he sold 50 million songs. he put on a show, in life, and now, a show in death. [captioning made possible by fox news channel] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- shepard: we are watching the beginnings of this memorial service for the late, great michael jackson. we know the timing will be off. they said that things would start now, but it will probably be another hour. once it gets going, we expect one heck of a show. ♪ "billie jean" >> it is something i want to be a part of.

>> it is our final evan bayh. -- goodbye. >> i think it will be emotional, but it will be fun. >shepard: now hollywood is ready as folks get ready to say goodbye to one of the most famous performers on the planet. [applause] and we are waiting for the show to begin in los angeles. our reporter is outside the staples center. what does it feel like outside? what does this event feel like? >> there is tons of energy, people waiting to get into. it really feels like a celebration of life and that the fans have been waiting for.

shepard: describe these t- shirts. >> and there is a variety. i think a lot of them were made at the last minute. they have pictures of his face, people are selling buttons, sunglasses that looked similar to his. shepard: it sounds like there's someone right next to you reporting. i guess reporters aren't lined up like people at a soup kitchen? -- are lined up like people at a soup kitchen? >> that is right, hundreds of reporters are here reporting for various news outlets from around the world. shepard: at least for the last 20 years, it feels like we have reached a bit of a crescendo here today.

maybe we are swimming with sharks now. >> absolutely. it certainly seems to have reached an apex. i have never seen anything like this. it is definitely a once-in-a- lifetime event. shepard: this is michael jackson. what happens when it is bigger than that? i cannot think of who that might be. this is one of the things that was feared. because it was put together so quickly, they simply could not be able to get everything organized to where it would move along quite swiftly. you have seen the red carpet, and the many events that take place at the staples center.

usually, things move along quite nicely. today, it is not moving along that great. >> yes, it is 8:00 a.m. in los angeles. that is a tough time for the traffic. i do not know how things could go completely smoothly. i can hear the helicopters overhead and i know that they are doing when they can not to disrupt the lives of people who live here, but it is. shepard: i have seen some shots on the ground where people are just taking pictures, and it is more of a concert feeling rather than a funeral. >>ç people are dressed in blac, but there is definitely not that morbid tone. people are singing. they are taking pictures, they

have their music out. i have seen a few people crying, but it is a celebration. shepard: there have always been a crowd of people from every walk of life that absolutely worshipped michael jackson. when i heard that he was dead, the first person i thought of was kelly shields. she was a producer with me years before in fort myers. she is still at wsvn. her whole life was all about michael jackson. i do not mean it in a bad way. she was one of those great, great fans. i am betting that when she learned that michael jackson died, she may have collapsed in her home. in the same way, we worked very late the night that he died.

as i walked down the street to go to my car, there was an african american guy, probably 60 years old with a boom box, and it was playing "thriller." as i was making my way to the çtunnel, other cars around me were all playing michael jackson's music. as i drove east to long island, every radio station had michael jackson on it. he was everywhere. i wonder if you get the sense, amy, that this event has stolen us way -- away from all of our other problems. >> certainly, and beyond taking

a break from the harder issues of life, jackson really had a way to make people feel better. the radio was broadcasting his music critic constantly, and people felt pretty good to cheer it. they feel a connection when they hear that music. when i hear it blasting from someone's apartment, i know that that sense of connection is very strong today. shepard: there is a lot of that. i wonder if people are not going to get to the point -- could you just let him rest in peace? it would have been unfair to all of his fans in the world. whenever he addressed his fans, he always said, i love you. greta van susteren is inside

staples center right now, but you wonder about the ability to pull it off. it looks like they are having a hard time getting things going. greta: the crowd is ready, but surprisingly, there are empty seats inside. the camera is focused on the stage. they have been playing his music for the past few hours, of course. kobe bryant walked in and the crowd erupted, but people are now just sitting and waiting. we are going to get the plug pulled on us. >> please take your seats. greta: we have heard that message before, so we do not known if it is imminent. >> please clear the aisles.

shepard: you talk about mtc to? greta: -- empty seats? greta: i am stunned that there are sections that are not filled. there are still people coming in, but this is not a full house. there are empty seats in the higher locations. there was an expectation of millions outside. i understand that things are pretty orderly outside. the things are extremely orderly in here. people look like they are ready to go. shepard: adam housley is reporting that outside staples center they are handing out tickets to the event.

