A look at some noteworthy television this week: 2007 American Music Awards (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., WABC 7) Most awards shows are basically useless and awards shows where people vote on line are even more so. This year this awards show invented by Dick Clark in 1973 gets even more useless. Jimmy Kimmel hosts. Nature: The Beauty of Ugly (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., WNET 13; Wednesday, 8:00 p.m., WLIW 21) A look at some of the strangest...
Unfortunately, what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas. Last night MTV took over the Strip and filled it with up and comers, the standard rock, rollers and rappers and of course...the token has beens.
A look at some noteworthy television this week:
A look at some noteworthy programs this week:
A look at some noteworthy programs this week:
Last night (or rather, yesterday at 4 in the afternoon) we headed over to the tiny spot that was given to us on the (way end of the) red carpet for MTV's Video Music Awards.The awards were back in NYC this year, and brought a whole lotta Hollywood with them.
Taking time out of his usual schedule running NYC and counting his money, Mayor Bloomberg appeared on MTV in (a taped segment) to hype the MTV Video Music Awards, which are back in NYC this year. Yup, that's why it's messy around Radio City Music Hall and that's why all these celebrities and "celebrities" (LC from The Hills, we're talking to you) are in town. Famous New Yorkers are asked who they think will win the Video of the Year Award - Pat Kiernan of NY1, Wendy Williams, the Naked Cowboy, Donald Trump. As Newsday points out, the Mayor was flanked by the "several young members of his staff" (like Ed Skyler?) and threw his support behind Shakira in a faux-deliberation in front of a computer:
"As mayor of New York, this really is a tough one. I could go with Christina; she was born in New York... I could go with Madonna; she made it big here in New York... I think I'm going to have to go with Shakira. Those hips don't lie."Why are we simultaneously amused and creeped out by that? But the best part was when Mr. Met was asked who he thought should win - they did of a split screen of Madonna in "Hung Up" and Mr. Met dancing!
You know how this story goes, though. Reality tv and other shows replaced videos, and the only videos aired anymore are the same ones over and over again (you've seen TRL, right?) So today the channel turns 25, and has become way less mature since we stopped watching in the early-mid 90's.
Did Mayor Bloomberg brind the Country Music Awards to NYC to get some of the heartland vote? Earlier this week, the Norwalk, CT paper "The Hour" asked our Mayor about his presidential aspirations, if any. Mayor Bilng said, "Absolutely not... And anybody who's running will say exactly that." Plus, he made it clear he could pay for a presidential run. Well, duh - he could probably pay for a couple presidential runs, but we thought he was going to become a full-time philanthropist!
Gothamist is very grateful that we didn't have to witness Bloomberg's Hip Hop Press conference yesterday. OK, well, actually we kinda do wish that we'd been there, if only to see Bloomie chatting it up with Ice-T and Russell Simmons, but considering some of the soundbites that made it into today's papers we suspect that even that charm would have quickly worn off ("Welcome to City Hall, or my crib, as I like to call it... Not everybody here understands our language.").
MTV is going to broadcast the 2006 awards. Now, Gothamist will use our cranky and cliche cards: We don't remember the last time we saw a video on MTV! And we're kind of upset at MTV for making stars out of people who are worthless, although the horrifying pleasure we get when we watch My Sweet 16 almost balances that out. But the show itself is usually trippy fun to watch - whether it's a lesbian kiss or Kiss playing under the Brooklyn Bridge - and the hosting is good (we heart you, Chris Rock). The president of MTV, Christina Norman explained, "New York City is our hometown, and we are really looking to showcase the music, culture, and people from every borough of this amazing city on TV, online, broadband, and wireless to fans around the globe." Translation: You can watch the show on TV, watch clips on your TV, get messages sent to your phone - basically drown yourself in knowing what Beyonce is wearing or if James Blunt will falsetto. What would be brilliant is for musical acts to perform in all five boroughs (yes, even Staten Island). This year, the event will be on August 31 (we think the show was moved up for distance between the show's excess and September 11 - we definitely remember that in 1999, the show was on September 9), and similar to the way the city handled the Country Music Awards this year, there will be many concerts and events leading up to the show.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/16/arts/music/16country.html">NY Times explains that the song is "Comin' to Your City" but changed the chorus to "Comin' to New York City")The NY Post doesn't hide its feelings about the CMA's: "The star of last night's Country Music Awards at Madison Square Garden didn't sing a note or win a prize. It was New York City, which lent the show the credibility and elegance it's always lacked." Well, a backhanded compliment is better than none, we guess.
