I’ve been thinking about Michael Jackson’s memorial and about the controversial and complicated life he led. It really seemed like his memorial paid tribute to his childhood, career, and the massive impact he had on the world instead of honoring the gentle, somewhat strange man behind the phenomenon. It’s like after he turned 30 Michael became some unknown character and the people who spoke at his memorial ignored that. Maybe that’s fitting as it was meant for the public and that’s really all we knew of him. Everything else was rumor and conjecture as the media tried to fill in the blanks about his private life.

I don’t want to focus the whole story on this, but the crux of my question is – if he did abuse kids, should we mourn him less? I do think he was manipulated by families out for large sums of money, and there are just two cases where he was accused and only one that went to trial. As Rep Sheila Jackson Lee said during his memorial “We understand the Constitution, we understand law, and we know that people are innocent until proven guilty.”

There will always be gossip and innuendo surrounding this man – it persisted after he was acquitted and will remain after his death. Was that gossip warranted and/or did it somehow contribute to the drug addiction that killed him? We may never know. Maybe that’s part of the reason that we’re focusing on the Michael the public knew, the young hugely talented guy who we grew up with and loved. It’s just too hard to reconcile the moonwalking legend with the caricature he became at the end. We might have had a chance to do that if he would have been able to perform next Monday. As it is, we were given memories from his youth and the deep sadness from his family. Paris loved her daddy, and that strange morphed man who meant everything to his kids was about to take to the stage again and help show his fans that we could still celebrate him as a changed man. Instead he died, and our love for who he used to be poured over and had nowhere to go.

Here are the videos from Jackson’s memorial, in order.

Smokey Robinson reads statement from Diana Ross:

Smokey Robinson reads statement from Nelson Mandela:

Gospel choir sings “We are Going To See The King” as Jackson’s coffin is brought in and placed in the center in front of the stage.

Pastor Lucious Smith gives introduction:

Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz sing “I’ll Be There.”

Queen Latifah represents the fans and reads a poem from Maya Angelou written specifically for Jackson titled “We Had You.”

Motown founder Berry Gordy talks about Michael Jackson’s career and talent:

A montage of moments from Jackson’s career played:

Stevie Wonder sings “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer”

Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant gave remembrances

Jennifer Hudson sings “Will You Be There”

Rev Al Sharpton talked about Michael’s family and how he broke barriers for African Americans

Sharpton offers some powerful words to Michael’s kids “Wasn’t nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what your daddy had to deal with, but he dealt with it anyway.”

John Mayer plays “Human Nature” poignantly while a choir sings behind him

Brooke Shields talks about her friendship with Michael from a young age, reads a passage from The Little Prince and says his favorite song was “Smile Though Your Heart is Aching” from the Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times.

Jermaine Jackson then comes on to sing that song, “Smile Though Your Heart is Aching”

Martin Luther King III, MLK’s son, and Bernice A. King, his sister and MLK’s daughter, offer condolences:

US congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee gives a rousing speech.

Usher sings “Gone Too Soon” and goes off stage to touch Michael’s casket. It’s too much for him and he starts to cry:

Smokey Robinson comes on and says “I wrote that song, I thought I sang it… Two later, here comes this little kid, who’s ten years old…. I could not believe that someone that young could have that much feeling and soul.”

Shaheen Jafargholi from Britain’s Got Talent sang “Who’s Loving You”

Kenny Ortega, Michael’s partner in the creation of the tour, talks about his planned final concerts

Michael’s backup singers and dancers sing “We Are The World” and all the speakers come on stage

They go into “Heal The World”

The family speaks and it’s heartbreaking. Paris says “I just want to say, ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could every imagine. I just wanted to say I love him so much.”