everyone who won a ticket did not get one. they did not pick them up. i wonder, with great respect and admiration for michael jackson, if the news media has not run away with this thing in a way that the people have not. greta: all the media organizations are here. they all spent a fortune on this. when we see how much of the viewers are interested, we will know. what is interesting to me are these empty seats. it is surprising, based on all the hype. they are going to pull the plug on the camera within three minutes of this starting, so if you do not see me -- shepard: thank you.

they are handing tickets outside? people did not pick them up after the lottery and there are just handing them out? >> that is right. we asked that question yesterday. if you did not pick up your tickets yesterday, you have to come to another location this morning. right now they are handing out extra tickets to people on the outside area. they were literally handing out these extra tickets. greta reporting that there were empty seats is not a surprise. shepard: smokey robinson.

>> i have decided to pause and the silence. this feels right to me. michael was a personal love of mine, a treasured part of my world, part of the fabric of my life, in a way that i cannot find words to express. michael wanted me to be there for his children, and i will be there if they ever need me all those who loved him. thank you, katherine and joe, for sharing your son with me. i share my love and condolences. diana ross. dear, jackson family, it is with great sadness that we learned of the untimely death of michael jackson. michael became close to us after he started visiting asked he performed in south africa regularly.

we grew fond of him and he became a close member of our family. we had great admiration for his talent and that he was able to triumph over tragedy on some many occasions in his life. michael was a giant and a legend in the music industry, and we mourn with the millions of fans worldwide. we also mourn with his family and friends over the loss of our dear friend. he will be missed and memories about him cherished for a long time. my wife and i, family, and friends, send you our condolences during this time of morning. be strong. nelson mandela. nelson mandela.

shepard: smokey robinson read some letters from people that we have all heard of. now we are waiting for this event to begin, in earnest. normally, if the president was going to speak, we would have the speech in front of us. if it was a baseball game, we

know who is starting, who is on the bench. today, we have nothing. what we really do not know is if this is organized to the degree where there will be one. i think it will be, but it was a quick thing to put together. we were talking about how there were empty seats. in los angeles bureau chief is messaging me, telling me that they gave out 11,000 tickets. it has a 20,000 capacity for basketball games. i guess they kept thousands of tickets for his family to use, and they never really expected it to be full. 6500 streets across the street at the nokia center. there should be no surprise that this has not gotten started on

time, that there were some logistical issues. putting it together in this rapid of fashion, with the classic jackson family disorganization -- they would be the first one to tell you that is how things get done around their. -- there. geraldo rivera new michael jackson as well as anyone i know. you spoke to him fairly recently. you talked about how he was not doing well in recent years, but this love that he had for his fans, it seemed to be very genuine. >> he took great solace from the fans. no doubt. i remember when eminem made fun of him in one of his albums.

michael got upset. i remember getting a call from him the night before there was to be a times square demonstration, in support of him. he said i want to address the crowd. you may recall, you were on the air. we went to times square, tried to do it with a speaker phone. we got him to speak to the crowd. he took tremendous energy from the loft, and that event was unorganized, classically jackson organized. it is fitting that all of the t's are not crossed, all of the eyes are not daunted. -- i's are not dotted.

it also remains to be seen if they can get everybody in sight. shepard: my producer is telling me that we have a picture of what the ap is describing as his golden casket being brought in. >> it looks like a cadillac hearse. i'm guessing that the next picture -- there we go. it is fitting that he would have an ornate casket. we all remember the passing of the elvis. there was a similar vibe in that people were conflicted about how he passed away. the enthusiasm for his music was

there. his death reignited his popularity and touched off this spontaneous outflow of grief that i believed to be sincere. despite operating in the moral frame of mind, i want people to remember that there are five doctors currently under investigation by the dea and attorney general's office of california. this will be a criminal matter, no doubt. it will also be a series of never ending lawsuits as to who gets what. thank goodness he left his 2002 will. i was not sure if he did. that was one of the last years when he was totally coherent, before the trauma of the santa barbara case. that really crippled him and accelerated a problem that he had come i believe, with

anorexia, aside from his addiction to painkillers. dr. conrad murray, the total slga41ñ who was pitching energy drinks before he came to michael jackson. in my own mind, these are only allegations and suppositions, but if that doctor gives him the anesthetic, and the other doctors give him painkillers, it is very easy to make an elvis- like a cocktail that could be deadly. if i see any of them near the memorial, i will be throwing darts at the television screen. shepard: they did not want to show pictures of the family as they walked in, and it is looking more like a memorial now.

