By Lisa Gonzalez
If you want to locate stars in Hollywood, you can always head down to Sunset Boulevard and buy a star map. But this was the VMAs — so why not install high-tech VehiclePath GPS tracking devices in their cars and have MTV News correspondent Sway find them from his helicopter?
MTV thought it would be fun to track the stars' arrivals to this year's VMAs for the live preshow, given that the big show was in Hollywood and traffic here is a way of life. But to be extra-careful, even though the red carpet opened at 3 p.m., we asked all the stars in GPS cars to stay home till 4:45 p.m. — just 15 minutes before the live event.
Cut to show day. The preshow was 30 minutes away, and according to my VehiclePath GPS screen, Panic at the Disco's car had arrived and the band was about to walk the red carpet. NOOOO! We asked Panic to get back in their car and circle the Paramount lot for a half-hour. Since when have stars ever been early?
The Jonas Brothers arrived shortly after and soon joined Panic circling the lot, as our production manager spent the remaining time leading up to the preshow on two phones, sweating and apologizing to both publicists. A string of expletives followed when the GPS display indicated that all our cars were now waiting in the limo line or parked in the lot. Or, um, circling. (Soooo sorry, Panic. Seriously.) At least the GPS units were working!
It was all worth it in the end. The preshow went live, and we got great stuff with Sway in the chopper talking via phone with the Jonas Brothers, a now-dizzy Panic and Katy Perry. Sway even got Katy to wave her ChapStick out the sunroof!
We also managed to catch Paris Hilton and Benji Madden just as they left Beverly Hills and convinced them to park until Sway could get a visual on them. Paris rocks! And so do Panic at the Disco, who are officially my favorite new band.