Chris Brown performed a Michael Jackson tribute at last night’s BET Awards that just might return him to the public’s good graces. Brown expertly moonwalked, crotch-grabbed and lipsynced through a medley of MJ’s hits for about five minutes. When he got to the part where he was supposed to sing live, to “Man in The Mirror,” he broke down crying and had to pace the stage instead of singing along with the backing track. That’s at about 4:10 in on the video above.
Images showing people in natural disasters were shown on the screen during the intro to the song. It’s hard to tell whether Chris was crying at the loss of one of music’s great icons, at all the tragedies we’ve seen lately, or both. Just hearing that song and looking at those pictures brought me to tears. As much of an entitled, clueless abusive creep as Brown is, he showed vulnerability and humanity during that performance and I found myself softening towards him. Go ahead and watch that video and see if you come away with a better impression of the kid. He wasn’t acting, because as we’ve seen during his many interviews he’s basically incapable of showing remorse and humility when he doesn’t feel it.
Will this help revive the career of a guy who throws tantrums, tells people off, and expects us to have already forgiven him for beating his famous girlfriend nearly unconscious and then fleeing the scene? Probably. A few moments crying on stage will probably do more for this guy’s image than months of begging and pleading. Brown may already have more fans than you might suspect. He took home the “AOL Fandemonium” award at last night’s BET Awards, beating out Trey Songz, Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber.
Thanks to TMZ for the heads up.
let see sean penn is an abusive drunk, so is mickey rouke, and countless other in hollywierd… i think chris brown deserves redemption
Not sure but his performance was definitely on point. RIP MJ!
I would say no but like another poster with all of the stuff Charlie Sheen has done Chris should get a pass. Charlie has messed up time and time again and he’s old enough to know better. Chris is young and it’s his first offence. If I had my way neither one of them would get a second chance but such is Hollywood.
Also I don’t buy Chris’s break down having anything to do with MJ. Just more Chris Brown selfishness.
Chris Brown sucks!
Totally staged.
His dancing was really great.
@Bopa I was thinking the same thing. He could of been overwhelmed just being allowed to perform again…. not sure if he was sincere or not.
He is an amazing talent.. His performance was outstanding.. Not making excuses.. there are none. But he has a right to move on. It is so funny to me that people like Charlie Sheen and Mel Gibson are not tared and feathered for their offenses.. But Chris Brown has to suffer for his act (as bad as it was) for the rest of his life. hmmm
I think his breakdown was more an emotional release. He is a performer and wants to perform. He had a chance to do that on stage on TV. It has not been the case. I can see how the emotions could get to him. It would be that way for anyone who has had to pay for a deed or who has suffered something personal. NOT saying he has suffered. I am just stepping back and looking at it as it was. THAT song too is emotional. Man in the Mirror. I’m sure he has had many moments of looking at himself and wondering why he made the choice he did. Sometime that is a defining moment.
I wonder why the outrage is directed towards him and not these two men. Where are the boycotts to stop Charlie’s show or Mel’s movies. These men are much older and more experienced. But I guess they are not Chris Brown.
His performance was GREAT. No doubt about that.
But I must hold grudges longer than the avrg. person because it felt icky to me. I know how stunningly articulate I’m being right now!
It just felt a wee bit like BS to me. And i think he’s still a DOUCHE.
The reason why Chris Brown’s behavior isn’t excused is because he is a young black male.
Most of you commenters don’t talk as bad about the other men who have abused their wives as you do Chris Brown.
He is a young man, the first time he messed up was pretty bad but you have to at least give him a chance to move on.
Btw, his performance was amazing and the beginning he wasn’t lip singing… that was only during the dancing.
Well if you all want him to be forgiven and have his career back, go out and buy his cd that tanked.
Sales are what will revive his career, so help the little dude out!
I think his. Dancing was wonderful. He still has. The energy and talent, much like MJ even in his last days. The crying was a bit much, but I do believe such a young man deserves to make a second go at fame and fortune if he’s willing to work.
