The bizarre reigned at last night’s MTV music- video awards in Miami, where rap giant Suge Knight’s shooting earlier in the day was ignored – but Lil’ Kim’s journey to jail next month was not.
As the obviously embarrassed crowd looked on, “The Entourage” actor Jeremy Piven mercilessly needled the convicted “Queen Bee” as soon the pair took the stage to present an award together. “You know, she’s about to go to the Big House for lying,” Piven told the stunned audience, elbowing his co-presenter, Kim.
He then turned to the rapper – who’s headed to prison for a year and a day on a Manhattan perjury rap – and offered to “place a call to the warden” to try to get her better in-cell treatment a là another famed former inmate, Martha Stewart.
“Instead of shabby chic, it would be ghetto fabulous,” Piven said, laughing.
An exasperated Kim finally cut him off, abruptly saying, “Jeremy, I think I’ve suffered enough.”
She then announced the winner of best rap video, Ludacris.
One of the biggest upsets of the night involved “American Idol” crooner Kelly Clarkson crushing platinum- blond rival Gwen Stefani – not once, but twice.
Clarkson won best female video for “Since You’ve Been Gone,” then also snagged best pop video, besting Stefani again.
After her first stunning win, Clarkson blabbered, “I didn’t know I was going to win – my vote was for Gwen!” as Stefani looked on uncomfortably.
Stefani had originally threatened to boycott the show in a snit after she learned she wouldn’t be performing.
Other winners included The Killers, who walked off with the best-new-artist statue. The punked-out Green Day copped best-group and best-rock videos.
Fellow multiple-nominee Kanye West grabbed the coveted Moonman for best male video with “Jesus Walks.”
Rapper Missy Elliott landed the coveted MTV Moonman statues for best dance and best hip-hop videos.
The night’s stranger moments included R. Kelly – who’s awaiting trial on a child-porn rap – acting out a soap-opera song that includes a woman, her husband and his lover; host Diddy conducting a live orchestra to an old video of slain rapper Biggie Smalls; and actor Eric Roberts, Julia’s brother, embarrassing himself by giving a shameless plug for his stepson’s CD before a presentation.
The shooting of Knight at a club party was not mentioned.
Additional reporting by Dan Aquilante
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And the winners are …
Video of the Year: Green Day, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
Best Male Video: Kanye West, “Jesus Walks”
Best Female Video: Kelly Clarkson, “Since U Been Gone”
Best R&B Video: Alicia Keys, “Karma”
Best Rap Video: Ludacris, “Number One Spot”
Best Rock Video: Green Day, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
Best Hip-Hop and Best Dance Video: Missy Elliott, “Lose Control”
Best Pop Video: Kelly Clarkson, “Since U Been Gone”
Best New Artist: The Killers