Pete Wentz Gets Baby Advice From Good Charlotte's Joel Madden On 'Total Finale Live'
'A baby doesn't wait!' Madden tells the Fall Out Boy bassist, who's expecting his first child with Ashlee Simpson.
By Jocelyn Vena



NEW YORK — While Fall Out Boy rocked "Total Finale Live" with a performance in the middle of New York's Times Square, the group's bassist, Pete Wentz, had the doubtless surreal experience of watching his band perform without him as he was with his very-pregnant-and-reportedly-in-labor wife, Ashlee Simpson. He called into the show to share the moment.

He assured everyone that the baby Wentz has not yet arrived. "Not here yet!" he said. "I went to Chinatown, picked up a bootleg version of 'Twilight' and watched it like, 72, times."

He joked that his bandmates, as well as the rest of the world, will probably know that the baby's arrived when the news hits the Internet. But he assured everyone, "Nothing's happened yet!" Wentz also shared with his fans that the couple have yet to pick out a name for the baby.

He was missed by his bandmates. "It was cool [to perform]," Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump said on the show. "I wish Pete was there."

Wentz's friend Joel Madden — who, you may have heard, has a daughter, Harlow, with girlfriend Nicole Richie — had some key advice on the rocker-as-father gig.

"When you're on tour you can be late a lot — but when you're a dad you can't be late," Madden said on the show. "A baby doesn't wait!"

Another baby not waiting for Wentz is the show he hosts, "FNMTV," which will be back for a second season in December. He admitted that hosting isn't as easy as he makes it look.

"It's hard asking people questions," he said. "I'm not good at reading the teleprompter. 'TRL' made me excited about countdowns!"

[source]

T.I., Fall Out Boy, Jay-Z And Others Keep The Love Coming For President-Elect Obama
'How do you even describe this feeling?' Busta Rhymes asks MTV News.
By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Jocelyn Vena


On November 4, 2008, many people around the world were struck with renewed faith, pride and relief.

In New York's Times Square, it felt like the Yankees and Mets had both won the World Series ... on New Year's Eve. All through Africa, people ran through the streets in a celebration that hasn't been as big since Nelson Mandela was released from prison. In Europe, Asia — same thing. A resounding number of people shared united merriment: Barack Obama had been announced as the president-elect.

Some of music's biggest artists shared in the revelry.

( More )

[source]

Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump Wait In Line To Vote -- Just Like You
'It feels cool to be a part of this right now,' bassist says.
By Shawn Adler, with additional reporting by Yasmine Richard and Todd Brown


Beverly Hills, CALIFORNIA — They are members of one of the biggest rock bands in the world, their faces plastered on JumboTrons, TVs and, these days, more than a few tabloid covers. Given their fame and fortune, you might think Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz and Patrick Stump were more important than you and I.


Not on Election Day.

"There is no VIP line when you're voting," Wentz laughed, the early-morning fog still visible at his local polling station in Beverly Hills, California, where the rocker woke up at the crack of daylight to cast his ballot. "It's 8:30 a.m. [People aren't getting out of the way,] like, 'Oh, sorry! It was you!' "

And, really, that's all the better, insisted Stump from across town at a Los Angeles polling station, where he was facing considerably longer lines than his bandmate.

"I'm nobody," Stump joked from the back end of a line that would take upwards of an hour to navigate.

Well, that's not exactly true. Stump is somebody: a voter, of course. He's also 24, which makes him part of this election's most important demographic, the much-discussed "youth vote."

"It feels cool to be a part of this right now," Wentz, 29, said of his membership in the youth contingent, which is projected to reach its highest turnout rate since 1972. "I think that it's cool for people who feel disenfranchised. Honestly, when you become a block, it forces people that you're electing to pay attention to you. I think that actually happened this year. Hopefully, everybody who said they were coming out [did].

"I think getting up and putting your money where your mouth is is really important to do," he continued. "It's not only your responsibility, but a privilege as an American."

A privilege that comes with many rewards, Wentz said. Having a say in ballot decisions? Affecting the country's future? Nah, Wentz joked, "Starbucks!"

But it's going to get even better for the rocker. "I'm hanging out with Diddy tonight," Wentz said. "I don't know what Diddy gives out when he sees the 'I Voted' sticker, [but you know it's] something crazy!"

MTV News is at the polls in all 50 states — check out our coverage all day long on MTV and right here on MTVNews.com. Then, tell us why you voted! Comment below, upload video at yourhere.mtv.com, or text VOTE to 66333 with your first name, age, state and a comment about your experience. Your message will appear on our election map and could appear on TV today!


[source] - there is also a video at the source.

Apple donates $100,000 to save gay marriage
Steve Jobs and co. publicly oppose Proposition 8


Apple has made a donation of $100,000 to the ‘No on 8’ campaign which is fighting a constitutional amendment that could see gay marriage banned in California.

