Tyra Banks looked glamorous at the first annual BET Honors, held last night in Washington D.C. Tyra was awarded for her contributions in media, while a rather golden-hued Alicia Keys was honored in the area of music. The show included performances by John Legend, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder -- who performed twice thanks to some technical difficulties. Not really a big deal, since the show doesn't air until February 22, and the audience sure didn't seem to mind.
The awards were hosted by Cedric the Entertainer. Danny Glover, Chingy, Keyshia Cole, Ne-Yo and many others came to support and honor their peers. Even Vivica Fox showed up, despite her recent headlines.
Others honored at the event include Dr. Cornel West, University Professor in the Center for African American Studies at Princeton (education), Richard Parsons (corporate citizen), US Rep. Maxine Waters (public service), and CEO Janice Bryant Howroyd (entrepreneur).
Photos: Getty Images/WENN
25 more photos from BET Honors featuring Tyra Banks, Ne-Yo, Keyshia Cole, Blair Underwood, Wyclef Jean, Alicia Keys, Brian McKnight, Harper Hill, Gladys Knight, Vivica A. Fox, Jill Scott, Cedric the Entertainer, Stevie Wonder and Kerry Washington are after the jump.
(Hint: right-click with your mouse to open the thumbnails up in a new window or tab.)
Photos: Getty Images/WENN
Lannette says:
I am writing to express my disappointment that they accepted an award from BET. That network has done more to set Black people back than any other in recent memory. I stopped watching it years ago when they shifted their programming from shows like "Teen Focus" to "Hot Ghetto Mess". BET has categorically waged war against Black women and girls by airing some of the most degrading programs since the beginning of the 20th century - yes the 20th century! And they got the latest Boondocks Episode that was going to address that pulled.....tsk tsk.
Gotta Getta Life says:
I think BET should be shut down for racism (among other things). This is ridiculous. If there were an all white awards show today there would be lawsuits.
sandy says:
Tirade Banks has a alien-freaksized forehead. She's VERY unattractive without her 4 hours of spackle makeup.
Bunny says:
Please Gotta Get A Life there is an all white award show and it is called The Emmys.Grammys etc. Calm down. WHen the world becomes truly inclusive then there won't be a need of separate award shows until then ther will be the BET awards, the Latin Grammys etc.
sbj says:
I'm black, and I really hate BET. I hate their repreation of black america. We are not all ghetto and listen to rap and wear apple bottom jeans and fake louis vouton. Its sickening. BET is sickening.
sbj says:
I'm black, and I really hate BET. I hate their repreation of black america. We are not all ghetto and listen to rap and wear apple bottom jeans and fake louis vouton. Its sickening. BET is sickening.
WOMAN OF CHANGE... says:
This is a letter I wrote for a class assignment. I am a student at Spelman College, and feel that BET does a horrible job of representing me to the world...Dear Debra Lee,
Letter to the BET CEO Debra Lee
Black Entertainment Television
Dear Debra Lee,
I am not who you say I am! And with stating that, I would like to take a moment and reflect on an issue that has been bothering me for some time now, an issue that is near and dear to my heart. As an African American woman in America, I feel that the representation that your network portrays of my culture and my people is one that is disheartening and devastating. Honestly, when I turn on BET, I never feel the sense of pride that other races and cultures have the opportunity to experience while watching television. Your network seems to suggest that your production is formulated and constructed to meet my needs as an African American, and if that is in fact your intention, I am highly unsatisfied and your purpose is unfulfilled. It honestly seems that you intentionally portray a negative and degrading image of African Americans within your broadcasts and programs to seek a financial gain from the demise of the values, struggles and trials of the African American community. Although there is a surplus of devastation through crimes, illiteracy rate, and level of poverty in the African American community, there are just as many, if not more positive reflections that can be seen and broadcasted to the world. And as an entity that originated African American owned and operated, the duty to commitment for a positive and uplifting community effect has not yet been experienced. The networks representation of the African American culture within the networks multiple entities of mass media is one that assumes to portray my people as sexual deviants, animalistic and as lower grade humans. My sole concern is that this one-sided representation portrays an image that affects the African American community as a whole, and the shame does not stop within the boundaries of America. Nationally and internationally, we are stigmatized and degraded through the productions and broadcasts that your network continues to air. In many ways this network has perpetuated the stigmas and stereotypes that are associated with the African American community stemming from times of slavery, and throughout the struggle for Civil rights and freedom. My concerns come from the constant misogyny and degradation of Black women that is portrayed by your network. I am also concerned with the negative portrayal of Black men that you seek to represent as only being thugs, drug dealers, pimps, and ignorant school dropouts. The network continues the perpetuation and celebration of these negative images in a way that contradicts the true essence of being an African American. The network continues to air these negative portrayals of African Americans never taking responsibility for your role in the destruction of our community and the future of our children. The network is a concentrated arena that makes the African American community look like uneducated, violent, and oversexed animals. No other entity serves to destroy the image of their own culture, yet BET continues to add to the destruction of who the African American community can become. As addressed in the opening, I am not who you say I am, and I will do everything in my power to correct the misrepresentation that your network continues to feed my people and the world.
Sincerely,
A Woman of Change...