Dave Sirulnick spent nearly three decades at MTV, helping launch the signature “Week in Rock” news franchise and overseeing “Total Request Live” — as well as reality series including “Laguna Beach,” “Cribs” and “My Super Sweet 16.” He spearheaded MTV’s Video Music Awards, as well as its ground-breaking “Choose or Lose” presidential campaign coverage and news programming stemming from world events such as Hurricane Katrina, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2003 war in Iraq. Sirulnick rose to executive vice president for multiplatform production, news and music for MTV before departing in 2015 as part of a major Viacom reorg. With the news that Paramount Global has eliminated the last vestiges of MTV News (which had already been significantly downsized), Variety asked Sirulnick — now president of entertainment at RadicalMedia — to share his thoughts.
I walked into MTV’s offices at 1775 Broadway in May 1987, having been hired as a producer to create and develop...
I walked into MTV’s offices at 1775 Broadway in May 1987, having been hired as a producer to create and develop...
- 5/16/2023
- by Dave Sirulnick
- Variety Film + TV
In the ever-evolving youth-culture carnival that was MTV in the late Eighties and Nineties, MTV News anchor Kurt Loder was the one constant, as well as the network’s only indicator that being a grown-up might actually be cool. With MTV News officially ending its 36-year run last week, Loder — also a longtime Rolling Stone writer — looks back on covering Kurt Cobain’s death, interviewing Prince, Madonna, and Axl Rose, and much more.
(The full conversation, including Loder’s thoughts on his Rolling Stone work, along with interviews with John Norris and Tabitha Soren,...
(The full conversation, including Loder’s thoughts on his Rolling Stone work, along with interviews with John Norris and Tabitha Soren,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
Kurt Loder, the original MTV News anchor (and a longtime Rolling Stone writer) was both taken aback and pleased by the outpouring of affection he received online this week after MTV News officially ended its 36-year run. “I think a lot of those people are just remembering their own youth,” he says in the new episode of our weekly Rolling Stone Music Now podcast. “Saying, ‘Wow, that was a great time because, well, I was 15 years old.'”
Find the episode here at the podcast provider of your choice, go...
Find the episode here at the podcast provider of your choice, go...
- 5/15/2023
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
'Sometimes you can't communicate in words, but in a song, you can,' late Queen of Disco told MTV News in a rare interview.
By John Mitchell, with additional reporting by John Norris
Donna Summer
Photo: MTV News
Donna Summer's death Thursday (May 17) at age 63 after a long battle with cancer saddened music lovers around the world. Fans are mourning the loss of one of the greats, a real pioneer, whose innovative use of synthesized backing tracks blazed the path for the dance music we are all so familiar with today.
Hers are some of the most memorable disco songs ever recorded, and her impact on music is almost too large to quantify with words, but for Summer herself, it was all about the voice.
"Music is part of my life. For my judgment, music is the greatest of all the gifts," Summer told MTV News' John Norris in a rare 1989 interview.
By John Mitchell, with additional reporting by John Norris
Donna Summer
Photo: MTV News
Donna Summer's death Thursday (May 17) at age 63 after a long battle with cancer saddened music lovers around the world. Fans are mourning the loss of one of the greats, a real pioneer, whose innovative use of synthesized backing tracks blazed the path for the dance music we are all so familiar with today.
Hers are some of the most memorable disco songs ever recorded, and her impact on music is almost too large to quantify with words, but for Summer herself, it was all about the voice.
"Music is part of my life. For my judgment, music is the greatest of all the gifts," Summer told MTV News' John Norris in a rare 1989 interview.
- 5/17/2012
- MTV Music News
Late singer's top MTV Moments, from the Vma stage to an all-access interview.
By Christina Garibaldi
Whitney Houston in MTV News' "All Access: Whitney Houston" special
Photo: MTV
Whitney Houston was one of the most iconic stars of all time. She commanded the stage, captivated audiences on the big screen and was celebrated around the world. Now, as her fans continue to mourn her shocking death Saturday and details continue to emerge, MTV News is celebrating the life and legacy of a true icon as we look back at Houston's top five MTV moments.
