The man, the myth, the legend... Tom Petty (Photo: MTV)
Photo: MTV

The previous year's return to New York felt good, so we decided to stay close to home with the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards, broadcasting live once again from Radio City Music Hall. But when it came to choosing a host, we ditched the trailer park chic of Rosanne Barr for something more learned, picking so-much-smarter-than-you (and us) comedian Dennis Miller to lord over the VMA proceedings.

Using long words we didn't know and delivering rapid-fire jokes we admit we still aren't swift enough to understand, Miller nonetheless made us laugh and kept the evening moving along. Not that we really needed his help, as the '95 VMA show was an action-packed fun fest that equaled no other.

Once again, Michael Jackson opened the VMAs. But instead of laying a really creepy kiss on Lisa Marie Presley, he instead stuck to what we've always loved about MJ: performing. He whipped out a medley of hits "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" and "Black or White." On the first song, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash surprised the crowd when he joined Michael onstage to lay down a few smokin' riffs. Not content with performing a medley of so many hits, Jackson also laid out full versions of "Dangerous" and "You Are Not Alone." Not a bad way to kick off the show.

Michael was also a winner that night, sharing three Moonmen with his sister, Janet Jackson. The superstar sibling pair's "Scream" netted the Best Dance Video, Best Art Direction and Best Choreography awards.

But alt-rock favorites Weezer and R&B supertrio TLC were the biggest winners, each taking home four awards. For Weezer, it was their Happy Days-inspired "Buddy Holly" that took a quartet including Breakthrough Video and Best Alternative Video. On the TLC front, "Waterfalls" was honored with four, including the biggest prizes: Video of the Year and Viewer's Choice.

Seal reiterated the fact that the only good thing about Batman Forever was his "Kiss From a Rose," which took Best Video From a Film. And Hootie & the Blowfish won the Best New Artist Moonman for "Hold My Hand." At that point, college campuses around the U.S. erupted in spontaneous applause because baseball hats and polo shirts were now OFFICIALLY deemed cool.

Hootie were among the night's performers, which included not only the likes of Green Day, R.E.M., Alanis Morissette and Eric Clapton on the Radio City stage, but Bon Jovi rocking out in the middle of Times Square.

But the most outrageous moment of the night wasn't part of the show broadcast. Instead, a "decision-impaired" Courtney Love earned that honor as she interrupted Kurt Loder's VMA post-show interview with Madonna. She first caught their attention by throwing things up onto the MTV News platform outside the venue, and then climbing up to stumble into the conversation. After Madonna tactfully extracted herself from what she wisely sensed was a train wreck about to happen, a shambling Courtney commandeered the conversation, confronted Tabitha Soren about a heretofore unknown slight and fell off a chair.

Once again, the MTV VMAs were pure spectacle and we were riveted.

Click Here to watch videos from the 1995 VMA's

Click Here to for photo highlights from the 1995 VMA's