Jackson Memorial Guests Named; L.A. Braces

Kobe Bryant, Mariah Carey, Steve Wonder among Participants in What Could be Biggest Celebrity Send-off Ever

(CBS/AP)  The stage was set Monday for Michael Jackson's final act as the world capital of make-believe braced for what could be the biggest, gaudiest celebrity send-off of all time.

Ecstatic fans who won the lottery for seats at Tuesday's all-star memorial received the tickets and spangly wristbands that will get them into the 20,000-seat Staples Center downtown. The family announced the participants will include Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III.

The legal maneuvering that marked Jackson's extraordinary and troubled life also continued on Monday, with his mother losing a bid to control his enormous but tangled estate. And in one of the few sour notes sounded, a New York congressman branded Jackson a "pervert" undeserving of so much attention.

More than 1.6 million people registered for free tickets to the 10 a.m. memorial, which will be broadcast live worldwide. A total of 8,750 people were chosen to receive two tickets each. The lucky ones picked up their passes Monday at Dodger Stadium amid heavy police presence.

CBS News will provide live coverage of the memorial service starting Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. ET. CBS News will also simulcast on radio and television a special edition of 48 Hours' "Michael Jackson: The Last Dance" starting at 10:00 p.m. ET.

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Did you get a ticket to Michael Jackson's memorial? CBS wants to talk to you! Just send us an e-mail with your name, phone number, location and any additional contact information.

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"I got the golden ticket!" one fan screamed out of his car window in a Willy Wonka moment as he drove out of the parking lot.

"My mother loves Elvis. This is my Elvis," said Mynor Garcia, 29, who picked up his tickets.

Downtown hotels were quickly filling. Police, trying to avoid a mob scene downtown, warned those without tickets to stay away because they would not be able to get close to the Staples Center.

Though only a small number of fans will be able to attend Jackson's memorial service, others may be able to watch it in movie theaters all over the United States. Cinedigm Digital Cinema Network says it is carrying the Los Angeles memorial service on its live digital network to theaters across the U.S.

British Airways reported a surge of bookings as soon as the memorial arrangements were announced. Virgin's trans-Atlantic flights to San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles were all packed with fans and VIPs, said spokesman Paul Charles.

"I think this is America's version of Princess Diana. People want to be in the vicinity. People from the UK and elsewhere want to share their emotions together," Charles said.

The family is also expected to hold a private funeral Tuesday morning at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles. No public funeral procession through city streets is scheduled. Some family members have expressed a desire to bury Jackson someday at Neverland, his storybook estate in Southern California. That would require legal permission.

Click here for complete coverage of Jackson's death

In Los Angeles Superior Court, meanwhile, a judge appointed Jackson's longtime attorney and a family friend as administrators of his estate over the objections of his mother, Katherine. Attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain had been designated in Jackson's 2002 will as the people he wanted to oversee his empire.

Mrs. Jackson's attorneys expressed concerns about McClain and Branca's financial leadership.

"Frankly, Mrs. Jackson has concerns about handing over the keys to the kingdom," said one of her attorneys, John E. Schreiber.

Another one of her attorneys, Burt Levitch, told Judge Mitchell Beckloff that Branca had previously been removed from financial positions of authority by Jackson. Branca's attorney said he was rehired by Jackson on June 17, days before Jackson's death.

Branca and McClain will have to post a $1 million bond on the estate, and their authority will expire Aug. 3, when another hearing will be held.

"Mr. Branca and Mr. McClain for the next month are at the helm of the ship," the judge said.

Jackson died at age 50 with hundreds of millions in debts. But a court filing estimates his estate is worth more than $500 million. His assets are destined for a trust, with his three children, his mother and charities as beneficiaries.

On eBay, bids for the memorial tickets were reaching as high as $3,000, though it was impossible to establish how serious those offers were. On Craigslist, asking prices also were in the thousands.

Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, had planned to attend the memorial but backed out Monday.

