Khloe Kardashian who jetted in to South Africa and to Durban, literally got up and left her seat for just that segment. (She arrived in South Africa on Friday and was also unfashionably late at the press conference where she upstaged some of the artists being interviewed).
Did Khloe Kardashian just go to the ladies' room or to get a drink or some fresh air at the exact same moment the show wanted her to be seen in the background during a segment? Or did she deliberately get up and leave to be out of the shot?
This is what happened: The production set up presenter Bonang Matheba to announce the Best Male Artist category.
Bonang Matheba was prepped and the camera angle framed to include the VIP celebrities sitting to the left hand side of the stage - very specifically Khloe Kardashian who would be clearly visible over Bonang Matheba's shoulder.
Khloe Kardashian would clearly have seen the prep work with the camera in front of Bonang Matheba.
She would, as it were, be "tipped off" as to what was going to be happening next due to the pre preparation of the next segment happening before her. Something that was also visible to all those inside the convention centre.
Remember: Khloe Kardashian is media savvy. She is a reality TV star. She knows cameras, camera angles and TV production from experiencing TV cameras all around her constantly.
She was a co-host for a season of The X Factor USA before being fired. She is aware of how big audience, stage performance, music shows are framed and the type of angles and shots that exist and are popular, and what producers like to do.
She was a co-host for a season of The X Factor USA before being fired. She is aware of how big audience, stage performance, music shows are framed and the type of angles and shots that exist and are popular, and what producers like to do.
Just before Bonang Matheba was to do her link, and with no time left for the production to prepare a possible new angle or have her face the other way, Khloe Kardashian simply got up and exited the area - with her bodyguards in tow.
Bonang Matheba had to do the link and and behind her Khloe Kardashian's white chair was empty. (Producers of award shows hate having to show empty chairs on-air which makes it look as if a show is not popular.)
Khloe Kardashian returned when Bonang Matheba's presentation was done.
Khloe Kardashian returned when Bonang Matheba's presentation was done.
Khloe Kardashian stayed seated before she unexpectedly left, and remained seated for the rest of the duration of the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards. She was gone (oddly) for exactly the part where she would have been in the background.
Was it deliberate or purely co-incidence?
Remember that celebrities don't get paid to walk the red carpet and do interviews. It is free and precious exposure. Khloe Kardashian walked the red carpet at the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards. For television however, inside a show, you can get paid. Star wattage earns you the right to ask for an appearance fee.
Did Khloe Kardashian get upset that she was going to be used in a type of "ambush marketing", being used on television in a TV show to be the backdrop and be in the background to lend some star power to another show that isn't Keeping Up with the Kardashians without getting paid an appearance fee?
Who knows. What is odd is that Khloe Kardashian got up and left during the exact bit where viewers would have possibly seen her and that she returned once the camera was gone from its angle of looking at the exact place and direction where she was sitting in the VIP section.
The other not so good bit was when the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards had a live performance mic problem during Trey Songz' appearance on stage. He did his best, egging the standing stage surrounding crowd on to sing the song.
He also objectified himself. The man showed the crowd his abs and strutted his stuff to make up for the lack of being able to sing. And it also proved that he at least doesn't lipsync and really tried to perform live.
