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Los Angeles braces for fallen star's final act as Michael Jackson memorial grips downtown
LOS ANGELES - The curtain is slowly rising on Michael Jackson's last show.
As in Jackson's life, Tuesday's public memorial at the downtown Staples Center includes the spectacle surrounding the show — legal drama, screaming fans, star power, live worldwide broadcast, unsavory accusations, even a parade of elephants — all adding up to what could be the biggest celebrity send-off of all time.
On the eve of the memorial, activity was spotted late Monday at the Forest Lawn Cemetery involving the Jackson family. The cemetery is the location where relatives were expected to hold a private funeral.
La Toya Jackson, wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, was seen being driven away from the cemetery. KCAL-TV showed helicopter footage of a hearse backing up to the Hall of Liberty — a circular building at the cemetery that contains a 1,200 seat auditorium — to deliver a casket.
A few hours later, the casket was reloaded into the hearse and delivered to another nearby building, this time covered in a blue cloth.
More than 1.6 million people registered for free tickets to Jackson's downtown memorial. A total of 8,750 people were chosen to receive two tickets each.
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Find complete coverage of the memorial service
Find galleries and the latest stories, plus read the transcript of our live chat during the service.
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The life and career of Michael Jackson
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View, sign condolence book at Legacy.com
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Fans remember Michael Jackson
Fans remember Michael Jackson. -
Poll:
Vote for your favorite song
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YouTube: Barbara Walters interview with Michael Jackson, part 1
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Leave your memories of Michael Jackson
What did Michael Jackson mean to you? Share your memories of how he influenced your life and your thoughts on how he changed the American music scene. -
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