When the awards were launched I harassed everyone I knew about being invited to the actual show, I was there sans camera and had a lot LOL moments. I like to give constructive criticism because I know to get the best out of anything you have to be really honest to encourage a better future. Well, it was the first time these awards were on even though the announcements were always referring to “annual” as if they have been on for a longer period… Awards become “annual” on the second year – the first year is “launch”.
Red Carpet As you are all aware, the Stars of Msanzi awards were held on Friday (29/02/2008) at the Pretoria state theater. The horse-shoe shaped red carpet was the real star for the night… The stars walked around the carpet to meet the media, do some interviews – or try to do interviews as a huge screaming crowd was there to see their stars. I loved the whole idea of having a crowd screaming and shouting your name – damn! No-one knew my name but watch this space! Ya neh! Batho ba na le nako (people have time)… All that energy to scream and shout and basically know that’s all you are gonna get! I wished
Clayton was there to get more autographs because the stars were all in a very good mood!
I walked onto the red carpet just as Amstel and best buddy Khanyi were getting interviewed. They looked
golden and about to have a great time! Why was Mandla not there? Avoiding another 3 week awards-pie-divorce-debacle? Ha ha ha! As Leleti Khumalo, I assumed, walked in you could hear the crowd oustside screaming “Sarafina! Sarafina!” – I was inside trying to sort out a seating mess but I was just thankful to be there! Uyanda Mbuli, our “TVSA-love-to-hate-Mzansi-star” was looking gorgeous in a green dress. I really sincerely believe she is misunderstood, she was happy to see me and was very nice to my friend, Happy, who had accompanied me. She greeted nicely and was very courteous. Uyanda, knowing that you read our articles, please donate that dress to me when you don’t want it anymore.
The Show and Performances The show was supposed to start live at 20:30 as everyone had to be seated by 19:30 BUT Hell no! not in mzansi! Some of the stars were still in the basement parking at 20:22 and most of the guests were glued to the bar area. So Msanzi fo sho had to show a 15 minute clip of the pre-recorded red carpet interviews. As this clip was shown (the Simphiwe dude looked wrong for this part of the job), the seated guests were given housekeeping rules about when to clap and no to hug the winners for dear life after their names are called out and to let them walk to the stage promptly! I had the luck of sitting behind divo Somizi in blond braids, Amstel and Koyo. Is this a new 3sum since Jeff has kinda disappeared? Mkhaya Jeff, whatagoana!? Waar is jy?
The stage looked bland; it missed something… a podium, maybe. I still can’t figure out why it looked so empty! As the show began the theme to the A-team started, Zwai Bala was conducting a mini-orchestra and then stepped in the Dreamgirls (Thembisile, Zonke and Ntokozo Mbambo) singing the Mzansi stars song. This was a complete “oh laad No!” moment for me. The song was so American that I kept asking my friend “Where is the Mzansiship in there!?” Bloggers, is there something wrong with just having a song that would reflect our msanziship? A little bit of Brown dash, Kabelo, the orchestra, some funky kwaito beat from Cleo with Zonke, Thembisile and Ntokozo on vocal! Even the
Sekunjalo song by
Malaika would have been perfect.
The second performance was done by Nhlanhla accompanied by her Egyptian belly dancers – She had a special glow and a little bit of a boep – Is she preggies? I loved the song. It had a flavour of home and Kwela Tebza made the sound very pleasant. It reminded me of the
Mango Groove days, or maybe it was the kiddies dancing in the background that also added that effect. I still hated the American grand band stand finish!
The Parlotones sang a song that sounded like it is a hit somewhere on Radio with Zwai’s orchestra and the rock band playing – Why was Zwai conducting a rock band? It just looked weird and he seemed to get frustrated with them at times. Prokid came on with a rap that completely made me feel like I was having a dejavu – I think I saw
HHP and
Karen Zoid at the
SAFTA’s doing the same thing. Prokid’s dancers doing the
Kabelo’ swing, walk or dance was a little out of tune.
The hooded cargo wearing artist that warmed us up for the Miss Cleo contest was ok. BUT when Cleo jumped off from behind the DJ deck to sing “Ndihamba nawe” I got jiggy! I can’t say I miss his blond hair. He looked really good – polished (can’t find a better word). The sound was perfect and balanced and the suit he wore was perfectly sized and the scmodels strutting their stuff for him was awesome.
RJ Benjamin’s dreamer song made me wonder why it wasn’t chosen as the theme for the awards. It is a beautiful song, believe it or not – it was the first time I was hearing it. I was moved! Performing with Malik – damn this set was nice. RJ dancing like a true white man, no rhythm – but a great voice and presence on stage. THIS was real mzansi talent! I hated the version of the Xoxo (sp) song – It sounded too American!
Loyiso’s no show performance with Zwai conducting the entire song to a red chair, only to ask at the end “where is Loyiso?” left me marveling if the show was really live. Then Loyiso (in a white suit) struts in with his dancers – strikes a Madonna vogue pose on the red chair and the producers announce we are on a commercial break. LOL! He kept that pose until we came back from commercial then Zwai had to re-conduct the entire song again. As he performed I was reminded of
Frank Sinatra singing and performing
My Way. Loyiso’s humps and a bump dancer was bootilisciuos. Tashi Baxter’s performance was also nice BUT Loyiso dominated this performance.
The presenters and the winners
I am a fashion-victim and have no dress sense so if anyone can help me figure out the following I will be eternally grateful – Thomas Msengana and “Xhosa lite” Jo Ann Straus were hosting the show and I had issues with Thomas’s outfit! It looked small, the pants looked like skinny pants and the jacket seemed like shiny leather or pleather? Help me! I need to know why I felt that outfit was just gooied together! I kept hoping he wouldn’t have to wave because the jacket was so small!
