The funeral of Michael Jackson has, at last, taken place.  It was supposed to start at sunset (approximately 7:00 pm) but Jackson’s coffin didn’t arrive until 7:39 and the Jackson family arrived more than an hour late, leaving the guests waiting for an hour and a half in the hot, humid night.
The Jackson family hired their own company to video tape, and televise, some of the pre-show happenings such as glimpses of the famous guests, the 20 car Jackson family procession arriving and, just as the hearse bearing Jackson’s coffin arrived, the video came to an abrupt end.  What do you want to bet that the taping continued through the entire service and will be available for purchase on DVD or Blu-ray.
Randy Jackson was angry because there were news helicopters that continued to film the burial service.  He said he was dismayed when he saw television coverage of the ceremony and asked that the media pull all footage from the helicopter filming and “refrain from airing it in the future”.
I hate to be a cynic (although I readily acknowledge that I am) but could Randy Jackson’s anger come from the fact that the media scooped the Jackson video?  And, if they wanted this to be so private why not just invite those who were truly close friends and quietly gather, unannounced,  to carry out the final burial instead of making a huge, boisterous, hullabaloo out of it.  They announced, loud and clear, the date, the time, the place, had a police escort for the family funeral procession from the family “compound” in Encino to Forest Lawn.  Did they think no one would notice?
And speaking of the police a spokesman for the Glendale Police department said it appeared that the cost to the family would be around $120 to $125 thousand dollars but because the event started late it ran longer so the cost could be approximately $150,000.
Michael Jackson is in his final resting place in Forest Lawn, the actual location of which is being kept “secret”, (wink, wink) but I am absolutely positive this will not be the final chapter in this on-going saga.

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The hat that stunned the world

No who watched the January 20th inauguration of President Obama will ever be able to erase from their minds the image of Aretha Franklin’s hat.  She is the undisputed Queen of Soul so we should be remembering the song she sang and her “soulful” presentation of it.  I don’t.  Do you?
The hat may make a return appearance (although she should have learned after she wore it the first time) when she sings at Michael Jackson’s (finally) (maybe?) funeral on Thursday, September 3rd.  However, unless the Jackson’s have the funeral service taped, which I wouldn’t for a minute doubt, (think millions) we wouldn’t be able to see it if Franklin does wear it. 
That’s because the funeral is to be a “private sunset service for family and friends at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California”.   That’s a lot of information to be giving out for something that is supposed to be “private”.  Can you imagine the crowds of die-hard Jackson fans who will attempt to get as close to Forest Lawn as possible?  Not to mention the news media with all their vans, lights, cameras, satellite dishes, cameramen/women, and reporters?  I think if they wanted a private, quiet affair the Jackson family would have notified the friends they wanted in attendance and held the interment of Michael Jackson’s body with no advanced announcement, whatsoever.  It would also save them a bundle of money, at least the $150,000 they are going to have to pay to use the Glendale Police for crowd control and enforcement.
After all, Jackson’s body is already somewhere within the confines of Forest Lawn so the ceremony could be held with no hullabaloo.  Good news, though.  Katherine Jackson has persuaded the court to allow Jackson’s estate to pay for his funeral.  Guess they couldn’t really expect any city government in the state of California to pay for it after the City of Los Angeles shelled out $1.4 million bucks in costs for the Stapely Center show.  That, at a time when the city was $530 million in debt.  I remember reading  that the city of Los Angeles was asking Jackson fans for donations to help defray some of the cost and had set up a special website for for that purpose.    I couldn’t locate the website but Idid find one (mayor.lacity.org) that said “We are no longer accepting donations. Thank you to those who donated”.  Didn’t say how much, or if, money was received.
And, just to stir up your envy at not being invited to the “private” ceremony in the Grand Mausoleum, TMZ has obtained information that the Jackson family, who seems to have an obsession with a particular kind of doughnut from the Market Restaurant in Stamford, CT, is having boxes of them shipped in for the service.  The doughnuts are called “Ricotta Doughnuts” and they are described as “Cinnamon-sugared doughnuts made with fresh ricotta, crushed amaretti cookies and a creme angalaise. 
Me?  I’m happy going to my neighborhood grocery store bakery department and grabbing a custard filled, chocolate frosted doughnut for about .50.

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Sexy Farrah

An older, still sexy, Farrah Fawcett

 
Farrah Fawcett, golden girl of the 70’s, will be laid to rest today in a private funeral to be attended only by family and friends.  Ryan O’Neal, her long time companion, was in charge of the arrangements.  The couple’s son, Redmond, who is going through extensive drug therapy in a California prison, will be allowed to attend her funeral. 
O’Neal, who had proposed marriage to Fawcett many times over the years finally got a “Yes” from her.  Sadly, she died before the marriage ceremony could be performed.  After she died, O’Neal is quoted as saying, “She gone.  She now belongs to the ages”. “I told her how very much I loved her.  She’s in a better place now”
In the wake of other celebrity deaths Fawcett’s passing due to a hard fought battle with cancer seems to have been overshadowed.  That is a shame.
She is described by close friends as mischievous, daring, competitive, and with great wit.  Close friend Joan Dangerfield, widow of comedian Rodney Dangerfield, said she faced her 2 1/2 year battle with cancer with grace.  She stated, “She (Fawcett) remained kind and strong and funny even in the face of this vicious enemy.  That is a lovely tribute to a beautiful woman.

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