November 27, 2024

About the author  ⁄ MTV News

Bill O’Reilly Blew It: Turns Out Abe Lincoln <i>Would</i> Have Done ‘Between Two Ferns’

You'll probably recall, earlier this week, that Fox News' pundit Bill O'Reilly took umbrage at President Barack Obama's appearance on for a variety of reasons, most notably the fact that "Abe Lincoln would not have done it."

That, uh, rationale made rather excellent fodder for the folks at "The Colbert Report," who lampooned O'Reilly's outrage and pointed out that "Abe Lincoln would never have done a viral web video ... the most that president ever did was sit for a daguerreotype meme."

And while we can all sit here and laugh, it bears mention that we here at MTV News have done some actual reporting on the matter ... and what we've uncovered may shock you: turns out, Bill O'Reilly is spreading false information in an attempt to make Barack Obama look bad (gasp!). Because Abraham Lincoln has definitely appeared on "Between Two Ferns." And we've got the proof.

Working with a team of historians, forensic technicians and film preservation experts, we've found three carefully preserved frames taken from Lincoln's December 1863 appearance on "Between Two Ferns with Zacharias Galifianakis," originally broadcast on the Humorous Or Perish zoetrope.

The president showed up that day to rally support amongst young Americans for the 13th Amendment, and though the move was derided by his critics — some of whom argued that "John Quincy Adams would not have done it" — it ultimately proved successful, as the Amendment was adopted two years later. Zacharias, unaware that he was taking part in history, spent most of the time talking about vampires.

Don't believe us? ...

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Female Hip-Hop Icons Get Real On Sexism And Success On ‘RapFix Live’

Ladies first. That was the theme of Wednesday's (March 12) episode of RapFix Live, which featured first-time guest anchor Nadeska Alexis and two of the most powerful women in entertainment: Hot 97's Angie Martinez and hip-hop mogul Mona Scott-Young.

March is Women's History Month, so it was only fitting for the show to celebrate women in hip-hop with a focus on female contributions to the male-dominated genre.

First up was Martinez. The 20-year veteran of radio shared the secrets to her success on New York's storied Hot 97 radio station and the huge interview that cemented her legacy as a broadcast icon.

"I always talk about the Tupac interview, which was my first one," Martinez said. "I was super young. I always talk about that as being one where I felt like I had arrived. I lived and breathed the radio station and hip-hop. I love what I do and that's what's worked for me, that I actually love what I do. I actually try to figure out new ways to do what I do and be inspired and I really love the music, I love the artists, I love what I do."

Back in the early aughts, Martinez tried her hand as an emcee, which resulted in a Grammy nomination for her guest bars on Lil' Kim's "Not Tonight" remix and a unique perspective as a radio interviewer.

"It was something new and exciting and I wanted to try it," she said of her days as an MC. "It gave me a better perspective to understand the work ethic that ...

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Jay Z And Kanye West Dust Off The Throne At SXSW

The Throne is a state of mind. And on Wednesday night at an eagerly anticipated showcase at the Austin Music Hall to help kick off the music portion of SXSW, Jay Z and Kanye West got back in the zone after taking some time away from their hit collabo... ...

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Why Jesse Plemons Is The <i>Only</i> Choice For ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’

Rumors and possible casting choices for "Star Wars: Episode VII" have started to leak out, with no piece more important than who will be taking the lead in the new movie. And while we were able to report that five actors are possibilities for the lead good-guy Jedi, only one choice is the right choice: Jesse Plemons. Here's why:

Home On The Range
Plemons has shown an insane amount of range in his performances, from awkward nice guy Landry on "Friday Night Lights," to dead-eyed embodiment of evil Todd on "Breaking Bad." Any "Star Wars" movie will throw its Jedi hero into the eternal pull between the Dark and Light sides of the Force; Plemons has proven he can play both brilliantly.

Surprise Romantic Lead
You wouldn't picture Plemons as the romantic lead type, but on "Friday Night Lights" his considerable charm snagged the hottest girl in school... Twice, as his character dated both Adrianne Palicki and Jurnee Smollett. And then more recently, he successfully smooched Mae Whitman on a "Parenthood"/"Friday Night Lights" crossover.

Though romance isn't totally necessary to the lead Jedi part in a "Star Wars" movie, even Luke got some action in his day? Even if it was with his sister.

He's Relatable
At the same time, Plemons has an instantly relatable every-man quality. He's not a hulking action hero, he's a regular guy audiences can instantly identify with. If J.J. Abrams is looking to capture some of that Luke Skywalker quality from the first movie, Plemons is your man.

...But Is He Related?
Speaking of which, is he related to Mark ...

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Need To Know: Who Has Lindsay Lohan Hooked Up With?

Lindsay Lohan is having a rough week. First, her OWN documentary debuted to poor numbers, and now? The star is getting her lover's laundry aired in a very public manner. With a rekindled bromance and a deadly car crash, both at SXSW in Austin, these ... ...

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Marvel Taps ‘Heroes’ Star To Hulk Out On ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's small-screen sibling, "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," has just tapped into the mythos in a giant way — a Jade Giant way, in fact.

Marvel.com reports that actor Adrian Pasdar, best known for playing high-flying politician and superhero Nathan Petrelli on all four seasons of "Heroes," has been tapped to join the cast of "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." in an upcoming episode. Though details of his involvement remain sketchy, Pasdar's character is known: He'll play Glenn Talbot, the mustached jarhead famous in Marvel Comics lore for his vendetta against the Hulk, played in Marvel's "Avengers" movies by Mark Ruffalo.

Pasdar is obviously familiar with the superhero game, thanks to "Heroes," but he has Marvel experience as well; he's voiced Iron Man himself, Tony Stark, in numerous Marvel animated projects over the years.

Now, the tables have turned, and Pasdar is sinking his teeth into a considerably less heroic role — something he's used to thanks to his previous collaborations with Jeph Loeb, the head of Marvel's TV operations, and the man who used to run "Heroes."

"I read the character description and I thought, 'Oh man. Here it is again. The sanctimonious [jerk]. That's what they're coming to me for,'" said Pasdar of his casting. "I said, 'Jeph, are you trying to tell me something?' He said, 'No, not at all! Nobody can play this quite like you, but no.'"

Although it's unclear how Pasdar's Talbott will play into the story of "S.H.I.E.L.D.," his presence leaves one wondering whether or not the Hulk himself might make an appearance on the TV series ...

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