Sunday Night, September 9, 2007 at 9pm, East Coast Time, MTV will broadcast the most important television program of the past 50 years.

OK, slight exaggeration. But the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards will be presented and with it awards for videos MTV doesn't show during its regular programming! We were a little surprised to see an absence of musicians we've heard of. I'm sure these Fall Out Boys and Linkin Parks are swell people, but no mention of Queens Of The Stone Age, Modern Life Is War or Pig Destroyer? Where's the oversight committee on this one?

Anyhow, it looks to be one helluva night. While we believe the nominees should mudwrestle for the awards, cooler heads say presenters will open envelopes and announce the winners, who will then parade to the dais and thank God, their families, their management company and people who still buy their music.

In fact, it's been announced that none other than Britney Spears will perform the opening number, "Gimme More," the first single from her forthcoming album. Spears has collaborated with Criss Angel, the Mindfreak,  for the opening choreography, so there's a chance she could magically disappear or be set on fire. And while it's been denied that she will perform a duet with Justin Timberlake, it is guaranteed that she deliver a surprise! Oh man, I hope it's Ice Cream Cake!

Amy Winehouse has a chance of winning an award as Best New Artist and as a girl for Best Female Artist as they're calling it this year. And her "Rehab" video is up for Video of the Year.

But it won't be easy. The competition is stiff. Lily Allen, Carrie Underwood, Gym Class Heroes and Peter Bjorn and John will also compete for Best New Artist, while other  Females doing battle with Amy include: Beyonce, Fergie, Rihanna and Nelly Furtado. Using her last name may cost Winehouse some points. Award-givers often consider inscription costs when factoring their choices, so, in the future, keep it short, sis.

Other Video of the Year possibilities include: Beyonce for "Irreplaceable," Justice for "D.A.N.C.E.," Rihanna, featuring Jay-Z with "Umbrella," Justin Timberlake with "What Goes Around...Comes Around," Kanye West with "Stronger." Again, Amy's got some tough competition. We'd love to weigh in on which video should win, but as we've noted previously, since MTV doesn't really show videos too often, we'd feel more comfortable saying that re-reruns of America's Next Top Model Show are always awesomely hot!

Boys, or Best Male Artist, where the nominees are noticeably uglier than the female nominees (just an observation, folks) include: Akon, Robin Thicke (we still prefer his dad Alan), T.I., Justin Timberlake and Kanye West. Wouldn't want to be on the line for the men's room with these guys! Mirror-hogs, one and all.

We're not really sure how MTV is defining "Earth-Shattering" these days, but according to them, the Most Earth-Shattering Collaborations of the Year include: Akon and Eminem for "Smack That," Beyonce and Shakira for "Beautiful Liar," Gwen Stefani and Akon for "Sweet Escape," Justin Timberlake and Timbaland for "SexyBack" and U2 and Green Day for "Saints Are Coming."

If you're noticing that many of these candidates are the exact same names in many categories, you're not alone. MTV acknowledges Beyonce, Bono, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Kanye West as "Quadruple Threats." We'd acknowledge them slightly differently, but this is a family site and all kids eat for free, so let's move along, shall we?

Just to make it seem as if the "art" of video-making has some bearing on these award shows, a few brief minutes will be spent not on Gwen Stefani's, Shakira's or Nelly Furtado's tummy but on something called Best Editing and Best Directing....yeah, we didn't get excited either.

But Monster Single has too many candidates! Daughtry, Fall Out Boy, Lil Mama, Mims, the list goes on to include 10 potential winners. Now that is one crowded race and one we're glad we don't have a horse in. Though wait ‘til next year!

Finally Best Group--and here we are mystified: Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes, Linkin Park, Maroon 5 and the White Stripes. Not a single mention of Motorhead, Belle And Sebastian or Wolves In The Throne Room? Where's the justice? Keep in mind, we work for a guy who keeps saying things like "This is the year for Spearmint." We don't know what he's talking about either.

I'd invite you all to my house to watch the awards with me, but my mom says the last time I had friends over someone threw up in her petunia patch and she's not having it. I'll work on her for next year. But for now, I'll be sure to blog in soon afterwards so we can commiserate on how our favorite acts got ROBBED.

Next year, we'll organize a campaign and stuff that ballot box!

Click here to watch a show spotlighting VMA-nominated videos

Click here for a Y! Music playlist of VMA-nominated songs