2007 MTV Video Music Awards

Britney's comeback wasn't pretty, and that just kicked things off. Music critic Josh Tyrangiel sat through every excruciating moment and grades all the performing acts

Chris Brown / Rihanna

Artists Rihanna and Chris Brown perform at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas, September 9, 2007

Robert Galbraith / Reuters
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Wall to Wall/Umbrella/Beat It Medley-ish

Chris Brown didn't appear to be singing either, but at least his dancing was energetic. Emerging from a vaudeville theater diorama in a Charlie Chaplin 'stache and bowler, he bounced around the stage's lit-up pillars like Q-Bert. For a moment, the performance seemed to be building to a crescendo, but then Rihanna (who later won Video of the Year) came out and sang a wisp of a chorus from Umbrella before disappearing so Brown could dance around to the opening of Beat It. This performance brought to you by Mad Libs.

by Josh Tyrangiel

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