With her hit "Bad Romance" and duets with Beyonce cleaning up at MTV's Video Music Awards Sunday night, Lady Gaga accompanied each win with an outfit change. She walked the white carpet in Alexander McQueen and closed the night in head-to-toe meat. The pop star explained that her raw look had "many interpretations." She added, "For me this evening, if we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights pretty soon, we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on own bones. And, I am not a piece of meat."
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"California Gurl" Katy Perry and nominee at the VMAs got frisky on the white carpet with the Moonman in her black and white Marchesa dress and incredibly high Jimmy Choos. Though she toned down her hair for the evening, Perry had her manicurist put decals of her fiance Russell Brand’s face on her nails.
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Looking extra orange for the special occasion, Jersey Shore's Snooki and The Situation walked the white carpet in black, white, and blue.
Chelsea Handler opened the show by mocking Lady Gaga with an over-the-top house headpiece that outdid the pop star's headdresses. "My plan was to stay sober the entire show,” the 35-year-old talk show host joked in her opening monologue. "But in an interesting twist, I am as high as a kite. That's the last time I do a prayer circle with Snoop Dogg."
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Eminem and Rihanna performed their song "Love the Way You Lie" together to open the VMAs. To accompany the Best Male Video winner, Rihanna donned a "Like A Virgin"- inspired white look and longer red locks, adorned with a Jennifer Behr Triple Baguette Crystal headband.
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Cher went retro with this ensemble from her "If I Could Turn Back Time" video. Though more than two decades that have passed since the video's premiere, the 64-year-old icon looked as great as ever. Her role, however, has changed. After presenting Lady Gaga with Video of the Year award, the singer asked Cher to hold her "meat clutch."
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Despite her multiple nominations, "Tik Tok" singer Ke$ha did not leave the VMAs with any moonmen. At least the 23-year-old newcomer didn't waste money on her look, telling MTV's Tim Kash that she made her dress out of garbage bags from Home Depot.
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Fresh from her Emmy win, Glee star Jane Lynch arrived at the MTV VMAs white carpet in a dolled-up take on Sue Sylvester's typical track suit. She helped fellow Glee cast members Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, and Chris Colfer present the award for Best Pop Video, which also went to Lady Gaga.
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Though her hit single "Mine" is climbing the charts, Taylor Swift chose to perform new song "Innocent" at this year's VMAs. In a nude D&G strapless dress and no shoes, the 20-year-old country sweetheart sang of her debacle at last year's VMAs with Kanye West interrupting her acceptance speech. The lyrics of the solemn ballad included the line: "Who you are is not what you did... 32 is still growing up now … you’re still an innocent.”
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Over-the-top manicures were all over the white carpet. Pop star Ke$ha went Native American with her massive turquoise rings and leopard print nails, Katy Perry kept her boyfriend Russell Brand on hand with decals of his face and hers on her nails, and porn star Jenna Jameson stood tall in these sky-high platforms with neon spots.
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Teen sensation Justin Bieber showed off his drum skills during his performance of "Baby" and "Somebody to Love" outside of the Nokia Theater. Though he lost a stick during his solo, the 16-year-old heartthrob redeemed himself without batting an eye and later on won the award for Best New Artist!
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With lights reminiscent of Jennifer Lopez's "Waiting For Tonight" music video, Usher brought out the laser beams and moving sidewalks during his performance of his two hit songs "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" and "O.M.G."
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