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Monday, July 6, 2009

Michael Jackson Memorial Ticket Process Goes Surprisingly Smoothly

'In and out within five minutes,' fan Massimo Guarini says about getting his tickets and wristbands.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Matt Elias


A fan shows his wrist band and tickets to members of the media near the Michael Jackson Memorial Service at Dodger Stadium
Photo: Michal Czerwonka/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — The planning for Michael Jackson's public service may be a "phenomenal undertaking," as described by the Los Angeles Police Department, but the ticket-distribution process has been anything but, according those selected to attend Tuesday's memorial.

"I'm really surprised it went this well, it was really well executed," Richard Leong told MTV News after picking up his pair of tickets. "I'll actually be able to go back to work today."

Leong was among the many drivers on Monday (July 6) who went to Dodger Stadium to collect tickets and wristbands, the materials necessary to get near and inside the venues for the public memorial that will take place. A line of cars stretched back fairly deep from the freeway exit to the stadium. But once fans in cars showed their printed vouchers to police, the process went surprisingly fast to most.

"In and out within five minutes," Massimo Guarini said.

After the first stop, fans had to drive a short distance to Ticketmaster representatives stationed outside of the stadium. From there, they showed their voucher again and received a gold or blue wristband. After they received a wristband, one more short drive is all it took to get the pair of tickets from a representative.

Lesley Leasen was notified yesterday that out of the 1.6 million fans that registered to attend the services, she had been selected. Leasen said she received an e-mail notice on her iPhone and was surprised by the news. The Los Angeles native then decided to take her young son to the services.

"I'm here in LA and it's all over the news — it's a big piece of history," she said. "It's a sad day but I thought I'd come and see the tribute."

As of press time, reps on site were still passing out tickets for Staples Center, where the memorial will take place. Once those tickets are gone, however, fans will have to make due with tickets to the Nokia Theater, where a live simulcast of events taking place inside the Staples Center will be shown. According to spokesmen for the Jackson family, 8,750 total tickets will be dispersed to fans, with the rest of the seating set aside for media and friends and associates of Jackson, including Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, and Kobe Bryant.

Plans continue to be revealed for the memorial, with new announcements being made through the day.

As for the fans, most are still in shock that the King of Pop is no longer with us.

Leong said he daughter actually registered him online for the memorial tickets. "This is a real big thing for her," he said of his eldest daughter. "[We've had] great memories," he added. "Some of our best times were watching Michael Jackson videos and their releases on MTV. [My daughter] doesn't like big crowds, but she wanted to go. I wanted to share with her what we did when she was young, but now as adults."

MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Judge Rules Michael Jackson's Will is Valid

Over the objections of Katherine Jackson, a Los Angeles probate judge today ruled that Michael Jackson's 2002 will is valid and that, per the singer's wishes, attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain are executors of his estate.

A lawyer for Michael Jackson's mother, John Schreiber, argued to the judge that "there is concern over handing over the keys to the kingdom so quickly."

But Judge Mitchell Beckloff refused, telling Schreiber, "Someone needs to be at the helm of the ship." Jackson's estate is estimated at $500 million-plus.

Katherine Jackson had been appointed temporary executor last week, when the family still believed the star had died without a will. But Branca surfaced with a five-page will written seven years ago, establishing him and McClain as executors.

The estate will be split among the singer's mother, his three children and charities, dissing ex-wife Debbie Rowe and giving Katherine custody of his kids.

At a press conference, Branca's attorney, Howard Weitzman, said that the executors were pleased with the ruling and sent condolences to the family.

"We believe Judge Beckloff made the correct decision. We intend to carry out the wishes Michael Jackson set forth. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Jackson family this week in remembering Michael as a beloved father, son and brother."

Michael Jackson, Parents

Michael Jackson with his parents, Joseph and Katherine Jackson.

Meanwhile, the court confirmed that another will, dated from 1997, was filed this week, also listing Branca as executor. The judge's ruling should not be affected, because Michael Jackson's last will from 2002 would trump any older one.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, a friend of the Jacksons, appeared on Good Morning America earlier today, expressing disappointment that the hearing wasn't delayed.