What is this? Two wrongs make a right? Just because Sheen was (wrongly) given a pass, Brown should be given a pass? What kind of nonsense logic is that? They should both be out on their ears. I don’t care how much Brown cries his eyes out on stage. He’s a vicious abuser. What he did to that girl was shocking in its violence and he has shown no remorse and no real understanding of what he did or why it was wrong. He should be in jail, not crying on stage to the cheers of an audience. What the heck does blubbering on stage have to do with the fact that he punched, bit, and choked a woman until she passed out? Nothing. He should have been punished like any other person (white or black) in the general population would have been, not excused because he’s a celebrity and cries to Michael Jackson songs.
its about forgivingness, not giving him a pass, because last time a checked, chris brown is a felon now…and no its not a race issue, at least not to me
Its always about race in America.
Oh Gawd, why does someone always have to pull out that damned race card? We don’t give a rat’s ass what color Douchey Brown is…we just want him to go away…along with all of the other over-entitled arrogant douches out there…go…away…
No, it’s not about race, it’s about money. Charlie Sheen is deplorable but his awful show brings in tons of money for CBS. Sean Penn brings in money for his movies and Mel Gibson… well, no one is exactly banging down his door.
Chris Brown was not powerful enough to overcome this. If Jay-Z did the same thing, he’d be back on top. Why? Power and money.
I can’t ever forgive what he did. Those pictures of Rihanna were horrifying. He did that to her. So he can cry all he wants at MJ being dead or tragedies elsewhere but did he cry for what he did to Rihanna? No, he just cried for his career that we’re somehow responsible for. F**k him.
13.sonola trip:
June 28th, 2010 at 9:22 am What is this? Two wrongs make a right? Just because Sheen was (wrongly) given a pass, Brown should be given a pass? What kind of nonsense logic is that? They should both be out on their ears. I don’t care how much Brown cries his eyes out on stage. He’s a vicious abuser. What he did to that girl was shocking in its violence and he has shown no remorse and no real understanding of what he did or why it was wrong.
+++++++++++++++++++
If you’re responding to me I don’t believe either of them should be given a pass. I think I said that. I’m no Chris Brown supporter; I would rather he go to school and do something else. But all things being fair if Charlie get’s a pass then Chris should also. By pass I mean in the entertainment industry. Charlie has been accused of much worse than what Chris has done (including domestic violence). Charlie has been breaking laws for decades and doing it regularly. Chris did one major thing and a couple silly childish things. I don’t agree with the double standard and neither should you.
I’m not giving Chris Brown a pass. It’s not a race thing; I didn’t give Charlie Sheen a pass either, or any other creep who beats on someone to make themselves feel better.
I didn’t buy the act……
@ Caprice:
The reason why Chris Brown’s behavior isn’t excused is because he is a young black male.
That’s a load of CRAP!!! So because he’s black we’re supposed to be ok with him nearly killing his girlfriend??????
Rihanna is a BLACK WOMAN yet Chris Brown sympathizers can’t seem to muster the smallest bit of EMPATHY for her. This makes me sick.
Black women are beaten, killed, robbed, raped, etc EVERY DAY yet that’s somehow par for the course. But let a black male who is a CONVICTED FELON face any hardship and watch how many people from the black community rally around the CRIMINAL and scream racism.
There are so many causes more deserving than the Chris Brown sympathy project. Wake up.
@ sonola trip:
What is this? Two wrongs make a right? Just because Sheen was (wrongly) given a pass, Brown should be given a pass? What kind of nonsense logic is that?
YES.
Thank you for saying that. The rest of your post is full of win.
I don’t give any woman beating coward a pass.
enough already with demonizing chris brown. he’s so talented and he didn’t kill anyone. princess riri seems just fine. he’s young, he did a terrible thing but that’s no reason to deny him his livelihood.
I’m with bite me and constance on this one. Charlie Sheen is alot worse to me, smugly getting away with doing really bad things. At least Chris Brown learned from his mistakes and is moving forward with his life.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I AM FORGIVING THAT MAN FOR BEATING UP A WOMAN LIKE THAT. AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE TEARS ARE REAL, I CAN NEVER FIND IT IN MYSELF TO FORGIVE THAT MAN.
…And yes, the one who wrote this comment just happens to BE A MAN.:)
charlie sheen is walking pile of dogshit.
Celebitchy,
I sort of felt the same way, less about Chris and more about the fact that I love “Man in the Mirror” so much and I was already tearing up that the anniversary of Michael’s death was last week.
