VH1 is known for music programming and reality television; however, that will soon change as the network makes its bold, first attempt at a scripted film,”Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story.” The long awaited film will take viewers on a ride from the group members’ beginnings, to their meteoric rise to the top of the music charts in the 1990s and beyond.

Hip-hop artist and television personality Lil Mama will have the honor of portraying the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez. Lil Mama emerged onto the scene in 2007 with her infectious hit single “Lip Gloss” from her “VYP: Voice of the Young People” album. The song attained a Gold certification from the RIAA in 2008, while the album went on to sell 19, 000 copies in its first week and 66,000 copies thereafter. Lil Mama then began serving as a judge on MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew“ in 2008 at the age of 19. This will be her first film.

Keke Palmer has been chosen to portray Rozunda “Chili” Thomas. Unlike Lil Mama, Palmer is not new to the film industry. The 19-year-old has appeared in films alongside Laurence Fishburne (‘Akeelah and the Bee’), Tyler Perry (‘Madea’s Family Reunion’), Ice Cube (‘The Longshots’) and Dolly Parton (‘Joyful Noise’), among others. Of her new role, Palmer tells the Daily News, “I’m excited to be a part of this amazing project portraying one of the members of such an iconic group that inspired my passion for music.”

Drew Sidora will round out the cast as Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins. Sidora’s most notable roles are as Lucy Avila in ‘Step Up’, alongside Channing Tatum, and as herself on “The Game”, a television series. When the news first broke of her involvement in the biopic, Sidora took to her twitter account to thank her fans and share a few encouraging words. “Be sure to always believe in yourself. Never give up! Stay optimistic and persistent and amazing things will come into play!”

Though some TLC fans have expressed doubts that the ladies will be able to pull off their portrayals, VH1’s Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Production is confident that the project will be a success. “With this cast, we are thrilled with the talent assembled both in front of and behind the cameras,” he said. “TLC are truly music pioneers and this movie is a fantastic way to expand our scripted push by combining our audience’s passion for music with their love of story. We know our viewers will be eager to go beyond the headlines and into the surprisingly personal, never before told stories of these groundbreaking women.”

TLC’s surviving members, Thomas and Watkins, will serve as the film’s executive producers.

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Los Angeles, U.S.A. —  VH1′s hit series ”Mob Wives“ is back Sunday, January 6, 2013 (8:00 PM ET/ PT), and Season 3 finds fan favorites Renee , Karen , Drita, Carla, ” Big Ang,” and Ramona struggling to maintain their hard-won independence – but the mob drama continues to pull them back in. Yet when Hurricane Sandy devastates Staten Island, the women survive the aftermath using their strength and street smarts – and show just how much heart they have as they work to rebuild their hometown, lending a helping hand to their family, friends, neighbors and community.

Viewers will also be introduced to a new cast member, Love Majewski. A hot-tempered “mob moll” with a notorious past, Love is back in town to reconnect with old friends – but  quickly finds that jealousy is in the air, as are brand new Staten Island scuffles.

Season 3 picks up with the women trying to move on in several different ways. In the wake of ex-husband Junior’s betrayal, Renee battles an ongoing secret which proves to be too much for her to handle alone. Big Ang copes with the fallout from her son’s drug rehabilitation and final sentencing, and Drita learns that her husband Lee is going to be released from jail and is forced to consider her options and the consequences they will have on her life.

Much to Carla’s amazement, things continue to heat up between (her still husband) Joe and his much younger girlfriend. As Karen continues to build her entrepreneurial empire, she learns some startling news about her boyfriend Dave that jeopardizes their long-standing love connection. And with Ramona’s boyfriend Joe still stuck behind bars and awaiting sentencing, Ramona receives an offer she may never be able to refuse.

As “godmother” to the group, Big Ang’s peace-making skills are put through the wringer as the battles between the women continue to divide and multiply. Drita and Ramona are unexpectedly brought to the table and pressed to settle their scores. When Renee and Carla go to war, it leaves everyone stunned and their twenty-year friendship in tatters.

“Mob Wives” season 3 brings the gangster drama back on a whole new level – just as old feuds are put to rest, new conflicts arise as names and accusations come out – testing the bounds of friendship, family and loyalty.

For additional information about “Mob Wives,” visit the official VH1 “Mob Wives” site at MobWives.vh1.com.

Viewers can also find series updates on Facebook and on Twitter @VH1 with the hashtag #MobWives.

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New York, U.S.A. - Rob Zombie is hosting a night filled with metal and more at San Diego’s Petco Park which is free and open exclusively to all Comic-Con badge holders. VH1 Classic will present the first-ever official Comic-Con Opening Night Attendee Welcome Party, “Dawn of the Con,” on Thursday, July 12, 5:30 – 11PM PT. VH1 Classic will take over San Diego’s Petco Park to ring in Comic-Con in true rocker fashion. The night’s festivities will be hosted by hard-rock icon and celebrated filmmaker Rob Zombie, and live music will be spun by DJ Will from VH1 Classic’s “That Metal Show.”

“Dawn of the Con” promises to be a night full of fantasy, science fiction, monsters and heavy metal. The night will be jam-packed with activities including: a digital photo area where you can pose next to the drag racer from Rob Zombie’s video “Dragula,” hourly limited-edition giveaways of one-of-a-kind illustrated collectible posters, and a T-shirt bar where attendees can choose from different limited-edition custom shirt designs and have them pressed on the spot. Additionally, party-goers will get numerous sneak peeks from Zombie, including a preview of his new music project, to be released August 7th featuring unique remixes of Rob Zombie’s classic hits by today’s top DJ talent.

“VH1 Classic is thrilled to be hosting the first-ever official Comic-Con welcome party for the fans and attendees of Comic-Con,” said Nigel Cox-Hagan, Executive Vice President, Creative and Consumer Marketing at VH1. “‘Dawn of the Con’ is the coming together of two cultural curators – VH1 Classic and Comic-Con – two brands that embrace, honor and are passionate about classic pop culture. This party will set the stage for a great convention.”

“We’re very excited that VH1 Classic has created this event exclusively for the Comic-Con attendees,” said David Glanzer, director of marketing and public relations for the non-profit event. “We know it will be a fantastic kick off to our best convention yet!”

Image Courtesy of  Rob Zombie

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VH1 has announced the newest artist lineup of its critically-acclaimed original music franchise, ”VH1 Storytellers.” This season will continue to deliver the intimate stories and live performances from some of the most popular and influential music artists of our time.

Featured artists premiering this season will include multi-platinum selling artist Jason Mraz ,Grammy-winning chanteuses Norah Jones and Jill Scott and roots rockers Grace Potter & the Nocturnals .

“We’re so proud to announce these exceptionally talented artists as part of our 16th season of VH1 Storytellers,” said Tom Calderone, President, VH1. “Our audience is hungry for the kind of deeper musical experience and connection to artists that Storytellers brings.

That connection has cemented the series’ status as a jewel of the entertainment world where artists intimately share their music and the often revealing and poignant stories behind their songs.”

Premiere dates for the upcoming season of “VH1 Storytellers” include:

Jill Scott - May 21
Jason Mraz - June 1
Norah Jones - June 8
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals- June 15

“VH1 Storytellers” is a VH1 original series in which singer/songwriters perform and tell stories in front of an intimate audience about their lives, lyrics and careers.

The series premiered in 1996 with Ray Davies.  Since then, “VH1 Storytellers” has showcased some of the greatest names in music. David Bowie, Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Green Day, Elton John, Coldplay, Jay-Z, Billy Joel, Pearl Jam, Dixie Chicks, Johnny Cash, Foo Fighters, John Mayer and Christina Aguilera and many others have graced the Storytellers stage. For more information about the series and to watch video clips from past performances go to Storytellers.VH1.com.

“VH1 Storytellers” is a production of VH1. Lee Rolontz, Rick Krim and Bill Flanagan serve as executive producers.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 99 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, and extensive video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com

Image Courtesy of    http://www.flickr.com/photos/owenwbrown/

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It has been 20 years since the L.A. Riots, the four days of unrest, looting and rage that paralyzed Los Angeles and sent racial shockwaves throughout the country.

After decades of racial tension in South Central Los Angeles, VH1′s Emmy Award-winning “VH1 Rock Docs” franchise explores the connection between the violence manifested on the streets during the 1992 riots and the rage expressed in Hip Hop by NWA, Dr. Dre, Ice T, and Ice Cube among others with VH1′s “UPRISING: Hip Hop and the L.A. Riots” premiering Tuesday, May 1 at 9PM ET/PT on VH1.

Executive produced and narrated by Hip Hop legend Snoop Dogg and directed by Mark Ford , “UPRISING: Hip Hop and The L.A. Riots” tells the story of the most destructive riot in American history and is scored by some of the most iconic and controversial hip hop tracks of all time, such as NWA’s “F Tha Police” and Body Count’s “Cop Killer.”

