On Sunday, the 2023 BET Awards went off without a hitch—mostly. In addition to the myriad of fire performances celebrating Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, the late rock ’n roll icon Tina Turner was also honored by another legend in her own right: Patti LaBelle.
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Things were off to a great start. The sound was great, the stage design was great, LaBelle looked great. However, things took a turn when the icon messed up on the lyrics to Turner’s 1989 song “The Best”—not once, but twice.
“What if I can’t see the words, I don’t know,” LaBelle said during the performance. “I’m trying y’all.” Nevertheless, she powered through to a gracious crowd who clapped along anyhow and enjoyed her performance.
Addressing the moment during an interview on Good Morning America on Monday, Labelle said she’s “proud” of what she did despite the slight snafu.
“I was so blessed to be asked to honor Tina Turner because that’s my friend from back in the day. Such a wonderful woman who’s done everything and so many people admire her. And when I did it last night, I was proud, honey. I felt really great,” she explained to GMA’s Michael Strahan.
In discussing her favorite moment with the “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” singer, she further added: “We worked together. It was always a great feeling being with her and just watching her go from where she started—which was not so pleasant—to where she ended up as a super, super woman. And I’m just in awe of Tina Turner.”
While Labelle didn’t directly address what exactly happened that caused her to not be able to see the words, a spokesperson for BET later clarified what happened in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter:
“It was an extraordinary privilege to celebrate the life and legacy of Ms. Tina Turner at BET Awards 2023. Having the incomparable Ms. Patti LaBelle on our stage honoring one of her contemporaries was an equal privilege. Due to the crowd’s enthusiasm, the teleprompter was obstructed, obscuring Ms. LaBelle’s view of the lyrics. Nonetheless, we couldn’t be more grateful to Ms. LaBelle for lending her incredible talent to this moment.”
Oh, an obstructed teleprompter, you say? I hate to say it, but this moment was very reminiscent of her 1996 performance of “This Christmas.” (“Next card, honey, next card!”) And for that, I can’t be mad! Entertained? Sure. Amused? Absolutely. But mad? Not in the least bit.
However, teleprompter obstruction aside, there were some people who questioned why LaBelle was tapped for the tribute in the first place. Many online expressed as much upon the initial announcement and during her performance on Twitter, citing Beyoncé and Fantasia as better choices.
“Patti LaBelle never came to my mind when thinking of a tribute for Tina Turner,” wrote user @callmedollar. “It’s truly no disrespect. If Beyoncé or Fantasia weren’t available then we could’ve did a slideshow of some photographs, but I digress!”
Regardless of their feelings, it’s undeniable that LaBelle gave us a memorable moment in spite of, and for that, we ought to give her her just dues.
Straight From 
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