See defining style moments in Whitney Houston's music videos throughout the years.
1986: Whitney Houston Makes Video Music Awards Debut: She was just 23 years old when she performed and won at the third-ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1986. Houston took home her first-ever Moonman, winning the award for Best Female Video for her hit...
By Christina Garibaldi
Whitney Houston in MTV News' "All Access: Whitney Houston" special
Photo: MTV
Whitney Houston was one of the most iconic stars of all time. She commanded the stage, captivated audiences on the big screen and was celebrated around the world. Now, as her fans continue to mourn her shocking death Saturday and details continue to emerge, MTV News is celebrating the life and legacy of a true icon as we look back at Houston's top five MTV moments.
See defining style moments in Whitney Houston's music videos throughout the years.
1986: Whitney Houston Makes Video Music Awards Debut: She was just 23 years old when she performed and won at the third-ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1986. Houston took home her first-ever Moonman, winning the award for Best Female Video for her hit...
- 2/12/2012
- MTV Music News
Singer worries to John Norris about letting down her millions of fans.
By James Dinh
Whitney Houston during interview with John Norris in 1999
Photo: MTV News
Whitney Houston's road to superstardom wasn't without sacrifices, and that was something the late icon realized during her career.
In the midst of the shocking news that the megastar had died Saturday afternoon (February 11), MTV News is taking a look back at a 1999 interview, in which the singer/actress opens up about career lessons like learning how to say no.
"I got that singer thing, where your cords get so swollen and they want to take a break," an energetic Houston tells MTV News' John Norris about her condition after canceling shows due to sickness.
Donning sunglasses and a short brown bob, Houston calls herself "soft" when reminiscing about memories like her Greatest Love World Tour (her first headlining world tour) because...
By James Dinh
Whitney Houston during interview with John Norris in 1999
Photo: MTV News
Whitney Houston's road to superstardom wasn't without sacrifices, and that was something the late icon realized during her career.
In the midst of the shocking news that the megastar had died Saturday afternoon (February 11), MTV News is taking a look back at a 1999 interview, in which the singer/actress opens up about career lessons like learning how to say no.
"I got that singer thing, where your cords get so swollen and they want to take a break," an energetic Houston tells MTV News' John Norris about her condition after canceling shows due to sickness.
Donning sunglasses and a short brown bob, Houston calls herself "soft" when reminiscing about memories like her Greatest Love World Tour (her first headlining world tour) because...
- 2/12/2012
- MTV Music News
By Sterling Wong
America and Britain have historically enjoyed a special relationship that was forged by Churchill and Roosevelt during World War II, and this even extends to the realm of music. George Bernard Shaw once famously remarked, “England and America are two countries separated by a common language,” and the language he was referring to could actually be music.
For decades, British acts have found massive success here, including the Beatles, the Spice Girls and Coldplay. In the spring, I wrote about the success of Adele and Mumford and Sons here kicking off a new British invasion. But this special relationship works both ways. Hop across the Atlantic and you’ll notice that there are American artists who’ve managed to find great success that eclipses their achievements here at home. It’s as if the British public was somehow more receptive to their music or has adopted them...
America and Britain have historically enjoyed a special relationship that was forged by Churchill and Roosevelt during World War II, and this even extends to the realm of music. George Bernard Shaw once famously remarked, “England and America are two countries separated by a common language,” and the language he was referring to could actually be music.
For decades, British acts have found massive success here, including the Beatles, the Spice Girls and Coldplay. In the spring, I wrote about the success of Adele and Mumford and Sons here kicking off a new British invasion. But this special relationship works both ways. Hop across the Atlantic and you’ll notice that there are American artists who’ve managed to find great success that eclipses their achievements here at home. It’s as if the British public was somehow more receptive to their music or has adopted them...
