Extended Play: Readers trash the VMAs

After watching the Video Music Awards on MTV Sunday night, quite a few Extended Play readers demanded that  British host Russell Brand be deported back to his country of origin.  The comedian and co-star of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" sarcastically praised Americans for being so progressive as to elect a "retarded cowboy" for president. He seemed to draw plenty of laughter from the live audience, but what is funny for some people is anti-American and elitist terrorist speak for others. 

The state of OHIO added extra t's to make its comment even more powerful: "Who does Mr. Brand, Brandt the english idiot think he is to come over to our country and TELL US who we need as president...he is truly an idiottttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt....go home."

Can't Believe it! wrote: "WORST HOST IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!!  HE IS INSULTING EVERYONE.... HE ISN'T EVEN FROM THIS COUNTRY, HOW DARE HE! SEND HIM BACK TO WHERE HE CAME FROM...ON A BOAT!!!"

Amazed at the audacity wrote: "You should be ashamed of yourself, for letting that freak you call an entertainer go on stage and insult the intelligence of the American people." 

But Blair  thinks that it is Bush, not Brand, who insults the intelligence of the American people.  "I think Russel BRAND, did wonderfully. He didn't do anything wrong, Bush is a complete idiot."

Another matter of contention for readers was whether or not Britney Spears' failure to publicly humiliate herself during the show actually qualified as a "comeback." 

lucy loo wrote: "Britney is still a trainwreck !! I stopped watching after 20 minutes."

JC wrote: "Kid Rock and Pink put on good shows but the spoiled little LA poser audience were more excited by a non-trashed Britney than good music. Sad."

Beverly wrote: "I am happy for Britney Spears and wish her well on her comeback. I think russell Brand needs to head back to the UK and I agree on the mocking of the USA. I think some comments should be left to yourself especially when you don't even have the ability to vte in our country."

And ladym just hated everything about the VMA's: "i'm an old foggy, was actually alive when mtv first went on the air. i've actively hated the channel for the past 10 years, but decided for some ridiculous reason that i wanted to see what the kids are up to nowadays... wow. this was the most boring, irrelevant awards show, worse than the grammy's – even the audience was yawning about it. it was so horrible i had to laugh. go ahead kids... have your completely meaningless blahblahblah. Music Television is Dead."

Did any readers actually enjoy the show?  Share your thoughts!  And check out our VMA photo gallery here. 

-- Amy Silverstein

Photo of Russell Brand with Paris Hilton by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Photo of Britney Spears by Matt Sayles/Associated Press

Comments

[M]

My daughter and I were looking forward to seeing the VMA Awards, as there are artists we love and enjoy. How disappointing to have to Stomach and Endure this Nonsensical and Inappropriate Russell Brand Spewing's!! Taking shots at our Commander in Chief, making a mockery of young people who choose abstinence from premarital sex (which is to be commended and honorable), and continuing like a rabid Chihuahua attacking such great role models like the Jonas Brothers is deplorable and unacceptable!! Russell Brand's continued sexual comments about masturbation and his political musings in telling us who to vote for when he doesn't have the privilege or right to vote in our country is absolutely ludicrous! All of this my 14 year old daughter was exposed to!! How can MTV Sanction This?! Russell Brand owes this country and especially the Young Americans a Major Apology!! Somebody please give this moron Russell Brand oars to cross back over the pond and go back from under the rock he came out from! We are so done with MTV, and the VMA Awards. Looking at the complaints posted here, seems this station is about to go belly up! Good riddance!

[Darius Katani]

Honestly, why can most americans not take humour. Back here in the UK he is loved for being who he is and what he says and its purely because of his insult approach he is so big back here in the UK. Why is it unacceptable for someome to say something bad about Bush but yet most Americans can comment on other bad leaders around the world even when most Americans dont even like bush. Americans are just annoyed because it was said so publicly and not by an American. Its as if you are too scared to hear such jokes and unfortunately for everyone who didnt enjoy his performance he is rumoured to have been asked for next year's event. Also, if people think that was bad they should actually find out what MTV had to tell him to cut out because it was worse than what was said.

