Older generations vividly recall the exact moment when they first saw Elvis twitch his pelvis on TV or when the Beatles first performed on Ed Sullivan. But for children of the ’80s, one of the most defining televised music moments was when Madonna kicked off the inaugural VMAs. And it wasn’t even planned. “I lost [my shoe] and I thought, ‘Oh my God, how am I going to get that? It’s over there and I’m on TV.’ So I thought, ‘Well, I’ll pretend I meant to do this,’ and I dove onto the floor. And I rolled around and I reached for the shoe, and as I reached for the shoe, the dress went up, and then the underpants were showing. And I didn’t mean to,” Madonna told Jay Leno years later. And thus, VMAs history was made. (Source: Getty Images)
Let’s be real: When it comes to the MTV Video Music Awards, it’s never about who wins or loses. Everyone has long forgotten that the Cars’ “You Might Think” took top honors at the first VMAs ceremony 34 years ago, but no one will ever forget Madonna’s career-making performance that opened that famous telecast. What are the craziest incidents in VMA history? Review them here and decide for yourself.
