A Farewell To Michael Jackson: Live Broadcast Of The Memorial Service
Today is the day. Today is the day that the world says its final farewell to Michael Jackson who, as pretty much everyone on planet Earth knows by now, passed away on Thursday June 25. Today at 10AM PT — family, friends and thousands of fans will gather at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, CA to pay tribute to the late King of Pop in one grandiose memorial service:
Additionally, countless others will tune in to watch the event from their televisions, computers, etc. the world over to be a part of today’s service. I am lucky enough to be able to attend today’s memorial service at the Staples Center in person and I plan on sharing as much of my perspective of the memorial service as I can with all y’all. Behind the cut, you will find an embedded live stream of the memorial service in case you cannot be near a TV and want to watch the service live as it happens. Right below you will find my live Twitter tweets from the Michael Jackson memorial service. If YOU would like to participate in the discussion and see your tweets below be sure to include #pinkmj in your tweets and they will show up below as well:
If, for some reason, the live Twitter feed does not work properly you can always follow my tweets HERE and can follow the #pinkmj discussion HERE. After the jump, you will find a live stream of CBS’s satellite broadcast of Michael Jackson’s Memorial Service at the Staples Center as it airs live over their network feed so that you can watch the whole service RIGHT HERE on Pink is the new Blog …
This final farewell to the late King of Pop may, without much exaggeration, be among the most watched events in world history. Let’s all say goodbye together.
[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin; Source]
Tags: Michael Jackson, The Staples Center
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July 7th, 2009 at 6:19 am
Twittering through a memorial service?? Its bad enough that it’s being broadcast on tv and the internet, aswell as having to have tickets to attend! This is a memorial service not a Britney concert.
Talk about the service after it has been conducted not during it.. Have some respect for the guy!
July 7th, 2009 at 6:22 am
i dont agree with you sarah.. many of us arent able to attend… feeling how trent does also shows a respect for MJ, he was a legend, whom inspired alot of people, and he should be credited for that.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:26 am
@Sabby – I understand that a lot of people want to say goodbye but Twittering during a service strikes me as a little insensitive.
MJ is a legend but the media circus that has been created after his death is disgusting. I feel so sorry for his poor children who are the victims.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:51 am
@Sarah — the Memorial Service is going to be broadcast and reported on all around the world. this is a way to share the experience with as many people as possible in my own way. believe me, I know there will always be people to find the negative in pretty much everything … which will not affect the rest of us who choose to share the positive today.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:10 am
I do not think there should even be a public memorial service. The State of California is over 150 million in debt and this event will cost the State of California over 5 million more. It is frivoulous these times and we pay for it in taxes. I personally can’t afford it. I am sure I will get blasted for this comment and I love MJ as much as the next fan but it just isnt right. I hope some of you can see my point.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:14 am
@anna — I totally understand you point and I agree, LA cannot afford this service. Nonetheless, there is no way that LA would NOT do a public memorial service for someone as large as Michael Jackson.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:48 am
hmm, i think that it is appropriate to have a public memorial service for the King of Pop. i mean, people around the world looked up to him! of course they’d want to be there to say goodbye. and by Twittering, Trent is helping those who aren’t able to attend to know details about what is going on.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:49 am
I have to agree that under normal circumstances twittering through a memorial would be insensitive. But this is far from a “normal” memorial and if anyone can do it in a respectful and classy way, it’s Trent. I think experiencing this thru PITNB is almost as personal as being there in person. ;-)
July 7th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I don’t believe this is a typical Memorial as well.. This I think is our way of celebrating his life… I think it is fantastic that Trent will allow us even a little glimpse inside the service as we all watch or for some of us that cannot watch due to work..
Preach Trent.. and I thank you for doing this for us.. It Truely will be a celebration of a Legend…
July 7th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Wowzers Trent – Congrats on being one of the 8000 to get tickets! Glad to know someone will be covering the service with sensitivity (towards MJ and family) and honesty (like how trashy will Ms. Carey look?)… that’s the sort of stuff you won’t get on MSNBC or CNN coverage… I am sure they will have legal consultants and all sorts of people on there talking about random that will not have any sensitivity towards the family.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:16 am
RIP MJ… you were a worldwide talent but suffered a lot of pain in your life. Hope you are in peace now. I also agree that the media circus is fairly disgusting.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:35 am
I… don’t know how I feel about this. It’s not /just/ a spectacle. It’s not /strictly/ a news event. Some people genuinely felt a connection to Michael Jackson and want to say goodbye.
It’s just that I seem to recall you not being a huge of MJ, not even really being that excited to attend his concert… so it’s just strange to me that suddenly you want to be at his memorial (memorial > concert?)… and you want to tweet through it. :( I really thought this was a classier place than a certain other blog with a pink background… but a truly classy person would have acknowledged that they weren’t a huge MJ fan and decided to leave the drawing for those who were.
