Just weeks after their season was canceled and seven New Jersey high schoolers were detained over allegations that they assaulted fellow football team members during hazing rituals, a school in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, has called off its football season over similarly shocking allegations.

The Central Bucks High School West varsity and junior varsity football seasons were canceled on Thursday — one day before the homecoming game — after police alleged that team members in one of the state’s premier football programs engaged in hazing that was sexual in nature and included a type of waterboarding.

According to NBC 10 in Philadelphia, Central Bucks Regional Police said the hazing ranged from a young player being held down while his hair was shaved off, to a form of waterboarding in which seniors would place towels over young player’s heads and send them into the showers.

There was also reportedly an initiation ritual in which fully clothed rookies were required to grab another player’s genitals in front of most of the team’s other members.

Superintendent David Weitzel said the activities did not result in physical harm “but were not harmless.” All the junior varsity and varsity coaches were also immediately suspended following an investigation, in which police said there doesn’t appear to have been any criminal activity. Weitzel apologized to any of the players were were subjected to the “demeaning actions of fellow players” and noted that hazing is strictly forbidden in the district code of conduct.

Oct 24, 2014 | No Comments on Pennsylvania High School’s Football Season Canceled Over… Waterboarding?

For megafans of Jem and the Holograms who met the news of a movie adaptation with a raised eyebrow and muttered threats that they’d better not screw this up, here’s a hint from producer Scooter Braun that we can perhaps all unclench a little. For he has seen the movie, and it is good.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, who caught up with Braun at a fundraiser this week, the producer has already seen a screening of Jem’s big-screen story — and while there will be a few changes before the film is final, it’s already basically awesome.

“It has so much heart; it’s such a good story; the music’s so good,” Braun said. “I thought the actresses just did a really good job, and when the movie ends you’re just like all right, all right, we got something here.”

Not only that, but Braun also didn’t hesitate to share his enthusiasm for the “Jem” soundtrack, saying, “I literally went back to Universal, who we have the soundtrack with, and I said, ‘You guys, we have a serious sleeper with this movie coming.’”

Or in other words: Jem! The music’s contagious!

Of course, there are some critical answers still missing from Braun’s report — i.e. he should just admit that Juliette Lewis is the leader of the Misfits already, because c’mon, she has to be — but with months to go before audiences have a chance to see “Jem and the Holograms,” this is all very encouraging, and ...

“Whoa.”

That’s the reaction from the majority of critics who’ve seen “John Wick,” the new action movie hitting theaters this weekend starring “The Matrix” main man Keanu Reeves. On the surface, it looks like another mindless action movie; but “John Wick,” helmed by first-time director and longtime stunt man Chad Stahelski, stands at 90% on RottenTomatoes.com as of this writing, an incredibly impressive score.

So, why are critics so taken with “John Wick,” anyway? Read on for our round-up of reviews and find out:

The Story
“‘John Wick’ begins with a cool montage that almost apes the ‘sad Keanu’ meme. Our leading man, John Wick (who is almost always referred to by his full name – and why not, when it’s that cool?) is mourning the loss of his spouse in a modern suburban home that looks primed for a photo shoot in Dwell magazine. Before succumbing to disease, his wife organized the delivery of a puppy (cinema’s most adorable pet since almighty Uggie) to give him something to love as he tries to heal. When John Wick later runs afoul of some Russian gangsters who want to take his car, he tells them to buzz off in their native tongue. The thugs (led by ‘Game of Thrones’ Alfie Allen) invade his home late at night, give him a beat down, steal his wheels and kill the pooch. One phone call later John Wick lets everyone know that the demon is out of the bottle.” — Jordan Hoffman,

Wow. Lorde looks really good as Katniss. A fan drew Ella as our favorite “Hunger Games” pure heroine, and she looks real comfortable with a bag of arrows on her back. Almost too comfortable. I’d watch out.

We’ve imagined Lorde as Katniss before. After all, the New Zealand singer had to get into her head to write the song “Yellow Flicker Beat,” one of her contributions to the “Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″ soundtrack, which she curated. Other songs on the compilation include offerings by Kanye West, Haim, Pusha T And Charli XCX. We’ll also hear another Lorde track called “Ladder Song.”

So, don’t worry: Jennifer Lawrence still has her Katniss gig, but if she ever needs an understudy, we know where to look.

Emilee Lindner

Member of MTV News' Cat Braintrust, has an unhealthy obsession with pork dumplings and tweeting Austin Mahone's mom. Follow @emileelindner

2. Or, just buy the team, then brag about it to Jay Z

3. Create and host an actual awards show called the Hood Grammys — because “we need this”

4. Follow through with that battle rap that you challenged Murda Mook to

5. Become the mayor of Toronto. Elections are close, on October 27, but how tough can it be to win, if Rob Ford can do it?

6. Create an official compilation album of Drake GIFs — because you were made to be GIFed

7. Give Halle Berry a baby — because no one can stop you

8. Sign a female artist to OVO Sound because you’re the “king of the ladies”

9. Just propose to Rihanna and get it over with — doesn’t matter if she says no

10. Record the diss track to end all diss tracks and ether everyone who’s ever trash talked you

11. Give us a mixtape that includes “Side Pieces” “Honorable Mention” and other future hood classics before your 4th album drops

12. Release a love song with Young Thug

13. Figure out a way to actually profit from the sale of “Drake Tears”

14. Go Platinum in less than a week when Views From The 6ix drops

15. Then release the full album of R&B slow jams that you know you want to (with Birdman ad-libs)

16. Go bar-for-bar with Kanye West on a song

17. Start a chain of strip clubs where dancers can only shake it to OVO songs

18. Re-release a video for “Best I Ever Had” so ...

With additional reporting by Janelle Myers

The World Feels Less Lonely
Drum roll, please. Sam Smith‘s new single will be “Like I Can.”

