As one of the newer kids on the block at "TRL," I thought it was amazing to see all the older alumni's enthusiasm and excitement to be back at the studio. It felt like a high school reunion. ... But a really fantastic one.

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.

Overwhelming.

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.

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I can't believe that we just saw the last episode of "TRL." You might think that me being British, I wouldn't know "TRL," but I do. It's an international show that we've all been watching.

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!
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It was great being a part of the "TRL" finale. Carson Daly was somebody who really embraced me when I came to MTV in 2000. I was somewhat of an outsider. I came from a different place, and I looked different, with the hair wrap and everything. At the time, Carson gave me some really great advice. He told me to go out there, just have fun and be who I am, and the rest would resonate.

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.

Shout out your homies and then screech at the top of your lungs because it's time to live-blog the "TRL" finale! Yes, after 10+ years of racing home after school to catch 45-second snippets of our favorite music videos, "TRL" is saying goodbye in a prime-time extravaganza called "Total Finale Live," which I suppose technically makes it "TFL." (That will probably confuse Tim Kash, since "TFL" usually refers to the London transit authority.)

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!

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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.
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By Rya Backer

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!) Read 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?" Read more...

Mark Wahlberg was on Wednesday's "TRL" with Ludacris to promote their latest film, "Max Payne." But when host Damien Fahey brought up the fact that "TRL" would be airing its finale on November 16, Mark got a little emotional about the show. "It is a bit depressing," he admitted. "I was telling Luda earlier, the first time I was on MTV was '91; [the first time I was on 'TRL'] was probably right around when it started."

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?