This past weekend, from Friday at noon until Saturday at noon, was perhaps the most significant 24 hour period in MTV's recent history, because for the first 24 hour period in what feels like an eternity, MTV did not air a single episode of Next, Date My Mom, Parental Control, or whatever that show with the lie detector bus is called.
Instead, the channel turned their airwaves over to Human Giant for a live telethon of sorts, the purpose of which was to get a million hits on their website, and secure a second season for their show.
To that end, the Human Giant guys arranged a few live performances from people like Ted Leo and (for some reason) Morningwood; hosted Will Arnett, Bob Odenkirk, Michael Showalter, and virtually every NYC comedian who has ever been onstage at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; and they even played a few music videos. It was weird, unpredictable, often funny, and didn't involve any former
Road Rules cast members.
In fact, apart from the endless commericals for atrocities like Reunited: The Real World Las Vegas, it didn't seem like current MTV at all. MTV2, maybe, but not MTV.
If you missed some of it, and you hopefully did because it was 24 hours straight of television, there are many clips here (There are also Quiznos commercials, but you should ignore those). Highlights include Todd Barry insulting Human Giant, Cracked Out rapping with numbers, and John Krasinski hostage-taking.