"The onslaught of media attention has made it clear her attendance would be an unnecessary distraction to an event that should focus exclusively on Michael's legacy," her attorney Marta Almli said in a statement. "Debbie will continue to celebrate Michael's memory privately."

In New York, Republican Rep. Peter King released a YouTube video calling Jackson, who was acquitted of child molestation charges, a "pervert" and a "low-life."

But the memories of Jackson's problems were far from the minds of fans preparing to say goodbye.

"It's the passing of a great soul," said Matt Tyson, 31, of Ojai, Calif. "He brought people together, helped express something that's in us all."

In a convergence of events that many people found delightfully symbolic, the circus is also coming to town. Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey starts a run at Staples Center on Wednesday. In the predawn hours before Jackson's memorial, the elephants will walk from the train station into the arena.

[zonkzilla]

Jackson's memorial - Just a bunch of attention loving fools and clowns gathering to worship one of their own. A parade of pathetic people who are seeking fame or publicity.
As you can see the person who posted on this board that we are all ordered by them to only post praise for Jackson means absolutely nothing to the rest of us.

[ivehadit9]

by thusspokezara July 6, 2009 5:46 PM PDT
The same narrow minded people who are claiming that Michael Jackson is a pedophile are the same people who claimed that O.J. Simpson was guilty. We all now that O.J. was innocent. Like that great spokesman for the black community Rodney King said: "Why can't we get along?"

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If OJ didn't do it, then who did it????

[ivehadit9]

by dubs38 July 6, 2009 4:29 PM PDT
To everyone who posted negative comments about Michael Jackson, I have a few questions for you. Did you vote for anyone but a democratic in the last election? Do you love to listen to the radio talk-show host who should be in jail for forgery? Is you TV tuned to the network of crooks (FOX) 24/7? (Karl Rove, Ollie North, Dick Cheney). Are you wearing suspenders or a dress from the thrift store right now? Do you have an old truck to go into town to get some fixins for supper? If you answer YEEEHAAA to any of these questions than your a redneck? Go back to the 1930's where you belong!

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Actually, I'm Independent. I neither voted for McCain nor Obama. But what does all of this Karl Rove, Ollie North mumbo-jumbo have to do with the memorial, genius????

Let me ask you this: do you approve of MJ sticking his tongue out to be sucked into a 13-year old boy's mouth????

[crystalclear77]

All you people with negative comments, instead of being ******** and prooving you have no lives, If you hate him so much, go do something constructive In your life rather than keep watching and commenting and wasting your time on things you believe are stupid!! that onky shows you are worthless to be doing something that makes you angry. Go get laid, find a hobby or better yet get a life. You make not like MJ but sorry to say you and your kid and your kids kids will know about him more than they knw about ur sorry *****. When you point afinger at some1 you always have 3 pointing right back at ya! So as i was saying you may not like him but sorry to say YOU WILL BE FORCED TO LISTEN TO HIS UNDENIABLE MUSIC AND HIS UNDENIABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD. Only ppl with those negative attitues will be rotting in hell, MJ is chillin and couldnt give a rats ass bout ya'll haters and even if he did, the love he gets world wide voids the idiots that have nothing better to do like you! pls find a hobby!!! Peace!

[crystalclear77]

All you people with negative comments, instead of being ******** and prooving you have no lives, If you hate him so much, go do something constructive In your life rather than keep watching and commenting and wasting your time on things you believe are stupid!! that onky shows you are worthless to be doing something that makes you angry. Go get laid, find a hobby or better yet get a life. You make not like MJ but sorry to say you and your kid and your kids kids will know about him more than they knw about ur sorry *****. When you point afinger at some1 you always have 3 pointing right back at ya! So as i was saying you may not like him but sorry to say YOU WILL BE FORCED TO LISTEN TO HIS UNDENIABLE MUSIC AND HIS UNDENIABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD. Only ppl with those negative attitues will be rotting in hell, MJ is chillin and couldnt give a rats ass bout ya'll haters and even if he did, the love he gets world wide voids the idiots that have nothing better to do like you! pls find a hobby!!! Peace!

