VMAs pay tribute to Ferguson; Miley Cyrus swaps acceptance speech for homeless youth PSA

Recording artist/actor Common speaks onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

Between all the madness that generally takes place at the MTV Video Music Awards, the show tried to get serious this year.

First, hip-hop artist Common called for a moment of silence as a tribute to the horrors in Ferguson, Mo.,
in the aftermath of unarmed teenager Mike Brown being shot and killed
by police. Before presenting the award for Best Hip Hop Video to Drake,
Common delivered this speech:

For the past two weeks,
the eyes of the nation have been on Ferguson, Missouri. The people in
Ferguson and St. Louis and communities across the country have used
their voices to call for justice and change. To let everyone know that
each and every one of our lives matters. Hip hop has always been about
truth and has been a powerful instrument of social change from Melle Mel
to Public Enemy to Kendrick Lamar. Hip hop has always presented a voice
for the revolution. I want us all to take a moment of silence for Mike
Brown and for peace in this country and in the world.

Then,
later in the evening, Miley Cyrus won the Video of the Year award for
“Wrecking Ball” — technically the biggest prize of the night. Instead of
getting up on stage, she sent a homeless youth named Jesse to accept on
her behalf. Presenter Jimmy Fallon wound up helping Jesse, whose hands
were shaking so badly he could barely hold his written speech, as Cyrus
could seen with tears streaming down her face in the audience.

My Friend’s Place representative Jesse, left, accepts Video of the Year
(on behalf of Miley Cyrus) for “Wrecking Ball.” (Mark Davis/Getty
Images)

Here were his remarks:

Thank you
all. My name is Jesse. I am accepting this award on behalf of the 1.6
million runaways and homeless youth in the U.S. who are starving, lost
and scared for their lives right now. I know this because I’m one of
these people. I’ve survived in shelters all over this city, I’ve cleaned
your hotel rooms, I’ve been an extra in your movies, I’ve been an extra
in your life. Though I may have been invisible to you on the streets, I
have a lot of the same dreams that brought many of you here tonight.
Los Angeles entertainment capital has the largest population of homeless
youth in America. The music industry will make over $7 billion this
year, and outside these doors are 54,000 human beings who have no
physical home. If you want to make a powerful change in the world right
now, please join us and go to Miley’s Facebook page. A dream you dream
alone is only a dream — but a dream we dream together is reality. Thank
you so much for your time.

The network also created this PSA:

Not everyone was so impressed by the segments: Making the rounds on Twitter
were screengrabs of the Kardashian/Jenner sisters looking very
uninterested during Common’s introduction, as Kylie played with her
phone, Kendall looked bored, and Kim adjusted her outfit.

Emily Yahr is an entertainment reporter and pop culture blogger for the Style
section. She joined the Post in May 2008, a week before she graduated
from the University of Maryland, and worked on Lisa de Moraes' TV Column
and blog.

 - The Washington Post