Eminem Collects Top Honors at MTV Video Music Awards

NEW YORK —  Rapper Eminem performed “The Real Slim Shady” while walking into Radio City Music Hall with an army of look-alikes Thursday, then walked out with the top honors at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Along the way, pop music’s annual wild party lived up to its reputation with a high-altitude stage-crasher and profane jokes that tested the censor’s trigger finger.

Eminem’s signature song was named video of the year and best male video. He rapped it while walking in off Sixth Avenue, where earlier in the evening a gay rights group protested his violent lyrics.

“I’m going to take this home and put it right between my Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera posters,” he said while toting his trophy, mentioning the two teen singers he has ridiculed in song.

Another Eminem nemesis, the pop band ‘N Sync, took home three trophies, including best pop video and viewers’ choice for its marionette clip, “Bye Bye Bye.”

Slinky soul star Aaliyah, rock veterans the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Macy Gray and Bjork each won two awards. Eminem shared a third award with mentor Dr. Dre.

While Limp Bizkit accepted the award for best rock video, a long-haired gate-crasher appeared sitting atop a stage prop about 10 feet above them. The audience chanted “jump, jump” as security guards tried to get him down.

MTV later identified him as Timmy C, bass player for the rock band Rage Against the Machine. He was dragged out of Radio City Music Hall by police, handcuffed and arrested on a trespassing charge, according to the New York police.

Hosts Shawn and Marlon Wayans had several profanities bleeped out by sensitive censors.

It was typical for the annual awards ceremony, where making a dramatic impression is more important than taking home an award.

One of the best jokes was unspoken: Napster founder Shawn Fanning appeared on stage in a Metallica T-shirt. The heavy metal band is leading the fight to stop Fanning’s Internet song-sharing service.