Fatboy Slim rakes in MTV awards

Michael Jackson danced with 'N Sync to their song Pop

Fatboy Slim's video Weapon of Choice took six prizes at the MTV Video Awards in New York on Thursday, making the British DJ the night's biggest winner.

Four pop songstresses - Christina Aguilera, Mya, Eve and Pink - shared the award for Video of the Year for Lady Marmalade, from the soundtrack of the film Moulin Rouge.

Robbie Williams won best special effects for his Rock DJ video, in which he appears to strip off his own skin.

Stefani appeared in two top videos

The evening also featured a surprise appearance by Michael Jackson, who danced briefly to the 'N Sync song Pop.

The group took three awards for their Pop video, including best pop video.

Two artists reaped the benefits of appearing with Gwen Stefani - Moby, who won best male video, and Eve, who won best female video.

Stefani, the lead singer of No Doubt, featured in both videos.

Video of choice

Fatboy Slim - whose real name is Norman Cook - does not actually appear in his award-winning video.

Walken appears in the Fatboy Slim video

It features actor Christopher Walken - who trained as a dancer before turning to acting - dancing acrobatically through an empty hotel.

The video took honours for best choreography, best editing, best art direction, best cinematography and best directing.

The video was made by Spike Jonze, the acclaimed US director of the Oscar-nominated movie Being John Malkovich.

 Click here to watch Fatboy Slim's Weapon of Choice on Top of the Pops

 Click here to watch Janet Jackson perform All for You on Top of the Pops

 Click here to watch Missy Elliot sing Get Ur Freak On on Top of the Pops

 Click here to watch U2 sing Beautiful Day on Top of the Pops

Jonze has directed a number of acclaimed videos, including Fatboy Slim's Praise You and the Beastie Boys' Sabotage.

Fatboy Slim's Weapon of Choice was only released as a single in America.

It was also named Breakthrough Video of the year.

Tribute

The ceremony at New York's Metropolitan Opera House also featured a farewell tribute to the late R&B star Aaliyah - who died in a plane crash on 25 August.

The event included a special tribute to Aaliyah

She was to have been a presenter at the show.

Missy "Misdemeanour" Elliott - who joined Janet Jackson, Ginuwine, Timbaland and Aaliyah's brother Rashad Haughton in the tribute - said she had learned a lesson from her friend's death.

"We've got to learn out of this to appreciate each other while we're here on earth," she said.

U2, who were nominated for five awards, were presented with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award - which they dedicated to the surviving Ramones, calling them a huge inspiration.

Live animals

A number of the nominees performed at the awards, including Elliott, U2, Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears - who performed with a live tiger and snake despite protests from animal rights' advocates.

Spears came under fire after it was disclosed she planned to use four live cheetahs on stage during her act.

Jennifer Lopez performed with Ja Rule

American campaign group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) condemned the act and called on Spears to remove the animals from the show.

Stars presenting awards at ceremony included Mick Jagger, Macy Gray and Planet of the Apes star Mark Wahlberg.