From Miley’s twerking to Kanye crashing Tay Tay’s party: MTV VMAs’ most talked-about moments
It’s been 10 years since Kanye West wrestled the mic from Taylor Swift at the MTV awards. Can this year’s ceremony top our favourite controversial moments?
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It’s the awards ceremony that keeps on giving and with so many outsized celebrity egos in the same room is it any wonder. Here are 10 of the most-talked about moments from the MTV Video Music Awards:
Kanye’s ‘I’mma Let You Finish’ moment with Taylor Swift (2009)
Kanye, Kanye, Kanye. Picking on an innocent teenager. What a man. It’s been a decade since he stormed the stage and tore into Swift as she accepted the award for Best Female Video, but it feels like yesterday thanks to it being one of the most memed moments ever. “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time.” Yes, Kanye, and if you’d just sat in your seat and resisted that urge to inject yourself into something that has nothing to do with you, you would have learnt Beyonce was awarded Video Of The Year. Former MTV boss Van Toffler revealed to The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 that Swift and her mum were “crying hysterically” after the ambush and that Beyonce, too, was in tears backstage, clearly not impressed West had dragged her name into something so ugly.
Miley Cyrus twerking on Robin Thicke (2013)
Pretty much anything goes at the MTV VMAs, but Miley blurred those lines just a little more with her infamous twerking on singer Robin Thicke. The Wrecking Ball singer had chins squarely planted on the floor with the risque moves, and Thicke himself has said he had no idea his crotch was about to come under attack (although he’s alternately admitted he did so who knows). Cyrus told Wonderland magazine last year the stunt raised her profile significantly — and put Hannah Montana to bed forever — and she made a conscious decision to use that to promote causes she wanted to champion. The following year she arrived at the awards with a homeless teenager to raise awareness and money for disadvantaged youth. That caused its own stir when it turned out her date, Jesse Helt, was wanted for outstanding warrants in his home state. That didn’t stop Cyrus raising a ton of cash, including support from Madonna and Britney Spears.
Lady Gaga in a dress made from meat (2010)
Of course Lady Gaga’s statement dress (and shoes), made up of almost 20kg of beef — which she had to be sewed into backstage — wasn’t worn for other guests to nibble on during the ceremony. It was the controversial singer’s protest against the US government’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy at the time. She told Ellen DeGeneres afterwards: “If we don’t stand up for what we believe in, if we don’t fight for our rights, pretty soon we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones.” Needless to say, organisations such as PETA were less than impressed.
Madonna pashes Britney (2003)
During a medley of her hits, Madonna stunned the crowd when she went in for a full pash with Speers. Moments later she shared a moment with Christina Aguilera but the camera had cut away to focus on Britney’s shocked ex Justin Timberlake and Aguilera felt cheated. Years later she said during an interview with Andy Cohen that it was a “cheap shot” by producers.
Nicki Minaj takes on Miley Cyrus about talking shit about her in the press (2015)
Well that was awkward. While accepting her Best Hip-Hop Video award in 2015, Minaj levelled up at Cyrus and pulled the trigger. “Back to this bitch that had a lot to say about me the other day in the press. Miley, what’s good?” Miley, looking pretty bored to be honest, hit back. “Hey, we’re all in this industry, we all do interviews and we all know how they manipulate shit; Nicki, congratu-f...ing-lations,” she said. It was more parents fighting in public awkward than rock star cool. The public had suffered through a love-hate relationship between the pair leading up to the meltdown.
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley with their vomit-inducing kiss (1994)
Even diehard Michael Jackson fans would have found this onstage, carefully choreographed and ridiculously transparent make-out session off-putting. Even Jackson and Presley looked a little grossed out afterwards. They had only recently married in secret and the King of Pop had not long ago settled a child molestation case. The kiss was designed
to prove the two were legitimately in love. “And to think, people said this wouldn’t last,” he said on stage. Not surprisingly they split not long after.
Diana Ross gets touchy with Lil Kim who pretty much has one boob on show bar a post-it-note or something (1999)
Some people think this was one of the most raunchy moments ever at the VMAs — if you want to watch some versions of it on YouTube, you have to verify your age first. But while it’s not something you would probably see at an award ceremony in this day and age, it’s not exactly porn. The legendary soul singer just couldn’t help herself when she joined Lil Kim, with just a little piece of material — covering an exposed left breast — to present an award. When she saw Lil Kim’s outfit, she reached over and had quite the feel.
Kanye throws his hat in the ring for the 2020 presidential race (2015)
It’s difficult to imagine a situation where the White House could become any crazier than it is right now, but if one man can do it, it’s Kanye. After a confusing, but sometimes moving, speech while collecting his Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award — from none other than Tay Tay herself — West dropped a bombshell. “And yes, as you probably could’ve guessed by this moment, I have decided in 2020 to run for president.” He also admitted he’d smoked “a little something to take the edge off” before appearing on stage, so it was hard to tell if he was serious or just wasted. But in interviews in the years since he has confirmed he is considering running for the White House, but in 2024 after his on-again-off-again BFF won in 2016.
Michael Jackson accepts Artist Of The Millennium Award ... that doesn’t exist (2002)
It started out as a birthday celebration and ended with an Artist of the Millennium Award. With 998 years of the millennium to go, it may have been a bit premature. Britney Spears introduced Michael Jackson on stage to celebrate his 44th birthday and in doing so gushed that she thought he was the artist of the millennium. Jackson thought she was actually describing the award and jumped right into an acceptance speech. “When I was a little boy growing up in Indiana if someone told me I’d be getting the Artist Of The Millennium award, I’d never have believed it.” Awkward.
Beyonce announces she’s pregnant (2011)
In one of the more special talked about VMA moments, Beyonce announced that her and husband Jay-Z were expecting their first child. The announcement started with the gazillionaire singer cradling her baby bump on the red carpet. Once inside and about to perform her hit Love On Top, she said to those watching “Tonight I want you to stand up on your feet. I want you to feel the love that’s growing inside of me.” Afterwards she popped her jacket and started rubbing her tummy again, much to the delight of … well everyone.
The 2019 MTV Video Music awards screen live on MTV, Foxtel, today from 11am