He was actually singing live when “The Way You Make Me Feel”
We’ll see if this revives his career. He did really care about MJ. He always did interview after interview about how he influenced him. This is the most “real” we’ve seen him in a long time. Like you said, he’s incapable of showing any sort of vulnerability or remorse
I remember last year’s BET Awards when they did the tribute and he went on his Twitter ::rolls eyes:: and said how it wasn’t worthy of his memory and he wished he could have done something.
He got his wish.
@ meme:
charlie sheen is walking pile of dogshit.
As is Chris Brown and all the other women beaters.
Boo.
Chris is really talented and he should get a second chance.
I have hear from many people that he and Rhianna were still seeing each other after he was sentenced.
PS: Nobody can convince me that his song Crawl was not for Rhianna. I love that song.
One thing we can’t deny is that Chris is certainly talented.
And on another note, I think people deserve to be given a chance, if they are truly making an effort to change.
I watched it and I did not come away with a better impression of him. To me this tearful performance clearly demonstrates the enormity of his pussy-ness. Most abusers are giant pussies hiding behind a hair-trigger temper. Didn’t change my impression of him at all, in fact it solidified it.
interesting, celebitchy. i recommend people go to laineygossip.com for another perspective on it
nope nadda. how is it he can break down over some images and the loss of a man he may have looked up to, but can’t show any remorse about beating up the girlfriend he supposedly loved???
most abuser show some remorse-false or not.
i’m still banning him from my airwaves, i won’t even listen to the Glee Cast Version of No Air-just in case.
I agree that his breakdown was probably a general emotional release. I don’t think his career will ever be what it was before the beating, nor should it.
He was just incredibly moved by his own talent.
Tia C- Perfectly said! I couldn’t agree more.
Tia C – Indeed, well said!
It boggles the mind that people still don’t understand the cycle of abusers. They always cry and ask for another chance. If given, they will do it again. I don’t believe he’s “changed”. It takes more than crocodile tears and whining about your record not being played to “change”.. Ugh.
I think Persistent Cat has it right with the fact that money and power trump all. I definitely don’t think for a second it has to do with race. What about Snoop Doggy Dog, charged with murder or even Kobe Bryant? Fairly certain that if you read the transcript of what happened between KB and the young woman he sexually assaulted that you would throw up. Yet he is unanimously worshipped in Lakers nation almost as if the incident never happened.
These black men have emerged from controversial events almost untarnished and Brown very well may do the same if he shows remorse and plays his cards right. Personally, I can’t stand him, Kobe, Sheen, Mel Gibson, or any of those men but I’m not big on second-chances…
It strikes me as emotionally manipulative.
None of these violent screw ups should get a pass.
Nope. Not buying what you’re selling, punk.
mostly everyone on this thread seems to forget he was a KID when all that happened. all of you act as though u never messed up in ur lives and was ALWAYS perfect…give me a fkn break will ya. So damn quick to judge. Let him learn from it & let him live from it…w/o u tearing him down every chance u get.
Let me put ur lives under the mocroscope for just 1 day and I bet I’d see a lot OF FKD UP SITUATIONS from a bunch of grown adults.
Get over urselves….seriously
Chelly, I never beat the shit out of someone weaker than me. He was considered an adult in the eyes of the law, old enough to know better than to pummel a woman.
Also, learn to spell. Seriously.
Snark, Girl, Tia and Iggles- absolutely correct. No pass, he’s so desperate to get his career back he’d do anything, even feel sad. (And @Kitten- can I get an “Amen” for EVERYTHING you said?? A-fokking-men!)
As for racism, I really dont think that is what is going on with Chris Brown… the facts don’t bring this conclusion.
as for the ill-conceived excuse of “being a child” (a) No he wasn’t a child and (b)thought processes like these rip asunder the very fabric of morality and personal responsibility…reprehensible and ten other gigantic words that I would love to think of right now. ((steps off dictionary disguised as soapbox))
Chelly…..I may have made mistakes in my life. I have NEVER beaten, or even struck anyone. Period. Blaming it on him being a kid is an excuse. I can’t excuse that behavior from anyone. 18 years old or 58 years old.
