VMAs Won't Cut Into Obama's Speech on Thursday

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Fans of both music and politics need not fear: You won’t have to choose between watching MTV’s Video Music Awards and President Barack Obama’s speech from the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night.

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The VMAs have been moved up one hour earlier for their traditional start time – now airing from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on Thursday night – so the annual event should wrap up just in time for Obama’s speech, scheduled for 10 p.m. from the DNC in Charlotte, N.C.

The VMAs have traditionally been held on Sundays, and this year’s event was originally scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 9. However, the date was shifted to Thursday, Sept. 6, to avoid going up against the first Sunday Night Football broadcast of the season.

The always-lively event, which will take place at L.A.’s Staples Center, will feature performances from Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Frank Ocean, Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Green Day, Pink and One Direction.

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Kevin Hart, who will host the VMAs for the first time on Thursday, told reporters that he planned on taking some jabs at members of the music community during his opening monologue.

“The beauty of me being the host is you don’t know what to expect. Nobody is off limits,” he said. “I think it’s my job to put the room in a place where people can relax and have a good time and the best way to do that is to show people they can poke fun at themselves.”

The MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Thursday, Sept. 6, from L.A.’s Staples Center.

Email: Rebecca.Ford@thr.com; Twitter: @Beccamford