Poll: Conspiracy behind the Rihanna-Chris Brown fiasco at BET Awards?

BET executive Stephen Hill is taking the blame for the fiasco over who really won the Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award –- Chris Brown or Rihanna -- at the BET Awards, calling it "human error." But do you believe it?

It's amazing to think that such a fluke could occur –- that the teleprompter accidentally declared Rihanna's "What's My Name" to be the winner while Brown's "Look at Me Now" was cited as champ on the computer tablet onstage. As a result, Brown was initially named the champ, then Rihanna. Since Rihanna wasn't present to accept, the award was claimed by her collaborator Drake. At the end of the ceremony, host Kevin Hart said that Chris Brown really won.

Why wasn't one of the other four nominees named winner by accident: Trey Songz ("Bottoms Up"), Nicki Minaj ("Moment 4 Life"), Mindless Behavior ("My Girl"), Lil Wayne ("6 Foot 7 Foot")?

The incident has bred all kinds of juicy conspiracy theories. Maybe Rihanna really did win, but BET chiefs nullified her victory because she wasn't present at the awards ceremony? After all, she also lost her two bids for best collaboration ("What's My Name" with Drake, "All of the Lights" with Kanye West).

Or maybe it was all a publicity stunt to draw attention to the BET Awards?

Take the poll and tell us what you think.

-- Tom O'Neil

RELATED:

 

Chris Brown and Rihanna mix-up was 'human error'

BET Awards 2011 crown Chris Brown the comeback kid

Chris Brown and Justin Bieber drive BET Awards '11 to big ratings

Photo: Chris Brown at the BET Awards on Sunday. Credit: Jason Redmond / Reuters

Chris Brown and Rihanna BET Award mix-up was 'human error'

BET executive Stephen Hill is taking full responsibility for the snafu that overshadowed much of the BET Awards on Sunday.

During the telecast, "106 & Park" hosts Terrence and Rocsi brought out contest winner Tiffany Greene on stage to announce the fan-voted Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award, in what has become a tradition for the ceremony.

The show used tablet computers instead of traditional envelopes to reveal who had won. After tapping her tablet, Greene announced Chris Brown as the winner for his hit "Look at Me Now" (the track had also won for video of the year and for collaboration). Then, she quickly corrected herself to call Rihanna the victor.

“Well, this is awkward,” said Drake, who emerged from backstage to accept on behalf of the absent singer for their hit “What’s My Name,” as the audience reacted with confusion.

Some in the crowd immediately said they believed it was all rigged by the network. Yes, mishaps happen during award telecasts, and giving an award to the wrong person is certainly awkward on any occasion. But for the mix-up to involve Brown and Rihanna was just asking for headlines. Indeed, the moment became a trending topic online, with plenty of people blaming Greene.

An angry and certainly a little embarrassed Greene went to Twitter and wrote, "Bawling backstage. They totally [expletive] me up," before apologizing and writing, "Last night I was tweeting backstage out of pure emotion and nerves. I actually feel a lot better today and the kind words have truly helped."

Hill, BET's president of music programming and specials, has since taken full responsibility for the mistake.

"That BET Awards Viewer's Choice mix-up was due to human error," he wrote in a tweet. "And I was the human that made that error. I apologize to ALL affected."

At the conclusion of Sunday's ceremony, host Kevin Hart brought out Brown to tell him he was actually the intended winner of the trophy, along with the FANdemonium Award. But the damage was already done, considering a chunk of the audience had already started filing out of the venue and were discussing the incident.

RELATED:

BET Awards 2011 crown Chris Brown the comeback kid

BET Awards: Arrivals photos

Rihanna's 'Man Down' video lands singer, BET in hot water

— Gerrick D. Kennedy

Photo: Drake accepts the viewer's choice award for Rihanna that was awarded to her by mistake at the 2011 BET Awards in Los Angeles. Chris Brown was the actual winner of the award. Credit: Mario Anzuoni / Reuters.

