Gawker 
Enter your username and password.
New York, 10:35 AM
Sat Nov 28
15 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip Your Editors:
tips@gawker.com
Tipline: 646-214-8138
Editor-in-Chief:
Gabriel Snyder | Email
West Coast Editor:
Richard Rushfield | Email
Contributing Editors:
Valleywag:
Ryan Tate | Email
Media:
Hamilton Nolan | Email
Politics:
Alex Pareene | Email
Investigations:
John Cook | Email
Entertainment:
Brian Moylan | Email
Nights:
Adrian Chen | Email
Azaria Jagger | Email
Ravi Somaiya | Email
Weekends:
Foster Kamer | Email
Video Editor:
Richard Blakeley | Email
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
07/08/09
07/08/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
And the song the choir sang about "going to see the King" is an old gospel song about going to see Jesus. I've heard it sung at both sad and jubilant times. I'm not sure who speculated that it was about Michael as "Jesus".
And even if prepared, I think Paris wanted to make a statement about her father. Yes, this was media-driven. Yes, it was about celebrating the good and disregarding the bad, but that's what a memorial is. And I'm thankful that for once in their lives, it looks like those kids were just kids, even in grieving with their family. And to a skewed eye, all the hands around her while she spoke could have looked solicitous, but perhaps it was just the nervous stroking one tends to do in grief. Whenever I've attended a funeral there is usually a lot of superfluous stroking/comforting/coalescing that goes on. It ended rather abruptly, and the whole thing actually had a lot less fanfare than I would have expected, but then again it was a funeral/memorial, not an award show. So that may have been pretty apt.
07/07/09
07/08/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
Also, saying two sentences to the millions of her dad's fans is no big deal.
07/07/09
You want to see a creepy kid speech for a dead father? Check out Bindi Irwin.
07/07/09
RT @levarburton: Why, today of all days, would Corey Feldman dress up like Michael???
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
I'm not saying that the poor girl's grief isn't very real. I'm saying that the way it was expressed, and the actions of the people around her, made it seem a bit like stagecraft. Four adults stroking her at once. She got her message out- she loved her daddy. And I don't doubt it.
But it just seemed elaborately choreographed to me- Janet seen as caring and motherly, a handy exit for her. Real kids when they are upset, they blubber, don't always make sense. Paris hit all her lines, the message was got out, and her being escorted off with elaborate concern. And everyone saying what an emotional moment it was.
I don't buy it. This whole afternoon was an exercise in theatrical expressions of grief- all our death ritual are, this one on a wider scale- but the Paris moment seemed crucial. A vindication of him as a good father, an elaborate public display at how well the Jackson family treat his daughter and heiress- and an emotional "moment" that would be a bulls-eye hook for media outlets. And surely enough, that's what's already happening.
Sorry to go on. I think the poor girl's turn on stage was quite thought out in advance. And I frankly find the Jackson family venal, manipulative, and quite flexible with things like honesty. They still think the public will accept their PR, they still think they're American royalty. Paris's grief was put on display quite deliberately. And I'll not say another word about this.
07/07/09
It always baffles me when people claim to know how others should act at given times. It is very possible that this little girl, knowing everyone and their mother was going to be seeing this (and apparently judging it) chose to practice what she planned to say. Nothing wrong with that. "Real" kids are very different in every way. Maybe she didn't want the world to see her crying. Also, maybe her family huddled around her lovingly because they actually love her and were concerned for her being in such a public spot when her father had done all sorts of crazy things to keep them out of the spotlight.
Or maybe, I'm just not as prone to breaking down the 'performances' of 11-year-olds.
07/07/09
If you think an 11 year old somehow demanded to get on that stage and speak, rather than the Jackson family arranging it and telling her it was her duty..fine. They got the maximum press emotional jackpot from doing so. Go on being "baffled" at horrid people like myself questioning the propriety, go on acting as if I were criticizing the child herself rather than the circus that put her in the spotlight, the crazy cycle of exploiting family repeating itself with that tacky clan.
I said Good day, Miss.
07/07/09
if you don't like the Jackson's fine. But don't start controversy where there is none. For all we know, Paris is a showboat who loves being the center of attention.
07/07/09
07/07/09
Weirdly, you've said what I felt quite restrained from saying. That Paris seemed like a child actress playing a role. And in a family of entertainers, it's not far off that it might be attractive for her- every little girl thinks of it. Nothing wrong with that.
The idea that I could start controversy -startin' something!- by writing my impressions honestly is very flattering, thank you.
07/07/09
I think Janet's "speak up, honey" is what gave it that theatrical edge. But I don't think it was rehearsed in a creepy way. God I hope not or that kid will have a tougher life than we think. To me, it seemed like such a real moment because she seemed so overwhelmed and didn't know what to say. God, when you're 12 and your dad is lying dead in front of you, what do you say?
I think you're questioning the moment because the Jacksons have manipulated the media over the years. But really, are they so phony if they've allowed their son to have Neverland, to basically act out all his subconscious desires, practically dressing up as a woman at awards shows? I wouldn't say they're good at "reigning in the message"! That's what's so fascinating about them, is that they're a trainwreck that is mostly out of control, it's not being deliberately scripted (usually). There's a realness to them beneath all the plastic cheekbones.
07/07/09
@Adiphyte: Did Michael appear to have been pushed to keep performing as a child? No.
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/08/09
PS: Every one of these people close to MJ watched him commit suicide little by little over the years. They did nothing while he injected himself with surgical grade painkillers? True friends my ass. These people were voyeurs and vultures. That's what's sad about watching that girl on stage surrounded by these jerks.
07/07/09
That Liz Taylor memorial, I mean tribute a few years ago seemed like even more of a mess than this to me. That was the one MJ attended entirely dressed as Liz Taylor, amazingly. I think Roseanne spoke at that one.
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/07/09
07/08/09
07/07/09