♪ ♪ you and i have made a pact ♪ we must bring salvation back ♪ where there is love, i'll be there ♪ >> outpouring of love through

song. an emotional tribute, thousands of fans, friends, family members gather to honor a legend, michael jackson, a man remembered pi millions as one of the world's greatest entertainers. this hour, hear the heart felt tributes as we remember the king of pop. welcome once again. i'm vinnie politan in for mike galanos. this is "prime news." a memorial fit for a king. thousands turned out, millions more tuned in to remember michael jackson, the king of pop. jackson's public memorial service ended at the staples center in los angeles. we've been covering it live for you all day long. jackson's body was there inside a golden casket, as fans, family members and friends, including some of the biggest celebrities you can name, sang, and said good-bye. perhaps the most touching moment, the one everyone is talking about, a rare appearance by jackson's own daughter, paris katherine, giving a tearful tribute to her dad.

>> ever since i was born, daddy has been the best father we could ever imagine. and i just want to say i love him so much. >> also light-hearted moments as dozens of celebrities, friends remembered the good times. >> when he started wearing the glove, i was like, what's up with the glove? i'm like, if you're going to hold my hand, it better be the non-gloved one. because sequins really hurts me. he would just shake his head and just smile. >> so i went over to his house to have dinner. the chef came out and said, what would you like?

i said some grilled chicken. so as we began to talk about the video and what he wanted me to do, the chef brought me out the grilled chicken, but he brought michael out a bucket of kentucky fried chicken. and i went crazy, like, wait a minute, michael, you eat kentucky fried chicken? that made my day. that was the greatest moment of my life. >> and i do know that as much as we may feel, and we do, that we need michael here with us, god must have needed him far more. >> and joining me, janelle snowden, and mike brooks, lauren lake, an entertainment reporter, and former backup singer as well. welcome to you all. what an incredible day. we start this all off by showing

you the clip of paris katherine. as we listened to her, because we've never really heard her before, and we saw her. and she said this one word, janelle, daddy. daddy. and to me, that's what really struck me, throughout the whole service. this was her daddy. and it humanized michael jackson and made him just like you, just like me, like any parent out there. this is daddy. this is someone's father who's no longer alive. to me, that's the point when this whole memorial service became so, so real. because you have a daddy, and the last thing you want to do as a father or a parent is not be there for your child. and now through paris, there you see her again, we see this is a little girl that's not going to have a daddy. >> i still can't watch that clip. i mean, i was sobbing. i cried the entire ceremony, but especially at this moment because her sentiment just seemed to silence all the other

noise, that there's ever been about miks mirvgs. at this point, all will it be is noise. may he forever rest in peace. and if you ever thought anything else of him at that very moment, as you said, he became so human. and just so real, so real to us. he was such a diety in so many ways. i mean, we obviously refer to him as the king. and i think today the ceremony was definitely fitting for a king. and at that very moment when paris spoke, like i said, it silenced all the other noise that there's ever been said about him. and also, when his brother marlon spoke. those two moments for me were just the most emotionally wrecking moments of the entire ceremony. >> lauren lake, daddy. daddy. you know, we forget michael jackson, we see him as a pop icon, as bigger than life, someone who has been in the headlines for years.

and been sort of in our lives for years. but for this little girl, this is daddy. >> and she's not about the music, even though she was singing the words to the songs. >> you noticed that also, didn't you? >> i loved of moment of it. but she wasn't about the costumes. she didn't care what color he was, what plastic surgery he had. whether he had -- how many rides he had on neverland. it didn't matter to her. it just mattered that she wanted the world to know, and i thought that was just so beautiful of her, that she took a minute amidst her greef and said, my daddy was the best father you could have ever had. and for all of you naysayers who have judged about him and talked about him and wondered how we were, if we had veil on our faces or we were isolated, she was there to tell you there today, that not only was her father a great father, but that she just loves him and missed him. like janelle said, that shut the noise up right there.

>> that's all that mattered. >> yep. >> there's nothing else that really needed to be said. >> and it was right close to the end of the entire ceremony. so appropriate. paul vercammen joins us, he's outside the staples center right now. paul, what's the mood there right now? >> it's absolutely kind of euphoric. a lot of people are glad to be there, glad to be a part of history. they've come from all over the united states. if i'm not mistaken, you come from gary, indiana. >> citizen of gary, indiana. neighborhood of 2,300 on jackson street. >> wow. >> i was part of the first concert to see the jacksons, we paid 10 cents to see them. he gave his james brown movement. >> you got to see the michael jackson memorial service for free. let's talk to other folks here. brooklyn, new york. what was it like for you? what do you remember most about this? >> it was so emotional just to be a part of this, to have closure to one of the greatest

icons ever with music. representing brooklyn and new york and lynchburg, south carolina, i just thank god for him. >> you came from se aflt. what do you remember most? >> i just remember that he was, you know, we always had posters on our walls of him. he's awesome. his music was great. he's an icon of our time, and we'll never forget him. >> we got free tickets yesterday after waiting around. look at his tan from outside all day. isaiah carter, thank you for that ticket. i'll mail you all the stuff in the mail when i get back. >> a lot of people sharing in the moment. doing what michael jackson would have wanted them to do. the and that is expressing with each other. for you, was there one moment in this show that kind of made you -- you have goose bumps or anything? >> when his daughter spoke at the end. you could hear everybody start wailing. it was so touching. the whole thing was very emotional, but that was the icing on the cake. >> let's talk about some of

these performances. no doubt perform answers for the ages. performances people will talk about for a long time. any part that you particularly loved? >> yes. i don't know who the kid was, but it was a young kid. he sung it real good. he sounded just like michael. he really did. >> my favorite was john mayer when he did "human nature." that was such a beautiful rendition. >> there's absolutely no consensus. maybe that's the smoking gun that it was so well done. people are mentioning john mayer, stevie wonder. jennifer hudson. we'll send it back to you. >> the one thing that is consistent with everyone, everybody is smiling right now. everybody's smiling. that's what michael jackson would have wanted. much more to come, folks.

