It's been a long two weeks for fans of Michael Jackson. For people who could care less about the singer, though, this experience must have felt like years.
The coverage of the King of Pop's death and its inevitably bizarre aftermath has been constant and played at high decibels everywhere you turn, from cable shows to online news sites to your daily newspaper.
It all came to a head on Tuesday with the star-studded, tears-ridden and decidedly spiritual memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The event was aired, in its entirety, on all the CNNs and MSNBCs of the world, which started their coverage by tailing the Jackson family as they attended a private ceremony at a local cemetery. Helicopters were involved.
The memorial itself has only begun to be examined, with many critics saying it was overblown and too flashy for a somber occasion. The media swarmed downtown LA with dozens of satellite trucks parked side-by-side like the Super Bowl.
"Some network anchors seemed a bit mortified by their own unstinting and reverential coverage. Brian Williams of NBC, who sat on a special platform outside the Staples Center, told his colleague Lester Holt that the public had a way of deciding for itself what matters, "despite, at some times, the news media's better wishes.? He added ruefully, "And this is an event because it is."
But there was another, less obvious allure to the incessant, insatiable coverage. With so many hours to fill, television anchors and commentators give voice -- literally and loudly -- to the kinds of private, contradictory thoughts that so often dart through guests? minds at a funeral. Flashes of sorrow and reminiscence collide with nosy curiosity about the will, the debts, custody battles, family entanglements and even the extravagant cost of the ceremony."
MSNBC's Dr. Nancy Snyderman thought the event felt "like the Oscars, an awards show." Before the memorial began, FOX News' Shepard Smith said "the whole thing is kind of a freak show."
It turns out it wasn't so much a freak show, but more like a jazzed-up church service, complete with a golden casket. A church choir opened the memorial by serenading Jackson's coffin and the occasion continued with somber speeches from the likes of Brooke Shields and Berry Gordy and gospel-themed musical performances by Jennifer Hudson and Stevie Wonder.
There was a statement from Nelson Mandela and even a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou.
Members of the Jackson family sat in the front row of the Staples Center, including his brothers, who all wore sequined gloves in tribute. Brother Jermaine Jackson took the stage and sang the standard "Smile" as he fought back tears. Later, at the end of the show, Marlon Jackson delivered perhaps the second most heartfelt eulogy about the legendary singer. His story of the bond of brotherhood brought the event back from the grandiose vibe of the all-star sing-along that preceded it.
The most touching moment of the day was saved for last, when Jackson's daughter approached the microphone and broke down in tears, saying: "I just wanted to say, ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine! I just wanted to say I love him so much."
After this moment, FOX's Smith changed his tune, noting "To realize that he is gone -- for all of us, that's one thing; to that little girl it is quite another."
