The climactic moment of Tuesday’s Michael Jackson memorial service came when 11-year-old Paris Jackson stepped to the mic and spoke through tears: “Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine,” she said. “And I just want to say that I love him so much.”
Ken Erlich, the producer of the memorial, has told EW that the moment was in no way planned. “A lot of the show was not scripted,” he says. “A lot of the speakers spoke from their heart. We told them we’d be happy to work with them, but a lot of them — the Smokeys, the Berry Gordys, the people who knew Michael all his life — wanted to speak from the heart, on their own. When [the Paris moment] happened, I had asked the family to come up if they wanted to and say something. I thought, frankly, that we were going to get the brothers and the sisters. This went way beyond that, obviously.”
Erlich also reports that the moment when Usher left the stage to sing “Gone Too Soon” next to Jackson’s casket was similarly impromptu. “He did that on his own and it was wonderful,” says the producer. “All we had time to do with this show is create the sense of it. The rest of it happened because we allowed it to happen. We didn’t want to get in the way.”
You can read more about Jackson’s memorial in this week’s issue of EW, on stands Friday. (Reporting by Archana Ram)
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Look. For all intents and purposes, Paris was hid kid. Doesn’t matter what was planned. She had more right than anyone to say something.
You bet your tail it was planned. How does one cry with no tears? They don’t.
I am in no way skeptical in regards to Paris Jackson. I am , however, bothered by the fact that Ken Erlich keeps referring to it all as a “show”. Any emotional impact is now questionable because what had been thought of as a (memorial)service is now being called a show. It gives it a very different feel.
I, too, am a little skeeved out by Erlich’s constant referrals to it as a “show,” but considering that this is a guy in show business, it might be the way he operates. He may not even realize how creepy it sounds himself. At least, I hope he doesn’t. I definitely think Paris was just moved to say something, and given the opportunity simply took it. My grandmother died when I was 23, and I was asked to speak at the funeral. I didn’t accept, but when the time came, it took every fiber of my being not to get up there anyway. Now that I’m older, I regret not telling the priest to shove his schedule and just jumping up because that’s something that you can never get back. Bravo, Paris, for having the guts to speak your mind in front of that huge crowd. You won’t regret it.
HERE COMES THE TABLOIDS – starting with this ONE!!!!
That’s why MJ shielded his children from the media/people when they were with him, the children’s faces were covered so the media/people would not do to the children what they did to Jackson.
The veils and masks were there so that the people will not remember their face. Without Jackson around, the children can actually go out, walk around and play with their nannies like normal children without being recognized. NOW, their lives have changed forever. The media knows who they are and the media and tabloids are going to psychologically kill the children as they did Jackson.
I HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT MICHAEL JACKSON WENT TO GREAT LENGHTS TO SHIELD THE IDENTITY OF HIS CHILDREN FROM THE PUBLIC. IN FACT, EVEN WHEN HE DANGLED A BABY FROM A WINDOW, THE BABY’S FACE WAS COVERED.
IS IT POSSIBLE WITH ALL THE LOVE FROM WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE NOW THAT ONE OF HIS DEEPEST WISHES ARE BEING IGNORED
Michael Jackson is Michael Jackson…..
Let him rest, leave his kids and the whole Jackson family out of the media.Oh “one can cry without tears”
Rest Michael…………………
That MJ’s memorial video:
http://www.nowgoal.com/21.shtml
Are you serious? Are people actually questioning the sincerity of his daughter? These kids need to go to school in Europe until they are old enough to fight back, America will destroy them. Leave them alone!
A child shows feelings for her dead father (wow! Imagine that!) and some dissing the dead pinheads feel it’s “planned” because they weren’t convinced enough. Frankly, people like that sicken me–they are totally without class of any kind. No wonder Michael Jackson distanced himself from the public–who needs grief like that? Try and show some respect for a child whose father died–or just shut the hell up.
Ken Erlich is class all the way and I believe that he is largely responsible for the “service” or “show” or whatever you want to call it being in such good taste, for the most part. Why pick on the guy for his choice of words? Let’s face it, it was a show of sorts, at least from the point of view of the guy who had to produce it.
i love michael nd if you talk abot him i’ll kill you
it’s so sad now that michael has left us
i really miss michael jackson because he has made a difference in my life
That was really sad. That part made me cry. I teared up during the show but that part really made me cry. and the show was relli in great taste, it was way better than the b.e.t. awards. And the crowd was very patient and working with wat was going on. how could people even think for a second that he didnt love his kids, just go on youtube and watch some of michael jacksons home videos and you will see how much his kids loved him and how much he loved them. how could you even doubt that. I swear people make me sick, and I dont think they should go to skool in america either, either private skool or skool in a different country cause america is relli harsh and may tear his kids apart especially the media and that is something that michael jackson did not want his kids to have to go through!