We can see the feed for ourselves… We can form our own opinions, too. If not, we can read the opinions of the thousands of real fans who were there. I’m sure their stories will get out. I feel like this is just a scoop for your social networking brand, and while I would be happy for you to score tickets to any other concert/screening/event that would help your blog, tweeting during a memorial service for fans just irks me.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:56 am
@ Trent, just keep on doing what your doing. I have been following you for years and you have NEVER showed disrespect to anyone. You have your hand in a very lucrative society, a part that many people will never know and you write it well. Unfortch, yeah the media is crzy, but thats america. We always have the right to look the other way. I for one will be reading what you have to say. MJ was an Icon, and so was the late President Kennedy, and so on. Be you and do what you do best, Tell the story from your heart!
Take Care
July 7th, 2009 at 9:01 am
@ Mimi
How can you say Trent is not a fan of M.J.? Have you even read some of what he’s written lately? Personally, I was not that big a fan of MJ for the past ten years myself. But when someone dies sometimes people realize that they can now see the whole person, the entire life of a person, more clearly. I know I feel that way about MJ and I think it is in part because of Trent. In any case you can’t say Trent isn’t a fan. Leave it/him alone.
July 7th, 2009 at 9:22 am
@Mimi
I agree completely with what you said.
The memorial is for fans to remember MJ it shouldnt be a press/media/social event.
July 7th, 2009 at 9:25 am
am i the only one who wont be watching?
July 7th, 2009 at 9:27 am
@Kate. I’m only saying what he’s himself said… Trent has always been interested in MJ as a pop culture spectacle and fodder for his blog – that’s all.
Go to this post: http://www.pinkisthenewblog.com/2009/03/michael-jackson-officially-announces-new-concert-dates/
“As much as I am not a huge fan of Michael Jackson personally, I can appreciate his contributions to pop culture in general and as a big fan of pop culture, this is amazing news.”
“I have to confess … I fear that I *may* have to attend at least one of these shows. David is a HUGE Michael Jackson fan and he reminded me that he flew to London last Summer with me to see Kylie Minogue at the O2 Arena.”
He “fear[s] that [he] *may* have to attend”? Because of David? Yet when the memorial comes up, he’s all about being there?
I didn’t say he wasn’t a fan in any capacity… I just said he wasn’t a huge fan, which is obvious, and that he seemed more excited about the memorial than the concert… which is up for argument, but I’m basing my opinion on the above statements.
July 7th, 2009 at 9:29 am
I don’t have twitter, so can someone pass this along to Trent?
Your picture of the program is already on TMZ.com
http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/07/the-official-program-from-mj-memorial/#comments
July 7th, 2009 at 10:00 am
TY TY TY Trent for tweeting for us.
I am wearing my PITNB (in black) shirt in your honor!
SOOOOO glad you were able to attend since you are someone who truly loves celebrities and as a true fan of MJ.
You know you have been blessed several times over with what you are able to experience. You are worthy!
LOVE that you are from Detroit.
I grew up in Toledo so you have a special place in my heart.
It is getting ready to start ……
July 7th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Wow, absolutely AMAZING how you got tickets through the raffle. I mean, what kind of LUCK that must be for you.
July 7th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Trent said yesterday that he didn’t get tickets? Maybe David did and that is how he is able to go?
July 7th, 2009 at 10:38 am
@ Mimi – I think it’s easier to go to the service in LA rather than a concert in London where it is pretty much general admission if you have floor tickets. Regardless, MJ is the last of the superstars known worldwide. This is not going to happen again.
July 7th, 2009 at 10:47 am
I think it’s horrendous how much attention is being paid to this. I’m sorry, but there are soldiers and service men and women dying every day for our country, and they get almost zero recognition or respect. Then a celebrity with (it has to be said) a very spotted history with a more than likely past of abusing children dies, and all of a sudden you can’t turn on the tv without hearing about it. Not saying he didn’t have a huge impact on music, but it’s a sad state of affairs that this is what moves our country, and not the brave people who fight for us.
Off my soapbox now, and on that note, Trent absolutely has the right to cover this. Obviously it’s something the majority of his readers want to see, so who can blame him? :) And all coverage has been very respectful and in celebration of the artist, so that I have to respect!
July 7th, 2009 at 10:58 am
@Heather… totally agree..
July 7th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Wow the U.K. commentators are cynical
July 7th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Trent you are awesome. I just had to say it!!
July 7th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Wow, absolutely AMAZING how you got tickets through the raffle. I mean, what kind of LUCK that must be for you.
