Billie Jean Was Not My Lover
Virginia Postrel's Tweet is exactly right:
Michael Jackson service costs L.A. nearly $4 million. Family should reimburse. They're charging admission ($25).
Here's the LAT story by Andrew Blankstein and Mitchell Landsberg:
A city accustomed to outsized public spectacles headed into uncharted territory today, uncertain how fans would respond to a carefully planned public memorial to singer Michael Jackson -- an event expected to cost nearly $4 million in city services alone....Thousands of police officers and firefighters were being assigned not only to that event, but to the Jackson family compound in Encino, the home Jackson rented in Holmby Hills and to Forest Lawn Memorial-Park in the Hollywood Hills, where the family was to hold a private service at 8 a.m.
Charging admission to a funeral? Sick family.
Patrick at July 7, 2009 7:23 AM
Yeah, I heard somewhere the family is "sorry" they're costing the city money. Solution? HAVE A PRIVATE FUNERAL.They asked for this fanfare, let them reimburse the city for it. It's ridiculous.
Ann at July 7, 2009 7:34 AM
In a way, this is like any other celebrity funeral. People want to gather and cry and etc.
But if someone's gonna charge admission, it should be the city that's paying for it.
Somehow, I don't think that Elvis' funeral costs were passed on to Memphis.
brian at July 7, 2009 7:49 AM
The whole fuss is kinda sick.
The autopsy results were "inconclusive", but the actions of his personal physician seem strangely incompetent. I still hope some adventurous journalist will "follow the money" to see just who profits from his death. His songs are at the top of the charts, his CDs selling like hotcakes, hmmm...
bradley13 at July 7, 2009 8:45 AM
I'm working at a mid-level entertainment news enterprise today. You would not imagine the vibe around here this morning. Twenty helicopters over the funeral.
Crid [CommentCrid@gmail.com] at July 7, 2009 8:54 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2009/07/07/billie_jean_was.html#comment-1657421">comment from Crid [CommentCrid@gmail.com]Let's just hope there isn't a death toll as well.
Amy Alkon at July 7, 2009 8:57 AM
They didn't charge admission. Tickets were free, and Ebay declined to let people re-sell. I agree that the family/AEG/Sony should re-imburse the city.
Kate at July 7, 2009 9:51 AM
Let's all remember folks, He was called "Wacko-Jacko" a month ago.
My real question here in not the whole mess about who will pick the cost for the funeral bill but how a man who was viewed as a psychotic pederast with too much money and debts can turn suddenly into an angel of virtue worth worshiping.
Can someone explain me this mess?
Toubrouk at July 7, 2009 10:21 AM
It's considered bad form to speak ill of the dead. Therefore death == absolution.
Six weeks after he's in the ground, the abuse will begin again in earnest.
brian at July 7, 2009 10:26 AM
There's another recently deceased guy that some people are worshiping, and yet others are calling out for his failures.
This one goes hand in hand with Amy's fatherhood blogs, a panning of Robbie McNair for being a lousy father:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9777174/Don%27t-be-so-quick-to-make-McNair-a-hero
Way to go, Whitlock!!!
(Sorry 'bout the tangent, folks)
Juliana at July 7, 2009 11:10 AM
I knew more about the man than I ever wanted to when he was alive. I don't care that he's dead.
He's dead! Bury him and move on.
Jim P. at July 7, 2009 11:37 AM
Since the memorial is today, maybe we won't hear about him so much starting tomorrow. Maybe.
ahw at July 7, 2009 12:06 PM
Um, don't count on it. As many parallels as people want to draw between he and Elvis, I'm sure he'll be spotted at a Burger King in Kalamazoo in no time.
Juliana at July 7, 2009 2:11 PM
I think Juliana's offering the first citing!
One of the best exchanges I ever heard on morning radio—
"You remember where you were when you found out Elvis was dead, don't you?"
"Well, I remember where I was when I found out he was still alive...."
Crid [CommentCrid@gmail.com] at July 7, 2009 4:02 PM
I read today that the Mayor of LA is asking citizens to make donations to help defray the costs coming from extra police and such. I am not sure if its true or not but I'm hoping that it is not. I don't think the hoopla will die down anytime soon. I'm waiting to see how all of his "loved" ones begin to profit off of him after his death. How many books will be coming out, memorial videos and cd's, etc. I'm actually starting to feel sorry for the guy.
Kristen at July 7, 2009 8:56 PM
"I'm waiting to see how all of his "loved" ones begin to profit off of him after his death."
You mean his label, since he apparently did not own the copyrights to his own music. And you needn't wait - the money orgy is already in full swing.
Had he lived another couple of weeks, he would have had to disillusion his fans by canceling the concerts. Instead, he has become a tragic hero and his albums are selling like hotcakes.
Coincidences can happen, but this one deserves some really close inspection to be sure it really is just a coincidence...
bradley13 at July 7, 2009 11:01 PM
Michael Jackson is a legend. He made great music and shared it to alot of us
mountain bike australia at September 26, 2010 11:47 PM
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