i cannot imagine a circumstance where the lawyers are not lined up and everyone is looking for a peace, at the same time, we could find ourselves into the investigation of an accidental death. >> he died on thursday. i believe the mom and others were in action on thursday. they got the keys to the bank on friday. it was only then that the judge was informed they will have existed. there was 72 hours where his estate was in question. now we have competent business executives who are in control. katherine is the most solid person in the family, but even if she wants to take those kids on vacation, she needs to run in by those trustm9$(lc@&c+ that is the only way to preserve

this mistake. it is going to grow exponentially. the father told me that it is a tragedy that michael will not live to see the enormous nature of the spike in his fame and success. also a shame that he will not be around to spend that money. those children are in line to get 40% of it, and that is entirely appropriate. hundreds of millions of records sold, international success. the vast majority of the people in that hall did not stand near michael jackson when he was being accused of those crimes. they did not say, he is innocent, let the facts prove what they may. now they have resurfaced to

celebrate his life, which is fitting, but i personally cannot get over the memory of 2005 when he stood alone, accused, convicted in the minds of many. shepard: you talked about covering elvis' funeral. it was a hot summer day in 1967. live television events were relatively new to the nation, and completely new to memphis. to my recollection, it was the first live camera that a local television station used in this way. it was pretty fascinating. i was a 13 then. everyone here was asking me, where do a big elvis fan? i said, no, his star had faded.

>> your generation regarded him the way that we regarded bing crosby so long ago. you consider michael the king of pop. you remember, pop itself, compared to other genres of music, has become again a segregated music form with a white kid going their way, black kids going their own way. michael jackson, along with elvis is truly trans-racial. with him you would never register racial identification.

shepard: after all this press lee's death, an enormous bills -- elvis preley's death, an enormous business was made. if you can do that with him, a great organization, a little bit with michael jackson should go a long way. the question is, who is going to organize it? >> who is going to be the priscilla. i was heartened to see ken sunshine, the pr guy. i am hearing that randy has finally on maneuvered germain as the favorite brother.

michael seemed to trust him more than the others. when i see if latoya, for instance. she was on my talk show and accused her brother of being a pervert. to see her at the funeral -- again, i am fighting my own instincts to be a newsman. i want to be a consumer of our own pop culture and the passing of an icon, but it is difficult when hypocrisy rears its ugly head. shepard: you may have heard some of laws. the rev. jesse jackson was helping to see the family. i know they are trying to get going, but have you not heard any indication of what we are about to see? will we see some video that we have never seen before? >> i think so. from the dress rehearsal, from

which i was impressed with, and shocked, given the reports on his condition, still he was relatively spry. think about a 50-year-old athlete who had been retired four years coming back to the game. his body was wracked with all of the arthritis and all the rest of the problems. to think that he was going to do 50 sold-out concert as part of this worldwide for, surrounded by a new cast of characters, i think that was so unrealistic and greed got the best of the promoters and everyone else. i think it will ultimately be the promoters come into a limited extent the jackson

family, and insurance companies to end up holding the bag from these contracts. shepard: name released just this video clip. let us watch this. ♪ ♪ shepard: watch for his smile. shepard: watch for his smile. that is it.

he looks pretty good. ç>> remember, you do not see te athletic moves that you are used to seeing, the moonwalk, spinning around, and ballet dance steps. i am not saying that there are not parts that did not have that -- also, he is known to hold back during rehearsal. if that is the last performance video, i am surprised -- in a positive way -- that he was able to move that way. shepard: we remember when he married lisa marie presley. moments ago, she wrote a candid entry in her myspace blog.

"years ago, michael and i were having a deep conversation about life in general. he stated, or he stared at me, very intensely, and stated with an almost calm certainty, i am afraid i'm going to end up the way that elvis presley did. i've probably tried to deter him from the idea. at which point, he shrugged his shoulders and not a matter of factly to let me know that he knew -- she did not write perfectly -- he knew whatç he know, and that was that. she began in may -- she denies that their marriage was unusual.

