David Zurawik, I love you. So glad you're writing in the paper for my hometown! Thanks for being brave enough to say this stuff...

I think it was no more excessive than Natalie Holloway or Jon-Benet Ransay. 24/7 “news” stations milk these type of stories for ratings. Lowering journalist standards to the point that anything on television is now first entertainment, even news broadcasts (“Network”, anyone?).

IM SO UPSET ABOUT THE WHOLE ISSUE. I BELIEVE IN MY MIND THAT MICHEAL JACSKON WAS MURDERED BY HIS OWN DOCTOR .. I LISTEN TO HIS MUSIC AND LOOK AT HIS PICTURES EVERYDAY I DIDNT REALIZE HOW MUCH PAIN A FAN NOR A PERSON CAN FEEL AT A TIME ,I MISS YOU MICHEAL AND IF I HAD SOME WAY TO BRING YOU BACK TO MAKE THE WORLD STOP HURTING STOP THE PAIN I WOULD, IN A HEART BEAT LOVE YOU MICHEAL JACKSON LOVE NICKEY

No, it wasn't excessive. What people need to understand is that a figure like Michael Jackson transcends race, color, religion, culture, etc. . and that's why people all over the world loved him. Music is healing, music brings joy and peace. Michael's music was about love, peace and hope. People have made all the major religions of the world exclusive; only certain people will be saved. Michael understood that God's love is inclusive and he spread this through his music; music is inclusive, love is inclusive and this is what Michael's music was all about; love, peace and hope.

SAVANT FUSION
We either accept the words or persist in blind ignorance, which makes us worth-less than original intent. Living begins, Off the wall, by never thinking or doing anything, unless we mean It. The love you save is a final curtain call, “I Love You” is It; I really do, just smile and there’s nothing more to say. When a savant dies, those privileged to know them are revisited, by them, in dreams; this is Savant Fusion, some embrace the challenge and others will disown It.
The choice between what’s known and what’s unfamiliar is free and easy, as ABC, but if you want It back, you’ve got to be there, because I wanna be where you are, and I’ll be there. Whatever your name has Ben, the two of us need look no more, we’re the ones, we are the world, and we are here to change It; this is what we’ve Ben looking for and I just can’t stop loving you, because of the way you make me feel. Someone put your hand out, who is it a smooth criminal or thriller; beat It, but if you’re bad just leave me alone, in a state of shock, dirty diana and billie jean, such pretty young things!
So, just remember the time, we fell in love and you won’t believe It, but the girl is mines, mines, mines because she’s out of my life and it doesn’t matter if we’re black or white. Ever since childhood, I’ve been here with you, so you are not alone at this place hotel. I’m no dancin machine, but there may be blood on the line, on the dance floor, but that’s human nature’s way to heal the world; take a look at yourself, the man in the mirror, it’s a bit dangerous, but ask yourself, will you be there, if you wanna be startin something don’t put yourself in a jam, workin day and night, because you rock my world, although, It’s unbreakable you give me butterflies, in the back, and we’ve had enough of the way you love me - It’s time to ease on down the road, because you can’t win, so enjoy yourself, as you shake your body down to the ground, but we don’t want to fall again…we want to rock with you all night, so don’t stop until you get enough - Smile!

I too feel the media coverage was not "overkill". Michael Jackson and his music transcended national, ethnic, language barriers and Jackson was the consummate entertainer --- no one can deny his performances were electrifying.

His life was was both the nightmare and success of achieving the American Dream.... from humble roots to superstardom, but not without terrible sacrifices to his childhood, and dealing with abuse. This made for a compelling story that millions wanted to relate to on some level --- separate from his music.

The controversy in his life...his lifestyle choices, strange relationships, excesses and his preoccupation with plastic surgery....all too made for a fascinating life story.

While I grew up with the Jackson Five and Michael Jackson (Jermaine was at my high school) and loved MJ's music, I went on to preferring other sounds, later. In the years between MJ's first molestation trial and now, Jackson seemed to have at best become an oddity --- Wacko Jacko --- at worst a criminal. No one knows for sure about the latter.

But his death brought up a surge of old memories for me--- Jackson was really an integral part of my youth --- that I too was riveted by all the news coverage, and wanted more. If only perhaps to try to better understand who he was. A hard thing to do sifting through the sensationalist media.

I was lucky enough to attend the memorial, a beautiful tribute with such depth of soul.

And as long as there are tangled pieces of Jackson's life to unravel --- his cause of death, what will happen to his children, Neverland, his financial empire --- I will probably continue to be fascinated..... and watch.

What a surprise! It seems like the only people who are p------ off at Bill O'Reilly are black people because he bashed on one of your kind! Get over yourselves! YOU PEOPLE are no different than anyone else in this country. So an OK dancer died. Its time to move on now. It’s been almost a month, and I can’t even watch the news, I have to watch fake @$$ performances of people pretending to cry for MJ (his so called family). What a pathetic funereal that was! .... Am I the only one who thinks black people need to ease up a little?!?!?!

