Britney has had her VMA moments

Britney Spears has had her troubles — child custody battles, rehab visits, unflattering paparazzi pictures and that whole head-shaving thing. Her performance at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, where she has repeatedly caused a stir, did little to improve her image. Spears sang, rather lip-synched, her new single, Gimme More, and traipsed around the stage in sparkly underwear. The performance just adds to the controversy of her checkered Video Music Awards past:
•2003: The kiss. Spears and Christina Aguilera took turns locking lips with pop's biggest diva, Madonna. And yes, there was an actual music performance in there, too. The spectacle started out with the teen queens paying homage to their predecessor's legendary performance of Like a Virgin from the awards show's first installment — stage writhing, wedding dresses and all.

Madonna then joined them on stage, sporting knee-high leather boots, a top hat and black tailcoat, to perform Hollywood off of her album American Life. It was about four minutes into the sexually charged performance when Madonna gently brought Spears up from her knees by the chin, softly ran her fingers across the younger singer's lips, and planted the most famous kiss since Times Square in 1945.

MTV producers accentuated the moment by quickly cutting to an obviously shocked Justin Timberlake, who had dated Spears up until mid-2002. Lost in the turmoil was an additional appearance by rapper Missy Elliott.

•2001: The snake. Spears sported a long snake across her shoulders during her jungle-themed performance of Slave 4 U. The set was complete with cages, a tiger and yet another skimpy Spears outfit, a take on how to make a bikini out of jungle leaves.

•2000: The skin. She ripped off a pull-away suit to reveal a skin-colored ensemble with liberally placed sequins during Oops! … I Did It Again.

She began the set by doing a provocative take on the Rolling Stones classic Satisfaction, seductively walking down a spiral staircase while belting her soulful rendition. But all the attention went to the clothes, or lack of clothes.

•1999: The schoolgirl. She sang her breakout hit Baby One More Time, with a routine that mirrored the song's music video theme of a high school classroom full of would-be backup dancers suffering through class. My, how things have changed.


Source: Brandon Weigel, USA TODAY