"i do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone." the two were wed in 1994, divorced in 1996. she writes that the provision should was too emotionally taxing, became ill, emotionally, physically, and otherwise, to save michael jackson from the demons that he was traveling from -- struggling from. i was in over my head. the leecehes that were always around him. >> they are the enablers. they are the doctors. they are the people who allowed him an unlimited supply of the drugs which ultimately killed him. lisa was also extremely

troubled. you remember she had her own weight problems. did michael marry her, or did he marry the ghost of elvis, which he also adored? she says it was not a sham, but it was not the type of marriage that we would all look for. there was a court case that they had settled. he had to shake the rumors of being gay. he had to shake the rumors of perversion. it is interesting -- the historic character that michael jackson was to me, i compare him to j. m. berry, the author of

"peter pan." shepard: it is starting. ♪ ♪

♪ we are going to see the king ♪ no more crying we are going to see the king ♪

♪ no more dying we are going to see the kaining no more dying we are going to see the king hallelujah hallelujah we are going to see the king hallelujah we are going to see the king hallelujah ♪ [applause]

ç [applause] [applause]

>> good morning, and welcome. my name is pastor lucius smith. i am proud to call the jackson family my friends. to millions of on the world, michael jackson was an idol, a hero, even making. but first and foremost, this man before us today was our brother, our son,ç our father, and our friend. michael jackson was, and always shall be a beloved part of the jackson family and the family of man. together we gather -- today we gather those who know and love him best and those who came to know and love him through his good works. we come together in this space where only days ago michael sang and danced, and brought his joy

as only she could. we come together and remember the time. we remember this man by celebrating his life and all of the love that he brought to our or phone lines for half a century. our hearts are heavy today because this man, this brother, man, son, man, is gone, far too soon. as long as we remember our time with him, the truth is, he is never really gone at all. as long as we remember him, he will be there for ever to comfort class. in his very beautiful and human heart, michael jackson wanted nothing more than to give love to the world. to share of his singular talent and seoul, and perhaps the loved

back in return. through his words, his music, and his camp that's good deed, michael did so much to try and heal our world. and so forth, the jackson family, and for all agreed his lost everywhere in our world, made this moment of remembrance, a moment of healing, a moment of the music, and a moment of love, bring comfort to those who loved her friend. god bless you. -- loved our friend. ♪

where there is love i'll be there ♪ ♪ i reached out my hand to you and i have faith in all you do just call my name and i will be there

♪ >> ♪ i am so glad i found you i will be your friend you know i will keep holding on. >> ♪ let me fill your life with joy and laughter the music is all i'm after all i will be there i'll be there to protect you just call my name

and i'll be there >> ♪ i'll be there to hold you fill my world and space around i'll be there and if the love goes wrong and be your friend ♪ >> ♪ i'll be there ♪

and just call my name and i'll be there i'll be there just call my name and i'll be there just call my name michael

we will never say goodbye even though the pain and heartache we will be right there ♪ ç>> ♪ gonna be right there we missed you. -- we miss you.

[applause] >> i'm here representing millions of fans who grew up listening to michael, i'm being expired and london michael from a distance. -- being inspired and loving michael from a distance. all of you. [applause] somehow, when michael jackson sang, when he danced, we never felt distant. we always felt like he was right in front of us. you believe in michael, and he believed in you. he made you believe in yourself. one of the first to record my brothers and i bought was a

dance machine. i will never forget the two of us trying to get the robot going, trying to be like the jackson five. thank you. thank you. michael was the biggest star on earth. [applause] çhe let me know that as an african-american, you could travel the world. there was a world outside of america. other people. all you people who came here to pay respects to someone who you felt was one of you, a human being first. this morning i spoke with perhaps one of our greatest poets, my angelou, and i am so

honored that she asked me to share some words that she wrote for michael. "we had him." "beloved, now we know we know nothing now that we know our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon in the instant we learned michael was gone we knew nothing no clocks can tell time and no oceans can rush hour tied with the abrupt absence of our treasure and though we are many, each of us are taking week alone,

piercingly alone. only when we confess our confusion, can we remember that he was a gift to us, and we did have him. he came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance. despite the anguish of life, he was chief, mother love, family loved, and survived, and it did more than that. he thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. we had him. when we knew who he was, or did not know, he was ours, and we were his. we had him. beautiful, delighting our eyes. he gripped his hat, slanted over his brow, and took a pos on his

toes for all of us, and we laughed and stomped our feet for him we were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing he gave us all that had been given today, in tokyo beneath the eiffel tower, in got up's blacks are square, in johannesburg, and pittsburgh, in birmingham, alabama and birmingham, england, we are missing michael jackson. but we do know we had him. and we are the world." thank you. [applause]

