Apparently the schedule your dvr from your computer option doesn't work for jack. Thought I was set when I scheduled it to start recording the service at the cemetery. Turns out it didn't take and I missed all of the arrival and departure. At least I got home from lunch in time to set it manually and still catch the service.
All of the pallbearers (all his brothers) wearing one white sequinned glove was VERY tight. And if you noticed, they combined the standard pallbearer type glove with the sequins to get the best of both worlds. Got me to thinking though...I wonder where Mike even came up with that idea to wear one white glove?
Mariah's version of "I'll Be There" was making me get chills. Maybe its partly from listening to her get choked up as she tries to get thru it. I think what it really is is the fact that they just got done wheeling his casket out. The fact that you're sitting there thinking how final it is. He is in there and he's not coming back ever.
Glad they ultimately decided to have his body at the Staples Center. It does provide more closure. It wouldn't have seemed right if it wasn't.
Still curious as to why they had it during the middle of the day of the work week. Most of us that wanted to see it are at work. They couldn't have pushed it just a few hours later so we could have at least seen most of it live?
I would love to get one of those commemorative programs that coincided with the service. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they're up on eBay. If they aren't already. Not trying to pay the crackhead price that I'm sure folks will be selling them for.
I wish Maya Angelou would have been there to read that poem herself. No one does her words justice like she does. That voice of hers adds to the beauty of every poem she writes. Valiant effort of Latifah's part in Maya's absence though
Love LOVE that Commodores song "Jesus Is Love". One of their most underappreciated songs ever.
Has Berry Gordy developed a lisp over the years or did he always have one and never noticed? He had a point with that song "Who's Loving You?" though. Mike definitely sang it better than Smokey and was only half Smokey's age. Mike had a knack for doing that though. Even when people remake his songs, they never sound as good as MJ's orginal.
Kobe should NOT have been a headliner. They should have gotten the real Michael Jordan instead of the Jordan wannabe. It would have been much better to hear him. Plus, Jordan already had that connection with MJ from their classic "Jam" video.
It's a good thing they had Magic up there to speak right after Kobe since Magic was much more engaging and more importantly, more likable. Kobe could have really sat down after he said his unnecessary piece.
Probably one of better sermonettes I've ever heard Rev. Sharpton give. He provided my favorite quote of the entire service as he directed it towards MJ's shorties:
"Wasn't nothing strange about yo' daddy. What was strange was what he had to deal with"
John Mayer's instrumental version of "Human Nature" was on point. I
was interested to hear what he would have sounded like singing it
though. His subdued voice would have been a good fit for that joint.
Although no matter how good it was or how good that instrumental was,
again, nothing compares to the original
Favorite performance: Usher's rendition of "Gone Too Soon". Hands down. At first I was put back by him wearing shades too, but it was obvious he was trying to hold back the tears. His was one that seemed genuine with his expression of emotion at the end. When he went down and touched the casket?! Got a brotha choked up a bit.
Could have done without the back-up singers singing "We Are the World". That should have been done by the stars that were there in attendance. At the very least, Mike's part should have been done by one of the professionals.
Those kids don't look nothing like Mike. At. All. Not one iota. Like he didn't contribute a single inkling of DNA to them. I don't know if the rumors are true, but I'm just sayin'. However, I doubt there was a dry eye in the house after hearing his daughter, Paris, speak.
Overall, a very VERY impressive memorial. I hope the good folks at BET were watching and taking notes. THAT was the type of memorial that a star of MJ's caliber deserved.
