Results tagged “michaeljackson”

A city report (.pdf) released Friday shows that costs for the Michael Jackson public memorial service were more than originally thought, which was $1.4 million. The actual cost, according to the new report, was $3.4 million. That's $1.2 million for straight time salary costs (mostly police) and $2 million for overtime salary costs and expenses (once again, most for police).

              

If you were at LA Live on Halloween night, whether to see the Michael Jackson concert-documentary film This is It or just enjoy the evening out, you may have thought for a moment you'd stumbled onto the set of a horror film or a cemetery in full uproar thanks to the assembled dancers participating in yet another dance-along to the late pop icon's mega hit. Just one week earlier a record-breaking 22,923 people danced in 32 countries as part of the Thrill the World annual event; some of those performers were back among the undead to entertain the crowd at the Clippers game Saturday night.

Despite being hyped by its evil corporate owner AEG, Michael Jackson's This Is It only earned a decent-but-hardly-great $21.3M at the box office this weekend. It was enough to win the weekend, though Paranormal Activity made a strong charge at second place ($16.5M | $84.7M). After that it was all hold-overs. The unusually robust Law Abiding Citizen continued to do well ($7.3M | $51.3M) as did the moderately funny Couples Retreat ($6M | $86.6M). The vile and stupid Saw VI rounded out the top 5 with $5.5M ($22.8M).

       

I know that plenty of people are looking forward to seeing Michael Jackson's ghoulish This Is It. I am not one of those people. Have fun, weirdos! Has Jared Hess lost his mojo? Nacho Libre was a step down from Napoleon Dynamite and Gentlemen Broncos looks like another step down the ladder. I was never really a fan of the original Boondock Saints, so Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is pretty low on my radar. Why reward a jerk-off like Troy Duffy with my hard-earned treasure? The best film of the week may just be The House of the Devil. Cue "unfortunately, no one will see it" meme. If you're looking for something good other than horror, give Skin your time and money. It stars the great Sam Neill. That should be reason enough to see it.

Since February, the Grammy Museum has hosted a special exhibit featuring some of Michael Jackson's glitzy clothes. It was scheduled to come down this summer, but following his death, the media storm jumped onto the museum--even Larry King did a live episode from there--and the exhibit turned into one of the city's various ad hoc memorial points (other ones included his Hollywood Star and the Encino family compound).

It's a big night for downtown Los Angeles, more specifically L.A. Live. 6 p.m.: "This Is It," the Michael Jackson documentary, premieres (some wonder if some movie premieres will move from Hollywood to downtown. The movie 2012 will premiere here next week.). | 7 p.m.: Lakers and Clippers open basketball season at the Staples Center | 9 p.m.: L.A. Live's newest addition, Regal Cinemas opens to the public.

After a hot mess of a meeting between the L.A. City Council, AEG and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich's office, the council unanimously approved sign permits for AEG. Attorneys with Trutanich say this action, an exception as they put it, will open the city up to more lawsuit fodder from the billboard industry. They're probably right. Nevertheless, this particular drama has ended, setting the path for the opening of Regal Cinemas, which will play the Michael Jackson film "This is It" on all 14 screens. Eric Richardson at blogdowntown live blogged the trainwreck of a meeting--see all the drama here.

And the War of Words over use of taxpayer money for the Michael Jackson memorial continues.... “If going after your money is being a bully, then I’m a bully; I have no problem doing that,” City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said in speech to members of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce at City Hall. “We wasted a lot of dough on the Michael Jackson memorial. We wasted a lot of money."

After going to court yesterday to determine how tonight's funeral will be paid for, Michael Jackson is scheduled to be buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale around 7 p.m. tonight. For locals on the tail end of rush hour, there will be street closures in effect (map below). No specific time for closures has been listed by the city of Glendale on its website, but expect them to begin in the afternoon, lasting into the evening.

