When Madonna looked less like Zelda from Terrahawks and Britney Spears was yet to have her public meltdown, the pair took to the stage at the MTV Awards to engage in a controversial and unsurprisingly, non-arousing open-mouthed kiss (the chewing gum visible in Britney's mouth and the fact Madge was on the receiving end may have had something to do with it).

The semi-snog, which appeared during a performance at the MTV Music Awards in 2003 and catching an unimpressed looking Justin Timberlake in the crowd, was, according to Britney, all Madge's idea.

A mahogany coloured Christina Aguilera, also performing on stage, decided to join in on the girl-on-old-woman action, which was even less erotic.

Needless to say, it gave them all the attention that they had desired and four years later, Britney went on to shave her head, attack paparazzi with an umbrella and have a nervous breakdown (not yet a confirmed side effect of having to touch tongues with Madge).

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