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On a night when it felt like everything was about Beyonce, and only a little bit about Rihanna, is was cute to see other celebrities try to get attention at the 2016 VMAs. I had forgotten that Alicia Keys has been doing the “makeup free on the red carpet” thing. Some people think Alicia’s makeup-less face was/is brave. Some think it’s just blah. She’s a beautiful woman and I don’t wear makeup either, but “not wearing makeup” doesn’t make me morally superior to anyone. It just means I’m lazy. And even I would have probably swiped on a little lipstick for the VMAs, no judgment. (Some people also believe Alicia’s wearing concealer and some light makeup anyway!)

Alicia’s ensemble was Just Cavalli. It seemed kind of bulky for a late-summer awards show, especially when most people were just wearing jumpsuits and simple cocktail dresses. Something nice: the red & black fabric is pretty.

Alicia’s real moment came on stage when she was supposed to be introducing an act, but she took a moment to turn the VMAs into a Slam Poetry Jam. Sunday was the 53rd anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech, so Alicia decided to perform some poetry of her own:

It’s not that she’s annoying, but people this earnest do tend to make me feel uncomfortable. Especially when I know so much about how she got together with her husband. It’s like hearing slam poetry/off-key warbling from LeAnn Rimes.

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Photos courtesy of WENN.
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