Leave it to Kanye West to make headlines in the most unusual way — and he did, as he hijacked Taylor Swift’s speech at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards. Swift was in mid-acceptance speech for Best Female Video when West rushed onstage, grabbed her microphone and went on an outburst on behalf of Beyonce Knowles, who had lost out in that category.
At the end though, a classy move by Beyonce, the night’s top winner, who brought Swift onstage and gave her an uninterrupted moment in the spotlight.
“I remember being 17 years old, up for my first MTV award with Destiny’s Child, and it was one of the most exciting moments of my life,” Beyonce said. “So I would like for Taylor to come out and have her moment.”
Swift tried to be nice about West’s outburst. “I was excited to be onstage because I just won the award. And then I was excited that Kanye West was onstage. Then, I wasn’t excited anymore.”
The Award Winners
- Best Video of the Year: “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” BEYONCE
- Best New Artist: LADY GAGA
- Best Male Video: “Live Your Life,” T.I. featuring RIHANNA
- Best Female Video: “You Belong With Me,” TAYLOR SWIFT
- Best Pop Video: “Womanizer,” BRITNEY SPEARS
- Best Hip-Hop Video: “We Made You,” EMINEM
- Best Rock Video: “21 Guns,” GREEN DAY
- Best Video (That Should Have Won a Moonman): “Sabotage,” BEASTIE BOYS
- Best Breakthrough Video: “Lessons Learned,” MATT and KIM
The New York Times reports “West, who was pictured before the ceremony swigging a bottle of Cognac, was escorted from the building after the rant, the network said. Soon after, an apology to Swift appeared on his blog”
“I’m sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom,” the message said in all caps. “I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would’ve said. She is very talented! … I’m in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!”
Kanye On Jay Leno Debut Tonight
Perhaps Kanye will get to field a “what were you thinking” question regarding the incident, as he is scheduled to appear on the 10p debut of The Jay Leno Show tonight on NBC.
