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New York, 8:00 AM
Mon Dec 21
18 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Rickyneck Rickyneck
    07/08/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    This is all sad... but I find it hard to believe that every news agency and most every channel is locked on to the "spectacke" being aired today... we have real heroes returning from war that gets NO coverage... come on folks... let's demand our NEWS folks focus on the real heroes in our Country... let's hold up better role models for our children and grandchildren!
     Reply
    Rickyneck was starred Rickyneck was unstarred
    Image of Pope John Peeps II Pope John Peeps II
    07/08/09

    @Rickyneck: Those aren't heroes. Those are professional soldiers doing exactly what they get paid to do. Go away. Nobody wants you here.
     Reply
    Pope John Peeps II was starred Pope John Peeps II was unstarred
    Image of Alexis Alexis
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    Just putting it into perspective.

     Reply
    Alexis was starred Alexis was unstarred
    Image of It's twue! It's twue! It's twue! It's twue!
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    What about that freaky guy that came out and sang the first line of we are the world? The lizard head man. Do you think he used the same cosmetic surgeon as michael?
     Reply
    It's twue! It's twue! was starred It's twue! It's twue! was unstarred
    Image of onehotmess onehotmess
    07/07/09

    @It's twue! It's twue!: Im a little late, but yeah...WHAT THE FUCK. Who was that guy? He looked...odd.
     Reply
    onehotmess was starred onehotmess was unstarred
    Image of Spirit Fingers Spirit Fingers
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    I think it was pretty much well-done up until that strange kid appeared and began to sing, rather awfully, a young Michael Jackson favorite. (That was a little weird) and that We Are the World thing sung and led by the back-up dancers. (That was a little awkward). BUT they only had a week or so to prepare, and for that small amount of time, I think it went over pretty well.


    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.

     Reply
    Spirit Fingers was starred Spirit Fingers was unstarred
    Image of Steverino Begins Steverino Begins
    07/07/09

    @Spirit Fingers: Agreed, and well said.
     Reply
    Steverino Begins was starred Steverino Begins was unstarred
    Image of Pinekatz Pinekatz
    07/08/09

    @Spirit Fingers: Everything else will be forgotten. Little Paris weeping for her lost father is what everyone will remember. It brought the whole spectacle down to earth.
     Reply
    Pinekatz was starred Pinekatz was unstarred
    Image of Helman Helman
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    Who the hell thought it was a good idea to let that child speak?!?!?! That was horrible to watch.
     Reply
    Helman was starred Helman was unstarred
    Image of pnelope18 pnelope18
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    richard - very, very well written. Thank you.
     Reply
    pnelope18 was starred pnelope18 was unstarred
    Image of PandoraSpocks PandoraSpocks
    07/07/09

    @pnelope18: Yes. Absolutely.
     Reply
    PandoraSpocks was starred PandoraSpocks was unstarred
    Image of Occula Occula
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    That was a fucking travesty having that poor fifth grade girl up in front of a billion people being forced to say something about her dead father. There's no way an eleven year old voluntarily does that, especially one who has been forced to wear weird masks in public her whole life. Her world is doubtless already bizarre enough without having to now live out the spectacle of her father's death at the Staples Center. That was the only clip I saw on the interwebs and it was all I had to see to remind myself what a cluster fuck this whole media-whoring event is! Yukky!
     Reply
    Occula was starred Occula was unstarred
    Image of Steverino Begins Steverino Begins
    07/07/09

    @deltasierra: Really? There's some shit to be uncovered in that family for sure, but they're also a showbiz fam. Did you really think Michael Jackson was going to be buried quietly? He's a worldwide superstar. I actually think he would have been completely underwhelmed by the procedings and would have wanted himself fired out of a canon or something.


    Also, saying two sentences to the millions of her dad's fans is no big deal.

     Reply
    Steverino Begins was starred Steverino Begins was unstarred
    Image of Alexis Alexis
    07/07/09

    @Steverino Begins: Out of all the reasons to crucify this family, letting the girl speak a few sentences about her dead father at a memorial is really no big deal.


    You want to see a creepy kid speech for a dead father? Check out Bindi Irwin.

     Reply
    Alexis was starred Alexis was unstarred
    Image of Midge Midge
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    My favorite tweet;


    RT @levarburton: Why, today of all days, would Corey Feldman dress up like Michael???

     Reply
    Midge was starred Midge was unstarred
    Image of DorothyBarker DorothyBarker
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    It's sad Jackson died at such a (relatively) young age, with young children. His gaudy, overly scrutinized, circus sideshow of a life was sad. But you know what's really sad? The city of LA is setting up a website to get donations to defray the 4mil cost of cops, logistics, security, etc. The average LAUSD teacher's salary is around 50k. How many of the teachers laid off this year could have kept their jobs if we had eschewed indulging in this mawkish death spectacle?
     Reply
    DorothyBarker was starred DorothyBarker was unstarred
    Image of Steverino Begins Steverino Begins
    07/07/09

    @DorothyBarker: They should set up a fund, either through LA county, or through the Jacksons (if they're handed the bill). If they asked fans to donate $1, I'm sure they'd recoup the losses or come close. They should have charged for the memorial tickets, really.
     Reply
    Steverino Begins was starred Steverino Begins was unstarred
    Image of Richard Blakeley Richard Blakeley
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
     Reply
    Richard Blakeley was starred Richard Blakeley was unstarred
    Image of Baroness Baroness
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    I'm going to be blasted for this, seen as heartless. But I frankly thought the Paris moment was quite rehearsed.


    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.

