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By Michael Lopez

Never underestimate the abilities of Antonio Banderas. When he first burst on the Hollywood scene in the early 1990’s, he was easily dismissed as just another Latin hunk. Then he wowed audiences as a dramatic actor (Philadelphia), singer (Evita), and director (Crazy In Alabama)! And throughout it all, Antonio was harboring yet another talent; accomplished still photographer.

Image : Getty Images

Believe it or not, Banderas had been snapping up pix for decades. And now he’s about to publicly unveil a few at a high-profile museum in Madrid. Focusing on Spanish themes like Carmen, The Barber Of Seville, and Don Juan, Antonio intends to display over 23 of his unique photographs at the month-long exhibit.

After viewing a sample shot at TypicallySpanish.com, it’s clear that Banderas’ work will probably be best suited for those 18 and above. His stylish piece, entitled El Secreto, shows a sexy Latina baring all and being viewed through a keyhole.

When speaking about his photographic inspiration, Banderas said, “There are references to Andalusian culture, the bulls, a male and female stereotypes”

It all sounds very interesting, but unfortunately Madrid is quite a trek for most of us. We imagine if the exhibit is successful though, it’ll make its way back to America (Antonio did already show off some pix at the Cervantes Institute in New York). And who knows, maybe he’ll even throw in some original paintings too. Perhaps a cute little kitty cat in boots?

Source: [Daily Fresh News]

Are you a fan of still photography? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Antonio Banderas, Art, Cultura, Photography, Spain

By Michael Lopez

Our thoughts are with the people of Haiti right now, in more ways than one. Not only is the country still struggling to rebuild after that devastating earthquake, but they are now facing a deadly cholera epidemic that has led to over 1,000 deaths! And with cases now being spread to the Dominican Republic, both nations are on high alert.

Classified as a bacterium, cholera is an intestinal infection that is usually transmitted from unsanitary foods or contaminated drinking water. Common symptoms include vomiting and severe stomach pains, which (if untreated) can be fatal.

Image: Getty Images

Sadly, medical care is hard to come by in some of Haiti’s most impacted regions. Death tolls are continuing to rise and so is the frustration of many of its citizens. The lack of proper aid has led to riots and protests from survivors of lost family members.

Though groups like Doctors Without Borders and the U.N. have sent teams to help, complete containment of the virus is still a ways off. When speaking of the severity of the situation, a rep from Medecins Sans Frontieres said,

"If the number of cases continues to increase at the same rate, then we are going to have to adopt some drastic measures to be able to treat people,"

The Dominican Republic is also prepared for drastic action, as they got their first recorded cholera case on Tuesday (November 16) from a visiting Haitian tourist. Since then, the country has set up stop points on its borders, thoroughly cleaned its rivers, and chlorinated its water supply.

Another way the Dominican government is hoping to battle the outbreak is by urging tourists and locals to stay away from street-based food vendors. Reps from the Center for Disease Control agree with the decision, stating,

“Food vendors often work in urban environments with unhygienic practices – they have food sitting in warm temperatures for many hours which can permit rapid bacterial multiplication.”

Thankfully, global organizations like UNICEF are continuing to send medical response teams to the areas that need it most.

Do you have relatives in Haiti or the Dominican Republic? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Cholera, Cultura, Dominican Republic, Epidemic, Haiti, Health, UNICEF

By Simone Hilliard

We're sure you've heard of Miguel by now, but if not, you may want to start paying attention to R&B's newest crooner. His debut hit single “All I Want Is You” featuring another newbie, rapper J. Cole, is currently #9 on Billboard's R&B/ Hip Hop Songs List.

His debut album, also titled All I Want Is You (Jive Records), doesn’t drop till November 30, but the 24-year-old Mexican singer/songwriter has already made music history in his short career.

Miguel, born Miguel Pimentel in Los Angeles, recently shared the stage with Jay-Z and Eminem during the rap icons' Home & Home tour stops at New York's Yankee Stadium, marking the venue's first concerts since it opened last year.

On performing with the greats, Miguel said:

"It was so humbling and unbelievable. I got so overzealous up there; I just wanted to keep going. It was so addicting."

