Ricky Martin [ tickets ] topped the field by hauling away five "Moonman" statuettes at Thursday night's MTV Video Music Awards (9/9), but Lauryn Hill [ tickets ] snagged honors for Best Video Of The Year, which was presented by Madonna and surprise-guest Paul McCartney.

Hill's ''Doo Wop (That Thing)'' also won for Best Female, Best R&B Video and Best Art Direction In A Video. Martin's video for his hit ''Livin' La Vida Loca'' was recognized in the Best Dance and Best Pop categories, and won Viewer's Choice Awards for two Latin American networks and Russia.

Fatboy Slim's eclectic video for ''Praise You'' may have been the night's surprise, getting the nod for Best Direction, Best Choreography and Breakthrough Video. Korn's ''Freak On A Leash'' was honored as Best Rock Video and for Best Editing. The winner in the Best Male Video category was Will Smith for ''Miami,'' while TLC won Best Group Video for ''No Scrubs.'' Best New Artist In A Video was Eminem for ''My Name Is.''

Jay Z won Best Rap Video honors -- which was presented by the mothers of slain rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls -- for ''Can I Get A ....''

Madonna won her 18th MTV trophy -- a higher total than any other artist -- for Best Video From A Film honoree ''Beautiful Stranger'' from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

The show took place before a packed house at New York's Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. The ceremony's usual home, Radio City Music Hall, is undergoing renovations.

Comic Chris Rock hosted the happening and peppered the broadcast with dozens of sometimes-brutal barbs aimed at artists and awards presenters.

Sober moments were few and far between during the ceremony, but Beastie Boy Adam Horowitz used the opportunity -- in the wake of reports of rape and sexual harassment at this year's Woodstock festival -- to urge artists to work with security to make sure such incidents aren't repeated. The Beasties were accepting the award for Best Hip Hop Video for ''Intergalactic.''

The comments by Horowitz seemed a stark contrast to other events of the night: Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst called for a cheer for co-presenter Heather Locklear's breasts, and -- in perhaps the night's most surreal moment -- Diana Ross appeared to grope the barely-covered breast of co-presenter Lil' Kim's. Meanwhile, the schtick of host Rock was rife with references to the rear-end of Jennifer Lopez.

Kid Rock was the show's first performer, and by most accounts the most electric. He opened with Run DMC's ''King of Rap'' and was quickly joined by the groundbreaking rappers who originally cut the classic. The set then made a somewhat clumsy transition as Aerosmith entered to join onstage for a rendition of ''Walk This Way.''

Other performers included Eminem who was joined by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre., marking the first time Dre and Snoop have performed together since 1993. Ricky Martin performed a medley of ''She's All I Ever Need'' and the ever-present ''Livin' La Vida Loca.'' Nine Inch Nails performed the new song ''Fragile.''

'N Sync joined Britney Spears for a lip-sync/dance number, and Backstreet Boys [ tickets ] and Fatboy Slim also performed.

The list of winners: