The energy was exhilarating. I went outside to interview some kids who had been watching "TRL" since they were 10 and had stood outside in the cold all day long to see the stars arrive and watch the old VJs emerge from their cars. Some of them screamed, some cried, but all were there for the same reason: to witness the end of an era.

As I wrote this first part, 10 years of "TRL" history was walking in the door to the afterparty. The VIP room saw the likes of G-Unit, Kid Rock, John Norris, Vanessa Minnillo, Sway, Hilarie Burton (who held my hand on the red carpet outside, hmmm) and tons of other friends of MTV. The party rolled on until at least 3:30 a.m., which is when I left, and it seemed to be nowhere near its close.

I don't know any word that better sums up what Sunday night was like. I have almost 20 years' worth of live MTV events — VMAs, New Year's Eves, Grammy preshows, election nights — to treasure. And yet "Total Finale Live" has to rank up there with the best of them. I think that as much as that has to do with the insane roster of celebs that turned up for our big send-off — proof, if you needed any more, of the enduring impact of this pop phenom — it is also a tribute to the countless former co-workers who came back to join us on this night.

Everywhere I turned was another face I hadn't seen in way too long — Bruce McDonald, Deb Savo, Mike Powers, Tony DiSanto, Ryan Pender. There were too many to name, but all people with whom I share terrific memories and who gave their all to make this show something that really caught lightning in a bottle. I could hardly walk 10 feet without catching up with someone else.

Likewise, the VJs, all my old pals: Dave, Jesse, LaLa, Hilarie (is there a cooler, more real girl around? I think not), Vanessa, Lyndsey, Quddus, Susie. And "the naturals": two guys whose easy, effortless, likable manner has steered this ship for a decade, playing a huge role in the success that it was. I have put in a lot of on-camera time over the years, but I will always envy the smoothness personified by Carson Daly and Damien Fahey. God bless 'em. I was momentarily worried that talking 9/11 with Carson would bring this ultimate party to a screeching halt; needless to say, he handled it just right.

Finally, the artists. Wow. Everyone from Justin Timberlake to Dave Holmes likened tonight to a high school reunion ("only everyone is good-looking," said Dave), and that it was. Looking at the talent lineup tonight, I kept thinking how different life is for so many now, compared to when "TRL" went on the air back in 1998. There was Jonathan Davis and the Backstreet Boys — insanely popular back in the day and still at it today. There was Diddy, the show's most frequent guest, a Renaissance man who, during the last 10 years, has run marathons and been on Broadway, and still somehow manages to make unabashed promotion charming ("TRL" was, after all, first and foremost a promotional platform for its guests). There was Kid Rock, the badass enjoying an improbable comeback year, moved at the memory of the irresistible little guy, Joe C. Christina and Beyoncé, two women who in the show's lifetime have risen to the top of their game. And, of course, Justin. What more can you say about this guy? The bushy-haired standout kid in a boy band has now grown — more than any other artist in "TRL" history — into arguably the biggest pop performer in the world, and rightly so. Fresh off a ridiculously inspired "SNL" performance less than 24 hours earlier, he was his usual smart, sensational self. If there is anything JT can't do, I have yet to see it.

We all gathered for a "class photo" at the end — musicians, VJs and news talent, shoulder to shoulder — and I think for most everyone involved, it was a moment. This was only a TV show, of course. Our lives, careers and pop culture itself will go on, and some of us will probably cross paths another time. But this was a hell of a way to say good-bye.

Thanks, "TRL."

It was amazing to see so many people — from 50 Cent to Diddy to Beyoncé to Justin Timberlake to Ludacris — come out to pay their respects to a show that obviously means more to them than just a one-hour block on television.

Everyone's telling me that the studio was the place to be, but the whole night, we were backstage, and every single artist came through to say hello. I was talking to Diddy about his upcoming, very eclectic album, and who interrupts our interview? 50 Cent. Having two of the biggest music-business tycoons standing on either side of me, I couldn't help but wonder who had more money in his pocket.

Backstage, the artists weren't just staying in their dressing rooms or hanging out in VIP areas. Everybody was having fun and acting like regular people. It was a beautiful thing to see them interact with each other.