Last time I checked Chelly a ‘kid’ is under 18. He’s an adult and he grew up watching his Mom get beatings so he should have known and done better.
None of them get a pass in my book, Charlie, Mel or Chris. Maybe when I actually believe Chris has any remorse (beyond it hurting his career) that he beat down on a woman – maybe then I’d… hmmm… actually I hate his music so I really don’t care if he makes a come back or not.
@Kelaa Khaa How do we know Chris Brown has learned from his mistakes? Last I checked he was still showing ongoing anger management issues and complaining about Oprah not supporting him and stuff like that.
I do not support the art of Charlie Sheen or Chris Brown. I’m equal opportunity that way.
I DO hope they get themselves right and don’t hurt anybody else. But I don’t think a few minutes of possibly staged crying is a good reason to look past what Chris Brown has done. It’s not my place to forgive him but I sure as heck am not going to forget. Not for him, not for Charlie Sheen.
@ # 22 – meme: “princess riri seems just fine.”
Exactly, she seems fine – on the outside. How would you, or any of the other Chris Brown apologists, know how she’s really doing? Whether she’s reliving the abuse over and over again, having nightmares? How would you know she doesn’t still need therapy?
“…and he didn’t kill anyone.”
He very nearly succeeded.
He should have been locked up, or alternatively, been made to do social work in battered women’s shelters for a long time. I don’t buy his crocodile tears at all.
Please see John Legend’s face at the end of Chris Brown’s performance. That sums up exactly how I feel about it.
@Chelly: A kid? Give me a break. He was no child. And like another poster stated, if he saw his mother beaten by men, he KNEW what he was doing as an adult. If we were talking about a 12 year old, that would be one thing but he was a grown man.
I find it extremely troubling that we live in a world where people actually try to excuse such atrocious behavior. I don’t care if it is Mel Gibson, a man who is pretty damn long in the tooth or Chris Brown, although young, he is an adult and fully responsible for his own actions.
When has CB actually shown that he is remorseful and learned from his actions?
Coming from an abusive home, I can tell you that once a man beats and I mean BEATS a woman like Chris Brown did, he will do it again. I don’t buy any of this bullshit. He’s sorry because he got caught and his income plummeted and really for no other reason. The difference between Charlie Sheen and CB is that there is photgraphic evidence of the violence. An image like that of Rhianna’s face, changed everything. Until them it’s just words of acusation.
Yea no. Not buying it. It seemed like a staged bunch of nonsense.
He can squeeze out some tears about Micheal Jackson dying a year ago but he’s not sad or remotely remorseful about beating the hell out of a woman he supposedly loved?
Some people might be that gullible, but I’m not.
I find all the comments supporting an abusive violent criminal to be absolutely unconscionable. This is not someone who deserves redemption or support in his career. WHY ARE YOU MAKING EXCUSES AND SUPPORTING SUCH A TERRIBLE CRIMINAL? Agreed with all the above he was NOT a kid. Come on.
So many people on here have named other dirtbag losers who have remained in the public’s good graces despite their disgusting behavior and suggest that Chris Brown should be forgiven, too. That’s brilliant. How about they ALL go screw themselves, instead. They’re all a bunch of ignorant, over privileged, narcissistic bullies.
I too think he was crying for himself instead of Michael or any other outside disasters. He’s proved time & again he’s only concerned about himself/his career, nothing else.
The others aren’t trying to convince us they are innocent, it was not their fault. They’re not whining publicly.
Ok because everyone was clear headed thinking grown mature adults at the ripe old age of NINETEEN!!!
I dont condone what he did but i BELIEVE he is capable of changing. We’re ALL capable of change regardless of how messed up we once were.
I was a victim of abuse myself and I know how painful it is BUT i also know people are deserving of second chances…maybe not in the relationship but in life. We are all entitled to that.
@ Persistent Cat:
L-e-a-r-n t-o s-p-e-l-l
Taking a dumb cheap shot at my TYPOS or typing ur rather than you’re is a very immature way of lashing out at my comment. Grow up.
The video link is broken. Hmmm…the video links aren’t broken on any of the posts about WHITE performers! Why are you so racist, Celebitchy?
