By Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sports Editor
As the boys of One Direction figure out their futures this week, I was transported back to a pre-1D time in 2010 because of this year’s MTV Video Music Awards performance lineup. Thankfully not literally, because I had awful hair and style, but it was impossible not to feel nostalgia at the idea of Justin Bieber, Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato getting set to take the stage while Hannah Montana — er — Miley Cyrus hosted the award ceremony Sunday, Aug. 30. Somewhere my 14-year-old self is awkwardly dancing around to “Baby” and screaming at the idea.
Making sure the past really couldn’t stay in the past, MTV pulled out all the stops to not just turn heads, but snap necks at the ceremony. Most notably, when Taylor Swift presented Kanye West with the Video Vanguard Award. West’s acceptance speech mentioned nothing about his music videos, but rather he used his time to apologize to Swift for stealing the mic from her during her acceptance speech in 2009. West then (jokingly?) announced his run for presidency in 2020. My younger self could finally feel validated in knowing “You Belong With Me” really is the greatest music video of all time.
Cyrus faced tabloids this past week as she dissed Nicki Minaj after her falling out with Swift. Minaj used her acceptance speech for Best Hip-Hop video to call the host out on her unkind words. In a moment that is facing scrutiny for looking scripted, fans were more concerned with the performance of former feuders, Swift and Minaj coming together for “Trini Them Girls,” “The Night is Still Young” and “Bad Blood.” Proving once and for all that subtweets don’t solve problems.
In other performance news — the Biebs literally soared above the audience before being moved to tears. His performance wasn’t his only headline this week as he began teasing his sexy new video for his latest single, “What Do You Mean?” While the traditional music video looks sleek and sexy, it’s the lyric video that had me gushing with another blast from my past — Ryan Scheckler skateboarding around with fellow skater, Chelsea Castro. My 14-year-old self had a really good week.
As Bieber also made heads turn by supposedly throwing shade at former girlfriend Selena Gomez, the actress couldn’t hear the burns over the deafening screams of Swift’s sold out concert. The bestie duo took the stage on Wednesday, Aug. 26, to perform Gomez’s latest hit “Good For You.” Swift’s five-night residency at the Staples Center in Los Angeles marked the halfway point of her 1989 World Tour. With all of Hollywood’s eyes on the young songstress, she would not disappoint. Aside from bringing Justin Timberlake out of his fatherhood hiatus, John Legend and Alanis Morissette joined Swift for duets. But the most surprising duet shouldn’t have been that surprising at all — Lisa Kudrow reprised her role as Phoebe from “Friends” to sing “Smelly Cat” with the self-proclaimed cat lady herself, Swift. With an agenda to end all of her feuds, Swift also brought Avril Lavigne on stage at her San Diego concert after their recent Twitter beef.
Swift’s usual cat-sitter and full time boyfriend, Calvin Harris was in the audience and fans caught a glimpse of Swift mouthing, “I love you,” to someone in the crowd — presumably the Scottish disc jockey. There was another celeb in the audience that didn’t make an on stage appearance — Ben Affleck. The recent divorcee took his daughters to the concert and it appears that their nanny, Christine Ouzounian, stayed home. Unless she was on another private jet with Patriot’s quarterback,Tom Brady, wearing his Super Bowl rings.
It was reported that Brady and his wife, Victoria’s Secret model Gisele Bündchen, are facing marital issues as the duo didn’t spend each other’s birthdays with one another and the model was missing from her husband’s court hearing. A source close to couple stated that the two just had a busier summer than usual, but that all is well. I am going to believe said source because I fear being traumatized by another break up between my second favorite couple. I am still recovering from Ben and Jen. Until all the facts are in, my 14-year-old self will continue dancing around to Justin Bieber, staring at a Nick Jonas poster during a simpler time.