July 7th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I noticed the back up dancers that were to go on tour with him dancing during Jennifer Hudson’s performance..I’m glad they were part of this..They all seemed so moved to be a part of the London shows..I’m sure this means a lot to them..
July 7th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I think it’s pretty obvious that Trent did NOT get the tickets through the ‘raffle’ process (or whatever you want to call it). The odds of that would be… well… a million to one. I am sure he got them through some sort of connection he has, and I am sure he will share that information with all of us if he so chooses.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
…watching the service on TV – very classy, very tasteful – brooke shield’s speech brought me to tears…clearly, all though none of us knew him, he was dearly loved by family and friends…..regardless of a person’s actions in life, it is always sad when a person leaves their body for the next place….the take home message for me is to tell our loved ones, while they are still with us, just how much we love them! blessings to his family and especially his 3 children…
July 7th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
@anna- maybe there will be tourist dollars generated for california by fans who will make special trips to see neverland, or else to the cemetary he will be burried at? (errr is it even in LA?). hopefully that will offset the cost some….
@nicole- im not watching it either.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
@anna – I agree with Jenn. the people from around the world should be a bit of a boost. maybe hotel and sales taxes will help out a bit. also, cnn reported the city of LA has set up a website asking for help to cover some of the costs. there are a lot of wealthy people at that ceremony, and hopefully those who can afford to will give something since it is really not fair to the tax payers.
@ Nikki – agreed. this is just too convenient…
Honestly, the tweets are pointless… just things we can all see for ourselves. I’m looking forward to reading a proper post about the memorial, but could do without Twitter. It’s a little tactless. Unfortunately, a lot of media outlets are doing play-by-plays… CNN has a similar feed.
That said, they there as media, not as someone taking up a seat that should have been for a fan… It’s dubious, imo.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Please stop this nonsense, he’s dead, he wasn’t the second coming of Christ. He is a dead NOG.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
That was heartbreaking…poor family.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
His little girl broke my heart. I truly feel for that family. RIP, Michael.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I watched it on TV. Came close to crying a couple times, the closest being Paris’ little speech about how wonderful her Daddy was to her and her brothers. I also applauded when the Congresswoman proclaimed her firm belief in innocence unless proven otherwise.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Thank you so much Trent for giving those of us who could not catch the entire service the chance to follow along! I was reading as I was waiting for my job interview to begin (don’t worry I was in the parking lot, I was there early) I think you did an amazing job and the haters on here need to go tune into another blog… May I suggest fox news or MSNBC?? As for the memorial I thought it was heartfelt and beautifully emotional. Despite his personal turmoil, he was adored as a performer and by his family and we all were able to bear witness to that.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Trent, I am a fan, but I have to say it is in poor taste to have done this twitter thing live from the memorial, as well as any other blog outlet who did. PS> HOW DID YOU GET YOUR TICKET, DID YOU PAY FOR IT? Are bloggers considered media pass worthy for an event of this magnitude?
July 7th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
OMG THAT SERVICE WAS SO SAD! I was at work watching it, and I barely held it together. When his daughter spoke, I totally lost it. What’s going to happen to those kid… :(
July 7th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
@Trent: Were you wearing a red jacket with a black design on the back? I think I saw a picture of you on another site signing the memorial wall!
July 7th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Does anyone else see a “star being born” in Paris? Perhaps not in entertainment per se, but I admire her strength & poise. From what I was able to see online, she seemed far more engaged than her brothers. She stood first when the audience gave Rev. Sharpton a standing ovation & held her composure when she gave the speech on her daddy. I think I’ve left more comments today than ever before!
July 7th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
1st Lt. Brian Bradshaw
Age: 24
Hometown: Steilacoom, WA
Date of Death: 6/25/2009
Incident Location: Kheyl, Afghanistan
Branch of Military: Army
Rank: 1st Lt.
Unit: 1st BN, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne BCT, 25th ID
Unit’s Base: Fort Richardson, AK
Pvt Steven Drees
Age: 19
Hometown: Peshtigo, WI
Date of Death: 6/28/2009
Incident Location: Konar Province, Afghanistan
Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Pvt
Unit: 2nd BN, 12th IR, 4th BCT, 4th Infantry Division
Unit’s Base: Fort Carson, CO
Pfc. Peter Cross
Age: 20
Hometown: Saginaw, TX
Date of Death: 6/26/2009
Incident Location: Combat Outpost Carwile, Afghanistan
Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Pfc.
Unit: 2nd BN, 87th IR, 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)
Unit’s Base: Fort Drum, NY
Sgt Ricky Jones
Age: 26
Hometown: Plantersville, AL
Date of Death: 6/21/2009
Incident Location: Bagram, Afghanistan
Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Sgt
Unit: 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade
Unit’s Base: Fort Polk, LA
Sgt. Rodrigo Munguia Rivas
Age: 27
Hometown: Germantown, MD
Date of Death: 6/21/2009
Incident Location: Bagram, Afghanistan
Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Sgt.
