August 21, 2018: V.M.A.s Highlighted by Camila Cabello Wins and Madonna’s Aretha Franklin Tribute, Trevor Noah to Host Global Citizen Festival Honoring Nelson Mandela Centennial, The Olympics Get Into Reality Television

1. V.M.A.S HIGHLIGHTED BY CAMILA CABELLO WINS AND MADONNA€'S ARETHA FRANKLIN TRIBUTE: Camila Cabello took home the awards for Artist of the Year and Video of the Year at Monday’s MTV Video Music Awards. The 35th edition of the ceremony, which returned to Radio City Music Hall in New York, was also highlighted by Jennifer Lopez’s Video Vanguard performance and acceptance speech, the show’s notable absence of high-profile stars, and Madonna’s poorly received Aretha Franklin tribute. NPR: “This year's V.M.A.s telecast was notable for its high-profile no-shows, including The Carters (that'd be Beyoncé and Jay-Z), Drake, Childish Gambino, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran—all of whom were shut out of the night's biggest prizes. (Of the awards given out on air, only J Balvin and Gambino weren't there to claim their trophies.) Hayley Kiyoko took a well-deserved prize for the cryptically named Push artist of the year, and got to perform ‘Curious’ briefly, but the night's remaining winners—Imagine Dragons for Best Rock, the late Avicii (feat. Rita Ora) for best dance, N.E.R.D. & Rihanna for best editing, Kendrick Lamar & SZA for best visual effects—went mostly unmentioned. Of course, the V.M.A.s have always been about ‘moments’ as much as awards themselves, and, as was the case last year, these didn't offer a flashpoint like Miley Cyrus twerking or Kanye West barging into a Taylor Swift speech with the immortal words, ‘I’ma let you finish.’ The closest thing we got was a makeshift tribute to Aretha Franklin—who died Thursday, just four days before the V.M.A.s—by Madonna, who stood before a giant photo of the late icon and... told a lengthy story about herself. She talked about an audition, very early in her career, in which she sang ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’—a song Franklin popularized but didn't write—and, was pleased to report, did very well for herself. It was, in a word, baffling: An Aretha Franklin tribute in which the big takeaway was that Madonna once sang the same song she did... well, let's just say the optics weren't great. But then again, that's kind of the V.M.A.s in a nutshell, right? No matter how long or indulgent or inscrutably intentioned they are, what matters most—to organizers, anyway—is that we're still talking about them in the morning.” https://n.pr/2OUZ6Tj

2. TREVOR NOAH TO HOST GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL HONORING NELSON MANDELA CENTENNIAL: Late-night television host and comedian Trevor Noah will host the Global Citizen Festival honoring Nelson Mandela’s centennial, which will take place December 2 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Hollywood Reporter: “Noah joins a lineup of co-hosts/members of the host committee which include Naomi Campbell, Sir Bob Geldof, Gayle King, Bonang Matheba, Tyler Perry, and Forest Whitaker. K Naomi, Lucas Radebe, Nandi Madida, Pearl Thusi, Somizi, and Zakes Bantwini will also join as Global Citizen: Mandela 100 Advocates to support the campaign against extreme poverty. The celebratory event serves as the culmination of Global Citizen's ‘Mandela 100’ campaign in partnership with the House of Mandela, a series of global events commemorating the life and legacy of Mandela in his centenary year. For the late-night host—who was born in South Africa—the festival marks his first time emceeing an event to this excalibur in his native country. … Global Citizen C.E.O. and founder Hugh Evans considers Noah to be one of the most ‘powerful broadcasters’ on television, making him the perfect choice as the special event's host. ‘Trevor is one of the most powerful broadcasters of our century—his life, comedy, and activism are a symbol of Mandela’s enduring vision and pursuit of equality for all,’ Global Citizen C.E.O. and founder Hugh Evans said of Noah. ‘We are extremely grateful for his continued support of the Global Citizen movement. We could not be more excited to have him come home with us to Johannesburg for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100.’ Among the event's headliners are Beyonce and Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Pharrell Williams, Usher, and Martin. Oprah Winfrey will also be in attendance to deliver a special keynote address remembering Mandela and his legacy at the free-ticketed event.” https://bit.ly/2OTIScZ

3. THE OLYMPICS GET INTO REALITY TELEVISION: One of the latest reality television programs will focus on who’ll be the next Olympic athlete. A U.S. Olympic Committee-sanctioned program, which is slated to air on NBC November 24 and 25, will focus on 89 athletes competing to make the team at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The New York Times: “The Next Olympic Hopeful scouting program—part flashy TV production, part grueling physical test—is the result of a need for fresh athletic talent in some Olympic sports and a pitch from Brian Gordon, the senior vice president and managing director for marketing and media at the U.S. Olympic Committee, and his colleagues Lisa Baird and Alan Ashley in 2016. ‘He had us repeat the phrase, "You’re the next Olympic hopeful," a few times,’ said Kelly Skinner, the vice president of sport performance at U.S.O.C., imitating Mr. Gordon in a singsong Jeopardy voice. The sports performance staff liked the sound of it. ‘We have a TV show,’ Mr. Gordon said. One year later, the competition and TV show came into existence as the American Idol of American Olympics. Instead of winning a recording contract, competitors win the chance to train for a slot on an Olympic team, with financial support. The idea of ‘talent transfer’—that a sprinter could become a bobsledder (Lolo Jones) or a gymnast could become a diver (the Galashan twins)—is not new. But in the Olympic Hopeful model, the athletes don’t come from professional sports backgrounds. Most are full-time students or hold full-time jobs. Not everyone thought it would work, until Josh Williamson, then a 20-year-old lacrosse player, emerged as a winner in 2017. Within months, Mr. Williamson transformed into a world-class bobsledder, winning five international medals. He is expected to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The 89 competitors selected this year would compete for slots in one of eight sports, up from four sports in 2017: weight lifting, rowing, rugby, canoe/kayak, cycling, skeleton, bobsled, and boxing.” https://nyti.ms/2MGo4Z2

* LOCAL NEWS *

DALLAS/FORT WORTH:  Hotel Crescent Court has appointed Denise Mope director of sales and marketing and Johanna Fein director of communications. 

LOS ANGELES:  The third annual California Vegetarian Food Festival will take place September 29-30 at Raleigh Studios. 

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

NEW YORK:  City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage will have its 26th annual Charlie Parker Jazz Festival August 22-26. The free festival will take place at parks and venues around Manhattan. 

Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Gala in the Hamptons will take place August 25 at Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill. John Fogerty will perform at the event. 

The inaugural Catskills Wine & Food Festival will take place October 6-7. The event will feature more than 25 live cooking demonstrations, more than 15 wine, beer, and cider tastings, live music, and a vendor market. Featured chefs include Donatella Arpaia, Josh Capon, Alex Guarnaschelli, and Gail Simmons. 

New York magazine’s 20th annual New York Taste will take place October 22 at Waterfront New York. The event will be hosted by New York culinary editor Gillian Duffy and feature dishes and drinks from more than 40 chefs. A portion of proceeds will be donated to City Harvest

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

PITTSBURGH:  P.C.M.A.’s 2019 Convening Leaders flagship event will take place January 6-9 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 

TORONTO:  The 29th annual The Word on the Street, a free outdoor book and magazine festival, will take place September 23 at Harbourfront Centre. 

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

Feed the Sheet: [email protected]

Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily

Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]