http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/10/mtv.awards.ap/index.html#cnnSTCVideo
Lackluster Britney Spears kicks off MTV awards
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) -- As in most train wrecks, it was hard to focus on just one thing as the Britney Spears disaster unfolded. There was just so much that went wrong.
Britney Spears begins the show Sunday night with her new single, "Gimme More."
Out-of-synch lip-synching. Lethargic movements that seemed choreographed by a dance instructor for a nursing home. The paunch in place of Spears' once-taut belly. At times she just stopped singing altogether, as if even she knew nothing could save her performance.
Designed to drum up excitement for her upcoming album, Spears' kickoff to the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night became another example of how far she has fallen. It would have been understandable if MTV's show had been crushed under the weight of the opening fiasco -- yet somehow it rebounded, and even flourished.
The show banked heavily on its own reinvention. After poor reviews and a decline in ratings over the last few years, MTV moved the show to Vegas, shortened it from three hours to two, went to a hostless format and focused more on performances than awards.
Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, Kanye West, Fall Out Boy and the Foo Fighters hosted separate suite parties where most of the performances took place.
But the performance most people will be talking about was Spears'. And unlike her last VMAs appearance, when she locked lips with Madonna in 2003, this time it will be for all the wrong reasons.
"It definitely could have been a lot better," the hitmaking singer and producer Akon commented afterward. "She seemed nervous ... you could tell by the expression on her face. Instead of just blocking everybody out and doing her thing, you could tell she was thinking about it."
After that, though, the changes to the show worked, leading to several exciting performances and some watercooler drama. An off-camera fight between Pamela Anderson exes Kid Rock and Tommy Lee led Jamie Foxx to quip: "Stop all this white-on-white violence."
Kid Rock was later cited by police for misdemeanor battery. He wasn't taken into custody, an officer said.
MTV VJ Sway said during the post-show that he saw Kid Rock walk up to the 44-year-old Motley Crue drummer, who was sitting next to Sean "Diddy" Combs, and "deck him."
Another eyewitness, rap producer Rich Nice, said although Kid Rock threw the only blows that landed -- a backhand slap and a punch -- Lee was the instigator.
Timberlake's suite was flooded with revelers, alcohol and eight lingerie-clad stripper types on raised platforms. Before Timberlake accepted the Quadruple Threat of the Year award at his suite, the DJ summoned the partygoers to watch the monitor and go crazy if Timberlake won. He did, they did, and Timberlake said: "I want to challenge MTV to play more videos!" Then he was whisked away by bodyguards and disappeared.
Timberlake was the night's big winner, with four trophies. After accepting the award for Male Artist of the Year, he jabbed at the video issue again: "We don't want to see the Simpsons on reality television." Apparently he's not a fan of either Jessica or Ashlee's MTV shows.
VMA WINNERS
Video of the Year: Rihanna, "Umbrella," featuring Jay-Z
Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake
Female Artist of the Year: Fergie
Quadruple Threat of the Year: Justin Timberlake
Best Group: Fallout Boy, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"
Monster Single of the Year: Rihanna, "Umbrella"
Most Earthshattering Collaboration: Beyonce and Shakira, "Beautiful Liar"
Best Editing: Ken Mowe for Gnarls Barkley's "Smiley Faces"
Best Director: Samuel Bayer for Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around ... Comes Around"
Best Choreography: Marty Kudelka for Justin Timberlake's "Let Me Talk to You/My Love"
Best New Artist: Gym Class Heroes
Rihanna won the coveted Video of the Year award, plus Monster Single of the Year for "Umbrella." The Best Group was Fallout Boy, and Gym Class Heroes won Best New Artist.
Beyonce and Shakira won Most Earthshattering Collaboration for "Beautiful Liar." Beyonce's shimmering gold dress barely contained her top; immediately after she picked up her trophy she asked an assistant backstage to help fix her dress, apparently to prevent a wardrobe malfunction.
Other performers appeared on the show's main stage, in front of an industry-only audience seated at tables, like at the Golden Globes. Chris Brown gave one of the evening's most extravagant performances -- hopping from table to table in a dance spectacle that channeled Michael Jackson, right down to a brief "Billie Jean" imitation.
Alicia Keys had the evening's most rousing performance, debuting her new song "No One" and then an inspired, choir-backed cover of George Michael's "Freedom."
While performances like Keys' and Spears' were delivered on the main stage, others came in snippets: Akon crooned a bit of his "Smack That" before an award was announced, while the cameras zoomed in on Fall Out Boy and the Foo Fighters mid-performance in their suites, giving viewers the sense that they had happened upon an intimate concert.
Cee-Lo delivered a rocking version of Prince's naughty classic "Darling Nikki" in the smoky Foo Fighters suite (where a beer bong was in operation as Dave Grohl danced, sang Cure songs, played air drums and posed for snapshots); Soulja Boy was showing Kanye West his "Crank That" dance in West's suite.
Though the suites appeared to be chaotic parties, the MTV-cast revelers were carefully organized, strategically placed and encouraged to imbibe for the cameras.
Choreographed or not, Timberlake and Timbaland's suite looked the most exciting -- T.I., buffeted by pole dancers, delivered a rousing version of "Big Things Poppin"' while 50 Cent stopped by to perform "Ayo Technology" with Timberlake and Timbaland.
Not to be outdone, T-Pain and West danced high atop Las Vegas in a balcony suite as they celebrated "The Good Life." And Lil Wayne, doing double duty in the Fall Out Boy suite after opening the pre-show with Nicole Scherzinger, was particularly animated.
TV viewers never got full views of those shows, though MTV promised more via its Web site and other "remixed" versions of the show. That might have been the purpose: to whet appetites for repeat viewings by promising glimpses of what they missed during the traditional broadcast.
Unlike in recent years, there was plenty reason to come back for more.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
Whoa! Such strong words. But yeah, the rest of the world prolly is waiting for that comeback in years. I never took Britney's singing prowess really seriously - tho she was a good performer - her sloppy performance at the MTV VMA 2007 in Vegas is just one reason that she is not back yet.
ReplyDelete1) Her body isnt what it used to be. come on! look at the gut and compare it to the girl in her earlier vids.
2) Glassy stares all throughout. where was the britney with the sharp moves?
3) and the lip synching? geeze.
4) she seemed dazed and nervous at the same time while her backup dancers hustle her to the right positions.
She was just a disaster - the lady just crashed and burned. She arrived the night before her performance, and went clubhopping and got back to her hotel around 3 in the morning and the then for a while.
She just looked so toxic. The music is catchy but nah Blonde is definitely not back. Sorry dear, but she aint no Madonna.
yes
ReplyDeletebut people shouldnt judge her for a 1 not too perfect perofrmance!!!!!!!!
all her songs were #1 straight every time.
The problem is exactly that, the world was expecting the Brit can pull a hot comeback because apparently it was her idea to open the show for the VMA. The world is eager to watch her because after the scandalous pussy photos, the shaved heads and the almost creepy relationship with K-Fed the world was expecting a spectacular comeback performance. Maybe she should really get her mind a huge detox. Sure the songs were nice and no doubt it will hit the charts. Heck, I had Toxic as my ringtone 2-3 years ago. But she seriously need to think of her future as a musician or she'd end up the Barbie version of Kurt Cobain - so young, so popular and so dead.
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