VMA Rank of facts

1. Katy Perry, who won Video of the Year and the collaboration Moonman, donned yet another outfit for the backstage pressroom -- a sparkle-laden black and white outfit with a 45 rpm single motif. She was, by far, the most eloquent of the all the award winners who made their way backstage, complimenting fellow nominees such as Adele and her husband Russell Brand. "Firework," she said, was the right song to win video of the year. "We all know 'California Girls' is not going to change the world. 'Firework' is a movement. You can always sing about clubs and bitches and ho's, it takes a little more to sing 'Firework.' " Currently concentrating on her tour, which she said has been a grueling year, Perry noted that "I don't want to feel like I've peaked -- I have too many outfits to go through." That comment led to follow up about her fashion sense. "I am OK with self deprecation. I'm all right with being laughed at, being laughed with, and laughing."

2. The quietest moment in the backstage press area preceded the arrival of Britney Spears. She mouthed the word "wow" as she walked up the platform for the photogs and struck poses in three positions, indicated to her handler she was finished and then left the room. All in 20 seconds.

3. An annoyed Stephanie Germanotta continued to play the role of Jo Calderone when she stepped backstage to greet photographers and the media after her performance and two wins. Refusing to acknowledge her Lady Gaga persona, she - or he -- contended that New Jersey was home, the family came from Palermo, Sicily and that Joe was "just a guy" and in no way a Guido. Joe explained his presence thusly: "She's just really fucking pissed at me. She said 'if you clearly love me, get in that spotlight.' So I did." Tough guy to the end, as she left the press area, she flipped off the photographers.

4. While Gaga has Jo, Nicki Minaj has Roman. The hip-hop video winner said her new album will have "a lot of Roman, a boy that lives inside of me. He's gay." She did not want to give out more details, only saying her fans will be pleased.

5. Eight members of Odd Future accompanied Tyler, the Creator -- who insisted on looking like he was about to cry while holding his Moonman -- in the press room. "This is awkward," he said, spewing f-bombs in every comment. Standing in one shoe and one sock, his limp onstage was the result of him falling offstage "into Kanye's arms." And while he acknowledged that Bruno Mars gave a good performance, he stuck to his guns in the assessment he gave during the pre-show. "I hate that dude's music." He was not that fond of the press corps either: as he left, he directed his final comment to the people documenting his night. Lowering the microphone to the floor, he proffered a final single thought of "assholes."

6. Comedian Kevin Hart, who opened the show and appeared in several vignettes, said he was initially only scheduled to present the new artist award and that all of the appearances came together at the last minute. "Technically, they bullied me into hosting without paying me," he joked backstage as the show was approaching its conclusion. "I'm good friends with the network ... and I'm just thankful for the opportunity."

7. Sexual tension being a common theme at the VMAs, we asked Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice if she were offered the opportunity to redux the Madonna/Britney Spears/Christina Aguilera "Like a Virgin" performance -- and kiss Madonna -- would she? She demurred that as an 18-year old -- and a Nickelodeon star -- it probably wouldn't be in the cards for her.

8. Ne-Yo joked that his glittery orange shirt was made of recycled pennies and remarked that only a certain kind of man could pull it off. Trust us Ne-Yo, you looked smashing.

9. Nicki Minaj's eclectic outfit, meanwhile, was created by two Japanese designers. Her apocalypse-themed video for her song with Rihanna, "Fly," premiered during the VMA pre-show. Minaj said it compliments the song's "girl power" theme. "The song is very inspiring. I wanted to paint a picture of the end of the world, the end of something, and be amazing at the end -- being able to get back up and walk."

10. The last person to arrive on the red carpet was Cloris Leachman. The Oscar and Emmy winner shared moments with an intriguing collection of women during the night, hanging out with Beyonce on the black carpet before presenting an award to Lady Gaga and joking around onstage with the "Jersey Shore" gals.

11. Speaking of which: The "Jersey Shore" girls adjusted their decolletage for photographers as a quartet but a bit of tension crossed three of their faces as Snooki stepped away and took a few solo shots. Using cleavage to attract the photographers, Jennie "JWoww" Farley secured attention by dragging her boyfriend Roger Matthews onto the platform to pose with her. Fortunately, none of them spoke.

12. At one point prior to the show there was an altercation on MTV's press podium that was ultimately -- we think -- quietly resolved after a swarm of MTV press folks, plus some police officers -- swooped in to break up the rising tension. Others in the crowd were less tense, judging by the herbal aroma that surrounded a certain posse of hip-hop acts.

13. The black carpet arrivals area was housed "inside" the JW Marriott Hotel this year, instead of outside in the baking Los Angeles sun. The press corps that poured into the backstage area just as the show was starting was unanimously thankful to MTV for keeping them out of the 90 degree heat.