Los Angeles and the fans are saying goodbye to Michael Jackson at during the Staple's Center in Los Angeles and the rest of the world is saying Goodbye watching the Michael Jackson's memorial service televised.
Los Angeles police escorted the Jackson family and close friends to a private memorial service this morning as media helicopters hovered overhead and televised it for the million of fans viewing online and on TV. The family's service for Jackson was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles, a resting place for scores of American entertainment celebrities.
After the private ceremony, Jackson's body was transported to the Staples Center sports complex in downtown Los Angeles for the public memorial service, which is currently televised live. However, CNN says there are some audio problems and we can't hear the audio as well. I am not sure if other televised versions have the same problems.
An online drawing for free tickets to the memorial attracted more than 1.6 million people, but only 8,750 lucky fans were randomly selected. Each winner received two tickets for the Staples Center ceremony or for the simulcast (television broadcast) at the nearby Nokia Theater.
In addition to the fans who received tickets, hundreds of thousands more are expected to gather outside the arena, many from around the world. City tourism officials say the influx of fans could provide a $4 million boost to the city's struggling economy.
Thousands of police officers are deployed to provide security around the Staples Center, and to keep fans without a ticket from reaching the event.
Jackson's memorial service will also be aired over dozens of television networks and the Internet. And an entertainment company, Cinedigm Corporation, says it will broadcast the service live at about 50 movie theaters across the U.S. free of charge.
A lawyer for Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and mother of two of his three children, says her client changed her mind about attending Tuesday's services, because it would create "an unnecessary distraction."
On Monday, a judge in Los Angeles ruled Michael Jackson's longtime attorney and a friend should take over his estate, as stipulated in the deceased pop icon's 2002 will.
The judge removed Jackson's mother, Katherine, as temporary administrator of the estate. He said an attorney, John Branca, and a music executive and longtime friend, John McClain, will handle the pop star's estate until another hearing on August 3.
Reports of the singer's financial status vary wildly. Some say he had about $500 million in assets, but was also hundreds of millions in debt.
The 50-year-old Jackson died suddenly on June 25 in Los Angeles. A cause of death has not been determined, and authorities are investigating whether medications are to blame. Toxicology results are not expected for weeks.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
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