[tautomer]

LA is Liberal Heaven. Of course they're sending a pederast off in style. Rock Hudson and Rudy Galindo will be waiting on the otherside. Michael's "going home".

[TyroneHoglegg]

Michael Jackson...tha American Ghandi....US IQ points dip another 20 points....LOL....

Why did MJ run to KMart?
He heard all boys pants were 1/2 off....

Now go back to your crying you bunch of freaks....

[credibility2]

Hey Sharpton, Oprah got her start thanks to her white friend and date (Roger Ebert). Tiger Woods got where he's at not because of any special quotas or his being bi-racial, but because he deserved his place among the best in golf due to his hard work, effort and talents. And there were many many other black celebrities and talent long before the likes of Michael Jackson. I love how Sharpton and others want to revise history to conform to his pathetic view and an attempt to inform the young and uninformed about anything historical. It's also easier to spoon feed these types rather than expect them to say, read a book or do some research on historical topics, relevant or otherwise (like celebrity-dom).

[thusspokezara]

The same narrow minded people who are claiming that Michael Jackson is a pedophile are the same people who claimed that O.J. Simpson was guilty. We all now that O.J. was innocent. Like that great spokesman for the black community Rodney King said: "Why can't we get along?"

[Resin-Smoker]

So how many innocent people do you know are caught fleeing to the Mexican border, or searching for their wifes killer on a golf coarse?

As for "Why can't we get along?" , it's obvious... people naturally group together based upon "like" interests, beliefs as well as physical appearace. This is a survival trait at it's most base, that has served us well for thousands of years. Bear in mind that civilization as we know of it, is only a few hundred years old and we have yet to mature to the point to which these base insticts no longer rule us.

[erasmus111]

by Resin-Smoker July 6, 2009 5:00 PM PDT
Look at all the famous people (twits) scrambling to further their entertainment careers off the back of a deceased, twice-accused child molester. Now, as I recall, before his death most (by and large) of the U.S. public understood / believed Mr. Jackson to be an eccentric pedophile and generally despised him because of it.


Yes, all the celebs would have been climbing all over each other to get in on this thing.

You can not say that MOST of the U.S. believed that Michael Jackson was a pedophile. You have no way of knowing that.

[Resin-Smoker]

Ok.... Most, not including you.

Why do you think i used the word MOST and not all?

[credibility2]

dubs38 - you and your ilk are the reason why this nation is going down the tubes. Your life should be led by pragmatism and intelligence and not by being a lemming sucking up media hype. And, Michael Jackson although a celebrity, was a pedophile. He was also a drug addict and no, he isn't excused from this because he never once sought treatment for his addiction or his criminal abnormality. So stop trying to defend his sick and twisted actions. Oh, I forgot. The young and mindless don't care about the immorality or criminality of any of your idols so long as you get a thrill from them performing. And news flash, I don't listen to Limbaugh, or watch Fox, amd I'm not from the thirties, and I'm not a Republican, and I'm most definitely not a redneck.

[brianbwb-2009]

He isn't excused? As if you are anyone whose excuse should be sought. Do you have some sort of letter, or other communication from Mr. Jackson asking you to excuse him? I am sure he cared as much for your excuse as the rest of the planet does, and that is not at all. If you have proof that he was a pedophile, then why have you not gone to the relevant authorities? I am sure your information would be of great help to the victims. Oh, you say you don't actually have any?

Typical.

Addicted to drugs? that is a funny one, there is no human alive not addicted to something or other, yet you set yourself as the grand poobah arbiter of what addictions are acceptable or not.

For someone who claims not to be a "redneck", you share enough of their attitudes, and their proclivity to posit your unproven opinion as fact, that there is very little difference, if at all, between you and a "redneck".

