VMAs 2011: MTV Video Music Awards Live Blog (PHOTOS, VIDEO, WINNERS)

(SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE UPDATES)

Whether Adam Levine likes it or not, the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards are upon us. A tradition born in 1984, the event marks a sort of young pop culture extravaganza, with performances and sketches from the top names in corporate-approved subversion.

This year, the event is being held in Los Angeles, and will be hosted by... no one at all. Unable to find a host that fit their requirements, the network decided to go sans MC, instead depending on celebrity award presenters, star-infused sketches and performances from major artists.

Those performances will come from Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Adele, Bruno Mars, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Pitbull, Ne-Yo and Young The Giant, and, as revealed Saturday, the tag team of Jay-Z and Kanye West.

Hang out here for all the latest updates from the black carpet and the show itself, with photos, video and commentary galore in our liveblog. Here's a list of all the nominees.

live blog

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And the night ends with a clip from "The Hunger Games."

A small taste, but not bad.

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@ MTV : GAAAHHHH! @KatyPerry, you're OUR 'Firework'! Congrats on Video of the Year! #VMA

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Video of the Year

After Katie Holmes' semi-racist introduction, the award goes to... Katy Perry

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@ MTV : Incredible Amy Winehoue tribute, courtesy of @BrunoMars, @RustyRockets, and Tony Bennett. #VMA

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Russell Brand on Amy Winehouse

He wrote a great blog post upon her death, and now he's talking about both his relationship with her and her extraordinary talent.

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Some dude is accepting the Best Female Video award. Weird!

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Cloris Leachman!

Sweet booty call for Pauly D! DTF!

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Fun irony: Beyonce is supposed to star in Clint Eastwood's next film, "A Star Is Born."

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@ PerezHilton : Ugh, another homophone at the VMAs! #TylerTheCreatorCanSuckIt

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And the award goes to Tyler The Creator and his entourage and cat shirt

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Selena Gomez and Taylor Lautner presenting Best New Artist... weren't they rumored to be together at one point?

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Beyonce and her baby are performing now

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KISS KISS KISS

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@ ElizabethBanks : Hope ya'll are psyched for #HungerGames sneak peek on #VMAs tonight!!

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The future Beastie Boys:

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Well then

Introducing the Britney tribute, Lady Gaga as Joe Calderone said he/she used to touch herself to posters of the "Oops I Did It Again" star.

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Chris Brown dancing to 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. Just as Kurt Cobain envisioned.

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Kanye standing at attention for Chris Brown's performance. Let's hope he doesn't start crying.

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Justin Bieber thanks God and Jesus. But not the Holy Ghost.

So pensive!

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Please welcome Kim Kardashian... and Kim Kardashian's butt

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BRB, entirely rethinking my existence and life choices, streaming tears and pulling my hair. #Adele

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Adele

VMA debut for the Grammy winner. Which really isn't a big deal, but, well, Adele!

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@ NICKIMINAJ : Thank u guys!!! Love u barbz! > RT @MTV: MINAAAAAAAAAJ! Congrats, @NickiMinaj on winning Best Hip Hop Video! You did it, Barbz! #VMA

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Best Collaboration goes to.... Katy Perry and Kanye West. That video was insane, so they deserve it:

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Will Ferrell, Jack Black and Seth Rogen, as the Beastie Boys, introduce Odd Future. One group is cooler than the other.

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Best Rock Video goes to The Foo Fighters. That's two!

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Jay-Z and Kanye performing. An American flag behind them, a Canadian tuxedo on Kanye

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Nicki's Outfit

The good thing is that she can donate the outfit to needy children after the show.

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Best Pop Video

Every award is really Best Pop Video, but we digress. The award goes to: Britney Spears!

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Kevin Hart is the non-host host. Interesting.

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More

Comments

[LsssBB]

04:36 PM on 08/30/2011

I do not understand how anyone could have liked the show...the commercials were more entertaining.....the performances were over shadowed by the stupid things said and done throughout the show....Lady Gaga is an idiot!

[Dakotadude]

12:31 PM on 08/29/2011

I let my 15yo daughter watch the VMAs with my 18yo son and I went to be. When I woke up she told me she was disgusted with what she saw. Some actress asked to have a finger in her butt. I tried to let MTV know they should have rethought their entertainment plan. There is no link to do that except if you join their feed, not very likely. I grew up in the MTV generation and appreciate the constant need to get more ratings but what 3rd rate writer came up with this should be fired. I now feel vindicated in my musical choices. My favorite artists don't need to expose, exploit or explode to be good. It saddens me to see how much crap is out there.

