El Guapo, you make a good point.

In the case of Michael Jackson, if you never attended a concert, never met him at a charity, or never met him on the street, he's still touched you in some way . . . perhaps a song on the radio, at a club, in an airport, at a picnic. Some of the people at his memorial could tell you the first Michael Jackson song they ever heard, the first time they saw him on the Ed Sullivan show, his first MTV video, their first Captain EO ride at Disneyland. In some way most of us feel a connection to his voice or image.

We may not feel that same connection to a service person unless we'd met them, attended school with them, lived in the same community or know their family. How many people know their neighbors anymore? Few, unless you live in a small community.

Here's something to think about. Out of all those people there, how many of those people at Staples never met MJ? And how many of those people that never met MJ would attend a memorial for a someone who has served our country that they never met? Sad to think about.

Jozielee, as soon as I hit "post" I wanted to kick myself, for not adding John Mayer to that too. As soon as he started the lick to "Human Nature" I lost it.
I thought the entire memorial was done very well. I was afraid it would be a circus. Even my elderly mother said "I'm not going to watch that circus" and I came home and she was glued to the TV, crying and saying "I'm so glad I watched this". If she can change at her old age, then there is hope for others!

Those were great moments, Dan. I'd like to add John Mayer's guitar version of "Human Nature." I wasn't a Mayer fan until yesterday. Now I know why my daughters are gaga for Mayer.

Thank you Eric. Three things in the Memorial Service really touched me.

My favorite moment was Jennifer Hudson "Will You Be There (Hold Me)" with the dancers who were to be in MJ's tour show. That's always been one of my favorite MJ songs. Who better to sing it, than Jennifer Hudson. One has to wonder how hard it must have been to get through those lyrics so soon after losing her mother, brother and family members.

Then the young man 12 years old from "Britain's Got Talent".

And of course little Paris. What more can be said?

In few words you said everything Eric, I don't need to said more. I like how MJ dance,sing and his performances, and I was watching what was goin on the whole week, but today, when Paris start crying my heart almost stop and I stared crying too. I saw the deep sad in her eyes and how alone she felt even when there were thousands of people. I'll said a pray for her and her brothers.

So true. And considering how well the children represented him today, he took parenthood very seriously.

When Paris spoke I thought of her father, how he'd taken such pains to shield his children from the camera, from prying eyes. And how much he'd disapprove of them being thrust into the spotlight, yet, of all the dreams Michael Jackson realized, his children (whether they are biologically his or not) are the greatest treasures he's left behind. They are old enough to remember him and in years to come they'll continue to tell his story and continue to use the money from his empire to improve the lives of others. I mean to be in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the pop artist who's given the most to charity sets a precedence they are hardly likely to ignore.