[Resin-Smoker]

Look at all the famous people (twits) scrambling to further their entertainment careers off the back of a deceased, twice-accused child molester. Now, as I recall, before his death most (by and large) of the U.S. public understood / believed Mr. Jackson to be an eccentric pedophile and generally despised him because of it. Now like lemmings (or to what the media would have you believe) the public now claims such grand affection and following previously unknown to our former leper in his whole life as an artist.

If only it were not so sickening to see this media self created drama, it would be very amusing thing indeed.

[brianbwb-2009]

Go back to your resin, twice-accused does not equal once convicted. Your recollection is faulty, only those inclined, for the usual reasons, to dislike Mr. Jackson clung to unproven allegations as fact.

As far as what the media would have you believe, there are world-wide memorials for Mr. Jackson, the news of his passing is the most important story in the worldwide press, try googling other countries' news, and see for yourself.

Only a kkk/aryan nations trained neo would find someone's death amusing, the rest of us are amused at you and the few remaining neocon-derthals of your tribe posting irrelevant spew as if you matter anymore.

[FrankDenise]

Im sure Sharpton and Jesse Jackson will be front row with the rest of the monkeys...Where do these animals come from????Like the rest of this sick society we live in...Self righteous, greedy people that probably had a hand in killing this poor guy..They gave him drugs and passified Michael Jackson until he overdosed...Just like with Tyson they all hung around the circus to mooch off him until he was broke....Now everyone claims to love Michael Jackson...There throwing him a party to celebrate his life..Wait until the drug tests come back and it is determined he died of drugs....I just turn off the TV ...Dont wanna see or hear about it no more....

[brianbwb-2009]

So you say that Sharpton and Rev. Jackson killed Michael, or "...probably had a hand in killing this poor guy..."?

You are one of the sickest parts of the "sick society" you complain about.

The drug tests will likely confirm what everyone already knows, but don't care about, only someone of your ilk , and you are of a species of human about to become extinct, the last of the neanderthals.

[HGOODGUY]

LET THE CIRCUS BEGIN!!!!!

[ROBACA]

People should put aside their prejudices and fault finding in Michael Jackson. He was a human being who was thrust into show business at age 5 by his father who capitalized on his children for his own gain. He did not have a normal childhood at all. We do not know all the things that ultimately shaped his life for the worse. He apparently hated his appearance and tried hard to erase the person he once was. He was a person crying out for help and no one gave it to him because he had so much fame and fortune. The vultures flocked to him and kept help at bay. Maybe what he was accused of is true but then again maybe not. We are not his judge and jury; only God can be that. I remember the little boy with the tremendous talent of 40 years ago. Times were different then but white families such as my own loved the Jacksons and their music. Michael was a great humanatarian as well. Bottom line...if you do not have anything good to say, then please say NOTHING at all.

[dubs38]

To everyone who posted negative comments about Michael Jackson, I have a few questions for you. Did you vote for anyone but a democratic in the last election? Do you love to listen to the radio talk-show host who should be in jail for forgery? Is you TV tuned to the network of crooks (FOX) 24/7? (Karl Rove, Ollie North, Dick Cheney). Are you wearing suspenders or a dress from the thrift store right now? Do you have an old truck to go into town to get some fixins for supper? If you answer YEEEHAAA to any of these questions than your a redneck? Go back to the 1930's where you belong!

[credibility2]

This pop culture bottom-feeding frenzy is laughable. No wonder why this nation especially is intellectually diminished. Jackson was a celebrity, big deal. Hey Sharpton, you're a flap-jaw fool to think that Jackson set the inroads for others of color. It's tragic that so many, especially the young, have nothing to cling to except something like this. A celeb who was also a pedophile. Go figure, the fans don't care what type of twisted and demented proclivities this abjectly tragic piece of humanity was predisposed to; they have nothing of substance in their puny pathetic lives, so they hyperventilate over something that really had very little to do with enlightening the human spirit. If you want hero worship for those of color, consider the brave heroics of the Tuskegee Airmen. Now that's a group that should be idolized and revered; not something like Michael Jackson.

