Even the best of us have our bad days.
Patti LaBelle proved just that when she performed a tribute to Tina Turner during Sunday night’s BET Awards in Los Angeles.
The veteran songstress struggled through a rendition of the 1989 hit “The Best” when audience members ended up obscuring the teleprompter.
LaBelle sang around the melody as she ad-libbed lyrics and apologized to viewers, telling people, “What if I can’t see the words, I don’t know! I’m trying, y’all!”
The “Lady Marmalade” singer certainly didn’t mean any disrespect.
LaBelle expressed her admiration for Turner in a statement to Rolling Stone ahead of the award show, saying, “Tina was a trailblazer and someone I have a tremendous amount of respect for.”
Turner was 83 when she died at her home in Switzerland in May.
While LaBelle’s performance didn’t go as planned, it wasn’t the only messy moment during this year’s BET Awards.
The impact of the film and TV writers strike was evident during the script-less and host-free show.
Paras Griffin via Getty Images
While some celebrities improvised their speeches, others made statements in solidarity with the writers who craft the shows.
During her introduction for artist Kali, singer Muni Long told audiences, “Writers are, in many instances, the glue to the execution of artistry and storytelling.
“Our ability to extract emotion from performers helping them to articulate their voices and vision to the world is irreplaceable. The protection of the writer is crucial. We simply must protect our intellectual property.”
See some of the funniest tweets about Patti LaBelle’s Turner tribute below.