All i wnt to hear now is that MICHAEL JACKSON is alive he was faking i cant take it anymore now

I believe we didnt do enough for michael jackson when he was alive. he was in so much pain and unbelief because he loved the world and trusted people who turned on him and lied. If you lived that life you wouldnt be able to sleep either, so let's atlease have something positive about mj because we know the negative is going to follow in the media. I never seen so many authoritive people after mj. things probably got stolen out of his house again like neverthan. How much can a person take like marlo jackson said, maybe they will leave his brother alone, but I wish that was true the media want to hear negative things about mj and not report the good things, like in the world book about giving to more charities than anyone, abour breaking the barriers on mtv on radio, on magazines, opening the doors for more. listen to his music he wanted to heal the world. love ya mj

The media is the media: a business trying to make money. If we watch it they will broadcast it. I was more disturbed by Michael Jackson's family exploiting his death and children, and news veterans (Couric, Walters, etc) refusing to criticize their despicable behavior. (I can’t wait for the inevitable Jackson Reunion Tour next year.)

Well, one thing for sure is that Jon and Kate will appriciate not being the lead story anymore.

In terms of sudden deaths that shocked the world, Michael Jackson has to be right up there with Princess Diana, Elvis Presley and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In the "information age", we want as much information as possible right now. The media was just responding to the public's craving. I personally feel there was a little too much coverage, especially since it overshadowed Farrah Fawcett's fight with cancer.

I grew up with listing to Michael Jackson.
I cried the entire time ofr the funeral.
I never knew all the good things he did for this world.
You will always have haters in everything.
God Bless You Michael and Give You Peace. Comfort your family. Stand by your children who look just like you.

Obviously, if people are not watching the coverage, news stations are not going to continue to broadcast it. CNN's ratings were up some 900% the days following Jackson's death. People are interested in this story, thus the news outlets continue to cover and analyze. Look, Jackson was in a league of his own when it came to performing, songwriting and pop culture trailblazing. He was also in a league of his own when it came to the ability to perplex and astound an entire society, if not world, of people. Those things combine to concoct an extremely intriguing and interesting public figure that will ALWAYS draw attention, most especially in a controversial and uncertain death.

No, I don't think it was overkill. Despite what you may think of MJ, he had an enormous impact globally. Aside from his tremendous talent and impact on the entertainment industry, he used his fame, resources and influence to do much good in the world. There are certainly people who are alive today because of his work on USA for Africa; scores of children received treatment because of his contributions to medical facilities, he gave huge amounts of money to a wide range of charities.
I say if you don't want to watch the coverage, exercise your right to turn off the tv or log off the web. No one forced you to watch.
Pistachio, you are beyond ignorant. It is not just Black people who are upset with O'Reily. His comments were racially charged and insensitive, much like your own. But in addressing his comments, let me say (as a Black woman), I loved Michael Jackson for the little boy that inspired me as a child. I came along at a time when there were not a lot of people of color on tv; when "our" music was relegated to just one station, and we had no voice. Michael helped us to find our voice, even if it was just to ask, "who's loving you". And you are right, he was "one of our own". But he was also one of yours. You are just too mean-spirited and hateful to appreciate it!
Yesterday was not about whether or not he had inappropriate relationships with little boys, or if his talent was deserving of his fame. Yesterday was, as all funeral should be, about honoring the WHOLE person. It was about celebrating the goodness that existed in him - as it does to some exent, even to you - in all of us. Pistachio, try to remember that at the end of the day, someone said goodbye to a father, brother, friend. And a mother had to bury her son!

I think the news is great....keep it coming. I love watching/listing to it everyday, and it's not just because I'm a big fan...but because i really want to learn what happen to him.....who killed him. Well lets face it, "if" Michael Jackson took this drug, and it act's so quickly....then he wouldn't have had time to take out the iv and put everything away before his doc or someone found him with a low pulse. so clearly something is being covered up....and the news will help us understand a bit more. I only hope that the news will report the right stuff and don't make anything up cause you don't have a led...Michael deserves to rest in rest.....leave him alone...and just look for him murderer. thank you.

My thoughts mirror those of "Humpti." Because of the strange landscape Michael's life had settled into, I let myself forget how wonderfully I had related to his music earlier on in my life, both as a fan and a radio DJ.

As young girls, my friends and I formed the Hancock Street chapter of the "Michael Jackson Fan Club." Our prepubescent hearts beat faster as we would listen to his version of "Rockin' Robin" for hours on my girlfriend's Barbie record player and argue about which of us would eventually walk down the aisle with him (because in our heart of hearts, we knew it WOULD, without a doubt, be one of us).

