rocking presidential rollies, it ain't hard to tell time / I had my ups, I had my downs / In my lifetime, committing crimes / I'm chasing paper everyday / And it ain't hard to see I grind / I'm turning up, I'm turning up / It's gonna be hard to turn me down /I'm a motherf***er star and it ain't hard for me to shine," so he spits.

The "The X-Factor (US)" grand season finale Thursday on CBS Television City in Los Angeles was filled with Christmas numbers and finalist retrospectives. It went on for an hour or so before bringing out the first of its special guest performers. Rapper Pitbull livened up the show with his energetic performance of his new track "Don't Stop the Party". He also went on the show to promote his latest album, "Global Warming".

The other of the show's highlights came from British-Irish boy band One Direction. Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne performed their new song "Kiss You" to the delight of the audience. One Direction rose to international stardom after placing third on the UK counterpart of "The X-Factor" in 2010.

Controversial pop icon Madonna was in Santiago City's Estadio Nacional on Wednesday, December 19, doing a soundcheck for the Chile spot of her top-grossing "MDNA" concert tour. At the time, the 54-year-old singer told off a small crowd of fans who were smoking cigarettes, threatening to cancel her concert if they did not stop smoking while in her presence.

Madonna cussed at the cigarette-smoking fans in the middle of her "Human Nature" performance. "There are people smoking right now," the singer noticed. "No smoking. If you're going to smoke cigarettes, I'm not doing a show. You don't care about me, I don't care about you. All right? Are we going to play that game? I'm not kidding. I can't sing if you smoke."

Shortly after Michael Bay denied Brenton Thwaites and Nicola Peltz were cast as the new leads for "Transformers 4", it is now rumored that an Jack Reynor has been offered the coveted lead role by Bay. Sharing the words was IFTN, which stated that Bay was impressed by the young actor's performance in Irish film "What Richard Did".

Rumor has it, the "Armageddon" helmer had also tested four other young stars for the coveted part. They were Thwaites, Luke Grimes ("Brothers & Sisters"), Landon Liboiron ("Terra Nova"), and Hunter Parrish ("Weeds"). It said that Bay wants Paramount Pictures to agree with his casting decision and he will announce the casting news in the coming days.

TV/film channel Showtime will kick off the 2013 season with a new TV project, tapping two industry big shots for "The Vatican". "Alien" director Ridley Scott is set to direct the pilot of the new show, while the script will be done by screenwriter and TV/film producer Paul Attanasio, best-known for being the executive producer of the television medical drama "House M.D.". Both Scott and Attanasio will executive produce with "The Good Wife" 's David Zucker.

Described as "a provocative contemporary genre thriller about spirituality, power and politics -- set against the modern-day political machinations within the Catholic Church," the new hour-long series will explore the mysteries behind one of the world's most guarded institutions. Production is set to begin next year, with Sony Pictures Television at the helm.

Green Day have released a puzzling clip for their new single "X-Kid" taken from the third trilogy set "Tre!". The video, which was basically a full demonstration of how a cassette tape works, was entirely made up of a single close-up shot of the said music medium of the past. There was no other movement in the clip, other than at the end when the cassette tape rewinds.

"X-Kid" is one of the stronger tracks in the trilogy collection "Uno!", "Dos!" and "Tre!". It starts off with the band's signature punk guitar riffs and slow-paced strumming. It then quickly picks up towards the catchy hook as lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong blurts out the nostalgic lyrics, "And you were such a young soul/And you got lost and out of control/You went over the edge of joking/And I have a broken heart/Hey, little kid/Did you wake up late one day and/You're not so young, but you're still dumb/You're an X-Kid and you never even got started again."

Family and friends got together to pay their final respect to Indian sitar maestro Ravi Shankar. His daughter from his previous marriage, Grammy-winning jazz singer Norah Jones, was among the mourners along with the widow of George Harrison, Olivia.

Norah sat in the front row with her father's wife Sukanya Rajan and her half sister Anoushka Shankar. The "Come Away With Me" hitmaker did not speak at the service, but she did join the other family members when they took the stage to address the crowd at the end of the service.

A hilarious first trailer for "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" has been debuted. It focuses on Steve Carell who was bullied as a kid, but becomes a famous magician when he grew up. As his career starts to fall apart, he meets a quirky rival played by Jim Carrey. Tons of spectacular-yet-outrageous magic tricks are shown by both Carrell and Carrey.