Read about the rest of Tim's night "Total Finale Live", plus photos with Good Charlotte, Diddy, Hilary Duff and more...after the jump!

50 Cent and Kid Rock met for the first time, and we captured it on film. They're in the same industry and probably know a lot of the same people, but to see them meet was a wonderful thing. The first thing that came out of their mouths was "I'm a fan. We should work together." Maybe it was just Hollywood talk, but who knows?

I also went to the control room during the show. On the face of it, it's the artists, the actors and the VJs that everyone gets excited about, but what made the show great was what went on behind the scenes. To see all those people who've been with "TRL" since the beginning, transfixed on the show as if it were their first — it was truly something special.

As a London boy, I never thought I'd be there to witness the final night of a show that defines my generation. There was a sad tone to the evening, but it was also a great celebration.

It was great seeing all the original faces, from Carson to Hilarie, Quddus, Lyndsey, La La and Vanessa. Everyone's still really successful and doing their own thing. It was also good to see Snoop, Nelly, Luda, Hilary Duff and all these wonderful folks.

The show was such a tribute to great music and pop culture, and then it became a cultural icon in itself. I'm happy to be a part of "TRL," and being on the finale was a proud moment for me. I had a wonderful time.

All of our "TRL" faves are likely to appear, from the original HBIC Carson Daly (although nowadays he's about half the size as he was in 1999), to the artists that "TRL" helped catapult into superstardom: BSB, Beyonce, Korn (remember them?!) and – fingers crossed - LFO. I mean, Britney.

So join me as I revert back to my 16 year-old self and enjoy "TRL" one last time. I've got an ignored math textbook next to me on the couch, I'm shoving Oreos into my mouth by the fistful and I'm praying that my comment flashes on screen during Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody."

7:56 pm - Hello! Or as Marjorie from "America's Next Top Model" would say "bonjour!" We're just moments away from the "TRL" finale.

7:58 pm - Marjorie was robbed.

8:00 pm - The show is opening with a quick countdown of the top 10 moments, I think. #6 is Korn's arrival. #5 is Michael Jackson. #4 is Brad Pitt re-encacting a scene from "Seven." These are getting scarier as they go on. I'm expecting Mariah Carey's meltdown to be #1.

8:02 pm - #1 is Beyonce live! Right now! How is she going to live up to that expectation?

8:04 pm - Beyonce is doing the same exact performance from last night's "SNL." Thanks for the preferential treatment, B! (At least she changed clothes?)

8:07 pm - It's hard to follow Beyonce's "Do this with your hand!" direction whilst typing.

8:08 pm - Beyonce is taking us back to her "Crazy In Love" days. You know, if she really wanted to do something shocking, she would reunite with tDestiny's Child. And not Michele Williams and Kely Rowland. The ORIGINAL D-Child girls. Latavia, where you at?!

8:09 pm - My buddy Sway just introduced Damien Fahey and Carson Daly. And thanks to a weird audio glitch, he did this twice! Whoops!

8:10 pm - Carson Daly just said his head was going to explode. Ironically, his head is looking smaller than ever!

8:11 pm - Carson and Damien are rattling off all the artists that "TRL" broke. Fall Out Boy, 50 Cent,Britney Spears. It'd be more fun if they rattled off all the artists MTV tried to shove down our throats. Hi Mandy Moore and Lady Soveriegn!!

8:12 pm - The #10 "Producer's Choice" video is OutKast's "Hey Ya!" And in true "TRL" fashion, we jump into the song on verse #2.

8:22 pm – Miley Cyrus is in the TRL photo booth. The resulting photos are 99% less risqué than her infamous "Vanity Fair" shoot.

8:23 pm – Travis Barker is appearing live via satellite on the giant MTV monitor in Times Square. Right now the European tourists are massively confused.

8:25 pm – Diddy has appeared on "TRL" 37 times, more than any other artist. The person with the second-most "TRL" appearances? His man-servant: Fonzworth. (Not really.)

8:28 pm – Diddy is crying. Seriously. But think about it -- you'd be crying too if you no longer had a place that you could just randomly pop in to self-promote yourself.

