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What I found absolutely despicable, was that people who had gotten tickets for today's memorial thru the lottery draw, were putting them up for sale on ebay at a going price of between $10,000 - $150,000 per pair.Quote:
Originally Posted by RICHARD
How disgusting! :mad:
Me either. I remember when Kennedy died :( and felt that the days of coverage were very much needed because we were a country who was suffering so under that tremendous loss. This is something else though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grace
I have had the TV on in the background.
THe congresswonan and Al Sharptongue are exactly what the service needed.
Morons.
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Pam,
Weird vibe in the air out here.....not too many people/cars in the streets and the neighborhood is very quiet! Spooky.:eek:
I just finished watching his funeral. The only really sad part of it, for me, was at the end, when his little girl came on the stage.
I really, really hope those kids go to his mom and not his dad.
I saw bits and pieces of it, and from what I saw, it was rather solemn, somber, and depressing. From all the hype that had been circulating, I heard it was supposed to be a happy and joyful celebration of his life. Guess my interpretation of happy and joyful is different from those who put this event together.
Hopefully now, the media coverage will die down and we can watch t.v. without constant coverage. Enough is enough and life goes on.
As I watched a little of the coverage after it was over I wondered about the cost. They said that 1/3 of the police force of LA was covering this event. I was scratching my head about who was going to pay for this. Just heard that the fans are being asked to help foot the bill (along with the city/state I presume.) Didn't the fans already pay enough by buying his music? Aren't the fans also taxpayers? Why can't his estate pay for it? I know I sound grumpy, but I just can't help but think it is wrong for a family to put on something of this magnitude and not foot the bill themselves.
Good point Pam. With all the talk about the millions he will bring in for many years to come, in revenue after his death, you'd think the family would at least pay back the cost of the whole extravaganza. Why should the fans, and especially the taxpayers, be expected to foot the bill?? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by Pam
THere are about 9k cops on the El Lay force. The report was that there were 1k at the Staple's center and probably more on 'call'.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pam
THere has been a 24/7 presence at the Encino house here in the Valley. The mayor has kept a low profile and the chief of police has shown up on numerous TV stations to tell everyone that they are ready for 'anything'.
Bratton, the chief is an idiot of unequaled measure.
His plan for the Laker's basketball championship was to protect the arena, he then allowed fans to take over the streets around the Staple's Center and when he gave the order to send everyone home, the cops chased the idiots into the surrounding areas, where they busted up the place.
Bratton then goes on TV after and calls them knuckleheads.
The effing knucklehead was the person who let them dance and carry on in the streets.
I see a 4.5 million dollar pricetag- And later on in the year the chief will start complaining about the costs of the funeral-that will be why we can't have more cops on the street!:rolleyes:
The record/music companies - who are among those making big money off Jackson's music right now, as well as his family - have been asked to contribute to the cost of the security for the Big Event.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pam
Interesting side note - I commute to LA County on Mondays and Wednesday and listen to the all news radio during the painful drive - merchants and business owners in the area of the Big Event were mixed. Some were happy about it as the crowds would need to buy food and water, etc. during and others unhappy because their clients would not be able to park.
One man's ceiling is always another man's floor.
p.s. AEG - the company that owns the Staple Center and is making money off the Big Event has also been asked to contibute. I'll find out more during my looonnngg drive tomorrow.
I only watched a small amount of it, but i found it rather sad especially when his daughter Paris spoke of how wonderful her daddy was,let us all remember it is the children who are suffering the most, imagine grieving for your dad, the only dad you know and love and all this hype going on,not to mention all the horrible things that have been said about him, it must be extremely painful for them, it really did make me cry to hear and see her.
One thing i found very distasteful though was Joe Jackson,and the two boys of michael's chewing gum, i mean to say gosh surely that is not the time or place to casually chew gum.
Some people i talk to are horrified that MJ is being glorified so much considering the controversy surrounding him and his drug taking, i guess they have a point, but in my mind he was cleared of all charges,but i guess people are just annoyed that so much has been made of his death.
I know seeing constant coverage is annoying to a lot of people ,but i have really found it interesting to watch, and yes it will eventually end, but to me i like it better that way, then when they are just simply forgotten so quickly as is often the case, he was a huge part of many people's live's,not just his family.