♪ [applause] >> ♪ father help your children and do not be blocked by the signs of the road jesus said to love one another if ever i might find a place that a heart could find is love

he will not let you down i know he is my forever in my heart you have to walk on through temptation god's wisdom will be our helping hand i know the truth his words will be our salvation lift up our hearts to be

thankful because jesus is lord he will not let us down. i know he is my forever forever in my heart ♪ ♪ i know forever wherever it leads i do not mind

my walk with you, talk with you i will pick you up i will not let you fall jesus jesus is lord ♪ [applause]

ç [applause] >> he was driven by his hunger to learn, to constantly taught himself. to be the best. he was a consummate student. he studied the grapes, and became greater. he raised the bar, and then broke the bar. his talent and creativity thrust him and entertainment into another stratosphere.

the motown family mourns the death of our friend and brother michael jackson, who was like a son to me. our deep condolences go out to all his family. his parents, joe and katherine, his beautiful children, sisters and brothers, and nieces and nephews. michael jackson was 10 years old when he and his brothers, and jackie, germaine, tito, and martin, audition for me in motown in detroit on that july dayç of 1968, and blew us all away. the jackson five were just

amazing. little michael's performance was beyond his years. this little kid had an incredible knowingness about him. he sang with such feeling and inspiration. michael had a quality that i could not completely understand, but we all knew he was special. aside from singing and dancing like james brown and jackie wilson, he's on a smokey robinson, -- song called "who was loving you?" he sang with the sadness and passion of a man who had been living the blues his whole life. and as great as smokey sandpit, -- sang it, i thought michael

was better. [laughter] i went to him and i said, hey, man, i think he got you on that one. smokey said, need to -- me too. that was mowed down -- motown. we were always in competition, but the love always won out. we competed in everything. we had a baseball game every week. the jacksons vs. the gordys. unfortunately for us, tito was a home-run hitter. then so was my son, barry. i will not tell you who won most

of the games, but i will tell you that the gordy's cried a lot. even bill little bit -- even though michael was the catcher and missed a lot of balls, we still cried a lot. we still swam and joe can play games. when he performed, you could feel the happiness because that is what he loved to do. michael inspired me so much, that four days, i walked around humming a bright tune with him in mind. then i put a group together and they made four of his records. the love you had, abc, i'll be

there. the jackson five was the only group in history to have their first four records go to number one. [laughter] -- [applause] in 1983, the brothers her united and returned to do motown's 25th anniversary show. after a high-powered manley of their songs, michael took the stage alone and they pop history. from the first beat of "billy jean" and the cost of that hat, i was mesmerized. when he did his iconic moonwalk, i was shocked. it was magic. [applause] michael jackson went into orbit

and never came down. though it ended way too soon, michael's life was beautiful. sure, there were some sad times and questionable decisions on his part, but michael jackson accomplished everything he dreamed of. [applause] at 10 years old, he had a passion. he had a passion to be the greatest entertainer in the world, and was willing to work as hard, to do whatever it took to become what he indeed became, the undisputed king of pop, the world over. [applause]

what kid would not give his right arm to fulfill his wildest childhood dreams? michael loved it all, every moment on stage. every moment in rehearsal. michael of creating what had never been done before. he loved everything and everybody, especially his fans. [applause] i must say, he did have two personalities. off days he was shy, soft- spoken, and child alike. but when he took the stage in front of his fans, he turned into another person. a master, a take-no-prisonersç showman. it was killed, or be killed.

michael was awesome. totally in charge. the more i think and talk about michael jackson, i feel the king of pop is not big enough for him. i think he is simply -- i think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived. [applause] [applause] [applause]

çmichael, thank you for the jo. thank you for the love. you will live in my heart forever. i love you. [applause] ♪

>> i have gone from where is he to here she is again. >> fame, fortune.

