2008 MTV Video Music Awards

infobox television
bgcolour = #D6D6FF
show_name = 2008 MTV Video Music Awards


caption =
rating = TV-14
format = Awards show
runtime =
produced by = MTV
country = USA
network = MTV
first_run = September 7 2008
TV Viewers =
website = http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/
starring = Russell Brand

The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 7, 2008 live from Paramount Pictures Studios. Nominations for a majority of the categories were announced on the MTV program "FNMTV" after being selected through viewer online voting at MTV.com. The remaining, professional categories were chosen by a panel of music industry professionals. Unlike previous editions of the show, MTV announced the winners to the professional categories three days before the ceremony (September 4) via a press release, rather than on the pre-show or main show [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1594119/20080904/west_kanye.jhtml] . The rest of the winners were announced during the ceremony. Comedian Russell Brand hosted the event. [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j2_ys92nzdHaHVnY7r8ytZG8edwAD9329TVO0] On September 4, 2008 it was announced that Britney Spears would open the event.

This year's awards were a huge improvement ratings-wise, seeing a 19% rise on last year with 8.4 million viewers. It was also a 23% advance over the 5.76 million who saw the 2006 ceremony. Although ratings improved, this years video music awards was hosted at its smallest venue of its 25 year history.

Nominations

All videos eligible for nomination made their appearance on MTV between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. Winners are in bold text.

Video of the Year [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/video-of-the-year/]

* Chris Brown — "Forever"
* Jonas Brothers — "Burnin' Up"
* Pussycat Dolls — "When I Grow Up"
* Britney Spears — "Piece of Me"
* The Ting Tings — "Shut Up and Let Me Go"

Best Male Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-male-video/]

* Chris Brown — "With You"
* Flo Rida (featuring T-Pain) — "Low"
* Lil Wayne (featuring Static Major) — "Lollipop"
* T.I. — "No Matter What"
* Usher (featuring Young Jeezy) — "Love in This Club"

Best Female Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-female-video/]

* Mariah Carey — "Touch My Body"
* Katy Perry — "I Kissed a Girl"
* Rihanna — "Take a Bow"
* Jordin Sparks (featuring Chris Brown) — "No Air"
* Britney Spears — "Piece of Me"

Best New Artist [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-new-artist/]

* Miley Cyrus — "7 Things"
* Katy Perry — "I Kissed a Girl"
* Jordin Sparks (featuring Chris Brown) — "No Air"
* Taylor Swift — "Teardrops on My Guitar"
* Tokio Hotel — "Ready, Set, Go!"

Best Pop Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-pop-video/]

* Danity Kane — "Damaged"
* Jonas Brothers — "Burnin' Up"
* Panic at the Disco — "Nine in the Afternoon"
* Britney Spears — "Piece of Me"
* Tokio Hotel — "Ready, Set, Go!

Best Rock Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-rock-video/]

* Fall Out Boy (featuring John Mayer) — "Beat It"
* Foo Fighters — "The Pretender"
* Linkin Park — "Shadow of the Day"
* Paramore — "Crushcrushcrush"
* Slipknot — "Psychosocial"

Best Hip-Hop Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-hip-hop-video/]

* Mary J. Blige — "Just Fine"
* Lupe Fiasco (featuring Matthew Santos) — "Superstar"
* Flo Rida (featuring T-Pain) — "Low"
* Lil Wayne (featuring Static Major) — "Lollipop"
* Kanye West (featuring Chris Martin) — "Homecoming"

Best Dancing in a Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-dancing-in-a-video/]

* Chris Brown — "Forever"
* Danity Kane — "Damaged"
* Madonna (featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland) — "4 Minutes"
* Ne-Yo — "Closer"
* Pussycat Dolls — "When I Grow Up"

Best Direction in a Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-direction/]

* Erykah Badu — "Honey" (Director: Erykah Badu and Mr. Roboto)
* Linkin Park — "Shadow of the Day" (Director: Joe Hahn)"'
* Panic at the Disco — "Nine in the Afternoon" (Director: Shane Drake)
* Pussycat Dolls — "When I Grow Up" (Director: Joseph Kahn)
* Rihanna — "Take a Bow" (Director: Anthony Mandler)

Best Choreography in a Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-choreography/]

