Who made waves at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards? Click through for the highlights and lowlights. By Patrick Kevin Day
MORE: Arrivals photos | Rihanna opening | Frank Ocean stuns | Green Day, Alicia Keys disappoint
Not all red carpet chit-chat is pointless blah-blah-blah. Lady-about-town Amber Rose took a page from Beyonce’s playbook and used her red-carpet time to announce that she’s pregnant with fiance Wiz Khalifa’s baby. Last year, Beyonce’s announcement broke Twitter records. This year’s baby will probably result in some faint nods and smiles. (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)
For Rihanna’s opening performance of “We Found Love,” the singer took the bold move of descending down to the floor of Staples Center to walk through the crowd. Whether the assembled throngs were MTV interns or just well-mannered fans, they amazingly parted for her passing. (Matt Sayles / Associated Press)
MTV can be all about inclusion and understanding, but when it wants a cheap laugh, it’s not about calling in the little people. Cue VMA host Kevin Hart, who entered the show escorted by a cadre of Secret Service types, all played by little people. True, the 5-foot-2 Hart was mostly poking fun at his own height, but when the coolest character on TV is played by a little person (Peter Dinklage), maybe it’s time to rethink the easy jokes. (Matt Sayles / Associated Press)
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Dwight Howard, the new center for the Los Angeles Lakers, made an appearance on stage that gave the evening one of its few fascinating visuals. With everyone trying so hard with their hair and their clothing, leave it to Mother Nature to provide a wow moment contrasting the 5-foot-2 Kevin Hart with the 6-foot-11 Howard. Hart even tried on Howard’s jersey, which predictably went down to his knees. “That’s funny to you?” Hart asked. “You’ll think it’s funny when Kobe doesn’t pass you the damn ball.” (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Chris Brown seems to have been completely forgiven for his domstic violence against Rihanna in 2009. Breezy picked up a Moon Man for best male video. This follows his performance and Grammy win earlier this year. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
2 Chainz certainly worked hard on his wardrobe. In fact, his onstage clothes looked as though he was dressed by his mother based on her idea of what a rapper on MTV should wear. The chains, the sunglasses, the leather pants and the unused suspenders blended over four decades of rap into one package for an artist whose name sounds like it was created by Stan Lee. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
Green Day allowed themselves to be surrounded by the adoring crowds on the Staples Center floor, making use of the fans as props one of the dominant themes of the evening. Lucky fans? Or excellent interns? The jury is still out. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Yes, he had fire. But it was a bonfire, not exploding flames. Frank Ocean’s performance of “Thinkin’ ‘Bout You” was a quiet, contemplative performance that stood out in a monotonous parade of screaming and running into the crowd. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
The stars of the “Twilight Saga” appeared on stage to introduce a trailer for the series’ final installment. Conspicuously absent? Kristen Stewart. (From the stage, not from the trailer). (Matt Sayles / Associated Press)
