A popular African-American man takes the podium in a nationally televised event tonight and rallies voters — for people’s choice video.
Comedian Kevin Hart hosts the “2012 MTV Video Music Awards” (MTV, 8 p.m.) tonight from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Rihanna kicks off the show; other performers include Nicki Minaj, Frank Ocean, Taylor Swift, Green Day, Pink, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz and One Direction.
Presenters include Ke$ha, Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa, Andy Samberg, Rashida Jones, and five Olympic gold medal gymnasts. Also, Robert Pattinson and Tyalor Lautner will introduce footage from the upcoming “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.”
In another year, MTV might have scheduled its biggest annual event for a “Rock the Vote” spotlight for the end of a major national convention. The best it can do tonight is start its event early so as not to play during the President’s address. That means a preshow with Demi Lovato at 7 p.m. and a special “Jersey Shore” (MTV, 6 p.m.) looking back at their six season run.
Barack Obama takes his own podium in a different arena to close the 2012 Democratic National Convention (CSPAN, PBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, 7 p.m.; NBC, 9 p.m.; ABC, CBS, 10 p.m.). His speech at the football stadium was canceled because of weather reports; he’ll talk inside the arena instead. One result: Earth, Wind and Fire won’t play; Foo Fighters still will. The full schedule for the evening hasn’t been released, but Vice President Joe Biden, Eva Longoria and Gabrielle Giffords are all expected to be part of it.
It’s only a coincidence that the season of “The Real L Word” (Showtime, 10 p.m,) ends with same sex wedding. I may have given Whitney Mixner the biggest spread she ever had in a daily newspaper last year, I still didn’t get an invite.
“Rookie Blue” (ABC, 9 p.m.), just about the only network scripted show to last the summer, ends its season with a cliffhanger.
Also ending its season tonight are the “Great Lake Warriors” (History, 11 p.m.).
The final six are unveiled on the “America’s Got Talent” (NBC, 8 p.m.) results show; after it’s over, convention coverage goes two hours on NBC only because they didn’t cover it at all last night due to football.
Among the new series tonight is “Raising House’ (DIY, 9 p.m.) about building the dream house of families; “Living Abroad” (HGTV, 11 p.m.), in which American expats are helped with foreign real estate and customs; and “Texas Car Wars” (Discover, 10 p.m.), in which auto shops compete in fixing junk cars into collectibles that will sell.
Anna Sui is guest judge on a “Project Runway” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.) in which contestants have to hawk their own designs on New York streetcorners.
Kerri Kenney-Silver guest stars on “Sullivan & Son” (TBS, 10 p.m.).
Frank is up for eviction for like the sixth time, now against Joe, and it looks like he may actually be going tonight on “Big Brother” (CBS, 9 p.m.) after a power of veto competition that didn’t help him.
This week, “The Next” (The CW, 9 p.m.) is the only singing competition on network TV. Next week, we’ll be inundated by them.
The month-long Thursday night salute to film comedy pioneer Mack Sennett will include only four features but a whopping 83 shorts, featuring the work of Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle and he Keystone Cops among others.
The salute begins tonight with 20 silent one-reelers shown between 8 and midnight, when one feature “Tillie’s Punctured Romance” (TCM, midnight) — the first full-length comedy in history, from 1914, it stars Charlie Chaplin with the Sennett stable that includes Marie Dressler, Mabel Normand, Mack Swain and the Keystone Kops.Then eight more silent shorts including several with Arbuckle.
In college football it’s Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
The Quarterfinals of the U.S. Open (ESPN2, noon and 7 p.m.) continue as do the Paralympic Games (NBC Sports, 7 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa: Katie Couric, James Marsden, Carli Lloyd & Alex Morgan. The View: Glenn Close, Terry Bradshaw. The Talk: Betty White, Mehcad Brooks, Mel Robbins (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Julia Roberts, Liam Hemsworth, Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Howard Stern, Jason Aldean. Jay Leno: Ellen DeGeneres, Josh Lucas, Billy Ray Cyrus. Jimmy Kimmel: Matt Stone & Trey Parker. Jimmy Fallon: Claire Danes, Jeff Probst, Calise Hawkins. Craig Ferguson: Angela Kinsey, David Simon, the Heavy. Tavis Smiley: Benjamin Barber. Carson Daly: Jenny McCarthy, 5 Second Films, Jessie Baylin (rerun). Jon Stewart: Austan Goolsbee. Stephen Colbert: Bill Richardson. Conan O’Brien: Seth Greeen, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Milo Green. Chelsea Handler: Rebel ilson, Brad Wollack, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Josh Wolf.