8:30 pm - Sorry folks. Some technical glitches are holding me back. But fear not – they should be smoothed out in time for Christina Aguilera's upcoming "makeup tips" segment.

8:35 pm - Ben Stiller is our generation's Robin Williams. He used to really funny and unpredictable, but nowadays he just manages to ruin almost every live event with predictable schtick.

8:37 pm – Carson Daly is walking through the studio hallways. OMG – that's my dressing room! Who are all those people?! Get out of my dressing room, fools!

8:38 pm – Vanessa Minnillo is back on MTV! Don't say the "F" word on the air again, girl!

8:39 pm - LaLa and Ludacris tossed to five seconds of the #8 video: Usher's "Yeah!" Literally: five seconds.

8:40 pm – O.M.G. Dave Holmes and Jesse Camp are on MTV again. This is the best thing I've seen on TV so far this year.

8:41 pm – Dave Holmes looks exactly the same. And Jesse Camp gained some weight and some vocabulary!

8:42 pm – Ladies and gentleman, Christina Aguilera, via 15 second delay! If we can land a man on the moon, surely we can figure out a way to conduct live interviews via satellite that don't consist of 40% awkward silences.

8:44 pm – Kudos to Xtina for going through her discography and NOT plugging her new greatest hits album. And points deducted from Carson for NOT asking Christina about that one time they hooked up.

8:45 pm – Kid Rock just signed Taylor Swift's "TRL Yearbook" backstage. How much you wanna bet his signature consisted of an "X" and a filthy drawing?

8:49 pm – In an odd MTV promo, Vampire Weekend are desperately trying to shatter their "privileged white boy" image by teaching one of their members how to ride a bike.

8:50 pm – Damien and Hillarie are reminiscing about Hillarie's first time on the red carpet at the VMA's. Lance Bass is wearing a denim suit with a giant flame on it. Did we really not know he was gay?

8:53 pm – Quddus alert! Sadly, Magic the Old Navy Dog is nowhere in sight.

8:54 pm – Fall Out Boy is performing without Pete Wentz. Patrick Stump seems very, very, very liberated. Just sayin'.

8:57 pm – A dude from "The Academy Is…" is filling in. But can he do that jump/spin thing?

8:58 pm – It's starting to hit me that "TRL' is ending. I'm about to pull a Diddy! Where are the Kleenex?

9:00 pm - A promo for 50 Cent's New BFF show has made me go from sad to angry.

9:03 pm – A cross-country hip hop performance has been promised. I hope they figure out the annoying delay by then.

9:04 pm – Did Damien Fahey just mention my live blog on the air?? Damien, if you can hear me, pull your left earlobe for me.

9:06 pm – Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez are going to the window one last time. In the 70's, there were a lot of homeless people in Times Square. In 2008, there's Justin Timberlake looking like a homeless person in Times Square. We've come a long way, baby!

9:08 pm – Remember when JC Chasez was being pushed as the heartthrob of the group? I imagine JC thinks about that often.

9:10 pm – Vintage clip alert: Carson is being tackled by N*Sync in Santa hats! I already met my "Lance Bass joke quota" so I'll refrain from saying anything further.

9:11 pm – Dave Holmes + Jonathan Davis = 1999 all over again.

9:13 pm – As I watch an old clip of Eminem, I'm reminded of my #1 "TRL" memory. I was a gawky kid from the suburbs who was killing time before a taping of "The Daily Show," so I wandered through Times Square while Eminem was on "TRL." Kids from his street team were tossing promo CD's of "My Name Is..." into the crowd. I approached one of them for a copy, and they charged my $10. And I paid it. Let's hear it for getting hustled!

9:18 pm – Kid Rock is drinking on the air. That seems about right.

9:22 pm – Nobody in Times Square gives a crap about Kid Rock. That seems about right.

9:23 pm – Shout out MTV News! It's so surreal to think that I grew up watching MTV News on "TRL" and now I'm friends with John, SuChin, Sway, Kurt, Gideon, etc.

9:24 pm – Sadly, my "Idol in 60 Seconds" recaps aren't on the "Top 5 MTV News Moments" countdown.

