LOS ANGELES — Michael Jackson was remembered Tuesday in a memorial service fit for a “King.”
The Staples Center event featured touching tributes from Queen Latifah and Brooke Shields, as well as performances by such musical greats as Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson and Usher. But it was the words of Jackson’s daughter, Paris Katherine, which reminded the world that the King of Pop was more than just an iconic entertainer.
“Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine,” said the 11-year-old girl as she was comforted by Jackson’s sister, Janet. “And I just wanted to say I love him so much.”
Carey was the first artist to take the stage at the morning service, performing the Jackson 5’s 1970 hit “I’ll Be There” with Trey Lorenz.
Queen Latifah followed in reading a poem by Maya Angelou entitled, “We Had Him.” That was followed by Richie singing “Jesus is Love.”
Motown founder Berry Gordy then recalled his first encounters with Jackson, who was a 10-year-old star in the making.
“The more I think and talk about Michael Jackson, I feel the King of Pop is not big enough for him,” said Gordy. “I think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived.”
An emotional Wonder then entered, fighting back tears as he sat down at a piano.
“This is a moment that I wished that I didn’t live to see come,” said Wonder, “but as much as I can say that and mean it, I do know that God is good. And I do know that as much as we may feel, and do, that we need Michael with us, God must have needed him more.”
Wonder then launched a moving performance of his fittingly-titled 1971 song, “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer.”
The service became lighter with the emergence of Los Angeles Lakers stars Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson. Johnson recalled the time that he went to Jackson’s home for dinner to discuss being in one of his music videos. A chef asked Johnson what he would like to eat, so the basketball legend requested some grilled chicken. A short while later, the chef reappeared with both Johnson’s request and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken for Jackson. The crowd laughed as Johnson recalled the two stars sharing a bucket of KFC together.
Hudson then took the stage, where she performed “Will You Be There” while backed by a gospel chorus.
The Rev. Al Sharpton then spoke about Jackson’s ability to touch the world in more ways than his music.
“When Michael started, it was a different world, but because Michael kept going, because he didn’t accept limitations, because he refused to let people decide his boundaries, he opened up the whole world in the music world,” said. “He put on one glove, pulled his pants up and broke down the color curtain.”
Sharpton then addressed Jackson’s three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket.
“There wasn’t nothing strange about your daddy,” he said. “It was strange what your daddy had to deal with, but he dealt with it.”
After Mayer performed a guitar solo of the music icon’s “Human Nature,” Shields addressed the crowd in emotionally recalling how she and Jackson shared a unique bond as child stars. The actress, who earned her first acting credits at just 11-months-old, recalled how she once called Jackson a “slacker” since his career didn’t take off until he was five. Often fighting tears, Shields recalled Jackson as “a little prince.”
More tears would follow when Jermaine Jackson performed one of his brother’s favorite songs, “Smile,” written by Charlie Chaplin for the 1936 movie “Modern Times.”
Usher later took the stage following words from Martin Luther King III, the Rev. Bernice King and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. The R&B star sang “Gone Too Soon,” a song written by Jackson in the 1990s for Ryan White, a young AIDS patient that the singer befriended who later died. At one point during his performance, Usher touched Jackson’s casket lying in front of the stage.
Kenny Ortega, who was producing the entertainer’s planned concerts in London, said Jackson was well on his way to making a historic comeback. He told the crowd that “the world will never forget Michael Jackson.”
The next performer was a surprising one in Shaheen Jafargholi of “Britain’s Got Talent” fame. The 12-year-old singer, who became a fan favorite on the U.K. show with his rousing performances of Jackson tunes, sang “Who’s Loving You.”
The final musical numbers perhaps reminded everyone of Jackson’s desire to heal people through his music. Taking the stage at the very same venue that they had been rehearsing alongside Jackson for the London concerts, a group of performers sang his charity hit “We Are the World” before ending with “Heal the World.”
The Jackson family then took the stage, with brothers Jermaine and Marlon saying farewell to their younger brother before Jackson’s daughter gave her tearful goodbye.
Also see: Michael Jackson Memorial Service Video
