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.