Photos thanks to WENN.com

I started to write up a story about how the MJ concert was filled with too many people from his early past that didn’t really know him, but then the family came out to speak briefly and you can tell why no one very close to Michael gave eulogies earlier on – it was too painful and raw for them. I was starting to get cynical at the end of the memorial, when his backup singers and dancers came on stage for “We Are The World.” That wasn’t the end, and his family tried their best to give their remembrances afterwards and it was heartbreaking and meaningful. Especially touching was Michael’s brother Marlin asking him to hug his twin brother, Brandon, in heaven for him, and Michael’s daughter Paris calling Michael “the best father you could ever imagine.”

Here’s a recap of the events tonight in order, along with the highlights. I took notes and these quotes are only approximate transcriptions as I had to type while the ceremony was in progress.

-Smokey Robinson opened by reading a condolence letter from Nelson Mandela, a personal friend of Michael’s who had met him several times.

- They then had a pause of over 25 minutes due to an audio problem with the Staples Center.

- A gospel choir sang “We are Poised Going to See The King”

- Jackson’s family members put his casket in the front of the stage lit by lights. It’s gold but looked platinum under the lights and was adorned with roses

- Pastor Lucious Smith then came on and spoke about Jackson:
“To millions around the world, Michael Jackson was a hero, an idol and even a king but first and foremost, he was a… brother…. a friend. Today we gather those who know and love Michael best and those who know and love him through his good works…”

MTV Shows

- Mariah Carey then sang a duet with Trey Lorenz to “I’ll Be There.” She held her chest at times and you could tell she was struggling with grief.

They changed the words at the end to “Just say my name – Michael. We’ll never say goodbye. Even through the pain and heartache we will be right there. We miss you.”

MTV Shows

- Queen Latifah told a cute anecdote about growing up as a fan and trying to do the robot
“I’m here representing all the fans… Michael was the biggest star on earth.”

- Latifah read a poem Maya Angelou written specifically for Jackson titled “We Had You.” (I took notes, but MTV has the full poem already)

- Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, talked about Jackson’s talent and said Jackson was like a son to him. He said “We all knew he was special” from a young age.

“I think he was simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived.” The crowd then stood up.

- A video montage of Jackson then played

- Stevie Wonder played “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer.” “Why Didn’t You Stay.” He tried to make sense of Michael’s death:
“This is a moment that I wished I didn’t live to see come, but as much as I can say that and mean it I do know that God is good and I do know that as much as we say… that we need Michael here with us, God must have needed him more.

“Michael I love you and I’ve told you that many times, so I’m at peace with that… I never imagined that I would write a song that would be sent to Quincy Jones… and you would do this song, and so… incredibly you did this song.”

- Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant came on stage. Magic talked about going to MJ’s house to talk about being in his video “Remember the Time” and
seeing Michael Jackson eat Kentucky Fried Chicken. “We had such a great time, sitting on the floor, eating that bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.”

MTV Shows

- Pregnant Jennifer Hudson came out to sing Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There”
It featured a very sad reading at the end by Michael of some of the lyrics and it came across as a little schmaltzy.

- Rev Al Sharpton talked about Michael’s family and how he broke barriers for African Americans

He said he wanted to say to his children:
“Wasn’t nothing strange about your daddy, was strange what your daddy had to deal with, but he dealt with it anyway.

“Some came to say goodbye to Michael. I came to say thank you. Thank you because you never stopped… Thank you because you eradicated barriers… Thank you because you gave us hope. Thank you Michael.”

- John Mayer played guitar and made his O face to “Human Nature” while a choir sang behind him.

- Brooke Shields talked about her friendship with Michael from a young age.
“It was the most natural and easiest of friendships…. Micheal loved to laugh… he adored it when I did silly imitations or told him stories about my life…
MJ’s laughs… was the purest of anyone I’ve ever known.”

She read a passage from the book The Little Prince about the sleeping prince and his love of a flower, and talked about Michael’s favorite song, “Smile Though Your Heart is Aching” from the Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times.

