Chris Brown gave a tribute to Michael Jackson last night on the BET Awards, singing and dancing (really well, I’ll add) and eventually sobbing uncontrollably during “Man In the Mirror,” rendering himself unable to lip-synch sing.
The people singing his praises last night were mostly celebrities too, that is until it was announced later in the show that he won the “Fandemonium” award decided by BET viewers.
Really? Three guesses if this is the year he sweeps the Kid’s Choice Awards, too.
“I let you all down before,” he said when he picked it up. “I won’t do it again.”
Okay, well, I hope so.
He was sentenced to five years of probation for severely beating Rihanna last February. He apologized. He has to do some community service, and hopefully he will, as he has said, continue to “work on himself” so he will never again fly into a rage and beat anyone. Ever. Because I don’t care what kind of songs you sing or who says what about you, that is the desired outcome here.
A scan of the comments on just about any post about his performance last night shows the clear consensus: leave Chris Brown alone. He’s done his penance. Shut up about Chris Brown, u h8trs, those were some real tears.
But you know what I really don’t like about these comments? The slams on Rihanna, that’s what. You know who’s been through enough? Anyone who gets her face and body beaten so badly that her eyes are swollen shut, that’s who. And I like to think that I believe in redemption too. I’m just weary of the culture of instant forgiveness — do this or that interview or emote on this or that show or go to this or that sex rehab and the population decides that you got a raw deal and everyone should leave you alone.
Honestly? The only thing that shows that is time. And seriously, if my career was on the line and saving it demanded some extreme measures, I’d cry too.
Maybe Chris Brown does love Michael Jackson, I don’t know. Maybe that was some real grief. This was a Michael Jackson tribute, after all.
You know, that guy — that guy who really got raked over the coals. And maybe deservedly so — like I said, I didn’t know Michael Jackson.
Or maybe he couldn’t believe he was back on a stage in front of his peers. Maybe he has realized the enormity of his mistakes. I don’t know Chris Brown either. I just hope everyone singing his praises is right, and hell yeah, I hope he feels badly about what he did — because that’s the best way to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Personal accountability is what’s up, h8trs.
And I mean that sincerely. I hope he does too.
About Laurie White