He’s also shared the stage with the likes of Mary J. Blige and Usher. With all that star power backing the new artist, we had to find out the inside scoop on R&B's newest singer.

How did you get your start?

Tags All I Want Is You, Billboard, Eminem, J. Cole, Jay Z, Latin Grammys, miguel, New York Yankees

By Michael Lopez

South American newspapers were in a flurry this week as allegations came out that the latest Miss Colombia cheated her way to the top! Of course there’s no actual proof to go along with the story, but it does make for some interesting beauty queen drama.

Similar to the Miss America pageant, contestants competing for Miss Colombia represent various regions throughout the country. This year’s winner, Catalina Robayo from the Valle district, is definitely attractive, but didn't necessarily woo the judges.

She did have one important fan though, Miss Colombia director Raimundo Angulo. Last year’s Valle rep, Diana Salgado, is claiming that he used his power to get her the crown. As she told the country’s El Heraldo newspaper,

“Again it was demonstrated that Miss Colombia was fixed. For the candidates - I talked to several of them - it was very clear that Raimundo had a preference for Catalina. The people do not forget all he has done so she would stay in the race. This paved the way and helped her advance to the others. It's absurd."

Of course, delve a little deeper into the controversy and you’ll see that Salgado has her own personal axe to grind. Back in 2009, she was dismissed from the competition after Miss Colombia reps (perhaps Angulo?) labeled her as “too fat.”

Diana fought back and was eventually reinstated, but not without some hard feelings. So could she be making it all up to get revenge on Raimundo? It’s hard to tell, but as of right now Catalina is definitely keeping the crown.

Who knew that the Colombian entertainment biz had all of this backstabbing, two-timing, chisme drama? No wonder they come up with the best novelas.

Source: [Colombia Reports]

Do you think any American beauty pageants are rigged? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Beauty Pageants, Catalina Robayo, Chisme, Colombia, Diana Salgado, Miss Colombia, Raimundo Angulo

By Michael Lopez Really? In a year jam-packed with People’s Choice, ESPYs, and Environmental Media Awards, you’d think there would still be room for the Latin-centric ALMA Awards, but unfortunately that isn't the case. According the National Council Of La Raza (NCLR), which produces the show, 2010’s event is officially off.

Launched in 1995, the American Latino Media Arts ceremony has promoted cultural achievements in sports, movies, television, and music. Team Blogamole has been a huge fan since the beginning, covering the red carpet fashions (and fiestas) every year. When speaking with Latina.com, NCLR spokesperson, Delia de la Vara, claimed that broadcasting issues were to blame for the sudden cancellation.

"Unfortunately, we’re not doing the [ALMA’s] this year. We’re working toward a 2011 fall broadcast of the show during Hispanic Heritage Month. That's the right time to showcase the stories about the contributions that Latinos are making in television, film, music and sports."

Another key factor to the ALMA’s success has been Eva Longoria Parker, who has served as their very high-profile host. And even though she’s going through her own personal drama right now, de la Vara is confident that she will be involved in next year’s event.

"Eva’s been part of our core team on the production for the ALMA's, so she will be a part of the awards as she has been for the past four years.”

So even though we’re extremely bummed out that there won’t be a 2010 ALMA Awards, we’re glad to know that the ceremony is not being abandoned entirely. And seeing how they want the next show to coincide with Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ll have it back on our TV screens in less than a year! Source: [Latina] Are you sad that there won’t be a 2010 ALMA Awards? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags ALMA Awards, Award Shows, Cultura, Eva Longoria, NCLR

By Michael Lopez

We’ve been hearing about Don Omar’s Meet the Orphans for over a year now and finally his red hot comp album has arrived! Featuring six up-and-coming reggaeton “guests,” it’s giving El Don fans a nice mix of classic stylings and fresh talent.

Even though there are plenty of featured Orphans, this is still very much an El Don record. He appears on 13 out of the 14 tracks, sharing duets with Puerto Rican protégés Kendo Kapponi, Syko, Plan B, and Zion & Lennox. He’s also brought in a French singer/songwriter named Lucenzo to add some international flava.

