Leslie Gray Streeter

VMAs: South Florida's show no more!

As I stood roasting like a peanut on the white carpet of the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards in Miami, I
had this feeling that it would be the last one there for a while. For one thing, it was too ridiculously hot to be standing out in the sun, even under a canopy, for three hours. That's why most people don't plan huge events where you aren't supposed to sweat in South Florida in August.

Then, there was the threat of rain and more from Hurricane Katrina, which wound up wetting South
Florida before moving on to devastate the Gulf Coast. Not to mention that Suge Knight had been shot at a party the night before, requiring reporters like me to add questions about safety and regret in with "Who are you wearing" and "Gee, how about that Diddy?"

Anyway, the folks at MTV has, indeed, returned their annual celebrations of the videos they don't play that much back to New York, and it should be fun. Jack Black is hosting, and even though his comedic excesses sometimes make my head hurt, he'll be a lot more funny than last year's host Diddy. Remember last year's show, where every other bit was about the host's constantly changing name, his dancing and
just how cool he is? Well, I'm not sorry he's not back in the job. He looked great, though.

Tonight I'll be blogging live during the show, but from my air-conditioned living room. Yay!