2013 MTV Video Music Awards

SZA's runaway success following her "SOS" album last year wasn't enough for the MTV VMAs committee to nominate her for Artist of the Year ... a move Top Dawg Entertainment deemed disrespectful enough to yank her from the show.

Terrence 'Punch' Henderson told THR on Friday, he repeatedly attempted to get clarity as to why her album's 10-week run at No. 1 didn't earn her even a nomination alongside Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Shakira, Karol G and Taylor Swift.

SZA was nominated for other awards, and was scheduled to perform, but as Punch put it ... "Why go perform and do this if she’s not going to be respected to the highest level?"

He says that's why he effectively terminated all things VMAs for SZA this year. As far as who's really beefing ... Punch says it's all him, not SZA, harboring the animosity. He says it's not in SZA's character to hold this kinda grudge.

MTV is boasting its highest-ever VMA impressions on social media, evidence they did something right with the viewing audience -- but it wasn't good enough to get SZA onstage that night.

Taylor Swift no sólo se llevó el gran premio de los VMAs, también fue muy popular en internet gracias a varios momentos virales durante la noche. Desde darlo todo en la pista de baile hasta destrozar anillos caros.

La cara de la cantante de "Anti-Hero" estaba en todas las redes sociales el martes durante la ceremonia en Nueva Jersey, con sus movimientos de baile como uno de los aspectos más destacados.

Taylor estaba de pie durante la interpretanción de "Bongos", de Cardi B y Megan Thee Stallion". En un algún momento le bloqueó la vista a Ice Spice, pero Taylor estaba sintiendo la música en sus venas. También movió el cuerpo al ritmo de "A Milli" de Lil Wayne, ¡incluso rapeando!

Taylor también tuvo un momento divertido en el que parecía luchar por sacar una bebida del portavasos de su asiento. No está claro si el problema era ella, la bebida o el propio portavasos

Taylor Swift se aseguró de proporcionar un poco de angustia también, ya que rompió un anillo de $12k que llevaba al show.

Como sabéis, Taylor se llevó a casa 9 premios en los VMAs, incluyendo Show del Verano, Vídeo del Año y Artista del Año.

Jared Leto shouldn't have gotten so upset when MTV decided to give him his "Best Rock Video" VMA award BEFORE the big show ... because the awards "don't f**king mean s**t," so says Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

In case you missed it, Leto told the Huffington Post he felt dissed by the pre-award ... saying, "Rock deserves a place there."

But Hawkins thinks Leto just needs to get over it ... telling TMZ, "Who cares? Those awards are nice but they don't f**king mean s**t."

Now THAT'S rock 'n' roll.

There are two reasons to watch this video of rapper A$AP Rocky ...

1) He addresses the confrontation between himself and a security guard behind the scenes at the MTV VMAs.

2) He's SOOOOO HIGH!!!!!!

As for the VMAs conflict ... our friends at Bossip obtained video of Rocky chewing out a security guard ... but his girlfriend Chanel Iman stepped in and pulled Rocky away. It's unclear what Rocky was so upset about, but it's clear he was pissed.

Rocky tells TMZ he's not a troublemaker ... he's a peacemaker ... and blows off the altercation as no big deal.

Now, someone get that man some Funyuns, STAT!!!

Justin Timberlake has given his official STAMP OF APPROVAL to Miley Cyrus and her crotch-thrusting, bear-grinding twerkfest at the MTV VMAs ... saying, "It's not like she did it at the Grammys."

Justin appeared on 102.7 in NYC this morning and told Jim Douglas -- "I like Miley ... I like Miley a lot."

"I think she's young. She's letting everybody know she's growing up."

Now, a rep for the Teddy Bear Fund -- an org. dedicated to giving out stuffed animals at abuse shelters -- tells TMZ, "Miley made a poor choice to use a universally loved children's teddy bear in an offensive way."

"There is always good art and bad art -- unfortunately ... this was bad art," the rep adds.

"Hopefully she might consider reversing this situation by giving lots of teddy bears to children in need of comfort."

We tried to find a rep for a foam finger organization -- but apparently, that's not really a thing ... yet.

Joey Fatone tells TMZ ... Kevin Hart was probably right -- there's a decent chance he DID let one rip during the *NSYNC reunion at the MTV VMAs.

