Earlier this month, when Keke Palmer announced she'd be hosting the 2020 VMAs, she recruited her beloved Nickelodeon character True Jackson for the occasion, recording a video call between the two where they celebrate Palmer's new gig and make plans to glam her up appropriately for the occasion. It was a nice resurrection for True, even in an era marked by reboots, where no character stays retired for too long.
But Palmer tells MTV News the moment had added significance for a generation of fans who grew up viewing young mogul True as a role model. "As I've gotten older, I didn't realize how much of an influence that character had on young Black women, young millennials, young kids, just everybody, because it's like, yo, this is a young person living their dream," she said.
"People have been talking about wanting a reboot, and then it was trending on TikTok, the theme song, and so when I heard I was going to be hosting, I said, if we're going to announce it everybody, let's use something that feels as close to home for me as it does to them. Let's have True celebrate Keke on this new gig."
What's perhaps even more inspiring than True's legacy is how, since the show ended in 2011, Palmer has diversified her own career with a wide range of creative projects. She's continued to act in shows like Scream and brought humor and earnestness to a key role in 2019's Hustlers. 2020, meanwhile, has seen a panoply of explorational music ranging from the fizz of "Snack" to the dreamy R&B of Rick Ross collab "Virgo Tendencies."
Following her creativity, she said, is essential to building a lasting body of work. "I just want to encourage people to say, like, hey, whether you're that new fresh face that somebody's looking for, or whether you fell into it, or it's accidental, or whatever — working hard for it, that counts, too. Keep working hard, because hard work does pay off."
"If the opportunity's not there for me," she continued, "I'll create it for myself."
Palmer's creativity will shine through when she hosts the star-packed VMAs this year. Ariana Grande, a fellow Nickelodeon alum, and Lady Gaga are set to bring their dance anthem "Rain on Me" to life with a powerful performance, while global phenoms BTS will mark the TV debut of their explosive new single "Dynamite." The Weeknd, Miley Cyrus, Doja Cat, Maluma, and CNCO will also take the stage.
Gaga and Grande lead the 2020 nominations field with nine each. Billie Eilish and The Weeknd follow close behind with six apiece. See the full list of nominees, and vote for your faves across 15 gender-neutral categories right now, at vma.mtv.com.
The 2020 VMAs will air live at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sunday, August 30 across MTV's linear and digital platforms as well as on Nickelodeon (as part of Nick @ Nite), CMT, BET, MTV2, VH 1, BET Her and Logo. There will also be several outdoor performances around New York City. Find everything you need to know at vma.mtv.com.
From USA Today:
Keke Palmer on hosting the VMAs, 'WAP' and the enduring popularity of 'Sorry to this man'
Is there anything Keke Palmer can't do?
The charismatic multi-hyphenate has made her mark on virtually every segment of the entertainment industry. She's starred in the film ("Hustlers"), TV (Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP") and on Broadway ("Cinderella"), and wrote a quasi-memoir/self-help book ("I Don't Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice"). She even sparked "Sorry to this man," last year's greatest meme, after a Vanity Fair video of her failing to recognize former Vice President Dick Cheney went viral. ("He could be walking down the street, I wouldn't know a thing," Palmer sighs, genuinely perplexed. "Sorry to this man.")
This weekend, she adds two more projects to her illustrious resume: New EP, "Virgo Tendencies," out Friday, and the MTV Video Music Awards, which she'll host for the first time Sunday (MTV, 8 EDT/PDT). Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande lead the nominations for this year's show, which will air from remote locations after plans to have the ceremony at Brooklyn's Barclays Center were nixed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Palmer, 27, tells USA TODAY what to expect from the VMAs and more:
More: Here’s why Keke Palmer says she ‘expected’ her talk show to be canceled
'I felt so united with everybody': Keke Palmer talks Trump, 'powerful' protest moment
Question: When you think of iconic VMAs moments, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
Keke Palmer: Probably Beyoncé when she announced she was pregnant at the VMAs, or when Nicki (Minaj) and Miley (Cyrus) was almost about to go at it on stage. That was a real gag.
Q: The VMAs have a long history of being surprising and unpredictable. What’s the biggest challenge of trying to capture that energy this year when everyone's in different places?
Palmer: I think it's embracing the fact that this is the most different VMA awards, entirely because of 2020 and what this year has been. It's not shying away from all we're overcoming and what we're going to continue to overcome, but also reminding people that the whole point of music is to bring us together and have fun. To imagine us all watching one show for one night and engaging with one another, I think it's a beautiful thing.
Q: Will you be hosting the show from one spot or darting all over New York?
Palmer: It'll be a lot of darting from stage to stage, and showing the beautiful boroughs in New York. There will be some consistent spots, but it will be a lot of traveling and movement throughout.
