MTV Showbiz Cheat Sheet

MTV
MTV logo | Steve Finn/Getty Images
MTV
MTV is an American cable channel whose initials stand for "Music Television." When it debuted in 1981, the network aired music videos 24 hours a day. It helped launch the careers of superstars such as Michael Jackson and Madonna. But over the years, the boundary-pushing brand has become a source for not only music but also reality TV shows, celebrity news, and pop culture. Among MTV's most iconic programs are the animated series Beavis and Butt-Head; the Johnny Knoxville-led Jackass; Jersey Shore, featuring the gym-tan-laundry crew of Snooki, Jwoww, DJ Pauly D, and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino; and the reality-TV pioneering The Real World. Current hits include Catfish: The TV Show, Jersey Shore Family Vacation, My Life on MTV, the long-running MTV Cribs, and Ridiculousness, hosted by the former pro skateboarder Rob Dyrdek. The channel has also hosted the yearly awards show the MTV VMAs since 1984 and the MTV Movie Awards since 1992.
- Founders: Robert Pittman, Les Garland, Tom Freston, John Sykes
- Launched: 1981
- Owner: ViacomCBS
- How to watch: Paid basic cable subscription or live-TV streaming services such as Hulu + Live TV, fuboTV, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Sling
- Top current programs: Catfish: The TV Show, The Challenge, Floribama Shore, Jersey Shore Family Vacation, My Life on MTV, MTV Cribs, Ridiculousness
- Most popular shows of all time: Aeon Flux, Beavis and Butt-Head, Celebrity Deathmatch, The Hills, Jackass, Jersey Shore, Laguna Beach, Loveline, MTV Cribs, MTV Unplugged, My Super Sweet 16, The Osbournes, Pimp My Ride, Punk'd, The Real World, Teen Mom, Teen Wolf, Total Request Live (TRL), Wildin' Out
- Famous for: Bold logo, MTV Moon Person, "MTV Theme Song (Man on the Moon)," pushing cultural boundaries
Visit the MTV website.
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Liam Payne: The Last Song He Performed Live

The tune was a smash hit for another teen idol, who was involved in a reported rivalry with One Direction.

by Lucille Barilla

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2 min read

Celebrity

Liam Payne’s Fight for Life: The Health Crisis That Shaped His Childhood

The former One Direction singer and songwriter opened up about a dark period in his childhood, where he faced many medical crises.

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Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan of One Direction sing into microphones.

Celebrity

Liam Payne Faced Rejection Before He Was Named One Direction’s ‘Leader’

The late singer received advice from a legendary powerhouse, who delayed Liam Payne's dream of superstardom before One Direction began.

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’90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’: Corona Calls Ingi a ‘Piece of Sh*t’ As Rumors Fly They Applied for the Show as a Joke

in a post on Instagram, Corona said she was 'so happy' she was no longer with her Icelandic boyfriend Ingi.

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'The Golden Bachelorette' star Joan Vassos walking along the beach next to the water in a white flowing dress.

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‘The Golden Bachelorette’: Inside Joan Vassos’ $1 Million 4-Floor Maryland Townhouse

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Thanks, I Hate It

‘The Golden Bachelorette’: Inside Chock Chapple’s Nearly $2 Million Real Estate Portfolio

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Celine Dion Said 1 of Her Music Videos Is a ‘7 Minute Movie’

Celine Dion made one of the most over-the-top music videos of the 1990s. The "Because You Love Me" singer explained what was going on in the supernatural clip.

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Published on August 3, 2024

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"...Baby One More Time" singer Britney Spears smiling

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What Britney Spears Found Hilarious About ‘…Baby One More Time’

“...Baby One More Time” was Britney Spears’ first No. 1 single. Here’s what made it different from all her other chart-toppers.

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"Bad Romance" singer Lady Gaga wearing a red mask

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Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ Music Video, Explained!

Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" inspired one of the best and trippiest music videos of all time. The director of the clip explained it's about people who are "kind of vampires."

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‘Outer Banks’ Stars Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes Didn’t Mean for This to Happen at the MTV Movie & TV Awards

'Outer Banks' stars Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes didn't mean for this to happen at the MTV Movie & TV Awards.

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‘The Challenge’ Star Johnny Bananas Was Once Unexpectedly Yelled at by a Famous Talk Show Host Riding His Bike: ‘You Hungover Dirtbags’

Johnny Bananas is the GOAT of MTV's 'The Challenge,' but that didn't keep him from getting yelled at by a famous talk show host. This looks at Bananas’ career on ‘The Challenge’ and which famous talk show host yelled at him. It also looks at his future on the popular MTV show.

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‘The Challenge’ Season 37: Several ‘Survivor’ Players Allegedly Cut From Casting

Fans of MTV's 'The Challenge' are more excited than ever to hear about any news regarding season 37. Now, it looks like rumored cast listings are hitting the internet. While several 'Survivor' players allegedly sequestered to be on the show, it seems some were cut.