[Jaime01]

11:49 AM on 08/29/2011

MTV hasn't been relevant since 1994.

[maryoffenton]

11:42 AM on 08/29/2011

stupid people

[cowgirl29]

11:26 AM on 08/29/2011

woopee do, Beyonce is adding to this over populated world. millions and millions of babies are born all the time, so we're supposed to be exited......why exactly? I like her well enough, but like they say in the hospitals: everybody knows how to f*%#.

[happyblackman]

11:23 AM on 08/29/2011

Talk about an outdated concept? How this awards show is hanging around, considering the fact that MTV has no videos in regular rotation, and hasn't promoted music in years, is a million dollar question.

[abaybay]

03:42 PM on 08/29/2011

It really is mind-boggling. I watched it because I wanted to see Lil Wayne's performance (which I hated, by the way). Other than that, I found myself constantly thinking to myself "Who the **** is Tyler, the Creator and Kreayshawn"

[Stefan Adams]

10:40 AM on 08/29/2011

I really don't know why some monsters have been so rude.Adele is good singer.
FIT or FAT ü are same.That is just outside look.
PLEASE DON'T BE SO AWKWARD!
LOVE Ü GAGA!

[Stefan Adams]

10:38 AM on 08/29/2011

GAGA! GAGA! GAGA! GAGA!

[muffler]

10:36 AM on 08/29/2011

Was passes for talent today is just a bunch of people stealing old ideas.

[bryanhrdzdier]

10:28 AM on 08/29/2011

Justin Bieber managed to pull the Sally Jessy Raphael look....

[muffler]

10:27 AM on 08/29/2011

I watched 4 minutes of it and turned it off. If anyone with half real talent showed up they would be the the one eyed person in the land of the blind. The corporate hype machine has won... it's all rehash and mash up. The Onion nailed it once.. "Old song resources becoming depleted... music industry worried"

[thaggas]

11:00 AM on 08/29/2011

You forgot: "Get offa ma lawn!"

[muffler]

05:29 PM on 08/29/2011

Nope I didn't... I am not that old and I listen to plenty of good indie stuff.. Try proposing why you think the VMAs were good and stop trying to attack the messenger.

[pjp54]

10:22 AM on 08/29/2011

CLdeelers u are so right and I agree, not the appropiate time to announce a prepnancy. Also, I must say that I agree with JoePenn too, the song had no meaning, no class to it. Since, she married JZ, I believe her songs went down hill. She performed on 2011 American Idol, there were children in the audience and the song was about making love and how she felt about it. I thought it was a poor song choice for that particular night. Who cares about her being pregnant, leave that to be announced at a different time or a social gatheing. Not overshadowing the other artists. I truly hope that the baby would favor her looks and not JZ's, because we all know how UGLY he is, also between them two, is just a power struggle!!!!!! peace out.

[ethiopia1a]

10:13 AM on 08/29/2011

Thank GOD I stopped watching this crap years ago I can't wait for MTV to die

[richman99]

09:56 AM on 08/29/2011

Great... all the Freaks in one place. Too bad something does not happen when they are all gathered together so that we can get rid of this polluted gene pool all in one shot!!

[Christian Shaffer]

10:41 AM on 08/29/2011

I fwe are going to say there is pollution in the gene pool, I would say that most of it comes from internet users.

[MemeticHazard33]

09:46 AM on 08/29/2011

MTV is a fashion show, nothing else. Doesn't anyone see the sad creative lull America is in other than me? Same song recorded over and over and over again by different "artists"(HAAA!!)nonetheless...doesn't anyone see, neigh, hear this?? Fact remains, pop "music" these days is just something to get drunk and fornicate to. Where is the NEW cultural revolution? Sorry to say, I don't think there is one coming. Last new thing to hit that truly had staying power as far as a genre is concerned is the grunge explosion in the early 90's. Such truly great power hitters then, with a message of value to send. Now everything is one huge, amalgamated mess of retro-pop and shock value fashion. The last truly great, new band that were given something they deserved was The Mars Volta for best hard rock song of the year, "Wax Simulacra". Now there's a REAL band, with TRUE artistic vision. NO ONE at the VMA's could ever even hold a candle to those guys....read 'em and weep Gagas of the world!!! :)