♪ ♪

♪ [applause] [applause]

>> this is a moment that i wished that i did not live to see come but as much as i can say that, and the mean it, i know that god is good. [applause] and i know that as much as we

may feel -- and we do -- that we need michael here with us, god must have needed him for more -- far more. michael, i love you, and i have told you many times. i am at peace with that. i also told you that i never imagined that i would write a song with quincy jones. my sister would get me the cassette and bring me and i was amazed. ♪

ç >> ♪ i never dreamed in summer i thought you would go and come back home back home but i will not be standing

alone you said you would be polite in autumn -- the light in autumn and then you would be the one to lead the way no i never dreamed in the summer now that my life has goneç away

michael, why did i hear you say no more linying no more pretending that they will go when i go

all those bleeding hearts they will go when i go when i have gone so long when i have gone so long they can never show their face here here

♪ ♪ [applause] [applause] >> i love you.

[applause] [applause]

[applause] >> we all know no one ever gave on stage like michael jackson. michael was also a true humanitarian who gave just as much off stage, as he did on stage.

michael and his family came from humble roots and michael always cared deeply for those in need. beyond all of his records that he broke as a recording artist, michael even made the guinness book of world records for the most charities supported by pop star. [applause] because he gave so much to so many of us for so long, michael jackson will be with us forever. [applause] >> i met jesse jackson 30 years ago. he was a season-ticket holder for the lakers as well as his brother. jackie and i became friends, and he becameç -- began to invite e

to his home. then i got to know his brothers, sisters, incredible mother and father. we would run all over the place and have fun. barry, just like you lost in softball, so did die. we had some incredible *. then he invited me to go on tour with the brothers. then i got to see the genius of michael jackson. he was so incredible. he always had command of not only the band, his brothers, but also the audience. i truly believe michael made me a better point guard and basketball player as i watched him be the greatest entertainer. from there, michael called me one day and said i want to talk to you about being in a video " remember the time" but i had to

double check to make sure that it was really him. [laughter] i was scared to go to his house because he was my idol, he was everything to me. i went to his house and the shaft asked me what i would like. i said, grilled chicken. we talked about theñi video and what he wanted me to. thee chef brought me the grilled chicken and brought michael a bucket of kentucky fried chicken. [laughter] went crazy, michael, you need kentucky fried chicken?! that was the greatest moment of my life. [laughter] [applause]

we spend a great time he did not kick in on the floor. i want to say this -- this is a celebration of his life, of his legacy. [applause] i want to thank michael for opening up the door for so many african-americans. he allowed kobe and i to have our jersey's, and people across the country, because he was already there. he opened the door for us. his three children will have the most incredible grandmother that god has put on this earth to take care of them. [applause] michael's had three children

will have incredible uncles and aunts to take care of them as well. [applause] and they will have plenty of cousins to play with. may god bless this incredible family. we are praying for you. remain strong. we want to thank the city of los angeles for putting this on, aeg, and may god continue to bless you, michael. [applause] [applause] ♪

[applause] >> ♪ hold me like a river of jordan and by what say you were my prayer carry me like you were my brother love me like a mother will you be there?

everyone takes control of me i'm so confused and you will be there to care enough for me told me show me the me i will be there

♪ >> in my deepest despair, will

he be there? will you be there? in my trials and tribulations, through our dumps and frustrations [applause]

[applause] [applause] >> all over the world today, people have gathered to celebrate the life of a man that taught the world how to love. people may be wondering why there is such an emotional outburst, but you would have to

understand the journey of a çmichael to understand what he meant to all of us. for these that sit here as the jackson family, a mother and father with nine children that rose from a working-class family in gary, indiana. they had nothing but a dream. no one believed in those days that these kinds of dreams could come true, but they kept on believing, and michael never let the world turn him around from his dreams. i first met michael around 1970, black expo, chicago, illinois. jesse jackson stood by them, like now. from that day, to this moment, he never gave us -- he always gave us dreams.

