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From the minute he came crashing into Sunnydale, it was clear that Spike was a force to be reckoned with. A countless number of demons appear in the seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," but only a few make a lasting impression. Spike does more than that — he steals the whole show. A lot of the British bad boy's charm can be credited to his whip-smart dialogue, his poetic backstory, and a five-star performance from a shockingly American James Marsters. But one unsung hero gave Spike a first impression so good that he became an instant fan favorite — and he risked his career to do it.

In its first season, "Buffy" established a consistent formula. A new demon pops up every week, but one formidable foe — the Master — acts as the final boss, a looming threat for the whole season that is finally defeated in the finale. Season 2 breaks...

Azio - The Bogan Spy Agency, Crazy Bastards, I'm With Stupid, Fancy Boy, Food for Peasants and Pet Quarantine..judging by some of the titles and synopses , the ABC TV/Screen Australia Fresh Blood initiative will spawn some weird and wonderful comedies.

A mix of puppetry, animation, parodies, improv and absurdist humour, the 25 projects selected will each receive $10,000 to produce three short-form sketches.

The shows will air on ABC.s iView platform this year. ABC controller Brendan Dahill tells If that some may later screen on ABC2 after they premiere on the catch-up service.

The initiative is designed to unearth the next generation of comedy performers and producers. There were 492 applications, many of such a high calibre that the ABC and Screen Australia decided to commission 25, one more than originally planned.

Here are the recipients: Aunty Donna Mark Samual Bonanno, Adrian Dean, Broden Kelly, Zachary Ruane

Mentored by Tim Minchin,...

Funeral for a Friend, a rock band from Bridgend, have released four studio albums with their most recent album, “Memory and Humanity,” on Victory Records. In 2008, the band lost Gareth Davies who was later replaced by Gavin Burrough. Now adding to the handful list of of band members who have left the band is guitarist Darran Smith.

On April 23, Smith posted on their Facebook page the following message, which as of today has now replaced their entire website.

Below is the message:

“A Message From Darran

After Almost 9 Yrs I Have Decided To Leave The Ranks Of Funeral For A Friend. I’Ve Had A Brilliant Time With The Band, Which Has Been A Journey Full Of Amazing Experiences That Will Be Awesome Memories To Keep And Cherish And I Have Nothing But Love And Respect For All The Boys In The Band (Past And Present), Without Whom My Time...

'I'm really proud of it,' the Backstreet Boy says of Have It All.

By Jocelyn Vena

A.J. McLean

Photo: Gareth Davies/ Getty Images

Fans of the Backstreet Boys and 'Nsync — once friendly rivals in their heyday — will probably be surprised to learn that Jc Chasez helped write A.J. McLean's first single from his forthcoming solo album.

The album is McLean's first as a solo artist, although he once toured on his own as alter-ego Johnny No Name. Have It All is due in stores late this year and McLean promises that fans will take notice of the video for his first single, "Teenage Wildlife," thanks to its slightly risqué vibe. "Wade Robson's doing the video. He's also choreographing it," McLean told MTV News. "It's his directorial debut, so it's gonna be awesome. The song's a song called 'Teenage Wildlife.' It was written by Jc Chasez."

McLean...

Greatest-hits collection has 36 songs, including Lil Wayne collabo, 'Revolver.'

By Chris Harris

Madonna

Photo: Gareth Davies/Getty Images

With 36 tracks spanning her entire career and a guest spot from Lil Wayne, Madonna's forthcoming best-of set, Celebration, is the ultimate parting shot from the Material Girl to her longtime label home. The collection, which drops September 29, will fulfill Madonna's commitment to Warner Bros. Records. And on Wednesday, Warner released the track listing for the album, including the two new tracks that leaked months ahead of the release.

The album will come out as both a double-disc offering and as a single CD. The first disc will include 18 classic Madge tracks, like "Music," "Vogue," "Like a Virgin," "Express Yourself," "Holiday" and "Like A Prayer." The disc concludes with "Revolver," which features guest-spitting from Weezy. A demo of the track, sans Wayne, surfaced on YouTube back in May.

Disc two also runs 18 songs,...