HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-25-09)

ARE TWO OF THE ROBOTS IN THE NEW "TRANSFORMERS" MOVIE RACIST???

Remember back in 1999, when the world went DOG NUTS over Jar Jar Binks in "Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace"???

It wasn't because he was one of the most annoying movie characters of all time . . . even though that was pretty much true . . . but because he supposedly embodied negative black stereotypes.

Well, a similar controversy is beginning to grow over two robots in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen".

The robots are named Skids and Mudflap. They transform into compact Chevys, and they basically spend all their screen time fighting with each other, and bickering in "jive" or "ebonics", if you will. --They also can't read . . . and one of them has a gold tooth.

Not surprisingly, some people say these robots are reinforcing negative African-American stereotypes . . . and they're not happy about it. "New York Times" film critic Manohla Dargis says the characters were given, quote, "conspicuously cartoonish, so-called black voices that indicate that minstrelsy remains as much in fashion in Hollywood as when Jar Jar Binks was set loose by George Lucas."

And Tasha Robinson, associate entertainment editor of "The Onion", adds, quote, "They don't really have any positive effect on the film. They only exist to talk in bad ebonics, beat each other up and talk about how stupid each other is."

Like Lucas before him, Michael Bay is defending his jive robots. He says, quote, "We're just putting more personality in. --"I don't know if it's stereotypes . . . they are robots, by the way. These are the voice actors. This is kind of the direction they were taking the characters and we went with it. -"I purely did it for kids. Young kids love these robots, because it makes it more accessible to them."

He adds, quote, "Listen, you're going to have your naysayers on anything. It's like is everything going to be melba toast? It takes all forms and shapes and sizes."

Controversy or not, "Transformers" opened huge on Wednesday. It grossed $16 million from midnight screenings alone. Theaters around the country added extra early-morning shows to meet the demand . . . and those figures haven't even been counted yet. -That puts "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" third on the list of all-time highest-grossing midnight screeners. "The Dark Knight", not surprisingly, holds the record, with a midnight take of $18.5 million. --In second place is "Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith", with $16.5 million.

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A LOOK AT SOME NEW SHOWS IN DEVELOPMENT AT MTV:

If you're a fan of MTV's non-music-related programming . . . or in other words, if you're a fan of MTV . . . here's a look at some new shows they're currently developing:

There's a half-hour animated series called "The Awesomes" . . . about a group of lazy superheroes. It's being written by "Saturday Night Live" star SETH MEYERS.

MTV is also putting together a series based on the MICHAEL J. FOX classic, "Teen Wolf". (--The movie . . . if you can believe it . . . was released 19 years ago.) There aren't a lot of details on it yet . . . but MTV says it'll be a, "reinvention of the classic '80s movie for today's audience."

There's also a sketch comedy show in the works, starring JAMIE FOXX. There isn't a title for that yet. (--It sounds like it may end up being similar to the old show, "In Living Color", which Jamie did for three seasons back in the early '90s.)

Also, you know that new HBO show, "Hung" . . . (--which debuts Sunday) . . . about a guy who's, uh, WELL-ENDOWED??? Well MTV is working on a similar show called "Hard Times", about an unpopular 15-year-old kid . . . with a gift.

And if you haven't heard, MTV is producing a spin-off of "The Hills" starring AUDRINA PATRIDGE. Great. (--None of these shows have premiere dates yet.)

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LINDSAY LOHAN AND SAMANTHA RONSON APPEAR TO BE BACK TOGETHER:

Their status changes from week-to-week, but this week, it appears that LINDSAY LOHAN and SAMANTHA RONSON are a couple. Here's an uninteresting paparazzi video of them together on Tuesday night . . .http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=f07614e2-ff0b-4c01-b367-8da32658e11d

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CARMEN ELECTRA SHAVED PART OF HER HEAD . . . AND SHE STILL LOOKS HOT:

CARMEN ELECTRA is so hot, almost nothing she does to herself can change that. She even shaved part of her head and she makes THAT look sexy.

(--Check out some pics . . .)

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DINNER IS RUINED!!

MEGAN FOX and SHIA LABEOUF were having dinner together after the "Transformers" premiere in Hollywood Monday night, when a paparazzo ran into the restaurant and took their picture. -Check out this video of their bodyguard catching the guy BY THE WAISTBAND as he tried to get away . . . http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=59c9859f-7108-421b-beae-d5bc911aa44e

(--By the way . . . Kodak is offering $5,000 to anyone who can find that kid who tried to give Megan a rose. If you've got the hook-up, e-mail them at yellowroseboy@gmail.com.)

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THE JONAS BROTHERS SAY THEY LAUGH WHEN PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF THEM:

The JONAS BROTHERS have the #1 album in America . . . and they're also on the cover of the new issue of "Rolling Stone", which is on newsstands now. So it's not surprising that they're not really bothered when people make fun of them. In fact, they get a kick out of it.

JOE JONAS says, "I think people don't realize that when they're making fun of us, we're laughing too. Every 'South Park' or whatever, it's like, 'That's hilarious.'" --"South Park" . . . (--if you didn't catch it) . . . mocked the Jonas Brothers' purity rings . . . and painted them as mindless puppets of Disney and Mickey Mouse.

Speaking of Disney, KEVIN JONAS says that they're not ashamed of their roots with Disney . . . and would be foolish to reject a relationship with them. He says, "I think we are working to make that trade [from being teen stars to a legitimate rock band] without having to give anything up. But I think it will take time, because of where we came from. -"I would honestly say to anybody, if you were in a band like us, you would take advantage of those platforms too. It's easy for people to say, 'No, I'm a real rock 'n' roller,' but I think you do what you've got to do."

But Kevin would like you to know that they are NOT just Disney's puppets. He says, "We have an operation around us that we run. It's not run for us, or dictated to us. Everything that we do, we sign off on."

One last thing: Joe is essentially admitting that their song, "Much Better", takes a shot at his ex-girlfriend, TAYLOR SWIFT. He explains, "Relationships give you ideas of what to write about . . . but sometimes it's hard to be honest. -"I mean, you have to be, but it's like, 'I don't really want to say anything bad about this person, but I'm going to write it.' That's just how it goes."