2011 MTV’s VMA Award Highlights

MTV’s annual VMA Awards Show is one of few remaining traditions that links the network that is MTV today with its roots -that is, music.  Ever since the fall of “TRL” a few years back, nearly all traces of music or music videos are squeezed into commercial-length spots in between reruns of “Jersey Shore” or “Teen Mom.”  While many are critical about MTV losing its ‘M’, the VMAs are a chance for the world’s largest television network to reconnect with the music.

Here are a few highlights from this year’s award show, which aired Sunday Aug 28.  View clips and highlights HERE.

Biggest News

Beyonce Knowles announces pregnancy!  The 29-year-old starlet announced that she and husband Jay-Z are expecting their first child.  Earlier this year, she told CNN that her goal was to be a mom by the time she hit the big 3-0, and she followed through.  Later on in the show, Knowles performed “Love on Top”, after which she tossed the mic and rubbed her baby bump as hubby Jay-Z applauded wildly from his primo seat.

Gaga Watch

Lady Gaga, who always makes a big splash at the VMAs, showed up this year as male alter ego Jo Calderone, who wears white crew neck T-s, black pants, combat boots and an uncanny resemblance to young John Travolta in his ‘grease’r days.  Gaga opened the show with an in-character monologue, and then delved into a performance of “You and I” with rock legend Brian May of Queen.

Despite taking a little fall on stage, Gaga delivered one of the best performances of the night.  Other honorable mentions include Adele’s performance of “Someone Like You” and Chris Brown’s dance medley.

Angry Celebrity

There always has to be at least one.  Last year, it was Kanye West when he interrupted Taylor Swift’s award acceptance speech, but this year’s VMA Angry Celebrity goes to Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine.  The singer, 32, voiced his distaste for the VMAs and MTV via his twitter, posting:

“The VMA’s. One day a year when MTV pretends to still care about music. I’m drawing a line in the sand. F— you VMA’s.”

Levine did not attend the awards show this year.  Perhaps not as douche-y of a move as Kanye’s last year, but still enough to earn him this year’s angry celebrity of the VMAs despite not actually going.

Aww Moment

The show took a serious turn when jazz legend Tony Bennet, 83, presented a touching video of a duet he recorded with the late Amy Winehouse just weeks before her death.  He told the audience, “She was a true jazz artist in the tradition of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. She had the gift.”

Bennet was joined by Russell Brand and Bruno Mars in the tribute to Winehouse, who was found dead in her North London home in July of this year.

Images by j1myi and AlexKormisPS (ALM) via Flickr