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LOS ANGELES (Sept. 7) - No Madonna kiss. No Michael Jackson cameo. Noflying Howard Stern. Not even a Kanye tantrum. MTV has set a highstandard for the unexpected at its Video Music Awards, but on theshow's 25th anniversary, the network instead settled for throwingits full support behind Britney Spears' comeback. Spears won aleading three awards, including video of the year for "Piece ofMe."

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VMA Show Photos

Singer Christina Aguilera on stage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California..2008 MTV Video Music Awards - Show.Paramount Pictures Studio Lot.Los Angeles, CA United States.September 7, 2008.Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (55664600), contact FilmMagic.com

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Singer Ciara and Actress Lindsay Lohan on stage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California..2008 MTV Video Music Awards - Show.Paramount Pictures Studio Lot.Los Angeles, CA United States.September 7, 2008.Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (55667845), contact FilmMagic.com

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Musician Nick Jonas on stage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California..2008 MTV Video Music Awards - Show.Paramount Pictures Studio Lot.Los Angeles, CA United States.September 7, 2008.Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (55667797), contact FilmMagic.com

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Musician Joe Jonas on stage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California..2008 MTV Video Music Awards - Show.Paramount Pictures Studio Lot.Los Angeles, CA United States.September 7, 2008.Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (55667795), contact FilmMagic.com

WireImage.com

Musicians The Jonas Brothers on stage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California..2008 MTV Video Music Awards - Show.Paramount Pictures Studio Lot.Los Angeles, CA United States.September 7, 2008.Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (55667602), contact FilmMagic.com

WireImage.com

Presenters Shia LaBeouf and Slash on stage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California..2008 MTV Video Music Awards - Show.Paramount Pictures Studios.Los Angeles, CA United States.September 7, 2008.Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage.com..To license this image (55667245), contact WireImage.com

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Any spontaneity was left to host Russell Brand, the Britishcomic whose rock star style and outlandish candor gave the LosAngeles show a pulse. But at the end of the night Sunday, even themanic and mangy Brand - a confessed former sex addict - could onlysummon a comic semi-feud with the young Jonas Brothers over theirpremarital celibacy.

But while Brand was unpredictable, witty and offensive, Spearswas resolutely careful, determined to set right her pop star image.She was, after all, returning to the scene of the crime, so tospeak. At last year's VMAs - Britney Comeback 1.0 - her unpolishedperformance was roundly disparaged.

In each acceptance speech Sunday, Spears spoke briefly, thankedGod and dedicated the awards to her fans. Even while opening theshow, she was all business, zipping through her few lines ofintroduction.

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"Thank you so much," she said flatly as the crowd greeted herwith a standing ovation. "Thank you for all the love."

MTV has a habit of reengineering the VMAs every year, and, trueto form, took this year's show to the Paramount Studios lot in LosAngeles. After last year's awards, splashed throughout a Las Vegashotel, MTV re-centered the action to a more traditional main stage.

The performances, though, often traveled back into the reachesof the Paramount lot. The Jonas Brothers played their song"Lovebug" on a fake building's stoop, before the set fell awayand throngs of screaming fans ran down fictional city streets tosurround them.

Unwittingly, the Jonas Brothers - one of the hottest young actsto the MTV audience - became the night's biggest talking point.Brand repeatedly joked about their purity rings, which each wearsas a symbol of their vow not to have premarital sex. At one point,Brand brandished one as if he had won it from a Jonas brother.

"American Idol" champ - and fellow promise ring wearer -Jordin Sparks defended the brothers while presenting an award: "Ijust wanna say, it's not bad to wear a promise ring because notevery guy and a girl wants to be a slut, OK?"

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<a href="http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/" target="_blank">VMA08 Britney Spears Wins Video Of The Year</a>

VMA08 Britney Spears Wins Video Of The Year

Brand was happy to apologize for any hurt feelings, but only tosuch a degree. After the show, he told The Associated Press, "Ifeel a bit bad that I kept talking about their vows to chastity andI'd like to take this opportunity to say no one ever have sexagain. It's a mad idea. What a way to spend an evening."

A celebrity in England but relatively unknown in the States,Brand proved an interesting mix with the VMA crowd, who seemedunsure of how to react to his lack of political correctness. In hisopening monologue, he joked about Madonna, virgins and PresidentBush, whom he called "that retarded cowboy fellow."

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Britney in Action

Britney, meet Jonas Brothers. Jonas Brothers, meet Britney.

Kevin Mazur, WireImage

Why so glum, Britney? After all, you just won all those video music awards.

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Former best-friends-for-one-month Paris Hilton and Britney unite again at the MTV VMAs.

Chris Polk, FilmMagic

Britney and VMA host Russell Brand MTV Video on September 7, 2008.

Chris Polk, FilmMagic

Days after the MTV Awards, Britney dines at Magnolia in Los Angeles.

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Britney poses with the Best Female Video Award, Best Pop Award and Video of the Year Award for "Piece of Me" in the press room at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.

Dave Hogan, Getty Images

Britney Spears does a promo with Russell Brand for the MTV Video Music Awards.

Britney Spears and friends at a pool in Las Vegas on Sept 1, 2008.

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Britney Spears and friends at a pool in Las Vegas on Sept 1, 2008.

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Britney Spears and friends at a pool in Las Vegas on Sept 1, 2008.

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He pleaded, "Please, America, elect Barack Obama. On behalf ofthe world." Some in the star-studded crowd cheered, while others -like Spears - sat quietly.

The rest of the evening was mostly given to performances, manyof which paired performers in unusual combinations. The prim andproper Leona Lewis joined Lil' Wayne, who later joined Kid Rock.Lil' Wayne took home the best hip hop video for "Lollipop."

T.I., who is currently serving 1,000 hours of community serviceand will afterward serve a year in prison for federal weaponscharges, performed with Rihanna.

Closing the night was Kanye West who, like Spears, was hopingfor a second chance after a disappointing VMA experience last year.In Las Vegas, he had a Kanye-sized hissy fit backstage and vowednever to appear at the VMAs again after he didn't get a Moonmantrophy despite several nominations.

West again went home without an award this year; there were onlyeight awards in total. Videos from Chris Brown ("With You"),Linkin Park ("Shadow of the Day") and the Pussycat Dolls ("WhenI Grow Up") took home awards for best male video, best rock videoand best dancing in a video, respectively.

Best new artist went to Tokio Hotel, while Spears' "Piece ofMe" won for best female video, best pop video and video of theyear.

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More VMAs on PopEater

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