Total Usher Live: Behind the Scenes with Usher -By Sara Lieberman When you're in the same vicinity as R&B hottie Usher, it's hard not to get "Caught Up" as he sings. Maybe it's the way he stands with his right shoulder higher than his left, designer jeans hangin' off his hips, hat tipped oh-so-slyly to one side. Or maybe it's just the aura of confidence he projects. Whatever it is, he owns any room he's in -- and the people in it. We got the chance to hang with "Mr. Entertainment" himself during his February, 18 2004 visit to MTV's Total Request Live. As you watched from home, we caught every move he made on stage and off -- from snackin' on grapes, to greasing up his six-pack. Jealous much? Check out this minute-by-minute exclusive! 4:56 PM Usher finishes an interview with a radio reporter in the green room. He's sitting on the room's black velvet couches, and he's glowing. (Perhaps it's those huge, shiny diamond studs?) He starts jumpin' around the room, which is full of publicists, managers, MTV staffers, media types (that's me!), his bodyguard and personal assistant/barber of 10 years, Keith Thomas. Talk about a full house! 5:04 PM He's brought into the hallway. They're about to film a "teaser," which is the clip you see before the show goes live. Before they escort him on set, he asks his makeup artist for some oil. She doesn't have any so she suggests lotion instead. He lifts up his shirt and she rubs some moisturizer on his toned abs. Mmmmm. 5:09 PM VJ Vanessa introduces Usher, and the girls are cued to scream. Vanessa talks to the camera, telling the viewers that Usher is about to appear live on TRL. She then asks for a sneak peak at his abs. "Please, please, just...Oops, I made a mistake. Can I do that over?" she asks the cameraman. She apologizes and giggles. Usher, with his hands in his pockets, shrugs and blushes. 5:11 PM Take two: Vanessa tries again. "Please, please, just one more time," she begs (with some help from the girls). Usher licks his lips, smirks, and slowly lifts his shirt. The girls scream again. 5:13 PM He's brought back into the green room. An MTV exec briefs him about what the VJs plan to ask him during the show. As he listens, he checks out the fruit plate. The exec leaves, and Usher starts playin' it up to a large horizontal mirror on the wall: blowing kisses, lifting his hat, swiveling around the room. They're ready for him. He takes the flat hairbrush from barber Keith and brushes his hair while watching himself in the mirror. He pops one more grape into his mouth and says, "OK. We off." On the way out he has Keith check his teeth for remnants of food -- all clear. 5:26 PM Usher is LIVE. He's blushing and super giddy from all the screaming girls around him. VJ La La calls him a Southern gentleman. He tips his hat appropriately. His friends backstage whisper, "He's so on today. Is he in a good mood, or what?" Before they go to a commercial break they ask him what he's 'fessin' up to in the new album, Confessions, which comes out March 23. He smirks, "If you thought you knew, well, you'll know now." 5:30 PM Usher and the VJs come backstage during a commercial break. He's playful with La La and the two take a picture. Usher tells a friend that they can mention he's single now. The hosts are pleased. 5:33 PM Usher and the group are back on set. They introduce the premiere of "Yeah!", the first video off the album. As the live audience watches, they sing along to Ludacris' part: "Bend over to the front and touch your toes." After the video ends, La La tells him that in the next few segments audience members will participate in a dance contest that he will judge backstage. Then he and the winner will compose a dance together. 5:39 PM They bring Usher backstage. He reminisces with the hosts about the last time he was on TRL. They return from break and begin to film the dance contest. Still backstage, Usher stands in front of the monitor with his hands folded, nodding his head to the beat, as he watches the contestants dance. 5:45 PM The producers (not Usher) pick a winner. They choose Troy, a white guy from the Midwest, wearing' khakis, black loafers and a yellow long-sleeve shirt. He not only has the worst style, but absolutely no rhythm either. They take him backstage for the dancing lesson with Usher. The two move to a different part of the studio to start the lesson, which will be recorded and played back on the show. "It's all in the attitude," Usher says. "Loosen up." The kid is eager, but pathetically helpless. Usher teaches him the "A-Town Stomp." They laugh. Usher covers his mouth in disbelief. "Hey man, I'm laughing with you." He gives him a tutorial on how to properly pronounce "Yeah!" the title and chorus of his new hit single. "It's Yeaaaaaah," he says. "Draw it out. Give it attitude." He tries again...and again. 6:01 PM The hosts bring Usher and Troy on stage. They cue the music and Troy performs the "A-Town Stomp" to "Yeaaaaaah!" People laugh. It's the slowest performance ever. Backstage, everyone wonders why they didn't have Usher do it with him. The poor kid finally finishes. La La, Quddus and Vanessa thank Usher for stopping by TRL. The audience screams as he leaves the set. 6:05 Usher is done -- for now. His crew and entourage follow him backstage. His publicist says he's still got one more interview. They pull him into a room, and close the door. Now that's a Superstar.