it was bad dream that changed culture. when michael song, it was a different world. but because michael kept going, because he did not accept limitations, because he refused to let people decide his boundaries, he opened up the whole world and the music world, he put on one glove, put his pants up, and broke down the color curtain where now our videos are shown, magazines put us on the cover. it was michael jackson that brought blacks, whites, asians, latinos together. it was michael jackson that made us saying we are the world and feed the hungry, long before live aid. [applause]

because michael jackson kept going. he created a comfort level with people who felt they were separate became interconnected with his music. it was that comfort level that kids, from japan, gone back, and france, iowa, pennsylvania, got comfortable enough with each other and say that it was not strange to us to watch oprah on television. it was not strange to watch tiger woods' golf. those young kids grew up from being teenage comfortable fan of michael to be in 40 years old and being comfortable to vote for a president of color to be the president of the united states of america. [applause] michael made us love each other.

michael taught us to stand with each other. there are those who like to -- but we are going to uphold his message. it is about his love that message. as you climb up steep mountains, sometimes you score your knees, sometimes you break the skin, but do not focus on that, focus on the journey. michael did, and he rose to the top. he out sang his cynics, out dnaceanced his haters. every time he was knocked down, he got back up. michael never stopped. michael never stopped. [applause]

i want to say to mrs. jackson, the joe jackson, sisters, brothers. we thank you for giving us someone who taught us love, someone who taught us hope. we want to thank you because we know it and was your dream, too. we know that your heart is broken. i know that you have some comfort from the letter from the president, nelson mandela, but this was your child, your brother, your cousin. nothing will fill your heart's loss. but i hope the love that people have shown will make you know that he did not live in vain. i won his children to know, there was nothing strange about your father. it was strange what your father had to deal with. [applause] [applause]

he dealt with it anyway. he dealt with it for us. some came today to say goodbye to michael. i came to say thank you. thank you, because you never stopped. thank you, because you never gave up. thank you, because he tore down our divisions. thank you, because you eradicate the barriers. thank you, because you gave us hope. thank you, michael. thank you, michael.

çthank you, michael. [applause] [applause]

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>> michael was a one-of-a-kind. i'm thinking back to when we met and the many times we spent together, and whenever we work out together, there was a picture taken and there was a caption of some kind. it usually said something like an odd couple, an unlikely pair. çbut to us, it was the most natural and the easiest of friendships. i was 13 when we met, and from that day on, our friendship grew.

michael always knew he could count on me to support him or be his state -- date, and that we would have fun, no matter where we were. we had a bond, and maybe it was because we both understood what it was like to be in the spotlight from a very young age. i used to tease him and say -- i started when i was 11 months old, you are a slacker. you were, what, five? [laughter] both of us need to be adults very early. but when weaver together -- we were together, we were two

little kids having fun. we never collaborated together. we never performed together, or danced on the same stage. although he did try, in vain, one night to successfully -- unsuccessfully teach me the moon walk. he basicallyç just shook his hd and crossed his arms at my attempt. we never filmed a video war recorded a song, but what we did do was laugh. it was always a competition to see who could make the other one laugh more. michael loved to laugh. his heart would just burst out of him when he was laughing. he adored it when i did silly imitations or told him stories

about my life. mj's laugh was the sweetest and purest laughed that i have ever known. his sense of humor was a delightful. and he was very mischievous. i remember the night before elizabeth taylor's wedding. he had called me prior and asked me to join him. he did not want to be on the for the festivities. we tried to sneak in, to get the first peak of the dress. we were giggling like crazy. we almost passed out from hysterics when we realized that elisabeth was asleep in the bed. we thought she was in another room.

and then at the wedding when it was the first dance, basically, we joked that we were the mother and father of the bride. yes, it may have seemed very odd to the outside, but we made it fun, and we made it real. when he started wearing the glove, i said, what is up with the glove? [laughter] i said, if you are going to hold my hand, it better be the non-gloved one. you just shake his head and smiled. he loved to be teased. seeing him smile made you feel like everything was going to be all right. to the outside world, michael was a genius with unchallenged ability. to the people who were lucky

enough to know him personally, he was caring and funny, honest, pure, non-jaded, and he was a lover of life. he cared so deeply for his family and his friends, and his fans. [applause] he was often referred to as "the king," but michael that i knew always reminded me more of the little prince. i would like to share a passage from the book. "what moves me so deeply about this sleeping prince is his loyalty to a flower, the image of a rose shining with him him

like a flame within a land, even when he is asleep. i realize he was even more fragile than i had thought. lamps must be protected. a gust of wind can blow them out. michael paul sense of sensitivity was even more extraordinary than his sense of talent, and his truth resided in his heart. as the little prince also said, "eyes are blind. you have to look with a heart. what is most important is invisible." michael saad everything with his heart. to his family, his brothers and sisters, katherine , joe, and to his children, prince, harris, blanket, my prayers are with

you. michael's favorite song was not one of become less masterpieces he gave us, but a song that charlie chaplin wrote for the movie "modern times" and it is called "smile." there is a line in the song that says a smile, know your heart is aching. today, although our hearts are aching, we need to look up, where he is undoubtably perched in a crescent moon, and we need to smile. [applause] [applause]