[snarf]

Russell Brand is an idiot. Not very smart to come to a country where nobody knows you and insult half the country. He wasn't just insulting bush. He insulted John McCain, Sarah Palin and the entire republican party.

Anyone sitting on the fence of who to pick for the election can't image they have the same point of view as this idiot. This can only help the republicans, so for that, I thank you. I hope you career will crash and burns like your attempt at comedy to an American audience.

[sniffy]

Isn't Russell Brand the one who mocked America the day after 9/11? Maybe Obama should have made him his VP.

[Murray Douglas]

Why on earth does it matter if Russell Brand can vote in the US or not? Is criticism of world leaders forbidden unless you are from the same country? Bush is constantly critisiced in the US media. Furthermore, the Jonas Brothers are consistently the butt of jokes by American comedians who have said far worse than Brand.
Lastly, why is no one discussing the real outrage of this Awards ceremony? Britney Spears winning three awards for 'A piece of me' video...The video was below average and was poor even by Spears' standard.

[Roger Hutchins]

This idiot trashed the leader of OUR Great Country and he needs to stay in HIS Country. I don't agree with everything Bush has done and I'm ready for some change, but it is not right to let a Foreigner come over here on OUR show in our Great Country and trash our Leader. He was not hired to give his Political views for OUR Great Country when he is not Even a part of it!!!!!! Big mistake by MTV and I will not watch these in the future. He is an idiot and I'm glad I wasn't there because I would probably made a real bad decision and put a FOOT up his A__,, which is the AMERICAN WAY!!!
God Bless American and shame on you MTV and good riddens to whoever this Russell Brandt character is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jay rock]

I doubt ANYONE was really offended except the 30% of the rednecks and 21% of the imaginary voters (electronic rigging) that actually voted for this retard.
The Republican party is organized, I give them that, and actually have bloggers on the payroll that actually write in and SAY they are offended when ever someone speaks the truth, at least when they are on the receiving end of a joke . . and if they are not a citizen, forget about it they are all over them. . . .

What these morons forget is that 'AMERICA" is made up of "IMMIGRANTS", except for the small amount of Native Americans still on the reservations.

Yet Fox News (or opinion) can through up a pic of Obama's wife with a caption "Obama's baby momma" and it's a joke, yet they get away with it.

The Dems better learn, AND QUICK that they have to play a game of nasty hardball with these con men or we will have a McCain/Palin White House. . . and that will be an American Tragedy that will go down as fall of a great Nation. . . wake up people, they are stealing this election right here, right now, AGAIN, for the 3rd time, and for the sake of you children and your children's children, you can NOT let this happen again.

[Summer]

What is wrong with you people? WHY WOULD YOU GET ANGRY AT SOMEONE DISSING GEORGE BUSH?!

It doesn't matter what country that man leads, he's still a horrible human being and deserves everything that was said about him.

And if any of you people know how it feels to have someone burn your country to the ground [for oil] even though you havn't done anything OR asked for your leader's stupid "help", then you wouldn't be defending this man you call your leader, you would be saying "Damn, we ARE stupid for electing this maniac!"

You don't have to be American to see what George Bush has done to so many people.

[Alex R]

Americans are truly ignorant and stupid. The entire point of his monologue was to get every american's panties in a bunch, and it worked. It's all an act, done purely to cause a stir. Stop crying about it and get a life.

And yes, making fun of the Jonas Bros. was the highlight of the MTV awards. It's all in good fun, so can everyone please shut up?

[Melody]

i dont think the political jokes and the jokes about the jonas brothers was a good idea. americans seem kind of sensitive to that stuff. i personally agree with his political views and calling bush a "retarded cowboy" . the jonas brother jokes just got old after the first 2 or 3. i think russell brand did an okay job, he seemed to be trying a little to hard though. i hate how all the comments are by conservative, overly patriotic people. btw kids understand that jokes and i dont think that their offensive, including the sexual ones. i even watched some of those parts when my mom was in the room.

people in america just need to get over the whole "AMERICA'S THE BEST IN THE WORLD. GO BUSH, HE NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG. GOD BLESS AMERICA"
yeah, to me thats crap. we have to admit we have been wrong and we make mistakes. can people please stop with the god bless thing. some people are not religious or they are atheist and can find that offensive.

