Grammys go 3-D for Michael Jackson tribute

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Grammys rode the 3-D wave Sunday with a special-effects-laden tribute to the late Michael Jackson in an awards show that featured many big spectacle moments.

Jackson's children, Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11 appeared after the tribute to accept a lifetime achievement award for the pop star, who died in June of a prescription drug overdose.

Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson and Usher performed in the tribute, mingling their voices with the voice of the late King of Pop against the backdrop of a 3-D film featuring Jackson's 1995 eco-friendly "Earth Song."

Free 3-D "Grammy" glasses were distributed at Target stores nationwide so viewers could watch the show in 3-D from their living rooms. The Grammys' 3-D effort follows the huge success of James Cameron's 3-D movie "Avatar," which just became the highest-grossing movie worldwide.

There were plenty of other spectacular moments during the Grammys telecast, which opened with the flamboyant Lady Gaga performing her hit "Poker Face" in a glittery green butterfly outfit, falling prey to a faux kidnapping onstage and then materializing to perform opposite Elton John.

Multiple Grammy winner Beyonce belted out "If I Were a Boy" while Pink sang "Glitter in the Air" scantily clad and suspended from the air on a rope above the audience.

Part of the Jackson film shown during the Grammys aired in the recent documentary "This Is It" which was shot during rehearsals for Jackson's comeback tour and showed the pop star looking fit just days before his death in June 2009.

Jackson had intended the environmentally themed song and film to be part of that tour, which was supposed to have begun in July 2009. He was considered one of the most commercially successful entertainers of all time whose music and videos transformed the art and broke down racial barriers.

The clip features a lush forest through the eyes of a young girl.

(Editing by Cynthia Osterman)