The 2011 VMAs were held last night. Lady Gaga, appearing as Jo Calderone, opened the show with a performance inspired by the late comedian Lenny Bruce. I was nervous for her during her opening speech, but she kept it together, even if it did seem a little self-indulgent. Her performance of “You and I” that followed was incredible (as always). Although her voice wasn’t at its absolute best, she sang live and gave full theatrics.
Who the fuck is Kevin Hart, and who wrote his standup? Was he coked out? That shit was uncomfortable to watch. Lady Gaga slipping on her spilled beer was more amusing.
Gaga presented Britney Spears with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award for her lifetime achievement in pop music. I thought the idea was sweet, but I wasn’t really into the Spears look-alikes dancing to a medley of her hits. With all the rumours and speculation surrounding the tribute, I was hoping for more (as in Madonna). I know a lot of people have rolled their eyes about Britney getting this award, but I think it’s well deserved. She has dominated pop music since the late ‘90s and has solidified herself as an icon of her time.
My two favourite performances were Beyoncé’s “Love on Top” and Chris Brown’s “Yeah 3x” and “Beautiful People.” Bey sounded amazing as she showed off her baby bump, and Chris’s dancing was beyond incredible. If you’ve read my previous posts, you know I’ve taken issue with Chris Brown’s violent and homophobic antics, but there is no denying that boy can move.
I wasn’t crazy about Adele’s performance of “Someone Like You.” She sounded okay, but I thought her nerves might’ve gotten the better of her. It is truly a beautiful song. Jay-Z and Kanye killed it, as did Lil Wayne. The most disappointing performance of the night was probably Bruno Mars’ Amy Winehouse tribute. It sounded great, but I thought Amy deserved a grander adieu from MTV.
For me, the win of the night was Tyler, the Creator as Best New Artist. He seemed genuinely blown away, and there’s something special about seeing someone’s dream come true on live TV. Plus, did you see his mama freaking the fuck out? Too cute.
What did you think of the show?
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