Tre’Vell Anderson got time to talk to millions of students through Channel One.
From Jim Metrock:
On August 28, 2017, Channel One News took valuable school time to tell their captive audience of school kids about the MTV Video Music Awards.
The producers at Channel One must love MTV and the VMA show because they sent one of their on-air personalities Azia Celestino to Los Angeles to film a lengthy report.
Many parents may not share Channel One’s love for the often outrageous awards show. But then again, the parents will never know what Channel One News dumps on their students.
Channel One stressed the importance of the VMA show doing away with gender classification for awards.
Channel One needed help to explain what was going on at this year’s VMA show, so of all the people they could interview for their teen and preteen show, they choose a self-described “gender bender” named Tre’vell Anderson. This might not make sense to many parents of secondary school students, but this is typical push-the-envelope content from the kiddie marketing execs at Channel One News.
Here’s a brief self-description of Tre’ Vell:
Tre’vell Anderson is a film reporter with the Los Angeles Times covering the intersections of diversity and Hollywood with a focus on black and queer film. A sociology graduate from the nation’s headquarters for black male excellence, Morehouse College in Atlanta, he also received his master’s in journalism from Stanford University. When he’s not tweeting through his Twitter addiction you can find him jamming to Fantasia’s latest album or indulging his inner Southern belle with food that reminds him of home, Charleston, S.C.
From the August 28, 2017 Channel One News transcript:
Okay, now, did you happen to catch the VMAs last night? Well, if not, I am sure you at least saw that the Moonman got a makeover. That is coming up after the break.
Tom: All right, guys, so if you caught the VMAs last night, you may have noticed some changes, all part of a bigger message to the music industry. And Azia, you were there to check it out. What is going on?
Azia: Yeah, Tom, you never know what is going to go down at the VMAs. And last night’s show was a historic one because it wasn’t about guys or girls — it was about being the best in music. So we were super excited to be on the red carpet to get all of the highlights firsthand. Take a look.
It is one of the most watched award shows. You can expect amazing performances and lots of shocking moments. But this year, the VMAs were making waves for a different reason. It was the first major show to ditch male and female categories and instead combine them to form the genderless Artist of the Year prize.
And last night, the first person to snag that title was Ed Sheeran.
Ed Sheeran: Thank you to all the friends, and — yeah. Cheers.
Trevell: MTV is known for always trying to be cutting-edge in what they do in terms of their award shows. The idea that men and women would be on the same kind of level playing field when it comes to their talent was particularly kind of intriguing.
Zoey Lask: I think it’s, like, more fair, and, like, you don’t have to be, like, specified. It’s just all one.
Lager Reeves: I think this is a very good move.
Azia: Even the award itself got a makeover. Move over, Moonman; make way for the Moon Person.
Award shows have been around since the 1920s, but when it comes to gender labels, they have barely changed.
Trevell: We’ve seen a lot more musicians, actors, directors, whoever it may be, become more outspoken in the last couple years at least. Now it seems like Hollywood is coming together and saying that the things we’re seeing taking place politically, we don’t agree with, and we want to kind of have a united front against that.
Azia: It is a trend that is drawing more attention to an issue Hollywood’s biggest stars have been bringing up a lot more: gender pay and equality.
Su: It’s not a secret that women have been struggling for a long time to get on a playing field, an equal playing field, when it comes to, especially, pay.
Azia: But some say removing gender won’t change the problem in real life.
Trevell: I think degendering the categories is a step, and that in and of itself is a good sign. It, however, does not actually ensure that women are getting paid on equal with their male co-stars.
Azia: Others say the new Video Music Awards are one small step for equality.
Tyler Posey: I think it’s long overdue. I never really thought about it before, you know, because it’s the world that we grew up in. I never really thought to, like, combine them, but it makes so much sense.
Gabbie Hanna: It should be this way. It’s so cool.
Azia: And, Tom, I have to say, I have covered a few red carpets, but this vibe seemed a little different, definitely a lot more positive. In fact, I don’t really want to leave, but I will be on a flight back to New York ASAP.
Tom: Very cool. Thanks, Azia. Love the message, although “Moon Person” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. May need to work on that a little bit.
