10 Most Shocking MTV Awards Moments

7. Michael Jackson Becomes "Artist Of The Millennium"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiV0Y6XjgnI Some award ceremony moments aren't so much "shocking" as they are "toe-curlingly embarrassing for everyone involved", and this is definitely one of those moments. The VMAs in 2002 took place on what happened to be Michael Jackson's 44th birthday, so when he was welcomed to the stage Britney Spears gave a lovely introduction where she described him as her "artist of the millennium". Unfortunately, in a move so cringe-inducingly awkward it is causing us physical pain just writing about it, Michael then arrived onstage and started delivering an acceptance speech for what he thought was an "artist of the millennium" award. It was not. It was a treble clef with a bow tied around it intended to be a birthday present from MTV. "When I was a little boy growing up in Indiana, if someone told me I'd be getting the 'artist of the millennium' award, I wouldn't have believed it", he said. Of course, he'd have been right to not believe it because no such award exists. He wraps up the speech by announcing from nowhere, as only Michael Jackson really could, "David Blaine...your magic is real and I believe in you". Outstanding.