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2009 MTV VMAs Highlighted by Kanye West's Antics

Twenty-five years after it's first show, the MTV Video Music Awards still provides excellent performances and outrageous moments. The 2009 edition, held at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, kicked off with a memorable tribute to Michael Jackson that featured a long speech by Madonna, dancers aping MJ's famous moves and his younger sister Janet coming out to perform their 1995 duet 'Scream' as Michael sang and danced on a screen behind her. At the end of the evening, the first trailer for the upcoming film 'This Is It,' shot during Jackson's rehearsals for his London concerts, premiered.

After that, the biggest surprise of the night came early, when Kanye West rushed the stage during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech after winning Best Female Video. West took the microphone from a stunned Swift to say that Beyonce should have won the award instead as the audience booed his insulting behavior. He walked off, leaving Swift unable to finish her speech and was later removed from the event by security. In a classy move, Video fo the Year winner Beyonce brought Swift, who performed after the incident, back to the stage at the end of the night to finish her acceptance speech.



In between, the rest of the awards show was fairly tame. Host Russell Brand was less offensive than last year, repeatedly saying the evening was about love. Lady Gaga picked up three awards, including best new artist, but will be remembered more for arriving with Kermit the Frog, wearing a smattering of bizarre outfits, and a interesting performance during which she pretended to die while covered in fake blood. Green Day also walked out with three awards for their '21 Guns' video, including Best Rock Video, and the trio performed 'East Jesus Nowhere' while fans rushed the stage.



Other highlights included Pink dangling from a trapeze while performing 'Sober,' Muse rocking out at a nearby theater, Britney Spears winning Best Pop Video for 'Womanizer' and Eminem's 'We Made You' winning for Best Hip Hop Video. One lowlight was Kid Cudi's short tribute to DJ AM, which was cut off early as an announcement was read over the song and then the telecast went to commercial.



The show was capped off by Jay-Z performing an epic rendition of his new 'Empire State of Mind' tribute to New York. Jay strode into Radio City as Alicia Keys, who also appears on the version on 'The Blueprint 3,' kicked off the song on piano. As the duo had the whole place rocking, Lil Mama became the second rapper to get onstage uninvited. Undaunted, Jay and Keys finished without incident, but we're sure Lil Mama got an earful from someone.

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Allan

Kanye West is an ignoramous...no class what-so-ever. He doesn't deserve to be on the same stage as Taylor swift or Beyonce...I hope this brings him down fast......

September 14 2009 at 11:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Captain Kirk

Am I missing something, was Beyonce even nominated in the category that Taylor Swift won (Best Female Video)?

Would this winner have crashed the stage regardless of who won?

More of it's all about me attitude that is so prevalent in this society. This had nothing to do with Beyonce, just some loser (Kanye West) wanting to be even more popular then he already is. I have a feeling this will have the opposite effect on his popularity, and it will be a free fall! We can only hope!

September 14 2009 at 10:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Scott

This D-ball is right up there with P-Diddy and Jay-Z. All 3 a waste of time and money. Boycott purchasing any and all of there products and see where they end up. If it was a white guy doing it to beyonce about another white females video we'd have another riot on our hands.

September 14 2009 at 2:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Scott's comment
Ken

Hi: I think you're right. I don't consider myself a racist but I've noticed something. White people don't burn down their own neighborhoods every time they get their toes stepped on. I only watch MTV once in awhile, I liked it better when they actually showed music videos. I'm not into all the reality TV they show. I also got burned out on the overkill of (c)rap and hip hop they show. Courtney Love was right, MTV has gotten too "URBAN" (rap, hip hop etc.) I remember seing MTV for the first time when I was twenty four,I'm fifty one now. Back then it was fun to watch since they actually played music videos. One thing that I was shocked by was a conversation with a white guy who was in his late teens. He told me that there are several folks who would like MTV to play more music videos and not all urban stuff. C U L8R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

February 16 2010 at 4:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
yotopgun

MTV has been a losing enterprise for the past 10 years. i think VH1 has a better show and knows how to truly celebrate the music. MTV is a corporation thats about $$$$$ not music. go look at there channels. good luck finding a music video amongst there reality TV. they should be re-names RTV. and let them throw the reality awards. because thats what they do best. As for Kanye, may he forever suffer from the itch of Genital Herpes.

September 14 2009 at 1:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Al Bordelon

MYV awards show is as classless as Kanye West. No one real man attends the show, because if one real man was there last night....he would have jerked West off the stage immediately. MTV must need the ratings and by showing thrashy, low-life people like West...tells us what the organizers of MTV show are really all about. Garbage in and garbage out.

September 14 2009 at 10:36 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply