Lady Gaga launches the 2011 VMA show dressed like a guy from the Brat Pack named Joe and totally not the typical Gaga expected. She sings “You and I” and introduces guitarist Brian Bell. While standing on the piano, Gaga throws beer out on the audience which gets the floor wet and when she gets down off the piano, she slips and falls on the stage…well, practically off it but recovers in true Gaga-style and goes on with the show. It is a really toned down performance!
In the audience are Russell Brand and Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, and Taylor Lautner. Kevin Hart is the first guest host with some stupid jokes which left the audience not laughing, especially Lil Wayne when Hart said “Stop skateboarding, you’re black!” He makes some raunchy remark about STD’s and Jersey Shore as the background makes me dizzy. The first presenters are Jonah Hill and Nicki Minaj who is dressed in some outfit which looks like she stole it from her two-year-old neice’s dress-up trunk with some kind of a stuffed creation on her hip. UGLY! They present the award for “Best Pop Video” which goes to Britney Spears for “Til the World Ends.” Yep..she’s BACK and looking FAB-U-LOUS!
Jesse J and the band perform for the intermissions and commercial breaks. She is sitting on a couch because she has a walking cast on. Apparently she broke her foot but it is not cramping her style! Jay-Z appears on stage and could not understand a word he is singing (?) The next presenters are Miley Cyrus and Sean White who really only stood there. Miley, however, is dressed to the “nines!” The award is for “Best Rock Video” and it goes to the Foo Fighters for “Walk.” The Beastie Boys from the Future waltz on stage with Jack Black taking the lead when Tyler the Creator comes out, followed by his entourage, to present the “Best Hip Hop Video” award which goes to Nicki Minaj. The house is going CRAZY as the underground female rapper surfaced.
Next up presenting the award for “Best Collaboration” is Demi Lovato and Cord Overstreet from “Glee.” The winners are Kayne West and Katy Perry for “Extraterrestrial.” It is Katy’s first moonman…well aside from the one at home! Rick Ross and Paul Rudd appear on stage to introduce the next musical act which is Pitbull and Neyo performing “Give Me Everything Tonight.” Kim Kardashian is seen in the crowd lip syncing. This performance ROCKED!
Katy Perry introduces one of the greatest modern storytellers in music, Adele, who is up for a VMA for “Video of the Year.” She performs a flawless, moving rendition of “Someone Like You” to gain a standing ovation which is well deserved. As she stood humbly on the stage, you could almost see how she does not fully comprehend how absolutely stunning she is and what a gifted performer she has become. MTV bobbles with a disjointed transition to Jesse J and the band performing for another intermission.
We’re back with Jesse J sounding strained before Kim Kardashian comes on stage to introduce the winner for the “Best Male Video” which goes to Justin Bieber for “U Smile.” The Beebs comes on stage looking more grown up but trying to pull of hip hop swag which ain’t happening! Nick Jonas and Victoria Justice introduce the musical performance by Chris Brown (if that’s what it could be called)! Okay, I like the majority of the music by Chris Brown, but when you resort to lip syncing and most of the performance is simply outstanding choreography, I have to draw the line. This performance starts with “Yeah 3X” and fades into a montage of two older VMA winners like 1993 Wu Tang’s “Protect Your Neck” followed by 1991 Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” before ending with Chris Brown’s “Beautiful People” which appears to be sung until the theatrics started. The flying through the air and doing flips got redundant after a while.
Lady Gaga takes the stage still dressed as Joe from her opening number to present the “Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award” to Britney Spears who Gaga states was her biggest inspiration growing up. A collection of Britney’s greatest works is featured by dancers who really bare quite stunningly remarkable resemblance to the icon through the years. It could have been called “The Many Looks of Britney!” Britney comes to the stage to accept the award after Lady Gaga chastises the audience for not giving her a standing ovation which despite Britney’s past troubles, she deserves! Once on stage, Gaga toys with Spears to give another iconic moment kiss but she refuses. Instead, Lady Gaga and Britney introduce one of the best performances of the evening…BEYONCE! She gallops across the stage singing her heart out completely on cloud nine as she blows the roof off of “Love on Top.” At the end, she affirms her pregnancy by whipping off her sequenced jacket and rubbing her baby bump! You see it live…Beyonce baby bump announces pregnancy! Camera flashes to Jay-Z and Kanye West. SUPRISE Jay-Z…you a baby daddy! He looks elated!
We are back again with Selena Gomez and the hunky Taylor Lautner as they prepare to present the “Best New Artist” award which goes to Tyler the Creator who appears to have hurt his ankle jumping around as he hobbles up the stairs followed by his entourage. Zoe Saldana whose new movie, Columbiana, just came out in theatres appears with Jared Leto to introduce Young the Giant, a new band making their debut appearance on the MTV VMA stage cheered on by 250 fans from their hometown in California. This has to be a lifetime dream fulfilled for this new Indie rock band with a beachy sound.
Cloris Leachman is escorted onto the stage by the girls from Jersey Shore. Honestly, Sammi and Snooki are looking pretty nice, but JWoww is looking…well, like she just stepped out of the Hugh Hefner’s bedroom with that sleezy dress which looks more like a robe and Deena – my momma told me if I can’t say anything without using the “ho hum” then stay quiet – so mums my word! They present the “Best Female Video” which goes to Lady Gaga for “Born This Way.” In her speech, Gaga announces the same message as in her song…it is okay to be yourself cause you were born this way! Monsters unite in cheer!
The final sets are getting ready to launch as Russell Brand takes the stage (I’m holding my breath he doesn’t really screw this up!) to talk about the Amy Winehouse tribute (Image courtesy of Kalamu). He compares her to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Billy Holliday, two of the greatest jazz singers of all time. Although addicted to alcohol and drugs, Amy Winehouse was, without a doubt, a fabulously gifted and extraordinarily talented jazz singer of the like in modern times is as rare as the talent of those she follows. Tony Bennett introduces a video clip of the last recording session with Amy at Abbey Studios in London where he was recording a record with her. Bruno Mars sings an upbeat version of Winehouse’s “Valerie” which ends singing to Amy and bringing tears to many eyes in the audience, live and in television land. It is moving and Amy would feel blessed to know how loved she was!
Katie Holmes presents the “Video of the Year” which goes to Katy Perry for “Firework” and is her second VMA of the night! She struggles to get on stage without losing her head – the block on top of her head that is! As she thanks fans and Russell, Drake comes on to introduce the final act of the night…Lil Wayne! It looks as though the VMA’s might actually end on a high note as he sings “Hello” but nope – he launches into the hell bent hard rap with his pants almost falling off and while telecasters try to keep up with the bleeping, the show ends, but not before showing a sneak peek of “I Just Want My Pants Back.” Guess they knew what the last words Lil Wayne would be uttering…what a show!
There you have it – who wins at the 2011 VMA! Although it was fairly tame compared to past MTV VMA presentations, it went pretty well considering no host and mediocre talent highlighted by a few stellar performances like Beyonce, Adele, Pitbull with Neyo, and Bruno Mars. It would have been far more entertaining if Lady Gaga pulled out the stops like she has in the past…really disappointed on that front!
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