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Musician John Legend had to strike a deal with porn producer Johnny Legend before he could use his stage name. The 44-year-old ‘So High’ crooner was originally named John Roger Stephens and, when he decided he wanted to adopt the performing moniker ‘Legend’ after advice from Kanye West and poet J Ivy, he discovered he’d have to clear the trademark with the adult film boss.

“I was born John Stevens. A friend of mine started calling me John Legend. Kanye kind of blew it up when he put it on one of his recordings,” he said on an upcoming episode of ‘The Jonathan Ross Show’.

“When I was deciding whether to go out as John Legend or John Stevens, it’ll make a statement before I even show up. Then I found out someone is called Johnny Legend – he was a porn producer. I’ve never met him before.

John Legend has revealed he had to negotiate with a porn producer over the use of his stage name.

The Grammy-winning singer’s real name is John Stephens, having adopted the sobriquet early in his career.

Appearing on The Jonathan Ross Show on Saturday (8 April), Legend, explained: “I was born John Stephens. A friend of mine started calling me John Legend. Kanye [West] kind of blew it up when he put it on one of his recordings.

“When I was deciding whether to go out as John Legend or John Stephens, I thought, ‘Legend – it’ll make a statement before I even show up’.”

He then learned that there was another showbiz figure who already went by the name Johnny Legend – a porn producer.

“I’ve never met him before,” he continued. “My manager, we had to clear the trademark. He reached out and negotiated a deal.

“I would always be...

The extraordinary Jonathan Ross discusses his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Kick-Ass (2010)

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) – Dennis Cozzalio’s 2015 year-end list

The Woman in Black (2012)

Stardust (2007)

The Green Knight (2021) – Our podcast interview with director David Lowery, Dennis Cozzalio’s best-of-2021-so-far list

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

The Astro-Zombies (1968) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list

The Corpse Grinders (1971) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list

Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Zombies (1964) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list

Blood Feast (1963) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

The Wizard of Gore (1970)

Police Story (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review

Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)

Re-Animator (1985) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

Society (1989)

Eraserhead (1977) – Karyn Kusama’s Blu-ray review

Faster Pussycat Kill Kill (1965) – Randy Fuller’s wine pairing

Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls (1970) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Randy...

Mondo is one of the more fascinating tangents to come out of ‘60s cinema; one part anthropological study, sixteen parts exploitation, these “documentaries” purported to shed light on unusual rituals and practices from around the globe. The big fun with all of them is discerning which ones actually offer up the taboo they claim and which ones are yanking the audiences’ chain. This brings us to Severin Films’ spanking new Blu-ray of two of these “shockers," Mondo Freudo and Mondo Bizarro (1966), both hilarious time capsules of ‘60s exploitative wool-pulling.

Mondo Freudo was released in April, with Bizarro quickly following in August; the brainchildren of filmmakers Bob Cresse (Love Camp 7) and Lee Frost (The Thing with Two Heads), the former had seen an advanced copy of Italy’s Mondo Cane (’62) and realized it was going to be a big hit. And he was right. The biggest difference between Italy’s output and Cresse’s however,...

Mvd Entertainment Group furthers the distribution of "Arrow Video" in the Us with several new home video titles available July 2016, including "The Swinging Cheerleaders" [Blu-ray + DVD] (July 5th),  "Crimes Of Passion [Blu-ray + DVD] (July 12th) and "Female Prisoner Scorpion: The Complete Collection" [Blu-ray + DVD] (July 26th):

"The Swinging Cheerleaders" [Blu-ray + DVD] (July 5th): 

"'Kate', an undergraduate at 'Mesa University', goes undercover as a cheerleader for her college newspaper in order to expose 'female exploitation in contemporary society'. But instead of oppression she finds love, friendship and a bigger fish to fry: namely corruption in the football team, headed up by the coach and his pals..."

Cast includes Colleen Camp ("Wayne's World"), Rainbeaux Smith ("Caged Heat") and Playboy Playmate Rosanne Katon.

Bonus Materials include : 

- Brand new 2K restoration from original film materials

- High Definition (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD Presentations

- Optional subtitles 

- Audio commentary

- Brand new interview with Jack Hill

-...

Can’t get enough looks at Independence Day: Resurgence before its release on June 24th? Four new behind-the-scenes videos have dropped, giving us a look at some pivotal scenes in the film as well as a profile of director Roland Emmerich. Also: a Ghoster concept trailer, details on three new Arrow Video Us releases, and info on the Dances with Films screening of Beacon Point.

Watch Four New Independence Day: Resurgence Videos: “We always knew they were coming back. After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.

Directed by Roland Emmerich,...

We’re back with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes DVD release details for Shiver, information on the Mile High Horror Film Festival, an exclusive excerpt from Dead is Only Skin Deep, a Q&A with 13-year-old Emily Diprimio for Carver, and more:

Q&A Interview with Up-and-Coming 13-Year-Old Filmmaker Emily Diprimio

by Heather Wixson

It’s not often that you run across aspiring genre directors who are still in their teens so when we discovered a brand new Kickstarter campaign for Carver, an upcoming indie slasher from the filmmaking team of Ron Diprimio and his 13-year-old daughter Emily Diprimio, we immediately took notice.

In the campaign, the Diprimios’ describe Carver as, “a throwback 80’s style slasher that follows a group of teenagers who are haunted by a despicable act they committed on Halloween when they were younger.

Austin offers the usual eclectic mix of options for filmgoers this week. If the half-dozen new film openings don't interest you, check out the The Reconstruction of Asa Carter, which screens on Wednesday at the Violet Crown Cinema. This documentary tells the story of the notorious white supremacist Carter, who authored the critically acclaimed The Education of Little Tree, a "true story" (actually, a complete fabrication) about a Native American child. The event includes a reception and Q&A with filmmakers Douglas Newman and Laura Browder.

