The Michael Jackson Memorial thread-

[Tref]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

.... When you die, your loved ones ... the arrangements for memorials and funeral costs, this should be no different, IMO. No reason why the city and county should have to pay for this or am I crazy to think otherwise?

Well, yeh, a little bit. This is not your ordinary situation, just as MJ was not your ordinary entertainer. MJ's death is big. Valentino big.

[Nephythys]

updated link and pics

I just got a flurry of angry inside- THEY ARE HIS CHILDREN!!! I don't give a rats ASS where their DNA came from-they are his children. He was their father. To say otherwise just to take shots at the choices this man made in his life diminishes anyone who has adpoted, or used surrogates, or in vitro or anything else-

Those things do not determine who a parent is- it only shows biology. The man who loved them, took care of them, was rasing them- HE was their father. To say otherwise is such total bullshyt-

[Alex]

Yeah, did the Jackson family ask for 1,400 police officers or is the city insisting on it?

They should just have let the caravan drive in normal traffic and then said to people "if you kill each other while stand around outside Staples Center then you're stupid but we've got better things to do."

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by Tref

Well, yeh, a little bit. This is not your ordinary situation, just as MJ was not your ordinary entertainer. MJ's death is big. Valentino big.

Okay, so I'm crazy. I realize this is an extraordinary situation.

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, but it's not a political situation where the city by rights has to provide first amendment rights type protections to the citizenry. This is a private showbiz affair - - no one has a "right" to see Stevie Wonder at the Staples Center. I'm appalled that AEG hasn't pledged any money to cover this.



BTW, by the same token he was father to those kids ... they also have a mother, and it's not Diana Ross.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Yeah, but it's not a political situation where the city by rights has to provide first amendment rights type protections to the citizenry. This is a private showbiz affair - - no one has a "right" to see Stevie Wonder at the Staples Center. I'm appalled that AEG hasn't pledged any money to cover this.

AEG and the LA Lakers pledged a million toward the cost according to the article.

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

BTW, by the same token he was father to those kids ... they also have a mother, and it's not Diana Ross.

True- but is he the first celebrity to have chosen to be a "single" parent? We don't know who the "mother" genetically is- Debbie Rowe or whoever. In any case it appears that those women chose to be donors- or surrogates- not mothers. Even Rowe left them behind and was not a "mother" to them.

Mother and father are not titles given for genetics- at least they should not be.

They had an egg donor (or donors) not mothers.

Link is updated with more again-more pics. His daughter Paris spoke as well-

To the thousands of fans he may have been their hero, but to his children he was simply 'the best daddy ever'.
Jackson's tearful daughter Paris told the millions watching. 'I just want to say ever since I was born daddy has been the best father you can imagine. And I just want to say I love him so much.'
The 11-year-old paused as she spoke, struggling to get the words out through her tears.

The haters can suck it. This little girl lost her daddy-she could care less whose egg and sperm were used.

[DisneyDaniel]

I think Queen Latifah gave one of the most eloquent and better-written speeches during the memorial service.

Hearing Jermaine Jackson sing such a beautiful song was touching, as was, of course, the emotional comments by Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

From what I saw of the memorial, I thought it was pretty good. Aside from the bad stuff, he was a big part of the world culture and changed alot of lives. It was an historic event and thankfully in this day and age, many can participate and morn together with the rest of the world.

[Gemini Cricket]

I stopped watching after Lionel Ritchie because I had to go to work, but I was underwhelmed by Mariah. Goonie's theory is that she was crying. I didn't see any tears... My theory is that her voice ain't what it used to be. Does she smoke?