BET awards show keeps censors busy

Cissy Houston’s tribute to her late daughter was the emotional highlight of Sunday’s BET Awards, a show that was defined by extended bleeps and the vulgarities that censors failed to catch onstage throughout the night.

Whitney Houston’s mother gave a rousing performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” that left the crowd in tears, including Beyonce and Melanie Fiona.

Mariah Carey opened the tribute with memories of her friend. She was followed by a moving number by Monica. Brandy, heavily influenced by Houston, sang two of the late singer’s hits. Chaka Khan blazed the stage with “I’m Every Woman,” which Houston remade. Gary Houston, Whitney’s brother, also performed.

But the nearly four-hour BET Awards was more like the Bleep Awards, as entire segments of performances from Nicki Minaj to Rick Ross were muted out due to foul language.

It started during the opening number by Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. music group, which included Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz. There were extended moments of censored silence when the rappers performed “Mercy,” though not all the offending words were bleeped out. Moments later, Samuel L. Jackson, the show’s host, was joined by Spike Lee as they did a comedic version of Jay-Z and West’s hit song “… In Paris,” to laughs.

West, up for seven awards, was the top nominee. Beyonce, the second-most nominated act with six, won best female R&B artist.

The birthday bunch

Actor Robert Ito (“Quincy”) is 81. Actress Polly Holliday (“Alice”) is 75. Writer-director Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Seinfeld”) is 65. Keyboardist Roy Bittan (The E Street Band) is 63. Model-actress Jerry Hall is 56. Actor Jimmy McNichol is 51. Bassist Dave Parsons (Bush) is 47. Actress Yancy Butler (“Witchblade”) is 42. Singer Michelle Branch is 29. Actress Vanessa Lee Chester (“The Lost World: Jurassic Park”) is 28. Actress Ashley Tisdale (“Hellcats,” “High School Musical”) is 27. Actress Lindsay Lohan is 26.