LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Fire? What fire?
MTV went ahead with its annual star-studded movie awards at the Universal Studios lot on Sunday, hours after a spectacular blaze destroyed chunks of Hollywood history nearby.
The celebrities on hand, such as host Mike Myers and presenter Will Smith, used the occasion to "pimp" -- as Myers said -- their upcoming movies, rather than address the damage.
The 17th annual MTV Movie Awards, a fan-driven event with none of the stuffiness or significance of the Oscars, took place in a hilltop theater that overlooked the smoky remains of well-known movie sets and a "King Kong" attraction.
Universal did close the theme park and the CityWalk retail strip, two of the country's most popular tourist attractions, but the MTV event was not in harm's way.
Winners are chosen by viewers who cast votes online and were informed beforehand, which partly explained their lack of surprise when their names are announced.
"Transformers" won the top award, best movie, and director Michael Bay said he would start shooting a sequel to the hit action movie on Monday.
Johnny Depp was the only multiple winner. The gum-chewing actor was treated like an all-conquering hero when he first took the stage to accept the best comedic performance award for his turn as pirate Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End."
