brian monroe from l.a.ur. also larry king had a unique seat inside the staples center today and he's been talking with the family. we'll talk with him in a moment. >>> i just want to say ever since i was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. >>> michael jackson once said that he was most proud of his song "heal the world." today it was the final song at the memorial service. take a look at this. this is jackson's family and friends joining with the performers who had been rehearsing for the comeback tour. >> think about the generations and to say we want to make it a better place for children and our children's children so that they, they know it's a better world for them. and think they can make it a better place. ♪ there's a place in your heart and i know that it is love ♪ ♪ the place much brighter than tomorrow ♪ ♪ and if you really try you'll find there's no need to cry ♪ ♪ the place you'll feel there's no hurt or sorrow ♪ ♪ there are ways to get there if you cared enough for the

brian monroe is still with us, the last man to interview michael jackson. 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 superst

they're trying to wash that out of the system. >> brian monroe, thank you very much. our conversation took a turn i didn't think it would take. that's what we're here for. we really appreciate it. he'll help us through the michael jackson coverage. he's a contributor here at cnn now. thank you, sir. appreciate it. tune in for cnn specials presents on the life and times, the music of michael jackson, man in the mirror airing tonight at 8:00 p.m. eastern only here on cnn. tuesday just us for around the clock coverage of the memorial celebrating the life of this worldwide pop icon as family, friends, and fans all say good-bye to michael jackson. michael jackson, the memorial, cnn all day tuesday starting on "american morning" 6:00 a.m. eastern. on tuesday is when you'll start to hear about the tribute and emergen michael jackson's legacy as well it should be. >>> more political turmoil in iran and new trouble for mahmoud ahmadinejad as some top clerics may turn against him. what's next. so i can just drop off my car and you'll take care of everything? yep, even the renta

when we come back, speak to brian monroe.or of both "ebony" and "jet" magazines and had the last sit-down interview with michael jackson before he died. he's going to weigh in on his state of mind, what he looked like, last wishes and foreshadowing to his mortality still ahead. you all want to run your businesses more efficiently, so we've brought in a team of experts to help. one suggestion is to make your shipping more efficient with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. call or go online for a free supply and up to $160 in offers from authorized postage vendors. shipping's a hassle! weighing every box... actually, with flat rate boxes you don't need to weigh anything under 70 pounds. if it fits, it ships for a low flat rate. ok, but i ship all over the country. you can ship anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. ship international, too. yes, but i ship hundreds of things, in all sizes. great, because flat rate boxes come in four sizes. call now and we'll send a free supply, plus up to $160 in offers.

and cnn contributor brian monroe, the former editor of ebony magazine, and john ridley and jeff toobinjust a killer. heart breaking. and what was it beyond that for each of you that was really the most moving or really stayed with you? jim, for you. >> well, i was lucky enough to get a seat inside the staples center, and i was really struck by the humanity of this person. we know of him as an icon and entertainer, a criminal defendant at some point in his life, but you know what? he was humanized today. he was revered, he was on nhono for his brilliance, and by his family. people who love him. that made him like us. and we got to see a side that perhaps we never knew before. >> brian. >> that scene with paris really got me. i was sitting there watching it on the monitors and my daughter's about the same age, her name is shawna and i could see shawna saying to me, daddy, father, i love you. and it touched something deep in my soul, but also the same moment if you look afterwards the hug, the whole family getting together. deep inside that hug was little blanket. i remember when i met bl

joining me now, brian monroe, cnn contributor. he also conducted the last interview with michael jackson. and lauren lake, entertainment reporter and attorney. thank you both for joining me. after that reverend sharpton went on to say that he sees a double standard when you compare michael jackson to people like elvis, frank sinatra, and some of the negative things that happened in their lives. what do you guys think? lauren, you go first. >> you know, in a way there is a double standard. i mean, i think this time around they are doing a number on michael jackson. i feel like a lot of emphasis is being focused on things that weren't proven like the sexual abuse charges, versus things that are proven. his philanthropy, the way he's broken down racial barriers, his music business savvy and the way that he just really blew us away with his talent. so i feel like in a way we need to back up off of him for a minute and think of this man like if it was our own uncle, our own father. we don't want to hear all the things they did wrong up

joining us now from los angeles, brian monroe, our cnn contributor. the last journalist to interview michael jackson. lets talk a little bit about these three kids. did you ever have a chance to meet any of these kids? >> you know, i actually had the opportunity when we did the interview with michael back in september of 2007. at the hotel, we were actually, when i knock on the door, to open the door, we were greeted by blanket, the youngest son, prince michael jackson ii. and he was very friendly. had a canny dish with some life savers me in it and i said i'm okay. then he reached out to shake my hand elf reached out with his left has not. and michael stopped him and said, no, no, not the left has not. use the right hand. it was just that little moment that showed that father and son connection. i have a son about the same age. it was genuine. and that was the really special thing about seeing the services yesterday. and watching the family come together on stage. we saw paris who just brought tear to our eyes. with that sincere daddy, father, i've k