Unit: 710th Brigade Support BN, 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)
Unit’s Base: Fort Drum, NY
these are just 5 of the soldiers that were killed in action this month. why havent they been given the respect, honor, and tribute that michael jackson is getting? you may not agree with why they are fighting but they are just doing their job. so please dont just remember michael jackson today. remember true heroes today
July 7th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Paris made me cry. Her speech, along with Brooke Shield’s, humanizes Michael. Love him or hate him, he was a human being.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
geana-
a friend of mine died last year in Iraq. There was no coverage on his death except from few local newspapers. If you have an issue with the coverage of the war, don’t blame it on Michael Jackson.
With that being said, I do NOT feel bad for mourning Michael Jackson’s death.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
oh im not blaming it on michael jackson…im just getting it out there. no one should feel bad about mourning michael jacksons death some people are really hurt by it. im just not one of them. if that makes me a bad person then so be it. i was just read some other posts about our troops and no one giving them coverage, well if the media wont then i thought i would. like i said these are just some of the men that died this month and if you want to honor them you can if you dont want to you dont have to. but whats a second of your time?
July 7th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
[Sgt. Rodrigo Munguia Rivas
Age: 27
Hometown: Germantown, MD
Date of Death: 6/21/2009
Incident Location: Bagram, Afghanistan
Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Sgt.
Unit: 710th Brigade Support BN, 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)
Unit’s Base: Fort Drum, NY ]
Geana—I bet this soldier was killed in the attack on the Bagram base. I have family there and the base was attacked by the Taliban on the 21st. My family member was safe but I knew soldiers had died in the conflict. Wow.
________________________________________________
I only watched bits of the service because it seemed more of a show than a service, if that makes sense, Usher wearing his shades, etc….just too…..”too.” I understand the need to do something for the fans, but I am not sure this was it, exactly. I don’t think the family should have spoken at the end, definitely not the daughter. It was all very awkward.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
I didn’t watch the whole service. I only saw parts. Some of the parts made me so extremely sad. I think the hardest to watch was his daughter. I hope they didn’t make her say something. To me it seemed like she asked to say something. Either way it ws so hard to listen to her. I wanted to hug her so bad
July 7th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
@Geana- THANK YOU. We need more people like you who see the bigger picture!
July 7th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
@ Shaun: Thank you! I was thinking the same thing. My best friend’s 27 year old brother was killed in April after serving 12 years in the Army (was honored as one of their youngest recruits when he first enlisted at the age of 17). He had a baby on the way and was 2 weeks from coming home for good. No news coverage. No parade. No nothing outside the local hometown news here in Los Angeles. And guess what?? Michael Jackson nor any other celebrity is to blame. Can’t blame the media either. It’s just the way the war has been covered from the beginning.
So before anyone blasts Trent for reporting on a event that will be remembered for years in the pop music & pop culture world, maybe you should be directing your voice to the media as a whole every day that they don’t cover the death of a solider. Get out there and make your voice heard for the soliders that lost their lives and the families that mourn them. Don’t sit here spewing your dissatisfaction at Trent for basically doing his job.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
There’s a time and place for everything, but this I feel is not the place to bring up our war heroes. I don’t know how it’s done in the US, but down here in Oz, those you have been killed in war zones are honoured fairly and well. However, war heroes have nothing to do with Michael Jackson, although he certainly was an advocate of world peace…something they all have in common.
Please let the fans mourn for Michael without trying to make them feel guilty for it. He was just as much a hero in their eyes as the soldiers are in yours.
This was no ordinary memorial service, just as MJ was no ordinary person. Love or hate him as a person, his music must be respected. A memorial service of this magnitude was only to be expected wasn’t it? Had he lived to be an old man, the service would then have befitted his age. However, he is gone still quite a young man, with young children and many fans still young and this memorial service befits this time.
Don’t begrudge this time and way of mourning for those that truly loved him and feel the loss of his presence in the world. Sometimes, it’s not about the “big picture”, but what’s in front of us at the time.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Oh, and Trent, I applaud your “tweets” They were done with good taste. The service started here in Australia at 3am and I was able to watch via TV and along with your posts. Even though I wasn’t the hugest of fans, I felt the need to watch this event. Being only 4 years younger than MJ, it sure brings to home mortality and how short life can be.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
It is pretty sick that this website IS trents JOB. he hangs shit on the papz all the time but guess what? YOU ARE NO BETTER.