- 8/23/2011
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
I don't think I'm wrong in thinking that MTV was once geared more toward adults, even after they'd moved away from music videos. The first few seasons of "The Real World," particularly the first one, for instance, dealt with more mature individuals. Crazy? Yes. But not in a take-my-clothes-off-and-fuck-a-bedpost kind of way. "Beavis and Butthead" contained adult humor. As did "Daria" and "Aeon Flux." MTV News was a smarter, more dominant force: Kurt Loder Tabitha Soren, and John Norris put music news into the context of larger cultural issues.
If we had to find a culprit for the tweenification of MTV, it'd probably be Carson Daly and "Trl," in addition to Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and the second iteration of boy bands (MTV, I thought, weathered the New Kids on the Block years with some success). That's when it turned, right? Or is that just when I grew out of it?...
If we had to find a culprit for the tweenification of MTV, it'd probably be Carson Daly and "Trl," in addition to Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and the second iteration of boy bands (MTV, I thought, weathered the New Kids on the Block years with some success). That's when it turned, right? Or is that just when I grew out of it?...
- 6/6/2011
- by Dustin Rowles
Los Angeles — Adam Lambert has learned the dangers of Tui: Tweeting under the influence.
At the Grammy Social Media Rock Stars Summit, the pop singer admitted that "drunk tweeting is not good," and that when he has looked over some of his tweets from the past, he could see how they were offensive.
"You have to be careful," Lambert said, who has over 860,000 Twitter followers. "Newspapers will quote your tweets."
The former "American Idol" runner-up also said that while he loves when fans take pictures and record video footage at his concerts, he feels like they're cheating themselves.
"It's (also) adding pressure on the performer ... since the stuff is up and everywhere," he said.
Lambert, 29, was joined by rapper Chamillionaire at the pre-Grammy event. Chamillionaire won a Grammy in 2007 for his No. 1 song, "Ridin'." Lambert is nominated this year for best male pop vocal performance for "Whataya Want from Me.
At the Grammy Social Media Rock Stars Summit, the pop singer admitted that "drunk tweeting is not good," and that when he has looked over some of his tweets from the past, he could see how they were offensive.
"You have to be careful," Lambert said, who has over 860,000 Twitter followers. "Newspapers will quote your tweets."
The former "American Idol" runner-up also said that while he loves when fans take pictures and record video footage at his concerts, he feels like they're cheating themselves.
"It's (also) adding pressure on the performer ... since the stuff is up and everywhere," he said.
Lambert, 29, was joined by rapper Chamillionaire at the pre-Grammy event. Chamillionaire won a Grammy in 2007 for his No. 1 song, "Ridin'." Lambert is nominated this year for best male pop vocal performance for "Whataya Want from Me.
- 2/12/2011
- by AP
- Huffington Post
In July 2001, four of the five members of the Backstreet Boys appeared on "Trl" to make the announcement that their fifth member, A.J. McLean, would soon be entering a rehab facility. It was a pivotal moment in the band's history and it was a shocking moment for fans of the chart-topping pop group. While A.J., who just confirmed he has entered rehab for a third time, had always been the group's resident bad boy, the news came as quite a surprise.
In a 2008 interview with MTV News' John Norris, A.J. reflected on the band's decision to make such a public announcement of a rather private decision.
"I was definitely happy with that decision. We had talked about how we were going to approach the situation and I kind of left it up to the other four guys because I was in such a turmoil in my head.
In a 2008 interview with MTV News' John Norris, A.J. reflected on the band's decision to make such a public announcement of a rather private decision.
"I was definitely happy with that decision. We had talked about how we were going to approach the situation and I kind of left it up to the other four guys because I was in such a turmoil in my head.
- 1/13/2011
- by Jocelyn Vena
- MTV Newsroom
From his start as a baby-faced, 14-year-old Hot Boy to his reign as one of the Hottest MCs in the Game, we track Weezy's career.
