BET Awards Show Quickly "Overhauled" for Michael Jackson Tribute

Sunday

BET Awards Show Quickly "Overhauled" for Michael Jackson Tribute

It may not be adequately acknowledged, but the annually televised BET Awards Show is consistently the best televised music extravaganza in the business. Luckily, it just happens that tonight's BET Awards was already scheduled to air -- as it does each June during Black Music Month, long before the untimely death of Michael Jackson.

Sister station CNN has exclusive red carpet rights - a first and well-deserved spotlight for many reasons...

I imagined that BET would have enough time to create a knock-out Michael Jackson video module and even have some of the scheduled stars drop everything that'd been rehearsing and perform a thriller Michael Jackson medley. But according to reports, BET chairman and CEO Debra L. Lee felt her team had sufficient time to dwarf the minimum "must do "expectation. It sounds as though BET's Lee & Company are making something of a musical miracle happen on the third day of Michael's death.

According to the Jackson's influence gets spotlight at BET Awards by the Washington Post, Debra Lee ordered a "total overhaul" of tonight's always amazing BET Awards Show. Not only will an enormous chunk of tonight's BET Awards be dedicated to celebrating the life and contributions of Michael Jackson, an extra 30 minutes has been added to that televised event.

Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Chris Brown are but a few of the stars hitting the stage tonight at the BET Awards to participate in a multi-hour special tribute to Michael Jackson, the King of Pop

I'd heard yesterday that Beyonce and Jay-Z would be doing something super hot and special tonight, paying homage to MJ. Beyonce, who performed in concert as Sasha Fierce last night in Philadelphia, is said to have used her stage to share her remembrances of Michael -- how she mimics his fashion style and even felt the heavy of an overbearing stage father.

Access Hollywood even offers this exclusive story: Chris Brown Returning to State for BET Awards Michael Jackson Tribute. You probably know that Michael Jackson in an interview once cited Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake as the two entertainers he felt had the talent to wear his crown as King of Pop. So it's meaningful that recent events have been put aside for the moment so that Chris Brown can participate in the awards show tonight.

And yes, Rihanna reportedly will be there. (Does this mean that Rihanna will be breaking the law by being in the same auditorium as Chris Brown?)

It's hard to imagine that BET can top it's own show the year they paid tribute to James Brown. The Godfather of Soul (and everyone watching) was surprised and thrilled when Michael Jackson suddenly appeared on stage, making tearful remarks about Brown's influence on him.

That was one of the absolute best moments in music awards history, and it of course was made doubly so by the King of Pop's presence. To keep this on an uplifted note, it'll be grand to see what I imagine will be multiple generations of music talent on stage together tonight -- throughout the night -- all there standing in the shadow and love of Michael Joseph Jackson. A little boy from Gary, Indiana, who came, saw, conquered and left this world too soon.