Perhaps the only thing more annoying than the faux fanboy “influencers” comedy duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele was the minimal effort expended to entertain the millennial audience. The show itself seemed to be an extreme answer to the lack of diversity displayed by the academy at the Oscars.
Hip-Hip ruled the night. Amid lackadaisical performances and the overreaction of the tweens in the audience this years video music awards was nearly unwatchable. The older performers were uneasy with their interactions with the younger stars.
Nicki Minaj looked almost hostilely bored during her number with Ariana Grande. Rihanna, who opened the show in a long dance number, either could not be bothered to lip-sync most of her songs, or forgot.
Beyonce, the big winner of the evening, gave the performance of the evening. A monument to eclectic dance moves and lip-synced lyrics. The microphone covering the mouth is a dead giveaway by the way.
The MTV Video Music Awards felt geared to a generation who did not cut their teeth on Michael Jackson and may even be tiring of Justin Bieber. This was aimed at the demographic who joined YouTube after its heyday. The kids who look blankly when MySpace is mentioned.
It was painfully obvious that the days of truly gifted and spectacular performers like Tina Turner are over. Beyonce is a personal favorite, but hearing Tina belt out “Nutbush City Limits” was a special treat and not one performance by any female artist on the VMA’s came near that level of power last night.
The show was all about dry ice, flashing lights and a huge amount of dancers supporting the artists. Perhaps the main problem was that all the music had a sameness to it. There was no variety.
(On a sidenote, there could have been a lot more of Jay Pharoah)
This year felt sophomoric and apathetic compared to years past. Miley Cyrus, who made the VMA her plaything was replaced by two comics posing as Twitter poseurs. And just to set the record straight: Whoever thought having Kim Kardashian-North present Britney Spears was a good idea?
Spears, the queen of lip-sync (cop the mic over the mouth) performed with G-Eazy who did the lion’s share of the work. The performance, like the show itself, was underwhelming.
The multiple hosts this year were incredibly annoying: DJ Khaled and Nicole Byer, along with Peele and Key, put the VMA at a level of irritation never before seen.
More interesting than the actual awards program were the camera shots of the rich and famous in the audience, arguably the best of any MTV VMA. Kim getting a close of up of Kanye smiling with her smart phone. West sidled up to Jayden Smith, and that wild hair cut. The clear excitement of the Olympic guests, who later presented an award, and who all looked around 12 years old.
Jimmy Fallon came out to present the video of the year award and died. Perhaps the average audience member is not allowed to stay up that late. (Beyonce won this one, no real surprise there as this was her night.)
Beyonce won a total of six awards by the end of the evening. Making her the woman of the “hour.” Rihanna kept upping her game and her final performance was her best. Less about the dancers and more about the singing, RiRi killed it.
Rihanna took the Michael Jackson Vanguard Video award after a long winded and slightly rambling intro from Drake. It was here that he declared his love for the singer.
All in all, the evening was pretty blasé. A sort of masturbatory experience for a privileged few, we are talking about you Kanye and Kim, and a total yawn fest without the antics of Miley Cyrus. When the highlight of the event is Drake declaring his love for Rhianna perhaps it is time to rethink the formula.
Bring back the spectacle guys and dolls, this was a major disappointment.
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