With definitive first-hand accounts and exclusive rare footage that was locked away and hasn’t been seen until now, the documentary gives an inside look at the four fiery days that left 53 people dead and over 12,000 arrested, ”UPRISING” is told through the diverse perspective of the rappers, musicians, police officers and victims who lived through the landmark L.A. Riots in April, 1992.

Viewers will also witness never-before-heard stories from well known figures and Hip Hop artists who were affected by or actual participants in the riots, including: Rodney King, Arsenio Hall, Ice T, Professor Todd Boyd (USC), Connie Rice (Civil Rights attorney), John Singleton, Too Short, KRS-One, Nas and Henry Watson (one of the “LA Four” convicted of beating Reginald Denny) and many more.

After making its successful debut and receiving rave reviews at the SXSW Film Festival this past March “UPRISING: Hip Hop and the L.A. Riots,” puts a searing spotlight on race relations, revisits Hip Hop’s warning of what was to come and documents the turbulent days of the riot with first hand accounts from residents that were caught in the cross hairs.

VH1′s Emmy Award-winning Rock Docs are feature-length documentaries that tell unique stories of artists and music from a wide range of genres, styles and musical perspectives. ”UPRISING: Hip Hop and the LA Riots” is executive produced by Mark Ford  and Kevin Lopez for Creature Films and executive produced by Brad Abramson, Stephen Mintz, Shelly Tatro and Jeff Olde for VH1.

About Creature Films: Creature Films (www.creaturefilms.net) is a full service television and film production company and one of the leading producers of music driven entertainment. The company is owned and run by Mark Ford and Kevin Lopez. Together, they’ve produced over a hundred hours of television, with credits that include MTV’s Laguna Beach and Taking the Stage, VH1′s Behind the Musicand Bravo’s Kandi Factory.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 99 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, and extensive video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

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VH1 is celebrating two fascinating, career-driven women with a night dedicated to successful ladies looking to have it all. On Monday, March 19 the highly anticipated second season of ”La La’s Full Court Life” begins at 9PM* followed by VH1′s front row fashion show with the series premiere of ”Styled by June.”

“LA LA’S FULL COURT LIFE” SEASON TWO PREMIERES MONDAY, MARCH 19 AT 9:00 PM*

La La Anthony is back for an all new season of “ La La’s Full Court Life ” premiering March 19 at 9 PM ET/PT.  Since surviving her husband’s trade to the New York Knicks, La La Anthony is finally adjusting to life in the Big Apple. After spending the summer on stage in the show “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” La La’s passion for acting is skyrocketing.

With an upcoming role in the film “Think Like a Man” and the launch of a new make-up line, La La continues to balance motherhood, marriage and her flourishing career this season. Thanks to pals Kelly Rowland, Ciara, Monica and fan favorites, Po and Dice, it’s never all work and no play in “La La’s Full Court Life.”

“STYLED BY JUNE” SERIES PREMIERE MONDAY, MARCH 19 AT  9:30 PM ET/PT

Celebrity fashion stylist June Ambrose brings high-end fashion to VH1 with the new series “ Styled by June ,” premiering March 19 at 9:30 PM ET/PT. June is not only a go-to stylist for many big names in Hollywood including Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige, but is also the CEO of her own celebrity styling house, Mode Squad, Inc., Style Architect for the “The X-Factor USA,” and author of Effortless Style.

With her natural instinct and “no nonsense” attitude, June is giving viewers a sneak peek into her fabulous yet exclusive “Juniverse” as she works to  revamp the images and brands of celebrities Mischa Barton, Aubrey O’Day, Trina, Jaleel White, Shanna Moakler, Da Brat and Michelle Williams as they re-emerge into the spotlight.

For additional information on VH1 follow @VH1 on Twitter or “Like” VH1 on Facebook, and visit VH1.com for all the latest in music and celebrity news. For full episodes, clips and bonus content, visit StyledbyJune.vh1.com and Lala.vh1.com.

“La La’s Full Court Life” is executive produced by Cris Abrego and Angela Aguilera for 51 Minds Entertainment, La La Anthony and Carmelo Anthony for Krossover Entertainment and Steven Grossmanon behalf of The Collective. VH1 executive producers are Jill Holmes, Kristen Kelly and Jeff Olde.

“Styled By June” is executive produced by Michael Hirschorn and Wendy Roth and co-executive produced by Stacey Altman for Ish Entertainment. June Ambrose is also co-executive producer. VH1 executive producers are Shelly Tatro, Brad Abramson, Danielle Gelfand and Jeff Olde.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with the TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 99 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, and extensive video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

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With ratings as high as the on-set drama, VH1 announced that its one-hour hit reality series “Mob Wives” will be immediately followed with a half-hour post-show titled “Mob Wives: The Sit Down,” beginning Sunday, January 29 at 9pm ET/PT. The series will also be produced by TWC, Electus, Left/Right and JustJenn Productions who also produce “Mob Wives” and the upcoming “Mob Wives: Chicago.”