Local television news, so quick to cut into programming for car chases, and often repetitive non-stop coverage of celebrity-involved incidents (i.e. the death of Michael Jackson) has been eerily quiet this weekend as the Station Fire--one of three current blazes raging in Southern California--has prompted the evacuation of more than 6,600 homes, threatens 12,000 structures, and has blazed through 35,000 acres and is growing with 5% containment.

Although it was all but official until now, today the Los Angeles County coroner's office "confirmed that it has ruled Michael Jackson's death to be a homicide, caused primarily by 'propofol intoxication,'" reports KNX1070 in a breaking news e-mail alert. The LAPD, the lead agency into the death, also announced this morning that separate investigations will occur into matters uncovered in the death investigation, but do not directly relate to the cause of Jackson's death. Those most likely are the various drugs, prescription included, found at his home and in his body. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement will be looking into those aspects. The LAPD's press release is below in full.

The news about the cause of Michael Jackson's death has prompted the LAPD to once again remind the public and media about parking at the Hayvenhurst Estate, which was Jackson's childhood home and current one for family members. The LAPD has been trying to "to strike a balance between the needs of the area residents and the needs of the media to cover the events," they said today in a news release.

The July search warrant affidavit that officials used to raid the Houston offices of Michael Jackson's personal doctor was unsealed today, offering up what has been speculated for weeks: "lethal levels" of anesthetic propofol killed the pop star.

Is he frozen? Destined to rest at Neverland Ranch? Bound for Vegas? Headed home to Gary, Indiana? No one has known for sure what the status of the burial of the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has been since his death, but now Jackson's father Joe has revealed his son "will be buried Aug. 29, what would have been his 51st birthday, at Forest Lawn Cemetery," according to the LA Times.

The Los Angeles County Coroner announced today that their "thorough and comprehensive" investigation into the death of Michael Jackson has been completed. However, the LAPD has requested the information remain confidential as their investigation continues. "The extension of security measures will help maintain the integrity of the investigation and allow investigators from LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division, as well as our partner law enforcement agencies to continue their investigation," they explained in a statement. Further questions about the investigation will not be answered. As for Jackson's body, his family is still deciding where to bury him.

It's made the internet rounds in the pas few years and today sister site Chicagoist talks up an Egyptian Bust from sometimes between 1550 BC and 1050 BC that is currently in the collection at the Field Museum. The bust's nose has a striking similarity to Jackson's post surgery one. "95% of Egyptian statues and busts were defiled by early Christians and Muslims because they were used for idolatry," a Museum spokesperson said. "They looked at these as idols and taking the nose off made them 'non-human.'" Chicagoist is not sure if that applies to Jackson, too. In any case, do you remember the time?

When City Attorney Carmen Trutanich sat down with the L.A. City Council a couple weeks ago, he said his investigators found both "civil and criminal aspects" in their research that could lead to potential lawsuits. He would not discuss details publicly, but did go into a private session to talk about the civil aspects.

Last week, authorities raided Dr. Conrad Murray's office in Houston. Today, his other office and home in Las Vegas. Search warrants said DEA and police were looking for "items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense." Murray's lawyer told the Associated Press yesterday that he did not prescribe or administer anything that should have killed Jackson. Murray was paid $150,000 a month to care for the pop star and was at the Bel Air abode when he died.

A source close to the investigation of Michael Jackson's death has told the Associated Press that the pop star's doctor administered a drug that authorities believe killed him. Dr. Conrad Murray, who is the subject of a manslaughter investigation, apparently gave Jackson anesthetic propofol to help with sleep. "Murray's lawyer has said the doctor didn't prescribe or administer anything that should have killed Jackson," said the AP (bold emphasis by LAist).

Police and federal agents served a search warrant in Houston today to Michael Jackson's personal doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray. "The search was conducted by members of the DEA, two Robbery-Homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department and Houston Police officers. The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for and seize items, including documents, they believed constituted evidence of the offense of manslaughter," Murray's lawyer said in a statement. The LA Times notes that "to obtain a search warrant, authorities are required to show probable cause for a felony," but this in not an indication of any current charges. Various items were taken, according to the Times' sources.