During a brief stint as a Top 40 radio DJ, I remember playing his music almost on a continuous loop. It was during the "Bad" era when hit after No. 1 hit dominated my station's playlist and MTV's video rotation. I remember playing his stuff, "Man in the Mirror" in particular, during the breaks for my own listening pleasure. It was quite a feat, as I would have to set up the actual album on a turntable and listen to it through a second set of earphones. :-) (You younger bloggers can find defintions for the terms "album" and "turntable" on Wikipedia.)

I said all that so say this...no, Dave, I DO NOT think the coverage has been excessive. For me and millions of others, the wall-to-wall coverage has provided a platform for reconnecting with a part of myself I had lost, or in Michael's words, "Another Part of Me." One that passionate, positive and purely genuine. One that I really liked.

RIP, MJ.

BTW, caught your act on "Reliable Sources" and agreed with your POV 100 percent.

it wasn't too much media coverage, i agree. he had such an amazing impact on so many people; how can you understate that? michael jackson changed the world and history. it's an extremely moving event and the media should reflect that; personally, i absolutely love it, and i loved him. cried so much during the funeral.
since all this media coverage has happened, just about everyone i know loves him too- and i don't think it's brainwashing. all the great things he did are coming out; he will be remembered so lovingly, and it's almost a sort of justice. i love you michael jackson.

This Great American was not only murdered by doctors but also indirectly murdered by the media, long before the doctors got a hold of him. If they press the innocent issue instead of allowing us to feel guilty and continue to worp our thinking, he was guilty even though he was innocent of all the charges. If Postings of the truth were bigger then then lies of the fact of Micheal's innocents. We wouldn't be with out our Pied Piper . Even now where is the search for those that accused him, that lied. Why aren't they giving back the money they stole from a man that wouldn't fight back. Those grubby hands started this.

Hi i've been watching the live coverage of the KING OF POP Micheal Jackson ever since i heard he passed on and you know its hard to believe that this icon has left such a huge impact on all of his fans not only overseas but also here in little NEW ZEALAND. I've cried nonstop since his death and when i seen his coffin being wheeled into the Staple Center that;s when realised that our KING OF POP really is gone and you know what i do believe he was murdered but no one wants to be man enough to own up to what they did.My heart goes out to his family and his kids.His legend will always live within us.

It felt like the hoopla was trying to convince everyone how great and good MJ was. It fell short of a political sympathy campaign. It seemed like they were trying to "overcompensate" for something so it HAD to be that big....because there was a lot of things to compensate for in the life of MJ. They had to make it that big, so that people will not remember the controversies, odd behavior, family issues and personal hatred he felt when he was alive. Yes they had a lot to compensate for, to convince the masses that he really was GREAT...so in retrospect....maybe it was not too much. It takes something this big and of this magnitude to cover up gruesome realities. But I am a believer that if someone is great....they just are....no convincing and media arm-pulling is needed to prove this.

The soldiers that have died in this war are the heroes, the ones that took a bullet for someone else...the courage to face the barrel of a gun....not the barrel of a pill bottle because their plastic surgery went wrong for the ump'teenth time...they are the true humanitarians....they are the ones that are great. The ones whose families do not need to convince the world of their greatness....because they just are.

Michael Jackson was never a big part of my world and I didn't watch any of the coverage. It was there for the folks who needed it, but comparing this to the Kennedy assassination seems a little excessive. Elvis yes, Diana maybe.

I think it's a bit to much, ever heard of letting them rest in peace? I liked Michael Jackson alot growing up but people go on about it to much and take things way to serouis over a person they never even knew. I hate the crap jokes, there rude and dissrespectful and to much coverage is to much coverage.

I go on my normal news website and the only thing I see is this all the time and hardly anything else which might sound really bad buts its really starting to get under my skin. Some good news would be nice and this is just depressing all the time.

Do peolpe really believe that if MJ were guilty of those charges then the good and great of hollywood etc would still want to be connected with him ?Get real people,his childhood was taken away from him and he stupidly tried to recreate it.Parents screw up their kids and the kid has to take the crap! an amazing talent gone to soon,

I, personally, can't get enough new news about the incident. I honestly can't believe it's already been so long. I feel like I just found out. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it at all.

I thought it was a bit much, and stopped watching after the first day or two. I wasn't ticked off by the continuous coverage; I just changed the channel to something else. Thank God the Tour de France started this weekend!

I appreciated all the media coverage on Michael Jackson's life, death, career and memorial. I am deeply saddened by his passing. We have lost a great entertainer and philanthropist and the world has honored him. The Jackson family has lost Michael the person. And I mourn for them and for his children.

No one was forced to watch the coverage if they chose not too.

The world lost an icon. The Jackson's lost their son, brother, uncle, father. The icon remains and will live on forever while the Michael that mattered to his family is gone.

