MTV awards agog for Lady Gaga

Flamboyant diva Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" won best video Sunday at the MTV awards, sealing her reputation as the larger-than-life queen of the pop scene.

The Video of the Year gong was one of eight MTV Moonmen for Lady Gaga, 24, who, true to form, changed from elaborate dress to elaborate dress throughout the ceremony in Los Angeles.

"I was so nervous tonight that I'd let my fans down," she said accepting the top award, a tear rolling down her cheek. She then revealed the name of her upcoming album, "Born this way," and sang part of the title song.

"I promised if I won I'd announce the name of my record," she said.

Earlier, Gaga, whose prizes also included Best Pop Video, Best Female Video and Best Collaboration, thanked her fans whom she calls "little monsters."

"Tonight, little monsters, we're the cool kids at the party," she said.

The other big beast at the MTV Video Music Awards was rapper Eminem, who picked up Best Hip Hop Video and Best Male Video and opened the live televised show with a performance of his winning song, "Not Afraid."

Among the male performers, another notable success was teeny bopper sensation Justin Bieber, who won Best New Artist after arriving at the theater pursued by screaming teenage girls.

"This means a lot to my family. I come from a little town in Canada, I never thought I'd be in this position," Bieber said.

No less gripping for music watchers were the appearances of the protagonists in last year's most memorable VMAs moment - when Kanye West shocked viewers by rudely sabotaging country sensation Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech.

Although they didn't meet on stage again, Swift sang what was quickly interpreted as an acceptance of Kanye's repeated apologies.

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"You're still an innocent. Thirty two and still growing up now. Who you are is not what you did," she sang in the gentle song.

Although comedian Chelsea Handler urged the audience to behave badly - going as far to call on tongues to be "shoved somewhere where they're not supposed to be" - the show passed off without disruptions.

MTV now plays relatively few music videos, having relegated the genre behind the more lucrative reality shows such as "Jersey Shore," whose cast turned up on stage in their trademark Jacuzzi.