Video Music Awards: And the Winners Are...

Last night, the long expected awards ceremony took place at Radio City Music Hall but the show didn't even come close to the exuberance that reigned at the 2003 festivities, when Pop Queen Madonna kissed Pop Princess Britney Spears. Most of those who watched it considered it somehow a more 'quiet' ceremony, where people behaved nicely and stuck to the lines on the teleprompter.

But, still, it was a magical night both for those present and for people at home, in front of the television set. It had its fair share of big surprises and nice speeches, along with incendiary performances from the hottest artists of the moment.

The 'Video of the Year' Moon Man went, to everybody's surprise, to the punk rock band Panic! at the Disco, for their 'I write Sins Not Tragedies', who managed to top the videos of huge names (and who apparently were the favorites) such as Madonna, Shakira and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, who mostly went home empty-handed.

Blunt took the 'Best Male' distinction with 'You're Beautiful', while no-show Kelly Clarkson got the correspondent 'Best Female', for 'Because of You'. But the best moments of the night were, by far, the ones in which the presenters got to make fun of all the stories that are being published in the tabloids.

The comedian Sarah Silverman told Paris Hilton that, quote, 'You seriously need to lose weight. It's bad', to the amusement of the entire audience and especially to that of Nicole Richie. The daughter of the soul crooner was seated at what has been called a 'safe' distance from her former best friend, the hotel heiress, but she still had a blast. 'It's wild and crazy and I love it', the petite Nicole said backstage.

Another funny moment came when Britney and K-Fed presented the 'Best R&B' (to Beyonce) and they had a sketch done as to them being at home and not being able to find their 11-month son, Sean Preston. The videotaped footage showed Kevin asking Brit where his cigarettes were, at which she responded: 'If they were up your ass, you'd know', right before naming Beyonce as the winners for the category.

All in all, the 23rd edition of the VMAs proved that, indeed, there is enough reason for the tight competition with the Grammys for the most important prizes in the music industry. Here is a complete list of all the winners:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Panic! at the Disco: 'I Write Sins Not Tragedies'

BEST MALE VIDEO
James Blunt: 'You're Beautiful'

BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Kelly Clarkson: 'Because of You'

BEST GROUP VIDEO
The All-American Rejects: 'Move Along'

BEST RAP VIDEO
Chamillionaire: 'Ridin' '

BEST R&B VIDEO
Beyonc� with Slim Thug: 'Check on It'

BEST HIP-HOP VIDEO
Black Eyed Peas: 'My Humps'

BEST DANCE VIDEO
Pussycat Dolls with Snoop Dogg: 'Buttons'

BEST ROCK VIDEO
AFI: 'Miss Murder'

BEST POP VIDEO
Pink: 'Stupid Girls'

BEST NEW ARTIST IN A VIDEO
Avenged Sevenfold: 'Bat Country'

VIEWER'S CHOICE
Fall Out Boy: 'Dance, Dance'

RINGTONE OF THE YEAR
Fort Minor: 'Where'd You Go'

BEST DIRECTION IN A VIDEO
Gnarls Barkley: 'Crazy' (Director: Robert Hales)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A VIDEO
Shakira with Wyclef Jean: 'Hips Don't Lie'

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS IN A VIDEO
Missy Elliott: 'We Run This'

BEST ART DIRECTION IN A VIDEO
Red Hot Chili Peppers: 'Dani California'

BEST EDITING IN A VIDEO
Gnarls Barkley: 'Crazy'

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A VIDEO
James Blunt: 'You're Beautiful'

BEST VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK
'Mark Ecko's Getting Up' (Atari)

BEST VIDEO GAME SCORE
'Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion' (Jeremy Soule)

VIDEO VANGUARD
Hype Williams