Kanye West, a man whose antics regularly redefine the phrase "no class", plumbed the depths of classlessness tonight on the MTV Video Music Awards tonight by jumping up on stage and snatching the microphone from the hands of Taylor Swift as she gave her acceptance speech in order voice his opinion that Beyoncé should have won the award for best female video instead. In the end, Swift was left standing stunned on the stage, utterly at a loss for words in the wake of West's outrageous actions.

In true VMA form, the MTV awards show did not stick to the script.

The first winner of the night, Taylor Swift for best female video, was victim to this when she was rudely and quickly interrupted by Kanye West, who cut off her acceptance speech. He stole the microphone to announce that fellow nominee Beyoncé had "one of the greatest videos of all time," in "Single Ladies."

For her part, Beyoncé appeared shocked by the outburst and the crowd booed the rapper. Off-camera, when West returned to his seat, audience members gave a still-stunned Swift (who was ushered off the stage before finishing her speech) a standing ovation.

After the incident, West, who was photographed drinking what looked like liquor on the red carpet, was not in his seat at Radio City Music Hall. A security guard tells PEOPLE the rapper left the venue and would not be allowed to come back inside.

Many of the stars tonight criticized West's actions, including a number of them in real time on Twitter, but I'm unaware of anyone calling West's actions what they truly were -- an act of racism, pure and simple. Kanye West knew that there would be no serious consequences or long-term ramifications to a black thug yanking the microphone from a little white girl in order to insult her and give props to a fellow African-American. Indeed, Kanye West knew that it would give him additional street cred in the 'hood as he stuck it to whitey -- even though in this case whitey was a teenage girl. Just wait and see -- his air time will go up on radio, as will the sales of his music. Just like happened when he engaged in a race-baiting tirade against George W. Bush following Hurricane Katrina

On the other hand, if any white performer ever stooped to such disrespectful behavior towards a black female performer in any venue, it would be the end of his career -- assuming he was not beaten to a pulp and/or shot before he was dragged from the venue. And we know that the usual suspects would be out in force, demanding that such the cancellation of recording contracts, the removal of CDs from store shelves, and a radio boycott -- sanctions that I would be inclined to support in such a situation and which ought to be imposed against Kanye West.

But let me give high praise to Beyoncé, whose music and videos I have not liked for a number of years now. When she won the award for Video of the Year, she called Taylor Swift back on to the stage to share the spotlight with her. That was a moment of class and decency that ought to be remembered by everyone. So let me offer my thanks and congratulations to Beyoncé for showing everyone what class and decency really is.

H/T Hot Air, NewsBusters, Confederate Yankee, Michelle Malkin, DJ Konservo