When you are starting to lose cultural relevance, what do you do? If you happen to be MTV, the answer is: make sure your trophy is non-conforming to gender stereotypes.
The new president of MTV, Chris McCarthy, has decided to change everything related to gender in the annual Video Music Awards. Part of that includes changing the gender of the trophy, the traditional “Moonman.” It’s just the name, though: the winners will walk away with the awkwardly named ‘Moon Person,’ not a ‘Moonman.’
The Los Angeles Times reported that the “iconic Moonman trophy has been discontinued.” The trophy can only be identified as a homo sapiens now, since gender is just too political. In the words of the LA Times, “who knows what’s really going on beneath that lacquered astronaut getup, anyway?”
This begs the question: Why can’t the MTV trophy just be referred to as an astronaut? Is that just not woke enough for MTV?
In an interview with the New York Times, Chris McCarthy defended his decision, saying: “Why should it be a man? It could be a man, it could be a woman, it could be transgender, it could be nonconformist.”
He also turned the categories in the VMAs into something more “gender neutral.” Yep, that’s right, he abolished the actor/actress category. A hundred years of tradition in all acting awards is too sexist for MTV.
There’s also a new reality tv series in the works, according to McCarthy. “We Are They” will follow a “group of gender-nonconforming young adults” as they try to challenge the proper use of pronouns -- I mean fight for civil rights.
New York Times contributor John Koblin added a snarky aside, “Whether these moves come off as pandering or connect with young people remains to be seen.”
The VMA awards ceremony will have #woke pop star Katy Perry handing out the awards to all the gender neutral winners.
Stay relevant, people.
