In what was obviously the lowest budget let-down of a Video Music Awards in MTV history, English comic genius Russell Brand managed to somehow make it all worth watching. To Americans that aren’t 20-30 something white people Russell Brand was a complete unknown, a whosthisguy, a pretty random choice for VMA host. For those of us that saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall it was.. well a pretty random choice.
Why have Russell Brand host the VMA’s this year? Well as much as I’d like to look back and say “because he’s hilarious and will breathe some life into this drum machine focused fashion show” in reality I believe it’s budget. Seriously, this guy wants to break into America, MTV is OBVIOUSLY tightening up the budget, it makes sense. I’m right on this one right? We all saw how cheap this show was? Instead of converting a theater into a tv studio for a day, they went to a tv studio. The room/audience was not even a third of what it usually is at Rockefeller Center, the streets weren’t lined with hoards fans but with girls in prom dresses, and performers (Pink and the Jonas Brothers) performed with pre-made Paramount Studios special effects like windows crashing and buildings moving around. Hey I’m feeling the crunch too, but this seemed drastic for MTV.
Let’s talk about awful performances. Rihanna, I’ve liked pretty much everything she’s done except this Disturbia song. Sure if I was a 12 yr old girl this might be pretty badass, but eh.
Lil Wayne and the guy in the Hat - If you watch this again and go in slow motion, you can see everyone in the crowd, including Kobe, holding onto their wallet.
Katy Perry - Weird how one of the supposed biggest hits of the year only gets a half-broadcasted performance on this show with the “house band” DJ AM and Travis Barker. Apparently during the commercial break when she was singing Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” she changed the lyric to “Like a Jonas.” That’s pretty funny. I do have to say though, I like the old Zooey Deschanel better.
T.I. - Remember when people used to day “Rap is just talking with a beat” and then it got all cool and hip to listen to rap? Well it’s talking with a beat again.
Pink - Hey remember when you busted out onto the music scene and dissed Britney and Christina for all the pop-girl-dance-choreography bs? Yeah. This was a performance that I’d expect to see down Main St. in Disney World by Miley Cyrus.. oh wait, you broke windows and blew up a prop building? Oh never mind then, that was BAD ASS.
The Ting Tings - Again, big hit of the year getting the shaft. The only musical act really worth watching in the whole show and we get just a little slice. That’s what you get for playing with a real drummer.
Actually Xtina Aguilera’s performance of Genie in a Bottle was kinda cool though it would have been cooler if she didn’t lip sync. When she started the second song I was REALLY hoping it was a surprise Britney performance, but no, apparently Xtina and Britney are just working with the same producer.
Paramore - I give this band another year before she’s doing the Gwen Stefani thing. And that guitarist really needs to dump the Telecaster.. get ye self a Les Paul and a Marshall and fatten that sound up. Or at least get Mutt Lange in there to do some Def Leppard type production and thicken that sound up. Man I miss Letters to Cleo.
Kid Rock - All Summer song is the worst song I have ever heard in my entire life. You start your performance saying that you won’t be lip syncing, no instead you’re going to sing karaoke to Sweet Home Alabama. First of all, you’re from Detroit, second of all I realize you’re trying to combine white trash country singer with old school hip hopper, but even that mini predator looking guy Lil Wayne schooled you in your own performance. Third, I realize it’s called “sampling” in hip hop, but in rock music it’s called plagiarism, see The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony.
Oh that Kanye West song was just plain awful. Hang it up PDiddy2, it all ends when you start trying to sing.
Also, how not-funny is Jamie Foxx? Ouch.
Oh yeah, who keeps inviting Slipknot to this thing?
So yeah it blew. It was nice to see Britney get up on stage and talk after only seeing her on TMZ in recent years. The night really belonged to Russell Brand though. I’ve read some other blog posts that are saying “How dare he!” Yes how dare he make fun of the Jonas Brothers’ pledge to remain virgins until marriage, how dare he present them with an opposing view to the Disney lifestyle! Also, HOW DARE an unknown English comedian cross the pond and call our record-low-approval-rating-receiving president by calling him a retarded cowboy (maybe he was talking about Kid Rock). Bravo I say.
Related Posts:
on Sep 8th, 2008
haha great review, i thought the same, music is dead to mtv
on Sep 8th, 2008
I though he was funny, I’m a new fan. Xtina’s performance was good I just wish she really sang.
on Sep 8th, 2008
Like Jordan Sparks even has a choice if she wants to remain a virgin.
on Sep 8th, 2008
lol i was thinking the same thing Dr. J
on Sep 8th, 2008
i thought the remarks at the jonas bros were uncool why pick on them? jonas rules!
on Sep 8th, 2008
i saw on a blog that some fool said that the jonas brothers have a mafia style following and that russell brand should watch his back hahaha
on Sep 8th, 2008
It’s in all of our best interest if Jordan Sparks and the Jonas Brothers don’t reproduce, we don’t need any more Corporate DisneyPop taking over our TV and airwaves.
on Sep 8th, 2008
I just hope that 18 year olds that have no clue about politics will get off their asses and vote for Obama, if not because it’s the right choice because someone on MTV told them to. Hey we need those votes however we can get them.
on Sep 8th, 2008
Allz I know is that Britney’s been really gettin my attention lately. i was never a fan of hers, but she’s lookin hotter than she ever has before
on Sep 8th, 2008
Great revue. I did think Britney did a good job though.
on Sep 8th, 2008
The only thing funny about this guy Russell is for him to use a word like retard to describe someone else. He looks and acts like the best part of him ran down his mothers butt crack at birth.
on Sep 8th, 2008
dumb people don’t find russell funny
on Sep 9th, 2008
Last time the Brits tried to interfere in American politics, they got a bad shellacking. Remember how the Guardian sent letters to American voters and then published the responses? It was frickin hilarious.
on Sep 9th, 2008
Great review indeed!
on Sep 10th, 2008
Russell Brand was the best thing about the show, the guy was freaking awesome. In 2 years you’ll all have forgotten who the Jonas Brothers are but Russell Brand will still here. I hope they bring him back next year.
on Sep 15th, 2008
Russell Brand was the only reason i watched this tbh
i cant beleive all these people going “omg how can he say that about the jonas brothers”
because he bloody can and he actually has a sense of humor unlike jordan.
i totally agree with Dr J, your right jordan doesnt have a choice about her virginity, i mean who would want that.
i read the jonas brothers said russell was running out of material, no your just a good thing to laugh at.
on Sep 16th, 2008
“I do have to say though, I like the old Zooey Deschanel better.” HAHAHAHAHHAHA. forreals.