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‘The Challenge: All Stars’: Rumors Say Cast Only Agreed to Film for 2 Weeks Total

'The Challenge: All Stars' has an ultra-short season compared to past seasons of the show. And it seems this could be because the cast only agreed to film for two weeks. Here's what the rumors suggest.

by Lauren Weiler

Are ‘The Challenge’ Superstars CT Tamburello and Johnny Bananas Friends?

‘The Challenge’ has produced some legends over 36 seasons — most notably CT Tamburello and Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio. They have been rivals, friends, and made TV magic when CT turned Bananas into a backpack. But after all that, are they friends when they are not appearing on the show?

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‘Siesta Key’: The Cast Hasn’t Spoken to Alex Kompothecras Since He Was Fired

MTV's 'Siesta Key' is one of the network's biggest shows -- and Alex Kompothecras was its biggest cast member. That was, until he was fired. Now, the cast hasn't even spoken to him.

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Celebrity / TV

‘Floribama Shore’ Season 4 Episode 13: Gus Smyrnios and Jeremiah Buoni’s Brother Make up, COVID-19 Strikes in the Mid-Season Finale

Find out what happened in the 'Floribama Shore' mid-season finale.

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Celebrity / TV

‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’: Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Spotted in the Season 4 Trailer

If Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's in the 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' trailer, does this mean he'll be in season 4B?

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‘Siesta Key’: Fans React to the Season 4 Premiere: ‘Kelsey Needs to Be Cut’

MTV's 'Siesta Key' is now in its fourth season -- and fans are just as hooked on the drama as ever. After the show's premiere, people already have their thoughts on where the season is headed.

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‘Siesta Key’: Which MTV Cast Member is the Richest?

MTV's 'Siesta Key' has become a major success over the years, and now, a new season is about to begin. While the show has found success, the cast members have also become quite wealthy. Here's who the richest cast members are and how much they're likely making from the show.

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‘Siesta Key’: When Does Season 4 Air? Who’s in the Cast?

Last season on MTV's 'Siesta Key,' fans saw major drama between cast members. Now, they're back for season 4. We'll see Juliette, Kelsey, Chloe, Amanda, Madisson, Brandon, and plenty others go about their lives in the beautiful Florida sun. Here's when the new season premieres and who fans can expect to see in the cast.

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‘The Hills: New Beginnings’ Season 2′: Is Mischa Barton Part of the Cast?

The OC star Mischa Barton joined The Hills: New Beginnings cast in season 1. However, she won’t appear in season 2 of The Hills reboot. She’s been replaced by Caroline D’Amore. Brody Jenner says Barton never really clicked with the rest of the cast, who have all known each other for years.

by Megan Elliott

‘The Challenge’: Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio Showed Off His $100,000 Check He Never Cashed

Johnny 'Bananas' Devenanzio is one of the most iconic players of MTV's 'The Challenge.' He took to his Instagram Stories to share a gigantic check still in his room worth $100,000. Here's what he said about the uncheck that appears uncashed.

by Lauren Weiler

‘The Challenge’: Is Cory Wharton Retiring? He Talked About His Future With Season 37

Cory Wharton came in second place on MTV's 'The Challenge.' So, what is his future like with the reality series? Will Cory continue on with future seasons, or is he planning an early retirement? Here's what he said.

by Lauren Weiler

‘Daria’ Was a ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ Spinoff That Began on a Paper Plate

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‘The Challenge: All Stars’: How Many Episodes is the First Season?

MTV's 'The Challenge' fans are excited to watch their favorites from over the years compete once again on 'The Challenge: All Stars.' Here's how long the debut season of 'All Stars' is and if there's talk of a season 2.

by Lauren Weiler

‘The Challenge’: Sarah Rice Answered Whether She’d Join ‘All Stars’

Sarah Rice teamed up with Johnny 'Bananas' Devenanzio on MTV's 'The Challenge: Rivals III.' After Johnny took all the prize money, she hasn't competed since. So, would Sarah ever join 'The Challenge: All Stars'? Here's what she said.

by Lauren Weiler

‘The Challenge’: Cory Wharton Said Fessy Shafaat is ‘Coming in Worse’ Next Season

Cory Wharton and Fessy Shafaat were allies on MTV's 'The Challenge: Double Agents,' but things changed for them through the season. Now, Cory thinks Fessy's ego is going to get in the way for future seasons. Here's what he said.

by Lauren Weiler

‘The Challenge’ Reunion Part 2: Nelson Calls Fessy Out After Serious Betrayal

Fessy Shafaat chose to go head to head with Nelson Thomas in a Hall Brawl on MTV's 'The Challenge: Double Agents.' Fessy won, and Nelson was sent home feeling betrayed by his friend's actions. Now, the two are coming together during the reunion. A sneak peek at the reunion part two shows Nelson calling Fessy out.

by Lauren Weiler

‘The Challenge’: Tori Deal Talked About Her Disastrous ‘Double Agents’ Reunion Outfit

Tori Deal was grilled on MTV's 'The Challenge: Double Agents' reunion about her alleged relationship with Fessy Shafaat. On her podcast, 'MTV's The Challenge Official Podcast,' she spoke about the reunion and her outfit of choice, which she says was much too tight.

by Lauren Weiler