It would turn out to be nothing what we expected. It was grand, and systematic. It was also heartening and courteous. But mostly, millions of strangers watching worldwide over and thousands more in the Staples Center, the much-estimated tribute to the late Michael Jackson, held on Tuesday in Los Angeles, was an cherished affair.
From the 8 a.m. private family get-together at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles, to the funeral procession carrying the pop star in his gold-plated, rose-covered coffin, to the two-hour dazzling arena memorial, Michael Jackson’s final farewell was an amazingly sombre and special send-off.
Beyond, for a brief moment in time, was the passion that followed the 50-year-old pop superstar’s death on June 25, the fight over the will and custody of his three children, the questions surrounding his fatal cardiac arrest, the 1.6 million people who entangled in an online lottery for those 17,500 memorial tickets, and the everlasting blogs, Tweets, Facebooking and relentless media coverage that have inspired the world these past 12 days.
Speaker after speaker, as well as Motown’s Berry Gordy, Queen Latifah and the children of Martin Luther King, lauded for Jackson’s humanitarianism, his love of family, his gift to black alertness, his shyness offstage and his confident brilliance on.
With a biographical video montage as backdrop, and before a mostly muted but rarely cheering crowd, came powerful performances: Jennifer Hudson’s Will You Be There, John Mayer’s acoustic Human Nature, Stevie Wonder’s shaky Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer and Jermaine Jackson’s tearful version of his brother’s favourite song, Smile.
Larry King, an invited guest who sat in the row right after the Jackson family, said afterward that “it was the greatest thing ever,” and cited Rev. Al Sharpton’s speech as the standout.
Sharpton, in his usual domineering fashion, made an indirect reference to Jackson’s 2005 child molestation charges, and told Jackson’s three children, sitting in the front row: “Wasn’t anything weird about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with.”
Long-time friend Brooke Shields provided a lighter touch, talking about how naughty Jackson was, how he tried in vain to teach her the moonwalk, and the day he showed up wearing that now famous glitter glove.
“I was like, what’s up with the glove,” said Shields. “We never recorded a video, or a song, but what we did do was laugh.”
One can discuss for days over how we can live in a time when an entertainer, an incredibly talented yet everlastingly troubled man, could perhaps warrant what amounted to a state funeral, the kind of send-off usually reserved for dignitaries, world leaders and royalty.
The truth is, for many around the world, Michael Jackson was royalty.
In the end, two hours after the tribute began; Michael Jackson’s family took the stage, the men dressed neatly in suits with red roses in their lapels, the women in stylish black dresses.
And then came the most unforgettable moment of the day, unscripted.
Jackson’s daughter, 11-year-old Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, aided by her Aunt Janet, took the microphone and, her face crumpled in tears, said:
“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.”
A touching reminder, possibly, that the man in the mirror was more than just a brilliant, isolated and hot pop star.
He was a brother, a son, an uncle and a father.
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