[Andy P]

OMG! Are you Americans so up yourselves you can't even laugh at yourselves?! Come on is Bush a good leader? Are the Jonas Bros even virgins and if so can't you laugh a little? Sometimes I think the UK is close to the US, others I just think you guys are toooo far out to even be taken seriously! If you really don't like someone coming over to your country and giving a political opinion then maybe you should ask Condaleza Rice to stop doing it?

[Gareth Wilson]

Roger Hutchins is LUDICROUS!!

"is not right to let a Foreigner come over here on OUR show in our Great Country and trash our Leader"

I keep thinking North Korea when I read that. Bush is a knob - who cares. He's just a person. A lot of politicians are stupid. Why get so annoyed just because a "foreigner" jokes about him?

Anyway "Roger Hutchins" - with a name like that, are you sure you aren't English yourself...

[paris welton]

Calm Down America! Russell Brand is a comic, he was making jokes...the very nature of jokes is that they are not serious!!

The fact that there are so many Americans outraged by a comic and being super defensive about their "president" indicates a problem. When did America become a country where you can not speak your mind unless you are from America? Demographically, America is a huge melting pot of races and ethnicity - so if someone lives in America but was not born there - they have no right to an opinion?

Also, I think America and Bush have had plenty to say about other countries and their leaders and the majority of the world lets him and America have an opinion, whether they think it is right or wrong....

Brand is an entertainer, so what if he was an "unknown" - we are exposed to "unknown" American entertainers all the time in Europe and accept them for what they are.

Personally i believe this is a huge overreaction and a great distraction away from US politics and the things that really mater. That is just my opinion, or am i not allowed one as i live in Europe?

[fairychick]

I don't like Bush either but he is still the American president and I am fiercely patriotic so no unknown British jerk can come on our soil and trash the intelligence of the American people. Go back to England Brand, nobody needs your "jokes" here

[nickman]

America LOL

[ntlakuso]

Eminem and JayZ used an F-word on Bush, and you never complained. Youtube is full of videos of how dumb the very same Bush is, and you hardly complain. And now that an outsider says it you are offended. He is your idiot right, so only Americans are allowed to say so. What a double standard. Just like black people being allowed to use the N-word but whites not. My guess is, most of the offended people are white and that goes to justify the N-word double standard I guess. His stupidity is affecting the whole world because he thinks America is the world, so i would say its ok for an outsider to say so. I watched the show, and the first thing I said was, people in Britain must be rolling on the floor with this boy's jokes. The very same day I watched P.S. I love you with some folks, and one guys suggested we dont because its not funny its painful while i find it funny. So i know what is funny for one may not be funny for the next, but dont insult him because you dont like his jokes period

[Dashingprince]

I am not sure why these foreigners pay millions to our comics then insult them because they can't take a joke.

Russell come back to the UK and leave these ungrateful oiks to their own misery.

[mjl2399]

Awkward. The whole thing was just awkward.

Brand, whether he is big in the UK or anywhere else for that matter, just did not know how to host the show. He fumbled through things, paced the stage, interrupted speakers, and even announced the wrong category at one point (watch it again...he announces best female twice).

I'm not sure if what he said politically should even be considered a substantial criticism. If the guy can't even get up on stage and announce the correct category, his views on anything...whether pro or con...is just a bunch of awkward babbling. Which just happens to be exactly what he did the entire show.

[david dark]

oh dear, America oh America. Some of the coolest people on the planet are American but man, you guys have really gotta see more of the world. The strange little bubble middle America seems to have encased themselves in really have no idea that the world would contnue to turn without em'...please lighten up for all our sakes.

[anna]

I had no idea so many MTV viewers were so rigid and uptight these days. Yeesh. This is the television station that caused an uproar in the late 80s/early 90s for having Madanna hump a mic on stage. And yet now it attracts people who can't take a joke and apparently would rather pretend to the rest of the world that they LIKE Bush than admit to the fact that he was a complete mistake. Come one people, stop pretending. Sometimes it's okay to admit to lapses in judgement. Perhaps we can prevent that from happening again by voting for Obama!

[Martina]

This picture is very nice and he is very good singer his voice is very stagger.