MTV RADIO’S MORNING FACTS FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5th, 2009

GAGA PROMOTES SAFE SEX

Lady Gaga is always one to make a splash, even when she’s doing something as simple as accepting an award.  According to ContactMusic.com, the pop star was honored with a Stylemaker Award at the 13th annual Accessories Council Exchange Awards on Monday.  During her acceptance speech, after she took her award from famed designer Marc Jacobs, Gaga said, “I think we must all remember that the ultimate accessory is the condom.”

MAYER TO TOUR WITH FRANTI

It was just announced that John Mayer and Michael Franti will be heading out on tour together in 2010.  The trek is set to kick off February 8th in Charleston, South Carolina and will wrap up on April 10th in Chicago.  Head to MichaelFranti.com to see if the two singer-songwriters will be coming to a town near you.

JANET JACKSON PREPS ABC SPECIAL

According to Variety, Janet Jackson is scheduled to appear in a one-hour primetime ABC special later this month. This will be the entertainer’s first major interview since her late brother’s untimely passing. Be sure to tune in when the special airs on Wednesday, November 18th at 10 PM Eastern.

MARY J BLIGE GETS PUSHED BACK

It looks like Mary J Blige’s upcoming Stronger album won’t be arriving this month. According to Rap-Up.com, the Queen of Hip Hop Soul will now hit shelves just in time for the holidays – what a great stocking stuffer! Fans will be able to purchase Mary’s ninth studio effort on December 22nd.

CHRIS BROWN GETS PUSHED UP

Chris Brown broke the news via his Twitter account that his upcoming Graffiti album has been pushed up. Breezy wrote: “Good news, my album day had changed…December 8th.” He added, “If you love me get it twice and if you hate me still get it.” There you have it.

MICHAEL JACKSON TOPS BILLBOARD ALBUM CHART

Michael Jackson’s This Is It will debut atop the Billboard album chart, selling over 373-thousand copies according to Nielsen SoundScan.  The figure marks the fifth-best sales week for an album in the U-S this year.  The companion album to the musical documentary film of the same name is Jackson’s sixth number one record and boasts MJ’s best sales frame for an album since 1995’s HIStory started atop the Billboard chart with 391-thousand copies.  Creed’s Full Circle album enters at number two selling over 110-thousand copies.  It’s the band’s first studio release since way back in 2001, when Weathered bowed at number one shifting a whopping 887-thousand copies. Taylor Swift’s Fearless leaps four spots to number three, after the set was reissued in a “platinum” deluxe edition last week, with numerous additional bonus tracks and a DVD. Rod Stewart’s latest covers album, Soulbook, enters at number four in its first week, while Trans-Siberian Orchestra bows at number five with Night Castle. Sting’s holiday album, If On A Winter’s Night, debuts at number six.  Michael Buble’s Crazy Love falls four spots to number seven while last week’s number one, The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack, slips to number eight.  Tim McGraw’s Southern Voice falls seven slots to number nine.  Finally, Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 slides six places to round out the top ten.

RIHANNA HUMILIATED BY CHRIS BROWN ASSAULT

According to the Associated Press, Rihanna says dealing with the media attention after being assaulted in February by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was humiliating. The 21-year-old pop star told Glamour magazine in an interview that the police photo of her bruised face that was leaked to reporters added insult to injury. After the assault, she awoke to find helicopters circling her house and reporters swarming her street. She said, “I felt like I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears.”  Rihanna stated she didn’t realize how much her decisions affected people she didn’t know, like her many fans. She feels stronger, wiser and more aware now.  Rihanna asserted, “Domestic violence is a big secret.  The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that.” Brown, 20, pleaded guilty to felony assault in June. He was sentenced to five years’ probation, six months of community labor and a year of domestic violence counseling for the attack, in which he was accused of hitting, choking and biting Rihanna in a rented sports car.

KATY PERRY TALKS EMAS

Katy Perry is hosting MTV’s European Music Awards for the second straight year.  The show will feature performances from U2, Foo Fighters and Leona Lewis with a remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the November 9th fall of the Berlin Wall.  The 25-year-old Perry told The Associated Press, “As much as it has to be funny, you also want to help educate my generation or the generation after me that might not know the importance of the unity of the Berlin Wall when coming down – how it really affected people’s lives.”  Irish rockers U2 will play a special 20-minute set in front of the Brandenburg Gate – which lies on the line that formerly divided East and West Berlin – that will be beamed to the O2 World Arena where the awards show is being held. 

http://ema.mtv.co.uk/

DRAKE SUPPORTS RIHANNA’S COMEBACK

After hearing Rihanna’s much hyped Rated R effort in its entirety, Drake feels it’s a “great album” with “great records.” Drizzy told Rap-Up.com that he contributed to Ri Ri’s project and together they made a “special record.”  However, even though their song didn’t make the Rated R tracklisting, he knows will be used at a later date. With that said, be sure to purchase your copy when it drops on November 23rd.

KANYE WEST BEGINS RECORDING FIFTH ALBUM

We haven’t seen or heard much from Kanye West since his VMA “moment,” however he is working on new material for his fifth studio effort. During a recent interview with XXL, Soulja Boy spilled that he’s producing records on the project that will become “guaranteed smash chart toppers.” Fans should anticipate a collabo track with himself, Kanye and Drake in the near future.

