MTV

Ladies ruled at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards: Beyonce’s pregnancy announcement was the big news of the night, Lady Gaga opened the show in style (and in drag) and Katy Perry took home top honors, winning Video of the Year for ‘Firework.’

The stars turned out on the red carpet — or should we say black carpet? — for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. Celebs included Justin Bieber, who rocked a pair of scholarly specs, and Jessie J, who rocked a pair of bedazzled crutches and a cast (the singer sprained her foot at a recent live show).

The MTV Video Music Awards, which air live on Sunday, will be missing an important part of the traditional award show experience: a host.

Stars are paid by designers all the time to endorse and wear certain clothes. But this may be the first time we’ve heard of someone being paid not to a brand’s apparel. Seems retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is no fan of ‘Jersey Shore,’ and even less a fan of Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino — so much so that they’ve offered him cold hard cash to stop wearing their clothes on camera.

Every year the MTV VMAs always have spectacular performances, crazy outfits and of course our favorite singers, but this year, the ceremony is adding some spice by adding a new category: Best Video With a Message. According to MTV, it “celebrates the union between music and social activism, and highlights artists who created music videos that made us think about the world around us.”

She’s already earned seven American Music Awards, six CMT Music Awards, four Grammys, and an MTV VMA — but soon, Taylor Swift will have to make room on her crowded mantel for another honor. Swift is this year’s Ultimate Choice winner at the Teen Choice Awards, held Sunday, August 7. The award, presented for “extraordinary contributions to the entertainment industry,” has previously gone to Britney