When speaking about the album, Omar said, “La diferencia de este disco a los demás que he hecho fue el entusiasmo que le puse, que es la clave del éxito. El tiempo me ha moldeado un carácter como un empresario y ser humano.”

Believe it or not, Meet The Orphans was originally scheduled to be released back in 2009 following Omar’s iDon album. Then it got pushed to August, then to October, and finally now. But we can’t blame El Don for being a perfectionist. Not only is he putting his own name on the line for this release, he’s also got six Orphans riding on it.

So far, this record has not disappointed. The first song released, “Danza Kudoro” hit #1 on the Latin Singles Chart. And the followup single, “Ángeles y Demonios," has got some heavy contributions from Kendo and Syko. We imagine if all goes well, you can expect some Orphan solo records in the very near future.

Source: [Enbreve]

Who’s your favorite of Don Omar’s Orphans? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Don Omar, Kendo Kapponi, Lucenzo, Música, Meet The Orphans, Plan B, Puerto Rico, Reggaeton, Syko, Zion & Lennoz

By Michael Lopez

Time to crank up the Harry Potter re-watch parties, because the epic journey is almost over. This weekend marks the release of the second-to-last film for the boy (err…young man) wizard and it is truly a sight to be seen! Of course, if you happened to have skipped any of the earlier movie chapters, it may leave you a bit confused.

Image: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1 finds Harry, Hermione, and Ron a little older and a little more emo than 2009’s Half-Blood Prince. Could Daniel Radcliffe be channeling a bit of Twilight into his performance? Either way, it actually works. The characters are much more mature now and it would be pointless to keep them all sweet and cutesy.

As it starts off, creepy Lord Voldemort is still on the loose and determined to strike down our lightning-headed hero down. But Harry’s got a plan; to find and destroy every last Horcrux (which are the keys to snakeface’s immortality). Gathering the scattered pieces proves to be quite the challenge, but they’re getting some familiar help along the way.

Classic HP fans will enjoy tons of cameos from past movies. There’s oversized ogre Hagrid, Dobby the house-elf, the colorful Weasley brothers, and our favorite Spanish spellcaster, Nymphadora Donks. Though their parts are brief, each one brings some very memorable moments to the screen.

And for all of you Slytherin fans, there are plenty of bad guy appearances too (including an incredibly real looking CGI snake!). But ultimately this movie belongs to the Hogwarts trio. A solid chunk of the two-and-a-half-hour epic revolves around the three teens hiding out alone and hunting for Horcruxes.

Fans of fast-paced magical action may find those scenes the slowest, but they do add character development and tighten the bonds between the group. There’s also the breathtaking visuals of the Deathly Hallows story. No spoilers here, but after watching that sequence you’ll understand why it got stuck into the title.

Overall, Hallows is a fantastic cinematic achievement. The direction, the performances, and the amazing effects (which are used somewhat sparingly) guarantee that you can enjoy multiple viewings. Just be sure you do your Harry homework before you see it because most everyday Muggles will have a tough time keeping up!

Are you planning to watch Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Harry Potter, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Movie Reviews, Movies, Movies & CineMás

By Simone Hilliard

People magazine named Ryan Reynolds 'Sexiest Man Alive yesterday' (November 17) in the 2010 edition of the mag's annual list. The humble star, whose next flick "Green Lantern" is slated for a June 2011 release, was, as always, funny and candid regarding his newfound title.

Reynolds told People:

"The most difficult part is going to be organically working this title into a conversation with random strangers."

Reynolds joins an elite group of Hollywood hotties who have been named Sexiest, including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Johnny Depp.

But earning the distinction of being 2010's sexiest man apparently doesn't have any clout on the home front with wife Scarlett Johansson.

"Now it's going to be, 'Sexiest man, take out the garbage.' That does sound better."

Of course, Ryan isn't the only one in the Reynolds/Johansson household being honored this week. Wife Scarlett was voted GQ's Babe of the Year to boot!

Hmmm...we wonder how they celebrated?!!!

Do you think Reynolds deserves the Sexiest Man title? Weigh in below, or @MTV3.

