Beyonce Strips Down For '1+1' Video

B gets sexy and artistic in self-directed clip.
By Rob Markman

Beyonce in her music video for "1+1"
Photo: Columbia

She may not know much about algebra, but when it comes to music videos, Beyoncé's expertise is unmatched.

On Thursday (August 25), Queen B premiered the video for her power ballad "1+1" on E!, just days before her performance at MTV's 2011 VMAs. The clip -- which was directed by Beyoncé, Laurent Briet and Ed Burke -- is the third from her 4 LP and the first in a series of story-driven videos from the album.

As the acoustic guitar strings are plucked and black screen fades in, Beyoncé comes into focus. She stands with blond hair draped just below her exposed shoulders. The honey-dipped diva glistens with a top coat of glitter all over her body. Looking as sexy as ever, turning her head from right to left with her eyes fixed off-camera, the sultry singer starts her vocal seduction. "If I ain't got nothin', I got you," she belts out.

Caressing herself, the former Destiny's Child siren sexes it up for the camera as she starts to disrobe, pulling off the spaghetti straps from her champagne-colored dress. Things get even hotter when the bare-bodied B coyly plays in a cascading waterfall, pushing her lips out just far enough to get wet.

The video sports psychedelic light effects and symmetrical camera tricks selling sex as art. The choreography is a far cry from the standard Beyoncé dance routines, which more often than not feature high-powered steps, swaying hips and her patented bootylicious shake. Instead, B settles for ballet-style steps, moving in a leotard and long, flowing cape. Her principal love interest is nondescript, and while his muscular arms grip the singer's body before taking her through a series of dips and bends, he remains mostly in the background.

Clearly, the emotion is too much for her. Halfway through, the love-struck star begins to cry tears of joy before she begs her Romeo to make love to her on the song's vocal finale.

As far as Beyoncé videos go, "1+1" will most likely remain under the radar in comparison to the highlights in her high-budgeted reel, which includes clips like "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and "Crazy in Love." But much like the song, the visuals for "1+1" shouldn't be measured in terms of size, but rather in emotive presentation and subdued sexiness.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669721/beyonce-one-plus-one-music-video.jhtml

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Lady Gaga VMA Performance: Jo Calderone Rants, Sings "You and I"!

Little Monsters already know Jo Calderone is Lady Gaga's alter ego. What they didn't know before last night's Video Music Awards is that the two were an item!

"My name is Jo Calderone," the 25-year-old said, showing up in drag as part of her wild, extended pre-performance monologue. "Lady Gaga? She left me!"

Fully committed to the character for several minutes, smoking a cigarette as he/she addressing the crowd, "Jo" grew more and more animated ...

Lady Gaga VMA Performance 2011

"[Lady Gaga] is f**king crazy!" he/she said. "For example, she gets out of the bed, puts on the heels. She comes out of the bathroom dripping wet and she's still got the heels on ... And what's with the hair?

"At first it was sexy, but now I'm just confused. I think it's really f**king great that she's such a star and all ... but how am I supposed to shine?"

There you go. Finally, Lady Gaga sat down and belted out a soulful rendition of "You and I." Brian May from Queen came on stage and joined her.

What did you think of her performance? Was it great to see Jo Calderone in person like that, or did the gag get old? Certainly original, right?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/08/lady-gaga-vma-performance-jo-calderone-sings-you-and-i/

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In honor of Macaulay Culkin's Aug. 26 birthday, see what Mac and other kid movie stars from the '90s are up to today.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/90s-child-movie-stars-then-and-now/1-b-375412

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Rob Lowe: ?Twitter Is a Great Way to Set the Record Straight?

From tweeting personal thoughts to his almost 150,000 Twitter followers to sharing secrets with readers in his new best-selling memoir,�Rob Lowe�has learned to embrace the spotlight that?s been shining on him since his days as an ?80s heartthrob. Lowe sat down with Parade.com to talk about the upcoming season of�Parks & Recreation, his surprising love [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/rob-lowe-twitter-is-a-great-way-to-set-the-record-straight/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rob-lowe-twitter-is-a-great-way-to-set-the-record-straight

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Susan Lucci Considering a Move Online with 'AMC'

Since All My Children's cancellation earlier this year, that soap's most famous star, Susan Lucci, has been meeting with Hollywood producers and considering her next move. This week, though, it looks like she has another option: to stay right where she is.

The last episode of All My Children will air on September 23rd, but, now that ABC has licensed the show to continue online (via the production company, Prospect Park), Lucci might not necessarily have to vacate her role as Erica Kane. According to Deadline, she is weighing an offer to stay in Pine Valley!

Scheduled to premier online during the first quarter of next year, the reincarnation of AMC will have a smaller overall budget, which will mean pay cuts for many of the actors who cross over to the web. But, word on the street is that Lucci's salary would remain about the same. (How's that for star power?)

Despite what may sound like a sweet deal, it's possible that Lucci might choose to leave the series that's paid her salary since 1970. Asked about a rumored spot on Desperate Housewives, Lucci acknowledged to Access Hollywood that "there's a lot of talking going on."

And why not strike out for Wisteria Lane and beyond? Pine Valley can't keep her forever.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/susan-lucci-considering-move-online-amc/1-a-374528

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