9:26 pm – I highly doubt I will be saying "yes" to this Jim Carrey movie.

9:28 pm – I don't think I've mentioned yet that 50 Cent is running late to the "TRL" finale. Classy move, Fiddy! I suppose it's all part of his new album's marketing campaign: delay delay delay.

9:30 pm – Sweet niblets! Miley Cyrus is taking more photos. Her manager should not be letting her near any cameras after those Sidekick photos leaked!

9:33 pm – In a pretty insane "Diddy Promotes Himself" highlight reel, Diddy just shouted out Virgin Megastores, Tower Records and Blockbuster. One of them is about to shut down, one doesn't exist and the last one doesn't sell music anymore. Considering modern day Diddy just said Miley Cyrus' name on the air, I expect her to file bankruptcy circa 2018.

9:35 pm – Ludacris is paying tribute to "TRL's" bleeping policy, by performing a song that the home viewer can't hear much of.

9:38 pm – The medley continues with "Stand Up" and then Nelly performs "Hot In Herre" for the white girl studio audience. Seriously, why did we give all the studio audience tickets to Elle Woods' sorority?

9:39 pm – Snoop Dogg joins them on stage. Oh I see! The cross-country bi-coastal rap medley wasn't literal. But wait a second… Snoop is from the West Coast. Ludacris is from Atlanta. And Nelly is from St. LunaticsLand. That's not exactly an "East Coast / West Coast" collabo, is it?

9:44 pm – In another promo, Vampire Weekend is encouraging us all to practice safe sex. And it will work, because now every time I'm about to have sexy time I'm going to think of Paul Simon and it'll totally kill the moment. Ick.

9:47 pm – I've never met Carson but Damien Fahey is one cool dude.

9:49 pm – Carson Daly is introducing the infamous Mariah Carey Ice Cream Meltdown moment. I thought this clip was banned! Fun fact: I keep that tape at my desk at all times.

9:51 pm – Susie Castillo asks Hilary Duff which star she remembers meeting on "TRL." Instead of saying Joel Madden, she goes the J. Lo route.

9:52 pm – It's time for "My Life As A CoverGirl with Christina Aguilera' again. Oof.

9:54 pm – Carson introduces the #5 video of the night – "Dirrty." Raise your hand if you forgot we were counting down music videos tonight.

9:54 pm – Hehe, Xtina said "nutshell."

9:56 pm – Hold up! Carson just said that in 11 minutes Samuel L. Jackson & The Backstreet Boys are going to take the stage. Did Sam Jackson replace Kevin Richardson? If not, can he please?

9:58 pm – Justin Timberlake is back, this time sans JC Chasez, who is apparently busy backstage signing copies of the "Drumline" soundtrack.

10:01 pm – And now it's Fall Out Boy sans Pete Wentz again. During a phoner, Pete just admitted to buying a bootleg of "Twilight." If you listen closely you can hear representatives of the MPAA knocking on Mr. Wentz's door right now.

10:03 pm –So "TRL" is leaving but "FNMTV" is coming back. This is exactly like the time my parents told me they were splitting up. My mom said, "Your father and I are getting a divorce…but we're getting a kitten!!!" True story.

10:10 pm – The Backstreet Boys are rocking out "I Want It That Way" one last time on the TRL stage. OMG who is going to sing Kevin's part? This was the one BSB single I recall Kevin having a solo on!

10:12 pm – Howie is singing it. Meh.

10:13 pm – Anyone else getting emotional at home? This truly is the end of an era.

10:14 pm – Hello again, John Norris! The last time John and Nick Carter were in a room together, he was grilling BSB about those sketchy Lou Perlman molestation rumors that bubbled up last year. Needless to say, this time things are a lot less tense.

10:15 pm – Did BSB really outlive all the other boy bands? The BlockHeads might disagree.

10:16 pm – I just spotted Tamar from the Buzzworthy Blog! Yay!

10:17 pm – Oh, and Good Charlotte are there, too.