♪ >> welcome back. what a day inside the staples center. what an incredible tribute to michael jackson. there was emotion. there were -- there was humor. there was a side of michael jackson that many of us did not ever get to see. and we got to experience it through the words of the many people who spoke today. let's go to jim moret for "inside edition" who joins us. he was inside the staples center. jim, thanks so much for making your way to the studio. we appreciate it. >> sure. >> first of all, inside, we had the experience outside.

and it was emotional watching it. you know, on television. take us inside the staples center. >> well, you know what struck me first was, we were anticipating massive crowds. when you talk about, oh, 200 to 700,000 people outsides the staples center, you always fear the worst. i'll tell you something, everybody this morning was really orderly and respectful, and everyone was on their best behavior. they were going in many ways not to a concert, but to a memorial. which is the way the family wanted it to be. and when i was sitting in the staples center watching people filter in, smokey robinson got up and spoke first. i don't know if he jumped the gun or what happened, but the family hadn't arrived yet, and he quot up and read a letter from nelson mandela and diana ross. and there was almost ten minutes where nothing happened. and everyone was not somber, but respectful. and patient. and waiting. no one got up, nobody spoke really. i think that it was exactly the kind of tribute -- it was a

surprising tribute. think about the staples center. this is where the lakers play. you've seen fans go crazy there. >> absolutely. >> but for today, for today it was really almost transformed into a house of worship. and it was very much a memorial service befeting the family. befitting katherine jackson's wishes. >> kara finnstrom joins us outside the staples center. kara, tell us about the mood of the fans as they're leaving and what's happening now. >> reporter: you know, thousands of fans filing out from staples center, and also the nokia theater. really just kind of quiet, reflectful. just a very orderly type of, you know, exodus from here. lots of fans going down the street behind me. some gathered right behind me here. we've actually pulled a few of them aside to get their thoughts. this is victor and victoria, a father and daughter who got the chance to see the service today. victor used to drive a dump truck back in the '80s.

he was always listening to michael jackson when he drove and he bake a very important person to him. you mentioned one moment during the service that really touched you. would you tell me about that again? >> well, it was when usher started singing "it's too soon," and when he laid hands on the casket. he broke down and cried and he made me cry like a baby, too. >> i know you said as a father, you were also touched very much by jackson's daughter, getting up to speak. tell me about that. >> yes. when she started crying, and saying how much she loved her father, it really -- the whole thing was very moving. the whole time, it was tears of joy, tears of sadness. i had a lump in my throat. it was one event i'm glad i never really missed. it was awesome. >> we thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

and a lot of people that we've been pulling over here sharing similar sentiments, very much touched by this service. >> unbelievable stuff. there's a father with his young daughter, young daughter probably didn't know much about michael jackson and today she learned a lot. much more to come, including your calls, 1-877-tell-hln. don't go anywhere.

he did have two personalities. offstage he was shy, soft spoken and child-like. but when he took the stage in front of his screaming fans, he

turned into another person. a master, a take-no-prisoners showman. it was like kill or be killed. i mean, michael was awesome. totally in charge. in fact, 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. >> there's wer berry gordy, helped launch michael jackson as part of the jackson 5. never came back down to earth according to berry, and everyone else. jim moret, the thing about a memorial, and it happens whether the person is a celebrity or not, when you're there experiencing it, and you hear

the stories that people tell, you really get a flavor for who that person was. and for michael jackson, i mean, this is something, i think it's a side we never really were exposed to. because friends humanizing michael jackson. >> he was humanized in a way. that's probably a good thing, frankly. so many people tell stories about how weird he is, and we saw his face change, and we heard his -- these allegations for years. you know, there was that side of michael jackson. definitely, even berry gordy alluded to the fact that he made some bad decisions, or i think he called them questionable decisions. but the point today really was to remember the person. the good side of that person. and there were obviously many good sides who touched so many of these folks. when berry gordy made the statement he was the greatest entertainer that ever lived, i think that the crowd stood and, it seemed like they applauded for about a minute solid. there was just a swell in the crowd. and there was a swell of

emotion, frankly, throughout the morning that only intensified and became more personal as the morning went on. unbelievable. janelle snowden, host at vh1. we talk about michael jackson, we always talk about the icon, the man, the pop singer. but today he became a human. we talked about his fatherhood. but a friend. a friend. >> absolutely. i think when brooke shields got up to speak about their friendship, as much talk as she admitted it was, that helped humanize it in a way that no one else could have done. she gave a great quote, i believe it was from the movie, the charlie chaplin movie that -- >> the smile song. what a moment that was. unbelievable. we've got much more to get to, folks. taking your calls, 1-877-tell-hln.

