All A-Twitter About The BET Awards
The Mixed Bag of Real Time Criticism
2009-06-30
By Eric Easter
“I wished BET had died and Michael Jackson was doing a tribute to it.”
That was the worst (and funniest) of what could be found minute to minute on Facebook and Twitter during the BET Awards Show on Sunday. The criticism was extreme on both sides, from tears of joy to threats to boycott the network.
People loved the O’Jays tribute, were happy to see Don Cornelius and cried went Janet came on. They also decried the performances of Drake and Lil Wayne and were simply confused about Beyonce’s “wedding dress”.
It was hugely difficult balancing act for BET. How do adjust an awards show planned for months in just a few days? How to tell people with thousands of dollars invested in promoting their own musical product that they will have to pay royalties to the Jackson family instead? How does a whole generation of artists largely untrained in the way Michael and Sammy Davis were trained rehearse and nail a last minute performance?
Michael Tillery on his sports blog, The Starting Five, chastised those who were critical and called for a more fair discourse. In the end BET was seen the way all Black media tends to be seen – good enough for some people, awful for others, and never everything to every body. But can you ever be. And do you ever want to try?
A sampling:
“Our great nation is long overdue for a national day which honors the power of artistry to clear the minefield of fear, hate, racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism and myopia. In the name of Michael Jackson, let's have our day.”
“Usually like Lil Wayne, but last night him and Drake were off the mark for what was supposed to be a BET Tribute to Michael Jackson. They repped everything that was wrong with their profanit laced routine on screwing every woman around..."
“Highlights of the show for me…Jay-Z, Maxwell, Monica & Keyshia, Johnny Gill, Ne-Yo, Tyrese (not Jody), Tevin Campbell (LOVED him when I was younger & I still listen to his music), BBD & the O’Jays.”
“I agree that a specific portion of the show should have been set aside for the actual tribute instead of trying to lace in his songs here and there (before & after commercial breaks) and having people speak directly to the camera about their most memorable moment with MJ.”
“For the hatefest, at points it seemed to be too much, like you said. But I also think you have to consider the source. The majority of the people watching the show that I follow — and I assume you as well — are upwardly mobile blacks. Most of whom are people who are completely fed up with the denigration of our proud and storied culture. There are plenty of people out there who were entertained by what they saw last night. And they were on Twitter, too, living it up.”
“BET decided to honor MJ by repeatedly showing how much more talented he was than the contemporary "artists"
“BET Awards: Too much Jamie trying to sing, not enough Michael footage, Joe Jackson and the whole row of old men oogling Beyonce's behind as she received her award, rare Don Cornelius sighting, a toxic looking Bobby, and affirmation of Black female beauty.”
“The first time I have watched BET in a long time and my sisiter and I couldn't text each other fast enough to address the craziness we were viewing. It wasn't even entertainment. The pairings were painful to watch (Zoe Saldana and Nichelle Nichols? WTF ("She's in the ladies room so I will go ahead without her"-TMI) and all I wanted to do all night was pull up Soldier Boy's pants and smack T Pain. When did we start to settle?
Newsflash! Jamie Foxx has been taken to Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles because he O D'd on himself while hosting the BET awards show.
“I can't imagine what Janet is going through. I pray she can keep it all together. Has to be difficult. Hang in their baby girl. We love you.”
Touched by Janet coming on BET Awards show. Best part of the evening......I cant imagine where u get the strength to do something like that.”
“I suspect this night will end with someone on stage tearing up a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. where my slave ni@@as at?”
“It's official. Significant segments of the female population of the facebook fam are gaga over Maxwell. And you married women really need to chill.”
“What's the point of performing a song that they have to beep 80% of?”
“Why couldn't they have some really good talent for a REAL Michael tribute?? Too much to ask of a network that also has a show for Neffie and Frankie?”
“Seems like the people being honored @ BET awards always show up those honoring them. Remember Gladys Knight blowing folk off stage?”
Damn props to tyrese and friends they killed that OJay tribute.. Props for dat
“Tyrese might deserve the Michael Jordan award for putting a team on his back...”
“Tevin Campbell, is that you?”
Eric Easter is VP of Digital & Entertainment for Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. He writes about politics, culture and technology for Ebonyjet.com.
