Bust a move

The inaugural MTV Australia Video Music Awards busted out in more ways than one when it was held at the iconic Luna Park on March 3. In an Australian first, the awards highlighted the very best in music videos from both home grown and international artists but were overshadowed by queen of controversy Anna Nicole Smith who exposed her prized assets while presenting the award for Video of the Year to the Dissociatives. Bemused front man Daniel Johns even received a personal ravishing from the topless widow while wife Natalie Imbruglia looked on in horror.

But it was music that was the real winner on the night with more than 1200 guests and VIPs (and a potential 1 billion TV viewers world wide) being treated to sensational performances by artists such as Simple Plan, Green Day, Grinspoon, Eskimo Joe, The Dissociatives and Missy Higgins.

On the awards front, a trio of artists dominated the night; walking away with two gongs each. Delta Goodrem picked up the Best Female Artist and Pepsi Viewers Choice awards, Green Day won Best Rock Group and Best Rock Video for American Idiot and the Black Eyed Peas triumphed with Best R&B Video & Sexiest Video for Hey Mama. Other winners included Shannon Noll (Best Male Artist), Missy Higgins (Breakthrough Artist), Usher (Best Dance Video for Yeah), Guy Sebastian (Best Pop Video for Out With My Baby) and Gwen Stefani (Best Dressed Video for What You Waiting For).

Hosted by that whacky family collectively known as the Osbournes, the event featured a number of international guests including Carmen Electra, Chingy, Brian McFadden, Ja Rule, Bryan Adams, Switchfoot and Xzibit. But it was the local talent that fired off some of the more unforgettable quotes backstage. Phil Jamieson of Grinspoon commented on the Awards giving the ARIAs a kick up the behind in the entertainment stakes. He said, "It’s all bling tonight but at least it’s fun – and the ARIAs should be fun right?" He then recalled, “Oh we haven’t won any”.

Eskimo Joe, who failed to receive any nominations, were asked just what it would take for them to be nominated. They responded by saying, "I think we’ve just got to sleep with someone famous and it’s all ours. So tomorrow we’ll probably be nominated for something." The man with the longest surname in Australian rock Ray Thistlethwaight of Thirsty Merc joked about getting himself a stage name. He said, "I’m thinking if I get a stage name, I might add Griffith Smith to the end of Thistlethwaight. And I might change my first name to Trish - Trish Thistlethwaight Griffith Smith".

Bankstown hip hop MC Figg Kidd also provided an insight into how he got his name. He said, "To tell you the truth, I just wanted a name where I could just pick any server and I could get the email address that I wanted. Now Figg Kidd is probably the most ridiculous name you’ve ever heard but the good thing is I’ve got my email and all you guys have to put 01 or an underscore or something in your name so I’m pretty happy with that."

The MTV trophy, a platypus with the MTV logo on the bottom, was also a hot topic of discussion. Delta Goodrem joked, "The platypus is a little bigger than the ARIA but I know who would win in a fight." Daniel Johns was clearly still dazed after the Anna Nicole incident when he said, "I’ve always wanted a platypi – seems we only got a platypus which is unfortunate given platypi would have been ideal." But the most memorable quote backstage had to be when Johns was asked what his band were disassociating themselves from. Johns' cheeky response was, "the rest."

Danny Canak

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MTV Australia Awards 2005