The MTV Video Music Awards has always prized itself on being the naughty young up-start of the awards world (see the Madonna/Britney pash several years ago and Kanye West vs. Taylor Swift last year).
However, watching the 2010 VMA's last week reminded me that America's notion of "controversial" remains as white-bread and PC-friendly as ever.
The way Usher sang "Oh my gosh" did it for me. Is singing "God" in a song really too confronting for an MTV audience, considering most contemporary pop-hip-hop songs feature lyrics like "just show me where your dick at"? (I never thought i'd quote Ke$ha...)
And the reaction to Gaga's already infamous "meat dress" is another tell-tale sign of America's ridiculous double-standards. So, it's ok for pop stars to writhe about near-nude, drying humping and pulling pornstar poses but when it comes to a pop star wearing a dress made out of meat - apparently that's a no-no.
No, anyone who attempts to step outside the square is instantly barbecued by a painfully boring media.
Anti-animal cruelty organisation PETA has crucified Gaga for her sirloin ensemble, but as she explained shortly after appearing on the VMA's, her wardrobe choice was in no way taking a swipe at animal rights. People eat meat, wear leather, cut down forests, pillage the seas... but when we're confronted with images of our own consumerist nature we lose the plot (see Gaga's Telephone video and it's deliberate use of product placement).
Yes, she looked hideous, but when has Gaga ever been about conforming to female stereotypes? As she told Ellen shortly after the VMA's "i'm not a piece of meat!".
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