MTV at the ATP

Amid the variety of celebrities to dazzle the red carpet was David Toovey, the 18-year-old CEO of The Oak Tree Foundation. With a gleaming smile and twinkling eyes, he said he was delighted to be presenting The Good Karma Award for the 2008 MTV Awards. “The Oak Tree Foundation is a youth-run aid and development agency,” he said. “Our mission is to empower developing communities through education in a way that is sustainable.”

Nominations for the Good Karma Award included hip hoppers, Bliss ’n Esso for their work in South Africa documenting extreme poverty, The Earth Hour initiative, the Sea Shepherd crew of the Steve Irwin, Movember, and the young people of Australia who believed in the National Apology.

The winner of the MTV Good Karma Award 2008 was the Earth Hour initiative. The initiative, which began in Sydney, is part of the fight against global warming. Its aim is to reduce electrical consumption with the help of businesses and residents who switch off their lights for an hour on March 31. The initiative has since gathered momentum in cities al over Australia and abroad, as far as Denmark and Israel. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be the MTV Awards without the bevy of stars. Local celebrities filing down the red carpet were Anthony Mundine and his daughter, Deni Hines in a silver outfit by New Zealand designer Zambezi – “I paid for it myself!” she bellowed – and there was just enough room on the carpet for the five towering finalists from Australia’s Next Top Model. We also saw the debut appearance of five-piece Sydney pop group Amy Meredith, head to toe in tight black leather with studded embellishments, which to the surprise of many have neither an Amy nor a Meredith in the band. International stars included rappers 50 Cent, Dizzy Rascal, Wyclef Jean and Irish pop star Brian McFadden who perhaps felt the slightest bit out of his league alongside these Americans. “There’s not much hip hop in Ireland,” he said, with a flash of his pearly teeth.