Michael lived the "american dream", the prince that rose from poverty to become king. It is a lonely job business being king. Great talent always comes at great cost. Michael paid those as well.

I just hope that his mother will be allowed to raise his children as he wished. She is where they belong and with the ONLY people who can raise them and tell them of their father.

My condolences to the family. Be strong.

I was 14 when I first heard Micheal sing the song "BEN" with Donny Osmands hit song Puppy love. From there on my life began just turned 14 years old 27/08/1974 I was born 1958. As the years went by we all changed all had our problems to deal with. Micheal changed in more ways. Family and peer pressure and maybe religion. I feel he had alot to make up for his lost childhood. And mistakes. Loving children is no crime maybe alittle more giving them love. Micheal wanting us to be one people is not to be mocked. A boy grew into a man who was different and wanted to be accepted, a man with alot of AROHA.(love) A giver not a taker. We will see you again Micheal in the Paradise Kingdom.
REV 21:1to5 Faith-Love-Hope. To his family who were there in the background his mother he so dearly loved and bro's and sister's and his children he loves I am so sorry you have lost your son your brother and a father my heart goes to you.

I think the tortured parts of our Selves resonate with The Lost Boy, and we individually and collectively identify. Michael wore his suffering, quite literally and very publicly, on his face….but really…it’s our suffering, too. He was the poster child for a particular kind of pain. When we illuminate his life and his death and all of the struggle in between, a compassion is engendered…not just for Michael, but for the gifted and bewildered children in all of us. There has been uncharacteristically magnanimous coverage in what has historically been a ruthless media culture, and that’s a little remarkable. It’s a challenge to be human, and from time to time we acknowledge that…together. I haven’t experienced it as excessive.

Is the coverage excessive? For me, yes. Comparing his death to Elvis' is reasonable, and maybe to Princess Diana.....but President Kennedy? Come on, he was an entertainer. To say he changed the world or history is an exaggeration. He changed the music world, or maybe the entertainment world. He did not have an effect on anything else.

I am sad that it over-shadowed Farrah's battle with cancer, a much more "noble" death.

I think most of the Jackson coverage is because of his abnormal personal life and the hint of scandal, ie. illicit drug taking and subterfuge. If it was all about his value of an entertainer or a humanitan, the coverage would probably not have been so excessive. What has made it so are the various conflicting stories coming out from family, Drs., staff, etc. Jackson's family is largely responsible for his unorthodox lifestyle and yet we continue to watch his father and his fake mourning (while he tries to line his own pockets).

I hope his death is used to punish the drug pushing Drs. Ignore his family; they, more than anyone, had the chance to intervene and derail this tragedy from its certain ending. But they probably saw Michael as little more than a bank. Keep him happy, give him what he wants, and the free ride will continue.

Zurawik, I appreciate this.. i like how the "6th comment" says how they went to school with prob Jackson 5 or one of..all of this is really touching to me and I always say to myself, "If only"..knowing what it's like to feel the way Jackson's dear ones do since i have been through and felt the pain...I tell myself, "the if only only change things and have beliefs that help me move on.

I really was glad to see the coverage and I don't think it has been excessive up to this point, but I personally want to be done now. I really can't take any more emotionally. I am glad that it has taken the place of Jon and Kate + 8. I was surfing channels yesterday and saw them and somehow they don't seem important anymore. Let's just pretend that there show is gone forever and we can let that go too.

I feel the coverage is perfect due to the person who Michael Jackson was. No one can say, this day in time that there's at least 1 song that hits home base with them...either from the 80's or presently. He has affected so many generations. I will miss him dearly and I cannont stop crying when I hear any of his songs. Keep up the good work, media...but try not to focus on the negative past, but find out what happened to him. And the last thing, give the children a break, they've been through enough. Love you Michael and you will never be forgotten.

I greatly enjoy Michael Jackson's music, but I think it's about time the media starts covering what needs to be covered: news. Michael Jackson died almost two weeks ago, and while this is a very tragic event that impacted a lot of people, I'd like to come home at night and learn how the military strike went in Afghanistan a few days ago, the developments with North Korea and the Chinese government's foreign policy towards the US. I think shows geared for entertainment, like ET (Entertainment Tonight), can and should continue the burial and memorial coverage, however, when I turn on CNN and all I see is Larry King interviewing another person who knew Michael Jackson, or admired him 12 days after he passed away, I think it's time we should move on. Let his family grieve in peace. He is an international sensation and groundbreaking musician and dancer, but it's time we get back to current events on our media stations.

Don't Stop.

Even when it's keep playing his musics in my heart and my mind.

