This year's edition of the MTV Video Music Awards is struggling to hit a sweet spot. Although the event sometimes brings forth tough issues to their platform, the production is wary of making the event too somber. This might prove to be a challenge considering all of the turmoil one can witness on the news and within the entertainment industry itself.
This sentiment is amplified by the concern of Demi Lovato and her highly-publicized overdose followed by her subsequent hospitalization and rehabilitation efforts.
The program's executive producer Bruce Gilmer opened up about the production's awareness of how their treatment of this issue might affect their viewers. He said he wants this year's event to be “energetic, positive and loud.”
“It’s so important. We just talked about this. We toggle back and forth with this big platform. Sometimes, the thought is, ‘Let’s use this for a greater good.’ But sometimes, we get feedback that people want to come in and escape the world for a minute [...] We’re overrun with politics and messages, so what you’re going to see this year are a couple of poignant moments and the lion’s share is going to be straight fun."
One of these poignant moments refers to the passing of the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
“She was one of the most incredible voices of all time. It’s beyond sad. She has such an incredible legacy she left behind. We’re going to do something, but we’re waiting to see what form it takes. We’ll see. We want it to be honest and get the right people involved.”
