I Believe In A Thing Called Love

An amber moon is rising full over Biscayne Bay. Heat lightning streaks the horizon. Over my shoulder, the diaphanous curtains shift in the warm breeze. And I yawn.

MTV News’ Pre-Show By The Shore and MTV’s Video Music Awards were, without fail, the largest effort in which I’ve participated. It was like going to war. Thousands of people made it happen. And while producing an on air/online fashion spread for a couple of teen heartthrobs, ushering millionaire music moguls down a red carpet, and making a few hours worth of noise on television ain’t rocket science (or, fortunately, war), it was pretty major. And pretty cool.

Bottom line is, I spent most of this Video Music Awards Weekend in the basement staring at a computer. Yes, I did see the Haitian workers actually roll out the red carpet and tack it down. And yes, I walked that very red carpet. I toured the arena, previewed the unbelievably ambitious and beautiful staging, got goosebumps at Stevie Wonder’s rehearsal, and dined on craft services until I could eat no more. I joked with Kurt and John, kissed Suejin (in a gentlemanly manner), patted Gideon on the back, and hip-hop hugged Sway. And I heard the dish: Usher’s dating Alicia Keys, P. Diddy said “Oh no you didn’t!” to a PA who dared touch his shoulder, and Paris was caught picking her nose.

But I didn’t party in South Beach, let alone make it outside a square mile radius of my hotel. I didn’t see the pre-show. And I didn’t see the Big Show. All I saw was a whole bunch of people working their asses off into the wee hours night after night after night for one reason.

We. Love. Music.

Whatever anyone says about the 900 pound gorilla that is MTV, that’s what it boils down to. We love music. And we believe in its power to move, and entertain, and motivate.

Deep? Not really. Simple? Not by a long shot. A good thing? Well, I think so anyway.