From the first gyration of Elvis Presley's hips on "The Milton Berle Show" (way back in the summer of 1955) to the last grab of the crotch during Adam Lambert's Sunday (November 22) night performance at the American Music Awards, musicians and live television have shared a rather contentious relationship.

Throughout the years, in attempts to shock audiences, promote albums or share their political views (or, you know, just because they were inebriated), artists have given censors fits with performances that pushed the boundaries of good taste — everything from bare butts to obscenity and potshots at the Pope. Things like that are the reason they invented the seven-second delay, after all.

So now, with Lambert already feeling the heat following his racy AMA performance, we decided it was a good time to re-visit some of the most shocking musical moments from in TV history — the ones that earned public condemnations and half-hearted apologies. Censors, get your fingers on the button.

Click here for photos from the most controversial musical television moments of all time, featuring Adam Lambert, Marilyn Manson, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake!

Sinéad O'Connor Rips The Pope On "Saturday Night Live," 1992: Sinéad O'Connor and "Saturday Night Live" already had a rather interesting relationship before she decided to rip up a photo of the Pope in her infamous 1992 performance. Back in 1990, she backed out of a scheduled appearance on the show because she didn't want to share the stage with host Andrew Dice Clay. Two years later, after performing a moody a capella version of Bob Marley's "War," she produced a photo of Pope John Paul II, tore it to shreds and shouted "Fight the real enemy!" The audience reacted with stunned silence, and the media vilified O'Connor as an enfant terrible, and while she would later apologize for the act, she remained unrepentant.

Prince Shows Off His Assets At The VMAs, 1991: The Purple One took the stage at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards dressed in canary yellow, but it was his outfit didn't have that raised more than a few eyebrows: Read more...

It was just last summer that I would get on a plane every Wednesday morning and fly across the country from New York to L.A. to shoot our show "FNMTV" live on a Friday night. It was one of the best summers ever, made even better by the wonderful people that worked on the show and their extended families.

Cue Pete Wentz and his wife, Ashlee Simpson. Working on the show was the first time I had ever met Pete and Ashlee properly. At the time Ashlee was heavily pregnant with Bronx, and Pete was juggling his duties with Fall Out Boy, who were back in the studio working on their new album, and his new role as "FNMTV" host. From day one, they were genuinely the nicest couple ever. We've been friends ever since, so when Ashlee stopped by the studio today, it was great to see her, as always.

She's a triple threat. A singer, a mother and an actress, adding the new "Melrose Place" to her ever-growing résumé. The prime-time soap is being revitalized with an all-new cast and a new complex. (But don't worry, die-hard fans: The swimming pool is still the centrepiece of all the action!)
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By Nicole Tahan and Matt Wenzel

T.I. explains his experimental plea deal. Find out how giving back to the community really helped his case.

Kanye West and Spike Jonze team up again! Check out why Kanye's "See You in My Nightmares" will be included in a short film.

What role do you think Ashlee Simpson will play on the new "Melrose Place"? See why hubby Pete Wentz can't wait to see Ashlee in her new gig.

Want to know what it's like to be an MTV News intern? Check out our new Intern Insider video blog to get a taste of what intern life is like!

Are you a fan of the "Zelda" video game series? Our Multiplayer blog takes a look at Link on a train in "The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks," which is being released on the DS later this year.

In a pre-Super Bowl interview with President Obama, Matt Lauer pointed out that the new president was "[taken] out of Us Weekly's cover shot of his wife and daughters in order to make room for last week's hot topic, which was Jessica Simpson's weight.

In reaction, Obama dryly commented on Jessica being "in a weight battle, apparently." As a result, blogs and magazines and talk shows are asking if the president is making fun of Jessica's weight. Really, guys? From watching the video, it seems clear that Obama's dryness is poking fun at media coverage, rather than Jessica's weight.
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By Emily Donahue

Dear Jessica,

I want to start this letter off by saying that despite the past few years, I remain a fan of yours. I buy the rare magazines you grace the covers of, I can disappear for days watching "Newlyweds" marathons and, yes, I even have a copy of "Jessica Simpson I Do: Achieving Your Dream Wedding" — although I have to admit, it has been gathering dust since you announced your split from Nick. It goes without saying that I root for your comeback with the same intensity as a Britney fan, but I have to ask: What were you wearing yesterday?

