Celebrities live in their own little world; one the majority of this world’s population will never have access to.
No matter how you view the celebrity world, it’s hard to ignore their whereabouts when — in an Internet-driven culture — they’re thrown at you every time you check your Yahoo e-mail.
But you still click and that’s how you find out how hip-hop artist Kanye West took the microphone away from country singer Taylor Swift during this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, even when you don’t get the actual MTV channel at home.
At least that’s how I found out Sunday night, after spending a long day at work, ignoring pop culture from a safe distance. But there it was on my laptop, the gossip news of the day that deemed West a “jackass.” Well, a jackass off the record, right Mr. President?
Kanye’s reason to interrupt the 17-year-old’s first VMA “Thank you” speech for best video? He thought Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” video deserved the award more. Well of course.
Was it tactful to rush over and make Swift look like a scared 6-year-old who just got lost? Of course not.
What surprised me the most, though, was the reaction of the world’s population: You know, the population I was talking about earlier that will never get a chance to experience celebrity life? To be shocked and outraged because a celebrity did a crazy stunt is just silly.
Before the show aired, Spike.com compiled the “Top 5 Most Outrageous VMA Moments” throughout the show’s existence.
There’s the time that Madonna locked lips with Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears; Diana Ross grabbing a pasty-covered Lil’ Kim breast; Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic’s failed bass toss and my personal favorite, a drunken Courtney Love throwing a shoe at Madonna during an interview.
The VMA caters to celebrities’ needs. Why? Because the crazier a celebrity, the higher the ratings. Only MTV, West, Swift and their public relations crews respectably know what exactly went down.
Whether this was a staged event or West’s own urge to make everything fair and give Beyonce the award, what’s the fuzz about? Celebrities are celebrities and they’re going to do whatever the hell they want.
Is this a good, ethical MTV standard? Should they be allowed to behave as they please? Probably not. But unless we stop watching and the media stops ranting about them in a sensationalistic way, bad behavior will forever rule pop culture.
Or whatever.
— Julio Salgado