Published by MTV News on Friday, August 22, 2008 at 4:14 pm.
By Lisa Gonzalez
Working for MTV News isn’t always easy. Sometimes you have to ask tough questions. And you can’t be afraid. Even when you’re sitting across Jennifer Lopez and she is clearly angry. And you have to somehow ask: “What the hell were you thinking when you wore that dreadful outfit to the VMAs?”
This same time last year, MTV was working on a VMA fashion special. It featured a segment called “Defend Your Outfit,” where artists were asked to defend questionable fashion choices they’d rocked at previous VMA shows.
Lopez made the list for her infamous Gloria Swanson-inspired turban ensemble. And, as luck would have it, I was interviewing her on the set of her “Do It Well” music video.
It could’ve been that the paparazzi were stalking her. Or that the shoot was running way behind. Or the sweltering heat inside the warehouse where the video was shot. But La Lopez was in an uncharacteristically foul mood. It didn’t help that nobody told her about our interview until she arrived on set and I handed her an MTV News mic.
Her mood lightened as we spoke about her new album. And then I had to ruin it by questioning her fashion sense. Silence. That was her initial response, as I sat there stupidly holding up a photo of the offensive outfit.
The rest, as they say and as you’ll see, is history, as Ms. Lopez proceeded to give MTV a piece of her mind. And we learned that true divas don’t need to defend their outfits.
Don’t miss “Step & Repeat: The Best & Worst of VMA Fashion” on MTV on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.!
