The Macabre Circus

That's how one British journalist described yesterday's Michael Jackson funeral:

WHEN 11-year-old Paris Michael Jackson, who has spent her childhood hidden from the spotlight behind a veil, was pushed in front of a microphone to address 19,000 people and billions more at home - my mind was made up.

This wasn't a memorial for a pop icon or the greatest entertainer the world has ever seen.

It was a reminder of why MICHAEL JACKSON became a deeply unhappy, lonely man living an utterly bizarre existence.

It was a macabre circus.

Taking children to a funeral is one of the most difficult decisions a parent will ever have to make.

But the King of Pop's young daughter speaking as the climax of the memorial just wasn't right.

Paris didn't look comfortable and more importantly, capable, of doing it.

As the family gathered on stage I was surprised to see the children being paraded in front of a gold coffin holding the remains of their beloved father.

Then, as JANET Jackson struggled to lower the mic stand for her niece's tiny frame, I just couldn't believe my eyes.

I understand the yanks do mawkishness like no other, but putting a grieving child in the spotlight is questionable.

Having said that, her few words were deeply touching, bringing a tear to the eye.

The moment described above occurred while I was eating lunch in the Sports Grille at The Rio in Las Vegas. I couldn't see the TV at the nearby bar, but my wife could. I heard her say "oh no, is that his daughter" as she started to speak. We couldn't hear what was being said, but the pictures were very uncomfortable. See a replay later, the words were pretty uncomfortable too.

I only saw parts of the 2 hour service, but it appears to me that the only thing that actually humanized Michael Jackson was that awkward appearance by his adopted daughter (he was not the biological father). All the other hero worship and other nonsense seemed to reinforce the notion that this was a very strange entertainment icon, but you didn't get much of a sense of humanity out of it.

Don't think for a moment this is the end of the Jackson saga. I expect DVDs of this service to be on sale very quickly, and I hear there are plans for another event in London. The promoters will milk this thing...well, to death.