10:20 pm – If "TRL" is leaving us, then maybe MTV can at least bring back "MTV Live." It was one of the precursors to "TRL," that featured a chill set, laid back interviews, and world premiere music videos. I remember seeing Kurt Loder and Carson talking about the debuts of Madonna's "Ray of Light" and Radiohead's "No Surprises" videos. Those were both pop culture moments that totally inspired me. Will the current generation of MTV viewers be similarly inspired by "The Hills?"

10:22 pm – Carson is on the phone with the reclusive Eminem. I'm starting to think that Eminem and Dick Cheney hide out in the same caves.

10:27 pm – Thanks to an awkward edit, 50 Cent managed to teleport from the outside of an elevator to the lobby of the building during his "live" performance. If only he could teleport back to 2004, when he was still making hit records. (Just kidding, Fifty! Please don't hurt me! Can't wait to hear your new album! I think your Donald Trump impression on your MTV reality show is stellar!)

10:33 pm – A question for the MTV censors. If you bleeped the gunshot sound effects on M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" music video, then why are 50 Cent's allowed?

10:34 pm - Wait a second...I thought this was ending at 10:30pm?

10:35 pm – "TRL" doesn't want to leave. And I whole-heartedly endorse its filibuster.

10:38 pm – This show needs more Jesse Camp and Dave Holmes. No disrespect to Vanessa Minnillo.

10:39 pm – Wow. Good Charlotte look great. Benji lost a lot of weight. Nick Carter lost a lot of weight. Carson Daly lost a lot of weight. I wonder if that's why Eminem didn't show up tonight?

10:41 pm – Justin Timberlake is mocking Lyndsey's accent. Watching him be a dirtbag on TV brings new meaning to "d--- in a box."

10:43 pm – Lyndsey just made an unemployment joke. In these economic times, not so funny.

10:45 pm – Dear MTV: Please give Taylor Swift her own show. Thank you.

10:48 pm - I don't know about the actual bra, but the ads for the Victoria's Secret Miracle Bra are indeed quite miraculous.

10:51 pm – "TRL" has always been synonymous with Britney Spears. And I suspect that the decline of "TRL" can be traced back to the decline of Britney. (Although, using that argument, "TRL" would be having a comeback right now.)

10:54 pm - Of course the number one most influential "TRL" video has to be Britney's "Baby One More Time..." clip. Think of how many slutty Halloween costumes it inspired.

10:51 pm – "TRL" has always been synonymous with Britney Spears. And I suspect that the decline of "TRL" can be traced back to the decline of Britney. (Although, using that argument, "TRL" would be having a comeback right now.)

10:57 pm – During Carson and Damien's heartfelt farewell, Kid Rock and Snoop Dogg are being inappropriate acting like Kid Rock and Snoop Dogg.

10:58 pm – And just like that, "TRL" is gone forever. Times Square and MTV will never be the same. What are we gonna do now?

10:59 pm – Oooh a sneak preview of the new Britney Spears documentary. What was I just talking about?

You know how your parents like to sit you down and tell you stories about their misbegotten youth, hoping to share with you the excitement of their teen years? That's what I'm about to do as I remember "TRL." To sit here now, a decade after the show premiered and on the (almost) eve of its finale, and explain how that show changed my after-school life makes me feel old.

I remember being at a computer in the school library, supposedly working on a school project, and sneaking over to the "TRL" Web site to vote for the Backstreet Boys or Christina Aguilera. Heaven forbid I missed an episode! I had a friend who would tape important ones for me, in case I had to go to cheerleading practice or go to a creative-writing club meeting, so I wouldn't miss seeing my favorite stars get interviewed.

At the time, the show was hosted by Carson Daly, who embraced those awkward interviews. One that sticks in mind, even all these years later, is when Liam Gallagher from Oasis was on the show. Instead of answering Carson's questions, he remained fixated on the giant LG sign outside the studio window — you know, because it shared his initials. To think I could watch a show that embraced my passion for pop music and my love of uncomfortable rock star encounters seemed like a dream.

And, yes, I practiced in my room how I would present the news if I ever became my generation's Serena Altschul. So because of "TRL," I can sit proudly here today and fully enjoy writing about the exploits of the Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. In a way, the show has defined me as much as my generation defined it. For that reason, "TRL," you will be missed.

