The MTV Video Music Awards are intended to honor the year’s most successful and influential musicians – but this year’s ceremony left a lot of viewers feeling more confused than congratulatory.
During the pre-show coverage of the VMAs, dozens of people took to Twitter to complain that the awards were making them feel incredibly old thanks to the huge number of young, up-and-coming musicians being featured on the red carpet, who most people failed to recognize.
‘I literally don’t recognize any of these supposed celebrities,’ a user called Michael tweeted, before adding: ‘I’m basically a retiree at this point.’
Retiring so soon? Many people, including Michael, admitted on Twitter that they didn’t recognize a single celebrity at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards
For the kids: Dozens of people said that watching the VMAs – and the young, up-and-coming celebrities being featured, made them feel incredibly old
Keeping up appearances: Twitter user Sean admitted that he was doing his best to ‘pretend I’m cool’ while watching the show
A familiar face: Many joked that the only person they knew was host Katy Perry
And Michael certainly wasn’t alone in his feelings of bewilderment and confusion.
During an off-camera moment in the pre-show broadcast, which was available to watch on the MTV website, a producer – who clearly didn’t realize that their microphone was still on – was overheard complaining that they didn’t know who anyone on the red carpet was.
As the cameras panned across the red carpet, a voice was clearly heard saying: ‘Who are all these people? I don’t know who anybody is!’
The awkward and unintended confession prompted a hilarious flurry of tweets from people who joked that they were in the same position as the baffled MTV staffer.
‘The VMA pre-show audio just now,’ a guy called Simon tweeted, while sharing the producer’s words and adding: ‘Also, me.’
Another person wasn’t quite so forgiving of the funny slip-up, however, and took to Twitter to chide MTV for allowing the words to be overheard.
‘MTV you should mute your producers on the red carpet,’ they wrote, while also sharing the ‘direct quote’.
Whoops: An MTV producer was caught on microphone confessing that they had no idea who any of the people on the red carpet were
Funny: Many people noted that they were in the same boat as the producer, with absolutely no idea who the majority of the ‘stars’ on the carpet were
In trouble: Some people struggled to see the funny side, however, with one person chiding MTV for not muting the microphones during the off-camera moment
This year’s red carpet at the VMAs certainly featured a varied group of people, ranging from high-profile A-listers such as Katy Perry – who hosted this year’s ceremony – and Nicki Minaj to lesser known boy bands In Real Life and Edits.
Indeed, In Real Life drew some harsh criticism from One Direction fans over claims that they are now considered the biggest boyband in the world – despite the fact that many people on social media claimed not to have any idea who they were.
And the red carpet coverage continued, so too did the stream of young, fresh faces appearing in front of the cameras, leaving the viewers at home at a total loss as to who they were watching on the screen.
‘So far I recognize about three people on the VMAs red carpet – I think I can honestly say I’m past the demographic!’ a user called Ali confessed on the social media site, while another chimed in: ‘Didn’t recognize anyone being interviewed or shown on the red carpet. I really am getting old!’
But while some were left in a pit of sadness over their lack of pop culture knowledge, others decided to make light of the situation, with one person even turning it into a drinking game.
‘Take one shot every time you recognize one of the artists at the VMAs,’ he tweeted, before revealing: ‘I’m at one right now.’