I can't explain it, but I can't get enough of this story either, on tv or on the internet - I think it's not only because of his huge appeal despite his eccentricities, but also the suddenness of his death, and the mystery that surrounded him. The coverage has helped to lift some of that mystery and to humanize him. He had become a character (no pun intended) in the background of my life but now that he's gone, it seems like an era has passed, and I feel older somehow. It's very difficult to put it into words. And tbh I'm holding my breath to find out definitively how he died and what was the real state of his health, but it will all be just tragic and sad regardless of what the toxicology tests uncover, which may never be shared with the public anyway.

It wasn't excessive. He gave so much, and lost so much respect through the greediness of others. I honestly feel that many of his fans and friends over the years are feeling a bit of guilt, and maybe (hopefully) even the journalist/media who helped to destroy him. I also hope the two kids who tore him down by their parents doing and their doing...the lies for money and for taking something that was good for the world in many ways away. I do feel for MJ, and really did always believe in him although not a crazy fan. he did way too much good...plus those who accused were not the best of people, they had a history of using/suing/abuse to others in the past. Those with money who spent a lot of time with him all testified that he never did anything wrong and was always just a caring/loving soul.

This doesn't mean that a death in Iraq or anyone else's death is not significant, but MJ we had more of a connection to. anyway, I'm sorry that "we" can be so cruel to others at times for our own personal gain. RIP MJ....I just wish I could bring you back so you could finally see that people still did love you.

You are an amazing man Micheal, simply amazing. There will NEVER EVER be another MICHEAL JACKSON. Such an amazingly talented, warm ,loving, the list goes on, HumanBeing.

So Sad!! An abused child (Michael Jackson) is defended by McKauley Caulken while he tries to reach out to other abused children and doesn't understand the parameters. And his 11 year old daugher winds up defending him. Let this man rest in peace. Let his beautiful family grow in love and peace and may they know a beautiful life, as Michael would have wished for them!!!

No!

Don't worry about it. The coverage is well deserved. Look, when he passed, Twitter and Google crashed. AT&T couldn't hardly handle it. Staples website crashed. People wanted this coverage. If you or someone else doesn't want to see it or hear about it...Click...turn off the tv. I love the coverage. It isn't too much.

I think this whole media hoopla is getting out of control. Who cares about who the mother of "Blanket" is or who is the biological father of Paris or Prince Michael. Blood does not make you a parent. Michael is the only parent these kids know and it would be a disaster to try and remove them from the Jackson family. As they said. 1 billion people saw the tribute that Paris gave her father and most were deeply touched by that brief moment. That alone should tell the media and whoever else that is concerned. In Paris's heart as well as her brothers ..Michael Jackson is their dad and he is the best father in the world...and they love him very much. So leave these kids alone and let their father "Michael Jackson" Rest in Peace!

This will all die down in a couple of months. It will briefly be a big story when the cause if death is released but then it will settle down. He will be fondly remembered by many. Elvis had a #1 song 25 years after he died. We will just have to see if Michael has legs.

As one who merely turned off most of the hype, hoopla, and hysteria, its difficult to say "how much was too much." However, the networks' goal of delivering coverage aimed at those with IQ's of right aound room temperature appears to have succeeded admirably.

Don't Stop Till You Get Enough!!!

For the Fan who LOVED Michael, I think the coverage was perfect. I loved watching all the videos the first weekend afterwards on MTV & VH1, they both did wonderful tributes. Videos my kids have never seen before were shown, and a whole new generation of fans have sprung up. His music is CLEAN and good!
I will always love you Michael, you were my first crush!
I hope he Rest In Peace, and the media lets him go, we don't need to re-hash his trials......Innocent until proven guilty, and he was Innocent in every way possible.
I also hope Debbie Rowe stays out of the picture, she has no business interfering in the kids lives. To take the two oldest and leave the 3rd behind would be a tragedy. Those kids have and will suffer enough!
All My Love To The Jackson Family,
Your Fan!
Lynn

I don't think the coverage was too much. I grew up on the Jackson Five and was in love with MJ as a little girl and young teen.

I say let him now rest in peace; something the haters would not give him. MJ lost a lot of his childhood because he became a star at an early age. Him acting like a little boy sometimes was a way of regaining some of what he lost.

His daughter said it all at the end. He was the best dady that anyone could imagine and she loved him very much. People see the stardom and negative things, bt what about the fact that he was a human being. He was a FATHER, SON and SIBLING, The family has suffered a great loss; not because of his money, but because losing someone you love HURTS.

To argue in favor or against the Television coverage of MJ's death since it is such a relative event.

People that love him, will never get enough of him, people that hated him would be tired of it. The bottom line, it is both media coverage and every fan's personal limit, the point when everything sinks in and reality hits. Then it will all start to fade.

