Some people think it was Big Love that made America seriously think about polygamy in a big way. But those of us with slightly longer memories know it was really the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, which went down in history for a wedding scene between Madonna, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. No actual vows were swapped between this terrible threesome, of course...just spit.
Can it really have been a whole decade since the country lost its collective innocence about girl-on-material-girl-on-dirrty-girl action? The three stars weren't the only ones with their mouths wide open, as millions of viewers' jaws dropped in unison.
The opening production number of the August 28, 2003 VMAs would have been newsworthy enough if it had just been a duet between Britney and Christina, as it initially appeared to be. These two sexpots had been rivals since their "Mickey Mouse Club" days, so when they teamed up to pay tribute to Madonna by donning her famous bridal gear for a duet of "Like a Virgin," her-story was being made. But that newsworthy detente was overshadowed when Madonna herself emerged, in some equivalent of groom's wear. In an instant, it was clear who still wore the pants in the diva world.
If you forgot that Aguilera was even in on this, you're not the only one. After Madonna got smoochy with Spears, the cameras cut away to the latter's ex-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, in the audience. By the time Madge moved on to Aguilera seconds later, the Christina kiss had already been rendered anticlimactic.