Jo Calderone opens 2011 MTV VMAs

Lady Gaga took the stage to open the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night (August 28), and to no one's surprise, she tore the roof off Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre with a gutsy performance of her hit single "Yoü and I" in character as her male alter ego, Jo Calderone The pop star emerged on the dark, empty stage wearing a loose black suit and T-shirt with slicked-back dark hair and a lit cigarette. As Calderone, Gaga then started into an emotional, near four-minute monologue about his tortured relationship with the pop star. "Lady Gaga, she left me," he started. "She said it always starts out good. ... She said I'm just like the last one."

Lady Gaga Calls Fellow VMA Performer Adele 'Lovely'

"She's a breath of fresh air and she's so exciting and her music is adding another dimension to radio that's so important," Lady Gaga, who is opening the 2011 VMAs, told MTV News. "She's also a truly lovely person -- which, to me, is always my favorite."

Gaga performing 'Paparazzi' at the 2009 VMAs