Interesting thing to note, is this is a artist, that his fans never knew in person yet had so much adulation for. If Michael was alive, I am very very certain he would have been touched by this love showered upon him. But such an expression is natural considering the iconic figure he was. Not only the fact that his albums sold more than any artist, worldwide but he literally grew up in front of an entire generation. In a strange way, I feel MJ did not detest all the attention he received good / bad. He was an astute businessman, a side that we do not give him credit for. He knew the business inside out, his friendships with stars, his work with new age artists on his remastered Thriller album, all point to him re-inventing himself constantly. He was definitely a genius.

A very important thing to note is, as with Elvis and Diana, his death was untimely, so many questions unanswered not only about his death, but about his love life, his kids, his skin condition & plastic surgery, reasons behind the settlement of the first first allegation etc etc.Different people remember Michael Jackson for different reasons but the common ground is electrifying performances, people have always had way way more than their money's worth during his concerts.

ON the other hand, we also have so many people that were touched by him, directly, indirectly, due to his music, dance, performances, charity and his honest good nature. I for one, looking at so many of his old interviews, can now completely understand and accept some of the so-called oddities in his behavior. He was always a gentle, person, soft spoken, friendly, loving, down to earth, humble human who never took his success for granted, these are the things that endeared people to him. Some people say, there's no smoke without fire and that he may be guilty of something, but the way I see it, he was just born in a wrong era. This is a society that is paranoid, NOT without reason or justification, about situations involving kids. Reality is it works both ways, there are some rich people who believe that they can get away with anything including child abuse and then there are people who take advantage of rich people for money, and then there was Jackson. I honestly., in my heart believe, he could never harm anyone, let alone a child, just never had it in him,especially when he has always been such an sensitive personality growing up. Just doesn't add up. Yes, he may have settled the first case, reason maybe that he did not intend all the details of his life out there (now there may have been stuff that was truly harmless and innocent but he couldn't risk it coming out since it may falsely portray him in bad light and guilty of other offenses).

TO conclude the note, If he had to face so much of media onslaught when he was alive, then all the attention showered upon him upon his death, is very natural and not completely unexpected. I am slowly beginning to find peace in the news now. It has sunk in for me, his loss although terrible and deep, only proves that no one, not Buddha, nor Gandhi nor anyone of us can live forever. So we must enjoy our lives fully comfortable with our own consciences on the choices we make, during the time we live on this beautiful place called earth.

i'm from macedonia i dont think that hi had many fans here becouse of the tabloids taht gave us a wrong picture about him but i knot taht for the real fans that know the truth about him it wasnt too much we love michael jackson and we are mourning about him ,his is our hero a legend and a king od pop hi gave us more than any star in this show biz .... i would love to wash more newsand information and songs frm him he will always live in our hearts .r.i.p.michael jackson

Who died?

Didn't watch a second, didn't care.The public did not want to let it go after a day or two -- and the media listened.

You say,"The public did not want to let it go after a day or two -- and the media listened."

The medis feeds the public today, not the other way.

michael jackson is gone....at first i was embarrassed or intimidated by it being 'unpopular' perhaps around my work to admit.... yes, i loved michael jacksons music.i admired the man, cared about the boy who never had a childhood. i didnt know him, so isnt it 'weird' to say, i love him? well, perhaps not in the romantic, soul mate kind of way. but he was a part of my life. i too, born in 1958 got emotional over songs like "ben" in my adolescence. i remember the feisty little boy, a powerhouse on stage. so, he has 'been there' for decades, took me through the 70's, leaving home and moving to a big city to work, back home again in the 80's, through marriage, divorce, being a single mother. it seems the one constant was michaels music. he didnt stop. he performed for more than 40 years...and did it well. he was blessed to have known his talent and what he was good at. through the scandals and criticisms i felt...well, i FELT. sad, dissapointed, loss, hope. weird eh. but watching the funeral helped remind me to celebrate the good, allowed me to say Yes, I WILL MISS MICHAEL JACKSON, reminded me that it is ok to enjoy him. gave me permission to remember the good. i am sorry he's gone, sad for his children having lived such a story book life with "the best daddy ever" to have to now go on without him. michael you were a tortured soul at times, rest in peace. and as marlon said, maybe now they will leave you alone.

I have heard various people complain about it being excessive, particularly on the day he actually died when it was all the media talked about that day. However, for me as an MJ fan, it has been great seeing this amount of coverage, and I still only keep seeking out more news about it.

No! It wasn't too much! Look who we are talking about! Yes, he was a human being, but not like any human being. He did so much for the music industry and loved helping the poor. Not everybody can do that. People who talk badly about him, they are just gelous and they should be ashamed of themself.
So..NO! It was not too much, I wouldn't mind watching more.