I admire anyone that boldly embraces new fashion trends, but as you demonstrated, high-waisted denim just isn't for all body types, so I have been thinking about why you might not have noticed this too. Maybe Tony Romo is the kind of boyfriend that says everything looks good on you? Maybe it is stressful being a new aunt to Ashlee and Pete's new baby, Bronx Mowgli? Maybe your personal trainer has been too busy helping Jessica Alba lose her baby weight? Maybe it just doesn't really matter what you wear to a local-radio-sponsored chili cook off, even if you are performing and being photographed?
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· Ashlee Simpson has apparently read the manual of celebrity pregnancy clichés: On Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM show Thursday morning, Pete Wentz said his new wife craves green olives "on everything." But we do like Wentz's rather original metaphor for his impending fatherhood: "It's like making a record, but knowing you're going to mix it for the next 18 years of your life."

· With his 50th birthday looming near, and photographs of himself being transported via wheelchair making the rounds, Michael Jackson is no doubt feeling nostalgic for the '90s. That explains why he reportedly met with the reunited New Kids on the Block last week to discuss collaborating on his upcoming album. Read more...

Well, the rumor mill has been running again for Ashlee Simpson and fiance Pete Wentz. And once again, the couple's being assaulted with the question "Is she pregnant??" I sat down with Ashlee just a few minutes ago -- mainly to talk about her album, but also, of course, to try and get a clear answer. (Hey, some of you want to know!)

"I just think it's an inappropriate question to ask any woman," Ashlee said -- after (ahem) already answering the question several times today. She did tell us a little bit about her engagement and even seemed receptive to the idea of a green wedding, in honor of the environment. And if she and Pete do have a green wedding, I’m taking full credit. No? Okay.

Ashlee and I talked about everything from dirty song lyrics to bad boyfriends and working with Timbaland. Oh, and Salvador Dali. No, seriously: she just bought a painting of his that depicts two girls chained to each other. Hmmm.

Others she worked with on Bittersweet World (due April 22nd) include Santogold's Santi White, Kenna, Chad Hugo from the Neptunes/N.E.R.D., and Tom Higgenson of Plain White T's.

More on Ashlee and her album coming soon at MTVNews.com.

· Pete Wentz denies the Ashlee Simpson pregnancy rumors, calling them “a witch hunt.”

· Madonna is releasing a Verizon “mobile underground” remix of “4 Minutes.” “Mobile underground”??

· Alicia Keys is using MySpace to search for a backup singer to take on tour.

· Magnetic Morning, the side project of Interpol’s Sam Fogarino, release a debut EP this week and tour this fall.

· The Laguna Beach PD has requested charges against Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora: one count of driving under the influence, and one of child endangerment.

· Take The Handle singe-handedly revives the flexi-disc (remember those?) with a renegade Money Mark single.

· My Morning Jacket will make their SNL debut on May 10th.

Hey, did you know Americans are getting dumber by the minute? Well, they are.

So in order to keep us on that downward spiral -- and in honor of the news that Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz have gotten engaged -- we here in the Newsroom have created a list of potential engagement gifts for the happy couple. What do you get for the people who already have everything? (Damn those adorable have-alls!) So here are some high-end treats for the high-end sweets:

· These "Groucho" glasses, which are doubly appropriate, considering that the dynamic duo need disguises to hide from the paparazzi...and some well-documented adventures in rhinoplasty.

· The "Photographs: Annie Leibovitz 1970-1990" book, if only for the image of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Infer from that what you will.

· Matching BAPE hoodies to show off their undying unity, and to blind any paparazzi who get to close. Funky and functional.

· A copy of "Toxic In-Laws: Loving Strategies for Protecting Your Marriage," for those times when Papa Joe wants to spend the night, plan the wedding, or take Pete out for dual hair frostings.

· Booze. Trust us.

If you think we're getting all "Grinch Who Stole Christmas" on ya, tell us what darling items you'd give the happy couple.

So remember the other day, all those things that Perez Hilton said about Ashlee Simpson being drunk on a morning radio interview show? Well, they're not true, Ashlee says.

She took to her MySpace Celebrity blog to refute the widespread rumor that she was sippin' sauce in the early hours of the morn. Ashlee attributed her not-very-lucid behavior, which some interpreted as intoxication, to a few things:

· Too many late-night club shows mixed with early-morning radio appearances.
· Bad energy.
· Too many personal questions.
· Radio hosts assuming that, because she got a tattoo the night before, she must've been drunk.
· She always giggles a lot.
· General anxiety about other rumors.

Ashlee's full blog entry after the jump:

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