sources: HollywoodLife.com/Getty and Rickey.org

Hello, hello! I'm so excited to be live blogging the 40th American Music Awards. I've been watching this awards show since I was in my early teens, and it's my first American awards show in a really, really long time (on that topic, I arrived in Taiwan one year ago today). I'd wanted to watch the Country Music Awards but missed that while my television was out during Hurricane Sandy. But more than anything, I wanna know (like every teenager out there and celebrity gossip enthusiast out there): are Justin and Selena together or not? I mean, they're pretty much the biggest teen couple since Justin and Britney, which ended just about ten years ago. I guess we'll find out tonight!

8:03pm - I really don't even want to comment on this Usher performance ... he's doing a better job than I would have. I'll say that much. I've found that opening performances in the past few years have been both too long and altogether not great.

8:06pm - D'oh! I think I just missed them showing Justin Bieber, Usher's protégé! Was Selena next to him?

8:07pm - WHAT!?!?!?! *N Sync is gonna be here??? They're back together? WTF. I am not happy.

8:08pm - Or maybe they'll just show an old *N Sync performance.

8:09pm - So Justin Bieber's mom was his date ... no Selena. Taylor Swift at the end of his row. Interesting? Or not really? I don't even know anymore.

8:16pm - Seems like these things haven't gotten better over the years. I'm not surprised ... I've guessed both of the winners so far, but ... that also isn't surprising, is it? Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift ... sweeping awards shows since 2009.

8:17pm - However, Taylor's gotten rid of her annoying surprised face! Yay!

8:20pm - I know Carly Rae Jepsen had that hit with Owl City, but I still get the feeling that she's going to be a one-hit wonder.

8:24pm - Have The Wanted actually had a hit here in the U.S.? I keep hearing about the rivalry between them and One Direction, but I'm not seeing any sort of comparability here. The Max guy is really attractive, but the five of them look like an odd bunch. It's like a handful of scrawny high schoolers, Taylor Lautner, and their hot, older bodyguard or something.

8:26pm - I probably shouldn't have live blogged this. It's so uninteresting, I have equally uninteresting things to say.

8:27pm - I do think it's funny they just teased a Kelly Clarkson performance that we won't want to miss. Has there ever really been a Kelly Clarkson performance we've felt that way about?

8:34pm - I think I'm in the minority, but I've never really been a fan of Kelly Clarkson's because almost all of her songs sound the same to me ...

8:37pm - My vote goes to Drake in this category, but I have a feeling Nicki Minaj is gonna win.

8:38pm - I was right ... is Nicki drunk or is she always like this haha? I'm not trying to be smart; I don't think I've really ever seen her speak before.

8:39pm - Cyndi Lauper looks exactly the same!

8:40pm - "Die Young" ... the female, non-boy band version of One Direction's "Live While We're Young." Yes?

8:43pm - Until this very moment (Ke$ha's performance), I'd always harbored some sort of fantasy/dream of being a pop star, but now that dream is officially dead. If I have to writhe around on a stage in hot pants and leaves and learn how to drum and dance at the same time while knowing that everyone hates me, I think the job is officially too difficult for me.

8:48pm - I went through a very brief ska phase in high school. Is No Doubt still considered ska? It's kind of fascinating how their music and performance style haven't changed all that much over the past 15 years.

8:52pm - Watching this awards show just makes clear how much I've missed in my time away from the U.S. My guess is Gotye for this category (rock).

8:53pm - Linkin Park, really!?! Their sound also hasn't changed a bit in the past 11 years, as far as I can tell.

8:55pm - Selena Gomez turned up ... in the form of a Case-Mate commercial. She so cute.

8:59pm - In spite of the fact that I have a love-hate relationship with Taylor Swift (more love than hate) and she's secretly dating my boyfriend Harry Styles, I'm still excited about her performance. Even though I know she's going to be awkward as hail.


9:00pm - I love love love Taylor's makeup and outfits tonight (though not so much her shoes ... I sure hope there is a reason she's wearing boots with that dress, like she's gonna rip part of her dress off to reveal leather shorts or something). I also don't love how similar this performance is like that of "Love Story," my least favorite Taylor Swift single ever.

