[catherine]

Do you think that's real?

[Zoot]

Do you think that's real?

Do you mean do I think the video has been faked? no.
Do you mean do I think that's the ghost of Michael Jackson? no.

[Yudster]

If there is a window with the sun coming in at the far left end of that room it could easily cast that shadow without the person being visible. Its not even slightly strange!

[Johnny 1989]

It's interesting enough and I doubt it's Michale Jackson's ghost, but I do wonder where it's coming from, plus if you look at where the ghostly figure walks, it has a reflection!

[English Bob]

This one is much better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWDsr0Jguic

[MK Chris]

Did anyone else find it in quite bad taste that his daughter was paraded in front of those people to talk? I don't know the circumstances, maybe she asked to do it.. but even so, I don't think I'd want her to. When my granny died I was three and when my grandad remarried, his second wife died when I was five or six. I was kept away from both funerals, for good reason I think.

[Ed Pummelon]

I don't think bad taste is to be entirely unexpected at that particular guy's funeral (or whatever it was supposed to be).

[jocky85]

I thought they said that Janet was going to speak and then his daughter had decided she wanted to say something? Maybe I heard wrong. I was surprised that they were there though

[jocky85]

Apologies can't edit in ramble - on a personal note, I was that age when I lost my mum, I didn't go to the funeral, I didn't want to and my dad didn't really want me there. Not that I didn't get on with her, just didn't want to have to go through with that

[Latina]

I rewatched the clip and from what I can see, Janet was asked to speak, and as they were trying to adjust the mic for her, Paris was asking Jemaine something (whether she could speak, presumably), so they then adjusted the mic for her instead. It looked to me like she wanted to do it. She's eleven, and seemed to be the most mature of the three kids judging by the snippets of them.

I'm not sure it was a great idea (she's just become the most famous 11-year-old overnight and that clip will be player over and over forever) but if she wanted to do it then maybe it helped her.

Did anyone watch the whole thing? Jermaine was incredible when he sang, as were Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder. Mariah's singing was very off. Of course she was upset (I can tell you from experience that it's bloody hard performing with a casket in view) but the others handled it better.

I was also unexpectedly impressed with Shaheen Whatshisname.

Obviously some of it was a bit over the top, but it was a memorial for Michael Jackson for heaven's sake.

[Yudster]

Shaheen Whatsisname is a great singer.

I did find it in bad taste yes, the pieces I have seen made me think that how MJ ended up in that box in the first place is maybe not so surprising. Whether Paris wanted to speak or not, she should never have been paraded in front of the world in those circumstances like that. I hope to god she can't sing, or in a few years time no doubt they'll have to stick her in a box too. Weirdos.

[Ed Pummelon]

I don't think the kids stand a chance. Their father dangled one of them over a fifth floor balcony and made them go around in veils for many of their formative years, whilst sleeping with kids of the same age that his daughter is now. They're now in the care of a family who stuck one of them in front of a mic while the world's media captured the event and will no doubt now replay it ad nauseum. The best we can hope for them is that they are allowed to disappear into relative obscurity and develop into adults in a supporting and balanced environment. And what are the chances of that?

[Yudster]

Apparently it was actually Debbie Rowe who insisted on the veils when they were in public because they had so many kidnapping threats. All in all I thought the anonymity of the kids was a good thing - that was basically the first time I had ever seen any of them. I think it would have been better if they had not gone public at all.

[Johnny 1989]

Regarding the whole tasteless thing, did anyone here Chris say that people were texting in saying he was being a bit tasteless the way he & the rest of them were talking about the event.

I didn't think he was being so, he was just relaying back what he saw, but did anyone on here think it was?

[Fleur]

I don't think the kids stand a chance. Their father dangled one of them over a fifth floor balcony and made them go around in veils for many of their formative years, whilst sleeping with kids of the same age that his daughter is now. They're now in the care of a family who stuck one of them in front of a mic while the world's media captured the event and will no doubt now replay it ad nauseum. The best we can hope for them is that they are allowed to disappear into relative obscurity and develop into adults in a supporting and balanced environment. And what are the chances of that?

I think a lot of people forget the fact that this is a mature (by the looks of it) 12 year old girl, who I have no doubt chose to say something, and was not forced. Maybe if people had said bad things about your father all your life, you'd want to take this one opportunity to tell people how much you valued him, make sure people know he was a good father. And they may have wanted to be their at the memorial. Its too much to assume they were forced. Every family is different when it comes to grieving.

