MTV VMAs ZZZ

It's not entirely clear why MTV - a network which now broadcasts wall-to-wall programming featuring people who can't act trying to act like they're not acting - persists with the Video Music Awards, but they battle boldly on.

The handing of eight awards to Lady GaGa - seven for the same song, Bad Romance - gives the impression of a network which doesn't really keep up with music any more, and relies on the odd piece of music reporting in the papers to keep fresh. Lady GaGa is what the kids like now, right?

That Cher turned up wearing her If I Could Turn Back Time costume did little to dispel the sense that this is an awards ceremony that used to be a somebody. Even GaGa was wearing a dress that was a drawing of one she'd worn before. Jesus, they even had Taylor Swift do a song about last year's awards, and Eminem opened proceedings.

Usher and Linkin Park were among other performers on the night.

Sure, it still gets the MTV brand mentioned on TV, but given that MTV isn't really MTV any more, why are they still pouring cash into an expensive event which seems to have lost any interest in what its supposed to celebrate?