- Jermaine Jackson then came on to sing that song, “Smile Though Your Heart is Aching”

- Martin Luther King III, MLK’s son, and Bernice A. King, his sister and MLK’s daughter came on. Martin said “Michael Jackson was truly the best of what he was,” while Bernice told a story about how Michael once called their mom after she suffered a stroke and a few months before she died. “My only wish is that he could have seen the glow on her face.”

- US congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee then came on and gave a rousing speech.
“We understand the Constitution, we understand law, and we know that people are innocent until proven guilty…
“Michael never stopped giving and he touched those whose lives could be reconstructed.” She said they have a new bill to honor Michael Jackson and had a moment of silence on the House floor in honor of MJ.

- Usher then sang “Gone Too Soon” and walked offstage to stand next to MJ’s casket. He touched it gently and started to cry at the end. He was wearing sunglasses so you couldn’t see much though.

- They then played a clip from MJ’s performance on The Ed Sullivan show with The Jackson Five

- Smokey Robinson came on and joked “I wrote that song, I thought I sang it….
“Two later, here comes this little kid, he’s ten years old…. I could not believe that someone that young could have that much feeling and soul… You have to know something to sing a song like that.

“I never thought I would be here today. That’s my little brother over there…

“When I have concerts I sing “Who’s loving you”…. young kids come up to me and say ‘Hey you’re singing Michael Jackson’s songs.”

- Shaheen Jafargholi from Britain’s Got Talent sang “Who’s Loving You”

- Kenny Ortega, the choreographer for Michael’s comeback concerts, said that Shaheen was invited to sing with MJ for his 02 shows

“We were here a little less than a week ago and Michael was with us…
“We were all here and we were a family and this was our house…
“When the Jackson family invited us to do a memorial we knew we had to do it here…
“Michael and I were here and we were in the final stages of mounting what… I promise you was his triumphant return.

“Musical and Magical, this is for him, his living legacy. His care, his concern… for the planet.

“Michael, we love you.”

- Michael’s backup singers and dancers then sang “We Are The World” and the family and all the speakers joined them on stage.

[Roughly transcribed from Michael Jackson's memorial, aired 7/7/09]

I thought hat was the end and I was thinking “where were the people who really knew Michael?” It turns out they were too choked up to speak, and when they did talk about what he meant to them it broke my heart.

- Jermaine Jackson: “I would like to thank everyone for coming out. I am lost for words. I was his voice, and his backbone, so was the family… we thank you, we thank you very much.”

- Marlin Jackson: “I’m hurt. I stand here trying to find words of comfort, solace, trying to understand why the lord has taken our brother to return home after such a sort time. Michael when you left us, part of me left… a part of you will live forever in all of us. Michael I will treasure the good times, singing, loving, laughing.”

He told a story about Michael dressing up like an old dude trying to buy CDs.

“We will never, ever understand what he endured, not being able to walk across the street without a crowd… being judged, ridiculed. How much pain can one man take?
Maybe now Michael they will leave you alone… Michael I love you.”

He said he had one request, “Give our brother, my twin brother Brandon, a hug for me.”

Paris, Michael’s daughter, then came on crying and said “I just want to say, ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could every imagine. I just wanted to say I love him so much.”

Then the family carried the casket off stage.

[Roughly transcribed from Michael Jackson's memorial, aired 7/7/09]

I remember Princess Diana’s funeral vividly, and I will remember watching Michael Jackson’s funeral for decades. I just wish we knew more about this enigmatic man and that we could have somehow reached out to him when he was alive. People cherished him and will enjoy his music for generations to come. RIP Michael, you will never be forgotten.

Photo Credit: WENN.com

Michael Jackson’s public memorial starts in approximately ten minutes, at 1:00 pm EST/10:00 AM PST. Live footage was shown of the body being transported in a motorcade along the freeway, which was closed down specifically for the funeral. It’s an impressive motorcade said to be made up of 15 Land Rovers lent by the Land Rover Encino and multiple other black cars and Rolls Royces.

At least 50 theaters around the country are simulcasting the memorial tribute live. You can watch live online through the video above or on CNN.com.