"I think it has been very insensitive, particularly to this family, that you would even think of scheduling a court hearing on the status of the mother the day before she has to go to the cemetery for her son," Sharpton said. "It's almost insulting."

Sure thing. Beckloff said he believed Branca and McClain would act in the best interest of the estate and be best equipped to sort through various complicated legal and financial problems, ranging from lingering IOUs and lawsuits.

The singer's private funeral and public memorial take place tomorrow.

The next hearing in the probate case is set for August 3. For more details, click to enlarge some of the key portions of Michael Jackson's will ...

Michael Jackson Will (I)Michael Jackson Will (II)Michael Jackson Will (III)Michael Jackson Will (IV)

Michael Jackson Memorial Tickets Popping Up On eBay, Craigslist

eBay and show producers are aggressively trying to protect against scalping.
By Kyle Anderson


Michael Jackson

By now, all the people who will receive free tickets to Tuesday's public Michael Jackson memorial service at Staples Center in Los Angeles have been notified, and the secondary market is abuzz with strange offers and record-setting bids.

Though show producers AEG Live have gone out of their way to protect against scalping and counterfeiting of the show tickets, people are finding loopholes. Each winner will receive two wristbands to the event, and while the person picking up the pass needs to put the band on themselves upon receiving it, the second one could easily be flipped.

Though eBay has been aggressive about stamping down auctions, that hasn't stopped people from bidding upward of $15,000 for passes to Tuesday's event. AEG have warned people to be on the lookout for counterfeiters and have reminded people that anybody claiming to sell their e-mail confirmation code (which allows them to claim their tickets Monday at Dodger Stadium) are frauds, as the e-mail code is non-transferable and requires the ticket claimer to have proper matching ID. Even that hasn't slowed the secondary market, as there are a handful of auctions open for the rejection e-mails sent to people who did not get tickets. The opening price for the rejection e-mail? $2.99.

Over on Craigslist (which doesn't offer the same sort of transaction protection as eBay), sellers are offering up their passes (or their second pass) for "make me an offer" deals, starting at $500. Other people have been offering up exchanges and barters. One ticket holder who lives in the Northeast offered up his second ticket in exchange for a flight to Los Angeles so he could attend. Another poster is looking for romantic accompaniment to the event, saying, "Date can respond with pic and reason why she deserves to go." But there are also a strong number of people on the online classified site who are encouraging viewers to flag people attempting to sell tickets, and writing long, opinionated missives about exploiting a funeral.

A total of 1.6 million people registered for the 17,500 available tickets (11,000 in Staples Center proper and another 6,500 for the adjoining Nokia Theater, which will have a closed-circuit broadcast of the proceedings). Police are expecting as many as 700,000 people to swarm the area, despite the fact that the memorial will not be shown on the screens outside the venue.

MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT.

For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Panic At The Disco Lose Two Members

Ryan Ross and Jon Walker leave band to 'embark on a musical excursion of their own.'
By James Montgomery


Panic at the Disco's Ryan Ross and Brendon Urie
Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Ryan Ross and Jon Walker have left Panic at the Disco to "embark on a musical excursion of their own."

Panic posted the announcement Monday (June 6) on their official site, hinting that creative differences may have caused the split between Ross, Walker and the remaining bandmembers: frontman Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith.

"Though the four of us have made music together in the past, we've creatively evolved in different directions, which has compromised what each of us want to personally achieve," the statement read in part. "Over the years, we have remained close and honest with each other, which helped us to realize that our goals were different and that parting ways is truly what is best for each of us. We are all excited for the future, you should be too."

According to the statement, Urie and Smith will continue making music under the Panic at the Disco mantle, and the band will still hit the road this summer for their dates on the Blink-182 tour, though it is not known who will replace Ross on guitar and Walker on bass. The statement also says Panic's new album is still on schedule.