Fatone arrived back to L.A. yesterday -- where we immediately grilled him for LYING TO OUR FACES in the days before the show ... when he told us he wasn't in NYC for a surprise performance.

Of course, Fatone insisted he wasn't lying -- that he really was in NYC for a birthday party and not for the VMAs ... but c'mon man!!!!! (Your pal Chris already admitted the plan was in motion a couple of weeks ago. Busted!!!).

But back to the mystery fart ... Joey says if he did blast one during the VMAs (as Kevin joked in the moments following the performance) Fatone says there's a reason the comic would know ... and it all has to do with Kevin's height (5'4").

Check out the clip.

Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga went cheek-to-cheek in a heated category at the VMAs: Most Likely to Give Censors a Heart Attack!

Congrats, Miley ... on grinding your way to the top -- of a teddy bear, and Robin Thicke! Twerk twerk twerk twerk twerk ...

Chris Kirkpatrick is tearin' up the hearts of girls in their 20's (and 30's (and 40's (and 50's))) across the country -- after announcing on the radio this morning that last night's *NSYNC reunion won't happen EVER AGAIN!!

Chris went on the Miami radio show "Johnny's House" early Monday morning to discuss last night's not-really-a-surprise SURPRISE performance ... and dropped all the details about how the whole thing came together.

Chris says he got a call from Justin Timberlake a few weeks ago out of the blue ... who asked if he was available to perform at the VMAs. Chris' response -- a resounding HELL YES (duh).

The guys headed down to Miami to rehearse and that's where Chris says Justin dropped two bombshells: He didn't tell MTV about his top secret plans and yes, dancing would be involved.

The interviewer then asked about rumors of a possible reunion tour -- but sadly CK shot them down saying the reunion was a one time thing to support JT.

Sorry Chris. And Joey. And Lance. And you too J.C.

Robin Thicke ain't exactly in the dog house with his wife after allowing Miley Cyrus to dry hump him in front of millions of people at the MTV VMAs ... in fact, she couldn't be cooler about it.

Sources close to Robin's wife Paula Patton tell us she was all good with Miley touching Robin's crotch and kissing his neck during MTV's Video Music Awards ... despite reports that she went ballistic following the performance.

We're told Paula knew the performance wasn't gonna be G-Rated because there were "tons of rehearsals" before the show ... and there were no surprises during the performance.

Plus, she already let him kick it with all those naked hot chicks in the "Blurred Lines" video ... so you know she's got the stomach to watch her hubby in a super-sexually charged situation with another woman.

Robin -- you're a lucky man.

Didn't get a good view of Lady Gaga's incredibly hot thong outfit at the MTV VMAs last night? Well you're in luck ... here's a 30-second unobstructed view of Gaga's glorious ass while she flirted with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

We have no idea what JGL is saying, but we'd be grinning too if we were standing next to Gaga's pretty-much-naked body. She even does a flirty twirl for the actor before giving him a hug and going back to her seat.

You're welcome.

Taylor Swift doesn't just write breakup songs about her ex-boyfriends ... she talks SMACK about them during award shows ... and last night, she got caught. On camera.

It happened when One Direction took the stage to present a Moon Man at the MTV VMAs for Best Pop Video.

FYI -- Taylor used to date Harry Styles (they broke up in January) ... but apparently, she's still harboring some resentment -- 'cause as the band rambled on, the camera cut to Swift ... who leaned over to Selena Gomez and mouthed the words, "SHUT. THE. F**K. UP."

There are people out there who swear Taylor wasn't cussing -- that she was saying the words, "Sorry for my arm."

Those people are stupid.

Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus gyrated, thrusted and she-humped the hell out of the backup dancers at the MTV VMAs last night.

Question is ...

It happened ... *NSYNC JUST PERFORMED ON STAGE ... but if you blinked you might have missed it.

Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, J.C. Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone performed together at the VMAs for the first time since 2003 ... singing a tiny bit of "Bye, Bye, Bye" during JT's giant solo number.

Then they too went bye, bye, bye. So we gotta ask ...

Selena Gomez walked the red carpet at the MTV VMAs moments ago ... sadly half her dress got lost on the way over.

No one bothered to look for it.