Taylor Swift praised Beyonce Knowles-Carter for her graciousness during a post-ceremony press conference for Sunday night’s 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Taylor was publicly humiliated while accepting her first-ever moonman, after Kanye West made history by storming the stage during Taylor’s speech and telling the crowd that he believed Beyonce was the true winner in the Best Female Video category.

“Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’m gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time,” he shouted.

Kanye’s characteristically childish outburst was greeted by boos and jeers from the Radio City Music Hall crowd, as a mortified Beyonce looked on from the audience. Taylor stood speechless as she held back tears as fans began chanting her name in support. Kanye was promptly asked to leave the ceremony by network execs.

But Beyonce, always a class act, saved the day by inviting Taylor on-stage to finish delivering her speech while accepting the Video of the Year trophy for her hit 2008 single “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).”

“Before the talented artist, the superstar, she’s always been a great person and I just, I thought that I couldn’t love Beyonce more tonight and then tonight happened and it was just wonderful,” Swift said during press conference. “They told me to stand by the side of the stage and I didn’t really know what was going to go down, but I thought it was so wonderful and gracious of her to do what she’s always done,” she said. “She’s always been a great person before anything else.”

Taylor also expressed gratitude for all the supportive text messages she received throughout the night.

As for Kanye, Taylor’s taking the rapper’s royal diss in stride, simply saying: “I was really excited, because I had just won the award. And then I was really excited because Kanye West was onstage. And then I wasn’t so excited anymore after that,” she said.

“I don’t know him and I don’t want to start anything because I just had a great night tonight.”