What Happened to the VMA's??

The Video Music Award's (VMA's) were once a time-honored annual MTV tradition used to award excellence to the best work in various music video categories. It seems to have slowly degenerated into an ADHD style show with no rhyme or reason, merely a journey into music and insanity; the 2006 edition was further evidence. This year's festivities were as one described it "a train-wreck". Basically the show was hosted by Jack Black, who barely seemed to host at all. He did an opening number and it was hard to tell if there were technical problems or some parts were meant to be purposely funny? There seemed to be a general disconnect between the producers, technical staff, and those on stage, as well as amongst fellow MTV "VJ's". Problems included: Jessica Simpson stuttering her teleprompter lines on stage; Missy Elliot's fake mini-motorized Escalade failing to work at the end of her performance, requiring Timbaland to push the mini truck across stage; Microphones seemed to be attached to everyone, because at some points you could hear people talking but it had no connection to the show. MTV was trying to be hip as well, adding in vintage rock-stars like Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, and Lou Reed, both of whom joined The Raconteurs on stage for songs. Problem is, how many people in the crowd even listened to or know ZZ Top or Lou Reed? I guess the funniest and best moments of the show are those that are unplanned. For example someone running on stage to steal the microphone from Panic at the Disco, yelling about how MTV wouldnt air his new show and then giving shout outs. In addition, Mos Def pulled up in front of the Radio City Music Hall to perform an impromptu freestyle rap concert about how George Bush is ruining things..He was arrested. Basically, it's hard to tell if MTV is relying on new production staff to run this affair, but it's definitely in need of some work, maybe MTV should put out a survey on its site to find out what viewers would like to see, rather than force-feeding it to them...or else the "moonman" trophy will soon be something artists laugh at as it sits in their trophy case.