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Britney Glitters, Justin and Rihanna Golden at VMAs
09/09/2007 4:00 PM, E! Online
Who would've guessed that Britney Spears would end up providing the nostalgic link between the MTV Video Music Awards' past and future?
The embattled pop star, returning to the VMA stage Sunday for the first time since she locked lips with Madonna in 2004 to sort-of sing her new single, "Gimme More," kicked off the first-ever Las Vegas edition of MTV's signature award show, which did away this year with a handful of categories, an hour of air time and any pretense that would imply the network is still all about the music.
"I want to challenge MTV right now to play more videos!" Justin Timberlake shouted upon accepting the inaugural Moon Man trophy for Quadruple Threat of the Year, one of four new hyperbolically titled honors handed out in lieu of standards like Best R&B or Best Hip-Hop Video. Timberlake was also named the VMAs' Male Artist of the Year.
One night removed from his Emmy win, the entertainer accepted his first award from the Southern Hospitality Party he hosted with Timbaland in one of the myriad product-sponsored fantasy suites set up at the Palms Casino Resort, one of MTV's latest attempts at boosting interest in the VMAs, which saw viewership drop 28 percent in 2006.
So, just as the Internet has leveled the playing field, allowing any Joe/Jane to become a YouTube or MySpace celebrity, the industry crowd actually in attendance at the main event watched most of the live performances—and most of the acceptance speeches—from the perspective of your average at-home viewer, via live video feed from the fiestas raging around the hotel as the ceremony went on in the Pearl theater. (Much more footage is also available for viewing on mtv.com.)
But before all the new changes took effect, the VMAs harkened back to 2001, the last time Spears performed.
This time around, the 25-year-old comeback kid left the snake at home and took the stage in a sparkly black bra-and-panty set, stockings and boots. Following a solid weekend of hard-partying, Spears, surrounded by adoring dancers and repeatedly brushing her long blonde hair (extensions) behind her ear, whispered her way through a largely prerecorded rendition of "Gimme More." And while the divorced mother of two showed that she's still got rhythm, her gyration-heavy routine was a far cry from the more energetic moves that helped make her a live-audience favorite once upon a time.
Sarah Silverman, not at all chastened by having the most recent object of her smutty persecution, Paris Hilton, in the house, reminisced how it was just a few years ago that Spears "was this sweet, innocent little girl in slutty clothes writhing around with a python."
"Isn't she amazing?" the brazen comic said. "She is 25 years old and she's already accomplished everything she's going to accomplish in her life. It's mind-blowing."
Although MTV theoretically scored itself a coup by featuring Spears' first TV performance in a cool while, not all of her fellow artists were equally enthusiastic.
"I can't believe she would perform. She hasn't had a hit record in years," a slighted-sounding Kanye West, whose eagerly anticipated Graduation drops Tuesday, said Saturday night at a Rolling Stone party. "Maybe my money's not right. Maybe my skin's not right."
The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl wasn't exactly waiting with bated breath, either.
"You know those things that you put batteries in and they just vacuum the floor without anyone touching them? That's what I think of Britney Spears," said the rocker, whose band held court at the cleverly named Hotel Party #3,562, where they performed their new tune, "The Pretender."
West, likewise, got the privileged crowd going at the Good Life Party. He also made a cameo as a presenter, joining fellow Rolling Stone cover boy and current competitor 50 Cent to tersely announce this year's Earth-Shattering Collaboration.
That brand-new honor went to Beyoncé and Shakira for "Beautiful Liar."
Meanwhile, Rihanna's "Umbrella," featuring Jay-Z, won the grand prize, Video of the Year, and was also deemed Monster Single of the Year, tying the Barbados-born artist with Timberlake for most wins of the night with two apiece.
Fall Out Boy, named Best Group, performed "Sugar" and other hits at their Friends or Enemies Party.
With all the excitement occurring via video Sunday, one of the neatest revelations that actually took place onstage turned into a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment.
It Boy Shia LaBeouf, pretending to thumb his nose at George Lucas' and Steven Spielberg's authority, "accidentally" let slip the title of the upcoming fourth Indiana Jones movie.
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," LaBeouf announced, before accepting an absent Fergie's Best Female Artist Moon Man on her behalf.
Other highlights of the evening included Chris Brown's homage to the Little Tramp and Michael Jackson during his performance of "Wall to Wall," for which the 18-year-old and his crew turned the tabletops into dance floors, and Mary J. Blige's introduction of Dr. Dre, who was on hand to present Video of the Year to Rihanna, but may as well have been the recipient of an honorary award.
"He created a sound for a new generation of raw, real music. The most incredible producer of our time, he gave birth to a new swagger and a new style," Blige said. "Every day is 'Dre Day' in the world of music."
And Timberlake, accepting his Male Artist of the Year award onstage, again pleaded with MTV to return to form and reminded the crowd that music was supposedly why they were all there.
"I remember when I first came to the MTV Awards and I was like, 'heh, heh,' and it's just exciting to see a new generation of artists really doin' it and doin' it well," Timberlake said. "To be in a category with people like Robin Thicke, who I really admire, and Kanye West, people who continue to make exciting music—I think music is in a great place right now because we're all doing what we want to do."
And to up-and-comer Brown: "Nobody likes to be reminded that they're getting older. Whatever Chris Brown just did reminded me that I'm getting older 'cause, damn."
Nonmusical highlight: Kid Rock punching Tommy Lee backstage, in what was supposedly a Pamela Anderson-related scuffle.
Sean "Diddy" Combs, presenting the evening's final performance, told the crowd that he was supposed to have been joined by Kid, but that "we gotta stop the violence in rock and roll."
Here's a rundown of the winners at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards:
• Video of the Year: Rihanna (feat. Jay-Z), "Umbrella"
• Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake
• Female Artist of the Year: Fergie
• Best Group: Fall Out Boy
• Best New Artist: Gym Class Heroes
• Monster Single of the Year: Rihanna (feat. Jay-Z), "Umbrella"
• Quadruple Threat of the Year: Justin Timberlake
• Earth-Shattering Collaboration: Beyoncé (feat. Shakira), "Beautiful Liar"
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