Anyway, as far as the MJ memorial stuff. I cant believe MORE tax dollars are going into this guy. First, two trials because he was accused of child molestation and now a grand funeral? Fucking ridiculous. If his family wanted this, then they should have payed for it. I hope that none of my tax dollars went into buying that circus freak a casket. This whole thing is over the top. I cant believe that Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton were in on it – oh wait, actually I can. they need their 15 minutes of TV time anyway they can get it. Those two are the biggest racist assholes in the world. This whole thing was a waste of tax dollars and giving people who shouldnt get attention some globally televised attention.
I cant help but ask myself – if Sarah Palin had anything to do with it , would you have gone? you know since she has effected your life *so* much.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
ive never been an mj fan because all i ever grew up with was the crazy mj… in light of his death ive seen all the vids and he was so amazing! i thought the memorial service was beautiful and touching not like a show at all.yes the world saw it but he was such a wordly figure alot of people needed to grieve. seeing his family and friends speak about him made you see that yes he had his issues in the public, but personally he was loved and he was a good brother, son and father. i thought it was very classy compared to what ih ad thought it would be. ya usher was annoying but he annoys me anyways period, everything else was good
July 7th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
as for people commenting about the soldiers… i think this isnt the palce for that? why are we talking about soldiers? you elected a president who supported the war, soldiers join the armed services knowing they could die, if they want to fight a stupid war and they die in the process, well its not like they werent aware. yes its sad but take it somewhere else, we dont need to talk about the damn stupid iraq war everyday of the year
July 7th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Geana,I pay respect to my family and friends and all troops that abroad right now everyday. A few seconds of my time are nothing to say a silent prayer everyday for the soliders. B-I think Usher was wearing the sunglasses because he had been crying. Janet and the entire Jackson family was wearing sunglasses. I really don’t think it was for “show”. Not sure if you saw, but he broke down in the end. Plus, I believe it has been documented how close he was to Michael. Unfortunately, I have worn sunglasses to funerals (too many) because I dont want people to see my eyes.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
@debho – Very well stated! :)
July 7th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
LA did not pick up the tab for the casket. The family, like all other families, paid for his casket. Seems to me like the excess money that was spent on the memorial was in police presence. While LA cannot afford anything anymore, two things should be noted. #1- LA could NOT afford to not have a publilc memorial service. There needed to be 1 day where people can come, pay their respects, and then go home. Otherwise, LA would have had to have excess police presence for WEEKS. #2- while paying for the overtime for cops is expensive, the staples center held approxiamately 17k people. Now, add the people who stood outside. Multiple that by how much lunch, breakfast, dinner cost. I think the city will make up for its cost, but my math may be off. #3- from what I hear, LA has asked for donations for the memorial, and have received some. I dont agree with it, but I understood they did it.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
dude!! i never said anything about trent covering the michael jackson case. this is his blog he can do whatever he wants…i love what he writes that why i keep coming back here to get my daily fix of celebrity gossip. i just thought while remembering one fallen that he and a few others might want to think back on others that have lost their lives.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
I think that the MJ media circus is DISGUSTING, what happened to personal accountability?? There’s no doubt that he is the King of Pop and his death is a major loss to pop culture and the entertainment industry. With that said, not to be insensitive, but I don’t feel sorry for his death AT ALL. If he had died of natural causes, then I’d feel bad for him because it would be out of his control, shit happens. But he died because of a DRUG OVERDOSE. Clearly, his addiction to medicine/plastic surgeries etc. meant that he didn’t really care about his own life to begin with. What he did over the years essentially lead to his demise so what is there to pity if he should have had it coming? People need to stop focusing on his legacy and instead use this circumstance as a CAUTIONARY TALE…to teach us all what can happen if you don’t take good care of yourself regardless of your fame/status/success/talent. Life is too short to make mistakes like this. I only feel sorry for the family and friends he left behind but I don’t feel sorry for him at all.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Oops, I meant 3 things should be noted
July 7th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Ok geana, I understand
July 7th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
@realist. No, none of your tax dollars paid for MJ”s casket. From what I understand, only the security was paid for by taxpayers…the rest of the service was organised by the company who was behind his London concerts.
However, it’s so nice that in spite of his controversial past, so many people have so many kind words to say about him. I wonder when you peg it, will you have so many? Somehow, I doubt it. If you can find nothing good to say about anyone, then no one will be able to reciprocate. Have a think about it.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
For Heather and Geana
I think it’s horrendous how much attention is being paid to this. I’m sorry, but there are soldiers and service men and women dying every day for our country, and they get almost zero recognition or respect.
I understand your concern and I am right there with you. I have two brothers overseas.. and I only have 2 brothers as siblings.
