Michael Jackson dead at 50

[Hobo]

This is the weirdest thing in the history of television. It's a concert/tribute show/public funeral with a golden coffin. Though what more could you expect?

I'm not sure if it's horrible, gaudy, or what but as Go Go said it's something.

[GoGo Yubari]

It seems to vary between heartfelt stuff (Stevie Wonder, actually Brooke Shields right now to my shock) and completely confusing shit (John Mayer does smooth jazz for a couple minutes and then wanders off, Magic Johnson's highlight of his life = eating KFC with MJ). Very weird.

[OGpistolpete]

Yeah, I feel like they kinda threw it together thinking it would be sweet, but it's just kinda weird with how everything is transitioning, notably John Mayer, but I liked the guy's speech who was on right before Lionel Richie sung.

And I thought Magic's KFC story was funny.

[GoGo Yubari]

but I liked the guy's speech who was on right before Lionel Richie sung.

I thought Queen Latifah was on right before Lional Richie sung.

[Hobo]

The Jacksons look like flamboyant black panthers. I really can't take this seriously because every genuine moment seems to have something that screams gaudy following or during it.

[GoGo Yubari]

I found Jermaine's song to be pretty touching. On the other hand I have no clue who this guy -- oh, MLK Jr. III.

[Skummy]

The Jacksons look like flamboyant black panthers.

ROFLMAO, as they say.

[OGpistolpete]

I don't like how they have MLK III speaking just because he is MLK's son. Needs to have more people speaking who knew him well. Did Jermaine speak? Janet? Anyone even in his family?

[OGpistolpete]

lol I'm sorry for the double post but you know you are the shit when the U.S. Government passes a law proclaiming you are the shit.

[GoGo Yubari]

Great moments in self-indulgence; "This hits everyone hard, but especially me." You go, Usher.

EDIT: Yes, let's cap off Smokey's monologue about being upstaged by a kid by having a kid upstage him.

Edited July 7, 2009 by Nick GoGopolis

[New Damage]

Who the fuck is that dick doing the commentary with Trevor Nelson on the BBC version? What a fucking ignorant, arrogant dick.

How do they knock out those highlight packages so quickly, with footage that happened like 30 seconds ago like at the end of PPVs?

Edited July 7, 2009 by TheModernWay

[Magus978]

Man, not for nothing, but I had a hard time not tearing up. That was just heartbreaking hearing his daughter speak

[GoGo Yubari]

Man, not for nothing, but I had a hard time not tearing up. That was just heartbreaking hearing his daughter speak

That was really devastating, yeah. Marlon Jackson's speech was very heartfelt as well. For all the weirdness and some of the more self-indulgent bits (hi Usher), there were some really touching moments in there.

[SRN]

Agreed. Paris (isn't that her name?) crying out loud was so devastating. The Danish television reporter almost wet a little tear on air after the broadcast returned to the Danish studio. Man.

[Cheeky Hughes]

That was half touching, half crude, in my view. It was really touching to see his daughter speak though.

P.S. That Shaheen guy, who the fuck is he?

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Al Sharpton is possibly the greatest talker of all time, just amazing speech.

However stupid it sounds, that's one of the only things in the history of television that has ever made me emotional. The quick words from Paris was probably the most touching part of it all, but nothing will beat the words of Marlon when he said 'hopefully they leave you alone now', never heard better words than those. Amazing and emotional, wow.

[ROZAY]

Man, not for nothing, but I had a hard time not tearing up. That was just heartbreaking hearing his daughter speak

That was really devastating, yeah. Marlon Jackson's speech was very heartfelt as well. For all the weirdness and some of the more self-indulgent bits (hi Usher), there were some really touching moments in there.

What was really so self-indulgent about Usher's performance? I thought it was one of the more touching performances.

[GoGo Yubari]

1. "This hits everyone so super hard but especially me"

2. Singing to the coffin if I recall that bit correctly.

3. That moment where he broke up like before the very last line of the song and maybe that was sincere but it felt so incredibly "this is hitting me so hard you guys "

I'm sorry, I am admittedly a cynical bastard but that entire performance felt like a complete act of pageantry. Great singer but I wasn't feeling it in the slightest.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

I'm pretty sure he meant it, seeings though Jackson is the guy that inspired him from day one and he's the main person he's tried to emulate since the minute he got into the business. Not to mention the live performance they shared together, where Jackson basically broke into tears and called him amazing. I actually thought that was a great performance and I don't see the problem in the guy showing some love one last time to the guy who has inspired everything he's done to date, and I'm not even that big of an Usher fan really. It's pretty clear to see he was torn up and if that's what he felt he wanted to do, then good for him to do it.

Edited July 7, 2009 by Scum Fan 4 Life

[Crybaby Bunting]

The problem with this is that no-one knows who the memorial is aimed at. Is it aimed at his family? nope, they're presenting to the world their feelings and showcasing all sorts of stuff, is it for the audience? nope it's too inclusive.

Ultimately it was bound to end up with the sort of trainwreck of a performance that defined Jacksons later life.