If you're looking for something lighter, try the Algerian comedy Masquerades. The story of an Algerian gardener who dreams of improving his family's fortune by marrying off his narcoleptic sister to a wealthy "real gentleman," Masquerades screens on Tuesday at the Alamo Drafthouse on Lamar as part of the Austin Film Society's Essential Cinema series "Children of Abraham/Ibrahim 6: Films of the Middle East and Beyond.

Here’s an event for those of you who will be in the San Francisco area on Halloween and are looking for a devilishly good party:

Haunting the historic Café Du Nord on October 31st, the Shock-it-to-me! Halloween Spookenany will, claws down, be the most insidious show in San Francisco this Ghoultide Season! Bringing back a real sense of old skool All-Hallows-Eve fun, event promoter August Ragone (columnist for Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine), has sewn together a monstrous fright night of horror hosts, maniacal music, creepy contests, and more tricks ‘n treats than you can shake a bloody stake at!

After a ten-year ban in thirteen countries, Ragone is proud to announce the triumphant return of the legendary Rock n’ Roll Rasputin, straight from his heart-stopping performance at the Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans: Johnny Legend & His Naked Apes! Johnny’s latest musical incarnation (featuring members of The Mummies...

Some actors become stars by playing iconic characters, and some by playing multiple variations on a type, but early in their careers, they’re all mainly just trying to get a foothold by doing whatever’s asked of them. Three recent DVDs from the “Johnny Legend Presents” line collect public-domain movies and TV shows starring well-known personalities—Betty White, Dennis Hopper, and the cast of Star Trek—and though the sound and picture quality on each set is poor, all three are useful for the way they capture now-famous faces doing their best to become indelible. Betty White In Black ...

So you're curious to know what frightful films and devilish discs will be available to view in the privacy of your own digital dungeon this week? Fango's got you covered. Below the jump you'll find the full list of titles arriving at retail tomorrow, June 23, 2009 in this weekly version of the famous Fangoria Chopping List.

Note: Clickable links lead to Amazon.com Backwoods (2008): Genius Choke Canyon

D. Gray-Man: Season One, Part Two Grindhouse Double Feature: Make Them Die (Campfire Tales, Kiss Daddy Goodbye; 2-disc rerelease): Srs Cinema Grindhouse Double Feature: Lady Revenge (Blown, Curse Of La Llorona; 2-disc rerelease): Srs Cinema Hobgoblins (special edition): Micro Werks Hobgoblins 2 (special edition): Micro Werks Johnny Legend Presents: The Vampire Chronicles Volume 1 (The Devil Bat, An American Vampire In London; special edition): Micro Werks Johnny Legend Presents: The Vampire Chronicles Volume 2 (Hannah, Queen Of The Vampires; special...

• The new Micro Werks DVD outfit gave Fango the scoop on cover art and details for new special-edition discs (coming June 23) of Rick Sloane’s notorious Gremlins knockoff Hobgoblins (a Mystery Science Theater 3000 favorite) and his new sequel Hobgoblins 2. The first flick has been digitally remastered in widescreen, and the follow-up “shot in 35mm and made to look painstakingly identical to the original,” per the company.

Extras on Hobgoblins include:

• Audio commentary by writer/director Sloane

• Hobgoblins: The Making of a Disasterpiece documentary

• Interviews with the original cast

• Still gallery

• Remastered 35mm trailer

Hobgoblins 2 comes with:

• Audio commentary by Sloane

• Making-of featurette with cast interviews

• Deleted scenes

• Still gallery

• 35mm theatrical trailer

Retail price is $14.98 each. Micro Werks (which has yet to set up an official website) also has five discs in Johnny Legend’s The Vampire Chronicles series streeting on the 23rd for $9.98 each. The contents are...

(Note: This story will be "stickied" at the top of our headlines for the day. Being able to host it is an honor beyond words.)

It was a Blood-Red-letter day for fandom as pros and fans alike gathered to bid a reluctant “Forry-well” to the late great genre-icon Forrest J. Ackerman! Hollywood’s historic Egyptian Theatre served as a temple for the filled-to-capacity ritual sponsored by the American Cinematheque, Profiles in History auction house and the Ackerman estate.

Guests began waiting on line at around 1:00Pm for the scheduled 3:00Pm reception. By 2:30 over 200 bodies had congregated at the doors of the theater. Inside, staff was scrambling. Pieces of Forry’s collection were being displayed (A first edition of Dracula signed by Bram Stoker and almost everyone who ever played the famous Vampire on screen, Bela Lugosi’s Dracula cape and Forry’s fave prop: the “Robotrix” from...

• Horror/rockabilly personality Johnny Legend has three new DVDs coming out on his new Raunchy Tonk label. A 50th Anniversary Edition of House On Haunted Hill, a new disc of The Sadist and an update of his Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street all arrive next Tuesday, February 24.

House, the William Castle classic starring Vincent Price, has been newly restored in an anamorphic 1.66:1 transfer, accompanied by the following extras:

• Return to the House: featurette with Legend visiting Haunted Hill and exploring the film’s history • Profile of actress Carol Ohmart, with comments by Jack Hill (who directed Ohmart in Spider Baby) • Golden Age Price: The actor’s TV appearances on classic TV shows • Original theatrical trailers and TV spot • 25 minutes of further Castle and Price previews • Surprise William Castle TV spot

In the ahead-of-its-time 1963 shocker The Sadist, written and directed by James Landis, Arch Hall Jr. plays...