Tags Brad Pitt, George Clooney, johnny depp, MAtt Damon, Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johanssen, Sexiest Man Alive

By Michael Lopez

You know you had one heck of a fight if the press is still talking about it five days later. Yes the Saturday (November 13) boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito was phenomenal, but it’s the aftermath that’s keeping the sports blogs jumping.

Image : Getty Images

First, some details on the fight itself. Going the full twelve rounds, Manny pummeled the much larger Margarito, landing a total of 474 punches throughout the night (vs. Antonio’s 229). Over 4,000 screaming fans packed Cowboys Stadium, watching Pacquiao dominate round after round after round!

When it was all over, Manny spoke to the crowd, “I can’t believe that I beat someone this big and this strong. It’s hard. I really do my best to win the fight.”

And win he did, even sending Margarito to the hospital for facial surgery following the main event. Just this past Tuesday (November 16), Antonio underwent a complicated procedure in which doctors repaired his broken eye socket (ouch!) and stuck six stitches in his right cheek.

Throughout it all, Antonio maintained his Latino pride and even gave a nice little shout out to Manny,

“There was no way I was going to quit. I’m a Mexican; we fight until the end. [But] I would like to congratulate Manny Pacquiao for his win on Saturday night.”

Of course, the question on everyone’s mind is who will Manny fight next? Boxing fans everywhere are holding out hope for that dream bout with Floyd Mayweather, but it still looks like a longshot. That leaves 39-year-old "Sugar" Shane Mosley, who’s spoken very publicly about his desire to take on Pacquiao.

While Manny’s promoter says a Mosley fight is “a real possibility,” Pacquiao’s got plenty of other important things on his mind. Namely, his big 32nd birthday bash in the Philippines. There’s also that much-hyped appearance in the Fight Night Champion video game from EA Sports and a potential role in the next Sylvester Stallone movie.

As for Margarito, he’s back home in Tijuana, Mexico and under strict orders to take it easy for the next 60 days. And even though he probably won’t be winning any beauty contests in the near future, he’s now got an extra $3 million in his pocket to help soften the blows.

Source: [ESPN]

Who would like to see Manny fight next? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Antonio Margarito, boxing, Manny Pacquiao, Sports

By Sharmaine Jones

Everyone loves Derek Jeter, right? Well apparently the New York Yankees are exercising tough love when it comes to contract negotiations with the Golden Glove winning shortstop.

Image : Getty Images

Jeter – a free agent this year – is coming off a ten-year $189 million contract that paid him $21 million in the 2010 season.  The Yanks are now offering him a three-year contract in the $45 million range – you do the math – and the organization is standing firm on that number.

"Tell him the deal is three years at $15 million a year, take it or leave it," the person taking the hard-line approach said. "Wait him out and he'll wind up taking it. Where's he gonna go, Cincinnati?" Ouch!

But Yankees President Randy Levine sort of cleared it up by releasing a more amicable statement:

“All I can say is we think he’s a great Yankee, we think he’s been a great Yankee and we’ve been great for him and this is the best place for him,” Levine said. “But he’s a free agent and he’s allowed to test the market and do whatever he wants."

Aside from the pay-cut, the length of the contract is what concerns Jeter. He's more interested in a 4-6 year deal and lets face it, we're pretty sure there's a team that's willing to reach deep into their pockets to land the popular shortstop. Despite the fact that Jeter had his worst statistical year last season and, lets face it, he's no spring chicken, its hard to put a monetary value on the intangibles that the veteran brings to the table. Aside from his on-the-field IQ, Mr. Jeter sells tickets. He's a fan favorite and if the Yankees aren't careful in their game of hardball this could turn into a public relations nightmare. We're talking all-out-Jeter-mania in the streets of New York! Yes, that may have been a bit overboard but the Yanks are aware that keeping fans happy is very important so they've been tweeting to keep us abreast of the situation.

We're sure the contract talks will continue between both parties for a while and Bronx Bomber fans need to prepare themselves for the fact that they just may see their Golden boy in a new uniform next season.

Do you think that Derek Jeter will be a Yankee next season? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Baseball, Bronx Bombers, Derek Jeter, New York Yankees, Randy Levine