Watch MTV News' Jim Cantiello recap the history of "TRL" in 60 seconds!

Working at MTV News for the past 10-odd months has provided me with worlds of stories I fully intend to tell my grandchildren.

There was that time I canoodled with the New Kids on the Block — OK, it was just Danny, and it involves a very awkward photo of me firmly grasping his index finger, but still. There was that other time I stayed up all day and night with one of my favorite new bands, Passion Pit. There was also that time I watched the "Project Runway" season-five finale in a leath-uh corset with Stella Zotis.

Fun people pass through these halls every day, like T-Pain (and his top hat), Hulk Hogan and My Morning Jacket. Some even walk through our morning news meetings. Next time, knock — OK, Taylor Swift?

(See Gideon talk about his first time, after the jump!)

It's safe to say that these occasions make me feel, and oftentimes look, like the giddy, MTV News-obsessed teenager I once was. I mention this because last week, worlds collided, and two MTV News correspondents from that landmark era in my life returned: Serena Altschul and Gideon Yago. I didn't dare accost the former (if you were wondering, she still looks all-knowing and angelic). But I did make the grave error of divulging to my boss, Ryan Kroft, that — like many young ladies who spent their last four years in journalism school, several of my co-workers included (Nicole and Jocelyn, don't think you're getting off scot-free) — I harbored a crush on Mr. Yago between the ninth and twelfth grades. Needless to say, it was the most embarrassing moment of my young adult life. Ever the modest gentleman, Gideon explained that I was among "about three others" who felt the same way. Then, I ran under my desk and wanted to die.

So what were MTV News stars from days of yore doing here? Check out this video to watch them recall memories of reporting from "TRL," and tune in Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/PT for "Total Finale Live" to see much more.

Sometimes, when you interview a celebrity, you just click. When it happens, it can be golden. Take my interview with Brandy last week. Everything was pretty much going by the book, as we discussed her new album, her plans as an actress, etc. — but then we started brainstorming about our own TV show.

Brandy was waxing nostalgic about the end of "TRL." " 'TRL' is the show you dreamed of being on as a kid," she said. "I'll never forget the experiences I had. That's a question I've been thinking about. Like, where are we going to have our pop music? I'm sure something will be figured out. We've got to do something. This is our station. I don't know the answer. Do you?"

Thinking on my feet, I proposed, "Maybe we can get our own show." (People who know me know that I'm a ham.)

Brandy, much to my surprise, went along with the idea. "Yeah, like a Joce and Brand countdown," she said. "You wanna pitch that?"

"I think we just did," I said.

It was one of those interview moments that you hope for, when you and an artist have that unspoken connection that makes everything work better. We just vibed. Brandy was really cool and down-to-earth. She was super-sweet and had a great sense of humor about the whole thing.

Of course, I'm letting it all go to my head. But how could I not when Brandy told me, "You're a star"?

No, Brandy, you are! But I appreciate you being so nice to the little people. By the way, when do we start taping our pilot?

The actor recalled a time back in 2004 when a fan was a bit too excited. "I was standing there," he recalled, "and some girl was coming [toward me], and I didn't think anything was a big deal but everyone went crazy [and thought she might attack me].

"The only thing that was disturbing was she had a pin on that said, 'God is not real,' " he said. "I still pray for her."

But the 37-year-old dad admits that being a guest on "TRL" does have one major perk. "Anytime I come here, it makes me feel young again," he said. "I'm sad to see it go."

Usher made an appearance on “TRL” yesterday, and the kids on the Internets are going a bit crazy about his ultra-confessional outburst. “I'm tired of people continuing to talk so much trash about me!” he said of the rumors about his marital issues. “I hear y'all talking crazy out there!”

Now, we don’t really see it, but Usher’s tell-all moment has even earned him comparisons to a truly infamous “TRL” appearance of yore…

That’s right. We mean Mariah Carey’s 2001 “I want ice cream and I’m going to kind of take my shirt off” meltdown. And so, to stoke the fires (because it’s Wednesday?) we have posted a clip revisiting that very same Mimi moment.

But do you think Usher pulled a 2001 Mariah? Or are the haters getting carried away?