BET Marks 25 Years as Top African-American Network With Landmark, Star-Studded Extravaganza

BET Marks 25 Years as Top African-American Network With Landmark, Star-Studded Extravaganza

Legendary Performers & Today's Hottest Stars Join BET on October 26 to Celebrate Silver Anniversary; Telecast Premieres on BET November 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Talent Includes Usher, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, Earth Wind & Fire, Mary J. Blige and More

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's most celebrated performers of yesterday and today will gather at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium to celebrate a quarter century of ground-breaking, African-American programming from BET when the network hosts 25 STRONG: THE BET SILVER ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL on Wednesday, October 26 at 8 p.m. PT. A sparkling "A- List" of entertainers, including R&B sensation Usher, the sultry Alicia Keys, the multi-talented Queen Latifah, the soulful Earth Wind & Fire, hip-hop soul diva Mary J. Blige, the masterful John Legend, contemporary genius R. Kelly and many more will be a part of the star-studded toast to the network's silver anniversary milestone. In addition to celebrating more than two decades of unforgettable entertainment, BET will bid farewell to retiring Founder and Chairman, Robert L. Johnson in a special tribute. BET has again teamed with Cossette Productions, famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards(R) and five record- setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast, which will premiere on Tuesday, November 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Over the course of two-and-a-half-hours, viewers will take a 25-year-long, foot-stomping entertainment ride. Stops along the way will feature rap impresarios such as West Coast hit-maker Snoop Dogg, Queens, New York-born hip hop legend LL Cool J and Wu-Tang alumni Method Man, rocking the mic opposite hard-hitting "Dirty South" lyricists Nelly, Big Gipp, Murphy Lee and Ali in a battle for old school versus new school bragging rights. With Hollywood's finest in attendance, audiences will also be in the presence of such star power as Steve Harvey, Yolanda Adams, Serena Williams, Kirk Franklin, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Donnie Simpson, Dr. Bobby Jones, Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton and Bootsy Collins, New Edition, Arsenio Hall, Jeffrey Osbourne, Donnie McClurkin, Hammer, Howard Hewett, and Leon. The night will begin with an hour-long pre-show hosted by Terri J. Vaughn and Tony Rock who'll kick off the evening by taking viewers on a virtual stroll down the red carpet, capturing the sizzling fashions and arrival excitement of Black entertainment's glamour set. The half-hour post show hosted by BET News anchor Jacque Reid will recap the festivities, highlighting the network's favorite celebrity moments and performances.

"The only way to truly celebrate 25 years of BET's place in entertainment history is with an amazing event and televised special loaded with unparalleled talent and creative passion," said Debra Lee, BET President and CEO. "This event is more than a look back at BET's greatness over the years. It's our chance -- and that of our many friends, advertisers, viewers and partners -- to celebrate an incredible milestone and set in motion a new era for BET. It's also the perfect salute to the pioneering achievements of BET Founder and Chairman Bob Johnson."

"This year, BET cemented its reputation of giving the best award shows on television," added BET President of Entertainment, acclaimed director Reginald Hudlin. "Both the BET AWARDS and BET COMEDY AWARDS were huge successes. Our SILVER ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL will be the trifecta, the hat trick, the topping of toppers. I didn't just jinx it, did I?"

To pay tribute to the network's pioneering history, BET will break with the traditional host format in favor of an approach that incorporates a variety of A-list celebrities. Stars including Donnie Simpson, Queen Latifah, Serena Williams, Dr. Bobby Jones, Steve Harvey and Arsenio Hall will helm show segments, each representing a five-year span of the past 25 years. BET's greatest moments from 1980 to 2005 will be punctuated by period performances and special tributes, with each superstar-host personally connected to their time period.

Unforgettable performances are ubiquitous to BET mega-specials and 25 STRONG: THE BET SILVER ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL will keep up that tradition. The night will offer a powerful mix of classic soul and old-school funk with fresh rhythms and new-school flavor as the past, present and future unite to recognize entertainment greatness.

"There will be no place anywhere more electrifying than our stage with performances that are classic and contemporary; spiritual and funky; poetic and pulsating. BET's presence for 25 years has been a gateway to the musical universe. And that's exactly how we're building our anniversary show," said Stephen Hill, Executive Vice President for Music Programming and Talent.

BET.com users will get an exclusive All-Access Pass to behind-the-scenes backstage action, hosted by former BET personality Big Lez. Big Lez will lead online users in a guided tour of all the highlights and excitement of backstage, mingle with stars participating in the show and give a rare glimpse of the green room activities as celebrity performers prepare for their turn onstage at BET's biggest celebration ever!

