We all know Michael Jackson is not just a King of Pop, he’s a Legend. As they say since Michael has no definite religion, instead of giving a funeral service of all the religions he tried, they made a tribute. Different songs from his albums sung by popular artists like Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Lionel Richie and others. Here’s a video from MSNBC.com for the full coverage of his memorial service. May you rest in peace Michael.
TV.com’s transcript of the Michael Jackson memorial service live blog
9:45 a.m. Welcome to TV.com’s live coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial service! We’re tuned in to CNN, and they’ve reported that the service has been pushed back to 1:30 ET/10:30PT.
9:49 a.m. Looks like people are already being seated! And there are bootleggers outside … weird.
9:53 a.m. Where are you watching the memorial?
9:57 a.m. Now they’re reporting that the service is about to begin at its scheduled time. Less than five minutes away!
10:00 a.m. Staples Center is packed! It’s pretty beautiful to see everyone turn out for the event, despite work schedules, travel issues and personal beliefs. It’s a celebration of Michael Jackson’s life, after all.
10:05 a.m. Who was Michael Jackson to you?
10:07 a.m. Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson and others are scheduled to perform — what better way to celebrate the King of Pop than with more music?
10:10 a.m. Do you know anyone who’s attending the service? How far did they travel to be there?
10:13 a.m. Smokey Robinson is the first speaker. What a quote: “Thank you, Katherine and Joe, for sharing your son with the world.”
10:16 a.m. 1.5 million tried to get 11,000 tickets. That’s a tribute in itself.
10:20 a.m. There’s a pause in the service, but it’ll be back on soon. The anticipation builds — just like it did during his concerts.
10:23 a.m. How much do you think the yearbook-style programs will go for on eBay?
10:26 a.m. How will the performers honor Michael Jackson? We’re betting that Mariah Carey sings “I’ll Be There” and that Usher moonwalks.
10:31 a.m. Did you know that residents of New York, Florida and Rhode Island were not allowed to participate in the online ticket lottery? It had to do with state-specific sweepstakes rules.
10:35 a.m. Michael Jackson would have loved that gospel choir — he featured voices like theirs in “Will You Be There.”
10:37 a.m. Rev. Lucious Smith speaking now.
10:40 a.m. Mariah does her beautiful rendition of “I’ll Be There,” as predicted, with Trey Lorenz, who’s doing some solid justice to the falsetto notes in the song.
10:45 a.m. Queen Latifah now, speaking on behalf of fans, adds her smile to the somber but respectful mood.
10:47 a.m. Quoting Maya Angelou: “He gave us all he had been given.”
10:50 a.m. Lionel Richie now, singing “Jesus is Love” with more soul than he’s had in quite awhile. Here’s a throwback to the “We Are The World” days.
10:55 a.m. Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records: “He was the consummate student. He studied the greats and then became greater.”
10:59 a.m. What was your favorite Jackson 5 #1? “I’ll Be There,” “ABC,” “I Want You Back” or “The Love You Save”?
11:02 a.m. What do you think of the ambiance in the Staples Center? Is it respectful? Subdued? Flashy? Not flashy enough?
11:03 a.m.Gordy, again: “He was the greatest entertainer that ever lived.”
11:05 a.m. Watching this dance-moves montage is like being at a dozen concerts — it covers everything!
11:07 a.m. Stevie Wonder: “This is a moment that I wished I didn’t live to see come.”
11:10 a.m. Stevie Wonder, wonderful as usual, sings “Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer.”
11:13 a.m. Do you think that Michael Jackson would have liked costume tributes? We expected a few fedoras and white gloves …
11:16 a.m. Kobe Bryant & Magic Johnson, two Laker greats, now talking about Michael Jackson’s philanthropy. Remember the time Magic Johnson was in a Michael Jackson video?
11:21 a.m. Jennifer Hudson sings “Will You Be There,” one of Michael Jackson’s most powerful songs.
11:24 a.m. But Michael’s voice remains at the end of the song, as in the original version.
11:26 a.m. Rev. Al Sharpton speaking now about the strength of the Jackson family. He definitely puts the “rev” — as in “rev up” — in Reverend. What a powerful speaker.
11:27 a.m. Check out the Jackson family’s fashion coordination — sunglasses, yellow ties and black suits.
11:31 a.m. Sharpton to Jackson’s children: “There wasn’t nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what he had to deal with.”
11:34 a.m. John Mayer gets the crowd clapping with an instrumental version of “Human Nature,” backed by a few singers. Nice song choice.
11:38 a.m. Brooke Shields now addressing her relationship with Michael: “It was the most natural and easiest of friendships.”
11:41 a.m. Shields is really showing the human side of Michael Jackson: “Both of us needed to be adults very early. But when we were together, we were two little kids, having fun.”
11:46 a.m. Michael’s favorite song was “Smile,” from Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times: Jermaine performs it for him.
11:48 a.m. … wearing a white sequined glove.
11:53 a.m. Martin Luther King III speaking now with his sister Bernice by his side.
11:57 a.m. Bernice King: “He was indeed a shining light, like our father Martin … May we all be inspired to go and let our lights shine.”
12:02 p.m. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee talking now about Michael Jackson’s leadership in the fight against AIDS and his devotion to people in need.
12:06 p.m. Lee: “Michael Jackson never stopped giving” — and they’re going to debate Resolution 600 on the House floor. A very cool tribute. Here’s a link to it.
12:09 p.m. Usher singing “Gone Too Soon” — sadly, too appropriate.
12:12 p.m. Usher looking at the casket — a powerful image.
12:14 p.m. Smokey Robinson admiring Michael Jackson’s maturity in his age 10 performance of “Who’s Lovin’ You.”
12:17 p.m. Robinson: “I’m glad I lived in this era.”
12:19 p.m. Child prodigy Shaheen Jafargholi (from Britain’s Got Talent!) really belts out “Who’s Lovin’ You” — the best performance of the memorial thus far. Michael Jackson would have been proud.
12:22 p.m. Kenny Ortega now speaking about the “This Is It” tour — it would have been his “triumphant return.”
12:25 p.m. “We Are The World” medley: Robinson, Ortega, Hudson, Richie, Michael’s kids and many others onstage for the ultimate tribute.
12:29 p.m. Straight into “Heal the World,” led by the First black Miss Indiana, Kellee Patterson.
12:37 p.m. Jermaine and Marlon represent the family in sharing their emotions and anecdotes — even in his disguises, Michael Jackson was recognized by his shoes.
12:39 p.m. Paris speaks. No words from us here.
12:39 p.m. The memorial ends as it started — peppered with shouts of love from the audience.
