Jackson Funeral Service at Staples Center

Site of the Michael Jackson funeral service



You have to hand it to Michael Jackson. In the wake of his death, he has left nothing but a mass of confusion. How he died, who the actual biological parents of the kids are, who will get custody of those kids, who will get the money, where he will be buried. What a mess-quite emblematic of his life.

One thing has been announced today. The funeral service will be held Tuesday at the Staples Center (home of the Lakers). There will be 11,000 free tickets handed out with overflow seating at the nearby Nokia Center. Where Jackson will actually be buried is still not known. Apparently, local authorities are not willing to authorize a burial at the Neverland Ranch, and we still don't know if the "King of Pop" will be encased in a glass-topped casket a'la Lenin.

What also remains to be seen is what kind of spectacle we will witness at the Staples Center Tuesday. It should be fascinating. Will Kobe and the Lakers be there? Will the Lakers' cheerleaders be there? Will the Lakers' rioters be there? Of course, we know Jesse Jackson will be there. Al Sharpton will be there. Both will undoubtedly be shoving each other to get before the cameras, vying with another camera hog, LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Which one will get the most pictures hugging Jackson's cold, gold-digging father Joe? How appropriate that Jackson's death and funeral will all take place in Los Angeles.

Undoubtedly, there will be many real tears shed for Michael-from his fans to members of his family. Perhaps, however, it would have been better to lay him to rest in Gary, Indiana, his birthplace, in a more sober environment. Then again, perhaps Gary, will all its problems, would prefer to simply be remembered as Michael Jackson's birthplace-and let it go at that. Let Los Angeles engage in all the tackiness.