You could have thought you caught all of the motion on the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards watching the pink carpet protection and ceremony play out on TV on Aug. 28, however POPSUGAR was really there, experiencing all the things first-hand. Earlier than Lizzo made her rousing speech calling out her haters or Fergie crashed Jack Harlow’s “First Class” efficiency, all the evening’s greatest celebs hit the pink carpet (or black carpet, if we wish to get technical) to point out off their designer outfits and chat with the 70+ retailers that packed into the press line for the primary full-blown VMAs for the reason that pandemic derailed the 2020 present. Let’s break down all the things that occurred behind the scenes.
Many of the evening’s greatest acts — from Lizzo and Jack Harlow to LL Cool J and surprise-attendee Taylor Swift — skipped strolling the press line and as an alternative ducked straight into the venue after taking photos, which despatched reporters leaping over dozens of digital camera cables and bolting to the closest sidewalk to snap a photograph from a distance as they entered the Prudential Middle. Peep my low-quality image of Lizzo’s attractive black robe billowing within the wind.
Quickly sufficient, barricades had been put in place behind the press line as a result of, as one staffer was overheard saying, “We’re not having that once more.” Honest sufficient.
“Wild ‘N Out”‘s Justina Valentine spent her time on the carpet doling out freestyle verses to every outlet on web site. When it got here to POPSUGAR, inspiration struck as quickly as she noticed the “PS” emblem on our social content material producer Kim Pham’s mic. “Ooooh, POPSUGAR, I f*ck with y’all!! POPSUGAR, y’all dope, however once we speaking ’bout ‘PS,’ it imply p*ssy soaked!” She’ll little question be displaying off these decidedly specific freestyle abilities on the set of the subsequent season of the improv comedy present, which she shared she’d be catching a 5 a.m. flight to go movie the subsequent morning.
All through the evening, celebs crammed POPSUGAR in on the largest pinch-me moments of their careers. For Murda Beatz, it was “2019, acting at Coachella and bringing out DMX.” For Nicky Youre, whose track “Sunroof” was nominated for track of the summer season, it was “with the ability to hang around with different artists that I’ve seemed as much as for a bunch of years now . . . particularly after they’re like ‘I like your stuff.'” Betty Who “obtained to sing for President Barack Obama at an occasion for the DNC,” which she described as, “Woah, fairly loopy.” And to Blackbear, “Working with Avril [Lavigne on our song ‘Love It When You Hate Me’] — she’s an icon — and simply being right here representing her is a pinch-me second in itself . . . She’s superb.”
As for Johnny Orlando, it appeared like his pinch-me second was assembly Blackbear on the VMAs pink carpet. He nervously approached the veteran singer-songwriter to introduce himself, and Blackbear appeared very happy to speak with the star-struck “Blur” singer.
POPSUGAR additionally caught Addison Rae’s mother Sheri Easterling dropping a love bomb to her date, rapper Yung Gravy, the primary of many PDA moments between the pair on Sunday evening.
Because the pink carpet drew to an in depth, a handful of stars virtually jogged to the top of the carpet to make it into the venue in time for the ceremony. There goes Snoop Dogg! There goes Dixie D’Amelio! Dove Cameron and Sabrina Carpenter elicited a number of the loudest screams as they waved to onlookers in passing, and the enduring Cheech and Chong seemed as chummy as ever over 5 many years into their comedy profession collectively (which was severely healthful). Lil Nas X desperately held onto his large headdress as he tried to squeeze by way of the throngs of fellow celebs and PR reps on the carpet (he managed to make it inside, headdress intact).
The 2022 VMAs had been a welcome return to award-show normalcy after so many ceremonies had been dampened by the pandemic and, absolutely, the present will solely get greater from right here!
Picture Supply: Getty / Cindy Ord / WireImage
