Sparks and Hilton irked by comments about Jonas Brothers’ purity rings
By Matthew B. Zeidman
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Today) 9/8/08 – MTV Video Music Awards host Russell Brand didn’t pull any punches during Sunday’s show, slinging jokes about R. Kelly’s legal troubles, deigning Britney Spears a female Jesus Christ and offering to go lingerie shopping with performer LL Cool J. “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks wasn’t laughing about a graphic set of jokes made about the Jonas Brothers’ purity rings, however, and took a moment on stage to fire back at the British funnyman.
“All right, I just have one thing to say about promise rings,” Sparks adlibbed, before she and John Legend introduced rapper T.I. “It’s not bad to wear promise rings, ‘cause not everyone, guy or girl, wants to be a slut.”
One of the earlier comments that irked Sparks was Brand likening the Jonas Brothers turning down legions of sexually willing female fans to comic book hero Superman deciding to travel everywhere by bus in lieu of flying.
Brand also claimed he would take the trio’s commitment more seriously if they wore their purity rings on their genitals, instead of their hands, and followed up jokes about President Bush by suggesting the trio would have to cram “eight years of bush” into their bachelor parties.
Finally, the English comedian displayed a ring, which he implied he got by seducing one of the Jonas Brothers, and said he hoped to have a collection of Jonas purity rings by the show’s end.
“I’ve got to say ‘sorry,’ ‘cause I said them things about promise rings that were bad and mean. I didn’t mean to take it lightly or whatever,” Brand apologized later on in the program. “So, promise rings—I’m well up for it. Well done, everyone. It’s just, you know, a bit of sex, occasionally, never hurt anybody.” During the brief wrap-up segment, he kiddingly told an MTV reporter he had been inspired to become chaste and wouldn’t be able to have sex with her afterward.
Gossip blogger Perez Hilton got in on the action, defending the Jonas Brothers during a post-show interview, saying he hoped Brand would not be present at the European Music Awards and that his jokes were in poor taste. He also accused Brand of sex addiction.
“I thought he was funny, but I was upset. I think those Jonas Brothers are good kids, and we shouldn’t be making fun of them for promoting good values,” said Hilton. “The U.K. media has reported many times that Russell Brand is a sexual compulsive—sex addict—so it makes sense he’s talking about sex a lot and criticizing the Jonas Brothers for
Purity rings (also known as chastity and promise rings) are worn by individuals, usually teenagers, who have pledged to abstain from sex until marriage. Sparks, 18, wears one, as do all three Jonas Brothers (Kevin, 20, Joe, 19, and Nick, 15). Other notable ring bearers are actresses Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, both 16, and Miley Cyrus, 15.
Brand wasn’t the only one dealing with disrespect during the broadcast. Award nominees Katy Perry and The Ting Tings, as well as LL Cool J, were snubbed not by fellow celebrities, but by MTV, itself. Though all three were scheduled to perform on air with DJ AM and Travis Barker and were even mentioned during the ceremony, they were relegated to singing only for the audience gathered at the Paramount Pictures studio.
A voiceover announcing upcoming awards and presenters blared over Katy Perry’s rendition of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” before MTV cut to commercial, coming back for what was left of her smash summer hit “I Kissed a Girl.” The Ting Tings, who performed “Shut Up and Let Me Go,” and LL Cool J, who performed “Going Back to Cali,” were given even less screen time.
Perry was nominated for Best Female Video and Best New Artist, while The Ting Tings were up for Video of the Year. Britney Spears and Tokio Hotel took Perry’s awards, respectively, and Spears also won Video of the Year.
Photos: Kevin Jonas of Jonas Brothers backstage at VMAs and host Russell Brand with Britney Spears, from MTV.
20 responses so far ↓
1 ava // Sep 8, 2008 at 10:15 am
i think russell brand was just kidding and having fun i thought he was very funny and has the best intrest for the jo bro’s
2 Erin McElroy // Sep 8, 2008 at 11:37 am
SETTING THE STORY STRAIGHT ON RUSSELL BRAND (VMA’S HOST):
Russell Brand is a disgrace to humanity! (sounds so cliche) He is just another example of new age immoral young persons that is totally against anything that would be moral. (IDIOT) Even though I am 22 I still believe in God and in a conservative kind of government.
