The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Are Handed Out

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Are Handed Out

Lady Gaga wins 8 awards, Eminem wins 2 

So …September 12th, 2010   MTV threw its biggest party of the year, the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards … and despite attempts to hype up the possible drama that might’ve gone down on the show ended up giving us a fairly quiet and painfully drama-free awards show … much to many people’s chagrin. I was able to attend the show last night and from my perspective the show was OK but clearly lacking the excitement from VMA shows from days of yore. Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals last night:

Again, for me the carpet was kinda lackluster … kinda quiet. The Jersey Shore kids came out, some of the nominees did as well but really there wasn’t anything to get all excited about the entire time. I will say that Ciara looked the best on the carpet last night. Her dress was amazing … she was a vision just walking down the carpet. There weren’t too many fugly looks … but, as you might expect, the Jersey Shore kids brought way too much tan to the snow white carpet. After the jump, check out some photos from the show itself and find out what the Washington Post had to say about the 2010 MTV VMAs. I think you’ll find their sentiments echo the sentiments of many who watched last night …

At the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, it was time to let bygones be bygones, and let insipid awards shows be insipid awards shows. Sunday’s ceremony in Los Angeles offered a handful of trophies that felt less meaningful than ever, as viewers held their breath for a potential act of contrition from Kanye West. West, who infamously interrupted an acceptance speech by Taylor Swift at last year’s VMAs, closed the program by unveiling a new song where he both chastised himself and saluted himself in one strange swoop — the latest gesture in a career defined by inner conflict. “You’ve been putting up with my [expletive] way too long,” he rapped, before launching into the tune’s puzzling refrain: “Let’s have a toast for the [expletive]s.” He continued, rattling off words unfit for this publication, but apparently no sweat for cable television. Swift premiered a new tune of her own earlier in the night, its lyrics clearly directed at the rapper, and none of them naughty. “Thirty-two is still growing up,” the country-pop princess squeaked, wearing her most serious face. “Who you are is not what you did. You’re still an innocent.” So all is forgiven? Everybody cool? On to the awards, then! Lady Gaga led the award nominations with 13 and took home a record 8, including Video of the Year, Best Pop Video and Best Female Video. When she accepted the latter clad in an Alexander McQueen frock and a mohawk of feathers, it was hard to tell whether she was getting verklempt or just talks as funny as she dresses. Eminem took home the awards for Best Male Video and Best Hip-Hop Video, while 30 Seconds to Mars won for Best Rock Video. But who cares, really? The draw of the VMAs is the wacky frisson of having pop’s A-list all squished into one auditorium and hoping they fight. Or make out. Or both. But there was little smooching or feuding on Sunday, despite some nudging from the host. “I want to encourage everyone to be on their worst behavior,” comedian Chelsea Handler declared in her opening monologue, a string of flat punch lines that felt a few degrees below crass. Sample zinger: “It’s time to acknowledge the big black elephant in the room. Where’s Kanye?” Ugh.

For me, the problem the VMAs always has is that it constantly needs to outdo itself with wacky and crazy moments. Usually, those moments come with ease … but when a show fails to deliver those moments, like last night’s did, the whole thing feels flat. I personally thought Chelsea Handler did an OK job … and I’m not even a fan of hers. She did about as well as any host could’ve done … some of her jokes were corny but most awards show host jokes are corny. I’ll take her over Russell Brand any day of the week. I really think Taylor Swift made a misstep with her song and performance. While I doubt she was seriously trying to win sympathy for what Kanye did to her last year, her attempt to tell her side of the story in a mournful way just did not work … at all. I really was not impressed with Kanye West‘s performance … I get that he was trying to take back the moment and say “Hey, let’s toast the douchebags” but the song just sucked … it was a marginally good idea that didn’t pan out. The best performance of the night was Eminem’s … my fave moment was Cher’s suprise appearance.
Here are some photos of some of the celebs in the press room last night:

Click HERE to see the full list of VMA winners (which, after you look at it, seems awfully short). I had a good time at the show, absolutely, but was I wowed? No. I still have mad love for the MTV VMAs because there have been far too many great shows to not love it. BUT, I fear that a network that barely airs music videos anymore might be losing its touch on how to deliver solid shows year after year that successfully manage to make everyone happy. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what comes next.