Trashwire’s own Pat Sue Gentry shares her thoughts on the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards…

Watching the VMAs last night was, in a word, torture.  The only saving grace was Russell Brand, who managed to actually be entertaining during the ignominious joke of a ceremony we were all watching.

At times it was more like the Kids Choice Awards then the VMAs, but during the Lil Wayne performances it sunk down to some kind of “Pimps Up, Hos Down Convention” in Vegas.

The opinions and “messages” ranged from “promise to save sex for marriage”, to “give it up like free lunch”.  And we wonder why kids are confused. So now half of the music industry are born-agains, who think everyone else is a super slut?

I was also left feeling like hip hop should really take a long hard look at itself. I used to be a big fan of rap; Dr. Dre, Snoop, Eminem, and Jay Z were played in my car every day, but then it all took a left somewhere and now we have Lil Wayne and T-pain and nothing can make me run from rap music faster than watching dudes whose main talent is knowing how to work a synthesizer yell into microphones while holding their man junk like it’s about to fall off.

I really don’t’ want to know which underwear brand Lil Wayne prefers. I don’t want to see every lyric sung while limping around the stage holding on to his balls. I can’t decide what bugs me the most the clothing style or the lyrics. Rap of today is not even classy enough to be played at truck stop strip clubs.

Someday, can we make fun of that trend like we do of the giant hair bands of the 80’s? Why wait–let the ridicule begin now!!!

Lastly, on Britney Spears’ awards that just kept coming: It is apparent MTV felt really guilty about putting Brit on stage last year when they knew she had more than one wheel in the sand. This year they piled up awards on her and hoped that would make it all better. To be honest, her competition was pretty weak, but right on for Britney and let’s hope it keeps her from sporting the pink wig and going down the rabbit hole again.

Next year, unless I have a lobotomy, I won’t be watching!