Arts & Entertainment
Taylor Swift accepts Video of the Year at VMAs with local drag performers
Tatianna, Riley Knoxx joined the ‘You Need to Calm Down’ singer on stage
Taylor Swift opened MTV’s 2019 Video Music Awards on Monday with a performance of her pro-LGBTQ anthem “You Need to Calm Down” which ultimately won Video of the Year, the biggest award of the night.
Swift performed the song along with bestie Todrick Hall and a slew of drag performers who also performed with Miley Cyrus during her 2015 VMAs performance of “Dooo It.” Swift later slowed things down with her first live performance of the single “Lover.”
“You Need to Calm Down” won MTV’s Video for Good and Video of the Year. Swift brought up some familiar faces who appeared in the music video including Hall, local drag performer Tatianna and local Beyoncé impersonator Riley Knoxx.
Swift got political during her acceptance speech for Video of the Year urging fans to sign her petition for the Equality Act.
“I first want to say thank you to the fans because in this video, several points were made, so you voting for this video means that you want a world where we’re all treated equally under the law, regardless of who we are, regardless of how we identify,” Swift says.”At the end of this video there was a petition — and there still is a petition — for the Equality Act, which basically just says we all deserve equal rights under the law. I want to thank everyone who signed that petition because it now has half-a-million signatures, which is five times the amount that it would need to warrant a response from the White House.”
Another notable moment of the night included John Travolta who presented Video of the Year alongside Queen Latifah. His time on stage got attention when he mistakenly tried to hand the award to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Jade Jolie instead of Swift.
John Travolta mistook Jade Jolie for Taylor Swift when handing over the award for ‘Video of the Year.’ ? pic.twitter.com/z8MsJtcp1V
— Pop Crave (@PopCraveMusic) August 27, 2019
Out rapper Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus won Song of the Year for their hit single “Old Town Road (Remix).” This was Lil Nas X’s first award for the song.
Lil Nas X also gave a futuristic, heavily choreographed performance of his second single “Panini.”
Miley Cyrus performed her latest single “Slide Away,” her first live performance since her public separation from husband Liam Hemsworth. Cyrus was spotted getting intimate with blogger Kaitlynn Carter after the VMAs.
Missy Elliott also performed a medley of some of her greatest hits before accepting MTV’s Vanguard Award. The rapper entertained the crowd with her songs “The Rain,” “Hot Boyz,” “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It,” “Pass That Dutch” and “Lose Control.”
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Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.
The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies.
Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays.
The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.
We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.
I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.
The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.Â
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
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