However:
MJ physically changed bigotry in my life that my father instilled in me from a young age. I have two beautiful children THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE EXISTED had MJ not opened my eyes to the fact that we are all humans.
He has changed perception and offered lyrics of healing / acceptance that transcend the globe.
This is why it is a big deal. This is why all channels focused on HIM today to celebrate his life.
I wish every time a soldier passed, there was a national moment of silence. It should be mandatory, but it is not.
Until then ..
Please allow me/us to celebrate the life of ONE man who infected / affected/ effected
the entire globe of humanity.
- TY again Trent / David for keeping us informed.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
With this economy and the debt of the State of California. Should we have been paying for security on a child molesters funeral? No. We should not have. The only reason half of these people have such “kind words” to say about MJ is because its what is “in” right now. Everyone hung so much shit on him for bleaching his skin (or whatever his excuse was for that) and molesting children.(There are websites dedicated to MJ jokes) but as soon as he dies everyone is his biggest fan! Yes, he was an iconic individual in music history – but sorry, I think there are 800 other things the money could have been used for. Good thing California fired all those teachers so we could pay for Michael Jacksons funeral. Children will totally learn more from watching Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson’s bigotry than sitting in their 10th grade English class.California=Fail.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Note to self (again): you cannot reason with the unreasonable
July 7th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
The WORST part about this whole funeral was the cynicism of Michael Jackson’s so-called “friends” and “family” there for the funeral making appearances. Where in the HELL were they when he needed them? I feel so terrible for him. He was a sick man. His family and “friends” needed to get him help, they needed to get him the right types of mental health attention and help him to get on the right medication for his very obvious ill state. He was a DRUG ADDICT and addicts need help. instead his friends and family allowed him to continue to use doctors perscribing him medication illegally.
Geraldo Rivera was one of Michael Jackson’s very best of friends and he tried as hard as he could to help him. He refused to attend this over the top and expensive (for the citizens of California) “memorial” in respect. I applaud him for that.
And listening to Al Sharpton speak made me sick! He is a ridiculous racist, a liar, and a disgrace to the entire event.
I sincerely hope his Children will be well taken care of and not pulled and yanked in the different directions of “where the money will be”
Godbless you Michael Jackson, I hope you are in a much much happier place.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Stevie Wonder was just sublime, perfect, haunting and full of grace.lovely.
R.I.P Soldier.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
@ realist you are a jerk and have no respect for the dead! no matter how you hatefull you feel toward michael jackson you didnt need to say it. he was someones brother son father and friend. if your gonna be a prick put your real name down and take credit for your work.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Why does it matter how Trent got his tickets? – l live in Australia and slept thru my 3 am alarm.. It was good too wake up this morning and be able to read the tweets about the service until the news came on. There will always be someone finding something to complain about.. Trent – thanks for a job well done!x
July 7th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I am so sad he is gone. He gave us his soul thru his music and his dance and so he deserved this memorial. His children are so beautiful and my heart broke when I saw Paris talk about her daddy. I hope they get to live happy normal lives somehow. I’m sure Michael was an amazing father.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
@ geana. You want my real name? Why? So you can add me on facebook? WTF does that matter. I do have respect for the dead. Which is why I thnk people who died differently deserve more attention than someone who was on a shit ton of painkillers and what not and died from it. im sorry but who doesn’t know that taking 32948329842 different pain killers would be bad for you? Who doesn’t know that injecting yourself with something they ONLY use at hospitals would be bad for you? You are probably about to start saying “WELL HIS DR PRESCRIBED IT!!!!!” sorry, but – if my doctor says hey I want you to take 3 diferent narcotic painkillers and inject yourself with this shit i yanked from the hospital last night, i’d be getting a second opinion. If all these people around him “cared” they should have “cared” enough to get him help. But they didnt. so yes, i am upset that my tax dollars went to a huge memorial service that didnt need to happen. I dont just blame the jackson family and all the blind supporters here. that d-bag villarigosa is also to blame. Why didnt he just say we couldn’t afford it? (because we CANT) it would have gone else where.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
to the people talking about the soldiers you HAVE to watch the documentary “Why We Fight”. you can rent it at almost any movie rental store.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Hey realist,
Some are saying that the LA spent approx. $2.5M on MJ’s memorial. Now let’s take a look at the revenue generated… hotel costs for thousands flocking to the city (over $100/night), meal cost (let’s say $50/day and that is on the light side). Multiply that by approximately 10k people (approximate amount of people in LA from out of state). Should we add in rental cars (cause you cant get anywhere in LA without a car, right)? Then people going to attractions in the city? Then add in the donations from online going to LA from MJ fans (if every fan donated more than $1 it would more than cover MJ’s memorial cost and some of LA’s budget problems. This won’t happen, but account for some fans donating money)…. get my point?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I was working all day so I missed the whole thing. But I watched as many clips as I could on YouTube and I can’t believe how emotinal I now am. Michael Jackson represents my childhood like many others. His message of positivity was absolutely beautiful. I believe he was wrongly targeted. I don’t believe he abused anyone his entire life. And if he didn’t…if he was truly innocent….then how awful and wrong it seems for people who never knew him to say such horrible lies about him. Remember, he was acquitted! Man In The Mirror is my favourite song by him and it broke my heart in a million pieces when they played it as his casket was brought out of the arena. For me he will always live forever.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
