The shocking news of Michael Jackson’s tragic death mere days before the broadcast of the 2009 BET Awards caused the show’s producers to scramble in order to transform the event into an impromptu tribute to the King of Pop.  According to Debra Lee, the Chairwoman and CEO of BET, the nature of the show changed immediately upon hearing the news and hundreds of BET employees toiled through the weekend to put together the “perfect tribute.”  The channel may have thought it was the perfect tribute to Jackson, but in actuality it was a slap in the face to millions of families watching the show.  Unfortunately, the heart-felt memorial was sullied by profanity, vulgar sexual content, and host Jamie Foxx’s solipsism.  The nature of the show may have changed, but BET must have known that the acts they had booked and the host they had tapped were not appropriate for all viewers, despite the program’s PG rating.  For airing an erroneously rated telecast laden with offensive content at 8:00 p.m. ET, the 2009 BET Awards (Sunday, June 28) rightfully deserves the title Worst Cable TV Show of the Week.

Jamie Foxx kicked off the night dressed in Michael Jackson’s signature red zippered jacket and high-water black slacks made popular by the “Beat It” video.  Foxx relayed a story from his youth about seeing Michael in concert.  Like many fans, Foxx tried to imitate MJ’s look.  “I had the Jheri Curl, the California Curl,” Foxx recounts, “and you know how Michael had that one curl down in the front?  I had just enough activator to pull mine down and I held on to that [muted ‘motherf*****’], cause if I let it go it’s gonna pop up.”  Later, Foxx tells the camera to zoom in on his crotch to get a shot of his tight pants. The camera angle moves closer.  “Now I know why Mike is always grabbing himself ‘cause these pants are a little... can you get a shot of that? Get a shot of this. I got a little camel toe right there…you know, I need a little room for this boa constrictor.”  Did BET seriously think that Foxx would have any regard for decency?  This from the man that only weeks ago suggested that 16 year-old Miley Cyrus should make a sex tape. 

Not only did BET hire the perverse actor to host the show, but they allowed him to perform three times and constantly plug his upcoming concert tour.  Early in the broadcast, Foxx performed his no.1 hit, “Blame It” with hip-hop impresario T-Pain.  The song is an ode to alcohol’s critical role in taking advantage of women.  Here are just some of the lyrics:

(T-Pain raps)

I'm a take a shot of the Nuvo
Shawty then you know
It's going down then we can go kick it like judo
You know what I mean
Shawty got drunk, thought it was all was a dream
So I made her say ah, ahh ahh
Now she got her hands on my leg
And my seats all wet all in my ride
All over my ride
She look me dead in the eye
Then my pants got bigger.

If anyone needs proof that BET knew beforehand that Foxx’s song was not appropriate for younger viewers, just look at the introduction to the performance.  Presenter Anthony Anderson turned to his young co-presenter - child actor Bobb’e J. Thompson - and told him to put on the headphones he brought with him onstage so he wouldn’t hear the song’s racy lyrics.  BET went out of its way to protect the young presenter, but what about the millions of children watching?

Foxx also appeared in a violent and tasteless movie commercial parody featuring himself and Martin Lawrence reprising their drag characters Sheneneh and Wanda in a film titled Skank Robbers.  The tagline is simply, “Rob the mother [bleeped ‘f******’] bank.”

However, it wasn’t just the pre-planned profanity that kept the censors busy.  Sadly, during the O-Jay’s acceptance speech for their lifetime achievement award, Eddie Levert slipped in an uncensored expletive as he recounted a story about watching Michael Jackson film a music video.  “Snow was blowing,” Eddie remembers, “and wind was blowing and people was dancing and s***.”  Clearly, the censors expected that type of behavior from Lil’ Wayne, but not from the venerable older musician.

Speaking of Lil’ Wayne, the performance of his shockingly putrid song, “Every Girl” had to be censored so extensively that nearly half of it was muted during the telecast.  But, again, what did BET expect from a song with lyrics like this?

            (Jae Millz raps)

I ain’t being disrespectful baby I'm just being Millz
And I don't know how fake feels so I gotta keep it real
I just wanna [muted “f***”] every girl in the world
Every model every singer every actress every diva
Every high sadity chick every college girl every [muted “skeezer”]
Stripper and every desperate housewife that resemble Eva
My role model was Wilt
So married woman or milf
It don't matter who you is, Miss
You can get the business.

The most awkward and uncomfortable moment of the night, however, came when an apparently drunk Ving Rhames channeled his character in the film, Baby Boy.  During his rambling presentation, he told the confused audience, “It’s about Guns & Butter.  See guns are the things that appreciate with time. I want y’all to say, ‘Guns is Michael Jackson.’”  When the stunned audience members remain silent, Ving presses, “I want y’all to say ‘Guns is the BET Video Awards!’  Lemme hear you say it!  Guns is the BET Video Awards and Butter is all those other [muted ‘b*tch-a**’] awards shows.”

This was the “perfect tribute?”  BET may have scrambled to change the show to honor Michael Jackson, but obviously they didn’t change it enough.  Instead, they deliberately hoodwinked the viewers with false content ratings and went ahead with their original line-up of lewd musical acts and questionable presenters.  Despite Michael Jackson’s foibles, he touched millions of people’s lives and attempted to foster compassion and understanding through his music.  This show wasn’t a testament to the icon’s legacy.  It was an insult. 

   For foul language, explicit sexual content, and deceptive content ratings, the 2009 BET Awards has been named Worst Cable TV Show of the Week.

For more information about the PTC’s Cable Choice campaign, click here.