[ music ] >> welcome to comcast local edition, i'm donna richardson, and my guest this hour is christine bergmark who is the executive director of the southern maryland agricultural development commission. welcome, christine, it's good to have you here. >> thank you for having me. >> that's a big mouthful, and i know that you're working on an extremely exciting program, bi-local challenge. >> it is an initial that we launched two years ago, and essentially what it is is the last full week of july we ask everyone across the state of maryland and beyond to take a pledge, and the pledge is eat something or drink from a farm every day during that week. >> oh.

so where do we get the information about where to find the farms or how do we sign up for this pledge? >> well, there's a website. it's www.by-local-challenge.com that website will give you all sorts of information why to buy local and where to buy local and it connects you to other statewide initiatives that are going on at the same time. if you go to the website, we've added a count. people used to say, where do i sign up? normally you have to go buy, eat something from a local farm. this year we decided to add a counter to the website. when you are' counted, you can receive a certificate with your name on it that you can put up in your office or your home or wherever. >> which is very, very important. it's reduces your carbon foot print because you're driving hopefully a shorter distance, you have access to local

products that are available, and also it helps the farmers. >> well, and in fact, our theme this year is healthy plate, healthy planet. all kinds of benefits to buying local, benefits for you, healthy, nutrition, it's fresh, and preserving our farms survive, we keep clean water, we keep clean air, we reduce the carbon footprints from things traveling 1500 miles, and it tastes good. >> exactly. now for those people who may not cook, how can they be a part of this? >> yeah, sometimes people say, well, i hate to cook. that's okay. you can go to a store or to a restaurant that features local farm products, and there are more and more restaurants every year, some of them are on our website, and you can click throughout to find out who they are,. >> what kind of items can we acquire localfully. >> during the last week of july,

there is so much product available. there's sweet corn, blackberries, all kinds of tomatoes and melons are in season, and of course, there's always wine, cheese, eggs, meatss. >> so we do have a wide variety of things we can get. say that i go and i go to a local farmer's market and purchase something, what is a vegetable that i'm not quite familiar with, how did i find a recipe. >> excellent question. there are recipes on our website. people can post their own recipes of their own events and own blogs by why they buy local. some of the things i wanted to mention is the economic benefits. we talked about the planet, we talked about the fact that it tastes good, and it's fun, but there's also the benefit of

supporting our farms, and if every household in the state mucofmaryland were to buy just 2 worth of products for 8 weeks, basically the summer season that, would put $200 million straight back into the pockets of our farmers. that would do a lot to keep our farmers thriving. >> which is so important. i know we have less than 30 seconds, but you have some partners that you wouldn't typically think of who have now joined in. >> yes. hospitals are joining in this year. fact, they're looking to do a competition to see how many people they can get involved. >> have you exciting. christine, thank you very much for coming in today. >> thank you. >> my guest today has been christine bergmark with the southern agricultural commission. if you're interested in what comcast is doing in your area, go to on demand and click get local. for comcast local edition, i'm donna richardson.

i just want to say, ever since i was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. and i just want to say i love him. so much. >> welcome back to "prime news." i'm vinnie politan in for mike galanos tonight. if you ever wondered whether michael jackson deserved the

title king of pop, you can probably stop wondering after today. his memorial was on such a grand scale. one normally reserved for dignitaries and royalty. let's go to richelle carey with her quick recap of this day. what a day, richelle. >> what a day, vinnie, what a day. we have to remember, there's a family at the center of this. actually, that setup with paris remind the us of this. the jackson family started their day earlier today. his casket draped with flowers. first taken to the forest lawn cemetery for a private service for the family. then came the procession to the staples center in downtown los angeles. following the hearse, a dozen black suvs. they set aside 9,000 tickets they could give out themselves. there were also the 17,500 tickets available to fans for either the staples center or nokia theater across the street.

more theaters broadcast the memorial, more than two dozen across the country. really, it was a who's who of america that gathered to say good-bye. mariah carey, smokey robinson, right there, kobe bryant and magic johnson. religious figures, martin luther king iii the entire memorial was just under two and a half hours. like you said, vinnie, what a day. >> thank you so much, richelle. you know, there's been speculation that jackson would be buried at forest lawn memorial park in hollywood hills. the final resting place of many stars. but now tmz is reporting he won't be buried there. so where will he be laid to rest? joining me now to talk about this, jim moret, chief correspondent for "inside edition." and hln law enforcement analyst mike brooks. jim, i want to start with you. do we know anything about where michael jackson may be buried? >> no. well, i just came from the

memorial, and frankly, what we were all thinking last night was when there was so much activity at forest lawn, that it was taking place then and they wanted to basically avoid the crowds. but your guess is as good as mine. there's talk he may be cremated. it's really hard to say. i think today was a day when there was so much attention on the memorial itself, that frankly, many of us were surprised that the coffin was brought in there. because we thought that the service would have already been done. but now it just keeps this guessing game alive. >> talking about a guessing game, mike brooks, when they do in fact figure out where michael jackson's going to be laid to rest, i can't imagine it's going to be a secret for long, because you're going to have to set up security and you're going to have to make sure that the family, they want it to be a private ceremony, it will remain private. >> they will. lapd will make sure that happens, along with the l.a. sheriff's office and california highway patrol. just like today, vinnie, all day long i was speaking with one of the assistant chiefs of the lapd. he was talking about the crowds,

how few people showed up there, who didn't have tickets. he said there was about 15,000, maybe a little bit less. but he said everyone was very, very respectful. and everything went off without a hitch. from the motorcade, from forest lawn to staples center, california highway patrol shutting down the interstate, getting everyone in on time. it just was an unbelievable working relationship between l.a. sheriffs, lapd, california highway patrol and l.a. fire department. my hat's off to the citizens. and by the citizens who showed up because they were extremely respectful. they were just there to get a glimpse of the motorcade to say they were a part of this whole day. >> absolutely. let's get phone calls in. let's go to danny in louisiana. you're on the air. >> caller: hi. first of all, i'd like to say i was born and raised in detroit. and i grew up with motown. i want to give the jacksons my most sincere condolences, to all of his family. especially his kids. it's hard to lose a parent.

the but being a teenager, during motown era, was a great thrill for me. i'm really going to miss michael. he was one of the greatest. i just thank him and his family. >> danny, thank you very much for your calls and sharing your thoughts. emotion being felt around the world. let's go to michelle who's in california tonight. good evening, michelle. >> caller: hi. i wanted to talk about a poignant moment of the memorial that i thought was so special. when reverend sharpton directed a comment towards michael's children, and looked at them directly and said, your daddy, and i didn't get -- i don't completely remember it straight, but something about your daddy isn't strange. it was the strange things that he had to deal with out there in the world. and i just felt that was so important, and to show the whole world and to the children how important they are, and that their father and family is so important, just like all of us out here. >> michelle, thank you so much. i agree with you.

