LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Celebrities dressed like him, danced like him, sang his songs and talked about him. But the most poignant moment of the nearly four-hour long BET Awards last night in Los Angeles was the minute or so that Michael Jackson's sister, Janet, spoke about her late brother.
She told the audience at the Shrine Auditorium the entire family wanted to be on hand for the hastily assembled tribute to her brother who died Thursday -- but that it "was just too painful" for them to do so.
Jackson told the nationally televised event: "to you, Michael is an icon, but to us, Michael is family." She added that her brother "will forever live in all of our hearts." Janet thanked the fans around the world for their love and support. Then, her voice nearly breaking from emotion, she added: "We miss him SO much."
While Janet Jackson's tribute to her brother was, by far, the emotional highlight of the BET Awards, there were several others that captured the unique circumstances.
The show closed with Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo performing a duet on "I'll Be There," and asking the audience at the Shrine to join in the chorus. Backed by a simple piano accompaniment, the two were framed by large images of Michael Jackson projected on the screen behind them. Many in the audience were seen with tears in their eyes during the song. And after coming off stage, Ne-Yo wiped away tears.
Among those in the house was Jackson's father, Joe, who showed up for the event without tickets, sending staffers into a frenzy to get him an up-front seat for the proceedings. He told reporters along the red carpet: "I just wish he could be here to celebrate himself" -- but said he was there "to celebrate for him."
In a statement read at the show, Jackson's parents said they solely had the personal and legal "authority for our son and his children." It was their strongest declaration yet about their son's affairs
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