Michael Wilbon has seen a lot during his years covering sports, but it seems a live performance by Prince — with some special unexpected guest — made his year.
Wilbon called into Tony Kornheiser’s radio show Tuesday — to discuss the state of Northwestern basketball for a few minutes. Later Kornheiser asked Wilbon for the low down on his appearance at the Nike party commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Jordan Brand at 23 Wall Street during All-Star weekend.
Ariana Grande was the opening act — with the icon himself — Prince closing the party out. Right before Prince went on, Wilbon had special guest come over and join him.
Wilbon: The highlight for me is when you’re standing there watching the concert — like you would when you’re 25 years old in a mosh pit — even though some of the most famous people in the world, like Michael Jordan, are in the room. Well, a gentleman who’s recognizable walks towards me — there’s a space where I’m standing — and he’s got his hand out, and it’s Jay-Z. I’m not name-dropping. I know Jay-Z a little bit. He’s invited me to a couple things in my life. He says ‘Hello, how are you doing?’ It’s loud now because Prince is playing, and we didn’t have time to talk about the NBA, which we would [otherwise] do. We’re standing there, and I’m freaked out now because I’m watching Prince WITH Jay-Z. That’s enough right there…
Kornheiser: Nope, it gets better …
Wilbon: It did get better, because then a delayed response to join Jay-Z, [literally] two inches in front of me, is Beyoncé. And so now this is it. This is it! Call off the dogs, this is the best anybody’s gonna have it this weekend — I’m watching Prince with Beyonce and Jay-Z — except for it gets better. … So all of a sudden, in the middle of [a cover of] Play that Funky Music White Boy, … Beyoncé Knowles just decides to do Beyoncé Knowles. To just be Beyoncé. Like the Beyoncé you see performing — doing the Beyoncé. She did that, right there, two inches away, for like an hour. … The golden hair is hitting my face, and I get a text from a friend who is about 75 yards behind me, but can see this — and there’s no flash, no pictures, this is a private party, and I shouldn’t even be telling the story — and the text said, “You should never wash your face again.”