Q: It goes without saying, our country is going through a lot right now between the virus, police brutality and upcoming election. As host, how do you hope to speak out about these issues and try to level with people watching?
Palmer: By doing just that: Leveling with viewers, being real and saying what I mean and meaning what I say. For me, in any time and any scenario, that's always what I'm thinking. And I hope that's why I'm chosen to do something like this because I will say the truth and say things that we hopefully all already know but want to hear.
Q: Will any of your characters from "True Jackson, VP" or "Turnt Up with the Taylors" (on Facebook Watch) make appearances during the show?
Palmer: Yes, you could definitely be prepared to see some some character visits.
Q: I feel like Gammy Tay (Palmer's irreverent fictional grandma) would have fun at the VMAs.
Palmer: Gammy Tay needs to stay her butt at home! She's a little too feisty for the VMAs. She's gonna take us to HBO level. We don't need that.
Q: No disrespect to all this year’s great nominees, but the video everyone is talking about right now is Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP." What do you think of it?
Palmer: Amazing, beautiful, impeccable. I absolutely love the hair, the makeup, the styling, the vibe. The whole look of the video was just everything. ... I like the slight nostalgia, but I feel like they made it their own.
Q: You worked with Cardi on "Hustlers" last year. Any chance you could shoot her a text, see if she and Megan might make an appearance Sunday?
Palmer: I can't let you in on that! I can't let you in on what me and Meg and Cardi are talking about! Don't try to squeeze in there like that. (Laughs.)
Q: Your new EP, "Virgo Tendencies," is out Friday. What would you say is the most Virgo thing about you?
Palmer: My work ethic. Michael (Jackson), Beyoncé, need I say more? My boy Kobe Bryant, rest in peace. Virgos are known for their work ethic, so what can I say? We always have five, 12, 11 jobs going on.
Q: Should fans expect a VMAs performance from you, too?
Palmer: Yes, there is a chance. I guess you just have to watch and wait and see all the tricks Keke's got up her sleeve.
Q: We're coming up on the year anniversary of you gifting us "Sorry to this man." Can you go a day without somebody saying that to you?
Palmer: People honestly say "Sorry to this man" quite a lot! "Sorry to this man" is almost as popular as "True Jackson, VP," which is insane because "True Jackson" took 10 years to create its zeitgeist. So the fact that "Sorry to this man" has recreated that zeitgeist in a year is insane to me, but "Sorry to this man!" It's still going!
###
From USA Today:
Keke Palmer on hosting the VMAs, 'WAP' and the enduring popularity of 'Sorry to this man'
Is there anything Keke Palmer can't do?
The charismatic multi-hyphenate has made her mark on virtually every segment of the entertainment industry. She's starred in the film ("Hustlers"), TV (Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP") and on Broadway ("Cinderella"), and wrote a quasi-memoir/self-help book ("I Don't Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice"). She even sparked "Sorry to this man," last year's greatest meme, after a Vanity Fair video of her failing to recognize former Vice President Dick Cheney went viral. ("He could be walking down the street, I wouldn't know a thing," Palmer sighs, genuinely perplexed. "Sorry to this man.")
This weekend, she adds two more projects to her illustrious resume: New EP, "Virgo Tendencies," out Friday, and the MTV Video Music Awards, which she'll host for the first time Sunday (MTV, 8 EDT/PDT). Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande lead the nominations for this year's show, which will air from remote locations after plans to have the ceremony at Brooklyn's Barclays Center were nixed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Palmer, 27, tells USA TODAY what to expect from the VMAs and more:
More: Here’s why Keke Palmer says she ‘expected’ her talk show to be canceled
'I felt so united with everybody': Keke Palmer talks Trump, 'powerful' protest moment
Question: When you think of iconic VMAs moments, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
Keke Palmer: Probably Beyoncé when she announced she was pregnant at the VMAs, or when Nicki (Minaj) and Miley (Cyrus) was almost about to go at it on stage. That was a real gag.
Q: The VMAs have a long history of being surprising and unpredictable. What’s the biggest challenge of trying to capture that energy this year when everyone's in different places?
Palmer: I think it's embracing the fact that this is the most different VMA awards, entirely because of 2020 and what this year has been. It's not shying away from all we're overcoming and what we're going to continue to overcome, but also reminding people that the whole point of music is to bring us together and have fun. To imagine us all watching one show for one night and engaging with one another, I think it's a beautiful thing.
Q: Will you be hosting the show from one spot or darting all over New York?
Palmer: It'll be a lot of darting from stage to stage, and showing the beautiful boroughs in New York. There will be some consistent spots, but it will be a lot of traveling and movement throughout.
Q: It goes without saying, our country is going through a lot right now between the virus, police brutality and upcoming election. As host, how do you hope to speak out about these issues and try to level with people watching?
