Yesterday morning, here in Los Angeles, CA, thousands of family, friends and fans of Michael Jackson paid tribute and homage to the late King of Pop in a respectful, somber yet mostly celebratory memorial service at the Staples Center in downtown LA (which you may have watched online HERE). David and I were at yesterday’s memorial service and I will share my personal experience from the event a little later on today … but I will say that it was a very beautiful, very fitting tribute to Michael Jackson. Family and friends eulogized him with words and songs as his shining casket, reportedly with his body inside, stood at the front of the venue for those in attendance to pay their respects. Here are a few photos and some info about the event itself:

His was a tumultuous life and a chaotic death, but Michael Jackson’s funeral and memorial Tuesday were orderly and celebratory, moving and bittersweet, as family, friends and fans around the world joined in lamenting the loss of the King of Pop. It was one of the most-watched celebrity sendoffs in history, telecast across multiple channels and streamed across the Internet. But the predicted traffic and crowd-control nightmares did not materialize. Thousands of police officers helped keep the ticketless crowd to a minimum — about 1,000 people vs. the 250,000 feared — and the motorcade with Jackson’s hearse encountered few problems traveling blocked-off freeways to downtown. The goodbye to Jackson started early with a private service for family and close friends at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills. (A crash was heard as drivers slowed to watch the procession leave the cemetery). A star-crowded memorial program followed, at the downtown Staples Center, that was spiritual, smoothly entertaining and jubilantly roof-raising as Jackson was hailed as a superstar and humanitarian. “The King of Pop has gone to meet the King of Kings,” intoned the Rev. Lucious Smith, pastor of the Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena. It was a day filled with touching moments, perhaps the most poignant when Jackson’s daughter, Paris, 11, took the microphone. “I just want to say ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much,” she said, breaking into tears. That followed two hours of farewell tributes from musicians, athletes and friends of Michael Joseph Jackson, who died suddenly June 25 at age 50. The crowd of 20,000 was alternately reverent and boisterous. They watched in solemn silence as the likes of Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey sang sweetly, and older brother Jermaine crooned Smile, the theme from Charlie Chaplin’s classic film Modern Times. Usher sang Jackson’s sadly prescient Gone Too Soon as he caressed the golden casket spotlighted in front of the stage and draped in flowers. But when Kobe Bryant walked in, many jumped to their feet and started cheering and taking pictures; some reached over for high-fives. They cheered loud approval for the Rev. Al Sharpton’s fiery eulogy and laughed at a story Magic Johnson told about fried chicken. And they snapped photos with phones and rained shout-outs of “I love you, Michael!” during lulls … Other celebrities in the crowd: Cicely Tyson; P. Diddy; Rick, Kathy and Nicky Hilton; Lil Kim; Chris Brown; and Tatum O’Neal. Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela sent messages. Also absent: Jackson’s longtime pal Elizabeth Taylor, who said in a Twitter post she couldn’t bear to be part of the public hoopla, and Debbie Rowe, Jackson’s ex-wife and mother of Jackson’s two oldest children. Outside the Staples Center, the mood was festive. Vendors hawked T-shirts, buttons, photos and other memorabilia … As the memorial service ended, Jackson’s three children and eight siblings — his brothers were all wearing one beaded white glove in his honor — gathered onstage to say thanks. “We will never understand what he endured … being judged, ridiculed,” said brother Marlon, choking up. “Maybe, now, Michael, they will leave you alone.” The Rev. Smith closed by noting: “All around us are people of different cultures, different religions, different nationalities. And yet the music of Michael Jackson brings us together.” After the memorial, the family went to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for a private reception. It was unclear whether Jackson’s casket would be returned to Forest Lawn for burial or taken to another final resting place.

I have to tell you that I was touched by the service more than I thought I would be. As I’ve tried to make clear, I’m not the biggest Michael Jackson fan in the world (there are plenty of uberfans all around the globe who are more fitting of that title than I) but I really wanted to pay respects to such an icon of pop culture. I didn’t count in being as affected by the memorial service as I was. Mariah Carey’s performance brought the first tears to my eyes … Brooke Shields’s eulogy brought them back. When Paris Michael Katherine, MJ’s 11 year old only daughter, spoke at the end of the service I absolutely burst out crying. There wasn’t a dry eye anywhere in our vicinity. Paris’s comments were so heartfelt, so honest … so raw. I’m sure it was difficult for most to keep from crying as she declared her love for her daddy. She said, “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.” In case you missed it, you can watch Paris’s short speech after the jump …

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Celebs of varying degree and caliber made their way out to the Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY for the 135th Kentucky Derby to bet on the horses, drink their mint julips and show off their fancy hats. Here are a few pics of some of the celebs who walked the red carpet at the Derby today:

I gotta say, I love Betheny from The Real Housewives of NYC (mostly because she isn’t a housewife at all and still manages to make that show work … oh yeah, and she’s about 10 secs. away from beating the shizz out of Kelly Bensimone) but I totally hate her entire outfit. I don’t know what she was thinking by wearing that bell-bottomed pantsuit but … yeah. Everyone else looked pretty OK with their snazzy hats. Because of the failing US economy, there is much less glitz at this year’s Derby but still, the celebs are makin’ it work. I don’t know shizz about horse racing but I can appreciate any event where the women are compelled to wear the most ostentatious hats they can find for our mere amusement. No Aretha Franklin hat sightings just yet … but I’ll keep my eye out.

[Source]

Here are a few photos of Brooke Shields (as Wendy Healy) and David Norona (as Salvador Rosa) filming scenes for the new-defunct NBC series Lipstick Jungle at Rockefeller Center on Fifth Avenue in NYC this week. It’s unclear exactly how Brooke got word that her show was being canceled but I suppose it could’ve gone down kinda like this … ACTION!

