Last year’s BET Honors broadcast, which was hosted by Gabrielle Union, and which honored Halle Berry, T.D. Jakes, Chaka Khan, music executive Clarence Avant, and WNBA player Lisa Leslie, was a big hit for the network, drawing 2 million viewers, which was an increase from the previous year (2012).
It was the No.1 most watched cable special at the time, last year (although it was still very early in the year – February 2013), and, according to BET, was the No 1 trending topic worldwide on Twitter for the night.
The network will probably be hoping for at least a match, or an increase over last year’s numbers, when this year’s (2014) BET Honors, which once again tapes at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, February 8, 2014, will be broadcast on the network on Monday, February 24, 2014 at 9pm during Black History Month.
This year’s event will honor Aretha Franklin, Berry Gordy, Kenneth Chenault (Chairman and CEO of American Express), Carrie Mae Weems (artist, activist and 2013 MacArthur Genius) and Ice Cube.
The rest of the story via press release below:
Dedicated to celebrating black excellence, this year’s “BET Honors” recognizes the achievements of five spectacular African Americans; Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin receives the Musical Arts Award for an incomparable four decades in music. Berry Gordy, record producer, songwriter and founder of Motown Records and creator of the smash hit MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, currently bringing the legacy of Motown to the Broadway stage at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre, will receive the Visionary Award for creating the company that redefined an industry and became the soundtrack of a generation. Kenneth Chenault, Chairman and CEO of American Express receives the Corporate Citizen Award for his leadership in business and personal commitment to public service and philanthropy. Artist, activist and 2013 MacArthur Genius, Carrie Mae Weems is the Visual Arts Award recipient for her provocative art which tackles complex issues of race, gender and class through video and photography. Trailblazer O’Shea Jackson better known as Ice Cube, receives the Entertainment Award for his pioneering work in music and impressive career in film and television.
Hosted by Renaissance man Wayne Brady, “BET Honors” once again tapes at the historic Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, February 8, 2014 and will premiere on Monday, February 24, 2014 at 9:00 pm* during Black History Month on BET Networks.
Proceeds from “BET Honors” will benefit the Women Veterans Interactive (WVI), an organization that helps restore hope as well as provides housing options and support for veterans and their families in need. WVI was created to address the unique, and often unrecognized, challenges facing our nation’s 1.8 million woman veterans as they return to civilian life.
Stephen Hill, President of Music Programming and Specials, BET Networks, and Lynne Harris Taylor, Vice President of Specials, BET Networks are executive producers, along with Jesse Collins of Jesse Collins Productions.
For more information on “BET Honors,” visit http://www.bet.com/bethonors . Join the conversation about the special on Twitter by using hashtags: #BETHonors; follow the show for all updates & special surprises @BET.