[brianbwb-2009]

A celeb who was never proven in a court to be what you call him, and therefore show you to be the real pervert.

Great music always enlightens the human spirit, and you should listen to some, as you are obviously sorely in need of enlightenment.

Jackson did indeed make inroads for "Black" people, he was one of the first artists whose product received as much (and more) airplay on radio and TV than much less talented "Whites".

Since you cannot perceive what that means for the "Black" artists who came afterward, it is only expected that you cannot understand the inroads, as you never had to go down them.

I don't read you referring to Jerry Lee Lewis as a pedophile, and his deeds are proven. I don't read your notice that Elvis was addicted to drugs, and most probably died in the same way Jackson did.

Tuskeegee Airmen?

Their accomplishments were indeed special, but it does not escape notice that they were in the field of finally being allowed to serve the racist "White" military agenda. They succeeded in being allowed to fly in a racist US military, but what was that military doing? Meddling in other countries' affairs.

What did your parents, and probably yourself call the Tuskeegee airmen after their service? The N-word", and you have the nerve to call someone else "twisted", because you have your opinions confused with the public record?

Riiight. You are the one who is "abjectly tragic", but I hesitate to refer to your ilk as humanity, you have not yet sufficiently evolved to rate inclusion in the group of modern humanity.

[u-r-right]

The Racist Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III have to be there to put the "black" in it. This has got to be Joe's influence because Michael would not have hung out with those two. Michael bleached himself and was associated with nothing but white women. He wanted to be a white Peter Pan. His closest friends and associates were mostly non-blacks.

So many times Sharpton has stuck his nose into something that turned out to be false and yet he wasn't man enough to admit he was wrong and apologize. Look at "The Man in the Mirror" AL!

[brianbwb-2009]

The fact that your point is totally irrelevant, but that you choose to consider polluting the bandwidth with your views on the illusion called "race" anyway, shows only that you are a kkk/aryan nations trained sucker, who takes the opportunity to inject your ignorant views regarding the illusion, into a memorial service for a man who has done more for the planet than the past, or next ten generations of your line can even conceive.

You cannot stand a person to whom, no matter what his skin color was, you probably still refer to using the "n-word", receiving a world-wide memorial celebration of his contributions to the world's cultural content.

This is purely your own problem, and as evidenced by the half billion people who tried to get tickets, and the outpouring of condolences from most of the rest of the planet, you are the one among a handful of almost extinct regressives who have not yet evolved to the current century.

[minhuntersville]

What's wrong with this list (in original order) of CBS News' top news stories:

Jackson Memorial Guest Lineup Unveiled
Obama, Medvedev Agree To Cut Nuclear Arms
Jackson's Mom Loses Bid to Control Estate
Ex-Wife Won't Be at Jackson Memorial
Robert McNamara, Ex-Pentagon Chief, Dies
Afghan Roadside Bombs Kill 6 U.S. Soldiers
Washington Unplugged, What Was Palin Thinking?
Gunmen Open Fire at Miami Party, 12 Hurt

If you can't figure it out, you're hopeless ...

[abcdgoldfish-2009]

If YOU can't figure it out, YOU'RE hopeless.....
This goes in chronological order, of all the stories that happened today. These were the top ones of today that were most recent. It is not the most important ones first. Maybe if you paid attention to other days, it would also be in chronological order.

[saturn05]

I admired Michael for his musical and dancing talents and to me he was and is a the major pop icon. I didn't know him personally, so I can't say much there. But I don't like it when they trash him for being a pervert when there was no trial and no verdict. You can assume all you want, but there was not a jury who convicted him of anything. So be mean if you want, but it means nothing. That being said, Sharpton is using his death for personal reasons beyond the grief I think. It is a big deal, but Michael's entertainment vaule does not constitute some of the changes Sharton is pushing. My fear is if he doesn't get what he wants, he will play the race card and cause trouble where no trouble is.

[FrankDenise]

Sharpton is a Racist Pig himself.....I cant wait to they announce his funeral plans one day.....Piece of trash....