Monique One Ups Beyonce

I found this clip from the 2004 BET Awards and I’m so glad I did. It features the show’s host, Monique, doing her own version of the now famous dance from Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” music video. Yeah, I know. Now you probably have that song stuck in your head. (thank me later) Anyway, this clip is great for several reasons. One, in true Monique fashion, it brings a smile to your face without it being at someone else’s expense. It’s good to see that humor is possible without being degrading or mean spirited. Second, it presents a positive image of black women as well as larger women. It’s very rare that we get to see plus sized black women at center stage having a good time. I loved Dreamgirls as much as the next gay black man, but it’s worth noting that Jennifer Hudson’s tour de force performance – most notably “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” – is about a woman who’s already been abandoned. She’s lost her “love” to a younger, thinner, lighter woman. (Beyonce no less) Fortunately, women like Monique afford us an opportunity to revel in the joy of positive images of black women – regardless of their size or choreography.