The biggest names in pop culture showed up for the 25th annual MTV Video Music Awards held in Paramount Pictures Studios, Hollywood California this past Sunday.
Kobe Bryant and Michael Phelps were in the house, among the many famous stars that hit the red carpet on Sunday. Honoring the years most popular and talented artists, British comedian Russell Brand, best known for his role in ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall,’ hosted this whirlwind of pop culture.
One of the many big wins this year were The Pussycat Doll’s ‘When I Grow Up,’ winning best dancing in a video. On Sept. 23, they will be coming out with ‘Doll Domination,’ their second studio album.
Another big award of the night was best new artist, which included nominees Jordin Sparks and Katy Perry. However, Tokio Hotel were presented the moonman for their hit song ‘Ready, Set, Go!’
‘ Other highlights of the night were Shia Labeouf, and Guns and Roses guitarist Slash presenting the nominees for best rock video, in which Linkin Park’s ‘Shadow of the Day’ received the most votes.
Pink had a standout performance on an urban setting between dancing fans on every block. The stage was set up like a New York street corner. It looked as though Hollywood had transformed into Manhattan. The rebellious punk pop singer walked among explosions for entertaining effects, she walked through a construction site, throwing what she found through the windows of stores where the glass shattered. As she continued her performance on stage with blazing fires, the huge crowd of fans showed a scene similar to that of a riot.
Rihanna ripped it up, hooking up with T.I. to perform ‘Live Your Life.’ The popular rapper became an actor on stage in what looked like a movie set, walking through a nightclub and then hopping in a hot Jaguar with Rihanna in the passenger seat.’ This duet was a stellar performance.
Christina Aguilera performed a remix, alternate version of ‘Genie in a Bottle.’ Katy Perry, singer of the number one song of the summer ‘I Kissed a Girl,’ performed a rendition of ‘Like a Virgin.’ Slipknot presented best hip-hop video. Nominees included Lil Wayne, Lupe Fiasco, Flo Rida, Mary J. Blidge and Kanye West. Lil Wayne featuring Static Major won in their hit music video ‘Lollipop’ which has been popular at parties and was a summer nonstop radio hit song.
The Jonas Brothers had a performance on a stoop in a stage set scene, similar to Pink’s stage setup. Another performance featured the thought-to-be-disappeared LL Cool J rocking a glittering ‘Exit 13’ on his shirt.
Paris Hilton came on stage with an awkward pause because she looked in the wrong direction in presenting the nominees for Best Pop Video. The’ award went to Britney Spears for her music video ‘Piece of Me.’
Bryant went on stage, not to get back at Shaquille O’Neal, or Shaq, for wanting to freestyle battle, but to present the video of the year award. Not thinking about tomorrow, Kid Rock was trying different things, smoking funny things and making love out on the lake, singing sweet home Alabama all summer long.
In a rare twist, Lil Wayne came on stage for a rap verse to mix the two music genres for this special event in its 25th year.
The nominees for best video of the year were Spears’ ‘Piece of Me,’ Jonas Brothers’ ‘Burning up,’, Chris Brown’s ‘Forever,’ Pussycat Doll’s ‘When I Grow Up’ and The Ting Tings ‘Shut up and Let Me Go’. Spears won the end of the night award for video of the year for ‘Piece of Me’.
Who would have thought that Spears would come back with more awards to add to her collection of pop music stardom? The answer is all of the young voters and viewers tuning in to the yearly MTV Video Music Awards. Fans voted for Spears to help her win best female video, best pop video and video of the year for 2008.
‘ Kanye West was the last performance, wearing a classy, gray suit, with one flashy red heart lighting up for pop effect.
In a different performance than what we are usually used to seeing and hearing, West did not do his usual rapping, but rather he sang with a scenic background of a blue sky and an endless view out into the ocean.
In retrospect, if there were a most controversial award, it should have gone to host Brand. Quite a character, he had crazy frizzled hair as if he just awoke with a hangover from a rock concert.
With phrases describing the effect of the night’s music that ‘melts your souls,’ He was well aware that Americans did not know who he was. He said, ‘I happen to know you don’t know who I am.’
The 25th anniversary called for a new face from across seas. He is famous in the United Kingdom and by some in the United States as Aldous Snow, the boyfriend of Kristen Bell in ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall.’
‘Without fame this haircut could be mistaken for mental illness,’ he said in his monologue.
He stepped out of the realm of music and right into politics stating, ‘As a representative of the global community, a visitor from abroad, I don’t want to come across a little bit biased but could I please ask of you, people of America, to please elect Barack Obama, please, on behalf of the world!’
He called President George W. Bush a ‘retarded cowboy’ who could not be ‘trusted with a pair of scissors.’
Furthermore, he made fun of the Jonas Brothers who ‘pledging to God’ will remain virgins until marriage. He had mentioned the fact that the Jonas Brothers wore promise rings for the sake of their belief in God. Provocative, loud, and quite a character, he said’ ‘it seemed like quite a good idea but that, ‘each of the Jonas Brothers were a little bit ungrateful because they can ‘have sex with any woman that they want, but they’re not going to do it.’
He said that their decision to live this preferential lifestyle is ‘like superman just deciding not to fly and to go everywhere on a bus.’ The man does have some interesting points.
A famous actor, stand-up comedian, and host of one of the biggest television stages in the world, he made this years MTV Video Music Awards more entertaining.
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