I was surprised at how many local and national media people got tickets.
:eek:
So am I.Quote:
Originally Posted by RICHARD
The memorial service in my opinion was tastefully done and putting all "controversy aside" about Michael Jackson, he was extremely talented and made a mark on the music industry.
I did watch part of the memorial yesturday and listening to Brook shields, Jermaine Jackson and than his daughter Paris, my heart went out to them.
I could not stomach Rev. Sharpton though.
Michael's name will continue to live on and also make $.
Now for the heated debate who should have to pay.
I think AIG and the Jackson estate should foot the bill for the city expense for the memorial service . AIG CEO? was on the news bashing Councilman Zine, for in my opinion being brave enough to stand up and say the tax payers should not have to foot the bill.
Why was the permit issued in the 1st place to the Staple Center with-out
them agreeing to pay for the expense for security etc?
JMHO as a tax payer
who got a pay cut because of the State being broke. (not to mention IOU's and workers being laid off.) :mad:
I did see Brooke Shield's eulogy on CNN last evening. Thought she was wonderful, and showed a side of MJ that most never see.
Zine is a FW of the supremest kind.Quote:
Originally Posted by KYS
Zine is a former cop, turned politician and his 'view' of the world is pretty skewed.
I agree that the city/taxpayers should not have to foot the bill, but this news-seeker has a rep of not being the most sensitive person on the council.
In the past he has made some of the dumbest statements on record and he bends in whatever direction the wind blows up his backside -read that as the one phone call/complaint someone makes to his office -he then puts that at the top of his list and forgets the rest.
He's the pit bull that goes chasing after birds and leaves the hen house unguarded.
I think that his showboating should have been done before the actual funeral.
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This is off topic but.....
THe city was trying to cut costs and found out that many people were using/ordering bottled water for their offices. a few years ago the costs were
around 89,000 bucks for two years.
Zine, at one time was complaining about the cost of bottled water -$4 for 12 ounces- at a gathering at the convention center.
When the costs were figured out and the Police dept was using almost 20k
worth of water, he was no where to be seen-
When asked about the costs, the chief said the water was ordered for the cops who were called out for standoffs, hostage situations and ????
Why not send a gomer with petty cash to pick up some water at a store?
So, he's complaining about what a funeral costs the city?
Please, this AH is another politician, he only knows what is right when the camera is on.:rolleyes:
Today's news report. Yes, the city is trying to get AEG to pitch in.
More interesting - at least to me - is one economist is saying that city might have made money on the Big Event.
City income from hotel and restaurant revenues (taxed of course) may exceed the cost of the extra police.
Every little bit helps...
I watched the memorial service off and on. I became irritated w/the Jackson clan and their dark sunglasses. Always a show, even the mother. MJ was a superstar w/a talent to match, no doubt about it. If his family hadn't had a public service for him, I can only imagine how the public would've reacted.
IMO he was a tortured soul and whether or not he was a pedophile, only he and the children who accused him know for sure. He was acquitted of all charges but his admission to sleeping w/boys clearly crossed the line. And if the reports of his father's abuse towards him and his siblings are true, then it's no wonder that he became weird as he grew older. Also, according to the movie that I watched about the Jacksons, his mother really didn't do anything to protect them. I would've taken a shovel to his head if he had abused my son, not just hugged the other kids and cried while he was in the other room beating the snot out of one of them.
I prefer to remember MJ in his early days. I do wish him peace.
you know Mary i watched the part with little paris over and over again, as it was played so much,i thought Janet and Latoya just did not seem that genuine in their grief, there were no tears running down her cheeks, it just seemed a bit showy for my liking, but that is just my opinion, it was obvious Paris was in much emotional pain,poor wee girl, but as for the others except one brother i really did not see it,seemed a bit staged to me.
Yes, my heart ached for little Paris. I haven't heard whether or not she actually wanted to speak at her dad's memorial service but it all seemed contrived to me. That little girl is w/out her daddy now as are her brothers and sisters. The Jackson family just did not appear to be grieving to me, which is why I feel that they wore the sunglasses because it would hide their eyes which would reveal their true feelings. Joe Jackson wearing his hat also annoyed me. No respect for his son even in death. And LaToya shamelessly told the world that her brother was a pedophile years ago on Geraldo's TV show; she had nothing good to say about her brother. She didn't make a spectacle of herself yesterday, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by carole
The family thing?
