Please--The Kanye Stunt Was Staged
Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift's acceptance speech during The 2009 MTV VMAs. AP photo
The Video Music Awards are the last vestige of relevance that MTV is holding onto by its bloodied, broken fingernails. Long ago relegated to the dust-bin of pop culture importance, MTV is now the refuge of useless, dithering reality television and "music" that for the most part no one who hasn't been lobotomized would really listen to.
I'd bet you anything that some MTV higher-up said to his fellow corporate hacks, "Hey, how can we get the show on the front page of the paper and get a bunch of saps to re-watch it when we air the VMAs ad nauseam for the next month?"
"Oh, I got it!" said MTV hack #2. "What if we asked one of our rotating egos to run up during an award and upstage another one of our products? It'll be so edgy!"
Not only is this faux-controversy obnoxious, but it's also just so damn phony.
For instance, obviously Beyonce's video is better. That video is hypnotic--three beautiful women dancing in black and white, looking like my every dream from ages 12-25. My friends and I agreed that we could probably sit and watch that video all day (I actually have no idea what the song's about now that I think about it; something about being single but also "putting a ring on it" whatever that has to do with anything).
Meanwhile that Taylor Swift video is absurdly bad. Like so bad it circles back around until you think it'll become good, but no--wait, hold on, yes--it still sucks.
My point being: watch that "put a ring on it" video on YouTube all day, but please for the love of all that is good and holy in this world do not spend one more iota of time discussing the Great Kanye-Dissing-Taylor Debacle of '09.
Actually I'm going to put a link to the Beyonce video on YouTube, so you can watch it at work 2 to 3 to 27 times.
Share this entry
Recommended for you
10 Comments
Fernando Diaz said:
This definitely smells of Borat Slim Shady 08
CharlieChicago said:
THANK YOU. As much as I want people to understand this, no one seems to want to admit it. People enjoy the controversy, the gossip, and don't want to believe it was staged. People need something to be mad about.
Josh Reichlin said:
Agreed wholeheartedly.
I don't know why people buy into stuff like this. It's a clear cut viral marketing campaign since the show and the awards mean absolutely nothing to anyone.
It's not the first time MTV has forced this to happen and I'm sure it won't be the last.
Shari Weiss said:
Do you think it was *completely* staged? As in, do you think Taylor knew about it too, then? Her reaction seemed pretty genuine...
chidre said:
good point. plus, kanye looked a fool since the "best video" went to b'yonce anyway.
Greg Morelli said:
This is the first time I've watched MTV in 14 years and actually cared. When I'm watching, I really don't care about reality TV versus scripted TV. All I'm interested in is entertaining TV. This was certainly fun!
Craig Kanalley said:
I don't think it was staged.
I read somewhere the argument that it had to be because of how quickly the camera panned to Beyonce for her reaction. But that's silly. As someone who's done some broadcast work in the past, that's what camera people are supposed to do. You have your one-shots ready in case that person wins, etc., and even if they don't, to get instant reaction. When Kanye said Beyonce's name, they needed to do a quick shot of her.
And for the evidence specifically posed here (Beyonce's video being better? That's an opinion), it just seems awfully scant for me.
Maybe Kanye is just an idiot. And maybe, in a roundabout way, he makes other people look like idiots too.
Dmband said:
I think it was staged. As noted MTV is known for this kind of publicity stunt. Bottom line is, it worked. But let's not lose sight of the fact that MTV has to be the biggest joke in terms of relevance at this point. What a shame...what started as a important musical outlet has become a 24 hour commercial and marketing campaign to the coveted 12-17 demographic. Its really bad...
Also, Kanye's entire image is based on being an idiot, or the "international asshole" as he so politely deemed it in his song. Its all a part of his persona...its like being surprised when Marilyn Manson acts like a freak..that is part of his act.
bjs123 said:
Staged or not, I don't care for Beyonce's video. Love her, like the song but, in my opinion, the video stinks. I was bored after the first couple gyrations. That's what makes the world go round, different people, different tastes, different opinions. Doesn't make anyone right or wrong. We should be respectful.
Nivek said:
Just heard your interview on WGN radio and after browsing through your blogs, I came to this one first because I have been saying this for months! The whole thing just seemed too fake, and who better to get the evil side of the attention than Kanye who's career has been downhile since he gave us his workout tape. I never have cared for his music even in the slightest bit. Someone earlier mentioned the Eminem/Borat event in '08 and I hope that wasn't staged because it was too awesome to see Eminem embarassed like that. Good stuff, like the blog.
Leave a Comment?
What your comment will look like:
said: