Thread: Michael Jackson farewell

Well, I must say that I'm not a Michael Jackson fan at all, but what I've heard just now on TV really stunned me. Maybe it's not good, to begin a discussion about cultural differences and so on using such a sad occasion as someone's death, but I just cannot help myself.
I was very very much shocked to hear that the farewell will be... 'paid'. I mean that people should buy TICKETS for getting into the place where the ceremony will happen. I can't even imagine that the Oleg Yankovsky farewell, for example, would be PAID. At ours, when an actor or a singer who was well-known and beloved by people dies, a гражданская панихида (civil funeral rites) takes place in the theatre where he worked or some another... concert hall, or something. EVERYONE can come and get into the theatre, and ONLY if there are no more free seats or places where people could stand, the theatre management can close the admission. Freshly, a very very very famous Russian singer, Ludmila Zykina died. Today, the farewell ceremony took place in the center where she worked, and now it is going on in the the Cathedral of the Redeemer in Moscow. OF COURSE it is all FREE. Everyone who wants can come and see her, and say his own farewell to her. I just don't understand how it could be paid...............
I understand that one could say that it was the decision of his family, but our "stars" have families, too, and no one of those families never made some 'paid' farewell. It looks just impossible for people here...

Originally Posted by Оля

I was very very much shocked to hear that the farewell will be... 'paid'. I mean that people should buy TICKETS for getting into the place where the ceremony will happen.

I had heard that they were to be "paid" as well; but, it appears that it is now going to be free and based upon a lottery system...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Musi...rap/index.html

Originally Posted by CNN

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Fans must register online for a lottery to win tickets to the Michael Jackson memorial Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, organizers said Friday. People who do not have one of the 17,500 free tickets to be handed out should stay away and watch the event on television, Los Angeles, California, acting Mayor Jan Perry and a Los Angeles police official said. Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said no details would be released Friday about what fans will see at the memorial. "It's still being developed," Sunshine said. Assistant Police Chief Earl Paysinger said anyone coming near the arena without a ticket will be turned away or arrested. A worldwide television pool will be made available to all outlets for free, organizers said. No other broadcast of the event will be allowed.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

I had heard that they were to be "paid" as well; but, it appears that it is now going to be free and based upon a lottery system...

Anyway, I don't understand how the ideas of 'death' and of 'lottery' can exist together.

I'm afraid that the idea of the lottery sounds even more sacrilegeous to me in a case like that.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe...son/index.html

Russians create shrine to Michael Jackson

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- They headed to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow after news broke that Michael Jackson had died. And they're still coming. Young Russian fans, some of whom don't even speak English, bring homemade signs, pictures and drawings of Jackson, Russian religious icons, candles, teddy bears -- all signs of how much they loved the singer.

This is why they need a lottery... just too many people and not a big enough space to hold them all....
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Musi...rap/index.html

1.6 million register for 8,750 Jackson memorial tickets

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- About 1.6 million fans registered for a chance at fewer than 9,000 tickets to Michael Jackson's memorial service next week, organizers said.Registration ended at 6 p.m. Saturday. Officials will now "scrub" all entries to eliminate duplicates and those they suspect may have been registered using software that tickets scalpers use to generate multiple hits. A random drawing will follow. The winning 8,750 registrants will receive an e-mail Sunday after 11 a.m. (2 p.m. ET), AEG Live said. "I know I'll be hitting the 'refresh' button on my inbox over and over again," said Jackie Flower, an arts student in San Diego, California. The e-mail will assign the selected registrants a unique code and direct them to a designated distribution center away from the Staples Center. There, they will each receive two tickets to either the memorial service at the Staples Center arena or a simulcast of the event at the adjacent Nokia Theater LA Live, AEG said.

This is why they need a lottery

That is obvious that there are too many people who'd want to be there. It's not the point! Do you really think that there were not 'too many' who wanted to be at some Russian actor or singer farewell? Everyone of them was loved by millions of people. Anyway, it can't be a lottery or money.

Okay, I could understand the lottery idea, more or less. But selling TICKETS!.. Would you sell tickets for, say, your husband's funeral? Even if there were 500 persons interested and you would have places only for 50? No, tell me, would you really?

Maybe it's really mental differences. It's just that idea of things like that looks very alien to Russian mentality. We are not used to such things. If I would hear an offer to buy a ticket to get into Lencom theatre for Yankovsky farewell, I would think that the one who offered me that is crazy.

Originally Posted by Оля

This is why they need a lottery

That is obvious that there are too many people who'd want to be there. It's not the point! Do you really think that there were not 'too many' who wanted to be at some Russian actor or singer farewell? Everyone of them was loved by millions of people. Anyway, it can't be a lottery or money.

Okay, I could understand the lottery idea, more or less. But selling TICKETS!.. Would you sell tickets for, say, your husband's funeral? Even if there were 500 persons interested and you would have places only for 50? No, tell me, would you really?

Maybe it's really mental differences. It's just that idea of things like that looks very alien to Russian mentality. We are not used to such things. If I would hear an offer to buy a ticket to get into Lencom theatre for Yankovsky farewell, I would think that the one who offered me that is crazy.

Okay, so they did not sell tickets and instead they had a lottery, neither of which you approve of and I can accept that. Actually, I would be offended too if they sold tickets, unless MAYBE the money went to one of the charities the beloved supported.

Now there are "stars" complaining because they want to be there in person to perform and have contracts they cannot get out of.

So, I ask you honestly and kindly... what would you have them do? What is the "fair' and "equal" way to hold a farewell?

Is there really a solution to this type of situation?

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Okay, so they did not sell tickets and instead they had a lottery, neither of which you approve of and I can accept that.

As far as I understand, those who will win the lottery should buy the tickets anyway. Did I get something wrong?

I'll answer the rest a bit later, I should go now.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

What is the "fair' and "equal" way to hold a farewell?

Is there really a solution to this type of situation?

Well, what I described above, i.e.

At ours, when an actor or a singer who was well-known and beloved by people dies, a гражданская панихида (civil funeral rites) takes place in the theatre where he worked or some another... concert hall, or something. EVERYONE can come and get into the theatre, and ONLY if there are no more free seats or places where people could stand, the theatre management can close the admission

seems quite a 'fair' way to me.
Also, it could be a farewell in a big church or concert hall where people could go through 'in an endless stream' (I can't word it in good English, but I hope it's understandable). To go past the coffin (more or less near to it) and to say 'good bye' to oneself would be enough, in my opinion. Making a SHOW out of it is not necessary. No lottery (it looks just CYNICAL). Just those who came in time. If someone didn't - well, one should respect death and not make a brawl like "Hey, why that guy managed to get there, and I didn't??"

I've been once to a ceremony like that. Everyone 'behaved well'. Those who remained outside just awaited when the coffin would be carried out (to the car), and then threw flowers on and under the coffin and gave their last applause to the actor.
And you know, there are so many tears inside that I can't imagine how even the idea about money could be mentioned...

Originally Posted by Оля

As far as I understand, those who will win the lottery should buy the tickets anyway. Did I get something wrong?

I'll answer the rest a bit later, I should go now.

No, that was what I was trying to explain with the article that I posted yesterday. I guess I was not very clear. Sorry about that.

People must "register" to "win" two tickets. The tickets that are "won" are free and the "winners" do not need to pay anything for them once they are won. Here is another article about it.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Musi...tml#cnnSTCText

Tickets to Jackson memorial to be free

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Fans must register online for a lottery to win tickets to the Michael Jackson memorial Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, organizers said Friday.

People who do not have one of the 17,500 free tickets to be handed out should stay away and watch the event on television, the Los Angeles acting mayor, Jan Perry, and a Los Angeles police official said.

Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said no details would be released Friday about what fans will see at the memorial.

"It's still be being developed," Sunshine said about the Jackson memorial.

Eleven thousand tickets will be for seats inside the Staples Center. Another 6,500 will be for the Nokia Theatre next door, where the service will be broadcast.

Originally Posted by Оля

Originally Posted by rockzmom

What is the "fair' and "equal" way to hold a farewell?

Is there really a solution to this type of situation?

Well, what I described above, i.e.

At ours, when an actor or a singer who was well-known and beloved by people dies, a гражданская панихида (civil funeral rites) takes place in the theatre where he worked or some another... concert hall, or something. EVERYONE can come and get into the theatre, and ONLY if there are no more free seats or places where people could stand, the theatre management can close the admission

seems quite a 'fair' way to me.
Also, it could be a farewell in a big church or concert hall where people could go through 'in an endless stream' (I can't word it in good English, but I hope it's understandable). To go past the coffin (more or less near to it) and to say 'good bye' to oneself would be enough, in my opinion. Making a SHOW out of it is not necessary. No lottery (it looks just CYNICAL). Just those who came in time. If someone didn't - well, one should respect death and not make a brawl like "Hey, why that guy managed to get there, and I didn't??"

I've been once to a ceremony like that. Everyone 'behaved well'. Those who remained outside just awaited when the coffin would be carried out (to the car), and then threw flowers on and under the coffin and gave their last applause to the actor.
And you know, there are so many tears inside that I can't imagine how even the idea about money could be mentioned...

You did an excellent job describing in English.

What you have described is usually only done in the U.S. for politicians and not "celebrities.” Like when former President Ronald Reagan died. He was “in state” in California and in Washington and people had the opportunity to pay their respects. There was also the horse-drawn caisson and procession down Constitution Avenue to Capitol Hill where thousands of people lined the streets. The funeral for Princes Princess of Wales in the UK was very similar.

Yet, the people who attended the actually funeral service, were “invited.” Family members, dignitaries, and so on. Not the general public.

I believe that here in the U.S.; when a person is a “celebrity” people want to “celebrate” that person’s life. They what to recognize what that person contributed to the U.S. (possibly the world) and to “their” life. In this case, it is music and what better way than to hold a concert? The very respectful and solemn act of walking past a coffin would not be sufficient for music fans. If it were a film star, they would probably want to gather and show clips from old movies and have other actors or directors tell stories from “on the set.” It is a “tribute” to the person, the artist and I am not certain how best to decide who should attend these events when so many people obviously want to.

So many people feel that they “know” a celebrity. They feel a “connection” to them. That their work meant something personal “just to them” as if they sang only to them when they were singing, or spoke only to them when they were acting, or wrote only to them when they wrote poetry. How does one go about telling someone that this is not true? That it is only an illusion? Especially when that celebrity, the person they have "connected with all this time," the one they have cherished all these years, has just died?

And how do you tell that person they can or cannot attend a tribute to "their" own personal "best friend?" I honestly don't know the answer to this dilemma.

Good riddance! He was a pedophile, who abused and raped young boys.

Originally Posted by Haksaw

Good riddance! He was a pedophile, who abused and raped young boys.

And here we go ... Seems like there's always a someone who just needs to make that comment.

Originally Posted by Haksaw

Good riddance! He was a pedophile, who abused and raped young boys.

oh, but was he really?

Originally Posted by kamka

Originally Posted by Haksaw

Good riddance! He was a pedophile, who abused and raped young boys.

oh, but was he really?

No, he was not.
Rest in Peace, Dear Michael Jackson! We all love you!

Pollution! It even interrupted my morning ESPN!!! Thank God not the Red Sox.

Originally Posted by Lampada

Originally Posted by kamka

Originally Posted by Haksaw

Good riddance! He was a pedophile, who abused and raped young boys.

oh, but was he really?

No, he was not.

Don't tell me. Tell Haksaw.
My question was meant to be rethorical.