BET Awards 2011 crown Chris Brown the comeback kid

Last year at the BET Awards, Chris Brown stomped and bawled his way through an emotional tribute to his idol, the late Michael Jackson. The performance earmarked a yearlong public plea for redemption that had plenty of highs and lows. On Sunday night, it was pretty clear that at least one audience had embraced the singer. 

The 22-year-old was the uncontested man of the evening, collecting five trophies, including male R&B artist, video of the year and collaboration for “Look at Me Now” during the telecast, which aired live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. 

"All my fans are everything to me," Brown said while accepting the award for male R&B artist. "I know it's been a long road. I just appreciate every blessing that's been put in front of me."

Later, he delivered a dance-heavy medley of tracks from “F.A.M.E.,” his first No. 1 album, and performed alongside buzzy up-and-coming rapper Big Sean. He even chided his own lack of poise when it comes to public speaking, something the audience got a laugh out of, given his meltdown on "Good Morning America" in March.

Although Brown’s appearance made for the rather awkward question of seating arrangements in case Rihanna would make an appearance -- she didn’t, despite winning for female R&B artist -– their names did cross paths thanks to a major snafu.

As a fan presented the Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award, Brown's name was called as the winner (the show used tablet computers instead of traditional envelopes to reveal who had won), but then it was quickly changed to Rihanna. 

“Well, this is awkward,” said Drake, who emerged from backstage to accept on behalf of the absent singer for their hit “What’s My Name,” amid gasps and muttering from the confused audience.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, host Kevin Hart bought out Brown to tell him he was actually the intended winner of the trophy, along with the FANdemonium Award. Talk about awkward -- especially as a chunk of the audience had already began filing out of the venue.

Chris Brown tops Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Kanye West with six 2011 BET Awards nominations

Look at Chris Brown now.

Last year ,the 22-year-old made his most public plea for redemption at the BET Awards, which occurred after he pleaded guilty for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna, with a tear-stained tribute to his idol, the late Michael Jackson. Then the question was whether Brown would be able to make a comeback.

This year, the singer answers his naysayers by leading the pack of nominees for the 2011 BET Awards, the network announced Tuesday.

Brown, who scored his first No. 1 album with “F.A.M.E.,” racked up six nods, including for best male R&B artist, video of the year and the Viewers’ Choice Award.

Lil Wayne didn’t let the fact that he spent a great chunk of 2010 behind bars stop him from tallying up some nods. The rapper is up for best male hip-hop artist alongside Kanye West, B.o.B, Rick Ross and his Young Money signee Drake. He shares three nominations with Brown for their hit “Look at Me Now,” including one for the Viewers’ Choice Award in which he’s a dual nominee: His hit "6 Foot 7 Foot" was also recognized.

Rihanna continued her award season luck with four nominations, including two in the best collaboration category: one for "What's My Name" featuring Drake and the other for West's "All of the Lights."

Also earning nods: Willow Smith scored three, including for best new artist (she’s up against Bruno Mars, Miguel, Wiz Khalifa and label mate J. Cole) and her second consecutive nomination in the YoungStars category; Nicki Minaj, an easy lock for best female hip-hop artist; Jennifer Hudson; Cee Lo Green; Usher; and Beyonce.

The list of nominations didn't go without backlash, as snubbed artists such as Trina and Keyshia Cole took to Twitter to respond in very different ways.

"Its like this. Been on the scene 7 years. I was 21 when I got signed. 7 # 1 records. No awards 4 none of them/still touring. It is Wht it is," Cole tweeted. "These types of thing R the way they R. I'm not upset about any of it in any way. I hope everyone that goes has a wonderful time."

Rapper Trina, who was edged out by Minaj, Master P's daughter Cymphonique, Lola Monroe and Diamond, had harsher, unprintable words for BET.

The 2011 BET Awards are scheduled to air live June 26 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

— Gerrick D. Kennedy
Twitter.com/gerrickkennedy

Photo: Chris Brown performs on BET's 106 & Park show in New York in March. Credit: Peter Kramer / Associated Press.