OK, obviously sarcasm. I looked this up on YouTube. Chris Brown shouldn’t be allowed to be in a room where “Man in the Mirror” is playing!!! Chris Brown should have looked at the “man in the mirror” when he was BEATING his girlfriend. Michael is rolling in his grave, I’m sure.
The reason Charlie Sheen is “getting a pass” is because there was no photographic evidence. And I’m not so sure he is even “getting a pass.” Most people know he’s a dog. He’ll never work in film again, will be lucky if that unfunny show he has stays on the air much longer.
@#8 lisa that is so true.
I wonder how so many of Brown haters could have no sin? I wonder where were Brown haters when Charlie Sheen got a 2 million dollar raise, I didn’t hear too many people say anything about that or the fact that he can continue to work on his TV show.
I do remember many times Chris Brown talking about MJ. MJ touched so many people hearts how dare someone say that Brown was thinking of himself. That’s such an unfair statement. You are not a
mind reader.
MJ was so importing to many-many young black kids growing up-you can’t say MJ meant nothing to Brown. Brown always talked about MJ his whole career.
You don’t know what Brown was thinking if you do not read minds.
Wait until God judge some of your hateful sins. Maybe God will judge you just as hard as some of you have judge Brown.
No way would I buy into this kid again.
Take another look at Rihanna’s beaten to a pulp face, and sad eyes if you want to know why I cannot take this fool’s next love song seriously.
Go away, CB. Nobody NEEDS to be a celeb. And why the hell did an award show celebrate this idiot anyway?
Should have had Rihanna do the performance and let the punk fade away.
chris brown wasn’t crying for haiti or MJ. he was crying for his career.
FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE!!!!! Perhaps he should focus on acting instead of singing. There were no tears on his face, he is an arrogant PUNK!!!!
Soooo apparently…because he can dance well, we’re supposed to forget that he beat a woman senseless and showed zero remorse.
“It’s hard to tell whether Chris was crying at the loss of one of music’s great icons, at all the tragedies we’ve seen lately, or both.”
Or neither. He was probably crying because he was so relieved to be performing again. But yeah, methinks this isn’t going to stick the way he’s hoping it will. I, for one, will never like him ever again.
I’M SOOOO THANKFUL FOR THIS PERFORMANCE!!!!!!!!!!! he was supposed to do a tribute at last years BET awards but they wouldn’t let him peform, and we had to suffer through all that last minute bullshit that never did MJ any justice (especially that creepy/long ass beyonce performance). I’m so happy they let him perform…. i cried with the man! He never left but i think now hollyweird is finally starting to forgive him and let him come back to doing what only chris can do!
the performance wasn’t about him gaining sympathy from rihanna extremists. it was about him paying homage to his idol: WHICH HE DID AN AMAZING JOB. do you honestly expect this man to spend the rest of his life apologizing to people who had nothing to do with the situation? what you all need to do is fall off your high horses because we’ve ALL been in that same situation or know some one that has been AND LIFE CONTINUES TO GO ON for us all. none of us are in a position to JUDGE anyone.
I’M SOOOO THANKFUL FOR THIS PERFORMANCE!!!!!!!!!!! he was supposed to do a tribute at last years BET awards but they wouldn’t let him peform, and we had to suffer through all that last minute bullshit that never did MJ any justice (especially that creepy/long ass beyonce performance). I’m so happy they let him perform…. i cried with the man! He never left but i think now hollyweird is finally starting to forgive him and let him come back to doing what only chris can do!
the performance wasn’t about him gaining sympathy from rihanna extremists. it was about him paying homage to his idol. do you honestly expect this man to spend the rest of his life apologizing to people who had nothing to do with the situation? what you all need to do is fall off your high horses because we’ve ALL been in that same situation or know someone that has AND LIFE CONTINUES TO GO ON FOR US ALL. none of us are in a position to JUDGE anyone.
I’m so happy they let him perform i cried with the man! He never left but i think now hollyweird is finally starting to forgive him and let him come back to doing what only chris can do!
the performance wasn’t about him gaining sympathy from rihanna extremists. it was about him paying homage to his idol. do you honestly expect this man to spend the rest of his life apologizing to people who had nothing to do with the situation? what you all need to do is fall off your high horses because we’ve ALL been in that same situation or know someone that has AND LIFE CONTINUES TO GO ON FOR US ALL. none of us are in a position to JUDGE anyone.