Poor Brooke. I understand she really loved this role and this series so I imagine that she is prolly not in the best mood these days. Ah well, if NBC really wants to make it up to her they could revive her show Suddenly Susan and bring her back to the network. I’m sure Kathy Griffin would love it if that happened, too! Brooke Shields is a trooper … I’m sure she’ll land on her feet again soon.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Last night the 60th Annual Emmy Awards were given out for outstanding achievement in television at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles, CA. I was not able to watch the show myself, since I am currently in Reykjavik, Icelancd on holiday, but the reviews are in and I understand the show itself was pretty unwatchable. Despite the shortcomings of this year’s Emmy Awards show, the whole reason for the shindig in the first place is to hand out awards to some very deserving folks … oh, and for the fashions on the red carpet. Here are a few pics of some of the folks who strutted their stuff down the red carpet last night:

Christina Applegate looked stunning on the red carpet, I’m so glad to see her looking so well. Heidi Klum and Julie Benz also looked pretty amazing … I threw in David Boreanaz so that there could be a little bit of Angel/Darla love going on here. I liked Brooke Shields’s pink dress and I thought Kathy Griffin picked out a nice wig to wear for the event. Here are a few pics of some of the winners in the Emmy Awards press room backstage … I also threw in some non-winners as well, cuz they were brave enough to pose for pics without having actually won anything last night:

The sleek ’60s drama “Mad Men” made Emmy history Sunday as the first basic-cable show to win a top series award, while the sitcom “30 Rock” and its stars Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin also emerged as big winners. “We’re all so very grateful to have jobs in this turkey-burger economy,” Fey said after accepting the best comedy series trophy for her satire about a late-night TV show. “This is the greatest job I’ve ever had in my life,” Baldwin said of his role an a network executive. He paid tribute to Fey, the NBC show’s star and creator, as “the Elaine May of her generation.” “I thank my parents for somehow raising me to have confidence that is disproportionate with my looks and abilities. Well done. That is what all parents should do,” said Fey, who also won for best actress and writing in a comedy series. Emmy voters rewarded quality, not ratings: Many of the winners draw relatively small audiences. AMC’s “Mad Men,” which looks at America through the prism of Madison Avenue, is lucky to get 2 million viewers. Glenn Close of FX’s “Damages” and Bryan Cranston of AMC’s “Breaking Bad” captured drama acting trophies. Close, honored for her portrayal of a ruthless attorney, complimented her fellow nominees, including Holly Hunter and Sally Field. “We’re proving that complicated, powerful, mature women are sexy in high entertainment and can carry a show,” she said. “I call us the sisterhood of the TV drama divas.” Cranston won the trophy for his role of a desperate man who turns to making drugs. Dianne Wiest of “In Treatment” and Zeljko Ivanek of “Damages” won supporting acting honors for the drama series. Jean Smart of ABC’s “Samantha Who?” was honored as best supporting actress in a comedy series, with Jeremy Piven her actor counterpart for “Entourage.” Piven took aim at the five reality hosts who helped open the ceremony in what could charitably called a rambling way, saying, “What if I just kept talking for 12 minutes — what would happen? That was the opening.” The crowd at the 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards laughed heartily, not a good sign for the hosts, who included Ryan Seacreast of “American Idol.” … Jeff Probst of “Survivor,” one of the ceremony’s masters of ceremonies, claimed the first award for best reality series host. “We feel honored to be part of this family. Thank you for letting reality in,” he said … HBO’s “John Adams,” about the founding father, was named best miniseries and won other awards including acting trophies for Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson. The historical drama set a record for most awards, 13, including five trophies Sunday and eight previously announced. The record of 11 was held by HBO’s “Angels in America,” the TV academy said. HBO was the most-honored network, with 26 awards earned Sunday and at the creative arts ceremony held earlier this month. ABC was second with 12 awards, followed by CBS, NBC and PBS with 10 each; AMC with eight, Showtime with five and Fox with four.

Felicitations and congratulations go out to all of this year’s Emmy Award winners … but I am struggling to find nice things to say about last night’s award show. Since I didn’t get to see it for myself, I have to rely on what others are reporting … and none of it is good. After the jump, check out some of the scathing yet funny bad reviews of last night’s 60th Annual Emmy Awards — believe me, some of them are deffo worth checking out …

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While I was happily celebrating the LA Lakers victory over the Boston Celtics last night, I was mourning the shaft that was given to two of my fave Broadway shows at last night’s 62nd annual Tony Awards, which were held live at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. While I was very impressed with the production value of the show (especially the bits that involved host Whoopi Goldberg, who was brills all night long) and the live cast performances (some more than others … loved Xanadu, was a tiny bit let down by both The Little Mermaid and Rent), I was just really bummed that neither Xanadu (my Best Musical) nor Macbeth (my Best Play) got any love at all from the stogy old Tony voters. Boo. Here are a few pics from the Tony Awards red carpet:

Everyone looked amazing on the red carpet … I love that Xanadu’s Cheyenne Jackson had to show up on the red carpet in a tux and then had to strip it off to don his shorty jean shorts for the live performance and then had to get all dolled up in his tux again — and he wasn’t even nominated for an award! That’s dedication, y’all. I cannot stress enough how fun and inventive both Xanadu and Macbeth are as Broadway productions … and I’m convinced that is why neither show took home any awards. Tony voters seem to love being mired in the past (South Pacific), bucking the new and innovative and choosing instead to stick with the traditional, tired yet true (the same thing happened last year when Legally Blonde got the shaft).

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