The FINANCIAL -- Even by the standards of the anything-goes MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West's hijacking of country-pop sweetheart Taylor Swift's speech at the Sunday night ceremony was particularly brutal. MTV said West, who was spotted earlier on the red carpet drinking alcohol, was ejected from an awards show already known for its circus-like atmosphere.

The pre-show buzz had focused on the highly anticipated tribute to the late Michael Jackson, but West's disruption stole the spotlight, CNN gives information. A giddy Swift was in the midst of her acceptance speech for Best Female Video when the often-mercurial West rushed onstage, grabbed her microphone and let loose an outburst on behalf of singer Beyonce Knowles, who had lost out in that category.

"I am really happy for you," West said. "But Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time." West apologized on his website, as Reuters reported. "I'm sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom," he wrote. "... I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!"

Cameras cut to Beyonce, who sat in the audience with jaw dropped in disbelief. Meantime, Taylor was literally speechless as Kanye gave her the microphone back and marched off stage. The audience booed, according to Los Angeles Times. Feeling the awkwardness of the lingering moment, MTV VMA producers cut to a taped video clip of "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan and rapper Eminem while Taylor tried to continue her acceptance speech — but couldn't be heard. Her mike was cut off. Giving up, she strolled off stage.

During a commercial break, the hip-hop performer Wale, who was leading the house band at the Video Music Awards, tried to quell the crowd, The New York Times gives information. Addressing the audience, he cracked a joke about Serena Williams, saying that her match-ending tantrum at the United States Open on Saturday was the result of “roid rage.” Returning to the subject of West, Wale said, “You can’t fault a man for speaking his mind,” and he was roundly booed.

The same source informed that West remained the evening’s villain in absentia, and each mention of his name was jeered for all the subsequent categories in which he was nominated.

But audiences who stayed tuned until the end of the broadcast were treated to a touching bookend: Knowles, the night's top winner, invited Swift onstage and gave the teen singer her moment in the spotlight, as CNN reported. "I remember being 17 years old, up for my first MTV award with Destiny's Child, and it was one of the most exciting moments of my life," Knowles said, referring to the girl group with which she had her start. "So I would like for Taylor to come out and have her moment."

Speaking to reporters later, Swift was understated about her take on the disruption, according to the same source. "I was excited to be onstage because I just won the award. And then I was excited that Kanye West was onstage. Then, I wasn't excited anymore," she said.

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