"Michael Jackson was a human being, but dammit, he was a king."
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards opened up with a touching tribute by Madonna for the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. In what seemed like a semi-off-the-cuff address, Madonna delivered a speech that sought to highlight the similarities that she shared with Michael Jackson in an attempt to outline what went wrong with his life. While some felt that the speech focused too much on her (and, to be honest, I can understand why), I personally feel it was a touching tribute that was very Madonna (right down to the chastisement to the viewing audience that “we abandoned Michael Jackson” with the implication being that we are somewhat to blame for losing him) … and very well suited for MJ’s memory. Here are a few photos of Madonna on stage delivering her tribute address:
Michael Jackson, who was not only one of the most influential forces in MTV’s history but also provided its Video Music Awards with some of its most irreverent moments, got reverential treatment Sunday as Madonna and his sister Janet provided emotional tributes — one through words, one through song. It was a tender, special moment — a rarity for the Video Music Awards. But the mood didn’t last for long, thanks in part to another onstage outburst from Kanye West. Madonna kicked off the show at Radio City Music Hall with a poignant speech about her relationship with Michael Jackson, which began when she was a youngster idolizing the then-child star, then morphed into a friendship when both were at the apex of their careers, and later, grew distant. Madonna lamented the negative publicity that dogged him in his later years. “Sometimes, we have to lose things before we can truly appreciate them,” said Madonna, dressed in black. “Yes, Michael Jackson was a human being, but yes, he was a king,” she told the celebrity-studded crowd, which included Michael’s brother Jermaine and father Joe Jackson. “Long live the king.”
Once Madonna stopped talking about her, she really let her personal feelings about Michael Jackson come to the forefront of her speech and honestly honored his memory. After the jump, watch video of Madonna delivering her address (along with a full transcript of her speech) and watch video of Janet Jackson and her troupe of dancers paying homage to MJ in their own way — in song and dance …
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