When Worlds Collide

By Melissa August, Matthew Cooper, Rachel Dry, Silvia Feist, Lina Lofaro, Ellin Martens, Jodie Morse, Benjamin Nugent, Julie Rawe, Eric Roston and Josh Tyrangiel

Both the MTV Video Music Awards and the United Nations Millennium Summit descended last week on the island of Manhattan, clogging its streets with many motorcades, entourages and outsize egos. The two events had more in common than their ability to stop traffic:

M.C.

U.N. Always diplomatic Kofi Annan MTV Always offensive Marlon and Shawn Wayans

NUMBER OF PROTESTS

U.N. 91, including those against imprisoned Iranian Jews and slavery in Mauritania MTV 1, by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, against rapper Eminem

UNEXPECTED DETENTE

U.N. Bill Clinton and Fidel Castro shake hands MTV Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera hold hands

UNGRACIOUS GUEST

U.N. Tony Blair: "The U.N. must alter radically its planning, intelligence and analysis" MTV Macy Gray: "I hate making videos"

OFFSPRING CAMEO

U.N. Chelsea Clinton MTV Karenna Gore Schiff

SURVIVOR AMERICANS BELIEVE HAS OUTSTAYED HIS WELCOME

U.N. Communist dictator Fidel Castro MTV Millionaire dictator Richard Hatch

HEADGEAR

U.N. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo MTV Jennifer Lopez

DIVA

U.N. Malawi President Bakili Muluzi, who traveled with his chef and a rack of native spices MTV Whitney Houston

LENGTHY COMMUTES

U.N. Croatian President Stjepan Mesic drove in from Connecticut MTV For his performance, Eminem traveled from Sixth Avenue to the Radio City stage

DID BONO SHOW UP?

U.N. Yes MTV Yes