Me thinks that they are closing ranks for the public image.
There is quite a bit of money to be had - there are some 'hadders' out there.:rolleyes:
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This is going to be a fight the like we have not seen in a while.
Weep for the kids.:(
did anyone else think chewing gum was disrespectful, or is that an american thing? excuse me for asking but i am not sure on that one,it is so casual, yes i agree mary i really did not think they were grieving that much, except one brother ,he broke down in tears,they were a tad too composed for my liking,i would rather have seen them wailing if that is how they felt, i guess we all grieve in our own way though, and i suppose we should not be too judgemental, but that is how it looked to me.
You're right; we do all grieve in our own way. When my dad passed away, I cried buckets. When my mom passed, I had a delayed reaction and didn't cry until the funeral was over and everyone went home. I'm not too bothered by their demeanor as much as I was w/them all wearing sunglasses. It just bugged me; it seemed too dramatic.Quote:
Originally Posted by carole
I agree, but then they are celebs i guess,i did like the fact the brothers were wearing a silver glove though, that was just like MJ and a nice touch i thought, all in all i found it quite nice to watch, just those few things that ticked me off.
I found this on one of our radio websites, thought i would post it, interesting....
Coincidence? Probably. Still, pretty crazy! Read this!
-- Michael Jackson signed his will on 7/7/02.
-- Michael Jackson's memorial was on 7/7/09 ... exactly 7 years after the will was signed.
-- Michael Jackson's two biggest hits -- "Black & White" and "Billie Jean" -- were each #1 for 7 weeks.
-- Michael Jackson's three biggest albums -- "Thriller," "Bad" and "Dangerous" -- each produced 7 top 40 hits.
-- Michael Jackson was the 7th of 9 children.
-- Michael Jackson was born in 1958 ... 19 + 58 = 77
-- Michael Jackson died on the 25th ... 2 + 5 = 7
-- Michael Jackson has 7 letters in his first and last name.
Thankfully most of us are not on international television when grieving the lost of a family member.
Carole, maybe they gave the kids gum to keep them a little calmer? I'm not sure. It was a long time for them to sit.
I didn't like them all wearing sunglasses inside either. I kept hoping it was because they had cried their eyes out in previous days and they didn't want to be seen in public with puffy eyes. It seems like a Hollywood thing mostly.
I think the fact that they were so composed is also a Hollywood thing. Maybe some acting involved. Aren't they all entertainers but one?
Michael Jackson has had some controversy in the news over the years. No matter what we've heard about him, I found the memorial pretty sad. I guess it's always sad when anyone dies.
I can't get past the fact that his death has turned into a media frenzy as much as it has in light of all that's happened with him. Both past and present. Is this really a good example to be sending out to our young people?
http://www.dailynews.com/ci_12786871?source=rss_viewed
50k for lunches?
Now,
I do not begrudge the cops a meal. The part that really irritates me is the inability of the city to look at cost cutting alternatives.
Of course, Dennis Zine is there to take care of my money, after the fact.
I am sure that there is some kind of "scratch my back" deal going on with the owners of that eatery.
As is common, the businesses involved are given a contract with the city and that is that. We are locked into some kind of scam that takes money out of our pockets because our effing politicians are too lazy and too busy trying to keep relatives, friends and business partners taking the milk from the city's udder.
To think that they thought of feeding the cops 12 hours BEFORE the event is ridiculous and shows the morons taking care of the city are really looking after our best interest.:rolleyes:
I'm not purposely trying to keep this thread alive, but I had one more comment/question in this matter.
As I was watching some of the memorial service - when I saw the casket of MJ - the darnedest thought went thru my mind - "is he really in there?" Did anyone else think that - or am I the only one that thinks in strange ways?
With all the security issues and the possibility of almost anything happening, I had the thought that perhaps he was already secretly buried or even cremated, or in a place that only a few know about, for a later burial.
Stranger things have happened, and I wouldn't put it past his clan to do something like that.
You weren't the only one who wondered about it, Ellie, because the subject was addressed on TV. I heard a commentator say that MJ's body indeed was inside the casket.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pomtzu
I read that his body was in the casket, but his brain had been removed.
