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TV Culture Gets a Naughty Kiss on “VH1 Big in ’06 Awards”

VH1 gets it right with an awardcast that was actually funny

HOLLYWOOD (rushprnews) 12/04/2006 -- After trying several award show formats over the years, VH1 finally nailed it with a very funny snapshot of the year in pop TV culture last night on their “Vh1 Big in ’06 Awards.”  And it was accurate if you happened to be a 17-year old with way too many hormones and very strong opinions about check-out counter celebrities.

It was the surprisingly catty humor that transformed it from a sex-obsessed celeb fest into something truly fun to watch, according to entertainment newsmagazine Hollywood Today. Comics dissed the nominated stars as their names were announced, just like people at home often do.

Stars and comments included: Pussycat Dolls; “A Victoria’s Secret ad with song and dance --N’Sync after the operation,” Big Entertainer winner Justin Timberlake “A straight former Mouseketeer that can bring sexy back and gets to sleep with Cameron Diaz?”

Other jibes from funnyfolk such as Alec Mapa, Andrew Dice Clay, Loni Love and Ant

were aimed at stars like Mel Gibson: “He said that to a Jewish cop? A guy with a gun? And then called the female policeman ‘Sugart**s.’ And he’s still alive.” On Big Outlaw winner Paris Hilton: “Unraveling fast. She’s got drugs, alcohol and infidelity this year, what’s next, arson? Maybe she’ll set Lindsay Lohan on fire” and for Big Comeback winner David Hasselhoff: “He embraces his cheese factor.”

Host D. L. Hughley tried to infuse a little political humor about the recent elections and immigration (“If we want to build a wall to keep the Mexicans out, who the hell’s going to build it?”) 

One highlight was Kathy Griffin’s faux TV commercial as a celebrity divorce attorney. “Look at all the happy clients I’ve had this year: Reece and Ryan, Locklear and Samborra, McCartney and Mills, Bobby and Whitney. Just look at what I did for Britney. Do the math. Seriously. There’s no way she can do it by herself.”

The VH1 Awards were always campy, yet this was different. For the production number “Ladies of Reality Shows,” Styx frontman Dennis DeYoung serenaded the lasses with “Lady” in an update of Bert Parks singing to Miss America hopefuls. Meanwhile the gown-clad female personalities from a dozen reality shows wore sashes announcing their program including “American Idol,” “Big Brother,” “Survivor” “America’s Top Model,” “Amazing Race” “You Think You Can Dance” and “The Apprentice.” 

Sex was the real name of game for the two-hour program on VH1, according to the review on www.hollywoodtoday.net. A well-known photo of Big Mama winner Britney Spears exiting, panty-less, from a limo evoked such comments from Hughley such as “You can take the girl out of the trailer park, but you can’t take the trailer park out of the girl. It looks like she did her bikini wax with duct tape.”  Comedian Dane Cook mimicked the infamous photo by getting out of a car wearing a skirt and no undies, which VH1 had to black out.

The ribald tone continued as sexy blond British rapper Fergie gyrated in a skimpy Trashy Lingerie-like fantasy schoolgirl outfit. Presenters included Jenna Jameson, who was pretty funny, calling Danny Bonaduce a “a recovering Partridge.”  And 19-year-old Jessica Rose was honored with Big Web Hit of 2006 for fooling YouTubers by playing a starved- for-love 15-year-old in “LonelyGirl15.” 

Heterosexuals were not the only ones targeted. It was a good evening for those who had highly publicized coming outs as both George Takei from “Star Trek” and N’Sync’s Lance Bass presented awards.  One of the male commentator said of “Grey’s Anatomy” star Patrick Dempsey, “I would trust him to medically treat me. He’s played doctor enough. I just hope he’s a proctologist.”

Music took a back seat though The Killers turned in a stellar performance, Weird Al Yankovic was a hoot in spoof hit “White and Nerdy” and Fergie’s three-song medley will be remembered for more than cheesecake. She dances like a white girl -- worse, a Brit. Though she can rap. It is actually Eminem that Chris Rock refers to here but you get the idea: “The world is coming to an end. The world’s best rapper is white and the world’s best golfer is black.”

And VH1 delivered an awardcast that kept your hands off the clicker.

By Jeffrey Jolson-Colburn for Hollywood Today (www.hollywoodtoday.net)

Permission granted to reprint and rebroadcast providing Hollywood Today is credited and url mentioned when appropriate.

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