It was every producer’s nightmare come true. With only a few days to go until the live telecast date, the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) was confronted with the strike of the Writers Guild of America.
Because of this, the VMAs lost its host. Actress and TV host Drew Barrymore backed out in sympathy with the writers who are facing the threat of competition from those digitized AI scriptwriters. Horrors! AI, which means Artificial Intelligence, could soon be writing scripts for shows.
Then came the news that members of the guild will picket the VMAs. This one not only cancelled the high rating among fashionistas red carpet pre-show but also the live awarding itself, which is truly a yearly treat for fans. Remember they do the voting at the VMAs.
But the VMAs did not make it to its 31st anniversary for nothing and the show went on as scheduled last May 7. Not at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica but from the confines of a TV studio. Nobody appeared live. It was pre-taped but still lots of watchable fun.
All of the winners received their popcorn trophies in person and said their “thank yous” on videos. And I must say, special videos, too. Tom Cruise said his thank you while flying a plane!
And I say, best of all, the VMAs opened its archives and aired some of its most memorable clips. Who can forget a very young Rihanna singing her Umbrella or the late Amy Winehouse with her Rehab or the gorgeous girls of TLC with Waterfall.
There were also Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge with Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim, Mya and Pink; the then newcomer Katy Perry with her California Gurls, Sacha Baron Cohen during his glory days as Borat parking his butt on Eminem and other fun moments.
Top winner was HBO’s The Last of Us. Lead star Pedro Pascal got three Popcorn trophies including Best Hero.
Taylor Swift finally got a screen nod. She bested Lady Gaga with Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick; Rihanna with Lift Me Up from Black Panther, Wakanda Forever; Doja Cat with Vegas from Elvis; Demi Lovato with Still Alive from Scream VI and One Republic with I Ain’t Worried also from Top Gun, Maverick to win Best Theme Song with her Carolina from Where the Crawdads Sing.
Still on the music category winners. Selena Gomez’s My Mind and Me won over a formidable line-up of co-nominees in the Best Music Documentary. Halftime of Jennifer Lopez; Love Lizzo by Lizzo; Sheryl by Sheryl Crow; and The Day the Music Died, the Story of Don McLean’s American Pie.
Now presenting the honor roll of the MTV VMAs of 2023:
•Best Movie: Scream VI
•Best Show: The Last Of Us
•Best Performance in a Movie: Tom Cruise, Top Gun: Maverick.
•Best Performance in a Show: Jenna Ortega, Wednesday.
•Best Hero: Pedro Pascal.
•Best Villain: Elizabeth Olsen, Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
•Best Kiss: Madison Bailey and Rudy Pankow, Outer Banks.
•Best Comedic Performance: Adam Sandler, Murder Mystery 2.
•Best Breakthrough Performance: Joseph Quinn, Stranger Things.
•Best Fight: Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers) vs. Ghost Face, Scream VI.
•Most Frightened: Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus.
•Best Duo: Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, The Last Of Us.
•Kick Ass Cast: Stranger Things.
•Best Song: Taylor Swift, Carolina, Where the Crawdads Sing.
•Best Documentary Realty Series: The Kardashians.
•Best Reality Competition Show: RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars.
•Best Host: Drew Barrymore, The Drew Barrymore Show.
•Best Reality On Screen Team: Ariana Madix, Katie Maloney, Scheana Shay and Lala Kent, from The Vanderpump Rules.
•Best Music Documentary: Selena Gomez, My Mind and Me.