‘TRL’s’ greatest contributions to Western civilization

A star is born: Britney Spears

As the face of MTV for the much of the last decade, Britney Spears videos were “TRL” staples. Her “…Baby One More Time” was essentially the “TRL” soundtrack in 1999. She’s arguably the biggest MTV star since Michael Jackson and Madonna, and even casual observers of her career likely recall the Catholic school video for “…Baby One More Time” that made her a superstar.  (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

Lessons in self-hype

If there’s anything MTV excels at, it’s turning its own shows into commercials for its other television shows. Evidence? The Video Music Awards, which celebrate the handful of artists who still get videos aired on the network. And “TRL” itself provided some inspired moments of self-promotion, as when “ The Hills’ ” Heidi Montag stopped by for a little freestyle rapping with Nelly earlier this year. Her flow was choppy (Nelly gave her an “A for effort”), but she still managed to reference her designer clothing line, and she even provided a clip from that night’s episode of “The Hills.” She’s hardly the only one.  (Vince Bucci / Getty Images)

Family values

“TRL” has had its unsavory moments, but it can also be a good place to air grievances, right wrongs, and even provide positive examples of what’s lacking in today’s society, which for one singer is the familial unit. R&B prince Usher stopped by “TRL” to promote his album “Here I Stand,” and while there, he denied rumors that he and wife, Tameka Foster, were separating. Usher went on a little tirade extolling patriarchal pride, marital pride and racial pride. “My wife is not 40 years old. I love her to death, and I’m a black, strong man in America standing up for my people ... as a man to my wife, to my son, to my family. I’m making a stand that a lot of us should make. I coulda been like any other man who has a child and live with that woman and continue to just play the game. ... I’m trying to do it the right way. This is the way you’re supposed to do it! Pay attention, fellas.” Wow.  (Rick Diamond / Getty Images)

This guy!

Only on MTV could a tall, wild-haired, high-pitched rock ‘n’ roll kid win a contest to host a television show. Jesse Camp’s eccentric nature would stand in stark contrast to the more groomed winners of “ American Idol,” but after placing first in the 1998 “Wanna Be a VJ” competition and hosting “TRL,” MTV didn’t seem to know whether it should champion or mock Camp, so it played up his wild streak on “Lunch with Jesse.”  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Carson Daly

Back when Ryan Seacrest was just an afternoon drive-time DJ in L.A., the teen world squealed to the host stylings of Carson Daly, the fresh-faced Southern California guy who once contemplated a pro golf career or life as a priest, but instead found himself called to evangelize for the musical tastes of tweenage girls. Like the singers he helped make into icons, Daly presided over a studio full of screaming fans and developed a dating life worthy of the tabloids. (He supposedly found out his relationship with Jennifer Love Hewitt was over when he heard it on the radio.) Then in 2002, he left MTV to host “Last Call” in a post-midnight slot on NBC and the screaming teenage girls went away. They grew up, went off to college, got married. But for many of them, Carson Daly will always be their first love.  (Jim Cooper / Associated Press)

Country music spinoffs

In 2001, uber-hit “Total Request Live” inspired the country community to launch a spinoff series called “CMT Most Wanted Live.” The show was shot in Nashville and featured appearances by country music heavyweights such as Dolly Parton.

And the spinoffs didn’t stop there! “TRL”-spin-off “CMT Most Wanted Live” went on to spawn “MWL Star” and “MWL Stacked.”  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Vanessa Minnillo

Carson Daily isn’t the only “TRL” host who went on to have a career beyond the show. Former pageant queen Vanessa Minnillo, in photo at left on the right, got her start on “TRL” in 2003. After spending a few years hosting TRL, Minnillo landed a gig as an “Entertainment Tonight” correspondent, her own makeup line, an ad campaign for BONGO, a fledgling film and TV career and a high-profile romance with former boy-bander Nick Lachey.  (Bryan Bedder / Getty Images)

Fierce feuds

“TRL” was a favorite destination of pop-tarts and boy-banders, but it was also the place where stars took shots at other stars.

Rapper Eminem lamented the show’s loss in a recent statement, saying, “I’m going to miss ‘TRL’ ... where else will I be able to start feuds, defend my honor vigorously and act like an angry teenager on national TV? Oh wait ... the VMAs!”  (Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)