porno

At the start of this month, we learned that the late Michael Jackson was to be immortalized in cement in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA to kick off the 3-week LA residency of Michael Jackson: The Immortal Tour by Cirque Du Soleil. The big hand/footprint ceremony took place yesterday and featured MJ‘s 3 children — Prince Michael Joseph, Paris Michael Katherine and Prince Michael Joseph Blanket Jackson — doing the honor of signing his name, imprinting his sequined glove and a pair of his dancing shoes in cement. Many members of the Jackson family (including his mother Katherine and his brothers Tito, Jackie, Marlon and Jermaine) were also on hand for the event yesterday, alongside luminaries like Quincy Jones, Smokey Robinson … and strangely, Justin Bieber. Click below to see some photos from yesterday’s event and watch video of MJ‘s children paying tribute to their late father.

Earlier today we learned that Jackson family matriarch Katherine Jackson would be appearing at a monument unveiling in Gary, IN at the childhood home of the Jackson family and right now we get to see a few photos of Katherine at today’s ceremony:

It was reported that Katherine would be bringing Michael‘s 3 children with her to Gary for this event but they didn’t appear to be at the ceremony … maybe she decided to let the kids stay in Hawaii so that they could enjoy themselves there instead. As for the rest of the Jackson clan, they remained here in SoCal so that they could visit MJ‘s grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery. After the jump, check out photos of Janet Jackson and her brothers making their appearance at MJ‘s final resting place earlier today …

Last night Michael Jackson’s This Is It, the much-anticipated documentary/concert film which chronicled the final months of MJ‘s life as he rehearsed for his This Is It concerts scheduled to take place in London last Summer, held a glitzy Hollywood premiere at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, CA last night. Other premieres were held for the film all around the world at about the same time and screenings of the film were also coordinated to take place simultaneously. Here are a few photos of some of the celebs who attended the LA premiere last night along with a very positive review of the film:

Watching “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” will have fans grieving once again, but this time, it won’t only be for the fallen King of Pop, but for what we lost — a brilliant entertainer who gave every inch of his body and soul for what might have been one of the most spectacular comebacks of all time. Jackson never got to complete that comeback, dying days before his London concerts were to begin in July, but “This Is It,” culled from hundreds of hours of rehearsal footage for those shows, does it for him. Even though it’s been well edited, the amazing performances Jackson delivers in this film are not a result of camera magic, but Jackson’s own. When Jackson announced his “This Is It” concerts earlier this year, many wondered whether Jackson had any magic left at all. Besides his tattered reputation, he was rumored to be in frail health and hadn’t performed a major concert in almost a decade. There were well-deserved skepticism about whether Jackson had the vocal and physical agility to stage the kind of concerts that wowed fans in his prime two decades earlier. “This is It” gives both answers an emphatic yes. Even though Jackson’s looks — with his weirdly delicate face and his stick-thin frame — still makes one squirm with discomfort, once he starts to perform, that discomfort gives way to amazement. At 50, Jackson was still an amazingly gifted dancer with moves that leave your mouth agape. Though we only see him do the moonwalk once, and just fleetingly, his stop-on-a-dime spins, deft footwork and body jerks recall the Jackson the world fell in love with 25 years earlier with “Thriller.” And Jackson’s voice still dazzles — even when he’s trying to play it down. “I’m trying to conserve my voice,” Jackson says at one point — then delivers a vocal that is spine-tingling — and these are just run-throughs, not the actual show. Fans never get to see what would have been the “This Is It” concert — full dress rehearsals weren’t due to happen until the show went overseas for final rehearsals. Instead, the movie takes from segments of taped rehearsals, and also weaves in film segments Jackson planned for the concert to give at the very least an idea of how the concert might have looked. A graveyard scene meant to be in 3D was planned for Jackson’s performance of “Thriller,” and a computer-animated dancing army would have accompanied Jackson on screen for a militaristic version “They Don’t Care About Us.” Jackson kept much of the same moves from his classic “They Way You Make Me Feel” video — including the floor humping — as well as the groundbreaking choreography from his “Beat It” clip. But whether it was through new visuals and different musical arrangements, he appeared to be breathing new life into his well-worn catalog, promising fans a show that would have taken Jackson and his fans to new heights. Jackson is gentle but authoritative as he demands perfection from his crew, whether it’s gently taking the audio crew to task for making his earpiece too loud or attempting to elicit a grand performance from his young star guitarist. “This is your time to shine,” he says in that famously soft soprano voice before delivering a high wail and challenging her to do the same on her guitar. The film doesn’t give viewers much insight into Jackson outside of performance mode — we only see him rehearsing or hear him talking about music, or the meaning of his songs. Yet the film does give a glimpses into Jackson’s personality — alternatively playful and shy, firm yet understanding, often saying phrases like “with love” after giving a command. The film also splices together different performances of the same song at times, leaving one to wonder why. Is it for a visual effect? Or did he not complete enough in one take? Thankfully, there appears to be enough full takes so one’s mind does not play into conspiracy theories. There were certainly critics of “This Is It” before its release — those who wondered whether it would be an exploitative flick, a quick attempt to cash in on his newfound popularity, and those who felt the preparations for the concert contributed to his death. But “This Is It” is a beautifully made, loving tribute that gives Michael Jackson what he so desperately wanted — affirmation that he indeed was the greatest entertainer of our time.

