DURING the MTV Video Music Awards held in New York earlier today, Kanye West made a total @$$ of himself.

Basically, Kanye made one of his infamous outbursts at the awards - he jumped on stage when Taylor Swift was giving her acceptance speech after winning the Best Female Video award, took the mic from the poor girl and proceeded to ramble on and on about how Beyonce should've won instead.

Kanye West stealing Taylor Swift's thunder, much to the chagrin of the crowd and everyone else who saw the broadcast!

What an @$$, right?

Taylor, 19, didn't finish her speech, and she was probably pretty hurt (and insulted) by Kanye's rudeness, but she also didn't let that incident stop her from performing to thousands of fans at a subway station later in the day. Way to go, girl!

Beyonce, who had nothing to do with Kanye's stunt, offered a kind gesture to Taylor when she won the Video Of The Year award. She recalled that like Taylor, she too won her first VMA as a giddy teenager. Beyonce said: "I remember how excited I was. I'd like Taylor to come out and have her moment."

Apart from that drama, the other highlight of the awards was the poignant tribute to Michael Jackson at the beginning of the show, in which Madonna gave a moving speech about her relationship with the icon.

Beyonce and Taylor Swift hugged it out at the end of the show.

“Sometimes, we have to lose things before we can truly appreciate them,” said Madonna, dressed in black.

“Yes, Michael Jackson was a human being, but yes, he was a king,” she told the celebrity-studded crowd, which included Michael’s brother Jermaine and father Joe Jackson.

“Long live the king.”

During the musical tribute, MJ "clones" dressed in some of his famous outfits recreated dance moves from his videos. Janet Jackson, too, came on stage when Scream started playing. The song is the only video the siblings had ever done together.

Since the VMAs are typically known for dramas - staged and impromptu - it is no wonder then that Lady Gaga's performance was full of, well, weirdness.

On the red carpet, the singer appeared wearing a strange outfit and had Kermit the Frog as her date. While performing Paparazzi, she had a bedazzled wheelchair, crutches and fake blood on stage.

Over-the-top madness? Diva-esque? Yes, and yes.

Later, when she won the award for Best New Artist, Lady Gaga accepted her award covered from head-to-toe in red lace. Perhaps she and Kanye West should come to next year's awards together, eh?

Other celebrities who performed include the bootylicious Beyonce, rockin' band Green Day, and Pink, who incorporated an acrobatic show while singing Sober.

Lady Gaga sans date, Kermit the Frog.

Beyonce and a bevy of bootylicious women performing on stage.

Look who also made an appearance! Well, sort of.

Madonna gave a heartfelt speech on her relationship with King of Pop Michael Jackson.

Janet Jackson re-created dance moves from Scream, the only video she ever performed with her brother Michael.

Pink had some cool acrobatic moves to show off!

Kanye with his girlfriend, Amber Rose. Check out the liquor bottle Kanye's clutching. No wonder he flipped out during the awards. How unprofessional!