The City of Los Angeles is currently having a very long and technical press conference regarding Michael Jackson’s Tuesday memorial service. The theme of which is “Stay home, stay home, stay home!” I’m not being a smartass, they really did say that in a variety of ways at least a dozen times.

Here’s the nitty gritty of what’s being planned in terms of ticket availability and general viewership.

• There will not be a funeral procession

• 17,500 total tickets available for fans

• 11,000 of those tickets are for a seat at the actual memorial service at the Staples Center

• An additional 6,500 tickets are for a seat at a simulcast at the Nokia Theater across the street from the Staples Center

• No tickets are being sold for the memorial service – people can register their names for a ticket raffle on the Staples Center’s website by 6:00 p.m. Saturday night. Randomly drawn names will get 2 tickets each

• Media may or may not be allowed inside for the memorial – they’re “still working on it.”

Several officials noted over and over again that the best way to honor and remember Michael is by staying home and watching the memorial there and “not coming to this venue if you do not have a ticket.”

One journalist asked how the city was paying for Jackson’s memorial, given the state of the budget and the economy. An official replied that “the city would deeply appreciate help to offset what are the incremental costs, the non-police costs” including the staging, etc. She said they’d built in some of the costs into the budget for unexpected events, which include four extraordinary events budgeted each year, but that they could definitely use some help and to please email if you’d like to pony up.

Another journalist asked if they were concerned about people trying to scalp tickets. An official responded, “folks I want to remind everybody this is a memorial service. I hope that people have dignity; we’re hoping that no one takes advantage of this particular process… For those that would try to take advantage of this – shame on them.”

At one point several journalists yelled (in the most panicked tone) “The website is down” meaning the Staples Center’s website had gone down, but it appears to be up and working now.

They literally got down to the details of the bleachers at one point, and it sounds like the city has everything under control, but they’re desperate to maintain the crowds and are begging people to please not show up. You won’t get in, you will get turned away… I’m guessing it’s going to be hot out… just don’t do it. I’m sure it’ll be quite the affair, and it’ll likely be broadcast on all the major television stations and websites.

It’s been confirmed that Michael Jackson’s public memorial will take place this Tuesday, July 7, at the Staples Center in LA. 11,000 tickets are available, and will be offered to the public free of charge. This news comes after it was reported that tickets would cost $25 each to help cover the massive costs of providing security and hosting such a large event, which could run upwards of $2 million. Jackson’s parents declared bankruptcy ten years ago and he was 1/2 a billion in debt when he passed. His estate is estimated to be worth $200 million or more, but all that money is tied up in assets and it is likely to be years, perhaps a decade, before his family sees a dime. Given all his creditors and family members, the court battles over his estate are sure to be epic.

Someone seems to have agreed to foot the bill for his funeral costs, though, and the public will not be charged to attend. Radar Online reports that their initial story that tickets would cost $25 was accurate, and that the Jackson family planned to spring the news right before the funeral to avoid a backlash. The story was leaked, though, and they decided to make tickets free due to all the negative publicity over it:

After nearly a day of family members arguing, the Jackson family has dropped their plan to charge the public $25 to attend a memorial service for Michael Jackson at Staples Center.

RadarOnline.com broke the news of the family’s plan to charge the public and many fans were outraged. The family was not going to announce they were charging for several more days. Backed into a corner by the bad publicity, family members had heated closed door discussions and many arguments on Thursay. They blamed a close family associate for leaking the news and decided the only way they could save face with fans was to drop the plan to charge.

The family is in turmoil not over the memorial but also the will and how it will be administered by the executor, attorney John Branca. Randy, LaToya, Jermaine and Janet are pushing their mother Katherine to fight certain aspects of the will involving how the money will be distributed. Other family members want them to leave Katherine alone because they believe she is too fragile for a battle. A family meeting is planned for Friday.