Hosted by VH1′s own Carrie Keagan (Big Morning Buzz Live), the post-show will feature 2-3 of the wives each week along with a special celebrity guest to discuss the episode immediately after it runs and to share some exclusive behind-the-scenes info.  The series has an initial order for 7 post-show episodes.

Now in its second season on VH1, “Mob Wives” (Sundays, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT) gives viewers an unfiltered look into the private worlds of six struggling “allegedly” associated women – Renee, Karen, Carla and Drita, along with new season 2 cast members Ramona and “Big Ang” – all of whom must pick up the pieces while their husbands or fathers do time for Mob-related activities.

United by a bond which few understand, the women are all struggling with their identities and their futures as they raise their kids as single parents in the New York City area. Season two premiere episodes have averaged a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demo, up +63% from season one’s average.  The premiere episodes have also averaged 2.2 million total viewers, up +67% from season one.

“Mob Wives” has also consistently won its time period, making VH1 the #1 non-sports cable network among adults 18-49 all three weeks of its current season in the time slot.  This spring the network will debut a spin-off, “Mob Wives: Chicago,” where the hometown of Al Capone will serve as the backdrop for a new group of syndicate sisters.

Carrie Keagan is the host of VH1′s entertainment show ”Big Morning Buzz Live.”  She boasts well over 7,000 interviews to her credit with “Big Morning Buzz Live” and her own No Good TV, including an impressive list of exclusive and uncensored sit-downs with some of the biggest celebrities and public figures of our time.

Keagan produced and hosted 2 seasons of VH1 Classic’s “One Hit Wonders” and has co-hosted the live red carpet preshow for the Critics’ Choice Awards and co-hosted The Daily 10 (E!) along with live Emmy, Oscar and Golden Globe red carpet coverage. VH1′s Co-Star app will also be an element of the show.  Carrie will read fan tweets from Co-Star and additional fan tweets will be featured in the lower third graphics.

Users can ask questions all week long using #TheSitDown for their chance to have their question read on the show.  For additional information about “Mob Wives,” visit the official VH1 Mob Wives site at MobWives.vh1.com. Viewers can also find series updates on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mobwives and on Twitter @VH1 with the hashtag #MobWives.  For additional information about VH1 please go to https://twitter.com/#!/vh1.

Created and produced by Jennifer Graziano of JustJenn Productions, “Mob Wives“ is produced by The Weinstein Company (Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein), Electus (Ben Silverman, Jimmy Fox) and Left/Right (Banks Tarver, Ken Druckerman and Nina L. Diaz), with Electus International owning distribution rights across all platforms including television, motion picture, and digital.

Executive producers for VH1 include Shelly Tatro, Kari McFarland, Rick Hankey and Jeff Olde.  Sean Gottlieb serves as supervising producer for VH1.

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VH1′s hit series ‘Mob Wives’ started off 2012 with a ratings bang on New Year’s Day. The second season premiere episode at 8 PM averaged a 1.4 in the adult 18-49 demo – a +56% increase over the first season’s premiere episode – and ranked as the #1 telecast on basic cable in its 8 pm time period slot among adults 18-49, women 18-49 and women 18-34.

The 8 PM telecast on January 1 was seen by 2.4 million total viewers. The premiere episode attracted 3.5 million total viewers when combined with its 9 PM encore.

‘Mob Wives’ generated heat on social media platforms that evening with 11 trending topics on Twitter, including #MobWives, as well as for the wives themselves: Drita, Carla, Renee and Karen and new cast members Ramona and “Big Ang.”  In addition, VH1′s Mob Wives page on Facebook saw tremendous activity resulting in more than 10,000 new “likes.”

The second season of ‘ Mob Wives’ picks up where the first left off – with each cast member dealing with major personal life issues. The rift between Karen and Drita is far from over – will they ever be able to “bury the hatchet?” Renee goes under the knife for major plastic surgery that may have some unexpected consequences, while also contemplating her future with her ex-husband Junior.

Drita is considering her options when it comes to leaving her husband Lee – while Carla’s relationship with her estranged husband Joe may take an unexpected twist. And, of course, everyone wants to know what’s in Karen’s soon-to-be-released book – the one she moved back to New York to write!

