So the Jackson estate, once thought bankrupt, and now estimated at around $500 million, held a very public memorial this week for Michael Jackson. Jackson is best known for singing some songs 20 years ago, being accused multiple times of molesting little boys, dangling his infant son over a balcony and waving him at the crowd, and making his children wear masks.
Obviously, the international super star was well known for more than just talent.
In the wake of his unexpected death, a media circus has reigned supreme. No one can log into the internet without seeing some crap about the guy once (rightly) dubbed Wacko Jacko. In the 3 weeks since his passing, I would have expected the circus to die down, but instead, there is just more news daily.
The latest just kind of shocks and appalls me. First, the Jackson clan, known for selling out it's youth to the entertainment industry, wanted a very public, publicized memorial for their long lost money maker, erm, son. They decided to try and profit off it, by selling tickets to the funeral. That plan ultimately was decided against, and instead, the tickets were given away like prizes.
Once people had the tickets in their hot, greedy little hands, it wasn't long until places like eBay & Craigslist were trying to make thousands off the sale of the tickets, though eBay was pulling the sales as quickly as they could. Still, some tickets sold for as much as $10,000 a pair.
The funeral included music, dancing, singing, and of course, the required parading around of the Jackson youth.
In the end, however, the joke was on LA, the largest city in a debt stricken state. A state where people who work for the state are not receiving a paycheck. The joke is a bill to the tune of $1.4 Million Dollars- the cost to provide police protection and planning to make sure the circus, erm, funeral went off without a hitch.
And now, the debt is falling to the fans. The people who actually just miss the legend, the people who paid for his eccentric life. The people who bought the music, and made him who he is. Sure, his estate is worth $500 million, but they haven't offered to cover the debt that the state of California can scarcely afford at this point. Instead, they would like you, the fans, to pay for it.
Maybe this is their way of charging people to view the circus live on TV. While they were unable to profit from the ticket sales, they are profiting from the memorial T-Shirt sales they approved, and now, from not having to pay a debt.
Long live the Jackson clan!
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Comments: 18
I thought it was funny that nobody I knew was a Jackson fan until after his death, now suddenly everyone I know talks about how much they loved his music.
I've thought the same thing. He had some decent songs. I even have had some of them on a few play lists for years. But I'm not a fan of him, the person. Having talent does not give you the right to do anything you want. Celebrities need to realize that.
aren't they going to do something with Neverland making it a tourist attaction for money? I was gone all of last week, and not keeping up with week due to moving and the internet not working right but I thought I read that somewhere.
Neverland isn't owned 100% by the Jackson Estate. In order to get out of losing the ranch, MJ sold half of it to an investment firm.
There is talk of using it for a tourist attraction, but nothing definite. I know all of the amusement rides that were once there are gone now. Jackson had to sell them off years ago. Seems he was never a fan of money management.
Odd ... since so much tourist money from all over the world poured into L.A. for that one event.
Someone else posted today that MJ never paid anyone for child molestation, but rather his insurance company did so against his wises. I wonder if that is true~
I heard on the news this morning there is a website where you can make a donation online to help fund the memorial. I read another article tonight that they had around $17,000.
Yeah, fans have donated in $17,000 towards the $1,400,000 bill. It's a shame that the Jackson family isn't stepping up for some good PR and adding a donation.
The Jacksons should pay for it, not the fans and not the taxpayers.
I'm sure the city made money, in directly, off the service. People booked up the hotels and ate at the restraunts...the money probably didn't off set the cost of the extra police though.
Private businesses made money, but little of that trickles towards the city by way of taxes they pay in.
That's a lot of money! UGH!
Wow that is a ton of money!!!! I will be glad when I can turn on the tv and not hear about him LOL