BET Awards Weekend

Saturday morning, I received an unexpected call from Al, a good friend & fellow thespian, inviting me to P. Diddy's BET Awards pre-party. I've been keeping things on the low since I got back from Europe, so I figured why not. I was still feeling down about Michael Jackson, and a BET party would be a great way to celebrate his life with other people who loved him like I did.

So at 10:30pm, Al and I were rolling up to My House. Now, from what I'm told, My House is "the newest, hottest nightclub and lounge in Hollywood." Just a few months back, I'd hosted a segment outside of the club, but had never been inside, since it's recent change of ownership. And with my Hollywood club hopping days long behind me, this was my first opportunity to attend an event there.

P. Diddy, the master of party planning, had done it again. Getting into the party was super easy. We parked our car, and checked in at the guest list table, then stopped to chat outside with Diddy's personal videographer. Reginald Weekes, who's a friend of Al's. Inside, the club lived up to the hype. It was beautifully decorated in warm, dark colors. And with the bed, comfy couches, and bathtub in the upstairs VIP lounge, it really did feel like you were inside of a Hollywood hills

mansion, rather than a club.

As I'd forgotten to put in my contacts, all of the faces inside the club were a blur. But Al was quick to point out the various celebrities that were walking by.

"There's Hill Harper!"

"Where?!" I asked squinting.

"And there's Wesley Snipes," Al said.

I turned and saw a bright, white smile and a shorter than I expected Snipes walk by, looking me up and down. "Hi there," he said.

"Hey," I replied.

The party was pretty star-studded. Jessica Alba and hubby Cash Warren. Janelle Monae. The Game. Queen Latifah. Taraji Henson, and Evan Ross (whom I LOVED in "Gardens of the Night"). I also ran into my old friend Aaron West and said a hello to his boy, Dwight Freeney.

Puff made a dramatic entrance half way through the party, followed by a mob of security, friends, hangers-on, and groupies. He eventually made his way to the dj booth and the music changed to the best of MJ. Al and I immediately made a beeline for the dance floor. I must have been pretty caught up in the music, because when I turned around, Al was about 6 feet away and their were security guys in black surrounding me as a crush of people trying to push in towards the dance floor. When I turned around, I instantly realized why. Diddy was two-stepping right next to me and Lil Mama was on my right.

Lil Mama stopped and looked at me. "Girl, you can dance."

"I know," I said smiling.

Me, Diddy, and Lil Mama danced together for a few minutes, then Puff headed back to the VIP with his swarm of people. Al and I took a break and grabbed a drink from the open bar-Ciroc, of course. And about an hour later, the pre-BET Awards party was over and it was time to head home.

Unfortunately, I didn't score tickets to the actual show. But Randy and I had a great time watching it together. I definitely give props to the BET production team for pulling off this re-vamped show in just 3 days. Having produced live tv for E! Entertainment, I know it is an extremely difficult task when you have 6 WEEKS to prepare. I can't imagine having to do it in 3 DAYS.

Jamie Foxx did an awesome job hosting and keeping the mood light for an audience that was obviously mourning the King of Pop. But was Jamie for real when during his performance of "She Got Her Own Thing" with Ne Yo & Fabolous, he riffed, "She can pay for the bills and take me out in this recession." Jamie-you are a damn fool!

For me, the highlights were definitely the O'Jays, Jay Z and Ne-Yo.

The O'Jays STILL got it! I wish we saw more authentic entertainers like them these days.

Jay Z put a silver bullet straight into the heart of all those auto tuned singers-which is almost everyone these days. It takes real Talent and lots of vocal training to sound the same on-stage as you do in the studio. Most "singers" today can't pull that off, because they rely so much on that magic instrument we call the auto tune. And their fans don't even realize these artists can't actually sing or hit a note correctly. I'm glad Jay Z pulled the lid off of that hoax.

Ne Yo blew me away as usual. Each time he took the stage, you could feel his genuine emotion. He is definitely a gifted writer, singer, and producer.

One of the not so stellar moments for me was Keri Hilson's performance. I think she tried t0 do too much. The over the top choreography made it almost impossible to hear the lyrics of her song-and I love both of the songs she performed. I wish she would have kept things a little simpler and instead opted for basic choreo that would have highlighted the moves she does best.

In addition, Beyonce's performance, though vocally superb, was very confusing and disjointed. I didn't understand her choice of costume. Was it a wedding gown? An angel's costume? Lingerie? And the blend of "Ave Maria" and "In the Arms of the Angel" didn't make sense to me either. Again, I think Beyonce could have done something simpler for the revised focus of the show. I would have liked to have seen less of THE BEYONCE SHOW EXPERIENCE and more of a heartfelt tribute to Michael.

But all in all, it was a great show. I loved seeing my favorite singers from the 80's and 90's-Keith Sweat, BBD, Maxwell, and even Tevin Campbell. And when Janet Jackson took to the stage, I was DONE! I don't know how she was able to make it out there, but I'm so glad she did. I was reduced to tears as she shared her grief, as well as her thanks for the love and fan support.

I give BET props on a job well done. I just hope I get a ticket next year!