As I’ve mentioned before, David and I were among the lucky folks who were able to attend the public memorial service for the late Michael Jackson at the Staples Center here in downtown Los Angeles, CA yesterday morning. There is so much to share that the best way I know how to do so is to just start at the beginning and go from there. Both David and I registered for tickets for the event but like so many other people, neither one of us were selected to receive tickets. I cannot explain why but deep down I always knew that we would attend the service somehow. Late Sunday night, after I had already received confirmation that I did NOT win tickets I received an email from Pink reader Heidi in Houston, TX. She entered for tickets never believing that she would actually win … and she won. Because she was unable to just fly to LA for the event, she very graciously gave her tickets to me. Heidi had NO interest in selling the tickets and she did not want them to go unused … so she asked if I would take them off her hands. We weren’t sure if I would be able to redeem the vouchers for tickets (since she had to enter her personal info to get the voucher and photo ID was required to pick up the tickets) but it turned out to be no problem at all. All they did was scan the barcode on the voucher and we were given our tickets and wristbands. Heidi has been insistent on not being repaid for her kindness but I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank her for her generosity. Once we got our tickets and wristbands, David was very relieved. He had been really excited to see Michael Jackson in concert in September … so he really wanted to say goodbye to the King of Pop in person.
We arrived at Staples early yesterday so that we could sign the memorial wall before the service began. On our way into the secure area, we were met with an onslaught of street vendors. One man was selling sparkly gloves for $5 … because I was wearing a Michael Jackson-esque red jacket, I thought it would be apropos to buy one. When I saw that Michael‘s brothers were also wearing white sparkly gloves, I was happy that I wore one too. Here are a few photos of the tribute wall that people were signing in front of Staples Center:
I was able to snap a lot of photos inside the service and those can be seen behind the cut. Because there are so many and the post will get much longer you can see the rest of the photos/text after the jump …
We got inside and took our seats high in the rafters. Altho we were far from the stage, our vantage point was pretty remarkable. Here are some of the many pics I snapped from my vantage point. In order here are pics of: the stage, MJ‘s casket being brought in by his brothers, Stevie Wonder performing Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer, Jennifer Hudson and co. performing Will You Be There, Jermaine Jackson performing Smile, the Jackson family on stage giving their thanks and MJ‘s casket being carried out of the venue:
As I mentioned earlier today, I did not anticipate being so emotional over the death of someone I never knew. I mean, we all “knew” Michael Jackson but, in all honesty, we never really did. Mariah Carey‘s performance of I’ll Be There (with Trey Lorenz) was the first part of the service that made me tear up. I thought she sang beautifully … it reminded me of her homage to MJ when she sang that song on MTV Unplugged in the mid-90′s. When Brooke Shields spoke of her friendship with MJ … I got teary-eyed again. But when Paris Michael Katherine burst out in tears professing her love for her father, I absolutely started crying. All the emotion of the day just came busting out … everyone was crying. It was just so surprisingly emotional for me. At the end of the service, we were asked to hold hands with our neighbors and I held the hands of David and a woman named Natasha. It was just a really special moment for all of us.
After the memorial service, we met up with my friend Ollie and Pink reader Mariam who also contacted me about an extra ticket. Mariam got her tickets from her friend Courtney who lives on the East Coast and could not attend the service with her. Mariam was also uninterested in selling her ticket and asked if I knew of anyone who would like to go with her. I immediately thought of my friend Ollie who is such a big MJ fan and really wanted to attend. We all met up after the service for lunch. Overhead, a skywriter wrote the letters MJ with a heart in tribute over downtown LA:
As for “souvenirs”, I did buy 2 buttons along with my glove from vendors … that was it. It may sound tacky but I did want something to put away from such a very special day.