Gareth and “lady in pink dress” announced the first award of the evening;
Mzansi Star Music which HHP FINALLY took home with him! About damn time! I have voted for HHP everywhere and he never seems to take the awards home. I loved his acceptance speech – Gaaad! You deserved to win bro! Gareth’s outfit was a bit clumsy like it was just pulled out the wardrobe with no thought of where he was going and that at some point he would be the focal point of everyone.
Loyisa Gola and “Farrow” from Isidingo cracked me up! She looked like she had just seen a ghost as she walked on stage – her outfit and make-up just seemed so gothic and the hair was too blond (if there is such). Loyiso’s suit seemed like an exact fit, left no room for growth – he should give it away. That suit is small! I also hoped he wouldn’t have to wave or something! They were presenting the
Mzansi Star TV Presenter which Noeleen Maholwana-Sanqu won. While the TV camera was focused on the overly excited dude sitting on the chair we assumed was reserved for her and she was not there to accept the award – Loyiso decided to improvise on her whereabouts. Loyiso said he hoped Noeleen is in a good place like Gym! Ha ha ha!
Pabi Moloi and Akin Omotoso had perfect outfits – His suit fit well and Pabi’s dress is another one I think should be donated to me when she doesn’t want it anymore. She has lost weight very nicely and looked very good. They announced the
Mzansi Star Comedian which expectantly David Kau took with him. He had a long speech but he thanked the entire Kroonstad for voting. He looked like he is getting skinnier than we had seen him previously.
Another skinny chick Sophie Ndaba in a Pink dress with Kabelo Ngakane presented the award for
Mzansi Club DJ Star which Tira won. Sophie looked really good! BUT were all the ladies told to wear pink? Or is pink this year’s colour? Tira’s suit was great! He could lift his hands with no worries! He was ecstatic and thanked Eddhebbben!
“Altus” from 7de laan and Miss Van der Westhuizen gave me an ahhh moment. It felt good to see the 7de laan people being included in something. Damn SAFTA’s better nominate them for something this year! Altus and “partner” presented the
Mzansi Sports Star which Bryan Habana won after Benni McCarthy’s name was booed! He wore a white suit and his speech was intriguing – I think he thanked his parents for making love 24 years ago when he was conceived! Miss Van der Westhuizen looked very uncomfortable – like the dress had a prob! Something was not right when she came onto stage. She and “partner” presented the
Mzansi Star Fashion Designer which David Tlale won. I like the outfit he wore but simply did not agree with the v-neck or the cleavage part of it! Divo was so happy, he was jumping up and down!
Uyanda Mbuli and “partner” presented the
Msanzi Star Actress award which was posthumously awarded to Ashley Callie. Uyanda, please refuse to do another award show presentation – you annunciate the words so hard that it sounds too unreal! It makes her look like you are trying to act a scene out while reading the words. Robert Whitehead and "Orlando" accepted the award on behalf of their beloved Leoni! It was a very emotional moment for me and I loved the standing ovation Ashley was given.
Jeanni D presented the award for
Mzansi Star Actor which “Mr Valentine” Menzi Ngubane won. He was draped in a white suit; the jacket had black stripes on it. He gave his fiancée a Ridge Forrester long speech on his love and appreciation. Was he apologizing for something; didn’t it sound clouded in an apology?
Loyiso Bala and “doobsie” from Muvhango presented the
Mzansi Star TV Show awarded to Zola 7. Doobsie’s dress gave me a red riding hood picture in my mind as it had this glitzy shiny red material. Zola was not there to accept the award as he was “stuck in traffic” (apparently he came to the after-party and he was driving from KZN). The guy that accepted on his behalf claimed he only accepted so his parents could see him on TV.
Gugu Zulu and Elana Africa presented the
Mzansi Star Radio Show which was awarded to DJ Sbu’s breakfast show on Khozi FM. I had serious issues with Elana’s outfit… What was she wearing? She need to fire her fashion consultant or get one if she doesn’t have one! That dress was a no-no! Well, I was not amazed at Sbu’s win, that man can campaign! He has proved it over and over and over and over again! But doesn’t it seem that since he lost weight; his arrogance and ego gained weight! He was looking all polished in a white suit. TS crowd was all over the stage and the lady in red that accepted – wow! Send me that dress with the bag when you are tired of it! She looked stunning!
Tanya Coetzee and Silkour were there to present who had won the
Million prize and as Kagiso Lediga had kept us in stitches abou the Soapie dude ahead with 44% of the votes and the Rugby world cup winner in second position with 14% - We already knew that
Menzi Ngubane was the winner. Anyways, they had to prolong it by calling the organizer of the Mzansi Stars awards Jason Levine; who walked on and walked off the stage and came back bearing a microphone! You see! The podium was missing! He commented that these awards were coming to reality after 2 years in the making! I just thought “2 years! You could have done better” Thanked all the people that voted and called Dali Mpofu to announce the winner. Everyone whined and hoped he wouldn’t do what he did at the SAFTA’s.
He just quietly stood there with the check as they announced that Mr Valentine Menzi Ngubane won – He did not disappoint! He came with another verse to the original poem to the poem, thanked the people that voted and gave another poem using all the soapies currently on TV to thank the Generations cast.
I personally enjoyed myself but feel that a lot could have been done differently! I loved the time keeping once the show started. I pray that next year will be much better with programs. It is a good initiative – just needs a better organization and planning.