* Adele — "Chasing Pavements" (Choreographer: Marguerite Derricks)
* Chris Brown — "Forever" (Choreographers: Tone & Rich)
* Chris Brown (featuring T-Pain) — "Kiss Kiss" (Choreographer: Flii Stylz)
* Gnarls Barkley — "Run" (Choreographer: Michael Rooney)
* Pussycat Dolls — "When I Grow Up" (Choreographers: Robin Antin and Mikey Minden)

Best Special Effects in a Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-special-effects/]

* Erykah Badu — "Honey" (Special Effects: X1 FX)
* Coldplay — "Violet Hill" (Special Effects: Asa Mader)
* Missy Elliott — "Ching-a-Ling/Shake Your Pom Pom" (Special Effects: Les Umberger)
* Linkin Park — "Bleed It Out" (Special Effects: David Lebensfeld and Adam Catino)
* Kanye West (featuring T-Pain) — "Good Life" (Special Effects: SoMe, Jonas & François)

Best Art Direction in a Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-art-direction/]

* Gnarls Barkley — "Run" (Art Directors: Happy and Kells Jesse)
* MGMT — "Electric Feel" (Art Director: Sophie Kosofsky)
* Katy Perry — "I Kissed a Girl" (Art Director: Benji Bamps)
* Pussycat Dolls — "When I Grow Up" (Art Director: Marcelle Gravel)
* The White Stripes — "Conquest" (Art Director: David Fitzpatrick)

Best Editing in a Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-editing/]

* Erykah Badu — "Honey" (Editor: T. David Binns)
* Death Cab for Cutie — "I Will Possess Your Heart" (Editors: Aaron Stewart-Ahn and Jeff Buchanan)
* Ne-Yo — "Closer" (Editor: Clark Eddy)
* Katy Perry — "I Kissed a Girl" (Editor: Tom Lindsay)
* Weezer — "Pork and Beans" (Editor: Jeff Consiglio and Colin Woods)

Best Cinematography in a Video [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-cinematography/]

* Erykah Badu — "Honey" (Director of Photography: Karsten "Crash" Gopinath)
* Death Cab for Cutie — "I Will Possess Your Heart" (Directors of Photography: Aaron Stewart-Ahn and Shawn Kim)
* Katy Perry — "I Kissed a Girl" (Director of Photography: Simon Thirlaway)
* Pussycat Dolls — "When I Grow Up" (Director of Photography: Christopher Probst)
* The White Stripes — "Conquest" (Director of Photography: Wyatt Troll)

Best UK Video [http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/28072008/436137/2008_mtv_video_music_awards_best_uk_video]

* Coldplay — "Violet Hill"
* Duffy — "Warwick Avenue"
* Estelle (featuring Kanye West) — "American Boy"
* Leona Lewis — "Bleeding Love"
* The Ting Tings — "Shut Up and Let Me Go" [http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/444527-ting-tings-win-at-the-vmas]

Performances

Pre-show

* "Dance-off": Fanny Pak vs. Kaba Modern (winner, as chosen by the audience via online voting, got $25,000 for charity and the opportunity of presenting the award for Best Dancing in a Video during the main show) [http://remotecontrol.mtv.com/2008/09/04/kaba-modern-and-fanny-pak-prepare-for-the-fight-of-their-lives/]

Main stage

* Rihanna — "Disturbia"/"Seven Nation Army"
* Lil Wayne — "Missunderstood" (featuring Leona Lewis)/"A Milli"/"Got Money" (featuring T-Pain)
* Paramore — "Misery Business"
* T.I. — "Whatever You Like"/"Live Your Life" (featuring Rihanna)
* Christina Aguilera — "Genie in a Bottle 2008"/"Keeps Gettin' Better"
* Kid Rock — "All Summer Long" (featuring Lil Wayne)
* Kanye West — "Love Lockdown"

Back lot (off stage)

* Jonas Brothers — "Lovebug"
* Pink — "So What"
* T.I. — "Whatever You Like"

DJ AM and Travis Barker performances

DJ AM and Travis Barker performed small interludes consisting of remixes of past hits throughout the show, as well as teaming up with Katy Perry, The Ting Tings and Lupe Fiasco to perform their own singles and MTV classics from the past 25 years.