Same sex-marriage was legalised in the state this year, but Proposition 8 could see the new law overturned.

In a statement on their website, Apple said:

“Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.”

As previously reported, Fall Out Boy recently donated $50,000 to No on 8, and Pete Wentz blogged: "There are a lot of causes out there -- a lot of 'good' fights to be fought. I think proposition 8 is pretty lame -- as many others do too. It's fucking lame

--By our New York staff.

[source]


Kudos to Apple for putting rights before branding.

Fall Out Boy, Lindsay Lohan, Beanie Sigel, Others Extend Sympathy To Victims Of Barker/ DJ AM Plane Crash
'It's times like these that we are reminded -- in the worst possible way -- to honor life,' Fall Out Boy say in statement.
By James Montgomery

In the wake of Friday's plane crash, which killed four people and critically injured Travis Barker and DJ AM, reactions from the artists' families and musical colleagues began to arrive at MTV News. Barker's assistant, Chris "Little Chris" Baker, 29 (who appeared on MTV's reality show "Meet the Barkers"), and his security guard, Charles Still, 25, were among the people who died in the crash.

The unusual combination of friends and colleagues — Fall Out Boy, Beanie Sigel, Lindsay Lohan, Samantha Ronson, Cobra Starship's Gabe Saporta and even MTV News' Tim Kash -- is a telling reflection of Barker and AM's wide circle of friends.

Fall Out Boy, who toured with Barker's +44 in 2007, said in a statement that they reacted to news of the crash with "deep sadness," and extended their sympathies to the families of those who were in the crash.

"Our band would like to reach out and put those who were a part of this tragedy and their families in our prayers, and as well our continued support for the recovery of those who survived," the statement reads. "It's times like these that we are reminded -- in the worst possible way -- to honor life. Chris [Baker] was a rad guy. He always had a way to get us to smile on tour, no matter what situation we were in, and he was truly beloved.

"In the next few days, more information will emerge and we will more fully understand the extent of this terrible tragedy," the statement continues. "In the meantime, we want to encourage anyone reading this to simply tell the people you love how you feel."

( Others give their condolances )

[source]


For those who are understandably concerned for the welfare of the two survivors, the news thread at AP.net is collecting gradual updates. We're sure that everyone here joins us in sending whatever form of positivity they identify with, to Travis, Adam and the families of those who did not make it.

How Did Fall Out Boy End Up In Amish Country For 'Sex Drive'?
Seth Green helped convince the band to be in the teen comedy, which hits theaters October 17.

By Shawn Adler, with additional reporting by Jeff Cornell and James Montgomery


When MTV News visited the set of the new teen comedy "Sex Drive" in March, we went with the goal of checking out a pretty cool and very funny flick, sure. But we chose that particular day to visit so we could hang out with special guests Fall Out Boy, who were filming an extended performance cameo.

You wanna know something funny? That's why everybody else was there that day too.

( Article )

[source]

Kanye West, Fall Out Boy, Other Celebrity Obama Supporters Praise Historic Speech
'It's really refreshing to actually be able to witness history unfolding like this,' Chamillionaire says of candidate's DNC address in Denver.
By Jocelyn Vena


On Thursday night in Denver, Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama accepted his party's nomination with a historic speech. The address, which took place 45 years after Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, left the Illinois senator's high-profile supporters in awe.

"The imagery and the message behind Obama's speech was more powerful than any that I have ever seen in my lifetime," Chamillionaire told MTV News. "It's really refreshing to actually be able to witness history unfolding like this."

It was a sentiment shared by many of the other celebrities and regular folks who heard what Obama had to say. "[It was] a complete inspiration. I have high hopes for our next president," All-American Rejects frontman Tyson Ritter said.

Meanwhile, longtime Obama supporter Oprah Winfrey told the press after Obama finished his speech that "I cried my eyelashes off. I think it's the most powerful thing I have ever experienced." She added: "He's not an African-American candidate. He's a candidate for Americans."

Pete Wentz summed it up in his MTV Newsroom live-blog entry: "It's strange to get the feeling that you will remember the exact moment and place you were sitting when someone gives a speech."

Also backstage after the speech was Kanye West, who said, according to several media accounts, "It changed my life." Earlier in the week, Kanye admitted that he wished his late mother, Donda West, could have been around to see Obama's historic presidential run. "It's an incredible time to be around. I wish my momma could have seen this day."

"I've never gotten so many chills in my life," Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman told MTV News. "There's the chills you get from hearing an incredible melody in a song, from seeing the best movie you've ever seen in your life, but this was something different. I don't want to this to sound like a joke, but Obama has coin face. His face will look amazing on a silver dollar. And I want to be spending that silver dollar."

