TVSquad

I think the last time I actually cared about MTV was around 1991, so I'm not really invested in the latest Kanye West drama/hype that happened at last night VMAs. But I do think this picture was bizarre enough to post. It pretty much confirms that this is a world I have nothing in common with anymore. Thankfully.

[via The Awl]

I remember when MTV first launched, way back in 1981. I was in high school, and it instantly became THE MOST IMPORTANT TV STATION IN OUR LIVES. Looking back I guess that seems sort of silly, but when you're a teenager and you can come home from school and see your favorite songs all day long in video form, that's pretty cool.

I have no idea what MTV is like these days. I've watched it only a few times in the past several years, and even that was something like The Real World or maybe some special. People have been complaining for years that the network hasn't been showing videos like they used to. I don't know how true that is now, but if you're looking for a station completely devoted to music videos (and not reality programming), then check out MTV Music, the new web site that houses a bunch of videos old and new.

For the first time, the MTV Movie Awards is going to be broadcast live, and host Sarah Silverman promises there will be some controversial moments.

Adam told you a couple of months ago about Silverman being chosen as host of the annual show. This year it's being produced by Survivor mastermind Mark Burnett, who seems to have a hand in almost every show on the air right now, with the possible exception of The Mclaughlin Group. Silverman has already had simulated sex with a block of cheese at the Independent Spirit Awards (hmmm...must have missed that), and she tells USA Today: "The truth is, I'll probably be swearing a lot. But I don't think it will be any less funny. It will be fun to flirt with the conventions of live television. There's no way it's going to go totally smoothly, and I know, as a viewer, I'm always watching for the evidence of the 'liveness.' "

Wouldn't it have been hysterical if on its first day MTV couldn't afford the rights to any songs, so the entire day was nothing but videos for public domain songs like "Happy Birthday" "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?" I'm sure a few strobes and a fog machine would have added a whole new dimension to "Three Blind Mice," as performed by Alice Cooper: "She cut off their tails with a CARVING KNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!!!"

But no, MTV launched in 1981 with a bunch of videos of regular pop and rock musicians, starting off with The Buggles catchy "Video Killed the Radio Star," a hit song that was later followed by other great hits from the band such as "Country Music Molested A TV Personality" and "Ragtime Was Convicted of Aggravated Assault."

Thanks to whoever runs the blog IZ Reloaded, you can now watch YouTube clips of every video that aired when MTV first jumped out of your cable box. There's also some REO Speedwagon songs for people like me who mock the band when around friends but secretly sings "Keep On Loving You" in the shower. I've placed The Buggles' video after the jump, cause I love that song.

MTV is coming to Canada in a very big way. For years, MTV was banned from launching on Canadian Radio-Television by television watchdogs. MTV made a brief appearance from 2002 to 2004, but went off the air after receiving a dismal audience. Beginning today at 6 pm ET, MTV will launch on a number of platforms. First, MTV is launching an analog channel that is tailored to the Canadian audience, with original talk shows and documentary programming. It also launches a broadband channel, called MTV Overdrive, which makes all sorts of MTV content available for viewing on high speed internet. There will also be MTVonCTV blocks of programming six nights a week on CTV, video available for download on iPods and the like, and Video on Demand.

Canada, there's something you should know about MTV. It's called Music Television, but there's rarely any actual music.