In the movie, superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone (Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) have ruled the Las Vegas strip for years, raking in millions with illusions as big as Burt's growing ego. However, lately the duo's greatest deception is their public friendship, while secretly they've grown to loathe each other.

The Killers are the third act that will play onstage at the annual Isle if Wight Festival in England on June 15. They join fellow headliners, American hard-rock band Bon Jovi and English alternative rock band The Stone Roses, as previously announced by the show's promoter.

"We are proud to bring one of the world's greatest rock bands of the last decade to our small island off the South Coast of England," said festival promoter John Giddings, "it will be a weekend to remember!" The musical event, which takes place at Seaclose Park from June 13 to 16, will feature The Maccabees, Jake Bugg, Bloc Party, Paloma Faith, Ellie Goulding and Blondie.

The CW has unleashed a preview for the tenth episode of "Arrow" first season. The promo teases that the titular hero might be a wanted man. "This man in the hood; where has he been in the past six weeks?" so a woman asks of the titular hero's whereabouts. It also gives a look at another target on Oliver Queen's list.

Plot details of the forthcoming outing are still kept secret, but it has been rumored that Oliver will meet Garfield, a fireman who was badly burned three years ago while on duty after his Fire Chief left him behind. The ordeal ultimately mad him a bitter, vengeful man, causing his wife and kids to leave him.

After being invited to Harry Styles' hometown in U.K. to get to know his family, Taylor Swift apparently returns the gesture by taking her boyfriend to spend time with her family when they're back to the States. She and her mother Andrea were recently pictured hanging out with the One Direction member in Los Angeles.

The 18-year-old British heartthrob reportedly stayed over at her Hollywood home on Tuesday night, December 18. He was spotted going out with his girlfriend and her mother the next day and accompanying the ladies to do some shopping at Southern Californian grocery store Ralphs before returning to her house later in the day.

Lauren Zizes will come back to "Glee". TVLine has revealed that Ashley Fink, who plays Puck's ex-girlfriend on the popular TV series, is returning to the show for a one-episode guesting after being absent for most of Season 3 and the first 10 episodes of Season 4. "Glee" is now on the second half of its fourth season.

Fink's character, Lauren Zizes, returns to the halls of William McKinley High School for its Sadie Hawkins Dance. The former member of New Directions will join the rest of the group in the series' first episode for 2013 to be aired on January 24 (9/8c) on Fox.

Michael Ealy, 39, has officially been taken off the market without people knowing. "The Good Wife" actor got married to his longtime girlfriend, 31-year-old Khatira Rafiqzada, in a low-key ceremony in Los Angeles in October, but managed to keep it a secret for two months before deciding to announce it just a few days before holiday.

"Michael has always been a private guy, and he wanted to enjoy his time as a newlywed with his wife privately," a representative explained to PEOPLE his reason to keep it private. "Now that some time has passed and the holidays are here, he wanted to share the news with his fans that he is married and very happy."

It's official, the 2013 MTV Movie Awards has found its host. On Thursday, December 20, the network announced that it was comedienne Rebel Wilson who would take the center of the stage for next year's edition of the star-studded awards event.

The "Pitch Perfect" actress, who will next seen starring opposite Chris Colfer in "Struck by Lightning", will host the big show to be held at the Sony Pictures Studio Lot in Culver City, California on April 14. The event will be broadcast live on MTV at 9 P.M. ET/PT.

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Prince will be honored in an all-star concert from the Carnegie Hall in Midtown Manhattan in New York City on March 7, 2013. The special tribute for the renowned musician is the 7th in a series of tribute concerts that are set to raise funds for music education programs for underprivileged youth.

Prince is the latest in the list of legendary rockers honored in the annual Carnegie Hall concert produced by philanthropist and impresario Michael Dorf. Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Neil Young are among the artists who have received the iconic Carnegie Hall tribute in the past. Other popular acts who have been honored include singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Bruce Springsteen, English singer/pianist Elton John and rock band R.E.M.. The legendary The Rolling Stones and English rock band The Who have likewise been feted at past sold-out Carnegie Hall shows.

