Did Avril Lavigne Elbow Kelly Clarkson at the 2002 MTV VMAs?

The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) are known for their unforgettable moments… both on and off the stage. One incident that has lingered in the minds of music enthusiasts is the rumored elbowing between Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson during the 2002 MTV VMAs.

Over the years, this incident has taken on a life of its own. It’s become a topic of speculation and debate among fans of both artists.

So, let’s delve into the details surrounding the alleged incident and attempt to separate fact from fiction…

Did Avril Lavigne Elbow Kelly Clarkson at the 2002 MTV VMAs?

So, did Avril Lavigne elbow Kelly Clarkson at the 2002 MTV VMAs? The short answer? No, she did not. Except for the fact that she kind of did? Although it doesn’t appear that it was on purpose. Sounds complicated (no pun intended), right? Well, it kind of is.

So, let’s set the stage for the long answer. Let’s hop into a time machine and go back to the year 2002. The 2002 MTV VMAs, held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, brought together some of the biggest names in the music industry.

Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson, both rising stars at the time, were among the attendees.

The Alleged Incident

At the show, Clarkson can be seen on camera handing Lavigne an award on stage. Lavigne then appears to duck a hug from Clarkson and push her out of the way with an elbow as she grabs the Moonman and begins her acceptance speech.

Was Clarkson elbowed in the face? Nope. But was Lavigne a bit rude to her? Absolutely. And that totally fit her “I don’t like pop stars, I’m a real rocker” persona that she was known for at the time.

Clarkson Recalls the Incident on ‘Howard Stern Show’

In an interview with Howard Stern in 2017, Clarkson recalled the incident.

She said, “I got elbowed in the face by someone I was giving an award to at the VMAs.” Clarkson did not name who allegedly did the elbowing. Stern circled back to the elbow incident later on in the interview. “Was it Avril Lavigne who elbowed you in the face?” he asked.

“It was her,” Clarkson responded. “But I will say this. Years later I saw her and she said, ‘Oh my gosh, people keep saying I elbowed you in the face. And I’m so sorry!’ And I don’t know. She did it… but I don’t know if she felt bad about it. Or she didn’t mean to do it. Or what… but it felt purposeful!”

“I think what I was bummed about is I’m a fan of hers,” Clarkson added. “I loved her music.”

The Kelly Clarkson/Avril Lavigne 2002 MTV VMAs fiasco is the kind of thing that can only happen at the VMAs. While the two appear to have no real issues with one another, it’s obvious that, on that night in 2002, things weren’t exactly kosher.

Perhaps the most ironic part of the story is that Lavigne played a part in Clarkson’s success. She wrote Clarkson’s first big hit song, “Breakaway.”

“So I wrote this song and it didn’t end up on the album. It was an outtake,” Avril revealed in a video on YouTube. “It took on a life of its own. When it went to Kelly and Kelly Clarkson had this huge career… It was one of her earlier singles.”

Avril then remarked, “Time has flown by. It feels like a lifetime.”