By Hillary Crosley
Lil Wayne at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Lil Wayne celebrates his release from prison, MTV News decided to take look at Weezy's career, and as we sorted through vintage footage of the young Mc, we realized that MTV and Wayne go way back.
MTV News caught up with Cash Money in 1999, at the very beginning, and correspondent Chris Connelly was so surprised that Wayne was the youngest member of the crew that he had to confirm that he was indeed 14 years old.
"Yeah, but that's on the hush," Lil Wayne responded.
"I used to always be in the neighborhood and they had a former artist named Lil Slim," said Wayne explaining how he came to...
By Hillary Crosley
Lil Wayne at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Lil Wayne celebrates his release from prison, MTV News decided to take look at Weezy's career, and as we sorted through vintage footage of the young Mc, we realized that MTV and Wayne go way back.
MTV News caught up with Cash Money in 1999, at the very beginning, and correspondent Chris Connelly was so surprised that Wayne was the youngest member of the crew that he had to confirm that he was indeed 14 years old.
"Yeah, but that's on the hush," Lil Wayne responded.
"I used to always be in the neighborhood and they had a former artist named Lil Slim," said Wayne explaining how he came to...
- 11/5/2010
- MTV Music News
Remember John Norris, formerly of MTV News? When I was a wee lad, MTV played (oftentimes good) music and had their own half-hour news program co-anchored by Tabitha Soren and Kurt Loder (who now also has his own web thing going on). Norris was one of the later alternate faces of MTV News - along with Chris Connelly and Serena Altschul - and had done some work with other pop-culture television programs. If you were a teen in the mid-90s this is probably old hat, otherwise consider these tidbits your valuable pop-culture history lesson of the day. I’ve occasionally wondered what these folks have been up to now that it’s not the 90s, as it turns out, John Norris is still plugging away interviewing bands, only now it’s for a site called Noisevox. Billed as an “open music magazine”, Noisemakers on Noisevox features live footage and...
- 8/12/2009
- by Alex Crowley
- Tilzy.tv
Fans and reporters are already flocking to Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos, California, the place Michael Jackson called home. The throngs are preparing for Friday’s public viewing before the private family funeral on Sunday.
The sprawling grounds of Neverland are behind a massive gate and housed amusement park rides, tennis courts, several guest homes and a zoo (which MTV News’ John Norris never got to see during his visit in 1993). Even though Jackson hasn’t lived there in years, the site has become a makeshift shrine to the singer’s memory.
(Click here for more photos of Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch!)...
The sprawling grounds of Neverland are behind a massive gate and housed amusement park rides, tennis courts, several guest homes and a zoo (which MTV News’ John Norris never got to see during his visit in 1993). Even though Jackson hasn’t lived there in years, the site has become a makeshift shrine to the singer’s memory.
(Click here for more photos of Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch!)...
- 7/1/2009
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
Back in 1993, MTV hosted a contest called My Weekend at Michael’s Neverland Valley Contest. As a part of the contest, MTV News’ John Norris was sent out to Neverland to cover the revealing of the grand-prize winner. Here is his account of what it was like on the grounds of Neverland and working with Michael Jackson.
“MTV had a contest where they asked fans to submit completed videos for the song ‘Who Is It.’ I don’t remember whether MTV put the fan-made video into rotation — I have a feeling they didn’t. The three finalists got to come spend a weekend at Neverland, and Michael would pick the winner there. At the tail end of that weekend, we came in. I was VJing at the time, so I was there more as a VJ, but we also had a news crew and a promo crew. The deal was...
“MTV had a contest where they asked fans to submit completed videos for the song ‘Who Is It.’ I don’t remember whether MTV put the fan-made video into rotation — I have a feeling they didn’t. The three finalists got to come spend a weekend at Neverland, and Michael would pick the winner there. At the tail end of that weekend, we came in. I was VJing at the time, so I was there more as a VJ, but we also had a news crew and a promo crew. The deal was...
- 6/26/2009
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
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