After Kanye West cut off best female video winner Taylor Swift at the Video Music Awards in New York on Sunday, the night’s top winner came to her rescue.
While accepting the Moonman for video of the year, Beyoncé Knowles invited Swift onto the stage so she could finish her speech, which West had interrupted earlier, when she beat out Knowles in the night's first category.
"This is amazing," Knowles said. "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, so I would like for Taylor to come out and have her moment."
A smiling Swift came out and said, "Maybe we can try this again." She continued, thanking "all my fans on Twitter and MySpace and everyone who came out to my shows this summer."
The two winners, both in bright red dresses, hugged and left the stage together.
"It was so wonderful and gracious of her," Swift told reporters after the show. "She's always been a great person and I thought I couldn't love Beyoncé more and tonight happened and it was just wonderful."
While mentions of Kanye, who was not seen after the Swift incident, drew boos throughout the evening there were still plenty of positive notes. Some of the night's big winners included:
Best Rock Video: "21 Guns," Green Day. The band rocked out with fans during their subsequent performance, inviting dozens of audience members on stage with them.
Best Pop Video: Britney Spears's "Womanizer." The pop princess was on tour and, in a remotely video-taped acceptance speech, showed off a rockin' body reminiscent of the 2000 VMAs, when she stunned the crowd in a nude-colored bodysuit.
Best Male Video: T.I.'s "Live Your Life." T.I., who was also unable to accept his award – in this case, because he is serving a prison term.
Best Hip Hop Video: Eminem's "We Made You." The Detroit rapper modestly accepted his Moonman and thanked fans "for sticking by me."
Best New Artist: Lady Gaga, whose pa-pa-pa-pa-poker face was barely visible behind a bizarre lacy red mask. But as she accepted her Moonman, the pop star removed the accessory to thank her fans, and said her award was "for God, and for the gays."
Let's not forget surprise guest Madonna opened the show with a heartfelt tribute to Michael Jackson in which she called him, "so unique, so original, so rare. He was a king." And, Madonna added, he's got a loyal following of royal subjects.
"My sons, age 9 and 4, are obsessed with [him]. There's a whole lot of crotch-grabbing and moonwalking going on in my house."
After Madonna's speech, Janet Jackson took the stage at the end of a Michael Jackson medley. Performing in front of the"Scream" video that featured her and Michael, Janet channeled her late brother with his world-famous dance moves.
