Rich Past...
[USA
Today Report]
BET honors its rich past
By William Keck, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES — African-American icons of prior decades (Arsenio Hall, MC
Hammer, New Edition) mixed it up with current superstars Usher, Nelly, R.
Kelly, Alicia Keys and Diddy at Wednesday night's taping of 25 Strong: The
BET Silver Anniversary Celebration, to be broadcast Tuesday (9 ET/PT).
The all-star concert was divided into
five-year segments, with Queen Latifah introducing BET's first years,
1980-85; Arsenio saluting '85-'90; Usher, '90-'95 and Diddy recalling
'95-'00 when, he said, "they used to call me Puff Daddy." Bow Wow paid
tribute to the past five years, which saw the network kick off its popular
BET Awards.
During a break in taping, Latifah got the chills in the cold theater,
prompting Young and the Restless star Victoria Rowell to toss the
actress/rapper her mink stole.
There was a lot of fur on both men and women, and mink-draped gospel legend
Shirley Caesar explained why: "I believe just like diamonds, minks and furs
are a girl's best friend. There was a time when we could not afford it. All
we could afford was fake fur, but God has blessed us."
The ticket called for black tie, but jazz great Herbie Hancock was among the
very few to show up in a tux. "Whatever my wife says put on, I put on," he
joked. Among the more popular choices: sweat pants, t-shirts and
over-the-top hats.
George Clinton, famous for the multi-colored yarn woven into his dreads,
explained the BET fashion scene: "Black tie must have been a Halloween joke.
It would be too funky if everybody came in tuxedos. BET is about freedom and
expressing yourself."
Bootsy Collins unveiled the newest of his many outrageous hats: a nest of
black feathers. "A couple of eagles mugged a peacock, and I got the
leftovers," he said.
During the almost four-hour show, which will be edited
for TV, the late Luther Vandross was saluted by comedian Steve Harvey and
surprise guest Whitney Houston. Houston called Vandross' voice "smooth like
cappuccino on a cold winter's night." But when she tried to sing a few notes
for Luther, her hoarse voice was unable to hit the high notes, and there was
a silence in the theater.
But Houston's husband, Bobby Brown, made a strong comeback. Having worked
off the gut he flaunted on the couple's summer reality series, Being Bobby
Brown, he belted out My Prerogative after teaming on a song with his former
boy band, New Edition.
Among the other popular recouplings: Snoop Dogg reunited with his protégé,
Bow Wow, for one of the first times since they were known as Snoop Doggy
Dogg and Li'l Bow Wow. And Method Man sang a duet with Mary J. Blige.
On the red carpet, director Quentin Tarantino remembered that his family was
"way too poor" to subscribe to cable, so he began watching BET only as an
adult.
There was much talk of two recent news events: the death of Rosa Parks and
the rumor of Janet Jackson having a grown daughter (which she has flatly
denied).
Page Kennedy, the guy in the basement on Desperate Housewives, joked that he
wished the rumor were true: "It would be nice to see a younger Janet."
NEWSFILE: 27 OCTOBER 2005
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