MTV Video Music Awards once again turns to Russell Brand

The MTV Video Music Awards will head back to New York for its Sept. 13 telecast, once again tapping English comedian Russell Brand as host. Unknown at this point is whether or not he'll have the Jonas Brothers to push around again, but country superstar Taylor Swift and Brit rockers Muse are scheduled to appear. 

The MTV VMAs will air one week prior to the Emmys, which had to re-jigger its date so as to not conflict with MTV's mutli-hour pat-on-the-back (the latter, by the way, officially announced Neil Patrick Harris as host Monday). This year's VMAs will air live from Radio City Music Hall in New York. Last year's telecast was staged on the Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood. 

While Brand was far from truly controversial last year, MTV got plenty of mileage out of having him host the show. He poked fun at the Jonas Brothers for wearing purity rings,labeled President George W. Bush as a "retarded cowboy" and didn't shy away from mocking Bristol Palin. 

In her post-gala assessment, The Times' Ann Powers gave a more positive than not review of Brand. "Brand's focused transgressiveness was a relief amid this happily hedonistic, conformist bunch," Powers wrote. "Nobody seems to remember when rockers were supposed to rattle the jewelry of the folks who attend glittery galas. But then, MTV has long trafficked in turning rebelliousness into a commodity. Brand, saying uncontainable things, upset the apple cart."

-- Todd Martens

Photo: Getty Images

Comments

[Letitia Lawrence]

Russell Brand is kind of an asshat. Now if he'd host the show as Aldous Snow--THAT would be awesome! Love that guy.

[Harley2002]

Well just more fodder for the Guillotine. I amazes me how morons like this have no idea how pissed people are getting. I guess he lives in the same echo chamber that most of the other leftist entertainers do. MTV sucks anyway.

[Jeff K.]

Please, Brand is a narcissistic, self-obsessed wanker who considers himself too uber-cool to actually enjoy anything. Seeing him on a rerun of Graham Hancock the other night was bemusing. Everyone having a good time except for poor Russell, who looked as if he would have rather been anywhere else. On Graham Hancock's show? Are you kidding me? Yet another sign of MTV's slow, painful slide into irrelevance.

[JStizzle]

Well, that clinches it-won't be tuning in. MTV's catering to the lowest common denominator has become way old. Frankly, I'm kind of insulted that the execs at Viacom think that Brand would appeal to me as a host in any way.

But I guess it's the "thinking" part that gets them into trouble.