Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Names and faces
Conan O’Brien said he won’t be too shy to strip down as host of the MTV Movie Awards. “I’ve been preparing for this job for several years,” the talk-show host joked backstage Friday during a break from rehearsing for today’s fan-favorite ceremony. “I knew I’d be doing the 2014 MTV Movie Awards, so I’ve been doing a series of isometrics, underwater exercises, Pilates and Greco-Roman wrestling, which had no benefit to my body, but I strangely enjoyed it. My body is in incredible shape, and you might be seeing some of that on the show.” The host of TBS’ Conan also isn’t afraid of the show’s competition from other networks tonight, including the latest installment of HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones and the sixth-season premiere of AMC’s Mad Men. “Game of Thrones is a complete waste of everyone’s time,” O’Brien said. “The dragons attack everyone and eat their face on Sunday night. That’s what happens, so don’t even bother watching. Mad Men? Yawn. OK. Someone had too much to drink and slept with somebody. Whatevs, OK? MTV Movie Awards, that’s the show to watch.” The funnyman noted the over-the-top MTV ceremony — which honors winners in such categories as best kiss, best fight and best shirtless performance — won’t be comparable to his tenure as host of the Emmys in 2002 and 2006. The biggest difference? Lots of special effects on the show’s apocalypse-themed stage, which includes a giant 5,000-pound bucket of fake popcorn and a sign that lights on fire. “It’s the most flames I’ve ever been around in my life,” O’Brien said. “Every single part of the set explodes into flames at one point during the show.”
Rap duo Outkast reunited onstage after a near decade-long hiatus with a jampacked set at the Coachella music festival, the first of many performances planned this year. The rappers, individually known as
Andre 3000 and Big Boi, headlined the first night of the festival Friday in Indio, Calif., performing well-known hits such as “Hey Ya!,” “Ms. Jackson,” “The Way You Move,” “Elevators (Me & You),” and “So Fresh, So Clean.” The Grammy winners performed two dozen tracks — seen via the festival’s livestream on YouTube — as they celebrated 20 years in music since the release of their 1994 debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.