reverend al sharpton did a fantastic job. that was an important moment. it's a memorial. it's really for the public, but you want it to help the family. i think he did something fantastic for those children by saying, you know, there wasn't anything strange about your daddy. he looked at them and he spoke trectly to them. jim moret, who was inside at the time, how about that moment when reverend al sharpton got up there and directly addressed the kids and said, there's nothing strange about your daddy? >> well, you know, when you're talking about michael jackson, he was unusual. you would be silly not to say he wasn't unusual. he was. but part of what made him unusual was this child-like quality, this innocence that he had. i mean, i was watching, again, when you were playing paris, who, i believe, is 11 years old. my son is 11. i was thinking when she was talking, what he would do if this were my funeral. you know, i don't know how you couldn't get choked up when you listen to that little girl, and when you think about what she said. and you think about what al sharpton said.

you really put these pieces together. this was a complete person. this wasn't just a personality. this was a guy who had children that he loved. and yeah, he was odd. but boy, he was talented. and he was a genius. and he gave so much to the world. 750 million albums sold. that's a lot of albums. and he touched a lot of people. and today was a day to honor them. >> great point, jim. personality versus the person michael jackson. we're still taking your calls, 1-877-tell-hln.

thank you, because you never stopped. thank you because you never gave up. thank you because you never gave up. thank you, because you tore down that division. thank you, because you eradicated barriers. thank you, because you gave us hope. thank you, michael. thank you, michael. thank you, michael. >> reverend al sharpton doing a fantastic job today at the memorial, and made a point that i think is very, very significant when you talk about the impact of the career of michael jackson. and exactly what he did. you know, before we even sigh billie jean on mtv, there were no black artists on mtv. they were not allowed. janelle snowden is with us from vh1. michael jackson, along with the folks at his record label, broke

down those barriers. i mean, think about what mtv would be if it was still today all white. >> can you imagine? but that's the thing, with michael jackson, there was no racial line. i mean, sorry to say, but look at his skin. you know, obviously that was symptomatic of a deeper rooted problem. but maybe there was a larger thing that we didn't see, that he wanted to erase the boundaries on every level. i can't imagine the person that might have made the call not to play michael jackson's video. i don't know that he or she would be working in entertainment if that call had been -- the move. but i think that thank god mtv did play his music. thank god michael jackson gave us amazing music, gave us such hope, such joy and such dreams. i can't name one person who's been alive since michael jackson has been alive and performing ho was not touched in some way by him. especially not any artist. because of michael jackson we have chris brown, usher, justin

timberlake. and others that may not be direct descendents from his lineage, but michael jackson was truly the best. there was a great quote in the "washington post," that said he might not have been perfect, but at his best he was the best. >> jim moret, you talk about his influence that michael jackson has. the influence goes beyond just -- it doesn't have any color barrier to it. it doesn't matter, just like his song says, it doesn't matter if you're black or white. he's influencing music across the board. >> you see that in lyrics and other songs. you have ebony and ivory as well. he touched so many people. when you looked at the crowd at the staples center, you saw diversity. and i think when you look at michael jackson's fans, you see diversity. you can't sell 750 million albums around the world without appealing to the world. and i think that he was much bigger than we really gave him credit for here in the u.s. of the he was a global phenomenon.

and i still remember, i remember seeing 1983 the 25th anniversary motown special where he did the moon walk for the first time. i remember we were at a party and we were watching this little tfb at the time, and we were stunned. we had never seen anything like this. it was often like that with michael jackson. you said, wow, what was that? it was that ability to create new things. that makes him -- >> to be a unique talent, to be an individual, to be a unique talent. one thing we do know, michael jackson loved his fans, and yes, the fans loved him back. how are they reacting? you're a big part of the show. give us a call, be heard, 1-877-tell-hln.

he was an older gentleman.

he had a short afro. a goatee. and his clothes were rumpled. i walked up behind him and said, michael, what are you doing in this store? he turned to me and said, marlon, how did you know it was me? i told him, you're my brother. i could spot you anywhere, regardless of your makeup. >> and marlon and his brothers and sisters are now gathering at the wilshire hotel there for a luncheon being hosted by janet jackson, michael's sister. the motorcade arriving. i'm sure there they will exchange more stories about their brother. and invite some friends and do like any family would do after you've buried a loved one. you know, you get together. you have a little something to eat. and you exchange those stories. and you try to laugh a little bit and perhaps have a few more tears roll down your cheeks. but the jackson family going

through what families every day in this country go through. welcome back to "prime news." now, we've been going through tons of your calls, e-mails and texts about michael jackson's memorial. and "prime news" correspondent richelle carey is here with some of your comments. richelle? >> vinnie, thousands of texts and e-mails.@ lots of facebook comments as well. let's give you a sample of them. liz in minnesota wrote this. our hearts ache for an icon who passed away too soon. michael jackson, you will be truly missed. our hearts hurt. but your music and the love that you taught us so many of us to have will forever live on. cheryl in arkansas wrote this. i was not into m.j. as a teenager or young adult. i realize now the man was brilliant, talented and mistreated. i'm the one that lost. i thank you for letting me receive the goodness of m.j. even at this age. randy in ohio sent us this. although m.j.'s death is tragic, we can all find comfort in the fact that we have one guardian

angel watching over us. you're the king of pop. rest in peace, my friend. we will miss you forever once the star on earth, now a star in the sky. losing michael is like leaving a piece of my childhood. m.j., you transcend music, art, performance and life. you live in our hearts forever. again, just a sample, vinnie, of the overwhelming response we've gotten online. people are reacting and they're going to their computers to tell us how they feel. >> and it keeps you very, very busy richelle. >> yeah, it does. i appreciate people sharing that with us. >> let's bring back in paul vercammen. he's outside the staples center. paul? >> vinnie, you can't script this. they have now broken into "we are the world." it's a love-in. let me give you a listen. okay. that caused them to lose the song. tone yu, you painted michael jackson. >> yes, i did.