I grew up with Michael (slightly older than he) and in my teens and early adulthood he was my favorite star. His songs, his dancing, his on-stage persona, it was all enthralling and thrilling to me. I am now learning just how incredibly talented he was, and I had no idea how much he had given to help others in his lifetime - I don't ever remember that being news like the accusations and trial and on and on ad nauseam. How tiring all that was. However, "the day after" I am definitely NOT tired of the coverage - this is the only "news" event, other than Obama's election and inauguration I have ever watched and followed avidly, with expectation. There really is something special about him and I'll keep following the news to see how much that's good about him comes out! If the information that comes out starts to devolve back down into the bad and the ugly, I'm gone.

MJ was without a doubt an outstanding entertainer & generous humanitarian. He deserved to be honored for his accomplishments. A televised memorial service was appropriate , he had many fans. As far as all the media coverage throughout this whole instance. Some of it has been horrid. Accusations, discussions and details of autopsy reports. I understand that he was a public figure, but isn't anything private? I feel he should have been honored this way when he was alive and shown all this admiration then, when he could have known how he was admired and appreciated, not after he was gone. What about the poor little children of his, doesn't the media think that they might hear or read some of the things being brought forth? And I don't think its fair to start pointing fingers at doctors, ex wives nor others. Most of us, including media, did not know MJ personally nor the details of his everyday personal life. The toxicology reports have not come in yet, so no one really knows the actual reason why this happened. All we really know is that he was a great entertainer and humanitarian. I think it would be nice if the media could lay off for a bit and allow his children & family some healing time from the tragedy they have just experienced. I think some of the things that are being brought forth by the media is unnecessary and insensitive. I believe in showing a person their appreciation when they are here, when it truly can be felt, not after they are gone.

The coverage was excessive to me but not in terms of the media today that overplays everything. MJ was a fine entertainer and certainly one of the top music artist of his generation. But I wish folks would stop with all the crap about how MJ brought black music on the airwaves and how there were few black artists because of all the "racist" white folks. Anyone hear of Motown? And even before that you had many black singing stars. The 1960's and 1970's airwaves were filled with black artists. And it was more than just ONE station - please! And as far as MJ changing the world - what exactly did he change? Wars, famines, gang killing and so forth are still happening in record numbers. Look, MJ was a great singer and a nice person - end of story. Millions were touched by his death - that's fine. But please stop treating MJ as deity, like he was Jesus Christ second coming.

I love Michael and his big heart. We needed to mourn him. I found it very important, and was even surprised by the reality of what I experienced, inasmuch as I found that I was VERY appreciative, as a major fan of MJ's, that I was allowed into the memorial somehow, for my own closure. The world, or much of it felt that way . . . because . . . Michael Jackson is not just "any" cultural icon. The man gave us 45 years of his life . . . for me, his music defined much of my life, from 7 years old all the way through high school, early college, and more. I don't know my life without him, when I rewind the years. Also, when we come to know the work of an artist on such a regular, lifelong basis, "that" work then becomes part of us, we cannot extricate ourselves from it. It’s much of who we are. We begin to own it . . . that's what art is. And when that art becomes a part of us, we then somehow come to deeply know that artist, he becomes a core part of us. Art is given. And we took it and wore it around us. The body and breadth of his work is larger than life. I have not ever mourned someone, other than family, like this. I have hardly stopped weeping, from the heart, at all of this. His wonder, what we can learn from his sense of wonder. His gifts he gave to us. His electricity. His generosity. As Deepak mentioned, he gave us “The ecstatic”. These are the reasons we love him, mourn his loss, celebrate his life. His death and life have moved me, shaken me, brought music back into my house.

My heart really aches for the loss of Michael, what a sad tragic waste of such a great man. I have to admit i wasn't a great fan, but i knew what he what he tried to do, to try to make the world a better place, to try and make us see where we are going wrong and change. I knew he loved, he cared, he shared and he gave so much to the world. But the world never gave him much in return, he was ridiculed, belittled and often made a laughing stock of. Michael may of had some issues but i think hey who doesn't? At the end of the day he was only human just like the rest of us. Michael was greatly gifted and talented. He was something special and i for one am deeply saddened that he has gone. I have wept for that man and the pain that he been put through throughout his life. People should remember Michael for all the great he did and not for the lies and stigma that was attached to him. I truly hope that Michael knows that his fans loved him the world over and will never forget the good he tried to do. God bless you Michael, you truly were brilliant.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT MJ IS THE GREATEST ENTERTINER OF ALL TIME. HE TRUSTED PEOPLE BUT PEOPLE WANTED WHAT HE HAD MORE THAN THE PERSON HIMSELF, SO THEY BETRAYED HIM. HE HAS GONE THOUGH ALOT THAT'S WHY HE HAS GONE SO YOUNG. IF YOU THINK HIS DEATH IS NOT BIGGER THAN KENNEDY OR DIANA, YOU ARE WRONG. I WAS IN AFRICA WHEN DIANA DIED, IT DIDN'T COME AN INCH CLOSE TO MJ. FOR KENNEDY HE AT LEAST MADE HEALINE IN AFRICA FOR TWO DAY BUT JACKSON IS STILL MAKING HEADLINES NOW !!!!!!!!

