Creed, Faith Hill, Peppers Win at My VH1 Awards
December 1 -- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — Earnest rock trio Creed and hedonistic funk veterans the Red Hot Chili Peppers won multiple prizes Thursday at the inaugural My VH1 Music Awards, a lighthearted ceremony boasting such categories as Most Entertaining Public Feud and Sexxxiest Video.
In an attempt to bring democracy to often-stodgy awards shows and gain cyberspace credibility, VH1 turned the whole process over to its wired viewers, allowing them to choose the categories, nominees, and winners. The network said nearly 5 million votes were cast for the winners.
Who won was arguably less important than some of the high jinks at the Shrine Auditorium. When absentee Latino pop sensation Ricky Martin was declared winner of the Booty Shake prize, it was accepted by an actor with a huge pair of pink foam buttocks over his head.
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, sporting a vintage punk T-shirt he said had cost him $48 at swank boutique Fred Segal, spat at the camera and took to the stage by walking on his hands.
Performers included rock veterans U2 and Bon Jovi, the Chili Peppers, ska-pop group No Doubt, Creed, pop diva Christina Aguilera, and metal faves Metallica, who allowed fans to pick its song — "Fade to Black" — and played it outside the venue for those without tickets.
Creed, whose anguished tunes have kept the group at the top of the charts for more than a year, won four prizes: Song of the Year ("Higher"), Welcome to the Big Time, Group of the Year, and 2 for 2, the last category reflecting the success of the group's second album, Human Clay.
Combustible rapper Eminem won the feud prize in recognition of his fallouts with virtually everyone who crossed his path, including his estranged mother and wife.
He was not present. Nor was country siren Faith Hill, who won prizes for Sexxxiest Video ("Breathe"), Woman of the Year, and You Want Fries With That Album? — a nod to her commercials for Pepsi.
Other winners included Sting for Legend in Action, Metallica for both Best Stage Spectacle and Gods of Thunder, the Dave Matthews Band for Best Live Act, and Bon Jovi for Video of the Year ("It's My Life").
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