"The Avengers 2" is still more than two years away from hitting theaters Stateside, but speculations on who will return to the cast ensemble have already swirled wildly. Weighing in on the subject, Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki in "The Avengers", hinted that he might not reprise his role as the supervillain in the second Earth's Mightiest Heroes movie.

The British thesp told MSN, "I don't know, and that really is the honest answer." He went on, "I know I've been known for obfuscation in other quarters, but I have no idea, I haven't spoken to Joss [Whedon]."

Danielle Fishel officially becomes a college graduate at the age of 31. The Topanga Lawrence of 1990's sitcom "Boy Meets World" earns a degree in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton. She proudly shares her joy to her fans on Tumblr and manages to announce her engagement in the process.

"I took my last two undergraduate finals today and I am so happy, relieved, and proud," the actress wrote. She returned to school when she was 27 years old despite her initial worries "of being the old lady in class, of being whispered about, and especially of not remembering how to do simple math equations."

It has been a wild six seasons of "Jersey Shore" and soon its sixth season will be the last for the cast members of the hit reality TV series. This week, MTV will be looking back on the show's wildest moments, packed in a weeklong marathon leading up to the series finale airing on December 20, 10P.M. ET/PT. A live reunion special immediately follows at 11P.M. ET/PT.

In an interview with MTV News, the stars of "Jersey Shore" revealed both their favorite and least-favorite moments over the last six seasons of the show. Sammi Giancola a.k.a "Sweetheart" and Vinny Guadagnino listed their trip to Italy as their favorite moment in the show, while Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and The Situation said their favorite moment was the first day they moved into the "Jersey Shore" house.

A possible first look at Tom Hardy in "Mad Max: Fury Road" has made its way out online. Ain't It Cool has posted a low-resolution image of Hardy allegedly in his portrayal of Mad Max Rockatansky. He is seen sporting warrior-like attire complete with a gun vest, while walking alone in what seems to be a dessert.

Plot details of "Mad Max" are still scarce, but director George Miller said that in the new film the titular warrior "is caught up with a group of people fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by the Imperator Furiosa." He added, "This movie is an account of the Road War which follows. It is based on the Word Burgers of the History Men and eyewitness accounts of those who survived."

How long will Cee-Lo Green take a break from "The Voice"? During a visit to "Today" show on Thursday, December 20, the Gnarls Barkley member said he would come back to sit on the spinning chair of the singing competition in its fifth season that is set to air in fall 2013.

"Let's be straight about this ladies and gentlemen: I'm not leaving 'The Voice.' I'll be back for Season 5. I'm going on hiatus. I'm doing a Las Vegas residency next year," the Goodie Mob star explained during his appearance the morning show.

"The X Factor (US)" season 2 has crowned its winner on Thursday night, December 20. The finale was opened when the top 3, Fifth Harmony, Tate Stevens and Carly Rose Sonenclar, sang "All You Need Is Love" as they walked on the red carpet and greeted former contestants before montage for L.A. Reid was shown.

The first finalist to perform was Tate who crooned holiday classic "Bells Will Be Ringing". L.A. said, "I think that you've done an amazing job," and praised Tate's consistency while singing the song. The singer was also supported by his wife and daughter, who cried and said, "Just remember. We're always there for you."

Some pictures from the uber-secret wedding of Blake Lively of Ryan Reynolds have finally been shared to give an idea of how their nuptials looked like and maybe an inspiration to fans for their own big days. The pictures came three months after the celebrity couple exchanged wedding vows at Boone Hall in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina on September 9.

"Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are no strangers to a sea of cameras aimed at them," the wedding planner Martha Stewart explained. "But when they decided to marry, they wanted to celebrate in privacy - and in style. And while they remain protective of images of them on their most heartfelt occasion, they graciously let us share pictures of the elements we created together."

A couple of days ago, Ke$ha responded to news that radio stations were dropping the singer's single "Die Young" out of their playlists, in light of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut last December 14. "I understand," Ke$ha posted on Twitter. "I had my very own issue with 'Die Young' for this reason. I did not want to sing those lyrics and I was forced to".

Now, the "Tik Tok" singer is singing a different tune once again, this time clarifying the statement in her own official website. Ke$ha claims she misspoke about her hit single due to emotion and sadness over the Newton school shooting, and has deleted the tweet she earlier posted, claiming she had been forced to sing the chorus of "Die Young". The pop star says that she may have just reacted to the pull out of her song and that she still stands behind her current hit, taken from her latest album "Warrior".