[applause] ♪ ♪ >> ♪ smile, know your heart is

aching smile, even though it is breaking when there are clouds in the sky you'll get by if you smile with your spirit smileç it maybe tomorrow you will find that life is still worthwhile if you just light up your face with sadness

hide every trade of gladness all through the years at the time you must keep on trying you will find that life is still worthwhile if you just smile know your heart is aching smile,ç even though it is breaking when there are clouds in the sky, you will get by

if you smile through your fear and sorrow than maybe tomorrow you'll find that life is still worthwhile ifyou'll just smile ♪ that's the time you must keep on trying smile, what's the use in crime

and you'll find that life was worth while if you'll just smile >♪ >> i love you, michael. [applause] [applause] >> at first, i must say, to mrs.

katherine jackson, joseph tracks and, the children of michael jackson, to his brothers and sisters, and to the entire jackson family, our prayers and condolences are constantly with you. my father once said, in life, one must discover what they're calling, and when they do, they

must do their job so well that the living, the dead come on board, could do done no better. he constantly challenged us to become our best by stating that if you cannot be -- just be a shrub in the valley, but the age from on the side of the road. if you cannot be the highway, just be a trail. if you cannot be the son, just be a star. whether you win or fail, you have to be the best of what you are. michael jackson was truly the best of what he was. [applause] finally, martin luther king jr. said, in life, if you should become a street sweeper, you

should sweep streets so well -- in fact, you must sweep streets like beethoven created music, like shakespeare created poetry. sweep the streets so that all the hopes of heaven and earth would have to pause to say coming here lived the great street sweeper who did his job well. on june 25, because he was the best, i believe have been and earth did pause indeed come up to say michael joseph jackson, here lived a great entertainer who did his job well. [applause] >> to the jackson family, being a part of the world-renowned family who has also experienced

a sudden deathç on more than oe occasion, my prayer is that no one and nothing, public or private, fact or fiction, true or rumors, will separate you from love of god, which is in christ jesus. [applause] because at the end of the day, it is only god's love that will anchor you, sustain you, and movie to a higher ground, far above the noise of life. there, you will find the peace, comfort, and joy to move on to advance michael's legacy. for all of us, it is apparent that like our father and mother, michael's life and work was inspired by the love of god. throughout the ages, few are

chosen from amongst us to use their gifts and talents to demonstrate god's love in an effort to bring the world together in true sister and brotherhood. michael was such a one. [applause] he epitomized the words of my father, that an individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns, çto be broader concerns of humanity. michael was always concerned with humanity. i want the world to know, that despite being involved in accusations and persecutions, as a humanitarian, he thought it not robbery to concern himself with one of this world of other humanitarian to, our mother during her illness, just three

months before her death. in october 2005, i was with one michael called her all the way from the middle east. she could not speak because of a debilitating stroke, but she listened as he said to her that he had been praying on his knees every day for her. to him, she was america's true loyalty. he wanted her to know this music was being played in the room because of its healing affects. my only wish is that he could have seen the glow on her face. if faces could smile, as we know that they do, that day, michael jackson made our mother's faced smile in spite of her condition. what an unforgettable moment. [applause]

he was such a thoughtful and selfless man, full of the unconventional love of god, and good works, that touched and changed lives. he was, indeed, a shining light. like our father martin, and in remembered of michael, may we all be inspired to go and let our light shine. rest in peace, our brother michael. [applause]

>> i'm congresswoman sheila jackson lee. i hill from texas. i speak to you from the many members of the united states house of representatives. i speak on behalf of the congressional black caucus, barbara lee of california, and i come to you as every man and every woman. i cannot reik music or dance or sing, but i do know an american story. to mr. and mrs. jackson, is a wonderful family of brothers and sisters, cousins, to michael, joseph,