Awards / Awards Shows

Kanye West gave ABC censors a collective heart attack Sunday night at the Billboard Music Awards -- because the rapper dropped so many n-words ... most of his act was dead silence.

Kanye closed the show with his hit, "All Day" -- but about all you could hear on TV was the song's title. Censors killed the audio for so much of the song ... you're really left wondering -- why bother? The censoring went as long as 15 solid seconds at times.

Plus, you could barely SEE Yeezy through all the fireworks and smoke. Again ... why bother?

One thing you could hear clearly -- the boos for Kylie and Kendall Jenner as they introduced their bro-in-law.

Harry Styles paid tribute to 1D, as in ... DEEZ NUTS ... in Las Vegas.

One Direction won the Billboard Music Award for Top Duo/Group, and Harry celebrated by slyly grabbing a hold -- playfully and gently, we hope -- of bandmate Niall Horan's balls.

Watch ... Niall plays it off pretty good.

Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris are a lot closer than expected at the Billboard Music Awards -- and he got the full GFE after she won an award.

Ok, Calvin wasn't the first person she hugged after winning Top Billboard 200 Album -- but he IS the only one who got an extended hug combined with a neck snuggle. They haven't exactly been undercover, but this qualifies as a full couple coming out.

5:55 PM PT -- Crisis averted. Mariah performed 2 songs -- "Vision of Love" and her new hit, "Infinity." Not only did she show up ... she NAILED one of the closing notes. Like, old school Mariah ... nailed it.

Mariah Carey knows how to cause a mass panic -- she bailed on her final rehearsal before the Billboard Music Awards, which air LIVE in a few hours -- but Mimi's got one word for the haters ... CHILL.

TMZ has learned BMA producers are scrambling because they don't know what's going on with Mariah -- especially on the heels of her bronchitis issues earlier this week. Our BMA sources say the other reason for concern is ... it's been 17 years since she was last on the award show.

But our Mariah sources are laughing off the panic, because producers shouldn't be shocked at all. As one source put it, "Nobody does dress [rehearsal]. WTF?? No big stars go ... ever."

It's true, you'd think award shows are old hat for a vet like Mariah. Plus, she performed as scheduled last night at Caesars Palace, and seemed fine.

As for what happens tonight on live TV? Stay tuned ...

Taylor Swift's playing the old music game -- make your fans think you're single, 'cause it's good for business -- and that may be why she'll sit 2 seats away from her boo at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards.

Taylor and Calvin Harris have been seen together in public showing lots of affection, but we're told Taylor requested that several of her friends form a human barrier between her and the famous DJ.

Apparently she wants to have interaction without reaction.

Miguel won't be celebrating the 2nd anniversary of his disastrous Billboard Music Awards performance -- unless he wants to raise a glass to the fan who's suing him for crash landing on her in Las Vegas.

One of the women who claimed to be injured during Miguel's infamous failed stage leap has finally lawyered up -- and in her lawsuit, Cindy Tsai says she took the brunt when Miguel came up short and landed on her head. She says her cabeza met the catwalk ... hard.

Tsai is suing Miguel -- as well as the MGM Grand Hotel, where the event was held -- for negligence and is seeking damages to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Another woman had considered suing for the incident ... but it looks like she never did.

Gotta hand it to Karrueche Tran ... girl dreams big -- on the heels of getting a tiny taste of Hollywood's award season she's already eyeing an Oscar-winning career.

Karrueche was leaving a party for "The Bay" -- the online soap opera she's on, which just got a Daytime Emmy nomination -- and we asked where she saw her career going.

KT replied, "I wanna be like Halle Berry."

Mind you, Karrueche did NOT get an Emmy nomination, only the show did -- still that's not stopping her from aiming high. And this is weird ... but Karrueche's not even sure Halle's her fave actress.

Kanye West had a great excuse for shooting Amy Schumer the death stare when she pulled her red carpet stunt on him and Kim Kardashian ... at least according to Amy's good friend, Questlove.

The Roots, and 'Tonight Show' drummer thinks Amy's pratfall at Time's Most Influential gala went right over Yeezy's head because the guy never lets his guard down in public ... and is way too worried about getting trolled.

The other reason, according to Questlove is ... Kanye thought Amy was just a random troll, and not a popular comedian -- with her own TV show, btw.

Check out the clip ... Q seems to think Amy can try this again next year -- and get different results.

Brace yourself, Chris Brown ... the chick previously best known as your ex-gf just upgraded her title to ... Karrueche Tran -- star of a hit Emmy nominated show.