Daddy’s Little Girl
Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda took to Instagram to show a tattoo in remembrance of her father. It’s a picture of a hummingbird on her hand with his birthday inscribed on her wrist.

Getty Images

Breaking Silence
“Breaking Bad” actor Aaron Paul is upset that the show’s action figures were banned from Toys “R” Us as a result of a popular petition against selling them in the store. He tweeted: “Wait, so @ToysRUs pulled all of the Breaking Bad figures from their shelves and still sells Barbie? Hmmmm…I wonder what is more damaging?”

Throwing My Blanket Over My Head
Watch the goosebump-provoking trailer for “Insidious: Chapter 3,” which hits theaters next year.

VOTE
MTV Homecoming is in its final round and you have until noon ET to decide! Who will reign as queen: Miley or Demi? And who will be crowned as king: Dylan O’Brien or Tyler Oakley? Vote multiple times and tell us who your choice is on Twitter, Instagram, Vine and Tumblr using the hashtag #MTVHomecoming.

Must-See Video Of The Day
Ghost stories are too mainstream now. Sit around the campfire this Halloween and tell some spoooky Bill Murray stories.

Abby Devora

When she's not behind her desk at MTV News, you'll probably find her kicking and punching an imaginary ...

Oct 24, 2014 | No Comments on Need To Know: Sam Smith Announces His Next Single

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We’re just one weekend away from Taylor Swift‘s world domination official album release on October 27, and the more we get to hear of 1989, the more it becomes clear that this is indeed the huge leap into pop that she promises us.

But Thursday night on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” we got the chance to see Taylor perform some of these brand-new tracks live. Aside from her VMA performance of “Shake It Off,” we haven’t gotten the chance to watch Taylor sing her new songs live—and boy was it worth the wait. Not content to perform within the constraining bounds of four walls, Tay Tay instead opted to shut down the entirety of Hollywood Boulevard, performing “Out of the Woods” for the first time.

In a shimmery, black bra top and black cigarette pants, Swift sang her songs at a standing mic, leaving any fancy choreography behind and substituting it with bad-ass attitude. Watch the clips below, and tell us what you think of her performance!

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

@harmonicait

I guess Nicki Minaj is my boss now. I’m cool with it. In this promo for the 2014 EMA, which she’s hosting on November 9, Nicki takes over the world and changes MTV to NTV — Nicki Television.

The clip takes you forward to one day after the EMA, after Ms. Minaj has dominated not only MTV, but the world. That happens when you pull double duty. Yes, the rapper is hosting and performing at the show in Glasgow.

And in Nicki’s world, popsicles are shaped like her head, she has her own talk show (cleverly titled “Nicki at Night”) and money has her face on it. Get prepared, people. This is our future.

Emilee Lindner

Member of MTV News' Cat Braintrust, has an unhealthy obsession with pork dumplings and tweeting Austin Mahone's mom. Follow @emileelindner

CNN is looking into the marijuana business.

No, seriously.

Variety reports that the 24-hour cable news channel announced Thursday (October 22) that it will add a new original series called “High Profits” to its 2015 lineup.

The eight-part series will follow Brian Rogers and Caitlin McGuire, owners of the Breckenridge Cannabis Club, as they franchise their retail marijuana stores in the wake of Colorado’s move to legalize the use and sale of recreational marijuana.

Rogers and McGuire’s venture, the largest grow facility in the state, will have to navigate customer demands, taxes, safety, legal and political hurdles, employee issues and product testing.

Well, that last one isn’t exactly what their customers would call a nuisance.

“High Profits,” which is produced by Bat Bridge Entertainment, will add to the network’s already growing line of original programming including “Somebody’s Gotta Do It With Mike Rowe,” “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown” and “This Is Life With Lisa Ling.”

Maurice Bobb @ReeseReport

Fifth Harmony have been on their Michelle Obama ish for a minute, and their latest announcement just confirms their boss status. Via a livestream earlier tonight (October 23), they confirmed that the next single off their debut studio album, Reflection, is called “Sledgehammer”!

“If you take my pulse right now, it would feel just like a sledgehammer,” the divas shout throughout the chorus. “If you could feel my heart beat now it would hit you like a sledgehammer.”

“Sledgehammer” takes on a fun pop vibe, vastly different from the girls’ hip-hop banger “Bo$$” and last year’s “Miss Movin’ On.” It’s about the kind of love that just can’t be contained and forces you to let go. Though the girls confirmed this will be their next single, an iTunes release date for the track has not been announced.

5H are big contenders at this year’s MTV EMAs, and they won their first VMA earlier this year in the Artist To Watch category. They recently won the vote for Best U.S. Act and are up against Justin Bieber for the Worldwide Act category. Harmonizers can vote now to help push the group to the top.

Fans can also catch the act performing alongside the likes of Nick Jonas and Jake Miller during the EMA kickoff special, happening live from Miami’s Klipsch Amphitheater at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT on November 9.

Oct 24, 2014 | No Comments on Fifth Harmony Hit Us Like A ‘Sledgehammer’ With New Single Announcement

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