[From Radar Online]

Many of you called it “tacky” when JayBird reported yesterday that tickets would cost $25 and that t-shirts made for his upcoming tour would be sold, although reader Lem said that “Micheal would [have] love[d] it,” which does seem true. In Touch reports this week that he once spent $6 million in a single shopping spree in Vegas in 2003, dropping all that cash on “marble chess sets and other gaudy art pieces.” He lived on a Peter Pan-themed estate with an exotic animal zoo, amusement park, fountains and statues.

The Barnum and Bailey circus was scheduled to run at the Staples Center on Tuesday, and as JayBird mentioned the “parade of elephants” was to take place through LA, but they’re delaying opening the circus in order to allow for Michael’s memorial. You wonder if they’ll incorporate the circus into his memorial. Even without the performing animals, the t-shirts, or paid tickets it will indeed be tacky. TMZ reports that a custom-made $25,000 bronze gold-plated casket with a blue velvet interior has been ordered for the body. He’ll be transported in a glass horse-drawn hearse, and I would bet that it’s an open casket as was done with James Brown’s public memorial at the Apollo. An over-the-top ceremony seems fitting for such a tragic superstar who wasted his fortune on chintzy things.

Pictures are of the memorial to Jackson at London’s o2 Arena, and of his abandoned ranch in late 2007. Credit: Fame Pictures

Michael Jackson’s memorial will cost $25 for the average person to attend. I’ll be free for Jackson family, friends, and VIPs. From Celebitchy’s earlier article it doesn’t sound like the family is charging money to profit off the memorial, but simply to defray the enormous costs associated with it.

Fans who wish to attend Michael Jackson’s star-studded memorial service at Staples Center will have to shell out $25 to sit in the stands, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively.

Family, friends and VIPS will have seats on the main floor for The Tuesday, July 7th Staples service, first reported by RadarOnline.com, while the general public will be plucking down $25 to sit in the stands.

The memorial service will feel like a concert production featuring guest speakers, a lot of music and video screens inside and outside of Staples, a source close to the planning tells RadarOnline.com.

Michael Jackson’s close friend Elizabeth Taylor is expected to attend, along with Diana Ross.

T-shirts that were going to be sold on Michael’s upcoming “This Is It” tour will not go to waste… They will be sold outside Staples to people entering the service.

The service will be held between 10am PST and Noon PST… with the scheduled Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus on standby, literally.

The parade of elephants, held as circus performers arrive in town is scheduled to take place immediately following the service.

[From Radar]

The thing with the Ringling Brothers’ elephants might sound random and strange, but they were scheduled to begin their traditional “parade of the elephants” through downtown L.A., where the elephants walk tail to trunk to the circus venue – in this case, the Staples Center. That’s still happening, but the timing will be tight, and it sounds like it’s quite likely this will literally turn into a circus.

It sounds like Jackson’s memorial will be a very fitting one in keeping with the lifestyle he lived. I’m sure there will be a lot of pomp and whatnot – Radar also has photos of his funeral carriage – and it’s literally a carriage – the kind with horses. No word yet on whether Jackson’s children will be in attendance. It seems like they might be, since he was their father – however he was notoriously protective of their privacy, so it might be more in keeping with his wishes that they only attend the private family memorial.

Mourners outside the home where Jennifer Hudson’s family was murdered. Taken 10/29/08. Credit: WENN

The memorial for Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew was held Monday afternoon at a church in Chicago. The memorial was attended by over 450 people paying their respects and supporting Jennifer Hudson and her family, some of whom were a little more well-known than her neighborhood friends and family.

On Monday afternoon on Chicago’s South Side, Beyoncé, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Fantasia, Missy Elliot, Patti LaBelle and Queen Latifah were among the 450 mourners packing the pews of the Apostolic Church of God for the memorial ceremony to celebrate the life — and mourn the loss of — Jennifer’s mother Darnell Donerson, her brother Jason, and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King…

[From OK! Magazine]

Another famous attendee, Oprah Winfrey, has been a great support and shoulder for Jennifer Husdon through her grief. Oprah, who lives and films her show in Chicago, has opened one of her homes to Hudson. Jennifer has been staying in one of Oprah’s condos in the windy city, where there is said to be plenty of privacy and security.