"There will be a standby line on the night of the shows and people will be admitted on a first come, first-served basis as seats become available." That's what Wall Street Rising's website says about the next seven days of sold out free shows happening at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Count on some of those people who got their free tickets a month ago not showing up and get there early tonight for the Cat Power show. Hopefully she'll preview some of her dreamy new material. Grammy award-winning blues and gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama share the bill.
Um, we knew that city was very excited about the Country Music Awards coming to New York City, since even Mayor Bloomberg put on a cowboy hat last year. But who would have thought the city would take a page from Thundercut's walk signal pedestrian mashup book and create a country walking man "The County Takes New York City" banners? (cityrag is outraged.) However, we are impressed that the city's marketing team was able to make sure cowboy boots were this fall's faddy footwear.
Boycott RIAA has a NY Times article about Joe Simpson's master plan. And maybe Defamer is right - maybe we should be working on a telethon for Ashlee. Acid reflux is serious.
The Press release notes that this is the first time the CMA's have been held outside of Nashville; there will be a gala leading up to the awards - "Country Takes New York City."
- Midtown cleaning gondola accident
Hey Ya! won four awards; there was a day when Gothamist didn't think we could get tired of Hey Ya! by Outkast, but it seems that day came like two or three months ago. We're sad that Jay-Z's incredibly beautiful and brutal video 99 Problems won most of its awards in the pre-show; directed by Mark Romanek, it shows Jay-Z in Brooklyn with a motley cast of supporting character, in a last hurrah of sorts. See the video on Romanek's site here. And our other Larry-King-in-USA-Today type thoughts:
And Chris Rock was brilliant at last year's MTV Video Music Awards.
It's Gothamist's second favorite Times Arts & Leisure feature of the year (after the Fall Preview, which, even though "Fall" is less of an event in film and TV, just seems to be an exciting way to ring in the best season), when all the critics give their favorites and hateds of the year. The film critics list their best, with Elvis Mitchell calling Pirates of the Caribbean his top movie (Merry Christmas, Jerry Bruckheimer), A.O. Scott naming Master and Commander his, and Stephen Holden picking Angels in America (technically a film made for cable, but considering its ten month shoot, $60 million price tag, and ultimate 6 hour running time, it's certainly an event, so why quibble?). Then the critics have a discussion about the worst things in movies this past year (roles for women, children's movies); Scott reveals that when critics tell their children some movies are bad, the consequences are dire: [Also Scott on the year in general and Dave Kehr on the Year of the Documetary.]
And Mr. T's "Conan O' Brien will be pitied not be me as a fool, but by fools as a superfool."
The Post lets us know where the hot post-MTV Video Music Awards parties are going to be, who is expected to be there, and how to crash. Venues include the Four Seasons (Madonna, Fatboy Slim, Fred Durst), Show (P. Diddy's bash, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce Ed Burns, the Hilton girls), Tao (Avril, Tim Robbins, Rosario Dawson, Tony Hawk), Splashlight Studios (The Donnas, Drew & Fabrizio, Iggy Pop), and we're sure enterprising kids will be photoblogging the festivites. Or check out the celebrity A-, B-, and C-list yourself from the streets that will be closed off (bottom of page).
Gothamist guesses we need to report this bit of Lower East Side news, as Lockhart Steele is on vacation. As part of MTV's week of celebrating the MTV Video Music Awards, there's a $8.28 dinner entree promotion through tomorrow night at Lower East Side restaurants, including Essex, Punch & Judy, and AKA Cafe, are participating. See the full list here.
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