Jackson Memorial as Tribute to a King

The spectacle that will be Tuesday's memorial service for Michael Jackson, to be carried live on major networks (10 AM Pacific/1 PM Eastern) and the world wide web, will surely draw a huge audience and provide the sort of event extremely well-suited to the television medium in the 21st Century. As Jackson was known as the King of Pop, this memorial for a monarch will include music, passionate recollections, and stagecraft, fitting for a figure of his stature. The last time TV covered a royal remembrance of this scale, the realm belonged to the regal Princess Diana. At that gathering, Sir Elton John sang goodbye to England's Rose, a version of Candle in the Wind that went on to be, probably, the best selling single, ever. Anticipating memorable moments, the networks have all sent their top tier talent to anchor this tribute to the ultimate entertainer who died so suddenly.

With today's technology, and the scale of what will be produced in Los Angeles, attending the memorial in person, will be a different experience from that of the millions who see it on TV. Of course, anybody who is in Staples Center will be able to watch replays and recordings to experience the full effect of the media moments that are created in memory of Michael. And anyone who attends in person will hold special memories for years to come.

As the celebrants convene for this end of life tribute, the tragic nature of Jackson's life and death remain poignant and disturbing. The July 9-23, 2009 issue of Rolling Stone includes an article written before Jackson died that reads like an eerie foreshadowing of the desperation that likely contributed to his demise. The pressure surrounding the preparation and expectations for this summer's London concert series was intense and unremitting. This was to be a make or break chapter in the future reign of the King.

As the world prepares for this final send-off many questions remain for the living. The simpler ones are not so simple and involve the future of Jackson's children, the circumstances and causes--in the broadest sense--of his death, and the management of his estate and the wealth associated with it. The more difficult questions focus on the timeless notions of tragedy. Fame and wealth, so sought after and pursued, become insatiable appetites, as success in life, as a parent, a friend, and positive force in the world become more elusive for the tragic figure.

Michael Jackson's abiding legacy will be his music and performances captured forever on audio and video recordings of the highest quality. But the interest in him and empathy for him is more complex. As he is remembered on Tuesday these nuances will be woven into the day's activities and outpouring of affection. And it will be on a scale fitting for a king. So in a sense, the world will stop as the media focuses on one story, for a moment in history, one more time.