In true VMA form, the MTV awards show did not stick to the script.

The first winner of the night, Taylor Swift for best female video, was victim to this when she was rudely and quickly interrupted by Kanye West, who cut off her acceptance speech. He stole the microphone to announce that fellow nominee Beyoncé had "one of the greatest videos of all time," in "Single Ladies."

"I was standing on stage and I was really excited because I'd just won the award and then I was really excited because Kanye West was on stage," Swift recalled after the show. "And then I wasn't excited anymore after that."

For her part, Beyoncé appeared shocked by the outburst and the crowd booed the rapper. Off-camera, when West returned to his seat, audience members gave a still-stunned Swift (who was ushered off the stage before finishing her speech) a standing ovation.

After the incident, West, who was photographed drinking what looked like liquor on the red carpet, was not in his seat at Radio City Music Hall. A security guard tells PEOPLE the rapper left the venue and would not be allowed to come back inside.

"I don't want to start anything," Swift said after the show when asked about hard feelings. "I had a great day tonight. I've been sent so many text messages and everyone's been really nice. I've had a really, really fun night."

Stars watching the show and tweeting immediately posted their thoughts on the incident. "Kanye needs to learn how to wait his turn," Zac Hanson wrote. "I am sure he will get plenty of mic time to say something stupid later in the show."

Country singer John Rich went even further with his tweet: “KanyeWest is a lowlife. He needs to have his @@@ kicked in the middle of the stage right now! What a piece of @@@@!!! Go TAYLOR SWIFT.”

Pink, who was also nominated for best female video, tweeted: “Kanye west is the biggest piece of s– on earth. Quote me.”

And Katy Perry followed suit: “F– U KANYE. IT'S LIKE U STEPPED 0N A KITTEN.”

Later, when Diddy and Jamie-Lynn Sigler took the stage to announce the best male video winner (rapper TI took it), they mentioned each of the nominees, including West, who was loudly booed by the crowd.




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 interrupted when she beat out Knowles on 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."





Kanye West Apologizes to Taylor Swift

Kanye West is "SOOOOO SORRY" for interrupting Taylor Swift at Sunday’s Video Music Awards. The rapper posted an apology on his Web site’s blog after the show in his usual style of all caps.

"I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment," he wrote. "Beyonce's video was the best of this decade . . . I'm sorry to my fans if I let you guys down . . . I'm sorry to my friends at MTV . . . I will apologize to Taylor."

The first winner of the night, Swift won best female video but was cut off during her acceptance speech by the rapper, who took her microphone and announced that fellow nominee Beyoncé had "one of the greatest videos of all time," in "Single Ladies."

"I was standing on stage and I was really excited because I'd just won the award and then I was really excited because Kanye West was on stage," Swift recalled after the show. "And then I wasn't excited anymore after that."

“I'm still very happy for Taylor," West wrote. "I really feel bad for Taylor and I’m sincerely sorry."