2009 Grammys scandal, fashion, and faux pas
Posted at 11:37 AM Feb 09, 2009
By Sharon SteelThere was enough pre-Grammys gossip to keep us speculating before the awards show even got under way last night. First, we wondered whether Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. would pop out her first child -- technically due on Sunday -- while she performed on stage. (She didn't. But she did rock out with her baby bump, like a true heroine.) Then, the gossip rags breathlessly switched their attention to the reported arrest of artist Chris Brown for the alleged assault of his girlfriend, R&B singer Rihanna. Both were scheduled to perform at the Grammys, and, not surprisingly, neither appeared.
But since our hope/fear of a live childbirth set to "Paper Planes" and "Swagga Like Us" was thwarted, our favorite moment of the evening went to Radiohead's rendition of "15 Step" with the entire USC marching band. Stereogum has a YouTube collection of many musical highlights for your video-skimming pleasure, not to mention a full list of all the winners. The Times has your red carpet photographs, as does People, and US Weekly has some live stage shots.
We were perplexed by Carrie Underwood's champagne-sheer-shorts-ensemble; aghast that Paris Hilton forgot to change out of her pajamas, and totally adored M.I.A's polka dots. Katy Perry morphed into the Chiquita Banana lady for "I Kissed A Girl," Cyndi Lauper can still rock a fishnet stocking, and Coldplay looked very happy to be sporting pastel drummer boy jackets. When all was said and done, however, we just say: thank God for T-Pain.
