Human error behind mix-up at BET Awards

A BET network executive took responsibility Monday for the confusion that caused a music fan, chosen to give a prize at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, to erroneously announce that Rihanna had won the Viewers' Choice Award.

The actual winner, ironically, was Chris Brown -- Rihanna's former boyfriend who pleaded guilty to felony assault for beating her on a Grammy-night altercation in 2009.

Like all the presenters at the live telecast, Tiffany Greene, winner of the BET Your World/Our World contest, was to read the award from a tablet PC rather than tear open an envelope and read the card inside. But the name on the tablet did not match that on the teleprompter.

"And the winner is -- Chris Brown?" said Greene (whose name in some published accounts is spelled Green).

Then she corrected herself and said, "I'm sorry -- Rihanna!"

The star was not in the Shrine Auditorium, however, and singer/rapper Drake, who collaborated with Rihanna on "What's My Name?" accepted the award.

Stephen Hill, BET president of music programming and specials, later tweeted, "That BET Awards Viewers Choice mix-up was due to human error. And I was the human that made that error. I apologize to ALL affected."