Serving as a prelude to all the excitement of 25 STRONG: THE BET SILVER ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL, the network kicked off a series of special programming aimed at enticing viewers leading up to the official celebration with ALL SHADES OF FINE: 25 HOTTEST FEMALES OF THE PAST 25 YEARS. Hosted by Bill Bellamy, this special paid tribute to the most blazin' ebony starlets of the past 25 years. Other upcoming features include:

* MADE YOU LOOK: TOP 25 MOMENTS OF BET HISTORY (5 PART SERIES) -- Monday, October 24th through Friday, October 28th @ 10:00 p.m. ET/PT: The countdown will feature 25 of the most significant moments on BET that made you look, laugh, cheer, or cry. From the exclusive OJ Simpson interview, to the Million Man March and Biggie's last interview on Rap City, these moments are the ones viewers will still be talking about this time next year. Host: Donnie Simpson.

* ALL SHADES OF FINE: 25 HOTTEST MEN OF THE PAST 25 YEARS -- Sunday, October 30th @ 2:30 p.m. ET/PT: BET takes a look at the finest Black Men in the past 25 years. Host: Meagan Good.

BET will air encore performances of 25 STRONG: THE BET SILVER ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL on Friday, November 4 from 7:30-11 p.m. ET/PT; Thursday, November 10 from 8-10:30 p.m. ET/PT; and Thursday, November 24 from 7:30-10 p.m. ET/PT.

ABOUT BET

BET, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE:VIA.B), is the nation's leading television network providing quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs programming for the African-American audience. The BET Network reaches more than 80 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is a dominant consumer brand in the urban marketplace with a diverse group of branded businesses: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks -- BET Jazz, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; and BET Event Productions, specializing in a full range of event production services, including event management, venue selection, talent recruitment, sound, lighting and stage production.

ABOUT COSSETTE PRODUCTIONS

Cossette Productions is Hollywood's most unique and comprehensive production company, with more than 35 years of experience offering diverse and creative consultation, direction and execution of entertainment production. To its credit, Cossette Productions has produced 33 years of the Grammy Awards telecast; eight weekly television series totaling more than 500 episodes; numerous award-winning Broadway theatrical plays and musicals; 50 major performance specials, award shows and celebrity tributes; corporate events for the nation's largest companies; and countless made-for-television motion pictures and mini-series.

ABOUT THE SHRINE AUDITORIUM

The Shrine Auditorium, located at 665 W. Jefferson Blvd., comprises the single largest theater in North America, with some 6,300 seats and an adjoining 54,000 square foot Expo Center. Over six decades old, the Shrine is owned and operated by the Al Malaikah Auditorium Company (part of the Shrine Al Malaikah Temple).

On January 11, 1920 the Shrine Auditorium burned to the ground. It took another six years of planning and funding before the new Auditorium was completed. Once rebuilt, it was unique among the theater structures of the world because of its size, versatility and unique interior and exterior design. It is a major cultural center on the West coast and is recognized as a historical monument for its contributions to Los Angeles' history. Playing a dual role as Southern California headquarters for the Shrine fraternity, as well as a public rental facility for live and televised arts and entertainment productions, theater productions, operas, movie screenings, meetings, conferences, trade shows and conventions, today's Shrine Auditorium continues to be improved and renovated and remains one of the most admired and respected Auditoriums in the world.

Visit us @ http://www.bet.com/

Source: BET (Black Entertainment Television)

CONTACT: Tosha Whitten-Griggs of BET, +1-202-246-7875, tosha.whitten-griggs@bet.net; or Amber Koger, +1-310-889-9200, amber@bobbimarcuspr.com, for BET

Web site: http://www.bet.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Editor's Note: B-roll with show clips, Bob Johnson farewell tribute, red carpet highlights, behind-the-scenes and media center interviews will be available via satellite on Thursday, October 27, 2005 (30 minute window) @ 9:00AM ET (6:00AM PT) and 4:00 PM ET (1:00 PM PT), IA:6, Transponder: 14C, Downlink Freq: 3980 Horizontal. Additional footage will be available Monday, October 31, 2005 @ 4:00AM ET (1:00AM PT) and 8:00AM ET (5:00AM PT), IA:5, Transponder: 23C, Downlink Freq: 4160. Screeners, archival footages and interview opportunities are available upon request; contact Amber Koger, Bobbi Marcus PR at (310) 889-9200 amber@bobbimarcuspr.com or Zabrina Horton, BET Corporate Communications at (818) 655-6712 zabrina.horton@bet.net. Downloadable images and logos are available at our PR website, www.bet.com/pr.

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