TV NEWS: MTV RENEWS '16 & PREGNANT' WITH DR DREW PINSKY

'16 & Pregnant' Gets Knocked Up a 2nd Time

MTV gives the go ahead to season 2 of the new hit series and airs "16 & Pregnant: Life After Labor" finale special, hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky, on July 23.

SANTA MONICA, CA and NEW YORK, NY—Reflecting on one of the most controversial and thought-provoking topics, MTV President of Programming Tony DiSanto announced today that after only 3 episodes aired, the network is picking up a second season of the captivating series "16 and Pregnant." In addition, MTV will also air "16 and Pregnant: Life After Labor" finale special, hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky, on Thursday, July 23rd at 10PM ET/PT. "16 & Pregnant" can currently be seen on Thursdays at 10PM ET/PT.

The series follows the lives of teenage girls for 5-7 months as they navigate the unfamiliar territory and uncertainty of being pregnant. MTV captured every moment and reaction in real time, including several of the births and how the young mothers and fathers dealt with new parenthood. The series tackles a variety of issues including marriage, adoption, attending school and dealing with gossip. Cameras continued to follow the teens for a significant amount of time after they gave birth to document how they coped with taking care of their infants in addition to balancing adult responsibilities with teenage life.

The "16 and Pregnant: Life After Labor" finale special, hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky, will be an issue-driven forum on teen pregnancy. All six of the teen mothers profiled on season one of the series will participate in this event. Dr. Drew will discuss each girl's episode, specific issues and challenges and update us on what's going on in their lives now. This open discussion will provide a platform to address the controversial topics that were shown in season one: birth control, adoption, abortion, marriage, religion, gossip, finances, high school graduation and employment. During the show, Dr. Drew will field questions by members of the live studio audience, as well as select emails from viewers.

Since its debut, "16 & Pregnant," has garnered amazing ratings reaching an audience of over 31 million views and consistently taking the #1 spot in its time period among F12-34 and #1 across all of television among F18-24. In addition, the show has improved its time period by 162% among P12-34 and 184% among F12-34.

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is working with MTV to support "16 & Pregnant." In partnership with MTV, The National Campaign will continue to create viewing guides for each episode so educators, key organizations and individuals can use the show, which will be available rights free for distribution, as a platform to have an honest discussion around sexual health and pregnancy with teens. Additionally, The National Campaign launched an online resource supporting the show at www.stayteen.org to answer viewers' most commonly asked questions surrounding pregnancy and provide young people with the information they need to be fully informed on this topic.

"16 & Pregnant" is Executive Produced by Morgan J Freeman. Tony DiSanto is President of Programming for MTV. Dia Sokol is Co-Executive Producer. Liz Gateley and Lauren Dolgen are Executives in charge for MTV. Jessica Zalkind is Executive for MTV. Concept by Lauren Dolgen.

Executive Producer Morgan J. Freeman (MTV's "Taking The Stage," "Laguna Beach") made a name for himself as the Sundance award-winning writer/director of "Hurricane Streets," a film centered on the trails and tribulations of teenage life. Freeman's latest film is called "Homecoming," a thriller starring Mischa Barton and Jessica Stroup ("90210") and is being released theatrical July 17th.

SOURCE: POP TOWER

TV NEWS: MTV'S THE REAL WORLD TO TRAVEL TO CANCUN

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THE MTV REALITY MAINSTAY “THE REAL WORLD” COULDN’T GET ANY WILDER, I WOULDN’T BET AGAINST IT, AS THE SHOW TAKES ITS CAMERAS & YOUNG HEDONISTS (JUST JOKING…..LOL) TO CANCUN, THE MEXICAN DESTINATION FOR SIN, SIN, & MORE SIN. CHECK OUT THE ARTICLE FOR DETAILS. CHEERS, & ENJOY

Season 22 of MTV's signature docu-drama premieres on Wednesday, June 24, while season 23, "The Real World: Washington, DC" gets the greenlight.