Here is video that I shot of the performance of We Are the World at yesterday’s memorial service:
After it was all said and done, I was literally emotionally spent. I didn’t want to Twitter, I didn’t want to do anything but reflect. It was quite an honor to attend yesterday’s service. Again, much love goes out to Heidi, Mariam and her friend Courtney. I’m sure there will be much more controversy to come from the life and death of Michael Jackson. But for one day, it was nice to just remember the man for the icon that he was, is and will forever be.
Why do people shut others out that simply have different opinions to them? I was told to STFU in another thread because I didn’t agree with the way the memorial was handled. And its not because I hate MJ I just have a different opinion on how a death/memorial service should be honored. I love this blog and so no I won’t go away because I don’t agree with absolutely everything that Trent has to say. Maybe if people listened to opposing points of view and discussed them rationally instead of personal attacks and childlike attitudes ordering others how to think and where to think the world would be a better place. It would certainly make these comment areas more enjoyable.
WOW, Trent!!! I am totally blown away by all of the negativity on your page all of a sudden! SCARY ;p As long as I have been following your blog, I have never seen anyone disrespect you as much as now. But I have always believed that we need to pray for those people the most and just move on. You did a remarkable job as always! Even with the reports about Michael in the recent years. If anything, you were alerting the public that hey this guy has problems. It was the truth, nothing more and nothing less. It is very hard to come to terms with people you love and care for that are battling their demons. We cannot control them or make them do anything they don’t want to do. They are their own person and need to come to terms themselves and all we can do is love and pray for them. I never thought you were tough on Michael as much as others were. So, Trent you keep up the good work! I was totally blown away on the memorial service. It was very respectfully given. Michael Jackson made his place on this Earth and now he can truly rest in Peace ;)
@Trent
“I was a huge fan up to about 93 … then his odd behavior soured me to his whole persona.”
I don’t know about that…you said you weren’t a fan by “any stretch of the imagination.” Also, you said the only album you ever really even liked was Off The Wall.
@Jada — Only because you seem to need clarification … IMHO, ‘Off the Wall’ is Mj’s best album, it is deffo my fave. I have been a fan of his singles thru the 80′s (my fave was prolly ‘Human Nature’) but I never bought his albums in full (I was more the Madonna and Prince sort of 80′s fan). I did own ‘Thriller’ but never ‘Bad’ (tho I did own Weird Al’s ‘Fat’ parody album). I did like his singles, as I said, but I think the last single I really loved was ‘Remember the Time’ (around 93, right?) After that, the odd behavior took over. So there you go.
Wow, sure wish i could have been there, especilly sinse i have never publicly slandered his name..
Goodness my dear Trent, you sure have some talkers today. I love how you handle negative people :) Thanks for the coverage, I was clicking refresh on Twitter/FB the whole time :)
@anyone being negative – did you also think that Trent might have gone to support his significant other, David, who is a HUGE fan?
@Jake – Aren’t you being a hypocrit? You said that you felt you were being attacked for giving your opinion. People are simply stating their opinion about what you had to say.
I thought the memorial service was respectful and not over-done.
Thanks Trent and Heidi!
Thank you Trent, and Thank you Heidi-wow! Because of both of you I was able to live a bit of what it felt like to actually be there. AND, Trent, save your keystrokes. There will always be negative people (nay-haters) and negative comments. Never let them bring you down when you bring so many of us up! (I know you don’t let it bother you-but they bother me!)
We lurve ya Trent! Thank-you so much and keep doing what you do!!!!
Wow, since when is stating your opinion considered to be negative? That’s really close minded.
“Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
That can definitely be applied here.
I second Rhonda’s emotion. Trent, I think these people are completely missing your point as to why you went. I’m very happy you twittered, because I felt like I was there when I was really at work. THANK YOU!