Palmer: By doing just that: Leveling with viewers, being real and saying what I mean and meaning what I say. For me, in any time and any scenario, that's always what I'm thinking. And I hope that's why I'm chosen to do something like this because I will say the truth and say things that we hopefully all already know but want to hear.
Q: Will any of your characters from "True Jackson, VP" or "Turnt Up with the Taylors" (on Facebook Watch) make appearances during the show?
Palmer: Yes, you could definitely be prepared to see some some character visits.
Q: I feel like Gammy Tay (Palmer's irreverent fictional grandma) would have fun at the VMAs.
Palmer: Gammy Tay needs to stay her butt at home! She's a little too feisty for the VMAs. She's gonna take us to HBO level. We don't need that.
Q: No disrespect to all this year’s great nominees, but the video everyone is talking about right now is Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP." What do you think of it?
Palmer: Amazing, beautiful, impeccable. I absolutely love the hair, the makeup, the styling, the vibe. The whole look of the video was just everything. ... I like the slight nostalgia, but I feel like they made it their own.
Q: You worked with Cardi on "Hustlers" last year. Any chance you could shoot her a text, see if she and Megan might make an appearance Sunday?
Palmer: I can't let you in on that! I can't let you in on what me and Meg and Cardi are talking about! Don't try to squeeze in there like that. (Laughs.)
Q: Your new EP, "Virgo Tendencies," is out Friday. What would you say is the most Virgo thing about you?
Palmer: My work ethic. Michael (Jackson), Beyoncé, need I say more? My boy Kobe Bryant, rest in peace. Virgos are known for their work ethic, so what can I say? We always have five, 12, 11 jobs going on.
Q: Should fans expect a VMAs performance from you, too?
Palmer: Yes, there is a chance. I guess you just have to watch and wait and see all the tricks Keke's got up her sleeve.
Q: We're coming up on the year anniversary of you gifting us "Sorry to this man." Can you go a day without somebody saying that to you?
Palmer: People honestly say "Sorry to this man" quite a lot! "Sorry to this man" is almost as popular as "True Jackson, VP," which is insane because "True Jackson" took 10 years to create its zeitgeist. So the fact that "Sorry to this man" has recreated that zeitgeist in a year is insane to me, but "Sorry to this man!" It's still going!
###
From Teen Vogue:
VMAs 2020: Keke Palmer on BTS, True Jackson VP, and More
"It's overdue, baby.”
When Keke Palmer announced her MTV VMAs 2020 hosting gig by reprising her role on True Jackson, VP, the actor and musician says she was surprised and touched by the response from fans of the Nickelodeon show all these years later.
“It touches my heart,” she tells Teen Vogue. “I've had people come up to me and be like, I go to FIDM because of True Jackson. For me, I was just a kid trying to live my dream and do this whole entertainment thing. I didn't realize that it impacted people as much as it impacted me, just in a different way. It was awesome.”
Hopefully we'll see more of True Jackson when Keke takes over the VMAs this Sunday, August 30. The notorious annual ceremony is known for its outrageous fashion and memorable viral moments, though those may be in shorter supply this year. The Video Music Awards will be held in various locations around New York City's five boroughs, but with limited audiences. We likely won't get much inter-celebrity action, which is typically a highlight.
But that doesn't mean the lineup is any less stacked. The night's performers include Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga (performing their hit “Rain on Me”), Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd, CNCO, Doja Cat, Maluma, Black Eyed Peas, and DaBaby. Oh, and of course, BTS, the seven-member Korean group that just broke YouTube's 24-hour video views record with their new single “Dynamite.” The group will be performing the song for the first time during the ceremony.
“Yes, I'm a fan,” Keke says of BTS. “My brother is the biggest K-pop fan and BTS is his favorite group. Same for my older sister, so I know a lot about them. We're all just shook because it's iconic for a K-pop group to be hitting the VMAs stage, and it's overdue, baby.”
The VMAs have added two all-new categories this year — “Best Music Video From Home” and “Best Quarantine Performance” — which recognize “the artists who have released new music during quarantine to keep fans entertained while safely sheltered-in-place at home,” according to a press release. Leading the nominees are Lady Gaga and Ariana, who both have nine nominations apiece, including Video of the Year and Song of the Year.
While the Video Music Awards will look different than years past because of the coronavirus pandemic, Keke hopes it will still be a celebratory moment in the landscape of an extremely bad year.
“That's the energy I'm putting into this,” she says. “Not avoiding what's going on, and being very present with that. But at the same time offering this space where we can enjoy each other and come together and realize we're more alike than we're not. Just as much as negative is going on, there's positive going on too, because look how we respond to each other and hear each other and are real with each other. Let's keep this attitude more because that's what's going to get us through all this other stuff.”
The MTV VMAs 2020 will air on Sunday, August 30 at 8 p.m. ET on MTV as well as on BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1, and The CW. Check out the full list of nominees here.
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Originally published: Friday, August 21, 2020.
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