This post sponsored by Big City Soul R&B Radio DJ Nigel: Voice of R&B

Finally, after more than two months deceased, the King of Pop, Michael Joseph Jackson was interred within a walled crypt at Holly Terrace inside the Great Mausoleum of Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California. Albeit, the funeral service was delayed by almost one-and-a-half hours as those congregated there waited for the Jackson family to arrive in their twenty-six car motorcade.

Digital Cheeseburger ran a live feed on our site from Forest Lawn Cemetery covering the pre-service, as did several other media outlets. However, a stipulation of the pool feed (as these transmissions are called) was it would be shut down the moment the hearse carrying MJ‘s body pulled up beside the pallbearers: Michael’s brothers that comprise the remainder of the former Jackson 5 – Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Marlon Jackson, and Randy Jackson who later replaced Jermaine in the Jackson Five lineup.

The very fact we were given free access to the feed from several ground cameras showing closeups of the celebrities attending what was billed as a “private service,” and a jib camera (used for getting high shots, or shots which need to move a great distance horizontally or vertically) all back-lit perfectly, a production light (a blimp contraption) floated high above the area to soak the grounds and mourners in a beautiful clear luminescence, made it obvious that this access granted to us for public broadcasting was a marketing tool – a trailer of much more of Michael Jackson to come. And, much more money to come swell the Jackson Estate‘s coffers, which have amassed more than $100 million since his death, and expected to top $200 million before this year ends.

Whether the funeral was a production for the upcoming Jackson family reality TV show, or an additional scene to the October-release movie “This Is It,” or some other undisclosed media event, one thing is certain: all those attending the funeral service had to have signed an agreement to be filmed for another party to profit from. It’s hard to imagine so many celebrities agreeing to sign, but without their signatures the cameras would not have rolled as they did last night.

One celebrity noticeably missing from the production that was the funeral of Michael Jackson, was Diana Ross, who we previously posted would be in attendance. She was arguably Michael’s closest friend, although Elizabeth Taylor – who did attend – comes a very close second. Diana was also named in his will to be custodian of his children should his mother, Katherine Jackson, be unable to look after them. Perhaps she refused to partake in this money-making production, just as she and Taylor avoided the hoopla of the Staples Center public memorial hosted by the entertainment promotion company AEG Live. We can only speculate, as no explanation has emerged from the Ross camp.

The Rev. Al Sharpton gave the eulogy. Soul songstress Gladys Knight, who first brought the Jackson 5ive to Tamla Motown founder, Berry Gordy, Jr., gave the performance of a lifetime with her heart-wrenching rendition of “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” Later, inside the vast mausoleum, she filled the room with her soaring vocals on the hymn “Our Father” (The Lord’s Prayer) moving many of the two-hundred mourners to tears. Photos of the night the King of Pop was laid to rest:

Joe and Katherine Jackson	Paris Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson.
From right, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon, Jackie Jackson.	Actress Elizabeth Taylor.
Producers Berry Gordy & Suzanne De Passe.	Music Producer Quincy Jones.
Joe Jackson, right, Paris Jackson arrive.	La Toya Jackson arrives.
Attorney Tom Mezero leaving.	Katherine Jackson & Joe Jackson leave in an RV.
Rolls Royce limousines outside the Jackson home.	The hearse carrying Michael Jackson.
Jackson family motorcade.	Jackson family motorcade.

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