The brain was kept by the Coroner tor tests for chemicals & medical
issues.
I just saw that Baba Wawa was seated behind MJ's family. She had her assistant with her, taking video during the service.
The idiot from the local FOX affiliate was on the phone posting pics and texting during the service.
There has to have been some kind of deal with the media-my thought?
Baba will do a special one hour interview with the rest of the family later on. Did I say exclusive?
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I also heard that some kind of deal was made by the Jacksons for soemthing that had to do with the cameras inside the arena.:rolleyes:
I have the feeling that the MJ Memorial Service on DVD with the special commemorative program is somewhere on the horizon.
They'll also try to edit together a concert from the films taken during the rehersals. Another special DVD offering!:rolleyes:
And Joe Jackson will state that he's oh so sorry that Michael couldn't be there to witness all of it. :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by RICHARD
That big scumbag! IMO, he's the one responsible for the way MJ turned out. And I don't mean his talent, but his screwed up life. :mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
yes i agree with you there, he alway's told him he was ugly,i guess a lot more went on behind closed doors that we will never know about either,he is a low life in my opinion, and i am sure some of his childhood contributed to the way he was indeed.
He was a perfectionist apparently,i guess that is one of the reasons he kept getting the plastic surgery on his face,there was a time when he had some done but he looked fine, i found him quite handsome then, but then he just went too far.
yes maybe the chewing gum was a pacifier for the children at a difficult time, i did have that thought myself,just not the done thing here, but then this is hollywood.
Again i thought the memorial was in good taste, only a few aspects of it i found a bit distasteful, but hey they weren't there to please me now were they? it was what they wanted for MJ and how they conducted themselves is really their business, but when you are a celeb you are wide open to judgment regardless of whether it is right or wrong IMO.,that is the downside of being in the public eye and something they just have to accept.
I also thought the casket was empty. Ellie, I'm glad you mentioned that. I thought I was alone.
I actually sat and watched it and assumed it was empty the whole time. Not for one minute did I think he was in there for some reason.
I have to say that the same thought crossed my mind. Who knows with this family?Quote:
Originally Posted by pomtzu
On the subject of Joe Jackson.....I saw part of an interview with him and I think it was after Michael died but I can't be sure because he seemed to be talking in the past tense. The interviewer said "It's been reported by Michael that you made him so nervous that he would often throw up." Joe Jackson's reply ... "well if I made him regurgitate, he regurgitated all the way to the bank." I was stunned at this answer. The man obviously thought being a good father meant the ability to bring in money. How sad that he wasn't sorrowful that his presence had such an effect on his son. That spoke volumes to me about what MJ went through "at home." Again, I don't know if this interview was before or after his death. I tuned in late.
I didn't watch the memorial service. But, I have read a handful of comments on this thread and have seen a couple random photos of the family at the service. Someone mentioned the silver glove being a nice little homage to Michael, seems like I saw Ken Griffey Jr wore a single glove during a baseball game recently, too. Anyway, my thought is that the sunglasses inside might have been a kind of a Michael thing (maybe even a Jackson family thing), too.
The only reason I say that is because it didn't strike me as bizarre at all that they were wearing shades. I may not have known immediately that they were indoors, though...hmm...
I know that there's a lot more coverage of his death than even other celebrities, but I honestly haven't felt completely saturated with it. I don't watch a lot of tv or listen to or read the news anyway, but with some events or happenings, I simply can't help but hear it. I felt a bit overwhelmed right at first, because it didn't matter what radio station I had it on, that's what they were talking about. But, that was only for the first few days that I felt I had to either change the station or turn the radio off completely.
I don't know, I just hope the man finally has some peace of mind and heart.
Now Joe Jackson is saying that he believes there was FOUL play reguarding to Michael's death.. yeah right, are you serious? He alone destroyed his childhood & the rest of his life to who he had become and the cause of the media, etc.
MJ is gone but there is no shortage of news.
Out here there has been a front page story in the paper every day.
Today? THe Tax Man and MJ-plus what the funeral cost the city.:rolleyes:
I was at a local airshow near my house and the LA County Sheriff's flew their helicopter in.....This was the same helicopter they used to move his body from the hospital!:eek:
And they needed to do it by helicopter WHY????????Quote:
Originally Posted by RICHARD