Strip away all of the controversy over his life, all of the overblown language and controversy raging about whether he was or wasn’t the “greatest entertainer in all of history,” or bigger and better than Elvis Presley, and there is one fact about Michael Jackson’s death: He’s leaving his children behind — and like most young kids who lose a parent, they are in a world of hurt. And it was perhaps symbolic, and an important reminder, when his tear-stricken 11-year-old Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson stepped out of the Jackson-imposed privacy to deliver this heartfelt message:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvb4jpzaSkM
Reuters also notes that it was a special — and unexpected — moment:
In a memorial to Michael Jackson on Tuesday that featured superstars Mariah Carey and Stevie Wonder, the moment that may be best remembered came when his 11-year-old daughter Paris spoke a few heart-wrenching words.
Paris was quietly ushered onstage with her brothers as the nearly two-hour event wound down to the strains of Jackson’s charity single “We Are the World,” then appeared to catch even members of her family off guard by addressing the hushed crowd at Staples Center.
Embraced by her aunt, Janet Jackson, who held back her long brown hair and urged her to “speak up,” Paris stepped to the microphone, tears streaming down her face, as some in the audience were already filtering out of the sports arena.
“I just want to say, ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine, and I just wanted to say I love him so much,” Paris said, sobbing as she stood near his gold coffin.
To gasps from the throng of about 18,000 people, she then turned and buried her face in Janet Jackson’s arms and was hugged by other family members.
Coming at the end of a largely scripted tribute to Jackson that included such fiery orators as civil rights activist Al Sharpton, observers quickly predicted that Paris’ simple, impromptu eulogy to her father would be long remembered.
“Nobody was prepared for that. That will be one of the iconic moments from today’s service,” said media historian Ron Simon, who compared it to the salute to slain President John F. Kennedy by his son John during his 1963 funeral.
Put aside the controversies, the legal stories, Jackson’s wives, how his children were conceived, his plastic surgery, and what is emerging as drug use as the probable cause of death. And also put aside what most assuredly is about to come: the inevitable newspaper, magazine and book-deal accounts that will shed light on the up-until-now hidden and less flattering aspects of Jackson’s life (it happens with all celebrities and major politicians) and further shape his image for posterity and what did you have?
A child’s heartfelt expression of love and grief for her recently deceased father.
Her heart hurt and so did the hearts of many who watched how her heart hurt. Many Americans have already been there, will be there, or don’t want their kids to be there.
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Memorial not fit for a King of Pop: Michael Jackson’s sendoff a little low on high notes
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Service depicts Jackson the victim
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Michael Jackson’s Death Certificate (under cause of death it says “deferred.)
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.