TAYLOR SWIFT/KANYE WEST PART OF SNL

Taylor Swift is spending this week gearing up for the big hosting and performing duties on Saturday Night Live. She says that she has gone into this with an open mind and doesn’t want to look anything like herself. As for the Kanye West thing, rumors are flying that he will be making an appearance during the show but nothing has been confirmed yet. However, according to MTV News, Taylor says in an SNL promo that she’ll be the host, only to hear cast member Bill Hader tell her, “Whoops, Kanye West just called. He thinks Beyoncé should host instead.” He quickly adds, “Funny, huh?” Taylor then rolls her eyes and whispers to herself, “Wow.” Taylor is the first host/performer since Justin Timberlake, who took home an Emmy for his work on the show.

RIVERS CUOMO GIVES ADAM LAMBERT ONE OF HIS FAVORITE SONGS

Weezer singer Rivers Cuomo says “Pick U Up” is one of his favorite songs that he’s ever written, but you won’t hear Weezer performing it. That’s because Cuomo gave the song to Adam Lambert for the American Idol finalist’s upcoming album, For Your Entertainment. Cuomo says he went into the studio with Lambert with the song and Adam ended up changing the track quite a bit. Rivers told MTV News, “He came up with a few ideas for it for himself, changed the melody around, suggested some lyric changes and before you knew it, I was writing a song with Adam Lambert.” Cuomo was impressed with Lambert saying, “He has the most amazing voice.”

50 CENT TALKS KELLY ROWLAND’S INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS

Billboard.com reports there were a couple of good reasons why 50 Cent chose Kelly Rowland to play his love interest in his new “Baby By Me” video. Besides her looks, 50 knows Kelly has “a really strong international presence.” In addition to Rowland’s European success, the mogul comments on why she never received the same recognition in the U-S. Fif feels she didn’t get the star treatment she deserved because her label couldn’t match the marketing dollars spent on Beyonce. Ouch! Nevertheless, head over to MTV.com to check out 50’s “Baby By Me” clip.

SURVIVING MEMBERS OF SUBLIME WONT GET USE OF BAND NAME

The former members of Sublime will not be able to use the band’s name because a Los Angeles judge has placed a preliminary injunction on the use of the moniker. The family members of former singer Brad Nowell, who died of a drug overdose in 1996, did not want the surviving members to continue using the band’s name saying Nowell was the sole owner of the name Sublime. Sublime formed back in 1986.

LINKIN PARK GUYS DESIGN NEW KICKS

Linkin Park members Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn have teamed up to collaborate for the MCDC X SURU Limited Edition Remix DC shoe. The pair helped design the sneakers, which will be available through Joe’s SURU store for one month starting on November 20th. In celebration of the kick’s release, Mike and Joe will be signing pairs at the SURU store in Los Angeles on November 20th. Details and a pic of the shoes can be found now at LinkinPark.com.

SEE KOL’S “BE SOMEBODY” FROM LIVE FROM O2 LONDON ON ESPN

“Be Somebody” was one of the songs that Kings of Leon performed at the O2 Arena in London this summer. That show is now the subject of the band’s upcoming DVD, Kings of Leon Live at O2 London, which comes out on November 10th. ESPN.com has “Be Somebody” live from the O2 on their site now as well as a feature story about the Tennessee band.

AMY WINEHOUSE’S DAD GETS A TV SHOW

Amy Winehouse’s dad Mitch is all set to have his own show in his native U-K.  According to PerezHilton.com, the embattled singer’s pop will be driving around different celebrities in his cab and interviewing them while they’re in the back seat.  The show is called Mitch Winehouse’s Showbiz Rant and the first guest is none other than David Hasselhoff!  See a clip of it now at PerezHilton.com.

LILY ALLEN ON AUSTRALIA TV

Lily Allen…the actress?  PerezHilton.com has gotten their hands on a clip of the singer-songwriter playing herself on the Australian soap opera Neighbors.  See it now at PerezHilton.com.

JOSS STONE VS LILY ALLEN

Lily Allen has made it very clear that she’s against the illegal downloading of her music, and Joss Stone thinks that she knows why.  Stone told British paper The Mirror that she thinks Allen opposes it because she “needs to sell records because she’s not a singer.”  Stone went on to say that real artists don’t need money from album sales because they make it when people come see them perform at shows.  Joss went on to call the “Smile” crooner “more of a personality than she is a singer.”

LIFETIME USES ROB THOMAS’ MUSIC

Rob Thomas’ song “Someday” is being featured in promos on the TV channel Lifetime for their new film Personal Effects.  See all the spots now at RobThomasMusic.com.

NEW JASON MRAZ DVD

In less than a week, Jason Mraz is going to be releasing a new CD/DVD combo.  It’s called Beautiful Mess – Live on Earth and it was filmed at a stop on his Café Gratitude tour, which was in support of his most recent album, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.  The CD/DVD hits stores on Tuesday.  For more info, head to JasonMraz.com.

GET A KATY PERRY AUTOGRAPH

Katy Perry’s CD/DVD set of from her MTV: Unplugged will be available on November 17th, and features all the hits off her debut album One of the Boys, plus two new songs, including a cover of the Fountains of Wayne’s tune “Hackensack.”  And if you pre-order now, not only will you get the great combo, but you’ll also get a limited-edition autographed CD booklet as well!  Learn more at KatyPerry.com.

LEONA LEWIS NEEDS SOME HELP

Earlier in the week, Leona Lewis performed for the first time since being attacked by a fan last month.  The show went very smoothly and British paper The Daily Mail reports it went well because the pop star wrote the words to some of her songs on her hand so she wouldn’t forget the lyrics.  Apparently Lewis has had trouble learning the words to some of her new songs, so having key words helped her make it through her performance.