Michael Jackson's Funeral...

So of course I watched the final goodbye to the King of Pop today at work...as I imagine many people did. I turned the volume up as I went about my tasks and stopped occasionally to see some of the footage that was live streamed thanks to ABC News.

Now, usually I would say a funeral should not be televised or made for the public. For anyone else a memorial of this magnitude would be totally uncalled for and unnecessary. But Michael Jackson touched so many people so deeply, and he was an entertainer who genuinely entertained for his fans, not just himself. I'm sure he would have wanted the world to be part and be able to view his final "performance".

I was touched by the eulogies given. Sharpton's ass came up, and spoke kindly of the Jackson family and of Michael's innocence through his many trials. He honored him as an American hero, which he was; paving the way for celebrity influence in world affairs and donating so much of his time and effort to the HIV/AIDS cause and so many other causes.

Among the many people who spoke about Michael; Brooke Shields, Jermaine Jackson, Berry Gordy, Magic Johnson, Queen Latifa...the one person's comments who actually brought a tear to my eye was Paris Michael, his only daughter. She noted him as a good father and said she loves him before breaking down into tears and grabbing Janet. Among all of Michael's achievements, I think his love of children was probably his most controversial and most amazing ability.

Hopefully now the news will give him and his family a rest. Everyone had a chance to say their farewell and send him off to the next world, whatever that may be. I'm not one to get sappy and sad over a celebrity icon, but for Michael Jackson it seems fitting.

Paris Michael's eulogy