9:02pm - Whoa, did I call that or what? Not leather hot pants, but a short black tutu. Taylor, call me. I got some styling tips for you (among other things).

9:02pm - Between Taylor, Justin Bieber and One Direction, they've changed the model of music marketing remarkably. Remember when singles were released once every 3 months or so and only singles were performed? Taylor's performed like 4 different songs in the past 3 weeks.

9:04pm - Taylor seems to have gotten a very positive reception. Hmm ... I want her makeup artist. And boyfriend.


9:04pm - I knew Usher would get that. I don't think Chris Brown is ever going to win a major award ever again.

9:05pm - Did Usher just curse an entire sentence? Because that was a LONG silence on my end.

9:12pm - Yay, Lady Antebellum. I don't think I'll ever tire of them.

9:15pm - Why do all the performers sound so off-key tonight? Except Taylor Swift, ironically.

9:18pm - Ugh, it annoys me so much that Linkin Park's singles are just knock-offs of their other singles. This song, to me, has the same progressions as "In The End" (and at least one other single).

9:28pm - I haven't really liked Pink's music since the early 00's, but I remember an amazing performance from her a couple years ago at an awards show. She's a glimmer of hope for the pop star dreamers out there ...

9:31pm - Her performance reminds me of the 1990s "Mickey Mouse Club" and "Kids, Incorporated" types of performances haha.

9:32pm - Yay, the Backstreet Boys, including the one who only returned because the going got better.

9:33pm - I believe One Direction will win this ...

9:33pm - What!? Okay, well ... I think this will probably be the only American award Carly Rae Jepsen's ever going to win.

9:35pm - I can't believe Lady Antebellum was nominated for something again this year ...

9:41pm - Hmm. I have no idea who'll win country.

9:41pm - Lady Antebellum's won every country category award in the past 2 years ... I can't believe they're still going. I still haven't seen them in concert (missed them in NYC while I was in Taiwan).

9:42pm - Is it just me or does Carly Rae Jepsen's accent sound ... unplaceable? Is it an accent or does she just talk funny? I just checked and she's from British Columbia, so she doesn't have the Nova Scotia/French-Canadian excuse going for her ...

9:43pm - What would be the cherry on top of this Justin Bieber performance is if he started crying ... not that I would wish tears on anyone, but that would be a performance for sure.

9:46pm - I am seeing the Aaron Carter comparisons right now. I'm sorry, Justin.

9:47pm - I still stand by all I've said before though -- Justin Bieber is a much better singer and performer than Aaron Carter ever was.

9:48pm - This is Nicki Minaj's hair's third wardrobe change tonight.

9:50pm - I know nothing about electronica or electronic dance music, but I'm gonna guess Skrillex for the hell of it.

9:50pm - I just found the chocolate chip I dropped five minutes ago, wedged between the K and L keys.

9:52pm - Award shows were definitely better in 1989.

9:57pm - Wow. *N Sync (in a flashback) looks so old, compared to the boy bands of today. And Gloria Estefan looks amazing!

9:58pm - I think it's really interesting how Christina Aguilera's been doing music that takes the spotlight off of her incredible voice these past few years.

10:02pm - That Christina Aguilera performance was kind of amazing ...

10:11pm - Speaking of Justin and Britney ...

10:12pm - Hmmm. Best Pop Album? One Direction? Justin Bieber?

10:13pm - Why does everyone want to kiss Justin Bieber?

10:14pm - Or was that a rhetorical question? I think it was in 2010.

10:19pm - Does anyone actually wanna see Psy?

10:24pm - Something looks different about Brandy, no?

10:28pm - I looked up and Chris Brown's shirt was off.

10:29pm - I'm guessing Nicki Minaj is getting this.

10:30pm - Nicki Minaj's hair's fourth costume change this evening.

10:37pm - The commercials during this thing are REALLY long.

10:44pm - I love the quirkiness of this Dick Clark tribute.

10:47pm - I'm not sticking around for "Gangnam Style," I'm telling you right now.

10:51pm - I was too lazy to call that, but I called it. Justin Bieber, of course, who else? Cute he dragged his "little" mom up with him.

10:53pm - Yeah, that's a wrap. Instead of Psy, I direct you to ... the Justin and Selena saga.