the day that he passed, an hour later, i was painting. i went up to the hospital, i gave out a lot of them free at the hospital on that day. and i made a lot for the people. >> what is your memory? >> i had a very unique perspective, paul, of being here at the show. i was backstage. i have my program of the artists performing. and my signed program by brooke shields, stevie wonder, mariah carey and usher. the most i'll take back with me is the sentimental perspective values that even entertainers have. i saw mariah carey, she didn't even want to come back to her seat. she was very distraught. she left during the show, after her performance. >> stacey, you were in there. what was it like? >> it was just amazing. you could just see all the people. they showed their love for mike. go, michael! >> that has been shown by them breaking into "we are the

world." real quick -- >> it was so important for me to be here. just like the inauguration. as long as i was there to mark history, that's the only thing i cared about. i didn't get in, but i was yet in. >> reporter: terrific. thank you so much. well, vinny, you get a sense what it's been like here, people breaking into song and people trying to represent michael any way they can. all of them going to take away a memory for a lifetime from this event, vinny. >> thanks so much, paul. it's a celebration. people are smiling. jim moret was inside. did you get one of those programs? >> i got this program. this is the one that we were handed as we walked in. it's really beautiful. it has different photos and sentiments by some family and friends. this photo though on the back was the most touching because it's an old photo of the jackson 5 when they won their very first talent contest in gary, indiana and then this photo of michael jackson taken on the stage of the staples center and the date

june 23, 2009, just two days before he passed away. so, you know, this is really the beginning for michael jackson and the end. it's a beautiful keepsake. i didn't get the program that that other person did, but this is really a touching one. >> it's amazing how all this came together relatively quickly. i mean, when you put together a show like this, generally you have a lot more lead time. they didn't have it here and a job well done by everyone. folks, we've got much more. more reaction from fans. if you're a michael fan, please call us, tell us your memories, what you think about michael jackson and what this whole day really meant to you. 1-877-tell-hln. ♪ you and i must make a pact, we must bring salvation ♪

♪ ♪ like the river of jordan and you were my prayer ♪ ♪ you and i must make a pact, we must bring salvation back where there is love, i'll be there ♪ >> an outpouring of love through song and emotional tributes.

thousands of friends, fans and family members gathered to honor a legend, michael jackson, remembered by millions as one of the world's greatest entertainers. this hour, see the tributes as we remember the king of pop. i'm vinnie politan. this is "prime news." a memorial fit for a king, thousands turned out. millions more tuned in to remember michael jackson, the king of pop. just a short time ago jackson's public memorial service ended in los angeles. of course, we've been covering it live for you all day on hln. jackson's body was there inside a golden casket. as fans, family members and friends all celebrities, including some of the biggest ones you can name sang and said good-bye. perhaps the most touching moment, the one everyone is talking about, a rare appearance by jackson's own daughter, paris catherine. giving a tearful tribute to her dad.

>> ever since i was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. and i just want to say i love him. so much. >> what a moment. joining me now jim moret, for "inside edition." michael yo from e! entertainment, janelle showden host at vh-1 and brian monroe, the last to interview michael jackson. oh, wow. let's begin here. jim moret, you were inside. tell me about that moment that we just saw, that moment, what happened inside the staples arena. anybody not to get choked up.

honestly, this is the third or fourth time i've seen that, and you just get chills. i mean, that is -- if anyone was wondering if michael jackson would be humanized today or deified, he was made a man, a dad, a friend, a brother, a son, an artist. i think that one moment really though encapsulated the entire spirit of today. it was a memorial. it was not a concert. it was not a tribute concert. it was a memorial to pay final respects and i think a lot of people got closure, and that moment with paris really brought it home. that this little girl doesn't have her dad. like him or not, michael jackson, to this girl, was the best dad there was. and i bet her brothers feel the same way, than really, really personalized him. >> brian monroe, last person to interview michael jackson, what do you think michael jackson would have thought of what happened today inside staples

center? >> this was an amazing combination of joy and tenderness, a perfect tribute to the man to his family and to the legend. he would have been very proud at every little detail from how usher did a tremendous performance of "gone too soon" to how his family, his brothers and sisters and charn came up at the end and that very touching moment with paris. one thing i remember about that is watching paris lean on janet's arm and janet touch her and say it's going to be okay, it's going to be okay. >> michael yo, today, so much emotion, but there was also a snapshot of michael jackson as a human being, hearing some of the stories told by berry gordy, stories told by brooke shields. we got a picture of michael that i don't think we ever had before. >> absolutely. when brooke shields went into the story about why they hung

out, how they were great friends, when she said, hey, mike, what's up with the glove? i was a little kid at that time. i had the glove, i had the jacket. you can go into magic johnson talking about wow, michael jackson it's kentucky fried chicken. this is great. >> that was amazing because to me, you know, magic johnson is bigger than life, but to magic johnson, michael jackson was bigger than life. >> and you got to remember, magic johnson has won championships and he said the best day in his life was having chicken in michael jackson's house, kentucky fried chicken, eating is fried chicken when he asked for grilled chicken. it was great. you heard fantastic stories. >> janelle showden, brings up a great point. magic johnson, you talk about smiles. everyone always talked about his smile. even magic johnson was in awe of michael jackson. >> who was not in awe of michael jackson? michael jackson was larger than life. i think that was so evident in today's ceremony but at the same

time that it was evident, we were able to just sort of feel like we could touch him and that he was humanized and that he was one of us. he was so larger than life, his entire life, that many of us felt like we couldn't relate. and there is not anyone who can relate to michael jackson. there is no one who had michael jackson's life. there is no celebrity who can relate to michael jackson because no matter who you talk to, how big their celebrity is, michael's is always far bigger. my friends and i when trying to express the magnitude of something major, if something horrible were to happen we would say you're acting like michael jackson died. by that, i just mean that he was the standard upon which all big things were based. >> all right. let's listen to what magic johnson had to say today at the memorial. take a listen. >> i was scared to death to go over to his house because this was my idol. he was everything to me. so i went over to his house to have dinner. the chef came out and said what would you like?

