Stabbing at Vibe Ceremony Livens up Award Show Format

Hip-hop just can’t seem to get away from its violent image. At the Second Annual Vibe Awards a man was stabbed (despite metal detectors at the door), police were attacked and numerous attendees fled to the exits. The media know-it-alls have already slammed the incident as typical of hip-hop’s inability to play nice. However, they may be missing the point. Perhaps violent assaults at entertainment award ceremonies would improve the industry and its players.

Granted, it is hard to see the Tony’s or the Oscars hitting the highs the Vibe Awards did. Nathan Lane and Brad Pitt just aren’t Dr. Dre (who was at the center of the incident during Monday night’s taping). And Suge Knight, who some have speculated may have arranged to have Dr. Dre punched and might be implicated in the murder of Tupac Shakur, said it was time to focus on the positive. Were violence to break out at the Daytime Emmy’s, it is doubtful that anyone in that genre could fill the vital role Mr. Knight played – whatever that is. The only flaw in the affair was the unwillingness of UPN to broadcast the violence as well as the awards – thereby missing a chance to raise the profile of the Vibe Awards and its own ratings.

Be that as it may, the Oscars would make more interesting viewing if there were less of Joan Rivers on the red carpet talking about clothes and more of Charlton Heston discussing the weaponry the movie stars brought with them. “Mr. Depp is carrying a Walther PPK, preferred more by European movie stars than Americans. It is a 7.65 mm caliber piece, with a 7-round magazine, weighing just under 21 ounces. It’s a fine straight blowback operated semi-automatic with traditional double-action/single-action trigger mechanism. Doesn’t he look great carrying it?”

And there might just be fewer prima donnas. It is hard to get away with being an arrogant jackass if the opposition is wielding a switchblade. Also, those air kisses and those “thank you” speeches might be a little more heart-felt if supreme retribution were the sanction for insincerity. It’s always a good idea to hug someone in Hollywood, but it would mean even more if it gave one a chance to pat somebody down before accepting an award.

The only downside would be for HBO. It would allow other TV networks to catch up to “The Sopranos” – except for the writing and the acting.


© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.


Home