Miley Cyrus gets intimate with Robin Thicke as they perform “Blurred Lines.” (REUTERS)
Lady Gaga strips down to a bikni during her song “Applause” to open the VMAs. (WireImage for MTV)
Katy Perry shows her tougher side during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. (Getty Images for MTV)
Taylor Swift reacts as she listens to members of the band One Direction accept the award for song of the summer for “Best Song Ever” during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)
THEY’RE BACK! The no-longer boy band ’N Sync, including Justin Timberlake (center), reunites at the Barclays Center last night after days of rumors and denials. (WireImage for MTV)
Taylor Swift (Ryan/WENN.com)
Katy Perry (Getty Images for MTV)
THEY’RE BACK! The no-longer boy band ’N Sync, including Justin Timberlake (center), reunites at the Barclays Center last night after days of rumors and denials. (WireImage for MTV)
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Boy band ’N Sync staged its much-hyped reunion — but Miley Cyrus’ super-freaky performance stole the show at the MTV Video Music Awards in Brooklyn last night.
Pop star Justin Timberlake, who took home the Video of the Year and Video Vanguard awards, brought his 90’s group onstage at the annual music and pop-culture extravaganza at Barclays Center.
’N Sync brought the crowd to its feet as the band performed its classic hits “Bye Bye Bye” and “Girlfriend.”
But the audience really went nuts when the former “Hannah Montana” diva delivered her eye-popping performance.
Shedding her clothes for a lewd match-up with pop sensation Robin Thicke, the pixie-haired Cyrus grinded her booty against the older star as he sung his hit pop single “Blurred Lines.”
She wore a very wide grin — and not much else.
“Miley Cyrus makes me uncomfortable,” tweeted radio host Bobby Bones. “Like Chris Hansen [of TV’s ‘To Catch a Predator’] is about to bust through my door.”
PHOTOS: MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS
Now an elder statesmen of the MTV generation, Timberlake won the top honor of the night for his song “Mirrors,” in addition to the Vanguard Award.
“Half of the Moonmen I’ve ever won, I won with those four guys right there,” Timberlake said pointing at his former bandmates while holding the Vanguard VMA trophy sculpted into the shape of an astronaut. “So above all else, I’m going to share this — we can keep it my house, but I’m going to share this award with them.”
The only multi-award winners of the night were breakout hip-hop artist Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis, who walked away with two awards: one for Best Rap Video for “Can’t Hold Us’’ and another for Best Video with a Social Message for “Same Love.”
In an awkward introduction to the performance of Macklemore’s same-sex anthem, MTV paired openly gay NBA basketball player Jason Collins with a nonplussed ASAP Rocky.
Taylor Swift managed to bring her boy troubles to the ceremony once again — appearing to mouth “shut the f–k up” when former beau Harry Styles from One Direction was onstage.
The perennially heartbroken Swift won the Best Female Video award for her song “I Knew You Were Trouble” — and even praised the troublemaker.
“I also want to thank the person who inspired this song, who knows exactly who he is, because I got one of these,” Swift said. “Thank you so much!”
Katy Perry used the iconic Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop to perform her single “Roar,” as she bounced around a boxing ring in the park below.
Pink grabbed the Best Collaboration Moonman for “Just Give Me a Reason’’ with Nate Ruess.
The house lights were turned off when Kanye West dipped into his controversial album “Yeezus” with the song “Blood on the Leaves,” which samples Nina Simone.
Thirty Seconds to Mars scored Best Rock Video for “Up in the Air.”
Additional reporting by Joe Tacopino