VH1’s May 8 special Dear Mama: An Event To Honor Moms drew 1.2 million viewers in its premiere, according to Nielse

The special, hosted by Anthony Anderson and La La Anthony and featuring celebrity tributes for their moms from such stars as Halle Berry, Gladys Knight, Jodeci, Taraji P. Henson and Robin Thicke, garnered 1.7 million viewers including replays, according to VH1.

This year’s Dear Mama special, produced by Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit and Jesse Collins Entertainment, posted a 36% ratings increase over last year’s inaugural special, according to the network.