War Erupts over MJ's Memorial Cost

46. AEG and the Jacksons should pay for this vulgar circus.

You morons need to stop mindlessly repeating comments you read at other sites about L.A. profiting from this show. You should quote numbers, and REAL ones, not fabricated inflated ones. The truth is the income has been nominal and still doesn't justify taxpayers underwriting this grotesque private event.

Why does the city of LA always wait until AFTER the fact to undo dumb decisions. They wait to see if taxpayers will get angry instead of doing the right thing in the first place.

The whole L.A. government should be recalled and start fresh.

Posted at 8:06PM on Jul 9th 2009 by More Proactive, Less Reactive

47. Yeah normally we as the family have to pay for our own memorial services, but this isn't exactly the same thing. The family had a private memorial, which I am sure they paid for. The service at the Staples center was not just for the family, but for all the fans around the world. I suspect the family didn't even plan this event, but that some outside entity was involved. So, really, who planned this thing? And, who agreed to it? Maybe we should be looking at them.

Posted at 8:05PM on Jul 9th 2009 by kqueen

48. Let's not forget that MJ had money and he could have paid for his own final arangements when he did his will that's what most people do when they have money. So why does anyone out there think it's ok to let someone off the hook for their final expense and put it off on taxpayers?

Does anyone know that when a person dies and they don't have any money or their family cant pay the tax payers pick up the bill for it? Now when this happens the family doesn't get the Death Cert. so if it is a father or mother with kids they DON'T GET SOCIAL SEC HELP that they may be entiled to because the state holds the death cert. until they get their money for the cremation that the taxpayers paid for.

I had to borrow money to pay for my ex husband who had no family and I had been divorced from him for 13 years and we had one child....he never remarried nor did he have any other kids......so I work 7 days a week to pay back friends that help bury him. Now you want me to pay for a rich guy to be buried?????? NOT.....HE DIDN'T HELP ME TO BURY MY EX HUSBAND!!!!!

NOW THE TAX PAYERS PAY FOR THE POOR TO DIE AND NOW THEY PAY FOR THE RICH TO DIE.......WHAT THE HELL!!!!!!!

Now I can say I have seen it all.....I'm paying to bury the rich!!!!!!!

Posted at 8:05PM on Jul 9th 2009 by You have got to be kiding!

49. The cardiologist and the security guard should pay for the cost of the funeral and anything related to it. This is my theory on the foul play. I have a couple of questions that might need to be considered. Was MJ wearing shoes while the cardiologist was performing CPR on his bed? If so, is there a possibility that MJ might have collapsed somewhere else and carried to his bed by the doctor and the security guard? Umh! According to the 911 call from the un-identified caller, the caller is asked by the dispatcher if anyone had witnessed anything and the caller asked the doctor "Did you witness anything?" The call itself sounds pre-rehearsed and emotionless. The King of Pop was not breathing and the caller could only say that a 50 year old male is not breathing. There seems to be something missing. What do you think?

Posted at 8:07PM on Jul 9th 2009 by Thinker

50. AEG should pay.AEG should pay something to show goodwill,public relations, etc.It would be a tax write off probably anyway.

MJ Estate should pay City of LA for the same reasons.

Posted at 10:31PM on Jul 9th 2009 by Kazemi Family files lawsuit

51. Of course the Jackassons should pay. They bring up all this whoopla that his fans want a memorial. No one even knew he still existed. They get these fancy ass rolls royce limos and range rovers to drive them and versace suits made. Plus an overly exagerated and rediculous coffin. Get over it and pay your own bill and let this stupid state recuperate its money.

Posted at 8:09PM on Jul 9th 2009 by betduke

52. what have the jackson family paid for....even the hire cars were for free. there spent there whole life as free loaders, sponging from michael.
whos making all the money from all the pictures of mjs kids thats in every magazine....mj never wanted them in the public eye the media circus as he called it.
AEG claimed there would lose money from the concerts now being cancelled but also stated it was a risk worth taking, and seemed to be upset at the fact there friend had just died....so why were they charging the media there anyway....just shows mjs friends were only friends with his bank account. the memorial should of been free for there friend.there were even selling programmes outside of the venue.
the city made its money by the amount of money spent by the public just being in the city.

Posted at 8:11PM on Jul 9th 2009 by tootsam

53. Did michael have life insurance? If not then i think the family should, or maybe the rich senators they pocket all the money anyway.