450 people paying respects to these three people is a touching show of love and support. In everything I’ve read about Jennifer’s mother, she was loved in her Chicago neighborhood. Even though Jennifer had asked her mother to leave the violent area, Darnell Donerson refused to leave her friends and her church. Obviously she was not forgotten when it came time to say goodbye to her, her son and her grandson.

Jennifer attended the memorial with her fiance, David Otunga. Fantasia sang at the services.

I wish the press would stop encouraging that slimebag Michael Lohan into thinking people actually give a crap about what is going on in his stupid life. As usual, Lohan felt the need to call the media and give them the up-to-the-minute scoop on his latest drama with his kids and ex-wife. As you recall, Michael couldn’t wait to call OK! Magazine while his father’s corpse was still warm and whine to them about how Lindsay, Ali and his other kids probably wouldn’t attend the funeral thanks to his ex-wife Dina. Now, Michael is singing Dina’s praises and says that his kids will be attending the funeral after all. In case anyone cares.

Despite a brief, and quite public, war of words, it seems that all is once again well in the Lohan household. Or at least on its way to being so.
Lindsay Lohan’s father, Michael, told E! News he is set to call truce and reunite with his famous daughter and the rest of his offspring at a burial for his father, Richard, who passed away in New York last Thursday after a battle with cancer.
While devastating, the elder Lohan said the passing of his 73-year-old father has brought his family closer together, and while Lindsay was not present for her grandpa’s funeral, she will be present for the final service.
“She is going to be at the burial,” Lohan told E! News. “All my kids will be there.”
And it’s not just with his daughter that Lohan has laid down his verbal swords.
“And I can’t believe how great Dina has been,” he said of his ex-wife. “She has been wonderful. She has been the woman I married. She has been great.”
Lohan said the outpouring of support from his immediate family during this difficult time has been particularly touching.
“You will not believe it. I give a lot a credit to my son Michael. He has been the glue. He is growing up to be an amazing young man.”
Lohan said he also has a somewhat unorthodox funeral planned for his father, which will be held the last weekend of September in New York.
“My father always wanted to be cremated,” he said. “He wanted to have his ashes sprinkled in our county in Cold Spring Harbor, in the harbor. That was his favorite spot. So that is what we are going to do. We are going to get on our boat with probably like 50 or 60 people and go out. We are just going to sprinkle them together as a family.”

[From E! Online]

It really is hard to determine who is the biggest attention whore among the Lohans. As obnoxious as Lindsay and Ali are, the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree here. As much as I hate Dina Lohan, she hasn’t exploited the death of a family member for attention- at least so far. So I guess that makes Michael the winner.

Michael Lohan is shown talking to Kim Kardashian at a Hamptons club on 5/25/08. Look at how he’s pinching her cheek. Credit: ROC/ Fame Pictures

Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes and Samuel L Jackson in a still from Soul Men, which is due out next year
Co-stars Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, who passed away the same weekend, were both honored in separate memorial services this weekend attended by family, friends, and a multitude of celebrities. Singer Isaac Hayes was remembered in a public service in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, where a wide array of celebs were in attendance, from Jesse Jackson, who knew Hayes through his civil rights activism, to fellow Scientologist Kelly Preston. There was also a private service on Sunday, which was attended by Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise.

The weight of soul singer Isaac Hayes’ legacy in Memphis could be measured in a single remark at his memorial service Monday.

“What would you say if you were flying into Memphis and they said you are about to land at Isaac Hayes International Airport,” U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen asked, drawing a huge burst of applause during a four-hour service of music, speakers and video clips.

Cohen, who represented Hayes’ area of Memphis, said the city should celebrate Hayes, an architect of the Memphis sound, as it celebrates Elvis Presley.