Last season, ‘Mob Wives’ gave viewers an unfiltered look into the closed-door society of Renee, Karen, Carla and Drita, four struggling “allegedly” associated women who have to pick up the pieces and carry on while their husbands or fathers do time for Mob-related activities. United by a bond which few understand, the women are all struggling with their identities and their futures as they raise their kids as single parents in the New York City area.

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Relationships are hard enough, but imagine the pressure of having your hook-ups, “bumps” on the relationship road and breakups as fodder for the tabloids. More and more it seems, couples whose matters of the heart play out in the public eye are calling it quits and throwing in the towel on their relationships.

Why is it so tough for these couples to stay together? Looking to shed light on the issue, VH1 will examine the complicated and often misunderstood world of high-profile relationships with “Couples Therapy”. DMX (Rapper) & Tashera Simmons, Linda Hogan (‘Hogan Knows Best’) & Charlie Hill, Chris Nirschel (‘The Next Food Network Star’) & Angelina Pivarnick (‘Jersey Shore’), Kasey Kahl (‘Bachelorette’) & Vienna Girardi (‘The Bachelor’) and Reichen Lehmkuhl & Rodiney Santiago (‘The A-List: New York’) will all take a seat on Dr Jenn Berman’s couch. ‘Couples Therapy’ is set to premiere with 8, one-hour episodes in the spring of 2012 on VH1.

From the producers of ‘Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew,’ ‘Couples Therapy’ is the first reality-show to examine firsthand the real-life experiences of a group of buzzed-about couples. For some of these couples, living under constant scrutiny from the media and fans makes it increasingly hard for them to stay together, and VH1 wants to see why they can’t seem to go the distance.

These five couples at crossroads in their relationships will join together for 21 days as they undergo intensive relationship therapy. Under the guidance of Dr. Jenn Berman, a nationally-renowned relationship-therapist, the couples will participate in group and individual therapy along with relationship exercises out in the “real world” to see if they can rekindle the love they used to have for one another — or if it’s simply time for them to move on.

Dr. Jenn Berman, a well-known psychotherapist, columnist, author, speaker, radio host, and psychological expert, will be the relationship therapist for the couples. Dr. Jenn is the host of the popular call-in advice program “The Love and Sex Show with Dr. Jenn” on Cosmo Radio, which is heard on Sirius XM nightly.

She is the author of three best-selling books, including SuperBaby: 12 Ways to Give Your Child a Head Start in the First 3 Years. People come to see her in her private practice for a variety of reasons, such as: relationship issues, parenting, eating disorders, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, trauma, and sexual abuse.

She also works with performers and entertainment professionals dealing with creativity and performance issues and does consulting with a number of related organizations including The Actors Fund and A Minor Consideration.

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Ultra Premium Vodka and Sean “Diddy” Combs AKA PDiddy roll big and hit the jackpot with a fresh new ad campaign that takes audiences on a first-person journey into a special night out in Sin City to the tune of Frank Sinatra’s iconic “Luck Be a Lady”.

The new ad campaign – also titled “Luck Be a Lady” – is directed by world-renowned commercial visionary, Anthony Mandler, and debuted on December 14^th. The spot features Sean “Diddy” Combs AKA PDiddy and a cast of up-and-coming artists representing the future of Hollywood.  Together, they will bring to life the art of celebration — the dapper lifestyle of the Rat Pack – that CIROC embodies in a contemporary-yet-classic way. The commercial will run on stations such as ESPN, E!, Bravo, TBS, VH1, and Comedy Central.

“Frank Sinatra made some of the most iconic records of our time; it is truly an honor to use his music again for this campaign,” said Combs. “The Rat Pack defined the art of celebrating in style. I cannot imagine a Spirit more suitable for commemorating life with family and friends than CIROC; a brand that has become synonymous with celebratory occasions.”

Shot in Las Vegas in late October, the ad also stars Chad Michael Murray of One Tree Hill, Michael K. Williams of Boardwalk Empire, Jesse Williams of Grey’s Anatomy, Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, Vegas headliner Matt Goss, super model Lisa Seiffert , and other notable stars. Beginning this week, fans are invited to view an extended version of the commercial, youtube.com/ciroc, and experience celebrating in style with Diddy’s modern day Rat Pack.

During the holiday season, a new 30 second version of the campaign will be released which focuses on one of the most important components of celebration – safety.  In addition, CIROC will partner with a handful of reality television’s favorite housewives, further igniting the brand’s social responsibility platform with the execution of the fourth annual CIROC Safe Rides Program. Pre-paid debit and metro cards will be distributed to consumers across the country on New Year’s Eve, ensuring consumers enjoy a safe ending to their holiday celebrations. 

Image Courtesy of  cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com

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