Wow, i’m coming a bit late into all of this but I kind of have to agree with Jake & Jada etc. I think buying souvenirs at a personals memorial is very tacky, and I agree that the memorial seems to be more of a place to be seen than anything else. Elizabeth Taylor said something to that effect yesterday, and as one of Michael’s closest friends, who chose to grieve in private, I think it’s clear that those that truly cared about Michael didn’t want the circus that is ensuing. It kind of annoys me also that because of Trent’s public profile he was able to get tickets, but I’m glad he went because he really wanted to, and David would of loved it. I think all these people on here who are jumping down the throats of Jake etc. should have more consideration and remember that everyone has the right to their own opinion, from the outside looking in, the comments made by the trent supporters look more inflammatory than those of Jake etc. How about everyone calms down, and just thinks of MJ finally resting in peace, instead of themselves and a petty argument.
Finally: i love the blog trent, keep it up.
At the end of the day, a much loved and cherished man has died. Regardless of his behavior, appearance and attitude, his family adored him. Those poor children have lost their father, and i feel that many people are grieving for them as well as MJ, and they should not be condemned for that! Over the years, the media have influenced the world to believe that MJ was a pedophile/freak etc. Apart from his music, people knew MJ based on what the media were printing…..most of it was undoubtedly lies! As a result of his death, the truth has come out on what this guy was truly like behind the camera. His close ones have revealed that he was an amazing friend, brother and father and thats what matters here! Why can people not grieve for this man?? Why can’t Trent go to his memorial? At the end of the day MJ’s death has revealed the truth and is going to change opinions, and hopefully teach people not to judge! To all those people who are condoning the converters and stuck with MJ throughout, respect to you. But can you honestly tell me you have never judged someone without knowing them? I truly doubt you can! so stop trying to make yourselves seem so perfect. Everyone is a hypocrite at some point, everyone is flawed, so stop hating on each other. As corny as it sounds, MJ was all about the peace and helping others, I’m sure he wouldn’t want people arguing about this!
@Trent
It’s not that I need clarification…it’s just that before his death you said you weren’t a fan by any stretch of the imagination and you weren’t even looking forward to going to his concert. But in your latest post you said you were a huge fan. I was just a little confused.
@Jada — So no more confusion, there you go :)
GONE IS GOOD
I think this thing is getting a bit out of hand. Who cares how big of a fan Trent was or wasn’t. If it makes you feel better chalk it up to DAVID being the huge fan and Trent being there to support him. OR how about the fact that this was history in the making, something that anyone MJ fan or not would really like to witness in person if given the chance. Trent did all of his readers a favor, he gave us a birds eye view of what the majority if not all of us weren’t seeing first hand. I on one hand grew up listening/watching MJ, When I was a kid he was an idol and could do know wrong. As I got older he was a man, with flaws and like most artists eccentric, hell he was more eccentric then most. I criticized right along with the best of them. I wondered about the child molestation charges right along with the best of them. BUT something I have been thinking about, because there were two claims right? IF he really did something like that how come with all of the allegations of drug use, money issues, child paternity there hasn’t been one damn word about more abuse. It makes me really think now that it was a load of bs. And if that’s the case I feel absolutly horrible. For the crap this man had to endure if what I’m thinking is true, us as fans as a society totally abandoned him, and he NEVER abandoned us.And as far as his child like behaviors or mentality, you know what he had to grow up extremely fast. Its not completely unheard of for someone to want to recapture parts of a childhood they never had. And if he didn’t hurt anyone in the process more power to him!
To all the ridiculous haters…Jada, Jake Sam….please go else where with your negativity…This is a blog that is simply that….a blog. Trent is sharing with us his personal experience on the memorial. Go pick apart someone else….
Thank you Trent for your kindness of sharing your experience with those who couldn’t be there yesterday.
Kristi from FLINT MICHIGAN Woot! Woot!!
Wow. Let the man Rest in Peace. The memorial is done.
I love the blog Trent :)
Heather – please don’t put words in my mouth.
You don’t know me. You don’t understand or respect my opinion and obviously don’t want to.
Trent rocks.
@Heather – please don’t put words in my mouth.
You don’t know me. You don’t understand or respect my opinion and obviously don’t want to.
Trent rocks.
Great post Trent, it was an amazing feeling watching from home let alone being there in person. It was neat to see it from your prespective.