Yesterday afternoon we learned that the public memorial service for Michael Jackson will take place at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday July 7 (after the Jackson family quashed plans for a public memorial service to take place at Neverland Ranch on Friday July 3) and today we are learning more about those plans. RadarOnline is reporting that a charge of $25 will be required for public attendance to the event and that concert memorabilia that was to be sold at MJ‘s planned This Is It Tour in London (which was due to begin on July 13) will be available for sale at the memorial service. Additionally, Newsweek magazine claims to have the answers to 5 of the most burning questions about MJ‘s funeral. Here is the info that is being reported from both RadarOnline and Newsweek:
Fans who wish to attend Michael Jackson’s star-studded memorial service at Staples Center will have to shell out $25 to sit in the stands, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively. Family, friends and VIPS will have seats on the main floor for The Tuesday, July 7th Staples service, first reported by RadarOnline.com, while the general public will be plucking down $25 to sit in the stands. The memorial service will feel like a concert production featuring guest speakers, a lot of music and video screens inside and outside of Staples, a source close to the planning tells RadarOnline.com. Michael Jackson’s close friend Elizabeth Taylor is expected to attend, along with Diana Ross. T-shirts that were going to be sold on Michael’s upcoming “This Is It” tour will not go to waste. They will be sold outside Staples to people entering the service. The service will be held between 10am PST and noon PST.
It remains to be seen if this service will be broadcast on TV or on the Internets for fans outside of the LA area to watch but my guess is that at least some of the service will be telecast so that fans around the world can watch MJ‘s public memorial service. Newsweek answers more questions about the funeral, including whether or not there will be a public viewing of MJ‘s body, where MJ will be buried and more:
Will there be a public viewing? Jackson’s body currently isn’t in shape for a public viewing, the friend says, though many in the family still think the public should see him one last time. But his mother, Katherine, who seems to be calling all the shots, is very strongly against a public viewing, as is his sister Janet.
Who will deliver the eulogy? Jackson will most likely be eulogized by both the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson in both the public and private memorials. The family friend says Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, is basically out the loop–the entire family is mortified by Joe’s presence and TV appearances. His input is being ignored, according to the family friend.
What about the private service? Katherine was apparently hoping to hold a private funeral and burial before the memorial on Tuesday. But public demand may override that. The family friend says that Katherine has been repeating her fear that leaving Michael unburied for more than a week would cause his soul to wander, and she feels his soul wandered enough on Earth.
Where will he be buried? The burial site is still undecided, though Neverland Ranch is one option. Area residents are opposed. Talk of taking him back to Gary, Ind., his hometown, has been squashed.
How are the kids coping? The family is keeping the children away from TV and newspapers, much like Michael did when he was alive.
By pretty much all accounts, it looks like Michael Jackson‘s public funeral service will take place next Tuesday at the Staples Center. I’m sure it will be a major event, which I suppose can be expected of someone as larger than life as Michael Jackson was, is and forever will be.
This footage is so heartbreaking! He still had it in him, he still had so much life left…
the clip is surreal. I cannot believe he’s not around anymore, there’s no concert and all this is happening AFTER he leaves us. I will agree with joe jackson on two points: I wish michael was alive to see all of this and that this should have happened while he was still alive.
@dana j — I bet he would’ve seen some of this love if he lived long enough to tour. The fact that his performances were sold out meant that he would’ve been reminded at least 50 times how much he was loved.
not sure what I think about charging $25 for the service … where’s that money going? and, I agree with katherine about leaving MJ unburied for too long … it has already been a week.
I agree with ab – They didn’t say where the money would be going, from both the entrance fee and the sales – I hope it will go to his children.
Trent – I hope you and David are going, so I can hear all about it!!!
@Jess — I, most deff, am planning to attend and will Twitter and blog the experience for those who cannot attend.
I think it’s EXTREMELY tacky to not only charge a fee to the service, but to sell tshirts too.
@lilredhairedgirl — Very few things in MJ’s life weren’t tacky. None of this surprises me in the least.
sad, even if death his dad is making money off him
@Candice — As I understand it, his dad ain’t making money off this. AEG is.
Souvenirs at a memorial service? Tacky doesn’t even begin to describe it. Heinous comes close. AEG should be ashamed. Wow. I really hope his kids won’t be there to see people standing in line to buy that junk. They’ve been through enough already.
I DONT think there should be a public viewing of his body. I dont think Michael would have wanted to be on display like that after his death. I think there should have a private funeral, with a public memorial. Let him some privacy in death, because he sure didnt have that in his life.
@tatiana — I totally disagree. I honestly believe that he would want to go out just like his mentor James Brown did … with hordes of fans lavishing their love upon him. In the end, the family will decide so we’ll have to wait and see what they choose to do.
Wow…..this is so……disturbingly tasteless……even in death, someone is making money off him.
I am deffo going !! All the way from small town Pa. You better believe it!! Its still so very sad I can’t breath!!
This is very sad, my prayers goes out to the whole family.
God Bless you all!