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The 51st Grammys: Hours To Go Before We Sleep!

Posted Sun Feb 8, 2009 11:11pm PST by Billy Altman in And The Winner Is...

We have to admit that, compared to recent years, the 51st edition of the Grammy Awards ceremonies did carry a bit of suspense. For instance, Would Lil Wayne be the first rapper to win Album of the Year, and if so, would his pants stay up? If they won Song of the Year for "Viva La Vida," would Coldplay get coldcocked onstage by Joe Satriani, the guitarist whose instrumental "If I Could Fly" surely seemed to have been stolen lock, stock, and riff by Chris Martin and crew? Would ultra-pregnant M.I.A., appearing on her actual due date, become the first Grammy nominee to drop a baby right in the middle of a performance? And what on earth happened between Chris Brown and Rihanna, both of whom were no-shows on the telecast owing to a late Saturday night post-party altercation that apparently left Rihanna injured and Brown arrested on battery charges?

Well, over the course of a three-and-a-half-hour program in which a grand total of 10 (!) awards were actually given out (believe it or not, the rest of the 110 total Grammys up for grabs were all doled out, as has been the practice for some time now, in a hurried pre-telecast ceremony on the floor of L.A.'s Staples Center), we did get answers to the first three of those four questions: respectively, no, no and no.

Lil Wayne won Best Rap Album, but not Album of the Year, which, as per the Recording Academy's usual conservative bent, went to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's Americana album Raising Sand. Coldplay won Song of the Year without anyone yelling, "Thief!" And M.I.A., wearing a sort of maternity leotard thing, made it through her part on "Swagga Like Us" without going into labor--though for any of us who actually made it through the whole darned show, labor was indeed the operative word.

As for the Chris Brown/Rihanna flareup, we'll probably need to wait for the police blotter sometime tomorrow to find out about that one.

Still, the 51st Grammy Awards show did overall have its share of moments to remember. And to that end, here's our own top 10: Yahoo!'s 2009 Grammy telecast "And The Winner Is" awards:

The "Rising To The Occasion" Award goes to Jennifer Hudson, for surpassing her dramatic rendition of the national anthem at last week's Super Bowl with a riveting (and decidedly non-lip-synched) performance of her uplifting "You Pulled Me Through."

The "Stooping To The Occasion" Award goes to Thom Yorke and Radiohead, whose whiny rendition of "15 Step" was so bad-vibed that you kind of wished they'd have just left the stage and allowed the USC Trojan Marching Band accompanying them to do the song by themselves.

The "Haven't We Seen This Picture Before?" Award goes to Whitney Houston, who looked and sounded as out-of-it as a presenter in 2009 as she did as a performer in 2000, when they had to remind her that her song was over and she kind of needed to leave the stage so the show could continue.

The "I Wonder What They're Thinking Right Now?" Award goes to Dean Martin's son and daughter, who after hearing Queen Latifah salute their late dad's Lifetime Achievement nod, then heard her introduce Kanye West, T.I., Lil Wayne, and Jay-Z as the "Rap Pack." Somewhere, Frank Sinatra is spinning in his grave.

The "Best Date Placement" Award goes to Paul McCartney, for using his upfront aisle-seat pull to show off new gal pal Nancy Shevell. Oh, Heather...

The "I Went To The Grammys And A Boston Red Sox Game Broke Out" Award goes to Neil Diamond, for his pluperfectly cheesy rendition of the Fenway Park 8th-inning staple "Sweet Caroline." And how 'bout those eyebrows?

The "Works Well With Fruit" Award goes to Katy Perry, for making the kitchiest most out of her performance of "I Kissed A Girl," complete with an entrance out of a giant peeled banana (insert your favorite Freud joke here) and a trash 'n' vaudeville outfit that, were she alive today, Carmen Miranda would kill for.

The "Was This In The Script?" Award goes to presenter Samuel L. Jackson, who actually began his intro of T.I. and Justin Timberlake with the following salutation: "People of Earth!"  Somewhere, Ed Wood is smiling.

The "Was This In The Script II?" Award goes to presenter Craig Ferguson, who announced that he was up for a Best Sex Tape Award: "It's me vs. Screech." Even Paris Hilton blushed at that one.

And, finally, the "All Kidding Aside" Award goes to NARAS chief Neil Portnow, for noting the organization's commitment to improving health care, saving music education in schools, and protecting musician's intellectual rights. And yes, past Grammy Award winner Barack Obama, a cabinet position of Secretary of the Arts is a pretty good idea. Just ask Quincy Jones.

391 Comments

1. Yahoo! Music User -
Cool stuff......big bang goin on n grammys...

2. monica -
And the loser is...Billy Altman. He loses the award for having a sense of musical taste and also being the best person to review the grammys. If you want to consider Radioheads performance as being "whiny" than I find you terribly ill. The performance was unique and amazing. I know many can agree that it was an incredible performance by a mind-blowing band that is very talented and creative. Why don't you comment on the real horrible acts at the Grammys tonight. It was the perfect rendition of what awaits on their album. I loved it. Also, they should have won Album of the Year.
Holllaa!

3. Yahoo! Music User -
Blink-182 got back together thats all that matters

4. brown sugar -
Total rip off. Rihanna should have won for best album and song of the year. Disturbia

5. Loretta L -
HEY! I liked Radioheads performance

6. imee -
wow....sexy pregnant

7. peace -
Stevie Wonder with the Jonas Brothers? That was painful to watch and hear...

8. Shelley -
I am not a big Justin Timberlake fan, but I was very impressed with his singing of the classic Al Green song "Let's Stay Together". He should record it!

9. Linda C -
After all these years, Paul McCartney, a legend in rock...finally Paul picked a brunette..pretty, classy, just like him. He is a person who dosen't let his celebrity status go to his head...rockin and rollin with the crowd. He is tops!!!!!!!!!!!

10. Karie -
Radiohead is amazing! Really, did you see any of the other performances!?!

11. Faith -
well, radioheads performance was not only whiney, it friggen sucked, the pregant gal was disgusting, and if your so bored as to have found you so called "mate" or give out your info on a blog your terribly disturbed.

12. Mike K -
Where was Springsteen? Where was one of the greatest bands in rock history? The Boss..

13. Chasity Moubray -
3 cheers for starsbrnbright22!!

I couldn't have said it any better myself!! The only reason I even watched the Grammys last night was to see Radiohead's performance. I for one, am a huge Radiohead fan, and enjoyed it!

14. J -
Where was all the best artist? T pain, 50 cent, akon, etc

15. Ris -
I loved Radiohead's performance last night! Also, JT and T.I were amazing. Also, Adele with a cameo by Sugarland! I thought the whole show was good!

16. Yahoo! Music User -
DIDN'T WATCH IT!

17. Scott -
Faith said it the best!

18. mat b -
the grammys were a joke. the music sucked. whitney was wasted, kanye is cry baby egotistical maniac, kate perry is a no talent, i could hear a pin drop after "the rocks" jokes, etc... what a letdown, an insult to all the great muscians out there and to music lovers.

19. EVIL -
Please tell me what drug whitney was on....was it the same one anna nicole was taking a few years ago? She amused me....

20. Yahoo! Music User -
I enjoyed the Radiohead performance and thought it to be one of the better in a lackluster evening. Sugarland's performance was also noteworthy.
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