The statement concludes by saying that updates on Ross' and Walker's new project will be forthcoming, as will a message from Urie and Smith about the split. At press time, a spokesperson for Panic's label, Fueled by Ramen/ Atlantic, had not responded to MTV News' request for comment on the news.

But hours after the news of the split broke, Urie and Smith made a comment of their own, in the form of a second online statement, in which they wished Ross and Walker well and promised Panic fans that the band they loved wasn't going anywhere.

"We just wanted to let you know that the news of Ryan and Jon leaving the band is unfortunately true. It's been an amazing journey being in a band with them, but sometimes individual tastes take friends in different directions, and you can't ignore it. They are some of the most talented guys we know, and we're sure that whatever they do next will be great," the statement read. "That said, Panic at the Disco is alive and very, very well. We are working on new songs that we are excited for you to hear. Our dates with Blink and Fall Out Boy start in a little less than a month, and we wouldn't miss those for the world. We know everybody has a lot of questions at this point with everything being so out of the blue, most of those should be answered in the coming weeks. We appreciate every one of you, and hope you continue with us on this incredible ride."

Ross formed Panic at the Disco with Smith in 2004, and the duo soon added Urie and original bassist Brent Wilson to the mix. Their debut album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, was released the following year and sold more than 2.2 million copies worldwide. Just as Panic were about to launch their first-ever headlining tour, they parted ways with Wilson under less-than-amicable circumstances, and replaced him with Walker. In 2008, they released Pretty. Odd., an album that didn't sell as well as their debut but earned them newfound critical praise.

[This story was originally published at 3:35 pm E.T. on 7.6.2009]

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Beyonce, Ne-Yo Honor Michael Jackson At Essence Festival

Beyonce shows video of herself at 5 imitating MJ.
By Rahman Dukes


Beyoncé performs at the Essence Music Festival on Friday
Photo: Soul Brother/FilmMagic

On a weekend when some of today's biggest R&B stars collided with the genre's legendary singers to celebrate the 15th annual Essence Music Festival, one common topic was consistent throughout the events: of course, Michael Jackson.

The three-day event, which celebrates African-American culture in the heart of New Orleans with a series of workshops and music showcases, boasted a lineup that included Ne-Yo, John Legend, Robin Thicke and Beyoncé, along with veterans such as Lionel Richie (who reunited with the Commodores), Anita Baker and Frankie Beverly and Maze, all of whom paid homage to Jackson.

The festival kicked off on Friday evening with a video tribute of Jackson as a live band played a number of his hits against a 20-foot backdrop of the fallen star. The tribute was followed by sets from Ne-Yo and then John Legend. For his performance, Ne-Yo dedicated the majority of his set to Jackson. "I'm gonna do my best to keep his legacy alive," said the singer, who was clad in a Jacksonesque hat and sparkling jacket.

Next up, Beyoncé brought her "I Am ..." Tour to the New Orleans Superdome. After tearing through hits including "Single Ladies," "Ego" and "Crazy in Love," B then went into her own MJ tribute.

After a video of a 5-year-old Beyoncé doing her best Michael Jackson impression, B told the hushed audience that at that moment, "That's when I decided who I wanted to be," and that MJ was responsible for the inspiration. Beyoncé then went on to sing "Halo," dedicating new lyrics to Jackson.

The festival also included Jackson tributes from Robin Thicke, Jazmine Sullivan and an early morning set from Maxwell. The festival was capped with performances from Frankie Beverly and Maze and the Commodores.

Chris Brown, Ludacris, Gabrielle Union, Bill Cosby and Sanaa Lathan attended the festival, snapping photos with fans and signing autographs on Bourbon Street and speaking at workshops at the city's convention center. Queen Latifah was also on the lineup for the festival for Friday night's kickoff where she shared some of the most memorable words for Michael Jackson.

"I think you're going to be seeing a lot of tributes to Michael Jackson over the next year, at least," Latifah told the crowd. "He was the greatest entertainer of all time, bottom line. There's no one who can compare to him."

MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT.

For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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