The Weekly Ringer

The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper

Taylor Swift Upstaged During VMAs: Kanye not crazy, just real, according to his blog

2 min read

By BECCA POOLE

As is often the case,  MTV pulled together another outrageous awards ceremony this past Sunday in New York City.
The show opened with a touching memorial to Michael Jackson by Madonna. Dancers then performed to a medley of Jackson’s songs while the corresponding music videos were displayed on a background screen. Janet Jackson performed the sibling’s 1995 hit “Scream” without any malfunctions, wardrobe or otherwise.
Other memorable performances included Beyonce’s electrifying “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” Lady Gaga’s disturbingly bloody “Paparazzi,”  and Taylor Swift’s “You Belong to Me.” Pink, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys also performed and up-and-coming D.C. rapper Wale served as the house band.
But the most shocking event however, besides Lady Gaga’s outfits, involved  rapper Kanye West and country starlet Taylor Swift. As Swift was giving her acceptance speech for Female Music Video of the Year, West jumped on stage, seized the microphone from her and shouted to the audience:  “Yo Taylor. I am really happy for you and I will let you finish but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time…all time!”
Swift looked as if she was going to burst into tears. After the rude outburst, the show continued without Swift finishing her speech.
Later, Beyonce showed some class while accepting her award for Video of the Year. “Thank you. 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 in my life. So I’d like Taylor to come out and have her moment,” Beyonce said. Taylor Swift then finished her previously interrupted speech.
West apologized in his blog later that night posting: “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! … IM NOT CRAZY YALL, IM JUST REAL!!”
The following night, West was a guest on The Jay Leno Show where he said that he was “ashamed” of what he did. However, West has done this sort of thing before.
He interrupted an award winner at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards who bested him in the Best Video category among countless other egocentric behavior. Nevertheless, he really brought his jackass stunts to the next level with his comments to poor, congenial Taylor Swift.
If nothing else, MTV can always be trusted to provide an entertaining awards show. While a Moonman may not be as coveted as an Oscar or Grammy, it is a testament to being part of a show that always promises to be an exciting evening.