@ JaNa’e:
what you all need to do is fall off your high horses because we’ve ALL been in that same situation or know someone that has AND LIFE CONTINUES TO GO ON FOR US ALL. none of us are in a position to JUDGE anyone.
1- I don’t know anyone who nearly beat their girlfriend to death
2- Fck that! Would you let a child molester babysit your kids because “none of us are in a position to JUDGE anyone”?
When someone does WRONG they are going to be judged for that shit. As they should. It’s self-preservation to not give benefit of doubt to people who have hurt others in the past — whether through force/violence or manipulation/malicious intent.
@melissa, yes that is exactely what I thought also. It was fake as hell. It did not make me feel for him at all. I don’t care how talented this guy is, I will never buy his music or support his career. He should just go away already and take Charlie Sheen etc with him.
You people are so pathetic and judgemental it is disgusting! He F’d up big time, but do you know him or Rhianna personally to say what kind of relationship they had? No one will ever really know what happened that night other than the two of them, and that’s just fine because it isn’t anyone’s damn business! I mean seriously that man left his heart on the stage with a superior performance to his idol, and it’s turned into rhianna gate, why, what the hell does last night have to do with her and that situation? You people that judge another human being like this are probaly the main offenders, sitting back passing judgement and you aren’t shit in your own lives. Comparing him to child molesters and such, really? You know of one situation this man has been involved in, and not all the details, yet he is the worse human being ever born, not to mention rhianna herself has admitted to putting her hands on him, but her career has flourished and she has moved on and not looked back. All I know is it isn’t my job to say I will never forgive this abuser, blah blah blah crap, because it isn’t my place nor is it yours, why don’t you take a look at yourself in the mirror before your so quick to judge.
Dee84, how do you know who is what in their lives? First off should we all applaud CB because he can dance and sing? We knew that before he bit/punched/choked a woman, and threaten to kill her. Who cares if we were there. We seen the disturbing picture. It told the story, so don’t go into us blaming this poor “abused celebrity. Nobody is perfect but just forgiving him for what he did just because he performed a tribute is ridiculous. Rihanna like her or not was a victim of a VICIOUS attack, and CB was the attacker. So we aren’t supposed to blame her. Please tell me where she admitted to hitting Chris?
Where was CB heart and tears after the Rihanna incident? Wasnt he laughing and flexing his muscles on jet skis? Wasn’t he cussing out people on Twitter? Wasn’t he telling the industry and “haters” to kiss his behind? Wasnt he hanging up on DJ’s? Wasn’t he blaming everybody but himself for the failure of his album. He wasn’t crying for dead idol. He was crying for the money/respect he lost. For the fact he has been banned from performing on MAJOR award shows. That is what those tears were about. BET awards is not some big time thing, they aren’t the Grammys or even MTV awards.
Did he ever truly admit to being sorry for HURTING the person he claimed to love so much? No. He has never really answered anything. Always sidestepping the issue. He didn’ spend anytime in jail, all he got was community service and he whined about that! I’m free as everyone else is to have a opinion. I have taken a good look at him, and he is a huge disappointment because he is talented. Now he will never be able to live this down. Will he be able to have some career? Sure. But it will NEVER EVER be what he could been or was before. People saw him as the next MJ. No way. Its not happening.
Music – Hat’s off to you. I agree with everything you said.
Screw this narcissistic, delusional punk.
Dee84 – Chris Brown apologists are the pathetic. Excusing abuse because he has a pretty face. Dude has a nasty streak a mile long. If he did this to your sister, your mother, you daughter — would be so forgiving?
Thanks goodness Rihanna survived. She was real close to dying that night. If he choked her a little longer there would have been funeral for a young woman and murder trial for Brown.
I have never cared for Mr Chris Brown or his music for that matter as far as Im concerned hes a lowlife who got what he deserved what he did to that girl was so vile and disgusting hes nothing but a scumbag. So some bad copycat performance of a couple of Michael Jackson songs aint’ gonna make me change my mind and plus also in my humble oppion Chris is no where near as talenetd as Michael Jackson was?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like Chris Brown, I don’t get why they can’t let this story go and respect his music.