By Delia Paunescu
When MTV started handing out silver moonman statues 25 years ago, the music industry was in its heyday. Since then, the Video Music Awards have served as the annual event, save for the Grammy’s, for recording artists and performers to be awarded for keeping America’s youth entertained. Not long ago, Madonna writhed on the stage covered in a wedding dress, Britney belly danced with a python and the two queens of pop even locked lips in one of the more controversial editions.
Along with the dip in album sales nationwide, MTV seems to have lost all interest in making their annual awards show innovative, exciting or fun. And this past Sunday’s broadcast of their 25th anniversary proved just that.
Like last year’s show, our favorite pop disaster turned miracle girl was the talk of the night. A thinner, blonder and generally healthier looking Britney Spears (perhaps because she was clothed?) opened the show with a terribly disappointing skit. But despite Brit’s lack of comedic skill, the night truly belonged to her. Having been nominated 16 times before, she finally won something. The pop tart took home three in one night, walking away with Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and the night’s top honor, Video of the Year. All awards were for her single “Piece of Me,” in which she, ironically, antagonizes the paparazzi who contributed to last year’s breakdown. Looks like she came out on top after all.
Shortly after Britney’s lackluster intro, Rihanna took the stage to sing “Disturbia” in one of her two performances of the night wearing a crazy combination of leather and feathers. The rising pop princess would return later to debut her new single “Live your Life” with T.I.
MTV certainly helped themselves in returning to Hollywood, namely Paramount Studios, to host the events. But they didn’t entirely do away with the bizarre concept introduced at last year’s Las Vegas disaster of having off-site performances. While Rihanna did take the stage at the auditorium (which could have easily been confused with a high school auditorium) other acts like Pink and the Jonas Brothers performed on back lots.
Maybe I’m a stickler for the old school of awards shows (and maybe I’m dating myself) but last Sunday certainly had me longing for the Michael Jackson appearances and Howard Stern’s antics. It was a 25th anniversary, for crying out loud, and there wasn’t even a three-minute best-of montage!
The only moderate excitement of the evening came from host Russell Brand, a British comedian who was no doubt brought on after the disaster that was the host-less VMA show last year (anyone remember Jamie Foxx’s drunken rant? ). Brand was certainly the best choice the channel has made in years. Sure, he pleaded with the U.S. to elect Barack Obama as its 44th President, and he chided the Jo Bros for their squeaky-clean purity rings but what an outraged Jordan Sparks and other critics fail to remember is that this is what the channel that killed the radio star is supposed to be about.
MTV used to be fun, it used to be cutting edge and it used have funk. Maybe it’s because, at 25, the teen staple’s ridiculous awards show is experiencing its own quarter-life crisis.