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich announced this afternoon in a session of City Council that his investigation into tax payer money being used for the Michael Jackson Memorial has revealed "civil and criminal aspects." He would not speak publicly about details, including a lawsuit's target, but offered to go into closed session about the civil aspects. City Council agreed and went to the back chambers to discuss at 12:30 p.m. As this publishing, they are still in closed session.

If you've got under a hundred dollars in your bank account, a date at the movies is usually out of the question. You stare longingly at LAist's film calendar every week: the Arclight's obviously a fortune, but even AMCs & revival houses run $15-$20 for two tickets. Add popcorn & soda? Ugh. This is news to no one, but if you're in the South Bay? WOW! The Warner Grand Theatre is looking out for you! Even if you're not - it's probably still cheaper to drive to San Pedro, plunk down a Hamilton and enjoy 2 tickets, 2 sodas & 2 popcorns (single tickets are a whopping $3 - cheaper than a DVD rental).

Last week, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tweeted seven times, asking for fans for donations that would help offset the cost of Michael Jackson's public memorial service. Every tweet included a link to the city's website where the online donations could be given.

Just a week on the job and City Controller Wendy Greuel is kicking butt. The city's Emergency Management Department was charged with feeding some 3,200 officers that were deployed for the Michael Jackson memorial service in case the crowds outside the Staples Center grew, possibly to a million people.

Although the big event has come and gone, the Encino Neighborhood Council is meeting tonight to discuss with city officials about crowds and media that are expected to still visit the Jackson Family compound on Hayvenhurst Avenue, just south of Ventura Boulevard. "As a result of the tragic death of Michael Jackson, the LAPD has exercised considerable restraint in accommodating worldwide media and mourners with access to the Jackson family residence on Hayvenhurst Avenue," according to a statement from the council that the Daily News printed. "At the same time, Hayvenhurst is a vital community access roadway, especially for evacuation and emergency response." The police said strict enforcement would begin last week. The meeting, open to all to attend, will be held at the Encino Women's Club, 4924 Paso Robles Ave.

Estimates peg yesterday's massive memorial service for Michael Jackson costing the city at around $4 million, but "one economist says Los Angeles may end up breaking even," according to abc7. "Jack Kyser says the event costs may be offset by the money spent on food and lodging from all the fans and media who came to L.A." To help cover the unexpected expense, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office established a website yesterday to collect donations. However, "newly-elected city attorney Carmen Trutanich says his staff is investigating how to make sure the city is not put in this position again."

Although the Jackson family held a private memorial service this morning at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Toluca Lake/Universal City area, Michael Jackson's death certificate--obtained by TMZ--shows that the location is listed as temporary. The Celebrity Gossip website says the final burial ground will be somewhere else, but that location is unknown. After today's public service at the Staples Center, the family headed to the Beverly Wilshire hotel for lunch before heading back to the family home in Encino.

The millions expected to show in downtown Los Angeles today did not appear. While that was good on the city's resources, it meant bad business for hundreds of vendors selling t-shirts, buttons and other items.

       

Along with that golden ticket and wristband the lucky 17,500 people received to attend today's memorial service was the golden program book. Inside, it is simple, basic and touching: large photos cover pages with messages from La Toya, Tito, Rebbie, Evvy and other family and friends.

Say what you will about the entertainer, the headline-maker, the musician, the defendant, the humanitarian, and the man who was Michael Jackson, but as she briefly took the microphone on stage, surrounded by her siblings, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, 11-year-old Paris Jackson's few tearful words said the world about Michael Jackson--her dad. "I just wanted to say...Ever since I was born...Daddy has been the best father I could ever imagine...and I just wanted to say that I love him...so much."