MTV fans await annual VMA show outrageousness (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – It wouldn't be the MTV Video Music Awards without a little controversy, and even before Sunday night's program, a Twitter war broke out between Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and the show's producers.

The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) annually give out honors for the top music videos and performances to singers and bands, and each year, audiences can count on at least one surprise. Last year, it was Lady Gaga in her dress made of raw meat, and in 2003, the famous kiss shared by Britney Spears and Madonna.

So far, 2011 has not disappointed -- and the show hasn't even started. It gets underway Sunday night at 9 p.m. EDT.

Saturday, Levine tweeted his distaste for MTV, which rose to prominence in the 1980s as a television channel showcasing musicians and videos but in recent years has lured viewers mainly with reality TV program such as "Jersey Shore."

"The VMAs one day a year when MTV pretends to still care about music. I'm drawing a line in the sand ..." Levine posted on Twitter, adding an expletive.

Never one to miss an opportunity for a chance to exploit controversy, MTV tweeted back. "Soooo you'll be tuning in at 9/8C (9 p.m. EDT/8 p.m. CDT) tomorrow right? ..."

Levine eventually toned down, tweeting "i may be a pop singer. but every once in a while the angsty teenager in me just blurts out some raw honesty. it's a reflex."

Competing for some of the VMA's top awards on Sunday night will be a who's who of the world's top music stars.

British singer Adele with her chart-topping song "Rolling in the Deep" is vying for video of the year against Katy Perry ("Firework"), Bruno Mars ("Grenade"), the Beastie Boys ("Make Some Noise") and Tyler, the Creator ("Yonkers").

Featured performers include Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga and Chris Brown, among others, and there will be a tribute to late soul singer Amy Winehouse.

Finally, there was widespread Web buzz on Sunday that rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West will put in a "surprise" performance and sing from their new album, "Watch the Throne."

(Editing by Paul Simao)

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Winners at 38th annual Daytime Emmy Awards (AP)

Winners of the Daytime Emmy Awards presented at the Las Vegas Hilton on Sunday:

Drama series: "The Bold & The Beautiful."

Lead actress in a drama series: Laura Wright, "General Hospital."

Lead actor in a drama series: Michael Park, "As the World Turns."

Supporting actress in a drama series: Heather Tom, "The Bold and the Beautiful."

Supporting actor in a drama series: Jonathan Jackson, "General Hospital."

Game show (tie): "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune."

Informative talk show: "The Dr. Oz Show."

Entertainment talk show: "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

Younger Actor in a drama series: Scott Clifton, "The Bold and the Beautiful."

Younger Actress in a drama series: Brittany Allen, "All My Children."

Entertainment talk show: "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

Drama series directing team (tie): "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "The Young and the Restless."

Drama series writing team: "The Young and the Restless."

Talk-show host (tie): Mehmet Oz, "The Dr. Oz Show," and Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, "Live with Regis and Kelly."

Game-show host: Ben Bailey, "Cash Cab."

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Jerry Lewis to quit hosting annual telethon (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Veteran entertainer Jerry Lewis said on Monday he is retiring as host of the annual Labor Day telethon for muscular dystrophy research after 45 years and will make his final appearance on the U.S. show in September.

Lewis, 85, the zany comedian and actor who starred in more than 45 films in a career spanning five decades, made the announcement in a statement posted by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), on its website.

"As a labor of love, I've hosted the annual telethon since 1966, and I'll be making my final appearance on the show this year by performing my signature song, "You'll Never Walk Alone,'" he said in the statement.

Lewis has turned the ballad from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Carousel" into an anthem for MDA by performing it at the conclusion of each telethon over the years.

Lewis did not say why he was retiring at this stage, but an MDA spokesman said the comedian's departure coincided with a change in the program's format from a 21 1/2-hour telethon to a six-hour broadcast centered around prime time.

"We needed to change the format for our show, and we're creating a new telethon era now," the spokesman, Jim Brown, told Reuters.

"We're very, very thankful that Jerry Lewis is performing 'You'll Never Walk Alone,'" he said. "He is a world-class humanitarian, and no-one rivals him in terms of his commitment to the cause."

Lewis said he would continue to serve as national MDA chairman, adding, "I'll never desert MDA and my kids."

The program has raised in excess of $2 billion for the fight against muscular dystrophy through 900 hours of live broadcasts over the years, and has become an annual Labor Day weekend institution on U.S. television.

(Reporting and writing by Steve Gorman and Dan Whitcomb)

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