* Katy Perry — "Like a Virgin"/"I Kissed a Girl"
* The Ting Tings — "Shut Up and Let Me Go"
* LL Cool J — "Going Back to Cali"
* Lupe Fiasco — "Superstar" (featuring Matthew Santos)

Remixes

DJ AM and Travis Barker also played remixes of the following songs in the lead-up to or return from commercial breaks.

* Oasis — "Wonderwall"
* a-ha — "Take on Me"
* M.I.A. — "Bucky Done Gun"
* Rage Against the Machine — "Killing in the Name"

Appearances

* Drake Bell — introduced Kid Rock
* Corbin Bleu — introduced Christina Aguilera
* Kobe Bryant — presented Video of the Year
* Ciara — introduced Fanny Pak and presented Best Dancing in a Video
* Lauren Conrad — presented Best New Artist
* Chace Crawford — presented Best New Artist
* Miley Cyrus — introduced Pink
* Danity Kane — introduced Best New Artist voting
* Zac Efron — introduced Christina Aguilera
* Fanny Pak — presented Best Dancing in a Video
* Jamie Foxx — presented Best Female Video
* Cam Gigandet — introduced Paramore
* Paris Hilton — presented Best Pop Video
* Vanessa Hudgens — introduced Christina Aguilera
* Shia LaBeouf — presented Best Rock Video
* Taylor Lautner — introduced Paramore
* John Legend — introduced T.I.
* Lindsay Lohan — introduced Fanny Pak and presented of Best Dancing in a Video
* Christopher Mintz-Plasse — presented Best Hip-Hop Video
* Heidi Montag — introduced Best New Artist voting
* Demi Moore — presented Best Male Video
* Robert Pattinson — introduced Paramore
* Josh Peck — introducing Kid Rock
* Michael Phelps — introduced Lil' Wayne
* Spencer Pratt — introduced Best New Artist voting
* Ashlee Simpson — introduced Best New Artist voting
* Slash — presented Best Rock Video
* Slipknot — presented Best Hip-Hop Video
* Jordin Sparks — introduced T.I.
* Britney Spears — opened the show
* Kristen Stewart — introduced Paramore
* Taylor Swift — introduced the Jonas Brothers
* Ashley Tisdale — introduced Christina Aguilera
* Pete Wentz — introduced Best New Artist voting

Controversy

Host Russell Brand made controversial remarks which were not taken well by some in the United States [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article4710449.ece] . He urged Americans to vote for Barack Obama and called President George W. Bush a "retarded cowboy fella".

Additionally, one of Brand's jokes during the night centered around purity rings, specifically those worn by the Jonas Brothers. Jordin Sparks, who also wears a purity ring, began her introduction of T.I. by saying "It's not bad to wear a promise ring because not everybody, guy or girl, wants to be a slut." Sparks was criticized for implying that those who do not wear purity rings or do not abstain are promiscious. [http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278,24317914-5016463,00.html]

Censorship

In repeat airings all references to Barack Obama, John McCain and George W. Bush were removed from Russell Brand's opening monologue.

Promotion

Several Promos were made that featured host Russell Brand and MTV regulars Britney Spears, Pete Wentz, and LL Cool J. They have been shown both on MTV and MTV Hits numerous times. Britney Spears' promos were given a lot of attention. The promos featured Spears and Brand in a Paramount lot ad-libbing while an elephant was positioned in the background, reference to "the elephant in the room", rumored to be her criticized 2007 VMA performance, which they refrained from discussing in the commercials. [http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/detail.jsp?contentId=22771] [http://www.accesshollywood.com/article/10750/britney-spears-records-vma-promo-spot-with-russell-brand/]

There was also a promotion that appeared on Nickelodeon, featuring the cast of "iCarly".

During the program, the MTV networks VH1, MTV Hits, and MTV Jams did not air their usual programming at all, instead displaying full-screen cards guiding viewers to watch the ceremony on MTV, with VH1 using a rotating "billboard" of sponsors to promote 'sneak peeks' of the live ceremony which appeared in the top-left corner with false crowd noise in the background. Oddly, during the VMA commecial breaks, VH1 also carried regular advertising.

External links

* [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/ 2008 MTV Video Music Awards website]

References