It really reflects badly on MTV to support something on the VMA’s. It sounded like Russell truly believed in what he was saying. And the Hare Krishna statement at the end explained everything about where he stands spiritually.
And I’m sure he wants (demands) respect for what he believes albeit he throws Jonahs Bros under the bus for what they believe… so degrading and disrespectful. He’s probably never learned, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” All he promotes is LOVE, LOVE, LOVE which is what all those phony Christian cults promote.
I hope everyone realizes what a fool Russell Brand is and that just because he is on MTV doesn’t make him cool in anyway.
3 anna // Sep 8, 2008 at 11:38 am
Jordin Sparks rules for sticking up for them like that! I hate it how people are picking on the Jonas Brothers so much. They are so sweet and they do promote good values. I love them to death.
4 matt // Sep 8, 2008 at 11:59 am
people need thicker skin….
5 Missy // Sep 8, 2008 at 1:00 pm
People need to get over it. I thought Brand was hilarious in a crude/rude way. Yeah his digs on the Jonas Brothers were mean, but I was laughing the entire time. And his digs on Bush and the Republican party were spot on and it’s the same thing the whole country has been saying so who cares if he’s not from here.
6 Jenn // Sep 8, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I was totally disgusted with Brand…do not like him at all and I think he did nothing good for the show at all. He did nothing for MTV and I can say if he is to host anything else I WILL NOT watch.
7 mary // Sep 8, 2008 at 3:54 pm
ok .. i thought da host was weird..lol.. he was so off and he should’ve been shipped off 2 Last Comic standing or something.. he went too far when he made fun of da JoBros… and Jordin Sparks made a smart move1! u go gurl!…
8 Tessa // Sep 8, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Russell who? LOL, the guy looked and sounded drunk or high. I can’t believe MTV put such a loser as host, pretty much ruined it for me. I switched over to E!
9 nikki // Sep 8, 2008 at 10:45 pm
I think everyone would have thought he was funny if he were someone more famous in the states. every year the host pokes fun at everyone. that is their job. but since he was english no one took his stabs lightly……lighten up people!
10 jo jo // Sep 9, 2008 at 11:44 am
i think that mtv should do a public apology to the jonas brothers for having such a poor taste in their host this year i will never watch anything with him on again. God Bless the jonas brothers for their good moral judgement and not being afraid to show it. people give them the credit they deserve.
11 JULIET // Sep 9, 2008 at 12:00 pm
i love the jonas brothers. and i think that host was a jerk. the jonas brothers wear their rings as promises and they set a good example and are great role models.jordan sparks was good for saying what she had to say. And the jonas brothers did awesome.
12 peyton // Sep 10, 2008 at 3:47 pm
there’s articles out that say the executive producer of mtv was thrilled with brand… and has asked him back for 2009…. bet those musical acts that were cut short weren’t so thrilled with his rambling crap
13 bert // Sep 13, 2008 at 10:52 pm
i think that brand was off that night. he shouldnt have said those things. i mean soem of it was fine but he kept rambling on about those purity rings. he took it too far as to where it wasnt funny anymore and got personal. he shouldve just left it at..well he shouldve just left it aloen completely.
and another thing, MTV cut off a lot of people. i mean KP ting ting and ll cool j. i was looking forward to those performances and honestly wasnt interested in much else, bcuz this year VMAs were boring to death!
also another cut off was when Robert Pattinson was totally cut off mid WORD, not even sentence, that was rude. brand cut him off right when he was going to introduce the next band playing and pattison wasnt even able to get any words the whole time he was up there.
ive got to say, VMAs were bad this year. and britney winning 3?! insane.
14 lowid // Oct 6, 2008 at 4:35 am
Greets! Really funny. keep working! Tnx!
15 JemelmTok // Apr 11, 2009 at 3:47 pm
i love this song with the joe bros!
16 Aalia // Apr 22, 2009 at 2:09 pm
google sent me! nice blog, nice wp-theme
!!
17 Wellbutrin // May 23, 2009 at 12:48 am
cheap wellbutrin online
18 Wellbutrin // May 27, 2009 at 3:54 am
wellbutrin online
19 Zithromax // May 27, 2009 at 6:06 am
cheap zithromax
20 Zoloft // May 27, 2009 at 8:23 am
order zoloft
Leave a Comment