Morning Links: Kanye West jumps onstage and interrupts Taylor Swift's big moment at VMAs
Madonna unexpectedly opened the MTV Video Music Awards show Sunday night with a personal speech about Michael Jackson, but all anyone can talk about today is the latest look-at-me spectacle from Kanye West. The notoriously poor loser jumped onstage as Taylor Swift was accepting her Best Female Video award and said Beyonce deserved to win for "Single Ladies." Beyonce, in the audience, looked stunned. Later, when Beyonce did win Video of the Year, she invited Taylor Swift back onstage to finish her speech, and the 19-year-old obliged. Later, Kanye apologized on his blog: "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!" There were also the usual crude jokes from host Russell Brand -- his voice was muted several times -- and a "Carrie"-style onstage bloodbath from Lady GaGa.
Before Kanye stole the show, Madonna gave a with a lengthy, personal speech about Michael Jackson, first drawing the comparisons between them -- they were born in the same month and year, each had eight siblings and grew up in the suburbs of the midwest. At age 6, she said, she lost her mother and he lost his childhood to stardom. "I think he got the shorter end of the stick," she said. Madonna said she took Jackson to dinner in 1991 and when he shyly took her hand as they watched a movie later, she sensed "he was looking for a friend rather than a romance." She finished by calling him a hero and saying, "Michael Jackson was a human being, but damn it, he was a king. Long live the king!" To a montage of Jackson's hits, dancers dressed in some of his iconic costumes took the stage, joined by Janet Jackson's tribute.
First, Megan Fox compared "Transformers" director Michael Bay to Napoleon and Hitler on the sets, saying "he wants to create this insane, infamous mad-man reputation. ... So he’s a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he’s not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he’s so awkward, so hopelessly awkward." Three loyal (anonymous) members of Bay's crew counterattacked, in an open letter that has since been removed from the "Transformers" web site, calling Fox "dumb as a rock," "thankless, classless, graceless," and "queen of talking trailer trash and posing like a porn star." Bay pulled the scathing letter down (luckily Perez Hilton saved a copy!) and said he condoned neither the crew's attack nor Fox's "outlandish quotes. But her crazy quips are part of her crazy charm."
Elton John has put aside his longstanding opposition to having a family with partner David Furnish, but changed his mind after meeting a Ukrainian toddler named Lev. Furnish and John toured the orphanage, which houses many children whose parents have died of AIDS, as part of John's foundation's support. John said Furnish had always wanted to adopt, but, he said, "I always said 'no' because I am 62 and I think because of the traveling I do and the life I have, maybe it wouldn't be fair for the child. But having seen Lev today, I would love to adopt him. I don't know how we do that but he has stolen my heart. And he has stolen David's heart and it would be wonderful if we can have a home. I've changed my mind today." It's not clear whether it would be possible for the pair to adopt the child. Photos show John holding Lev, a chubby, smiling 14-month-old boy wearing a Thomas the Tank Engine shirt.
The San Diego District Attorney's office has closed the case against Shawne Merriman, whom reality TV star Tila Tequlia accused of choking her, but she says justice has not been done and she will pursue a civil case against the Chargers star. "The San Diego District Attorney's decision not to press charges against Shawne Merriman for the battering of Tila Tequila demonstrates an unconscionable negligence in the discharging of their public duties," her rep told TMZ. "We strongly feel that justice has not been served in this matter." Photos of Tila's bruised arms were widely circulated over the weekend.
John Travolta, wife Kelly Preston and their daughter Ella Bleu made their first public appearance since the death of the Travoltas' son Jett, 16, in January. The family appeared at the D23 Expo in Anaheim to promote their new Disney film, "Old Dogs," in which all three appear. It is Ella's screen debut. The AP reported that Travolta told the crowd, "I always appreciate the audience's love for me," and added, "I hope they love 'Old Dogs' and much as we do, because I've got my baby in it."
It was a weekend for celebrity weddings, with 3 Doors Down singer Brad Arnold tying the knot on Saturday with Jennifer Sanderfordin their hometown of Escatawpa, Miss. according to People. The childhood friends, who reconnected after Arnold and his first wife separated, wed before 120 guests.
It was a second ceremony for opera singer Denyce Graves and transplant surgeon Dr. Robert Montgomery, who married Saturday at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. She wore a traditional white silk gown by Donna Langman, while he donned a black Scottish kilt. The couple said their first set of vows Aug. 18 in the Masai Mara village in Kenya.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady finally announced what was becoming too obvious to ignore -- his new wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, is expecting their first child. The pair married secretly not once but twice-- in a church wedding Feb. 26, then in a more casual affair in Costa Rica in April. The new Brady is due in December. Brady has a son, Jack, 2, with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan.
-- Anne Neville
I just get tired of the idiots who pose as celebrities when they are just punks-Taylor Swift so far has always taken the high road-may not have the most striking voice but seems to have some other insights which may hold the key to a long term career-she deserves an apology from that punk.
Posted by: Mark | September 14, 2009 at 07:30 AM
Matt Lauer summed it up pretty well on The Today Show. He pointed to Beyonce and said "class", then to Kanye West and said "no class".
Posted by: BobbyCat | September 14, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Big tough Kanye. Would he have done that if it had been Kid Rock standing there making an acceptance speech? Or Queen Latifah? I would pay $100 to see him try that with Queen Latifah and watch her, um, "confront" him.
And he says to Taylor Swift as he's interrupting, "Ima letchoo finish, Ima letchoo talk." You're going to LET her talk, Kanye? Gosh, thanks a bunch, JERK.
Posted by: Libby56 | September 14, 2009 at 06:20 PM
Kanye West is an idiot.
Posted by: sickofit | September 14, 2009 at 07:11 PM