His bandmate Patrick Stump appreciated Obama's honesty and integrity in the speech. "He talks about hope, but he actually delivers. He has supports, facts, figures and the ba--s to say it all at the risk of his political standing," he said. "His speeches convince me that he is an honest politician, possibly the first in a desperately long time."

During MTV News' live blog of Obama's speech, Kenna declared Obama the winner after hearing his moving speech about bringing change to Washington: "There is going to be a paradigm shift in the world as we know it. He just won."

[source]


For anyone who would like to watch the speech in full, you can do so at the official Barack Obama website.

We're a couple of days late on this one (a couple of the regular mods are on holiday/vacation at the moment, so we're a little short-staffed; say a big thank you to the troops who stayed back to man TFL (this mod is not one of them!)), but Pete was involved in the MTV Newsroom liveblog on Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the recent Democrat Convention. The entries he made were few and concise, but they are posted below.


Pete Wentz, Kenna, Bun B, More Live-Blog Barack Obama’s Acceptance Speech
Published by MTV News on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:00 pm.

Like many Americans, artists such as Pete Wentz, Big Boi, Kenna, Bun B, Murs, Ryan Leslie, Matt White and others are glued to the TV tonight, watching as Barack Obama officially accepts his historic selection as the Democratic Party’s nominee for president of the United States. Read their thoughts in real time throughout tonight’s speech:


Pete Wentz, 10:31 p.m. ET: Right off the bat Obama unifies the party and goes for Bush’s jugular. Who else has production like this? The Led Zeppelin reunion? Maybe.

Pete Wentz, 10:32 p.m. ET: Voting with g.w. 90 percent of the time? Sounds like a “mental recession.”

Pete Wentz, 10:58 p.m. ET: It’s strange to get the feeling that you will remember the exact moment and place you were sitting when someone gives a speech.


Don’t miss out on the action: MTV News’ Street Team ‘08 is on the ground at the Democratic National Convention to sort through all the speeches, streamers and ceremony to find the information you need to choose our next president.

[source] - the full article with entries from the other contributors.

27) What was it like having Patrick Stump help produce and sing on your record? What did you learn from your experience with him?

Alex: I learned more from Patrick in three days than I did from everyone else combined musically in my life. He just teaches you so much about how to carry yourself and how to perform to the best of your abilities. His thoughts and ideals on the music business - in the industry - is just amazing. He’s just such a smart guy and he’s so underrated. Don’t get me wrong - love Pete - Pete’s our boss. Pete is the forefront of that band and I think so many people overlook how amazing and smart Patrick is. He’s the man. I don’t even know what to say about him, but I learned so much from him. He nails everything in his first take.

Ian: Literally. He walked into that vocal booth for “One of THOSE Nights” -

Alex: He walked in the vocal booth for his part on “One of THOSE Nights,” and first try, laid it down, walked out and he goes, “What that good?”

Ian: Yup, it was all right.

Alex: It’s on the CD - first try. He’s amazing.

[source] - full interview.

- thanks to maple_mahogany for the link.

Who: The Cab
Album: 'Whisper War'
Video: 'One Of Those Nights'
Hails From: Las Vegas, NV
For Fans Of: Fall Out Boy and Panic at the Disco

Why They're About to Pop: The Cab has certainly gotten by with a little help from their friends, and in this case, those friends include members of Panic at the Disco and Pete Wentz. The Vegas five-piece got its start in 2005 when Alex DeLeon (vocals) and Cash Colligan (bass) started making music together in high school. The duo soon added Alex Johnson (drums), Alex Marshall (piano) and Ian Crawford (guitar) to flesh out their bold pop rock sound. After touring locally in Nevada, the Cab's demo landed in the hands of Panic at the Disco's Spencer Smith, who brought the record to Panic's label owner, Pete Wentz. The Cab was then signed to Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen and their single, 'One of Those Nights,' featuring FOB frontman Patrick Stump and Panic's Brendon Urie, has generated a swell of buzz on the Internet. The Cab has toured with the likes of Cobra Starship and We the Kings, and is currently out with the Hush Sound through August 25.

Three Questions with lead singer Alex DeLeon:
(Irrelevant questions have been cut)

( One )

If you could have any musician's career other than your own, whose would it be?

Patrick Stump seems to have an amazing career. I really look up to him for him doing what he loves. By day he sings and writes for Fall Out Boy, and by night he either writes for other people, acts, produces records, films, etc. He does anything and everything he wants to and I always want to do the same. I would love to someday be a producer and to write for other bands. Patrick works with pop artists, hip-hop artists and rock artists. I could only hope to have half the impact that he has had and half the career that he has created for himself.

( Three )

[source]

- thanks to mysticrose86 for the link.