LAS VEGAS Britney Spears delivered what was destined to be the most talked-about performance of the MTV Video Music Awards but for all the wrong reasons.
Kicking off the show Sunday night with her new single, “Gimme More,” Spears looked bleary and unprepared. She walked through her dance moves with little enthusiasm. And she appeared to have forgotten the art of lip-synching.
Even the celebrity-studded audience seemed bewildered. 50 Cent looked at Spears with a confused look on his face; Diddy, her new best friend, was expressionless.
The VMAs had better luck with their own reinvention on Sunday. After suffering poor reviews and a decline in ratings over the last few years, MTV moved the show to Las Vegas’ Palms Casino, shortened the show from three hours to two, and changed the show’s setup to focus more on performances than awards. Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, Kanye West, Fall Out Boy and the Foo Fighters each hosted separate suite parties, where much of the show’s performances were held.
Thankfully, after Spears’ dismal start and an awkward, off-color intro by comedian Sarah Silverman, the show rebounded with several exciting performances. (There was even more drama in the audience: an off-camera fight broke out between Pamela Anderson exes Kid Rock and Tommy Lee, leading Diddy to remark: “It’s not just the hip-hop artists that sometimes have a problem.”)
Timberlake’s suite was packed with revelers. Before he accepted the Quadruple Threat of the Year award at his suite, the DJ summoned the partygoers to watch the monitor and go crazy if Timberlake won.
He did, they did, and Timberlake said: “I want to challenge MTV to play more videos!” Then he was whisked away by bodyguards and disappeared.
Timberlake was the night’s big winner, with four trophies, including Male Artist of the Year.
Meanwhile, Rihanna won the coveted Video of the Year and Monster Single of the Year for her ubiquitous hit “Umbrella,” and Beyonce and Shakira won Most Earthshattering Collaboration for “Beautiful Liar.”
Other performers were appearing on the show’s main stage, in front of an industry-only audience seated at tables. Chris Brown gave one of the evening’s most extravagant performances a dance-centric, eye-popping spectacle that channeled Michael Jackson, right down to a brief “Billie Jean” imitation.
Alicia Keys had the evening’s most rousing performance, debuting her new song “No One” and an inspired, choir-backed cover of George Michael’s “Freedom.”
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