     Reply
    Baroness was starred Baroness was unstarred
    Image of SikeChick19 SikeChick19
    07/07/09

    @Baroness:


    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.

     Reply
    SikeChick19 was starred SikeChick19 was unstarred
    Image of Baroness Baroness
    07/07/09

    @SikeChick19: Yes, Sike, that's what I was doing- being a vicious critic of her performance. Thanks for reading. I don't know why the child was shoved onto the world stage there in the first place. But you'd rather wag a finger at me for wondering why the poor girl was being exploited like her daddy was by that family.


    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.

     Reply
    Baroness was starred Baroness was unstarred
    Image of Adiphyte Adiphyte
    07/07/09

    @Baroness: I just dont think that you can make an 11 year old do that. If she really didnt want to, she would have looked apprehensive about it and she didn't. She made sure to finish her sentence and everything.


    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.

     Reply
    Adiphyte was starred Adiphyte was unstarred
    Image of MattyMcboy MattyMcboy
    07/07/09

    @Baroness: I'm with you Baroness, and I will say that it's awfully interesting that the family has NO control over the business side of the estate what so ever. My partner, estate attorney himself, was amazed that yes he left all that money to the family trust, but that control over everything rests in the hands of others. I wonder how quick the paychecks and lifestyles for most of the family is going to change? At the very least get rid of the nation of Islam bodygaurds, jesus.
     Reply
    MattyMcboy was starred MattyMcboy was unstarred
    Image of Baroness Baroness
    07/07/09

    @Adiphyte: "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."


    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.

     Reply
    Baroness was starred Baroness was unstarred
    Image of Steverino Begins Steverino Begins
    07/07/09

    @Baroness: Hmm, I don't agree with you, but it's an interesting question and delicately and honestly phrased, which is more than can be said for most of the coverage of MJ.


    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.

     Reply
    Steverino Begins was starred Steverino Begins was unstarred
    Image of CaptainFantastic CaptainFantastic
    07/07/09

    @Baroness: +1. I don't know if you're correct, but it's a valid argument/angle.


    @Adiphyte: Did Michael appear to have been pushed to keep performing as a child? No.

     Reply
    CaptainFantastic was starred CaptainFantastic was unstarred
    Image of bluebears bluebears
    07/07/09

    @MattyMcboy: I think, more than anything else, this tells you what Michael thought about his family in re business matters. I think he loved his mother and recognized she would be a caring mother-figure in his absence but he knew better than to give them control of the money.
     Reply
    bluebears was starred bluebears was unstarred
    Image of Alexis Alexis
    07/07/09

    @Baroness: While I understand your skepticism, eleven year olds just aren't. that. good. Before she spoke, she seemed somewhat fidgety...like she needed to say something, do something. Even Marlon thought that Janet was going to say something next and because of that there was a confused scuffle to get Paris behind the mike. Plus, that girl has been out of the public eye for her entire life, you don't think that one (possibly rehearsed sentence) was called for? She doesn't owe the media or us anything, but sometimes people feel the need to make their feelings known. People are criticizing the Jacksons for not pulling her off sooner, but again, it really felt like it was her decision to speak. Maybe I'm just the optimist for the day, but I didn't see fakeness.
     Reply
    Alexis was starred Alexis was unstarred
    Image of gawkimo gawkimo
    07/08/09

    @Baroness: The girl was smiling during the "We Are The World" thing, if you look carefully. Also: it was pure exhibitionism on the part of the Jackson family to do this. (And what's with the sunglasses?) Elizabeth Taylor stayed out of this circus of idiots. Her statement suggested that she didn't feel it was an appropriate way to mourn the loss of her friend. That's classy. This was like a shitty Superbowl halftime show. People getting sentimental about seeing MJ's daughter on this are probably the same people rusji8ng out to buy "Off The Wall" for the umpteenth time. The Jacksons must be thrilled.


    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.

     Reply
    gawkimo was starred gawkimo was unstarred
    Image of Steverino Begins Steverino Begins
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    Richard, good sir, I think you're overstating the "mess" aspect here. Have you heard the HIStory album? THAT was a mess. That video of MJ as a statue worshipped by thousands and the actual statues he floated down the Thames were grand scale messes. All of his trials were messes. Neverland was a mess. This just seemed like a typical celebrity funeral. I was actually surprised how tasteful it was considering all the talk of glass caskets, Body World exhibits, and such.


    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.

     Reply
    Steverino Begins was starred Steverino Begins was unstarred
    Image of MrInBetween MrInBetween
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    I thought Sharpton's "wun't nothing strange about your daddy" was horrific and laugh-out-loud funny. Until I watched sad Paris speak. Now I kind of love Reverend Al for saying it, even if it is a Big Lie.
     Reply
    MrInBetween was starred MrInBetween was unstarred
    Image of contradicto contradicto
    07/07/09

    @MrInBetween: I'm kind of mad that after watching this, Al Sharpton came across as one of the saner ones.
     Reply
    contradicto was starred contradicto was unstarred
    Image of gawkimo gawkimo
    07/08/09

    @jane-eyre-head: No we are now beginning the long goodbye to the Michael Jackson death story. . . story.
     Reply
    gawkimo was starred gawkimo was unstarred
    Image of Foster Kamer Foster Kamer
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    Ugh.
     Reply
    Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred
    Image of Nic Fit Nic Fit
    07/07/09

    In reply to The Ten Most Important Moments of the Michael Jackson Memorial Mess
    What about when they paraded around that pubescent boy who was supposedly a "friend" of Jackson? Off message.
     Reply
    Nic Fit was starred Nic Fit was unstarred
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