Nellie Andreeva

UPDATED: Probably boosted by the night’s big winner Twilight, the 2010 MTV Movie Awards did solid business in the ratings. The awards show hosted by Aziz Ansari, which stirred controversy with its extensive profanity use, was watched by 5.8 million viewers on MTV, MTV2 and VH1. That was down 2% from last year when 5.8 million tuned in to the telecast, carried on MTV and MTV2. On MTV, which attracted the lion share of the audience, 4.6 million, the drop from last year was larger, 13%. A whole lot of teens saw the show, which featured some 100+ curse words. Among female teens, the core Twilight fan base, the MTV Movie Awards averaged a 5.7 rating on MTV, +6% vs. last year and the award show’s best rating in this demo since 2004. The show’s 4.1 P12-34 rating on MTV was  the second best since 2004.

MTV’s new original series The Hard Times of RJ Berger did so-so in its premiere following the Movie Awards. The comedy averaged a 2.6 P12-34 rating, holding onto 63% of its lead-in, and over 2.6 million viewers to rank as MTV’s highest rated series launch among P12-34 since 2008.

Also last night, the second season premiere of Lifetime’s comedic drama Drop Dead Diva drew 3.1 million viewers, up 11% from its series debut. In adults 25-54, last night’s episode marked the series’ second highest-rated episode ever.

Meanwhile, on TLC, the premiere of 6th Birthday Surprise, the first of two Kate Plus 8 specials, averaged 3.4 million viewers while Inside Kate’s Worlds drew 3 million. Both posted double-digit ratings gains over the November 2009 airings of Jon and Kate Plus 8.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.