Britney Spears' much-hyped and much-derided comeback performance at the VMAs on Sunday night is being blamed on several different causes, ranging from a broken boot heel, to the cruel jokes made by comedian Sarah Silverman, who called the singer's sons 'cute mistakes' during rehearsal.

One source claimed, "Britney was supposed to wear a matching corset that she opted out of wearing at the last minute. She was just plain nervous because of all the hype and she's embarrassed."

Britney Spears, 25, looked unprepared while performing her new song, Gimme More, to a bewildered audience of her music industry peers. She seemed nervous and, at times, stopped singing altogether.

Another insider said, "She looked disappointed" backstage after the performance. But no matter what Britney thinks, MTV is gleaming with joy. This year's MTV Video Music Awards attracted more than 7 million viewers.

Fellow artists defend Britney. In fact, Kanye West blames MTV for Britney Spears' less than stellar performance.

"Man, they were just trying to get ratings, and they knew she wasn't ready and they exploited her," the 29-year-old rapper said Tuesday on Sirius Satellite Radio's The Morning Mash Up. 

 Other news