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BET needs a wake-up call

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BET needs a wake-up call

Written by KELLY RODMAN

The 2009 BET Awards reinforced again why I never watch BET.

BET CEO Debra Lee said her staff scrambled over the past few days to rework the show and worked tirelessly to put on “the perfect tribute to Michael Jackson.”
Sorry, Debra, you all fell short.

Take MJ out of the equation: This show was scheduled to happen anyway, and it was still poorly produced. Add MJ into the equation: BET hyped up for three days a huge tribute to MJ…and there simply wasn’t one. Don’t promote it if you can’t back it up.

The performances: A couple of good apples in a barrel of rotten apples still equals a batch of bad apples.

Was Don Cornelius drunk or ill? Why was Jamie Foxx’s tour mentioned more than honoring MJ? I know everyone grieves differently, but Joe Jackson’s appearance and behavior seemed so disrespectful.

Rise up, my brothers and sisters! We can do better and deserve better than this. Pull up your pants. Wear a belt. Clean up your language. Taking an entourage up on stage with you when you win an award is overplayed and just tacky. And definitely don’t carry a plastic cup on stage with you. If the director has to mute out the majority of a song’s lyrics, then maybe it shouldn’t be performed, especially around pre-teen girls that you’ve included in your performance.

Respect to Janet for the courage to address the audience at the end of three and a half hours of a ridiculous roller coaster ride – one that I am pleased to get off of and never ride again.

Kelly Rodman is a former account director for a multi-cultural advertising agency. She currently specializes in freelance projects and event management. This column originally appeared as a blog on her Facebook page.

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