Kelly, Kelly, Kelly

I kept switching back and forth between various Law and Ordi and the VMA's, and found reruns of L&O far more interesting. Even the various cognescenti in the audience were ennui-istic.

Thank god I tivo'd it, however, because I'm quite sure that R. Kelly's bizarre interpretive rendition of his vanity piece, "Trapped in the Closet." And he really is in the closet, it seems like, which is fine, as I know all about the "down low" culture, and in fact am obsessed with it (and indeed this culture was on an episode of...Law and Order! [SVU]).

So score points for gay pride, but uh, it sounded like a car wreck. So of course I can't wait to watch it.

However, I am very happy that Ms. Kelly Clarkson won twice, and that she was able to cap off the boring events with a show-stopping rendition of "Since U Been Gone," her hit single. I did actually go through the trouble of watching this at work (headphones on), and enjoyed it. It was a little rough--she had to go to three different stages for whatever reason, and was rained on--but so full of vigor and growling, powerful vocals that I just can't tolerate the other non-talents on display so often on MTV. And here's a girl, average, pleasant looks, not super skinny, with amazing charisma and phenomenal talent--and AMERICA chose her. American Idol may be cheesy, but it goes to show how real talent WILL actually get you somewhere with, yes, the mainstreamest of audiences.

And Clarkson has done something extremely notable: Reinvented pop stardom for herself. She's added producers who can sear rough edges onto pop ditties for a sound that Avril Lavigne already introduced to radio, but more for adult ears, and I am so glad she came on the scene. Pop has to lean more towards rock if it wants to evolve as it always does. Clarkson is totally on the right track. I do love that Kelly. (And maybe I will love the grotesquerie of R. Kelly as well. But I will wait to see that one.)