>> i said some grilled chicken. so as we began to talk about the video and what he wanted me to do, the chef brought me out the grilled chicken, but he brought michael out a bucket of kentucky fried chicken. and i went crazy like, wait a minute, michael, you eat kentucky fried chicken? that made my day, that was the greatest moment of my life. >> michael jackson, magic johnson eating kentucky fried chicken. much more on the jackson memorial and we're taking your calls, 1-877-tell-hln.

>> he studied the greats and became greater. he raised the bar and then broke the bar. his talent and creativity thrust him and entertainment into another stratosphere. >> motown founder berry gordy remembering michael jackson today inside the staples center out in los angeles. brian monroe is still with us, the last man to interview michael jackson. brian, was there anything that michael said in that last interview that would be poignant today, the day of michael

jackson's memorial? >> well, you know, i remember i asked him about the occasion of the interview was the 25th anniversary of "thriller" so i asked him to rewind 25 years ago and tell me the difference between the michael jackson 25 years ago and the michael jackson today. he said the one main difference is that he has kids, a family and how those children have really made him whole. his son blanket was there at the interview and watching today, on that last shot with all the brothers and sisters and the children on the stage, if you look real closely, blanket was tucked in right in the middle of that giant hug. that's where blanket and paris and prince michael really belong is right in the middle of that love. right in the middle of that family. >> and i think that's the one message that came through to all of us today is that michael jackson, yes, he's the icon, yes, he's the singer, the superstar but he was daddy to three children, and those children don't have their daddy today. let's take a phone call here. we've got joe who's in arizona

tonight. joe, you're on the air. how are you? >> caller: how are you? sir? >> okay. what did you think of today? >> caller: well, today is a day that i want to say that when god looked down from the heavens and he saw the greatest gift that he always was all about and the greatest gift of all this love. now, how long this love is going to last after michael -- we go through the memorials is for all of us to see. but today when god looked down from the heavens, he saw nothing but pure love. and that's what we're supposed to be about, each and every day. and that's what i see out of this today, and it's truly. >> that's a great message. i'm sure michael would agree with you today. thanks so much. we also heard a very touching, touching tribute by brooke shields who could relate to michael jackson. remember they used to go out on dates together and both young stars. here's what brooke shields had to say about being in the public spotlight so young and being able to relate to michael jackson.

>> we had a bond. and maybe it was because we both understood what it was like to be in the spotlight from a very, very young age. i used to tease him and i'd say, you know, i started when i was 11 months old. you're a slacker. you were what, 5? both of us needed to be adults very early. but when we were together, we were two little kids having fun. >> two little kids just having fun. unbelievable. you never thought of it that way. you didn't think of that way

when you saw brooke shields together with michael jackson. michael yo, how about that? really, you don't really get into the -- you don't understand what it's like to be a celebrity. you don't know what their lives are like, we kind of look from the outside. but today we were on the inside. brooke shields took us there. >> yeah, and i think everybody that hit the stage really took us there. when you think michael jackson, you think big-time superstar. you think this guy's untouchable. but today he was humanized, the stories about lim, you know, growing up through the past. when you saw him as a kid and going through all the changes of his life, you see okay, this guy is a celebrity and i can understand why he did some strange things at times. i mean this guy had no childhood and like brooke said, they were kids when they were 18, 19 years old, they still were kids. michael never had a childhood. i think he really wanted one. i think it came through today. going back to what paris said at the end of the show, no matter what you think about michael jackson, the great thing about

it is a lot of people said she shouldn't have talked, a lot of people said she should. the great thing about paris talking at the end she didn't say michael jackson the strange guy. she said daddy. that was a perfect wrap-up to everything. >> that was the key word today that i heard. more jackson memorial coming up and we're still taking your calls, 1-877-tell-hln. ♪

♪ there comes a time when we stand together as one ♪

♪ there are people dying it's time to lend a hand the life is the greatest gift of all ♪ >> we are the world, remember that one? what a -- remember, that was a whole project spearheaded by michael jackson along with lionel richie but michael was the star of that video. he's the one that drove that whole thing. what a perfect tribute at the memorial when everyone started singing that and they've been singing it outside the staples center today to continue on. welcome back. we're talking, of course, about michael jackson's memorial today. and the continuing saga. it doesn't really end today, but there was a moment, there was a moment today that i thought was very, very significant. and it was when magic johnson was speaking to the crowd. and magic johnson talked about some eating kentucky fried chicken and other things but it seemed like he was putting his

two cents in today about who should get custody of michael jackson's children. take a listen to magic johnson. >> his three children will have the most incredible grandmother that god has put on this earth to take care of them. michael's three children will have incredible uncles and aunts to take care of them, as well. and they will have plenty of cousins to play with. so may god continue to bless this incredible family. we say that we're praying for you, remain strong. we want to thank the city of los angeles for putting this on, aeg for putting it on, as well. and may god continue to bless you, michael. >> all right. michael yo from e!