NEW YORK, NY—MTV kicks off the next installment of the highly anticipated reality series "The Real World" from the coastal city of Cancun, Mexico. Eight new roommates will come together under one roof to heat things up this season, as they work hard and play even harder. From sexy hook-ups to blood-boiling fights, the Mexican Caribbean will never be the same as drama unfolds this season on "The Real World: Cancun," premiering June 24 at 10:00pm ET/PT.

The cast will reside at one of Mexico's hottest hotels, the ME Cancun, in a suite armed to accommodate the wild lifestyle of the roommates. When they are not hitting the town, much of their time during the day will be devoted to helping out at StudentCity.com, a travel agency that specializes in providing college students with spring break packages.

The series transitions its 23rd season to a different lifestyle as "The Real World" will begin production in Washington D. C. in the summer of 2009 and is slated to premiere in 2010. In the upcoming season, eight young adults will experience life in the nation's capital as they live and pursue their passions in the city that many of our country's most influential figures call home.

"The charged atmosphere of Washington D.C., the center of our country's social and political change, will provide an electric setting for this next season of 'The Real World,' said Tony DiSanto, President of Programming, MTV. "We are thrilled to be filming our classic franchise in the heart of where history is being made...it adds a whole new dimension to the great characters and drama our viewers expect and love from 'The Real World.'"

"Young people have never been more engaged in what's happening in this country and Washington, D.C., is the perfect place for 'The Real World' cast to express their opinions and pursue their passions," said Jonathan Murray, the creator and Executive Producer of "The Real World."

"In a time when our country has witnessed the impact and spirit of our nation's young people, it is a pleasure to welcome MTV and 'The Real World' cast to the District of Columbia as they utilize the immense opportunities that the District's backdrop will undoubtedly provide," said Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor of Washington D.C

CELEBRITY NEWS: JOJO SIMMONS ARRESTED

Say it ain’t so jo!! Please say it ain’t so. Unfortunately jojo simmons cannot say it ain’t so, unless he wants to lie. Lol. If you don’t know what I’m talking about read below for the story. Try to reserve the head shaking for after you’ve finished reading the article.

MTV reality star Jojo Simmons arrested for buying drugs

Posted in May 9th, 2009 by Claudette Rothman in Entertainment, crime

Jojo Simmons, the son of Rev. Joseph Simmons, a founding member of Run-DMC and nephew to Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam Records, was arrested Friday night after New York City police caught his buying drugs.

Jojo, 19, who appears in MTV’s reality show “Run’s House” with his family, was caught buying marijuana from a street pusher in the Washington Heights section of NY.

Police said the teenager was behind the wheel of his BMW, which has “JoJo” embroidered on the headrests, rolling a joint when the cops knocked on his window.

It is alleged that Jojo tried to escape by putting his car in reverse, which caused him to hit a parked car and when he tried to go forward, he struck another parked car.

Police said he then got out of the car and allegedly started fighting with them.

He was charged with attempted reckless endangerment, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and criminal possession of marijuana.

MTV MOVIE AWARDS PREVIEW

GET READY FOR THE MTV MOVIE AWARDS. YES, IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. I KNOW, I KNOW, TIME TRULY FLIES WHEN, WELL WHEN WE CONTINUE TO BREATHE. HAHA. ANYWAY, ENJOY.