Posted at 8:21PM on Jul 9th 2009 by thekahealani

54. I AGREE! THE FAMILY SHOULD PAY FOR THE FUNERAL OF THE SON,BROTHER THEY LOST. WTF.
THE POOR GUY CAN'T EVEN REST IN PEACE YET! HES NOT EVEN BURIED YET! I AM GETTING F*CKIN PISSED.
I feel like getting his body and buring him with my family already! and I will pay for that myself.Poor guy.
JACKSONS PAY THE BILL!!!

Posted at 8:18PM on Jul 9th 2009 by michelle

55. City Council needs to get grip, AEG doesn't owe a dime. The MEDIA (TMZ, Enquirer, CBS, NBC, ABC...) created this circus and profited quite handsomely from it, they are the ones indeed who should pay if anyone. The city has been dumb enough to allow media to post up at location after location, blocking/slowing traffic with their basic round the clock invitation to public to COME ON DOWN, they keep the hype and the public keep feeding (Shark week). Sad part is the police should have taken control from the start. Political correctness and fear of law suits have prevented them from doing the job. Move along, move along nothing for rubber necking a** to see. begining always City council DO YOUR JOB. People of L.A. be respectful and move on. Police don't allow things to get to the point that it's OUT OF CONTROL (LAKERS, RIOT, or ICON) do what you need to not what the bait tossing media feeds the people.

Posted at 8:26PM on Jul 9th 2009 by Duesenberg

56. Shouldn't the Jackson's at least offer to pay some of it? Why are they letting this get out of hand?

I'm sure that if I wanted this kind of police response at my funeral, my family would have to pay!

Posted at 8:22PM on Jul 9th 2009 by Sally

57. Let's be honest here!Would the city charge any other citizen or expect them to pay? When LA pressed charges against MJ didn't they say they were treating him as any other citizen!!!!!!!!
L.A .DEAL with it! Treat him like a regular citizen NOW!!!!

Posted at 8:27PM on Jul 9th 2009 by jcandme

58. The family, AEG, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor and all of his friends should throw in for it. These "celebs" all cried, swearing he was such a good friend. like a son or brother...let them pay for it. And a $25,000 casket? Come on-this never should have happened like this. Tell me, will Michael be doing a James Brown tour?

Posted at 8:26PM on Jul 9th 2009 by janine

59. Who makes a will without making their funeral plans and obtaining life insurance? I didn't. I mean when you make a will it's because you know that death is a sure thing in life. But in death the Jackson family still want to make money off of MJ which is why some of them want his body to be buried in Neverland. Thank God his Mom knows better but I don't think she'll win this war, it's a business decision. Anyway, the state shouldn't have agreed to the escort if the state didn't have the money. Since this family resides in Ca. again I say let them pay for it.

Posted at 8:49PM on Jul 9th 2009 by Yvonne

60. Disclaimer: I ,for now, choose to side with Michael Jackson not guilty verdict for this case only.

When Michael Jackson was rising in fame and fortune some of us witness a genius of Individual Achievement with songs ranging from 'Billy Jean' , 'Thriller' , or 'Man in the Mirror,. Michael Jackson was ,of course, allowed in a Free Society to capitalize on his acheivement and become very successful. With songs like 'It does not matter if your black or white' , his ever changing skin tone , and the Rise of 'Group Nationalism', his Critics were on the attack. Criticism of Michael Jackson included calling him a 'race trader' or 'ignoring the community (Critics like Al Sharpton,etc.) . As the years moved forward Michael Jackson became less famous until he was accused of a terrible crime. It was at that moment Michael Jackson
became desperate and so called leaders like Al Sharpton or his 'Nation of Islam' Brother Jermaine Jackson starting Exploiting Michael Jackson. Michael ,eventually, rejected the Nation of Islam , but the Group Nationalists keep on exploiting this Individual achiever.

This can never been so evident at Michael Jackson Funeral. Majic Johnson claimed 'it was the best day of his life when he ate chicken with Michael' (best day of his life ??) and Jamie Fox stated that 'we shared this black man with the rest of the world' (did Jamie Fox even know Michael Jackson that well to say that?). Apparently if you you are part of that Collective group , you have permission to Exploit an event or person to further the group image . Unfortunately , Group
Collectivism or State Collectivism has Allowed some many nefarious figures to Hid their corrupt ways (example Jeremiah Wright 'a Criticism towards him is a Criticism towards everyone in that group (in his case 'black americans') which is a Big Lie for a Corrupt but Rich person Or many Collective State Politicians (too many to list)).

Therefore , Michael Jackson become a Very Successful INDIVIDUAL on the way Up and EXPLOITED by the Group Nationalists on the way Down.

Posted at 8:28PM on Jul 9th 2009 by Michael Jackson EXPLOITED BY NATIONALISTS (Al sharpton , Jermaine Jackson)