BET Awards

Did anyone watch the BET Awards?  Jermaine introduced a tribute to Michael - I did not appreciate how they had Chris Brown behind the curtain lit like Michael.  I am sorry, I'm not ready for that. (and the announcement was: We have not seen a tribute like this: Here HE is).  I did like the pictures of Michael all around and that they used his vocals.  Chris Brown's moves were ok- and that is it..ok.
I did like the Smooth Criminal bit- that was very cool.

Man in the Mirror:  LOVED the photo montage including the recent materials.  Then it all fell apart when Chris Brown fell apart.  Dude- you have to sing ONE song and you blow it?  I mean, not just a line or two, but the whole song?  Also, I am sorry, maybe I am cynical and/or jaded, but to me, these were not tears about Michael, but Chris braking up about how the lyrics maybe related to HIS situation.  Was this supposed to be his act of penance?  I don't get it.  And I don't get how and why Jermaine was in on this whole thing.  

I hope this will be up on youtube soon so we can share and discuss.

After seeing so many crappy tributes I think this one was the best by far. A lot of people say the VMA tribute was the best. But that was a weak tribute considering how Michael set the platform for MTV as a network.

I thought the Smooth Criminal bit was great. It gives you a glimpse of what would have taken place if Michael did his shows because the costume designer for Michael was designing an outfit that was suppose to light up as well.

I don't fault Jermaine for that introductory speech. I fault the death hoax believers. If they didn't keep feeding us the lie that Michael was alive, then we wouldn't have thought much about what Jermaine said when he said, "Here he is."

The Man in the Mirror part was unbearable. I can't stand to see a grown man cry. It was beautiful to me yesterday until people put thoughts in my mind. People said the tears were more so for Chris Brown looking at himself. I thought it was because he really loved Michael. So if it wasn't because he was really sad that Michael is gone, then I'd put this tribute behind the VMA tribute. Hell, behind the Grammy tribute.


The youtube vid was up yesterday, but BET hurry up and got vids taken down. lol. But BET is always showing reruns of the award shows so check your local listings.

bj I just saw it on youtube you are right about Chris not crying for Michael but for himself.  It didn't show Jermaine so I don't know about that.  I love Man In the Mirror but I screeched when he started he didn't even finish the song much less start it   I guess he did try but they will NEVER be another Michael Jackson.  RIP MJ

Of course, despite Chris Brown's bawling, this was hands down a better tribute that was paid to Michael at last year's BET awards--that was embarrassing.  I was amazed that a person who has been trained as an entertainer from such a young age let emotions (for whatever reason) overtake him and detract from the performance.  Strictly speaking, it was unprofessional.   No real comparison, but I think of hard it must have been for Janet to perform "Scream" with her brother's image projected on the screen above to recreate their duet for MTV last year.  It really made the tribute turn out to be about Chris instead of Michael.  That's similar to his actions in the aftermath of the incident with Rhianna, wasn't it?  What a shame!

Now I am going to take the middle ground as to why this may have happened.  I think Brown may have been crying for both Michael and for his own predicament--but more for himself than for Michael.  As long as I can remember Chris Brown, this was the guy that I heard spoken of as the heir apparent to Michael.  He did a Thriller dance on one of the European award shows (don't remember the name); I think he even did a Charlie Chaplin (an MJ favorite) dance act on another occasion.  Vocally, he could barely graze, but still make, the lower and middle parts (but not the very top)  of Michael's upper register.   He was getting some acting parts.  He was in the process of molding himself in Michael's image, as best as he could, given his abilities and talents.  I don't think anyone else, not even Usher, was really trying to run that  race.  

So I think Chris cried because he may really have been missing his hero, but mostly, he couldn't stand that hard cold look in the mirror.   He still doesn't understand why he has not yet been re-embraced.  

Angel Watcher, I think you are right.  I do think the tears were a mixture of Chris reflecting on his own actions and missing Michael.  I also agree Chris has done wonderful MJ tributes in the past.  He is quite a dancer and a decent enough singer (no one can even approach Michael for me).

The tribute was okay.  I thoroughly enjoyed the Smooth Criminal bit with the light up suits.  Annie_ok, I thought the same thing.  I think Michael would have done fresh things with his classics in the future and I remembered the light up suits for TII.