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The World Music Awards just got canceled.
Only two days before the scheduled 2012 edition at Marlins Park, WMA organizers have nixed the show, blaming “visa issues” and — absurdly — the Newtown shooting.
“We are sorry for any inconvenience,” the official statement reads, “but this decision had to be made due to logistical and multiple visa issues and in view of this week’s national mourning.”
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–World Music Awards 2012 in Miami: Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Jimmy Buffet Nominated
We here at Crossfade blogged about the WMAs this morning. But the 23rd edition of the “international awards show” (supported in part by Albert II, The Prince of Monaco) has turned out to be a poorly organized sham.
The initial hint: After announcing last week that proceeds from the show would benefit Sandy relief and earthquake reconstruction efforts in Haiti while being “beamed to 180 countries reaching a billion viewers,” the World Music Awards suddenly switched dates from December 20 to the 22.
Then organizers tried to claim that Jennifer Lopez, Tony Bennett, Earth, Wind & Fire, One Republic, and hometown favorite Gloria Estefan would be attending this year’s WMAs.
But as reported by the Miami Herald, Tony Bennett was never booked, according to his Rogers & Cowan rep. Neither were J.Lo or Earth, Wind & Fire.
“Jennifer has a sold out concert in Puerto Rico as the final stop for her Dance Again World Tour on December 22,” publicist and ex-WMA producer Mark Young told the Herald. “The show has been sold out for months.”
Oh, Miami … Another day, another con job.
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