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British Comedian to Host MTV’s 25th Annual Awards Show Set to Air Live From Paramount Pictures on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 9PM (ET/PT)
New York, NY (July 28, 2008) –– Word travels fast in the blogosphere! Van Toffler, President, MTVN Music Group, officially confirms today that comedian/actor Russell Brand will host the “2008 MTV Video Music Awards” airing live from Hollywood’s Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7th at 9:00pm ET/PT. It has previously been announced that pop phenoms The Jonas Brothers will perform on the VMA stage for the first time. Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming days.
Download Russell Brand’s headshot.
“We fired Russell in the UK, then hired him back in a swirling haze of scandal. Now, we have him taking the reigns of this year’s VMA’s” said Toffler. “We’re definitely gluttons for punishment since we already know he’s sought advice from some of his British colleagues, like Amy Winehouse, about how to behave in public. Stay tuned on September 7th.”
“I am proud to be hosting the MTV VMAs,” said Russell Brand. “I’m going to celebrate by doing lesbian kisses with both Britney and Madonna and I’ll be giving Michael Jackson a special award to celebrate his birthday- which, coincidentally is also a lesbian kiss.”
Recently, Russell has emerged as a genuine star of the silver screen. Making his feature film debut in ‘Penelope’ with Christina Ricci and James McAvoy, and then onto the contemporary Ealing caper ‘St Trinian’s’, and this year won rave reviews for his scene-stealing performances in Judd Apatow’s ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’. Apatow has cast him to play opposite Jonah Hill in his next feature, filming in early 2009.
With his cinematic endeavors charming critics on both sides of the Atlantic, 2008 is sure to go down as the year Russell staged his very own transatlantic invasion. Fresh from filming ‘Bedtime Stories’ with Adam Sandler in the US, Russell has been performing to sell-out crowds at a handful of U.S. dates, and appeared at Montreal’s world renowned comedy festival Just For Laughs, to sell out crowds. He has also recently signed a multi-million dollar, book publishing deal with Harper Collins. See him in ‘Bedtime Stories’, released later this year.
Russell’s past hosting gigs include the 2007 BRIT Awards, Ponderland and the NME Awards in 2006. He is no stranger to the network, as MTV UK realized Brand’s comedic talent on the stand-up circuit and offered him his own series, Dance Floor Chart, where he honed his trademarked provocative style of captivating an audience.
Brand’s premiere host appearance will usher in a series of VMA firsts. The 2008 VMAs are chartering unfamiliar territory with new elements for the 25th annual awards show by giving viewers more control than ever. Viewers have an opportunity to help select the nominees in each award category. The 2008 VMAs will broadcast from Los Angeles after taking a ten year west coast hiatus. Also, by taking over LA’s Paramount Pictures Studios and backlot for the summer’s hottest artists, we’re going to reinvent the staging of an awards show from the presenting of awards to the electrifying performances and all of the shocking moments in between.
Jesse Ignjatovic/Den of Thieves is the Executive Producer, for the “2008 MTV Video Music Awards.” Dave Sirulnick is Executive Producer. Chris Choun/Ish Entertainment is Co-Executive Producer. Jane Mun is Producer. Amy Doyle, Joanna Bomberg and Robin Katz are Music Talent Executives. Robin Reinhardt-Locke is Celebrity Talent Executive. Garrett English is Executive in Charge of Production.
Official sponsors of “2008 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS” are GM, Pepsi, TAG Body Spray, Taco Bell, Rhapsody and Verizon Wireless.
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