Janet and Papa Joe stop by

     *While BET celebrated the life of Michael Jackson the entertainer, Janet Jackson — in her first public appearance since her brother's shocking death — memorialized him as her beloved sibling and family member, eliciting tears as she vowed his memory would live forever.

     "To you, Michael is an icon," said Jackson, holding back tears at Sunday's BET Awards. "To us, Michael is family and he will forever live in all of our hearts. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support. We miss him so much, thank you so much."

     Afterward, Ne-Yo and host Jamie Foxx performed a somber version of the Jackson 5 classic "I'll Be There," as photos of Jackson flashed across the screen.

     It was a stirring emotional highlight for a show that was completely revamped to recognize the legacy of Jackson, who died Thursday at age 50. While awards were still doled out, the show's main focus was to pay tribute to the man who shaped the careers of every entertainer who walked the stage that night.

     Joe Jackson, the singer's father, also was on hand to represent the grief-stricken family. "I just wish he could be here to celebrate himself," he said before the show. "Sadly, he's not here, so I'm here to celebrate for him."

     And for the most part, it was a joyous wake.

     "No need to be sad