“He is a world person who the world will miss,” Cohen said.

The deep-voiced soul singer died Aug. 10 after he was found unconscious at his Memphis residence. No autopsy was performed, but paperwork filed by Hayes’ family doctor, David Kraus, lists the cause of death as a stroke.

About 3,000 fans and friends attended the service. They remembered Hayes for his music and his movies and for his humanitarian work that included building a school in Ghana.

“He was a lovely man, always involved with causes,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson said before the service. “Literacy, civil rights. He was always there, and that’s why we’re all here for him.”

Jackson was among the speakers that included Al Sharpton and actresses and fellow scientologists Anne Archer and Kelly Preston.

From the Huffington Post

Meanwhile, movie and TV actor/stand-up comedian Bernie Mac’s memorial service in Chicago brought thousands of fans, friends and co-stars as well. Jesse Jackson must be racking up the frequent flyer miles, because he attended this service, too. Other mourners included Chris Rock and Cedric the Entertainer, who was reportedly inconsolable at the loss of his Kings of Comedy comrade.

Thousands of mourners came out for a Chicago memorial service honoring Bernie Mac Saturday.

Some fans slept outside overnight in hopes of securing a seat inside the House of Hope church on the city’s South Side, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Chris Rock, Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer and Rev. Jesse Jackson attended the emotional service, in which photos from the comedian’s career were shown on projectors and the White Sox organization presented Mac’s widow Rhonda with a No. 1 jersey bearing his name, the paper reports.

Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and Andy Garcia also sent condolences.

During the service, Mayor Richard Daley remembered Mac as someone with “a heart and passion.” Daley, who met with Mac a few weeks ago, added: “He knew the street, he knew the people, and that’s why he was a king of comedy. He wanted to do something personally to get children away from the life of violence. . . . He never lost his soul in Chicago.”

[From People]

Best wishes go out to both men and their surviving families. They will certainly be missed.

Heath Ledger’s funeral will be held today. His family has flown into New York from Australia for the private service. They’ve made no plans for a public memorial, so unless someone else plans one, it appears that Heath’s fans will make do with the mountains of flowers, letters, and candles that they’ve left outside his Soho apartment.

Services for Heath Ledger will remain private, a rep for the late actor said in a statement Friday. Various reports have said Ledger would be buried in his hometown of Perth, Australia, but no official plans have been announced.

“At this time, we will not be releasing any information,” the rep says. “There are no plans for a public service.”

Ledger, 28, was found dead in his SoHo apartment Tuesday and his family is set to arrive in Manhattan Friday for his funeral.

[From People]

Some of Heath’s fans have expressed some annoyance that there won’t be a public memorial. I think it’s important to remember that as sad as it is for the public, there’s really no way it compares to the sadness his family feels. They loved him as a son, brother, and father, not as an actor, and they deserve to deal with this privately. It seems like sometimes we think that because someone is a public figure, we “own” them or “have a right to them,” which really isn’t the case.

Heath’s family wrote a little in the death notices section of the “West Australian” today.

How do we describe our sudden and tragic loss? … You were the most amazing individual “old soul” in a young man’s body.

You so loved us, as we dearly loved you. As a close knit and very private family unit we have observed you so determined yet quietly travelling in your self-styled path in life, nothing would get in your way … no mountain too tall, no river too wide.

You dreamed your dreams and lived them with passion and intelligent commitment. We have been privileged to accompany you on a ride through life that has simply been amazing and through it all, we have loved each other beyond imagination.

Your true legacy lives on in beautiful little Matilda, who will always remain in the greatest of care. Our hearts are broken.

[From People]

In the media, once the funeral is held the attention dies down and the story tends to wrap up. There will be a little more attention once the autopsy results come back, and some notes here and there, but for the most part everyone moves on. For Heath’s family, this is just starting. We keep them in our thoughts.

Picture note by Celebitchy: photos of the memorial outside Heath Ledger’s apartment thanks to PRPhotos.