They didn’t win but Chris Brown and Rihanna were certainly the most talked about nominees at the 2009 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. This was because, the young hip-hop stars figured in that beating incident before the Grammy Awards early this year. Nobody really knows what happened but Rihanna ended up with her face black and blue and all swollen in the hospital. And that happened only a few days after the Kids’ Choice Awards (KCA) nominations were announced.
So everybody wondered if both or either of them would be around to pick up their Blimp trophies at the UCLA Pauley Pavilion last March 28. Brown solved the problem by withdrawing from the race. It was the prudent thing to do although his nomination was about his music and not about what he does in private. Rihanna did not but she didn’t win in either of her nominations.
Kids vote for their favorites at the KCA and it would have sent the wrong signals to parents about them idolizing controversial artists like Brown and Rihanna. I would hate to imagine a future generation of hip-hoppers wanting to be like Brown or Rihanna. That gives me the creeps. So let us now go to what maybe slimey but certainly not creepy in the Nick vocabulary, the winners at the Kids’ Choice Awards.
The results were all quite predictable really but what is amazing about the KCA, which is now on its 22nd year, is the value that kids put on the power to choose their favorites. Over 90 million viewers sent in their votes through the Nickelodeon web site. It is also a fact that the biggest stars take the KCA seriously and make sure they turn up at what has become one of Hollywood’s most important events in terms of the popular vote and sweeping audience participation.
Among the adults who turned up this year, some of whom, were only too glad to get slimed were Will Farrell, who slipped and slimed, Sandra Bullock, Hugh Jackman, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Marlon Wayans, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Queen Latifah, John Cena, America Ferrera, Paula Abdul and Jack Black. Host for the evening was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and the very adult Pussycat Dolls performed.
Not yet that adult, were top performers of the evening, the Jonas Brothers, who led the Disney onslaught at the KCA on Nick territory. Also present were Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and Cole Sprouse.
Of course, we didn’t see any of them at the KCA because we did not get the show live at the local Nick channel. The web is the best alternative to watch the proceedings but I guess that recourse is only for the diehards who can afford the cost. I am sure though that Nick has scheduled a telecast of the event in the very near future. So meanwhile, while you wait, here is the list of winners.
Favorite Movie: High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Favorite Movie Actor: Will Smith, Hancock
Favorite Movie Actress: Vanessa Hudgens, HSM3: Senior Year
Favorite Animated Movie: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Favorite Voice From an Animated Movie: Jack Black, Kung Fu Panda
Favorite Song: Beyoncé Knowles, Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It).
Favorite Male Singer: Jesse McCartney
Favorite Female Singer: Miley Cyrus
Favorite Music Group: Jonas Brothers
Favorite TV Show: iCarly
Favorite Reality Show: American Idol
Favorite TV Actress: Selena Gomez, Wizards of Waverly
Favorite TV Actor: Cole Sprouse, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
Favorite Cartoon: SpongeBob SquarePants
Favorite Male Athlete: Peyton Manning
Favorite Female Athlete: Candace Parker
Favorite Video Game: Guitar Hero World Tour
Favorite Book: Twilight Series
Big Green Help Award: Leonardo DiCaprio for his efforts to save the environment.
I am very happy about the award for the Twilight series because it means kids are reading despite all the TV watching and video game playing they do these days. Thanks to the wonderful Harry Potter, a lot of children have developed the habit of reading. It was scary for awhile when Harry’s story finished and he retired. What will the kids read now? But thanks to Twilight, books are popular once again. Incidentally, the popular movie with the amazing rock soundtrack was released last week on video.