4 months ago
By Arienne Thompson, USA TODAY
The audience broke into applause when Motown founder Berry Gordy declared, "I think he is simply the greatest entertainer to have ever lived."
Rev. Al Sharpton addressed Jackson's children in the front row - Michael Jr., 12, Paris Michael, 11, and Prince Michael, 7 - directly, telling them that their father was an inspiration to the African American community.
"There wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. But it was strange what he had to deal with. But he dealt with it any way. He dealt with it for us. Some came here today to say goodbye. I came here to say thank you," Sharpton said.
Sharpton joined John Mayer, Jennifer Hudson, Lionel Richie, Queen Latifah, Mariah Carey in celebrating the singer. Mayer, Hudson, Richie and Carey performed, while Latifah read a poem by Maya Angelou.
Motown legend Smokey Robinson opened the tribute by reading statements from Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela, who were not present for the service. After a brief pause, Jackson's brothers - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy - carried the singer's casket, adorned with a spray of red flowers, onstage while a gospel choir sang.
Inside the official program for the service, Jackson's family and friends offered their parting words to the singer.
"I watched the light in Michael's eyes fade as he faced trials and tribulations for being misunderstood," brother Tito Jackson wrote. "Michael kept going with a smile and a grace of simply keeping what he stands for and believes in. Michael has left me and my brothers a legacy, a part of us being a part of history. I am proud to be his brother."
Sister La Toya recalled her brother's early frustrations in the music business.
"Michael, I recall you sitting on a chair in your bedroom staring at the television watching the 1980 Grammy awards show, crying to me because you had won only one Grammy award, and you said, 'Watch, La Toya. My next record I'm going to sell more records and win more Grammys than anyone in the history of music. I will be the biggest and greatest entertainer of all time,'" she wrote. "Mike, I love you deeply, and I can't wait to see you perform again. Keep the magic going!!!"
The Jackson family's motorcade arrived at the Staples Center just before 1 p.m. ET/PT. A private memorial service for Jackson was held Tuesday morning at Forest Lawn Cemetery Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.
A motorcade of Escalades, Range Rovers and Bentleys carrying the Jackson family arrived at the cemetery about 11:15 a.m. ET/8:15 a.m. PT, followed by fire trucks and a police escort. Jackson's casket was carried out of the Hall of Liberty into a waiting hearse at about 11:58 a.m. ET/8:58 a.m. PT.
Fans inside and outside the Staples Center shared their memories and tales of securing memorial tickets.
Actor Mickey Rooney, 88, and his wife Jan attended the ceremony.
"He was wonderful and a great entertainer. We liked everything about him," said Mickey, "He used to call my wife and sing Smile."
Jan added, "I do Smile in our show, in our two person musical. So we have a little in common there."
Joseph Lemire of Detroit was one of the lucky few to score a ticket, but a 30-hour trip from China put a wrench in his plans to pick up his tickets by the 6 p.m. deadline Monday. His flight didn't arrive in L.A. until 10 p.m., but he arranged for a colleague to get his tickets, which he shared with her.
Despite being halfway around the world, Lemire said there was no way he was going to miss the Jackson celebration.
"They are talking about a billion people watching. It's really being a part of this makes you a bigger and better person," he said. "I remember I was driving when I heard about Elvis. You don't remember how he died, you remember his music. It is going to be the same thing for Michael."
Akiko Seno, 25, from Kanagawa, Japan, came to L.A. four days ago without a ticket. She was standing on a street corner outside the perimeter with a sign that said "Spare ticket, any spare A woman walking down the street gave her a ticket anda hug. When asked why she came, she responded in broken English, "It is because I am a Michael Jackson fan, a big fan." She was crying on and off and mascara was running down both cheeks. "Happy cry," she said.
More than 250,000 people were expected to gather downtown for the service. Police kept onlookers blocks away with street barricades and closed all roads surrounding the Staples Center and Nokia Theatre, which will accommodate the overflow crowd. Only fans with tickets and security wristbands were allowed in the cordoned area.