paris jackson was so touching and brought a bit of reality to the whole sordid mess: he was her dad. and she loved him. for those of you with children: you will be truly blessed if your child can say this about you during your final moments.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
realist, i was just saying that if you really believed in what you were saying you wouldnt be such a coward and not put your realy name and fyi dont have a facebook.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
so realist i decided that im just not going to comment on you anymore. you have no respect for anyone because if you did you wouldnt be saying the things you said about someone on the day of their memorial. michael jacksons family doesnt deserve it, in fact no one does. you were obviously not tought to treat others as you would like to be treated. im sorry your such a bitter person, i hope one day you can grow out of that.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
MJ’s daughter’s speech was positively heartbreaking…really hard to watch. RIP Michael
July 7th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
I’m in no way an MJ fan. I didn’t even understand why the very people who have cast stones at MJ in the past are talking about him now as if he walked on water.
Growing up, I knew Michael Jackson as the moonwalker, the alleged pedophile and the weirdo (wacko jacko). I knew of his lavish and unconventional lifestyle. With all the hoopla surrounding his life (and death), I never thought of him as anything else other than an entertainer. The memorial service today showed that “the king of pop” is also someone’s friend, family and father.
@ realist
We all do things to “damage” our bodies (from smoking, overeating, eating the wrong things, not exercising enough …) – things that can result in heart attacks, cancer and/or death. Yes, we are accountable for these actions, but at the end of the road, even the “addicts” need a little bit of compassion.
I don’t like the fact that we are spending tax dollars towards something like this, but whether you like it or not, MJ has affected a lot of people’s lives.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Does anyone else think that MJ was buried prior to the memorial service? Now that it’s over, where the body is is a mystery. I felt from the get-go that the Jackson family held a private burial already, in accordance with Mrs Jackson’s wishes. The casket at the mem service was empty…and most likely fake. I doubt that gurney could hold a solid bronze casket. Just my thoughts…but I think perhaps there’s something in this.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Whatever Michael Jackson did or did not do, is neither here nor there. He stands before the only true judge now. Personally, if someone hurt my child in any way, NO amount of money would shut me up. Those people are greedy liars and believe me when I say they will earn every nickel they stole from Michael Jackson. I pray that he can sleep in peace now.
July 7th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
I would just like to say that I really and truely don’t understand some of the people commenting on here… you come on this CELEBRITY AND POP CULTURE GOSSIP SITE and you get all bent out of shape because of the media coverage and attention paid on a man who is without a doubt the biggest icon we will probably ever bear witness to?! I’m sorry but what did you think you were going to find on here? This post especially was about the Memorial Service for Michael Jackson, a man who might have had some problems in his personal life, but a man who was a genius and a poineer in the world of entertainment. For you people to come on here and to bust Trent and the rest of us and to leave lists of military men and women who have lost their lives is not only disrespectful to those who appreciate this site for what it is, but also highly inappropriate AND extremely judgemental! How dare you think that just because there are FANS who are in mourning over the loss of one of thier beloved icons, that we don’t think about other world issues?!
I think those of you and you know who I’m talking about (REALIST, GEANA, B, HEATHER) need to get a little bit of a grip on yourselves before you come on here and start blasting at people for being fans and showing their emotion. And for giving a guy crap for the way he chooses to run HIS website. If you don’t like it, why did you choose to sign on here in the first place?!
And can I just say that I truely appreciate your Twittering and continuous reports on this whole thing, Trent. You have done it with respect and humanity that those of us who appreciated him and his music absolutely thank you for.
July 7th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
agree with Nikki
July 7th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Maybe Michael Jackson and his death have been a circus, but at the very least, listen to what his daughter had the courage to say in front of millions. There’s so many things we can pick at about how he handled his life and how we all have handled his death, but I think we need to come back to earth and realize that three kids are now without a father. And it doesn’t matter if those kids shared Michael’s DNA because he was the only FATHER FIGURE they had. And I’m truly sad for those kids. You all should be too.
July 7th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
@Michelle: We CAN disagree with Trent, you know. I don’t understand this notion that because it’s his website everything he does is right. This comment section is not for us to mindlessly follow his lead. You honestly think every comment on here should be commending him?
