mtv video music

In this Sept. 13, 2009 file photo, singer Kanye West takes the microphone from singer Taylor Swift as she accepts the "Best Female Video" award during the MTV Video Music Awards in New York.

Round two goes to Taylor Swift. The chart-topping teenage pop star got revenge on Kanye West in a big way during her "Saturday Night Live" debut, poking nationally televised fun at the rapper who stormed the stage during Swift's MTV Video Music Awards acceptance speech.

*There was no threat of acceptance speech hijacking at the 4th Annual BET Hip Hop Awards, as nine-time nominee Kanye West decided not to show up for the ceremony.

The rapper, who infamously interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, had been expected to attend Saturday evening's taping at the Atlanta Civic Center, but instead opted to skip the entire outing altogether.

*Rapper Jay-Z is sticking up for his boy Kanye West amid the firestorm of criticism that has followed the latter's behavior at last Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.

West jumped on stage during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech, grabbed the teen's microphone and said her award for best female video should have gone to Jay-Z's wife, Beyonce.

*Country superstar Tim McGraw has joined the national conversation surrounding Kanye West and his actions at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The singer, who was the subject of Swift's first hit single called "Tim McGraw," said the rapper's disruption of her acceptance speech Sunday upset his daughters Gracie, 12, Maggie, 11, and Audrey, 7.

"He shows himself to be an idiot every time he does stuff like that," the artist told CMT Insider.

"[My girls] were upset. But what he did do is provide a great example of how not to be, and my girls learned a big lesson."

Former President Jimmy Carter took a swipe at rapper Kanye West's behavior at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, saying it was "completely uncalled for" and his punishment was to appear on the new Jay Leno show."

*ABC News has explained how it managed to get hold of President Obama's candid comment about Kanye West while he was doing an interview with another network, and TMZ.com got hold of - and posted - full audio of the exchange.

[Scroll down to listen.]

The network said some of its employees overheard a conversation between the president and CNBC's John Harwood and didn't realize it was considered off the record, according to the Associated Press.

Kanye West called Taylor Swift with a "very sincere" apology Tuesday for interrupting her acceptance speech at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, Swift said.

Jay Leno inaugurated his new 10 PM show on Monday night, and started things off with a blockbuster guest, Kanye West.

Normally, a three minute stint wouldn't be a big deal, but after Kanye's flame-out with Taylor Swift on the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), managing getting him to apologize on the air is a big coup.

Kanye West appeared to blame the pain of his mother's death two years ago for his "rude" behavior at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.