Perhaps we should call it the dis heard ’round the world- Taylor Swift wins her first ever Video Music Award on MTV Sunday night and Kanye West takes her microphone to inform viewers that Beyonce Knowles “had one of the best videos of all time.”

Some people need a keeper. Kanye West might be one of them. There’s a worn-out saying in public relations that there is no such thing as bad publicity. I disagree.

West was the picture of what lack of class looks like Sunday night. Feel free to judge for yourself.

And if he was the picture of complete lack of class, Beyonce Knowles was class embodied later in the evening when she won the VMA for music video of the year. She recalled winning her first VMA and asked Swift to come back onstage and have her moment.

I think this marks a great teaching moment in public relations. For West, I think it’s a good lesson in keeping your mouth shut. Had he held his tongue, he would have saved face once he learned that Knowles got what he obviously thought she was due.

His outburst backfired on him in a serious way. He has been vilified since the incident, even though he issued an apology via his blog.

Which brings me to another point: as great as social media is; as instantly as you can post an apology or response; you can never, ever unscramble an egg. His behavior can’t be easily undone with an apology, even though it would have been insane had he not issued one.

Let’s hope this is a lesson to West, and to us all. Think before you act. Do not act in a heightened emotional state. The words that come out of your mouth at those times often will be the very words you wish you could take back.

Here’s an interesting post by another PR professional that I encourage you to read: The Buzz!

I don’t agree with his take on what West’s publicist should have said, but I think his post adds to this discussion.