entertainment, right there it sounded like magic johnson was trying to get in the ear of some judge in some courtroom in los angeles about where these children should end up. >> absolutely. a couple of people made reference to katherine today on stage. i think everybody's voicing their opinion. it's going to get ugly. today we're celebrating the life of michael jackson but in the next couple days and the next couple weeks, it's going to get really, really ugly ugly because miss rowe is going to come into play. she hasn't gone legally after the kids but she could. she has every right to have them if she were to pursue it. it's going to be very interesting in this case but i think a couple of people that went on stage mentioned how great katherine is. >> jim moret, the court of public opinion clapping along with michael jackson inside the staples center today. >> magic johnson said something else in that little bit you played. that was he thanked the city of los angeles. this is something else that's going to come back because the

city is $530 million in debt, today cost an estimated 1.5 to $4 million to put this on for services, public services. and we in los angeles are paying for it. and a lot of folks here don't think that the citizens should pay for it. so a couple of interesting bits in that one clip by magic johnson. but clearly, he's partisan as were most of the folks there. and they feel that katherine is a wonderful mom. michael jackson always said so and they feel she should have the kids. >> you know, as you were mentioning, police say the memorial is probably the largest memorial they've planned for since the 1984 olympics. security was a huge task. how many people showed up? plus, we'll take your calls. 1-877-tell-hln.

>> older ja, he had shorts, afro, crooked teeth and his clothes were rumpled. i walked up him and said, michael, what are you doing in this store? he turned to me and said, marlon, how did you know it was me? i told him, you're my brother. i can spot you anywhere, regardless of your makeup. >> it was a spectacular memorial. and we now have ceo much aeg, randy phillips joining us. randy, thanks so much for taking time to join us. really an incredible day today. i'd like to get your perspective as someone who's helping to

organize this whole thing. >> well, you know, finding that right balance in three days between something that had entertainment value for his fans and also was reverent and memorialized his life was a very fine line and i think we achieved it. and for that i'm very proud. i think my friend got the proper sendoff. i wish we didn't have to do this, but if we were going to do it, i'm glad it came off as good as it did. >> dpr all the e-mails and text messages we're getting and everyone that watched this thing, you absolutely were able to walk that fine line. tell us about the decision to have michael jackson's casket inside the staples arena because originally, i guess people thought it was not going -- he was not going to be there. how did that all happen? >> well, the truth is when i stepped in and offered our company's help and services in putting this together, katherine jackson always wanted her son's

body here. okay? she wanted it to be a real funeral, not just some hollywood memorial service. so but what we did is for public safety reasons, we decided to not advertise that, not tell people, kind of discourage them from coming down here. i think we did a pretty effective job of convincing the fans, legions of fans that the best seat for this event was at home and that's why the streets weren't clogged and public safety went as well it did. we purposefully withheld that information from the public. >> randy, from your perspective as someone close to michael and knew michael and being part of this memorial today, what was the moments that you will remember from today? >> there were actually two. the one that killed me, okay, i actually found out my walkie-talkie wasn't waterproof when paris got up and spoke about her father. i knew what a great dad he was. i spent many, many hours with

him and the kids and he was like a real traditional dad. when she said that, i lost it. and i wasn't the producer anymore. this was my friend, okay? the other thing is i thought reverend al sharpton hit it out of the park when he put michael's cultural significance in context, especially in terms of breaking down the race barriers in our country. many still exist but michael did so much to move race relations along, in addition to creating this beautiful music. >> absolutely. randy, the other thing many folks as we know, he was in the staples center preparing for this big comeback. and we know that there is video footage of this. when are -- when is the public going to be able to see michael jackson? >> well, as you know, at the beginning of the week i released four still photos from the rehearsals from this is it shows that he and kenny ortega created. the show is breath taking.

i did that because i got tired of people talking about him being frail or eccentricities or drugs. that seemed to be the discourse up till then. on thursday when kenny and travis payne is the choreographer and i decided to go public to refute some of these images that were being created by this 24/7 news cycle where everyone's a talking head, people who haven't seen him in ten years knew more about him than we did, we decided to go public. that's when i release that had footage. that footage was 1:43 uncut. it was live switching. but we did not edit it to make him look good. we didn't sweeten is the vocals. that was him singing. that's why i did it. i did it just to set the discourse straight. >> are we going to see the rest of it? folks are fascinated by it and people are so impressed by it. are we going to see the rest of it. >> we have 100 hours of documentary footage that's some of the most compelling michael jackson intellectual property.

>> i will take that as a yes. >> it's a yes. >> thank you so much. we appreciate your time. fantastic job today that you did. paul vercammen is with the crowd outside the staples center. what's happening now? >> reporter: well, vinny, they won't go home and a lost folks, of course, calling this the moment of a lifetime for them in terms of a memory they can hang on to. look over here. we have carl low who has never had plastic surgery so he says. you're a michael jackson look alike. what was it like for you in there? >> it was very sad to see the casket roll out and hear his daughters talk about her father being gone. >>. >> reporter: we have somebody from jamaica today. any moment that you remember more than another. >> michael jackson, i try to get tickets and i couldn't and i have to stay home and watch you guys. i have to come down here and do my my thing. >> michael jackson got him to geri curl his hair. you're from san francisco. >> i am. >> what do you make of all this?

what did he mean to you? >> he meant everything to me. he inspired me to do volunteer work, travel the world and spread messages of positive activity. inspired me to get a tattoo. i mean, the man is not only a brilliant entertainer but he has a heart of gold. he healed the world. thank you, michael. we love you. >> thank you so much. this is very much a world thing because demarcos now lives in hollywood and has a jackson license plate. tell us about michael jackson and your connection. >> i'm from sudan and i'm proud to carry the same citizenship as michael jackson. i grew up and listened to his music. have i learned english language through his music. and i got this license plate because of him. since the end of 1990, 1992, he has one of those license plates. >> thanks so much. vinny, dimarco is probably about the third or fourth person who told me they learned english in a foreign country by listening to michael jackson records.

we're not quite sure what all the words meant but morph it had when they came to the united states. the transition was easier because of that master at teaching language, michael jackson. vinny? >> amazing stuff. thanks so much, paul. we appreciate it. folks, we've got much more to come. don't go anywhere. ♪

thank you because you never stopped. thank you because you never gave up. thank you because you never gave out. thank you because you tore down our divisions. thank you because you eradicated barriers. thank you because you gave us hope. thank you, michael. thank you, michael. thank you, michael. >> al sharpton, part of a spectacular memorial today for michael jackson and joining us now, we have kenny ortega, director of the michael jackson memorial. he was also the director of the mixed emotions today preparing for this big tour and instead you had to prepare and put together a memorial. >> yes, you know, it was -- it was a hard day, you know, a little less than a week ago. a week ago. but i have to say that through the generosity and graciousness of the jackson family, their

invitation to kenner lich and i to help them in the planning and organizing of today's memorial filled an awesome void and gave me a purpose and reason and enabled me to get through the really tough couple of days. today really helpful in bringing closure and happiness to my heart. >> a job well done, kenny. tell us about those final days with michael working with him. how was his energy level? what were his spirits? how was he feeling? >> he had the reins. he was steerings us to london. you know? he couldn't have wanted it more. he couldn't have been more excited about it. it was important to him for so many reasons. he wanted to share it with his children who are now old enough to appreciate what it was that he loved doing and while he was still young enough to really do it, you know, and he wanted to do it for the fans. you know? the fans that had stayed at his side through thick and through

thin always, devoted. and loving and he wanted to do it because these messages that michael has been putting out there through his music it, we are the world, heal the world, not new songs, you know, underscoring, you know, the importance of really digging in and caring more about each other, about the human condition, about taking care of this planet that truly is in peril. >> kenny, was he happy? was he happy? >> he had the three most beautiful kids you ever could know who adored him and he them. and it brought such goodness and happiness and delight into his life. and the excitement that he had to be getting back onto the stage and being in front of his fans was enormous. enormous. he was lit up. you know? he was like a lightning buck. >> what do you think michael jackson was thinking today as he was looking down on this memory?

>> i think he was pleased. you know? you know, this was never about a comeback for michael. michael didn't need to come back. as we all saw, he sold out 50 concerts in the wink of an eye and could he have done 200 and was intending to do many, many, many more. i would just say that he was -- he would be smiling because there was such love in the room. you know, michael always said, do it lovingly. say it lovingly. do it with love, that michael was one of the biggest hearts, had one of the biggest hearts of any man i've ever known and one of the most generous spirits of any person i've ever known. and i would just say that i think michael would have been happy with the enormous amount of love that filled that room today. >> and kenny, give us an idea of what was going to happen in those concerts. were the jackson brothers going to be a part of it, his sisters? what else was going to happen? >> anything was possible, you know, michael was taking 02 as

the house. he was the architect of this extraordinarily show that really was so dimensional in sits concept. and really had the intention to invite many people, and i'm sure his family, you know, to participate with him and to join him on stage. so that this could be an ever-growing experience for people that, you know, were coming to see him. and so i hope that we have an opportunity in the not too distant future to be able to repurpose this last great work of his and for us to be able to invite family and artists to join us in the sharing of this great, you know, and deep work with the world. >> what are you going to miss most about michael jackson? >> kenny, what are you going to miss most? >> he was the most creative person that i've ever worked with. he was inspirational. he was inspiring.

his energy, his laughter. his child-like qualities, his innocence. his love of all mankind. his love of this planet and all of its beauty. he constantly, you know, reminded us of how beautiful this world is. and how important it was for us to take care of it and each other. >> kenny, thanks so much for your time and really, a fantastic job done by everyone. we really appreciate it a.j. hammer from "showbiz tonight" is going to join us as well as jane velez-mitchell. michael jackson, the memorial.

♪ like the sunset dying from the raising moon gone too soon ♪ ♪ carry me like you were my brother me like a mother will you be there ♪ >> ever since i was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. and i just want to say i love

him so much. ♪ even though the pain and heart ache we will right back ♪ >> it was michael jackson that brought blacks and whites and asians and latinos together. it was michael jackson that made us sing "we are the world." >> hear the world ♪ ♪ for you and for me and the entire human race ♪ ♪ there are people dying if you care enough for the living it's a better place for you and for me ♪ ♪ we are the world make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race ♪

♪ there are people dying if you care the living ♪ ♪ make a better place for you and for me ♪ >> the celebration of michael jackson's life today at the staples center in los angeles. let's bring in jane velez-mitchell, host of "issues." and a.j. hammer, host of "show biz tonight." the first thing that struck me was one word, one word uttered by paris. daddy. >> yeah. i thought it was absolutely astounding. first of all, it's not very often we get to see paris. the jackson children have usually been concealed by masks. i thing that's the first time we have heard her speak, especially regards to her father. it was really an extraordinary event, actually, to hear her. and it seemed very spontaneous. i don't think you could coach a child to say any of that. to me, it said she's a very

sophisticated young lady, and she must be in a sense kind of aware that her father was a controversial figure, because she seemed to be defending him in a certain way. i think it's absolutely fascinating and it is certainly to me spoke to how the kids feel about the jackson clan. they were hovered protectively around her. and i wonder, to me, it said this kid could talk to a judge and say, hey, i know exactly who i want to live with. and answer that question without the adults around them making that decision. and it would seem to me from what i saw, these kids would want to stay with the jacksons. >> that message seemed very loud, very clear today. a.j. hammer is with us as well. we're talking about michael jackson. dddddddddddd