he's the former editor of "spin" magazine, and in los angeles, brian monroe. former editorial director at "ebony" magazine and the last person the interview michael jackson, conducting that interview in 2007. first, i want to say thank you to each of you for being here. and turn quickly to the superior court judgment today. granting control of those assets to the executors named in his will. what is the likely impact of that? is this setting the stage for a huge court battle in your opinion? >> i think we're going to see a court battle. this was a temporary measure today, not a final decision. we know we'll be back in court soon. this could drag on for quite a while. at the same time, control has been given to the lawyers, to the advisers that michael worked with throughout his career. this is not, necessarily, a bad development. >> i would agree with that. i don't know the legal ramifications of taking control away from the family in this situation, but john branca is one of the leading music attorneys in the business. john mcclain worked very closely with mi

the journalist and cnn contributor brian monroe is joining us now to talk a little bit about that andsome other issues that are still out there. lots of unanswered questions. have you heard anything specific, brian, about the body, where it is right now, where it might be buried? >> well, it's a little bit unclear from what i'm hearing. it could be in a mos leem near or around -- there are questions about how it made it back from staples center after the ceremony. they've got a little bit of time. i think they're trying to work out, there was application for a temporary internment at forest lawn. that's on file with the state. and they may be holding it there for a while until they can get, perhaps, the legal situation at neverland together with both the state and the -- the owners of the property, the co-owners of the property, trying to clear with the community of neverland. still an option. >> his brother jermaine jackson told larry king, that would be his choice, to see the body buried at neverland at that ranch. there's a lot of legal paper work you've got to go through to get pe

joining us, brian monroe joining us from chicago. he's the last journalist to have interviewed michael jackson. how credible, brian, do you think, first of all, the father, joe jackson, is? >> well, you know, he came out shortly after the death and as you saw mentioned to cnn's don lemon that he had concerns. with la toya coming out this weekend, you know, oddly enough, it would be hard not to at least give this some thought and some -- to see if there's evidence there. what i've heard through talking with those close to the family is that there indeed has been concern amongst several family members about the circumstances around michael's death. some folks have hesitated to go as far as saying it was murder, but there's going to be questions that are going to still be out there act what happened in the days and weeks leading up to his death as well as the investigation afterwards. i was told that, for instance, as you reported earlier, when michael first found out he, indeed, had been obligated for 50 shows, he, quote, flipped out, a

let's get some analysis of what's going on with our cnn contributor brian monroe. he was the last journalist to interview michael jackson. were there indications that you knew about that you had heard about of this amazing use of xanax? ten pills a night or either 30 or 40 pills a night? way, way beyond any normal use. >> well, wolf, when i interviewed him back in 2007, september of 2007, over the course of three days, i didn't see any evidence of drug use, that he was out of it. in fact, what i saw was the opposite. he was sharp. randi's report about the security guard eluding to him being on top of it, when i talked with him, he talked for a good hour and a half easily on a range of topics and there was no slurring of words, he was very much on top of it. but, you know, i talked to people who have been working with him, and, in fact, one of his health advisers during the trial just before that and said that there were times, particularly towards the end of the trial, when he would really be wiped out. that trial took a lot out of him. and we know that before, by

brian monroe, thank you. jeff toobin, thanks as well.te brother died at the age of only 50 years old. reaction has been pouring in. abby is joining us, our internet reporter. you are getting a lot of i-reports coming in from around the world. >> really, wolf, this was an event that was watched worldwide. you just have to go to i-report.com to see what we are talking about. we have had videos come in. watching the memorial service today, he tells us, we lost the god of pop music. there are more there. we see people whose workplaces just stopped in santo domingo in the dominican republic where they say everyone was gathered around the screens watching the memorial service today. then, of course. many pictures coming in from around the world at the staples center. we have some tributes here from i-reporters sending in what people are writing. good-bye michael, we will miss you. king of pop. all of these at i-report.com. >> thanks very much for that. >> brian todd has been monitoring the reaction from around the world. this memorial service

but brian monroe, the former editorial director of ebony and jet magazines and cnn contributor, sayswent too far by bringing up charges jackson was acquitted of. >> once you are proven innocent and not guilty, that's it. case closed. so for him to put those charges out there, whether or not he likes the performer or not, whether or not he even has a sense that the coverage has been over the top, i think he crossed the line. >> reporter: wolf, separately, king isn't the only congressman criticizing all the attention given to michael jackson. kentucky democrat john yorma said last week on a los angeles radio station that he was close to nauseated by the moment of silence on the house floor for jackson. he said he got up and walked away because he thought it was over the top. wolf? >> mary snow, thank you very much. >>> the reverend al sharpton had this to say in response to congressman king's comments. let me quote al sharpton. mr. king raises allegations that were found to be baseless in the courts. thank god millions of people openly disagree with mr. king and his comments. sharpton