Some friends and I got to see the film last night and I’ll post my review of the film a little later on. Last night’s LA premiere was a who’s who of the Hollywood glitterati and members of the Jackson family who can’t seem to shy away from the spotlight. I understand that Paula Abdul referred to the Jacksons as “the Johnsons” and Jermaine Jackson brought a change of clothes so that he could wear two outfits for the premiere. Both of those strange occurrences are not connected, I just thought I’d share. I’m sure many of y’all saw the film last night as well or are planning to see it during it’s limited 2 week theatrical engagement. I’m very curious to hear what others thought … was this the film that the world has been waiting for?

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Three of the Jackson brothers, Jackie, Marlon and Tito, were spotted filming scenes for their new reality TV series The Jackson Dynasty (which was previously titled The Jackson Family) in Calabasas, CA yesterday … and they seemed THRILLED that they managed to gain the attention of the paparazzi:

I just can’t help but feel that Jackson reality TV show is being built on the death of Michael Jackson. Even tho the show was in production way before his death, I am almost positive that they are going to so everything they can to use MJ‘s death to their advantage. I suppose we can’t fault them for trying to hold on to what little fame they have left but it just seems so … gross, especially in light of their younger (and much more famous) brother’s death. Blech.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

200 of the late Michael Jackson‘s family and closest friends convened at the Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA last night to pay their last respects to MJ at a small funeral/burial service exactly 70 days after he passed away on June 25. For the most part, the service was fairly quiet (even tho some of it was broadcast live on TV and all of it was filmed for possible inclusion in the upcoming A&E reality TV series The Jackson Family) and provided family and friends the opportunity to say their final farewells to the King of Pop:

Michael Jackson’s family and about 200 of their closest friends gathered on a hill Thursday evening for their final farewell to the pop singer, who died 10 weeks ago. Jackson’s burial may lay to rest some of the mystery and controversy that erupted with his sudden death on June 25. His large family was divided over where the superstar’s final resting place should be, but matriarch Katherine Jackson settled on a crypt inside the well-guarded and ornate Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California. Thursday’s service began 90 minutes past the announced start time, leaving dozens of celebrities — including Elizabeth Taylor — waiting in their seats for the 26 cars carrying the Jackson clan to arrive. It began with Jackson’s five brothers — each wearing a single sequined glove — carrying his flower-covered bronze casket onto the outdoor stage among six large bouquets of white lilies and white roses, along with green topiaries. His three children, led by daughter, Paris, 11, placed a crown atop their father’s coffin, which a family spokesman said it was “to signify the final resting place of the King of Pop.” Jackson’s children, parents and siblings took their seats in the front row, while his nieces and nephews filled several rows of white chairs behind them.

After an opening prayer by Pastor Lucius Smith, soul music legend Gladys Knight sang the gospel hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” Clifton Davis sang “Never Can Say Goodbye,” a hit he wrote for The Jackson 5 — the group that featured a young Michael and his brothers. What was said by Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, and others who took the lectern is not publicly known, because the family barred news cameras from the ceremony. A family statement issued afterward said close friends and family, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, spoke “spontaneously to celebrate Michael’s life.” News helicopters hovering above captured video from a distance, but without sound. Lisa Marie Presley, one of Jackson’s former wives and the daughter of Elvis, attended the service, according to the family statement. It did not mention Debbie Rowe, Jackson’s second wife and the mother of his two oldest children. Macaulay Culkin, the “Home Alone” actor who spent time with Jackson during his Neverland Ranch days, was there with his girlfriend, actress Mila Kunis. Actors Corey Feldman and Chris Tucker were also seen arriving for the service. Motown founder Berry Gordy, who gave Jackson and his brothers their first big record deal, and Quincy Jones, who produced Jackson’s “Thriller” album, were there. Music producer Teddy Riley, who helped with Jackson’s 1991 “Dangerous” album, attended. The guest list included TV executive Suzanne de Passe, who produced a miniseries about Jackson’s family, and Kenny Ortega, who was producing Jackson’s comeback show. Thomas Mesereau, the lawyer who successfully defended Jackson in a child molestation trial, sat just behind the Jackson family. When the hour-long service ended, his brothers lifted Jackson’s casket for a final time to carry him inside the Great Mausoleum, where he was placed in his crypt at 9:43 p.m. PT (12:34 a.m. ET Friday). The family statement said it was “his final resting place.” The family and friends then drove to an Italian restaurant eight miles away, in Pasadena, California, for “a time of celebration.”

I watched most of the service as it aired live on CNN last night and found it a much more pared down service compared to the lavish service that took place at the Staples Center last July. I have to admit, I found the placing of the crown on the casket a bit odd but, that seems pretty de rigeur for any service honoring the memory of Michael Jackson. After all these weeks and months, tho, Michael Jackson is finally laid to rest … where he belongs.

[Photo credit: Getty; Source]