MTV: Against Inaugural Balls Until They Were For Them

I just noticed that MTV is planning a big Inaugural Ball for this evening. This is a big surprise to me, because back in 2001, MTV claimed they were no longer interested in throwing Inaugural Balls. “Rock the Vote” claimed they were going to change their political focus, and would no longer be hosting Balls. I couldn’t remember the exact excuse MTV made for not throwing one back in 2001. There hasn’t been an MTV Inaugural Ball in Twelve years!

A little snooping around led me to this article from the New York Times; something everyone here should have a look at. It goes to the very heart of what is being done on Big Hollywood. Apparently the official reason why there was no 2001 MTV Ball was:

There was not enough time to plan for a party, given the delay in resolving the election.

Good one. It doesn’t ring true for me, since there was going to be an Inauguration regardless of who won the election. Perhaps the people at MTV thought (hopefully) that if the election wasn’t resolved by January 21, Clinton could just stay on for another four years.

It is also telling, that little has changed since then. The rift between Pop Culture and Republicans is just as deep and wide as it has always been. This article could have been written yesterday:

Culturally, Republicans always seem to be flush with country music stars and fading celebrities but don’t seem to have much entree into the entertainment business beyond that.

Conservatism is as welcome on MTV as music videos and women over thirty. (I also think the absence of the last two MTV Balls should be brought up if the Fairness Doctrine is ever reconsidered.) And a footnote: For those of you who are buying the whole argument that Obama must be given a little time to settle in before the comedians start to parody him, please note that there was no grace period in 2001:

“Bush has been minimized and diminished by the Hollywood liberals … and it’s reflected in all those ‘Saturday Night Live’ sketches, which depict him as a doofus.”

Get that comedians? We’re already WAY over due. A guy who can’t even recite an oath that isn’t written on a tele-prompter, is as ready for ridicule, as a view of Russia, a Pet Goat, or a Potatoe.