The 2017 VMAs are on Sunday, Aug. 27, which means many people will be tuning in to MTV to see the performances, to see who wins, and to see what crazy thing Kanye West does. Some fans look forward all year to the show, but this year there's a big catch. The ceremony kicks off live at 8 p.m. ET and runs for three hours, which happens to overlap with the season finale of Game of Thrones on HBO, which begins at 9 p.m. ET. Since it's not possible to watch both at the same time, you've got to learn how to avoid Game of Thrones spoilers during the VMAs.
Let's face it, people are going to be conflicted. With just one episode of Game of Thrones remaining in this penultimate season — and likely a yearlong wait before the final season airs — you're going to want to witness everything that happens in the episode for yourself. Especially since the episode promises to unite all the show's major power players — Daenerys, Cersei, Jaime, Jon, and Tyrion — for the first time ever. And with all her enemies in one place, you just know Cersei is going to try something crazy. But if you're dead-set on watching the VMAs live instead, here are some tips on how to avoid being spoiled when it comes to GoT.
Stay Off The Internet
This can be tough to do, but it's really the only guaranteed way to avoid spoilers. Whether you're checking social media or the news, you're pretty much guaranteed to see something you don't want to see about GoT since everyone and their mother is going to be talking about it, so going cold turkey is the best way to avoid spoilers.
Avoid Certain Websites & Social Media
If you feel like you need some internet in your life at all times, at least be smart about your consumption. Stay off of social media, since that's the most likely destination for spoilers, as well as any websites that cover pop culture (like this one). All it takes is accidentally seeing one headline to completely ruin your GoT viewing experience.
Filter Your Social Media
If you can't live without some kind of feed for a few hours, then your next best bet is to try and filter your intake. On Twitter, you can mute Tweets that contain certain words, like "Game of Thrones" or "GoT," but this isn't a foolproof tactic. One spelling error or obscure reference could still spoil you, so use this tool at your own risk.
Don't Look At Your Phone
Your friends might not know that you're prioritizing the VMAs over GoT, and that text they send you about Cersei's crazy move could be just the thing to end your friendship. Don't let it happen to you. Lock your phone away for the night.
Avoid Other People Like The Plague
It can be a daunting task, but if you really want to avoid GoT spoilers, you're going to have to become a hermit. Don't talk to anyone, don't look at anyone, don't even think about anyone; just in case they have some latent telepathic abilities that your thoughts might somehow activate. Is this an extreme strategy? Yes, but the GoT finale promises to be just as extreme.
If you follow these rules, you should hypothetically be able to avoid Game of Thrones spoilers while watching the VMAs. Unless of course someone on the VMAs spoils the finale, in which case, you're screwed.
