We previously surmised that Kanye West's only crime at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards was choosing the wrong award recipient's acceptance speech to crash. But once President Obama involved himself in the saga yesterday, we took a closer look at the VMA events (with the helpful eye of Mario Lopez) and developed a conspiracy theory. For the complete anatomy on how this little MTV stunt wound up in the White House, follow us after the jump.
1. Kanye West Is Seen Drinking From a Bottle of Hennessy on the Red Carpet
After offering swigs to the likes of Pete Wentz, P. Diddy and Joe Jackson, the bottle is emptied. Extra Host/Budding Detective Mario Lopez later claims that the cap was on the entire time, signaling foul play.
2. Kanye West Wrestles Microphone From 'Unassuming Victim' Taylor Swift
Moments after Swift takes the stage to accept her moon man for best female video, "You Belong With Me," Kanye crashes the stage, grabs her microphone mid-acceptance speech and shouts out to Beyoncé, whose "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" should have won.
3. Taylor Swift Reacts With Mock Horror While Fixing Her Hair
The crowd is silent as they try to figure out whether this is another Eminem-esque staged stunt. The audience begins a slow boo.
4. Beyoncé Reacts With Mock Horror
A true professional, she exhibits several emotions while MTV's camera focuses on her: shock, disbelief, smiling disbelief and disapproving head shaking. She does not fix her hair. The boos turn to hisses. Celebrities tweet their disgust with Kanye and undying support for Taylor. The Central and Pacific time zones hear about the event, and tune in that evening, making the event the most watched VMAs in a decade.
5. 24 Hours After Being Escorted Out of the VMAs, Kanye Sits Down During The Jay Leno Show's Premiere
Scheduled to perform with Rihanna and Jay Z (married to Beyoncé), Leno seizes on the VMA event to sit Kanye down and ask him what his mother would have thought about his behavior. Kanye offers an incomprehensible apology. This segment will be remembered as the only thing worth watching on the Leno premiere.
6. Kanye West Performs With Rihanna and Jay-Z
Oh, did you forget that Kanye is busy promoting his new single with Rihanna and Jay-Z, "Run This Town"? Kanye jumps up from his teary confessional and jams out on Leno's stage. Meanwhile, Central and Pacific time zones hear about the apology and tune in for a respectable debut audience of nearly 18 million.
7. Taylor Swift Is Grilled By The Women of The View
Originally slated to only perform, Taylor's stay is extended to a couch interview, where Swift explains what was running through her head during the Kanye stunt. She says that she will forgive him if he were to offer her a formal apology. Hours after the appearance, Taylor Swift confirms that Kanye called and she accepted his apology.
8. Just When We Think That The Kanye-Taylor Saga Is Over, President Obama's Kanye Diss Is Released
The audio was recorded Monday during an off-the-record portion of an CNBC interview. The comment was previously twittered by an ABC correspondent and taken down.
And as if that was not a long enough cycle for this kind of MTV stunt (planned or not), it will likely be a conversation topic when the President visits The Late Show With David Letterman on Monday.