Brando Booed, Britney Cheered at Jackson Tribute

ByABC News
September 12, 2001, 3:51 PM

September 10 -- (ABCNEWS.com) Fans some waving signs and banners, some dressed in full Michael Jackson regalia came from every corner of the globe to pack New York's Madison Square Garden.

Just the sight of a Michael "decoy" walking around in the audience a look-alike who was sent out to distract the crowd from the show's late start was enough to prompt pandemonium, sobbing, and screaming.

Here are three things you should know about Michael Jackson fans: 1) They don't like it when other stars perform Michael's songs 2) They tolerate it when Michael performs with others 3) They go berserk when he performs alone.

All of those scenarios took place Friday night, at the much-hyped first of the two Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Tribute shows.

When the real Michael appeared, with Elizabeth Taylor on his arm, the crowd went berserk. But as he took his seat in a side box, surrounded by his parents and Macaulay Culkin, the cheering fans didn't realize that what they were actually in for was two hours of musical performances, pretentious video montages, and lengthy downtime and no Michael until much later. Brando: 'It Could Be You' The show, delayed by almost an hour, got off to a lively start with Usher, Mya, and a scarily skinny Whitney Houston performing "Wanna Be Startin' Something." Then, things got weird.

Marlon Brando took the stage and rambled on for a good 10 minutes about children dying around the world in various horrible ways. The audience, clearly not in the mood for Brando's doom-and-gloom, booed loudly, while he admonished them, "It could be you!" It wasn't until Brando invoked Michael's name and said that the star was giving money to build a hospital in Florida to help sick children, that they stopped booing. They were relieved when Brando left the stage.

As the show continued with a steady parade of stars singing Michael's songs, some fans started grumbling that Michael himself hadn't performed. True, some of the versions were inspired, including Marc Anthony's fabulous take on "She's Out of My Life," but some were downright bizarre.