'Twilight,' 'Slumdog' lead MTV nominees Heath Ledger to compete posthumously as best villain NEW YORK – It's "Twilight" versus "Slumdog Millionaire" at this year's MTV Movie Awards. The vampire blockbuster and Oscar-winning Indian romance have six nominations each, including best movie, MTV announced Monday. "Slumdog" star Dev Patel and "Twilight" vampire Robert Pattinson are both nominated for the male breakthrough performance award. The other contenders are Ben Barnes ("The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian"), Bobb'e J. Thompson ("Role Models") and Pattinson's "Twilight" co-star Taylor Lautner. Mark Burnett, who produces the freewheeling ceremony, said either film has a great chance of winning best picture. "Twilight" has "certainly touched a part of America and young girls are totally in love with what the movie stands for and (with) romance," Burnett said in an interview. "And, on the other hand, I have to say, all of my kids loved 'Slumdog Millionaire.' There's just something so uplifting about what that movie stands for." Other nominated films include "Iron Man," "The Dark Knight" and "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." Kate Winslet, who won an Oscar for her dramatic role in "The Reader," is up for best female performance, along with Angelina Jolie ("Wanted"), Anne Hathaway ("Bride Wars"), Kristen Stewart ("Twilight") and Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"). Nominees for best male performance are Christian Bale ("The Dark Knight"), Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man"), Shia LaBeouf ("Eagle Eye"), Vin Diesel ("Fast & Furious") and "High School Musical" heartthrob Zac Efron. Efron's co-star (and girlfriend) Vanessa Hudgens will challenge Miley Cyrus for the breakthrough performance female award. Their competition includes "Slumdog" beauty Freida Pinto and Ashley Tisdale, another "HSM" star. The golden popcorn trophy for best kiss -- one of the event's signature unconventional categories -- could be handed to one of six big-screen duos, including Efron and Hudgens, Pinto and Patel, Stewart and Pattinson, or Sean Penn and James Franco, who co-starred in "Milk." Ledger, who won a posthumous Oscar for his menacing performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," is also nominated in the best villain category. MTV usually introduces a new category or two each year: This year, a golden popcorn will be awarded to the "best song from a movie." The nominees are Cyrus' "The Climb" (from the new "Hannah Montana" film); the "Twilight" song "Decode" by Paramore; the "Slumdog" anthem "Jai Ho"; and the Bruce Springsteen ballad "The Wrestler" from the movie starring Mickey Rourke. Votes can be cast online at MTV's Web site through May 27 for all categories except best movie. MTV said voting in that category remains open until May 31, when the show will air live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif. "Saturday Night Live" star Andy Samberg is the host. Burnett said the key to a successful movie-awards show is to let awkward moments pan out. Among last year's highlights: Franco and Seth Rogen pulled out a bag of fake marijuana on stage. "I will tell you right now -- there are three big things" that are part of the show, Burnett said. "I would say personally in my three years of producing the MTV Movie Awards live, the biggest thing that I can think of is going to be happening this year."

Find this article at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3ifb8c14aa44b921770727731d131acbe9

TV NEWS

ALL YOU REALITY SHOW DANCE FANS TAKE A BIG SIGH OF RELIEF. THE BIG DOG IS BRINGING HIS HIT DANCE COMPETITION SHOW BACK TO MTV. I’LL ADMIT THAT I ACTUALLY ENJOYED EVERY EPISODE I WATCHED, ALL THREE OF THEM. I’M A HUGE FAN OF DANCE, & DANCERS. I RESPECT THE GRIND, TALENT, STRENGTH, WILL, & PASSION IT TAKES TO BE A SUCCESSFUL DANCER. WITH THAT SAID, OR TYPED, HAHA, ENJOY THE ARTICLE.

America's Best Dance Crew is coming back to MTV for a fourth season, PEOPLE confirms.

Casting calls will begin on June 6 in Los Angeles before heading to Chicago, Orlando and New York City, where producers hope to find the nine crews ready to take the title away from current champs Quest Crew.

"I am excited about season four and looking forward to seeing all of the amazingly hot talent out there," executive producer Randy Jackson tells PEOPLE. "Every season just keeps getting better."

In March, L.A.-based Quest Crew beat out the all-female Beat Freaks to win the title of America's Best Dance Crew. Quest's leader Hok, 24, who also achieved fame on FOX's So You Think You Can Dance, told PEOPLE his win felt like "seeing a dream."

Season three also had the first clogging crew on the show. That, judge Lil' Mama told PEOPLE, should encourage everyone to try out. "They have definitely set a bar for our new season," she says. "But basically, for cloggers to come out for the first time, it's gonna inspire other cloggers and tap dancers to want to come out and actually take it up a notch."

• Reporting by ALYSSA DIKITANAN

Source: people magazine