Hot on heels of the news that Ben Affleck could be running for senate to replace John Kerry, it is now reported that the "Argo" helmer is letting go one of his anticipated movie projects. The husband of Jennifer Garner has decided to exit "Focus", in which he's originally set to star opposite Kristen Stewart.

Affleck's representative tells Entertainment Weekly that the sudden decision was made due to the the actor's busy schedule. The "To the Wonder" star must set up his next directing gigs which include "Tell No One" and "Live by Night". He's also busy promoting "Argo" for the upcoming awards season.

Fat Joe entered a guilty plea in a New Jersey federal court Thursday, December 20 to misdemeanor charges stemming from his failure to pay taxes on nearly $3 million of income in the years of 2007 and 2008. Due to the offense, the 42-year-old rapper could face a maximum of two years in prison.

Looking noticeably slimmer in court, Joe whose real name is Joseph Cartagena was initially accused of evading income taxes between the years of 2007 and 2010. The Hip-Hop star allegedly owed the federal government more than $700,000 in tax debts during those four years.

Seth Rogen's star-studded comedy, "This Is the End", has just dropped its first red band trailer. It opens with Rogen and James Franco taping a video message in a bunker while anticipating the end of the world on December 21, 2012 as predicted by the Mayans. They then do a lot stupid things while waiting for the doomsday.

The comedy film is inspired by a short called "Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse", which stars Seth and Jay Baruchel who are held up in an apartment while dealing with the end of the world. The upcoming film, meanwhile, will expand its story and involve not only Seth and Jay but also some other celebrities as they get stuck in Franco's Los Angeles apartment during the apocalypse.

Ben Affleck could be considered for senate run. There are whispers that the actor is on the list of candidates to become U.S. senate following rumors that Sen. John Kerry is on the top wish list to be the next Secretary of State replacing Hillary Clinton in a second-term Barack Obama administration.

"Ben has been very active in Democratic Party politics for a long time and has never hid his love of politics," the "Argo" star's friend tells The Huffington Post about the possible senate candidacy. "He is a very impressive person, with a great deal of knowledge and passion."

Justin Bieber is currently not popular among politicians in the Philippines and animal lovers. Just one day after the pop star was slammed for mocking Philippines' boxer Manny Pacquiao, he is accused of committing an act of "animal cruelty" when he gave up his pet hamster PAC to a fan.

In the case of Pacquiao, Bieber posted a photoshopped picture of the athlete falling with Michael Jackson in parallel lean. "Pacquiao doing the lean with MJ ...Classic moment," he wrote in companion of the Instagram photo. Another image was Lion King's Simba nudging Manny in the manner he did his dead father. Bieber was joking about Pacquiao's KO by Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday, December 8.

Instagram could lose its biggest client, Kim Kardashian, if they impose on their new policy. The reality star, who has the highest number of followers on the photo-sharing site, is not happy with the new terms of service which enables the company to sell the users' photos to advertisers without compensation.

"I really loved Instagram :-( I need to review this new policy. I don't think its fair," she tweeted on Tuesday, December 18. Perhaps as an act of protest, Kardashian has not posted new photos on Instagram for two days straight. TMZ's source said that Kardashian is waiting for Instagram to revise their policy before she makes a decision.

Tom Cruise reportedly is embroiled in a $5 million lawsuit with a magazine editor. The "Jack Reacher" star is accused of wiretapping telephone conversations and has been brought in for questioning on Tuesday, December 18.

According to Radar Online, Cruise, his lawyer Bert Fields and a private investigator named Anthony Pellicano conspired to unlawfully tap Michael Davis Sapir's phone. Pellicano, who is now imprisoned, had already been convicted on several charges for wiretapping numerous people.

"Life Unexpected" star Shiri Appleby is carrying a bun in the oven. The 34-year-old actress' representative confirmed to Zap2It that she is pregnant with her and fiance Jon Shook's first child.

Appleby and Animal restaurant owner Shook got engaged during a vacation to Ventotene, Italy earlier this year. "One second you're having lunch, the next you have a ring on your finger!" Appleby told Us magazine of the proposal.