lifestyle THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 Features In this Sept 14, 1984 file photo, Madonna poses at the This Sept 14, 1984 file photo shows, Dan Aykroyd, left, and In this Sept 13, 2009 file photo, singer Kanye West takes the microphone from singer Taylor Swift as she accepts the MTV Video Music Awards where she was nominated ‘Best Bette Midler, hosts of the MTV Video Music Awards, held “Best Female Video” award during the MTV Video Music Awards in New York.— AP photos New Artist’ in video, at Radio City Music Hall, in New York. at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Method to madness of MTV Video Music Awards here really is a method to the madness that is the MTV Video Music Awards. “I like to say, ‘Let’s put the crazy in the room, Tand we throw the match in the middle of the audience and artists, and we see what happens,” said Van Toffler, who has been associated with the show for most of its three decades. Toffler, a 55-year-old New Yorker, left his post as MTV Networks President this spring to start his own production company, but is acting as executive producer for the VMAs one last time. In a recent inter- view, Toffler reflected on the most memorable moments and legacy of the show, which airs live Sunday from the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. In the beginning Before there was Miley, there was Madonna. “She’d like to say she put the M in MTV,” Toffler said with a sly smile. He said she set the standard for wild behavior in the inaugural awards in 1984, hosted by Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler: “Her rolling around in the wedding dress was quite memorable.” Madonna and produc- ers agreed she would perform a new song, “Like a Virgin,” as she emerged from a wedding cake, wearing a wedding dress, bustier and a belt buckle sporting the words “BOY TOY.” One of Madonna’s white stilettos slipped off as she descended from the cake, and In this Sept 13, 2009 file photo, Beyonce, left, holds her “Video of the Year” award while Taylor Swift addresses the crowd thinking quickly, she dove to the floor and rolled around. While at the MTV Music Video Awards, in New York. reaching for the shoe, the dress went up, putting her undies on phone and ranted about how Beyonce was more deserving. “So, as he performed “Blurred Lines” on the 2013 telecast. “Cyrus full display, and the VMAs were on the map. we have an artist who was disrupted from her speech. We had danced provocatively, but everybody knew her as Hannah Beyonce, who looked like a deer in the headlights. And we had Montana,” Toffler said. “She chose that moment to say, ‘I’m an Madonna makes out Kanye, who was a little bit opinionated and let’s say a little bit lit,” adult. Look at me.’” “I believe the next day on the Today show, one Some 20 years later, there was Madonna again - this time mak- Toffler said. Worse yet, a tearful Swift was slated to perform live of the hosts called for me to be fired ... And I’m like, ‘Really?’” he ing out with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. “It wasn’t nec- just three minutes later, following a commercial break. Producers recalled. “For Miley dancing with Robin Thicke that way?” essarily Madonna, Britney and Christina,” Toffler recalled. “J. Lo was dealt with West, who left the venue. They convinced Beyonce to in the mix for a little while, but then dropped out, and I thought stick around and later escorted Swift back out onstage to con- Let’s get serious the whole thing was going to disappear.” Toffler was on vacation clude her speech. And Toffler helped Swift pull herself together For all of the fun and frivolity, the VMAs have no problem get- when he got a call from the show’s director. “And she said, ‘Van, and get through her performance. “I think being a nurturing ting serious - providing Toffler with what he said were some of his you’re not going to believe this. They’re rehearsing now. They’re all father, not just to my own children, comes in handy,” he said. proudest moments as producer. In 2000, Metallica drummer Lars together. And Madonna actually kissed Britney on the lips.’ And I Toffler credits Beyonce’s father and Swift’s mother for helping put Ulrich skewered file-sharing site Napster in a skit. The show has said, ‘Please do me a favor. Don’t tell any other human on the plan- out the fire, but said Beyonce was the night’s MVP: “She was the included moving tributes to Michael Jackson, Princess Diana and et that this is happening.’” best influence at the time.” Aaliyah. And who could forget Bruce Springsteen opening the 2002 show by performing his Sept 11-inspired “The Rising” out- In this Aug 29, 2002 file photo, Bruce Springsteen and the Kanye the crasher Miley’s moment side the American Museum of Natural History in New York City - E Street band perform “The Rising” off his new album of In the 2009 show, as Taylor Swift accepted the award for best Perhaps the biggest backlash to a VMAs moment came after punctuated by a mist of rain. — AP the same name at the MTV Video Music Awards at the female video, Kanye West walked onstage, grabbed Swift’s micro- Miley Cyrus, host of this year’s show, gyrated around Robin Thicke American Museum of Natural History, in New York. MTV announces Salif Keita says Africa albino 2015 Video Music Awards attacks ‘unacceptable’ frican music legend Salif Keita has called for peo- Dozens more have survived having parts of their bod- performers ple with albinism to be protected, as Tanzania ies hacked off. Keita said he hoped that by speaking out, Abegins campaigning for general elections with and by playing his world-acclaimed music, he could send TV has announced that Pharrell, fears growing over a rise in witchcraft attacks. “It is com- a message to stop the attacks, which often target chil- Demi Lovato, Macklemore & pletely unacceptable for humans to sacrifice other dren. “When people hear me on the microphone and see MRyan Lewis, Tori Kelly, A$AP Rocky human beings, it comes from ignorance,” the Malian me on the camera, that has an impact, because I show and Twenty One Pilots will perform live at musician, himself an albino, told AFP in an interview dur- that I am a complete human being, just like everyone This photo provided by Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate shows, Chris Pine, from left, as the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards on ing a visit to East Africa. else,” Keita said. “Just like every human, albinos need to be Caleb, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Loomis, and Margot Robbie as Ann Burden, in the film, ‘Z for Sunday. The Weeknd will also perform his loved, and seen as normal people.” Zachariah.’ — AP blockbuster single “Can’t Feel My Face,” as previously announced. Additional perform- ‘Black people with white skin’ Review: ‘Zachariah’ a drama ers and presenters will be announced closer Keita was speaking in the Kenyan capital where he is to the ceremony. MTV also announced ear- to play a concert to raise money for a music foundation lier yesterday that Kanye West will receive for a Nairobi slum, as part of Kenya’s Safaricom Jazz about last 3 people on Earth the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award Festival. His Afro-pop music, nominated for several world powder-keg plot setup triggers an under- working again and eventually works out a plan during the presentation. Past recipients of music awards, fuses both African and Western styles. “I whelming display of dramatic fireworks in to build a waterwheel to generate power. the award include Madonna, Justin am proud to be an albino and I am proud to be who I “Z for Zachariah,” a post-apocalyptic sur- What are a man and woman going to do Timberlake, Beyonce and Jackson himself. am,” added Keita, who runs a campaign to support peo- A vival tale propelled by male-female emotional together to pass the time if they believe they’re Whether West will perform at the ceremony ple with albinism. “I work to promote acceptance and dynamics. Set in a remote valley spared from the last two people on Earth? Despite the obvi- has yet to be confirmed. understanding of people with albinism.” radioactive contamination after a presumed ous answer, this pair proceeds slowly. Having Miley Cyrus will host the proceedings. Outgoing Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said in global catastrophe, the film from director Craig achieved a certain intimacy while Ann nursed Jeremy Scott, one of Cyrus’ favorite design- March that attacks against people with albinism were Malian afro-pop singer-songwriter Salif Keita Zobel effectively sets all its surface parts in John back to health, they eventually share a ers, has given the VMAs’ Moonman statue “disgusting and a big embarrassment for the nation”. But motion but, crucially, doesn’t sufficiently devel- romantic dinner at which she gets tipsy and a bit of a makeover, including splashes of speaks during a press conference in Nairobi, ahead the problem is not confined to Tanzania alone. Kenyan of the Safaricom Jazz festival 2015. — AFP op the turbulent undercurrent of tension and pushes things to the brink of sex. Surprisingly, colored metals, the Society of Motion lawmaker Isaac Mwaura, who also has albinism, said intrigue that are called for in the hothouse cir- John puts her off, insisting that going further Picture and Television Engineers’s TV test Tanzanian gangs have carried out abductions in Kenya, cumstances.