LEAVE THESE KIDS ALONE! You should all be ashamed of yourselves. These are CHILDREN. Stop writing about them. They have every right to say what they want and the family has every right NOT to disclose the burial site that everyone is speculating about all over the net and the media. I hope they NEVER tell ANYONE where he is buried. Then Michael will finally have the last laugh!
Kimberly how did MJ make a difference in your life? I’m always curious when people say that, thinking — they must be singers; because otherwise, I don’t know how he could effect anyone who isn’t entertainment goal oriented.
Skeptical.
I think the reason some people have questioned whether it was planned is that they have probabbly never attended a black funeral where impromptu comments are a part of grief process at the funeral. Shame on adults picking on a little kid who just lost her dad. It takes a very tiny person to think like that.
sally in chicago-you ruin every blog you join. I can’t stand being on the same page with you.
lovemichaelforever: I’m just being real.
Look — everybody needs to get a life, this was an entertainer who for the past 20 years messed up his life and HE LEFT US, WE DIDN’T TURN OUR BACK ON HIM…stop feeling guilty. If you’re celebrating his life, you’re celebrating the 20-30 y.o. Michael, not the one who was Howard Hughes for the past 10 years.
To kimberley.solomon:
That’s cool you knew Michael. How did he make a difference in your life? By singing into a shampoo bottle?
Janet scripted her niece to do this. That was very planned on her part.
I never have a problem with a person expressing their own opinion and I do think it was said to see a girl missing her daddy so much. But other than that, I am so sick of everyone making Michael out to be a victim. Get a life! Oh wait…unless you are black you won’t understand…I have seen that on many boards.. But guess what, I am blacker than MJ who spent his entire adult (child mind) trying to turn white. Then someone will probably respond with the “but his dad was real mean and beat him” Guess what again, my dad woke me up in my sleep to whip me for something I did two days before…and I am not trying to act like a victim. The Texas woman (representative) tried to put the nail in the coffin by quoting “In America..you are innocent until proven guilty!”…..unless you pay said person $23 million to drop the charges!
Period!
Cynic: yeah, blame Janet … sheesh. It’s just as hip as ever to hate her as well as her brother.
Paris spoke from the heart, & mine breaks for her.
For everyone who has negative things to say…why even read the articles? Why comment? If you aren’t interested or you have negative things to say, why are you here? There seems to be an awful lot of judging going on directed at someone who obviously cannot defend themselves. How about you take a good look at yourself, like MJ said, and direct your judgments there. Maybe then this world would be a much much better place. Until then, the hatred and negativity will live on until we all destroy ourselves.
Please leave Paris Jackson alone. It was right of MJ to keep them out of the spotlight because of hurtful comments and speculations that could be associated to them- enough already. For crying out loud, the child is only 11 years old and just lost her dad. Just wish her well and leave her and her siblings alone. MJ may you rest in peace.
As a mom and teacher, I find it very disheartening that people feel Paris was prompted to speak. If anyone was speaking from the heart it was her. I have seen children cry without tears many times so don’t base your belief on that point. Leave the poor children alone. NOt only did they lose their father but now they have to deal with a custody battle.
I believe that the family wanted to show how close the children are to their grandmother in preparation for the possible custody dispute that is coming. It was somewhat shocking to see the children front and center when MJ always wanted to hide their faces. I think that the child spoke from her heart, but her words do seem to be rehearsed–did you see the children being rehearsed on old home movies to say that MJ was the greatest daddy in the world? I hope that these kids will be allowed a normal life, no matter who they end up with. And I would suggest that everybody who doesn’t want MJ to be criticized also refrain from representing him as an innocent victim and hero. Some of us doubt that, even though we were fans from a long time ago.
I also wanted to comment on the innocent until proven guilty comment. It seems that some people are held to a different standard. Teachers are guilty until proven innocent and so was Michael. He was found innocent in the second case by a jury so how can people STILL acuse him of being guilty? Give me a break.
None of us know what MJ did or didn’t do, but one verdict does not make a person “innocent,” it means that there wasn’t sufficient evidence in that case or that the jury did not want to convict a celebrity (ie OJ). MJ admitted to allowing young boys in his bed, he paid several million dollars to at least one boy (and perhaps others), he never had a valid adult relationship–connect the dots and it is not good. People often hide behind innocent until proven guilty when they have something to hide. Let’s stick to saluting his genius and his music and try to set aside the rest for now, because it is hard to look at objectively and not conclude that there was something not good there.