Boyz II Men Pull an 'Ashlee Simpson' During Christmas TV Special

By Jett Wells Posted Dec 1st 2010 10:53AM

Boyz II Men Caught Lip Syncing During Christmas TV Special

Note to musicians performing on live television: Beware the lure of lip syncing because eventually you may get caught. Boyz II Men got busted using a pre-recorded track during their mini set on Tuesday's live NBC special at the tree lighting ceremony in Rockefeller Center.

The R&B group was exposed after an awkward transition to the next act. After Boyz II Men finished performing 'This Christmas,' the show transitioned to a duet by pop singer Charice and pianist David Foster, who were supposed to sing 'Jingle Bell Rock.' But then the Boyz II Men song replayed for more than 12 seconds. The music turned off and on again as one could tell the sound engineers were struggling behind the set. Watch, via Mediaite, after the jump.

All this reminds us of another backing track debacle on NBC, meaning of course the 'SNL' flub by Ashlee Simpson in 2004. Relive that magical moment here.

Tags: boyz ii men

Comments

(59)

Thursday 02 December

By tangilct

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JoeyO'H - you must not know music (or had very bad sound on your TV) or studied it or ever performed it live, because the lead vocals - each member singing his verse and vamp were live. The difference in tone and volume depending on when they moved the mic is just one way to tell. Wanye (the last one to sing a solo and ended the song out) constantly moves his head ala Stevie Wonder when making rifts up and down his musical phrase which is nearly impossible to lip sync as well as easy to hear the difference in his voice when his neck is up (harder to get notes out) and when he follows the note down the scale with his head. If they have the video up, watch it. The second verse lead started off shakey based on a a live voice, not a pre-recorded finely autotuned sound.
Boys II Men is a remnant of the 90's when actual talent was needed to get a record deal. They were the last great group out of Motown - known for a legacy of SINGERS (not performers) who routinely sung live. Boys II Men is a bit different now due to their aging, but I see nothing wrong with a pre-recorded BACKGROUND track if your chorus consists of 4 or 3 part harmony, which can't take place on stage if one part of the harmony is singing the lead over the chorus at the time.

Wednesday 01 December

By ADinNC

it was just a background track. all of the lead stuff and group harmonies were done live. mariah carey on the other hand, 100% lip sync

By Mike

The lead singer was actually singing there and not in the miscue. Backups were prerecorded. I'm surprised the lead was real, and I'm surprised you accused him of lip-sync. You guys ow him an apology. Most TV specials are canned these days.

By MARK A. JOHNSON

YOU WOULD THINK SINGING ARTISTS WOULD HAVE LEARNED FROM THE CAREER DISASTERS OF MILLY VANILLY AND C&C MUSIC FACTORY, AMONG OTHERS IN THE PAST. IF YOU CAN'T PERFORM THEN GRACEFULLY BOW OUT WITH AN EXPLANATION. "DO NOT LIP SYNC"! IT CAN BE A DEFINITE CAREER BUSTER BECAUSE YOU LOSE ALL CONFIDENCE ALONG WITH THE RESPECT OF YOUR AUDIENCE.

By ead17

Boyz to Ashlee Simpson to Milli Vanilli to profit w/o shame

By steve

memo to mark johnson...if your not sure how to spell something... look it up before you make an idiot of yourself. ITS VANILLI. And NOOO IM NOT PROUD FOR KNOWING THAT.LOL

By Bob

It's spelled "you're", not "your", Steve. Thus, you're just as big an idiot as you claim Mark to be.

By Pastor Loren

If you really care then I have this advise for you. GET A LIFE!!!! It's their music recorded or not. TV wants perfection so what is the big deal. Just in case you did know TV is fake.

By Dahoss65

all this lip syncing and untalented acts is exactly why this industry no longer gets a dime from me.

By richie

it happens all the time on live t.v cause of the weather an noise in the back ground

By Brandon

If you've ever been to a concert, you can tell if it's staged like if the crash symbols don't match with the music, or the guitarist hands are not in position with the solo. A lot of bands lip sync, or dub music equipment when doing live concerts. The're still getting paid when asked to do live performances lip syncing or not but it's not really fair to the general audience when performers cheat with lip sync when they are getting paid to perform for special events. If they don't want to sing, then just don't do the special events when giving the chance. "It's not right to cheat your fans".

By tosha

Well at least they were lip synching to their own voices and not milli vanilli to someone elses.

By jbjg24m

busted !! roflmfnao !

By Jeb

The clowns blew it when "Caught in transition!" Uh-oh. There goes their basketball career, too!

By kramerdad

are these FOOLS still "singing?" they stunk way back when and they still stink now.

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Elvis never lip synced, Ive been to plenty of his shows if he could do why not these so-called "singers" ? the reason? they cant sing, dead or alive, its all in the electronics, they manipulate the tones and voices otherwise these fool rappers would sound like a bag full of screaming cats.

By Jeanette

I would think anybody on that show was lip syncing, not just boyz II men

By BOBBB

They prove they can't act because they can't sing?!! Hummmm.

By TowTruck

Guess they better change their name.... Men II Boyz

By wheelz

What a joke! Why would ANYONE pay to go see a "live" act knowing the artist is standing up there lip syncing? They get away with it because the general public puts up with it. I have been a singer for 37 years, never once used an auto tuner, pitch shifter, or any of that b.s. There is only one way to guarantee getting your monies worth with any of these crappy pop acts... Don't buy a ticket for a live show... problem solved!

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