I am sick of all the hoopla over a child molester. Why does he get to have days and days of national coverage? He is the one who took the drugs, what is this telling our young people. Put him in the ground or scatter his ashes but get it overwith. I have had enough of a man who turned his back on his own race.

It's a personal call if the coverage was excessive. What is interesting during this almost two week period how many stories were swept to the side. Gov Sandborn down in SC must be thanking his lucky stars everyday. More and more, it's becoming not what you do but when you do it......

Way too much praise for a pedophile.

They say time heal everything...2 weeks passed since u died Micheal and i still feel pain in my heart...I hope u found a better place four your self.Rest in peace

I respect MJ as an entertainer. No doubt he was an innovator and an icon. BUT, I do believe that there was overkill in the media surrounding his death only because there seemed to be little balance to it. MJ may have never been convicted of child molestation (as we were reminded DURING HIS FUNERAL?!) but keep in mind that OJ was also found Not Guilty of murder. Balance aside, there's only so much that the talking heads can cover until it becomes silly and people like Al Sharpton and other hangers-on have to get their faces in front of cameras only to help fill time in the coverage. They add nothing and certainly don't provide new news. Leave the entertainment "news" to shows like Entertainment Tonight or even TMZ, but CNN and other news channels should report it and move on to other news of the world instead of staying with MJ ad nauseum.

Hello Dave!
It has been 30+ years that we last communicated at the University of Wisconsin. I was pleased to see you featured on CNN with Don Lemon. As one of your professors at U.W.-Madison, I am happy to see that you still use your craft and insight to help your readers appreciate the various facets of African American culture.

Hello Dr. Thomas, I am so happy to hear from you. You were one of the smartest, kindest, most generous professors I have ever enountered. You taught me so much at UW. You were, in fact, a role model to me. I did not realize this until I just read your comment, but I now believe you were one of the major reasons that at mid-career when I was in my 40s, I went back to earn a Ph.D in American Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. I can never thank you enough for being so kind to me in Madison in the early 1970s. I hope you are well, my friend.

David

Z, I caught that too last night, CNN with commentator Don Lemon and Rev. Sharpton, and you (I thought there is Z, he is getting a lot of coverage lately). I agree with you too, we all gained some very good insight about racism from the MJ memorial and coverage in these last couple of weeks. This has been a good example of media coverage helping American's come together.

Hi Sherry, I really appreciate your comments. And I am starting to believe you watch as much news and information programming as I do. Good for you -- and me. I think your comments are proof of how informed and engaged an audience of smart people TV reaches every day. Thanks. Z

Z, Thanks for the kind comment! Yes, I was all over the TV last night. I found Dr. Klein on Larry King last night very interesting. He is a dermatologist who specializes in botox injections and gave us some very good insight into some of the medical conditions that have afficted MJ. I never new that he had lupus, which is an autoimmune disese and his skin condition also was autoimmune related. These diseases are fascinating to me. Dr. Klein also touch on the Diprivan debate that has been a rumor surrounding MJ's death. I have had that drug, but it is one that some people have trouble waking up from and I could have been one of those had a good anesthesiologist not been there. If he was experimenting with this outside of a hospital, as the Dr. Klein suggested he had when he was with him on a tour in Germany this would be very dangerous outside of a hospital. The interview was very enlightening and Dr. Klein filled in a lot of blanks. Z, If you get a chance to watch it it was great. I probably watch too much TV, but new is what I enjoy most.

I am just glad I was on his side when the trial was going on, I always believed in his innosence. I just feel so bad for him dying he was to young! I always thought his looks where different, and I liked it, the before and after michael where all gorgeous.He was excentric, I wish I could have met him! We could have had a lot of fun, he was really funny, and spontaneous! I love you Michael Jackson, you will forever be in my heart and thoughts! Forever, and maybe we will meat on the other side, if you let me!

I was on a cruise when I heard the news but they had CNN on the ship. It seemed surreal at the time but it really sunk in watching the memorial. As long as the ratings are coming in, the story will stay alive.

P.S. I saw some of Jamie Foxx on the BET awards. Totally unwatchable. Maybe one day BET/TV ONE(purveyors of insulting black programming) will get that just because someone is popular doesn't mean that they should be given free reign to act like an idiot. A lot more restraint could have been shown, but on BET...buffoonery rules. Aaron McGruder(creator of The Boondocks) was like a laser beam in his skewering of BET. Nothing has changed.

I grew up watching the jackson 5 as far as the Ed Sullivan show where all the hottest performer where on his show there's song they sung back than a lot of people have not heard of still today, Rock n Robin, how can you mend a broken heart. Great songs MJ will live in my heart forever,and the family will be in my prayers posted by Wanda AKA Lanet