Things Are Coming Up Pink

Boy, how things change.

Up until last year I never used to miss the MTV Video Music Awards. The VMAs were must-see TV, even as I noticed they were losing relevance.

I think – and this not because I’m a Madonna nut-nut – 2003 was the last year the awards truly were something I could believe in, you know. The Moonmen were given to deserving artists, not just popular artists.

The last time I watched the entire show was 2005, the second time they were held in Miami, and that’s because I was backstage in the press room (there was nothing else to do but watch the show and/or figure out which parties to hit afterward).

Last year’s Britney Spears mess was the only memorable thing about the VMAs, for which MTV made up this year by embracing and celebrating the pop tart.

I had great hopes for this year’s VMAs. Katy Perry would perform “Like a Virgin” – what a bust that was – and Christina Aguilera would take the stage, too.

Sidebar: Uh, Christina, Lady GaGa called, she would like her look back please. And what was up with the lip-synching?

The highlight of the night was Pink, who performed (live) on the Paramount Studios back lot, slid down a fabric strip from a balcony, pushed a stuntman down a flight of stairs, smashed a window, and tossed off a long jacket to show her legs and, reportedly, a little nip.

Her fiery rendition of “So What” was energetic and re-invigorating.

In other words, exactly what I and MTV, both 25, needed. The difference is MTV still is, quite sadly, rather tired.

But carry on, Pink. You’ve got your rock moves, alright.

Photo: MTV.com.