For me, I come to this blog because I think he’s covered many, many celeb stories in a considerate and dignified way. And when the stories are more frivilous, I enjoy his fun comments. But I’m not altogether thrilled with how he’s handled the memorial service. I fell like, if you have a media pass – fine you’re media; write all you want. But if you entered the draw, you should be there as a fan, not a blogger, and you can share your experience after. And if you BOUGHT your ticket, just shame on you and whoever sold to you. What’s wrong with saying this?
July 7th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
@ Marketa- preach it. Enough of the randomness, already..
July 8th, 2009 at 12:52 am
To all the people talking about how fallen soldiers are much more important than the death of Michael Jackson….Doesn’t Michael deserve at least one day to be remembered and said goodbye to? Just like every last one of our fallen soldiers deserves their own time to be remembered, as well, and said goodbye to, as well? No one is better or worse than the other one. No one deserves more or less….although, hmmm, I can sort of see your point. It’s not like our fallen soldiers are treated to huge staples-center capacity memorials.
On another note, however, the fact that Michael’s memorial service has been turned into such a huge circus, like a hard-to-get-into concert, is kind of disgusting. Some of the things I’ve read about him on other sites today are so odd to me. People flipping out like they’d won the lottery because they got tickets to his memorial service? People rejoicing that they they’re first to comment on a Michael Jackson blogpost while adding,’R.I.P. Michael Jackson’ as an afterthought? Even the fact that people are twittering through his memorial service….is kinda disrespectful to me. I understand and admire that people can and are using it to share the necessary moment to mourn with others, as you are, but at the same time, so many other people are using it to be disrespectful and sh*tty about the whole situation. It’s a Catch-22, I guess.
In any case, it’s the world we live in today. And MJ being as hugely popular (in both good and bad ways) as he was, there’s just no way around it. I’ve heard a lot of negativity and hate spewed about Michael Jackson since his death. People focusing on what he’s been accused of and all his craziness in recent years. I understand that, I do. I hadn’t paid much attention to him other than to gawk at his eccentricities in the past decade or so. I even remember you talking on the site about how weird you thought he was even though your boyfriend was still a diehard fan. But we both fell back to respect and honor the artist we used to love as children, as I think many of his mourners are doing. No, most of us were not dearly devoted to him and/or thought of him on a regular basis recently. But, he had a long life and was many things throughout it. I don’t think we should forget the beautiful things he accomplished and how much a part of our childhood he was…..to people in our generation anyway…..blah….I’ve said my piece. And I don’t mean to offend anyone, just needed to air it out.
July 8th, 2009 at 1:10 am
i watched the entire memorial service on E! and god, it makes me so sad. i was tearing throughout.
and brooke shield and paris’ speech really made me cry.
rip mj, i miss you!
July 8th, 2009 at 1:13 am
RIP micheal
July 8th, 2009 at 2:02 am
@DEBHO: I thought the same thing… I was thinking “there’s NO WAY they’d RISK having Michael’s body in that, in public, where ANYTHING could happen, with so many people around. There’s no way his body is in there”… If I were his family, I don’t think I would risk that. I wonder if we’ll ever know…
July 8th, 2009 at 4:56 am
i dont agree with you sarah.. many of us arent able to attend… feeling how trent does also shows a respect for MJ, he was a legend, whom inspired alot of people, and he should be credited for that.
July 8th, 2009 at 6:30 am
So we’re saying its more important to spend $5 million on this instead of clearing the state debt, maybe giving some of that to the homeless? Is this more important then the homeless Trent & MJ supporters. And yes, I do volunteer at a shelter & donate money as often as I can.
July 8th, 2009 at 6:35 am
@Memel. I agree with your stance. However, either the Jackson family should have paid for it OR it should have been a private funeral. Not this horrible spectacle where people are exclaiming “I got the golden ticket” & using their connections to get into a funeral. Whether we love or hate him, he touched many with his music, but at this cost is insane. Either charge money to people attending the funeral so that the state doesn’t have to pay for it OR hold a private one. BTW, Trent still hasn’t addressed the fact that the only reason he was going to even bother with MJ was because his boyfriend is a huge fan.
July 8th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
[...] Live Broadcast of the Michael Jackson memorial – [Pink is the New Blog] [...]
July 8th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
@Smoo. Yes, David is more of a fan than Trent, but why can’t he just go to pay his respects? This is not a contest to see who the biggest fan is!
As for the cost of this, it’s no difference from the amount of money wasted on fireworks. I hate the way communities spend ridiculous amounts of money on these things. Pretty yes, but within seconds they’re gone. A total waste of money. At least people will remember this service for all of their lives.