MTV: Mucho Tiresome Viewing

I was reading "the trades" today and was delighted to see that last year's VMA's (Video Music Awards) had a 50% drop since their high from 2002. I am delighted not because I have an evil bone in my body, but because I have been angry. Remember when Eddie Murphy enraged parents with his lustily foul hosting monologues? Or Madonna descending the stairs in a Gaultier three (five!) piece suit blasting into "Express Yourself"?

Cut to just a couple years ago where Puff Daddy is prancing across the stage making no sense whatsoever and R Kelly badly lip syncs a mediocre popera-ette about being "Trapped in the Closet." I swore when the camera cut to the audience I caught people ignoring the stage and sending text messages.

I was worried that this thrilled the youngsters of America who apparently are so coddled by their parents and electronic contraptions that anything with loud music and bright flashy colors is wholly engaging. Luckily, per the ratings, these spring chickens side with this middle-aged rabbit.

Now then, MTV is revamping their awards this year, and one of the ways of doing it is showing award handouts and various musical acts playing in different parts of the Palms Casino where it's being filmed. Is that truly the answer, I ask? When Britney Spears ripped off her tux to reveal almost nothing and shook her moneymaker, wasn't it all the more astonishing a desplay of flash because the whole audience was all together, rapt, sharing the experience?

This time for the first time in years, I'm actually going to watch the premiere. It doesn't rerun this time around, natch. But I won't even tivo it and watch it later. So perhaps MTV has got it right again, especially if I'm not the only one deliberately tuning in?