MMVA Writers Plan Miley’s jokes

Come on, Miley, say it. SAY IT!!!

Say what, exactly?

Well, that has yet to be determined.

But if Miley Cyrus says something goofy and out of the blue while co-hosting the MuchMusic Video Awards (Sunday, June 20 on MuchMusic), then you’ll know that’s just Trevor Boris and the writing crew having some stir-crazy fun.

Boris, who also is a MuchMusic on-air personality through shows such as Video on Trial, has become something of a specialist writing for awards shows. This is the fourth year he has been on the MMVAs writing squad, and in the past he has written for the Junos, the Geminis and the Genies.

“There were three of us writing the MMVAs last year, and we’re cooped up for days and we get delirious, so there’s some stuff in there just for us,” Boris said. “I don’t know what it will be this year, but there will be something in there just for the writers. We always try to do that.

“I feel like Miley is going to be a little more open, that she’s trying to be a bit more grown-up and edgy these days. Last year, with the Jonas Brothers hosting, there were all these weird rules. Like, they wouldn’t say the word panties.”

Uh, panties? Seriously?

“And I can’t even remember why we were trying to say panties,” Boris said. “But they had this long list of things they wouldn’t say. It is funny some of the things you run into when the artists’ representatives get involved.

“Maybe we can get Miley to say panties. So if you hear Miley say panties, you know, ‘A-ha, the writers have succeeded.’ ”

That’s not to suggest, however, that the Jo-Bros were complete sticks in the mud last year.

“Sometimes the magical stuff is the stuff that comes together fast,” Boris said.

“For example, last year at the very last minute, the Jonas Brothers said, ‘Yes, we’re totally up for a skit.’ It was 4 o’clock the day of the show. So we’re scrambling, but we come up with a great idea, we film it in like 20 minutes, literally just before they were going to do the red carpet.

“In the end we didn’t get it cut in time and it didn’t make the show, although it did make MuchOnDemand, and we do a behind-the-scenes special and it made that, too.”

Ultimately, writing for an awards show — especially something as uncontrolled as the MMVAs — is a lot tougher than it looks.

“There is only so much fun you can have, because the MMVAs are more Q-and-A-based, rather than banter-based, and it’s happening outside with 5,000 people screaming,” Boris said.

“So you can’t really go for subtle comedy. It doesn’t play well with 5,000 screaming kids. It has to be a lot more, ‘What was that? I love your new movie. Throw to Miley.’

“But even with those frustrations, I do feel like I’m kind of the awards guy now, and it’s really fun to be part of a big show like this.”

Source: torontosun.com