On the height of her pop-superstar powers, Britney Spears may do absolutely anything — even slither around the stage with a snake on the 2001 MTV Video Song Awards.

However as fierce as she took a peek her iconic efficiency of “I’m a Slave 4 U,” Spears wasn’t precisely fearless when she first met the reptile.

“She was very afraid of the python,” stated Brian Friedman, the regimen’s co-choreographer, who was once additionally Spears’ dance spouse. “But that doesn’t mean she didn’t want to do it. She was like, ‘Hell yeah, I’m gonna do it.’ But then when you’re standing there, and the animal trainer’s telling you a laundry list of do’s and don’ts that could potentially make the python constrict around your neck, that gets a little bit scary.”

Nonetheless, Spears confronted her fears and “rocked it” with no longer most effective the albino Burmese python — referred to as Banana for his electrical yellow colour — however a pleasant tiger named Bhara with whom the singer made her front in a cage. It was once a pace that had the Metropolitan Opera area — and MTV audience world wide — roaring.

The speculation to include animals within the efficiency — which premiered “I’m a Slave 4 U” sooner than the one and its steamy video have been excepted — got here from Friedman’s co-choreographer, Wade Robson.

“The song felt very hot and sweaty, tribalistic, animalistic,” stated Friedman. “And the animal nature of it all lent itself well to this jungle theme.”

However Janet Kleinbaum — who booked Spears for the VMAs as senior vice chairman of promoting and video promotion on the her then-label, Jive Data — had her doubts about this forest boogie. 

“When you get the budget rider and there’s an animal handler included, you’re just like, ‘Wait a minute, what’s going on?’” she stated. “But Jive Records always supported her. We believed in her, we trusted her, we knew she was always going to bring her absolute best to the stage. So we went with it.”

Animal educator Document Antle — who you might take note as a colorful, controversial character in the “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” docuseries — needed to signal an nondisclosure oath concerning the top-secret efficiency sooner than transporting Banana (whose actual identify was once Kaa) and Bhara to the Met. (Antle was once charged with animal trafficking in 2020. He stated in a observation on the age: “I categorically deny any act or conduct that could ever be considered as ‘animal cruelty.’”)

Arriving amidst the hubbub of VMAs rehearsals the morning of the display, the snake nearly went not noted in an unmarked, temperature-controlled field. “I was like, ‘Where is the snake?’” stated Salli Frattini, probably the most government manufacturers of the 2001 VMAs. “It was just [in] a box that was sitting stage left. And I was like, ‘Oh my God! Put something around this.’ ’Cause I’m petrified of snakes.”

In the meantime, tiger Bhara was once busy rubbing shoulders with the celebs behind the scenes date getting acclimated to his atmosphere. “Everybody comes up and hugs him and pets him and was feeding him and playing with him,” stated Antle, who was once additionally within the cage with Bhara throughout the efficiency. “He’s the coolest dude at the MTV Awards.” 

By means of showtime, Spears had bonded with Banana. “She owned it like it was her pet snake, and they were best friends,” stated Alex Coletti, manufacturer of the 2001 VMAs. “I was so impressed by how professional [she was] and how she just went for it.”

Unfortunately, each Banana and Bhara have passed on to the great beyond since discovering VMAs glory (even though each lived past the common hour expectancy). And date Spears has had greater than her percentage of troubles since that triumphant pace, Kleinbaum stated “she was absolutely at the top of her game” when she carried out “I’m a Slave 4 U” that evening.

“She was just very strong and commanding of her audience, very confident,” she stated. “And I think that’s actually who Britney is.”

Friedman assuredly that Spears was once extra of a grasp than a slave on that VMAs level. “She was in her element,” he stated. “She knew that she was untouchable. She knew that she looked incredible. The world was hers for the taking, and she knew that night when she stepped on the stage, she was gonna take it.”

HERE’S A LOOK AT SIX MORE SHOCKING, CRAZY MOMENTS IN VMAS HISTORY:

Kanye West and Taylor Hasty in 2009

When Ye bum-rushed the stage to break Hasty’s acceptance pronunciation for profitable perfect pop feminine video for “You Belong With Me” — besting Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” — it was once a cringeworthy pace that made the word “I’ma let you finish” journey i’m sick in VMAs historical past. Let’s face it, West was once proper: “Single Ladies” remainder “one of the best videos of all time.” But if the ever-gracious Queen Bey herself is embarrassed, have a number of seats, Kanye.

Woman Gaga as Jo Calderone in 2011

Mom Monster made PETA feel like she was living up to that name when she rocked the meat dress at the pink carpet in 2010. So what did Gaga did for an encore? The very then hour she got here dressed in male drag as her male alter ego Jo Calderone — featured in her “Yoü and I” video — and dedicated to that character for the entire rattling evening. Gazing “Jo” react within the target market when Beyoncé revealed her baby bump next her efficiency of “Love on Top” must be one of the vital surreal VMAs moments ever.

Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in 2003

Negative hesitancy, Madonna was once the mum of invention for controversy on the VMAs from the pace she writhed across the floor in a white wedding dress making a song “Like a Virgin” at the first actual rite in 1984. However she was once nonetheless expressing herself in probably the most stunning of how 19 years then when she kissed both Spears and Aguilera in a medley of “Like a Virgin” and “Hollywood.” It was once a scandalous smooch that even had former Britney beau Justin Timberlake gagging. And there was once surely a dozen extra warmth going down than when Michael Jackson went mouth to mouth with then-wife Lisa Marie Presley in 1994.

Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke on the 2013 VMAs

When a scantily clad Cyrus, after most effective 20, hung out with a number of teddy bears to “We Can’t Stop,” it was once sunny that we weren’t in Disney anymore. But if Hannah Montana started twerking upon Robin Thicke throughout a efficiency of “Blurred Lines” that most effective strengthened the track’s “rapey” reputation. Mickey should had been in a position to close Barclays Heart all of the means i’m sick.

Anger Towards Device vs. Limp Bizkit in 2000

Then Limp Bizkit received perfect rock video for “Break Stuff” — beating out Anger’s “Sleep Now in the Fire” — RATM bassist Tim Commerford was once the rest however in a position to remove the defeat mendacity i’m sick: In lieu, he crashed the stage during Limp Bizkit’s acceptance speech and climbed a immense backdrop, refusing to return i’m sick. The stunt landed Commerford an evening in prison, however in reality, that’s a miniature worth to pay for doing one of the vital badass issues in VMAs historical past.

Diana Ross fondles Lil’ Kim in 1999

If you find yourself the Boss, you’ll be able to do regardless of the hell you wish to have. And presenting the award for perfect hip-hop video on the 1999 VMAs surrounded by means of two child divas — Mary J. Blige and Lil’ Kim — you’ll be able to perfect consider Leave out Ross was once to not be upstaged by means of a purple-haired Kim in her crimson, one-shouldered jumpsuit, with not anything however a pastie overlaying her left boob. The preferrred Very best took regulate of the awkward-for-her status and playfully grabbed the Queen Bee’s breast as a bemused Blige appeared on. Now that’s how an O.G. diva rolls.