After reportedly demanding a series of amenities that included a private jet, first class air travel for about 20 people and his own floor at his London hotel, Michael Jackson’s insanely hyped live performance at last night’s World Music Awards involved him singing along for a few bars with a recording of “We Are the World” backed by a collection of confused looking multi-ethnic children. Fans were less than psyched, and in this video clip you can hear them muttering “he’s gonna come back,” hope morphing into outrage as Jackson regaled the crowd with a series of Miss America waves and “I love yous” before strolling offstage.
It’s hard to tell via this clip alone, but some reports claim the sound was cut, meaning that the WMA organizers may be at least partially responsible for this fiasco of a performance? Although it also appears that Jackson was having a really hard time hitting even the few notes he sang, so perhaps the sound was cut on purpose? Who knows. What a disaster.
The crowning embarrassment of the evening is the fact that Chris Brown was offered up as a replacement performer and sang “Thriller” himself, supporting that age-old theory that if you can’t have Michael Jackson you’ll settle for any black American pop star adept at moonwalking. In this clip you can check out Brown’s moves (and familiar red leather jacket.) And here you can actual hear some of the song. Be appropriately disturbed by how many of the fans seem convinced they are watching Michael Jackson.

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- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.