Rihanna gets top Moonman but One Direction steals show

There was no kiss like Britney Spears’ and Madonna’s. No Kanye West ranted against Taylor Swift. Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose showed off a baby bump but it was nothing like Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s. I do not know if Rihanna and Chris Brown talked backstage or if he buried the hatchet with Drake but they were all just there in one piece with no bruises showing.

Truth to tell, this year’s MTV Video Music Awards held last Thursday, Sept. 6 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and aired live Friday morning over MTV Asia, was a no-shocker, laid-back affair. From my end though, this was save for the fact that K-Pop artist PSY was up there on stage rapping and dancing Gangnam Style with host Kevin Hart. K-Pop was at the MTV VMAs and I felt very, very envious.

Back to the awards. Maybe the event took its cue from the mood of those present. Pink dished out some profanities in her song Blow Me One Last Kiss, but everyone else was, amazingly well-behaved. Nicki Minaj tried to steal the show with an outrageous black and red jumpsuit and Miley Cyrus had cutouts in her gown but they were in the minority. Katy Perry ditched the yellow box hat in favor of flowing black tresses and a billowing floral printed ball gown. And what can you say about Swift in a lovely pantsuit and Rihanna in a simple draped gown? Both girls wore white and will doubtless be praised for being well-dressed.

Is the VMAs losing its edge? Maybe it was because Lady Gaga was not around. Maybe it was because the popstars have gotten older. Where were Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez? Are they old too? I guess nobody just wanted to take risks. This means that there is now a need for new blood to bring youthful, power-packed energy back to the annual awards.

One Direction wins Best New Artist, Best Pop Video and Most Share-Worthy Video for What Makes You Beautiful

Not that these were not present. They were there in huge abundance but it was the sweet, wholesome kind personified by the British boy group One Direction. So if you turn down the volume while Pink is performing, you will have a show that six-year-olds can watch. I have a feeling they did on TV while big sisters went to Staples Center to swoon and scream their hearts out for the boy band of this generation.

Rihanna, who got the most nominations this year brought home only one win, albeit it was the much-coveted Video of the Year Moonman for her song We Found Love. The record holder for the most number of trophies this year was One Direction. The boy band is back in a big way and Simon Cowell, who put the group together, has another moneymaker. One Direction won in all the categories that its video for the big hit What Makes You Beautiful was nominated in — Best New Artist, Best Pop Video and Most Share-Worthy Video. They also got to kiss Perry. Let us all wait and see if the boy band fever will continue to rage until next year.

Rihanna was also sedate in red for the night’s opening number of Cockiness (I Love It) and We Found Love. I love her new short hairdo. She looks so sweet and pretty. Ditto with new mommy Alicia Keys who did a new song Girl On Fire with Minaj. I cannot say the same about Cyrus’ upswept short do though. What was she thinking? Even Pink or Elvis Presley never had a pompadour that high. And big surprise, the females of Jersey Shore were almost prim and proper.

Adele brought a beautiful quiet moment with an acoustic rendition of Someone Like You. It was nice to see Green Day back at the VMAs. When is the new album coming out? Emma Watson has grown up into a beauty. Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas was a stunner in her routine. The cast of Breaking Dawn Part 2 wowed all Twihards with the trailer of the picture. Do you think Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart will ever get back together? Not if we are to believe what Swift sang to close the show. She was every bit the ’60s cutie with We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together Again.

I still feel bad about PSY. Did we not have something like Maskipops before? His Gangnam Style looks like that. Still, there is really nothing sensational to talk about at the MTV VMAs this year. It sort of feels like a let down that nobody did a Sasha Cohen by landing butt up on someone’s face. On the other hand though, it was an awards night. It did what it was supposed to do — announce the winners. Congratulations to them all.

The other winners at the VMAs this year are:

Hip Hop Video: Drake, HYFR featuring Lil Wayne

Male Video: Chris Brown, Turn Up The Music;

Female Video: Nicki Minaj, Starships;

Rock Video: Coldplay, Paradise;

Electronic Dance Music Video: Calvin Harris, Feel So Close;

Video With A Message: Demi Lovato, Skyscraper;

Best Art Direction: Katy Perry, Wide Awake;

Best Choreography: Chris Brown, Turn Up The Music;

Best Cinematography: M.I.A., Bad Girls;

Best Direction: M.I.A., Bad Girls

Best Editing: Beyoncé, Countdown

Best Visual Effects: Skrillex, First Of The Year (Equinox).