Michelle Obama was the best part of the Grammys. Alicia Keys was the worst part.
I wanted to talk about how amazing it was to see Michelle Obama at the Grammys, but I also wanted to talk about how terrible Alicia Keys was as host. So let’s do both – you could really feel Alicia’s stamp at certain moments throughout the night, especially when Michelle Obama came out in the first minutes of the show, and stood there with Jennifer Lopez, Jada Pinkett Smith, Alicia and Lady Gaga.
First of all, it was GREAT to see Michelle and it was great to see how everyone in the audience totally loved her and cheered for her. Second of all, I have no idea how this appearance was pitched to Michelle, but I wonder if she would have said yes if she was told that she would stand up there with that particular group of women. It felt like… yay, a celebration of women, but also: Michelle should have been up there alone, because that grouping was random AF. The other women felt tacked-on, last minute, and they hadn’t even rehearsed anything. It felt like an excuse for Alicia to find some way to stand next to Michelle Obama.
Which brings me to the other conversation, about Alicia Keys and how awful she is. She’s been awful for years. She’s been a haughty narcissistic a–hole for years. When it was announced that she would host the Grammys, I knew exactly what would happen: she would pontificate endlessly, and she would find a way to make everything about HER. Mid-show, she basically hijacked the telecast because she wanted to cover some songs in a bit that went on for WAY too long. She repeatedly made references to her own career and how many Grammys she’s won and what she felt. She did what she always does – sucks all the air out of the room and makes people feel uncomfortable for her and her narcissistic journey.
Update: Sorry, I forgot to include the video.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
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