Is It Just Us, or Were These Moments From the VMAs Too Cringeworthy to Comprehend?

I don't think anyone expected an earth-shattering tribute for the late, great Aretha Franklin from the VMAs, but what we did get was . . . was it even legal!? Can you rightfully call it a tribute for someone else when all you do is talk about yourself? Was Madonna given any direction or did they just tell her to go out and do whatever it took to take up 40 years of our life?