The most memorable moment in Sunday's 2009 MTV Video Music Awards took place when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech to suggest that Beyonce, rather than Swift, should have won the Best Female Video honor.
West's outburst took place just about 20 minutes into the show. Best Female Video was the first award announced.
Swift's video for "You Belong With Me" won, beating powerhouses like Lady Gaga and Beyonce. Shortly into her acceptance speech, West appeared on stage and said Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. Presumably, he was referring to her nominated video, "Single Ladies."
Swift, obviously frazzled, exited the stage and said nothing else. Later, she performed and didn't address the issue.
Repeatedly, when West's name was announced as a nominee throughout the night, the audience booed. At one point, they even shouted, "Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!"
In the show's final moments, Beyonce's "Single Ladies" won the night's biggest award: Video of the Year. Instead of giving an acceptance speech, she offered the floor to Swift. The country singer said nothing about West, but thanked her fans.
By the end of the night, West apologized -- via his blog. Sources including the Associated Press reported he wrote, "I'M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD'VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED!"
When I repeatedly tried to check West's blog shortly after midnight, it was unavailable -- probably due to an insanely large amount of traffic.
Was the Kanye West/Taylor Swift feud real, or a staged publicity stunt? Tell us what you think.
Here's a full recap of the show, which included a Michael Jackson tribute from Janet Jackson, a peek at "New Moon" and Michael Jackson's "This Is It" and, of course, tons of quality time with Lady Gaga.
9 p.m. - The show opens with a 10-minute tribute to Michael Jackson.
Madonna, dressed in black, takes the stage first. She calls Jackson a hero and emphasizes, "There is no question that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest talents the world has ever known."
But she also draws attention to the tragic parts of Jackson's life, telling the audience, "I never had a mother, but he never had a childhood."
Then, a set of dancers takes the stage, performing some of Jackson's most memorable routines. In the last routine, Janet Jackson sings and dances to "Scream," the duet she and her brother recorded. Michael dances beside her, thanks to a giant screen playing the "Scream" music video.
9:14 - Host Russell Brand gives his opening monologue, acknowledging how he was criticized for his comments last year. The result: "The Jonas Brothers have forgiven me and Barack Obama is now the president of the United States." His worst offense so far tonight? A couple cracks about the Lady Gaga hermaphrodite debate.
9:20 - Taylor Swift wins Best Female Video for "You Belong With Me." It's somewhat of a surprise, since Lady Gaga and Beyonce were nominated in that category.
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Video: Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift
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