The idea that we would charge the family for a funeral is nonsensical." This is a quote from Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on the recent efforts of LA to set up a web site and ask for donations to help pay for the seemingly never-ending memorial service and funeral for Michael Jackson. To this, I have only one thing to say: REALLY?!? Since when is it over the line to expect the family to pay for a funeral? I don’t recall the mayor of Fort Wayne, IN stepping in to pay for my Mother’s funeral, then again, I couldn’t even get her husband to pay for her funeral (but he’s a dirtbag so that was expected).
I understand that this was no ordinary funeral. Given the fact that the service was public a certain amount of chaos was to be expected. Certainly, the family could not pay for extra traffic control, police presence, etc., but ordinarily the family would be responsible for the service and burial costs. It was not necessary to put on a Hollywood production that lasted for what felt like eight days to memorialize MJ. I’m really happy all his friends got to come together to show how awesome their respective talents are – I mean, pay tribute to MJ by showing how awesome their respective talents are – but it stills seem pretty excessive to me.
Making his funeral a worldwide event was a choice, not a necessity and that choice is the responsibility of both his family and the production company. Since this qualified more as a tribute than a funeral, shouldn’t it be handled the way all tributes are paid for, by those that produce them? So who was the executive producer of Mike’s celebrity showdown, I mean funeral? AEG Live is the owner of LA’s Staple Center, where the funeral extravaganza was held. I’m not sure whose idea it was to put on such a grand show, but I’m venturing what I feel is pretty accurate guess that the Staples Center honchos played a big part in pulling it together. Great publicity for them and no cost it seem now.
When you die, your funeral expenses, be they an incinerator and plastic baggie or three-day funeral will be paid either by your family or your estate. So why not make Mikey pay for it himself. The estate could pick up the tab with a little help from his large and famous family. All I know is that when you get to the point where you find yourself printing up tickets for a damn funeral, there is a good chance that shit is out of control.
I do realize that because I am not a fan of MJ, nor was I shocked at his death, my reactions might be a little less reverenced than others. Even so, putting on a 1.4 million dollar memorial service complete with some of the top celebrities in music and acting seems like overkill. Did they not think someone would have to pay for that? If I didn’t think there were limits or that someone else would pick up the tab for my activities, I would always order the lobster, shop at the most expensive stores, and keep a stable of fast cars and motorcycles. The reality, however, is that ultimately my choices are my responsibility and if I spend a little too much and go on a shopping spree instead of a shopping trip I don’t expect the mall to pick up the tab.
So while my sympathies go out to the Jackson family and his children, I gotta side with the city council on this one and think that maybe they shouldn’t be the ones to foot the bill for an event that at any other time would have charged an admission at the door. And if you want to know just how far I’m willing to go with this, ask me if I think some of the performers might have been paid for their “heartfelt” tributes. Go ahead, just ask me.
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