They seemed like well adjusted kids considering the circumstances of their upbringing. And whatever anyone thinks of Michael Jackson, three children have just lost their father, which for any child is a horrible thing to go through.

[Latina]

Regarding the whole tasteless thing, did anyone here Chris say that people were texting in saying he was being a bit tasteless the way he & the rest of them were talking about the event.

I didn't think he was being so, he was just relaying back what he saw, but did anyone on here think it was?

That must have been before my radio came on. What time was it roughly?

[Ed Pummelon]

I don't think the kids stand a chance. Their father dangled one of them over a fifth floor balcony and made them go around in veils for many of their formative years, whilst sleeping with kids of the same age that his daughter is now. They're now in the care of a family who stuck one of them in front of a mic while the world's media captured the event and will no doubt now replay it ad nauseum. The best we can hope for them is that they are allowed to disappear into relative obscurity and develop into adults in a supporting and balanced environment. And what are the chances of that?

I think a lot of people forget the fact that this is a mature (by the looks of it) 12 year old girl, who I have no doubt chose to say something, and was not forced. Maybe if people had said bad things about your father all your life, you'd want to take this one opportunity to tell people how much you valued him, make sure people know he was a good father. And they may have wanted to be their at the memorial. Its too much to assume they were forced. Every family is different when it comes to grieving.

They seemed like well adjusted kids considering the circumstances of their upbringing. And whatever anyone thinks of Michael Jackson, three children have just lost their father, which for any child is a horrible thing to go through.

Whether or not she was forced, and whether or not they are mature or well-adjusted, and whether or not they wanted to be there - all of which is a matter of conjecture - I stand by the point that they have very little chance of having any kind of stable upbringing in the future, any more than they have had until now. And in my view what he did in his and their lifetime does not make him a good father, by any definition. Yes, losing a parent is obviously a terrible thing for any child to go through - but actively or passively allowing one of those children to put themselves in a position where they come under even more media scrutiny right in the middle of this most distressing time of their life, is not going to make that easier for her.

[Yudster]

Maybe she - and her younger brother - did want to be there, but so what? The reality is that a circus like that was an inappropriate place for any child to be taking a prominent part. The reason children have parents is because there are many decisions and choices to be made which require more maturity and understanding than any child can possibly have. Thats the crux of being a parent, your job is to make decisions on behalf of your child, and that includes sometimes saying "no, that's not a good idea". If she did choose to be there, someone should have had the sense to prevent it.

[Boboff]

I don't care about MJ at all.

I don't like his music, he was weird, and the over the top media coverage is farcical.

There I have said it, sorry.

Why come on to a MJ thread then??

Who knows, no one said I was perfect either.

[Zoot]

I don't care about MJ at all.

I don't like his music, he was weird, and the over the top media coverage is farcical.

There I have said it, sorry.

Why come on to a MJ thread then??

Who knows, no one said I was perfect either.

That's a shame, he was quite fond of you Bob.

[Boboff]

Only because my Penis stayed pre-pubescent.

[Latina]

Why come on to a MJ thread then??

Good question. I've read a lot of "I don't care about MJ at all and just wanted to come to this MJ-related thread to tell you that" posts recently.

Don't worry, we've had the funeral/memorial, so it'll all be over for you soon.

[Ed Pummelon]

Why come on to a MJ thread then??

Good question. I've read a lot of "I don't care about MJ at all and just wanted to come to this MJ-related thread to tell you that" posts recently.

I haven't. Apart from boboff today. Where have you seen them?

[Latina]

Why come on to a MJ thread then??

Good question. I've read a lot of "I don't care about MJ at all and just wanted to come to this MJ-related thread to tell you that" posts recently.

I haven't. Apart from boboff today. Where have you seen them?

I'm not talking about this forum, so it doesn't matter.

[Johnny 1989]

Regarding the whole tasteless thing, did anyone here Chris say that people were texting in saying he was being a bit tasteless the way he & the rest of them were talking about the event.

I didn't think he was being so, he was just relaying back what he saw, but did anyone on here think it was?

That must have been before my radio came on. What time was it roughly?

It was during the first half hour @ 6:30am