Video Pioneer: No Longer Hip for MTV?

Aug. 2 -- So, MTV had its big 20th anniversary party Wednesday night, but not everyone had a good time.

As late as 4 p.m., Geoff Downes — one half of The Buggles, the group that wrote and performed "Video Killed The Radio Star," the first video ever played on MTV, 20 years ago — did NOT have tickets to MTV's party.

MTV's entire campaign for the anniversary gig was based around that first video, but the guy that wrote the song couldn't get tickets to the party. At first.

When ABCNEWS called MTV to ask why the Buggle wasn't allowed into the anniversary bash, we were told by MTV's Graham James the network would look into it.

Within minutes, Downes suddenly had tickets.

In the Spotlight ... But Out of the VIP Section

When Downes was on the red carpet, the press was all over him. CNN, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood — all of the big media outlets were excited to talk to the man who wrote and performed "Video Killed The Radio Star."

Downes is a member of the progressive rock band Asia. Briefly, he was in Yes.

But when Geoff went inside and tried to make his way to the VIP area with the rest of the stars — P. Diddy, Fred Durst and the like — he was told he didn't have credentials, and he wasn't allowed into that roped-off area.

When Downes' representatives tried to get the man the proper credentials, they were reportedly told by an MTV staffer, "Don't you think we've done enough for you guys tonight?"

Downes — the man who's video launched the MTV revolution — didn't get his credentials, and was forced to watch the show downstairs with the rest of the crowd.

The man whose song launched MTV was denied access to the VIP area, while Ric Ocasek and Paulina Porizkova were paraded right by him, and past the velvet ropes.