Television

LOS ANGELES — It took a year, but Britney Spears got the comeback she was seeking from the MTV Video Music Awards — and she didn't even have to sing or dance.

Spears nabbed three VMAs, including video of the year, erasing last year's career-low performance. Her first Moonman trophies came during a 25th anniversary show that otherwise lacked a defining moment, with most of the zaniness coming from host Russel Brand.

"Wow, thank you, I'm in shock right now. I was not expecting this," Spears, looking spectacular in a shimmering silver dress, said as she accepted her third trophy of the evening for "Piece of Me."

Spears kept all three of her acceptance speeches short.

"This is such an honor to have this award right now," she said. "I want to thank my fans, this is dedicated to you."

There was no such honor for Spears last year, when the declining diva — by then known more for her tabloid exploits and erratic behavior — kicked off the Las Vegas telecast. Looking haggard and dazed, Spears bumbled her way through a performance of "Gimme More" that gave new meaning to the phrase "Sin City."

Though Spears didn't perform this time, she still opened the show, giving a blink-and-you-missed-it introduction of Rihanna. Still, just being there was enough for a standing ovation from the star-studded crowd long before she opened her mouth to get things rolling.

Spears did provide a few laughs during a pre-taped comedic segment with Superbad actor Jonah Hill that preceded the live telecast. There were a few more laughs during comedian Brand's opening monologue, but the celeb audience seemed more nervous than amused, as the frenetic Brit took aim at Madonna, the virginity of teen sensations the Jonas Brothers and President Bush, whom he called "a retarded cowboy fellow."

He clearly got under the skin of one celebrity, however, with his jokes about promise rings, which the Jonas Brothers wear to signify their virginity. Another famous promise-ring wearer, Jordin Sparks, said before giving out one award:

"I just wanna say, it's not bad to wear a promise ring because not every guy and a girl wants to be a slut, OK?" she quipped.

Though the VMAs have been defined by zany, wild moments in the past — the Michael and Lisa Marie kiss, the Britney-Madonna kiss, Prince's butt-out jeans just to name a few — there were more head-scratching moments than outrageous ones at the sprawling Paramount Studios lot.

The Jonas Brothers performed a version of their song "Lovebug" that was so genteel one might have thought they were doing a tribute to the Osmonds. But the trio then segued to a rocked-out version of the song in the final moments, as a throng of screaming fans surrounded them on one of the movie's many sets.

Pink gave perhaps the show's most rousing performance, a pyrotechnic-fueled performance of her new song, "So What."

Closing the night was Kanye West who, like Spears, was hoping for a second chance after a disappointing VMA experience last year. In Las Vegas, he had a Kanye-sized hissy fit backstage and vowed never to appear at the VMAs again after he didn't get a Moonman trophy despite several nominations.