Karrueche's budding acting career just got a boost when her most recent gig for "The Bay" -- an online soap opera -- got nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series.

KT joined the cast last year ... taking over the role of Vivian Johnson -- who mysteriously returns to her hometown. She beat out 100 other actresses for the role, and so far has only appeared in 6 episodes -- but we're told she's getting a beefy story line for Season 4.

So, while Chris is off playing daddy ... Karrueche's working on getting her own 4 pound baby -- dipped in gold.

If looks killed, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian would have been booked for slaying Amy Schumer right on the red carpet of Time's fancy 100 most influential gala.

Amy went for a quick laugh Tuesday night as Kimye cruised into the event -- faking a fall right in front of them as they posed for pics. Now, every comic knows a good pratfall gets a laugh every time ... UNLESS you're playing to an audience of 2 who ain't having it one bit.

Yeezy and KK's faces said it all ... 100% pure unimpressed shade.

As for where Amy got the ridiculous idea it's fun to upstage people? Who knows ... maybe Taylor Swift and Beck have a clue.

Zayn Malik broke his silence Friday night -- come to think about it we haven't heard him speak before -- and he heaped praise on his former band, One Direction.

Zayn accepted a trophy at the Asian Awards in London. The award was for Outstanding Achievement in Music. Interesting, because it's the only award Zayn can accept independent of the band. He's getting it because of his Pakistani heritage.

It sounds like there's no beef with the boys.

Meek Mill threw a rager for 1,000 people on Grammy weekend -- in one of the most baller mansions in Beverly Hills -- only problem is, he ignored the landlord's strict rule: NO PARTIES! So now he's getting sued.

TMZ broke the story ... Meek's huge bash in the famous glass mansion ended when a fight broke out, and all the guests poured into the street. It took cops hours to clear the neighborhood. No one was arrested, but Meek got in big trouble with the landlord.

According to the lawsuit ... when Meek and his people signed a week-long lease ... the management company warned them, "not to think about having the Grammy party" on the premises. In fact, the landlord says the lease limited Meek to no more than SIX people on the property.

In the docs, the landlord says the place was left trashed with broken furniture, broken glass, destroyed landscaping -- and even a broken trampoline. You know it's a party if you wreck a tramp, bruh.

The landlord's suing Meek for breaking the lease, for damages, and for roughly 994 people trespassing.

Jamie Foxx killed with Bruce Jenner transition jokes at the iHeart Radio Music Awards.

Foxx hosted the award show Sunday night in L.A. ... and in his opening monologue he teased the upcoming musical acts, saying Bruce Jenner would be performing -- "He's doing a his and her duet all by himself."

The jab scored big laughs -- Chris Brown was particularly amused -- and Jamie went back for more ... hitting Bruce right in the family jewels for his next punchline.

Destiny's Child was back in business Saturday night in Vegas for the Gospel Music Awards ... and we're talkin' Beyonce.

Actually the star was Michelle Williams, who picked up the award for Music Video of the Year for her song, "Say Yes." The song features Beyonce and Kelly Rowland, but they don't go by D.C.

The girls performed the song, and it's really great. The crowd loved it.

Nick Jonas is pulling double duty ... hosting The Kids Choice Awards and, maybe more importantly, delivering booze to thirsty chicks.

TMZ spoke with Angela Mayhew who says that Jonas came to her West Hollywood apartment with a bottle of pinot grigio for her and her friends. But he didn't stop there ... she tells us Jonas joined in on the fun, having a glass himself and playing two songs.

Don't worry, Nick's not pulling a Zayn Malik ... he merely teamed up with Saucey -- an app that delivers alcohol straight to homes -- for a one night promotion.

The guy who burglarized Lupita Nyong'o's hotel room and stole what he THOUGHT was a $150,000 dress has gotten away with the crime, because Calvin Klein wants the whole thing to go away.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... reps from Calvin Klein contacted the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. earlier this week and said they had no interest in pursuing the case now that they got the dress back ...and it's pretty obvious why.

The thief called TMZ Friday and indignantly said he took 2 of the pearls down to the L.A. Garment District for appraisal, only to learn they were fake and worthless. He told us he had returned the dress to The London West Hollywood hotel and left it under a sink in a 2nd floor bathroom. We told the cops, and they got the dress.

We're told the Calvin Klein people did not tell cops why they did not want to pursue the case, but it's pretty obvious. The dress was represented as the real deal, and the dressmaker clearly doesn't want to put a spotlight on the phony pearls.