Winners of the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards

Michael Jackson came to dance but the star of the year’s MTV Video Music Awards night was no other but actor Christopher Walken. The man dubbed by host Jamie Foxx as the "Fred Astaire of MTV" became the first non-music artist to win a Moonman for the video of Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim. Walken joined the top proponent of brit hop in an unexpected appearance in Weapon and soon after became one of the MTV’s favorite personalities. He won in the Best Choreography category and as the cliché goes, what came next is now history.

The trophy was one of several that Fatboy Slim won during ceremonies held last Thursday evening, Sept. 6, at the New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House. Truth to tell, he got nine nominations for this year’s awards and was definitely expected to walk home with at least one or two just like he did in the past. Well, he did better than ever this time around. When the evening ended Fatboy Slim was cuddling the trophy for Best Breakthrough Video and savoring with pride the others won for Direction, Choreography, Art Direction, Editing and Cinematography by his Weapon of Choice video.

Sharing Walken’s star turn was Gwen Stefani of No Doubt who also made history as the first female artist to win in the Male Video category. Technically the award belongs to Moby but his recording of South Side features Gwen and when it won, Stefani was of course, also named a winner. Gwen got two Moonmans that night. The other was in the Female Video category for Let Me Blow Ya Mind by Eve where Gwen is again featured as guest collaborator.

The plum Moonman of the night though went to the fabulous production of Lady Marmalade performed by Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya & Pink. The powerhouse foursome bested Stan by Eminem feat. Dido, All for You by Janet Jackson, Get Ur Freak On by Missy Misdemeanor Elliot, Beatiful Day by U2 and Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice. Lady Marmalade is a new version of the La Belledance classic recorded for the musical Moulin Rouge. It was also named Best Video from a Film.

But here is something for the Backstreet Boys to seriously think about. Chief rival ‘N Sync not only got to dance with Michael Jackson, they went home with four trophies for the video of Pop from the album Celebrity. These include the Viewers Choice Award which is regarded as a good gauge for an act’s popularity. The others were for Group Video, Dance Video and Pop Video.

There were solemn moments as when tribute was paid to the departed R&B artist Aaliyah who died in a plane crash last Aug. 25 at the very young age of 22. There was also an almost reverent reaction when this year’s Michael Jackson Vanguard Award recipients U2 invited the surviving members of the punk group Ramones to honor the memory of leader Joey Ramone, who died last April after a long illness. But the 18th MTV Video Music Awards was exciting, irreverent and a brilliant showcase of what pop culture has become thanks to the arrival of music television 20 years ago.

Here is this year’s list of winners:

• Video of the Year: Lady Marmalade;

• Male Video: South Side by Moby feat. Gwen Stefani;

• Group Video: Pop by ‘N Sync;

• Rap Video: Ride Wit Me by Nelly;

• R&B Video: Survivor by Destiny’s Child;

• Hip Hop Video: Ms. Jackson by Outkast;

• Dance Video: Pop by ‘N Sync;

• Rock Video: Rollin’ by Limp Bizkit;

• Pop Video: Pop by ‘N Sync;

• New Artist in a Video: Alicia Keys Fallin;

• Viewer’s Choice: Pop by ‘N Sync;

• Breakthrough Video: Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim;

• Direction: Spike Jonze for Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim;

• Choreography: Spike Jonze, Mickey Rooney and Christopher Walken for Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim;

• Special Effects: Carter White FX for "Rock DJ" by Robbie Williams;

• Art Direction: Val Wilt for Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim;

• Editing: Eric Zumbrunen for Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim; and

• Cinematography: Lance Acord for Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim.

MTV celebrates it 20th anniversary on the air this year and it has been giving out video music awards for the past 18 years.