Update!

The Taylor Swift-Kanye West Duet That Never Was

Despite the sentiments expressed in her song, Swift refuses to forgive rapper; details on her pulling the plug on planned show-stopper

By Ted Casablanca Sep 13, 2010 3:54 PMTags
Taylor SwiftCheryl Gerber / Reuters

If you thought Taylor Swift's performance at last night's MTV Video Music Awards—in which she replayed Kanye West stage-jacking from last year then crooned about how he's still growing but remains innocent…uh, we think—was a tad uncomfy, you're not the only one.

Certain MTV execs were not pleased with Ms. Swift's performance—or lack-there-of, as it might be. Not only did her appearance leave some viewers scratching their heads, but Tay also shied away from a proposed duet between the two superstars—according to impeccable MTV sources. Keep in mind this was never an official duet planned by the hip network, but, merely one several key MTV players were very much pushing for.

For the record, MTV was gaga on everything Taylor. Certainly its president, Van Toffler, who said, "There was never a plan for Taylor Swift and Kayne to perform together and we were absolutely thrilled with her performance."

Also, Swift's reps claim likewise—that there was never any kind of a request or a push for such a joint performance. Which is unlike what other uber-inside MTV sources are telling us. But, alas, that's what a goss column's for, right?

Before we get to rest of the good dirt, trust us, folks in the Nokia Theatre, where the VMAs were held, were just as confused listening to T.Swift—wandering around her bizarre broken down home set sans shoes and singing a little ditty that everyone knew was addressed to the Kanye—as we're sure you viewers at home were.

"The house is dead! The house is dead!" An überpowerful source that helped plan the night cried as Tay slowly walked back across stage after her performance to silence from the stunned crowd.

And not stunned in a good way, that's for sure.

The whole performance was over-the-top melodramic—Taylor's signature style, natch—for an incident that, in retrospect, really wasn't a big deal. And from a gal who is supposedly totally over the whole ordeal, no less. Guess not, huh, Taylor?

'Cause if Tay put the incident in her past, then she'd be up to show there are no hard feelings by taking the stage with Mr. West himself, which everyone at MTV and Team Kanye thought would happen.

Yep, despite what's been reported, a performance was proposed for Taylor to take the stage and help Kanye close the show, finally putting to rest the ordeal that everyone else is so dunzo with.

The only person left to sign up for the onstage show of forgiveness (and, let's be honest, a huge press moment for both of the two, no doubt) was Taylor. And she reportedly took her sweet time deciding…Like the entire friggin' show.

Apparently, Tay refused to go on with Kanye, and she had people from MTV, Camp Kanye and her own folks working on overdrive throughout the duration of the show to see if she'd change her mind.

Guess she never did.

"Well, she's a major-ass rising talent, girl's got her right, right?"

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PHOTOS: 2010 MTV VMAs: Red Carpet Arrivals